Mining Information in Automated Relational Databases for Improving Reliability in Forest Products Manufacturing

This paper focuses on how modem data mining can be integrated with real-time relational databases and commercial data warehouses to improve reliability in real-time. An important Issue for many manufacturers is the development of relational databases that link key product attributes with real-time process parameters. Helpful data for key product attributes in manufacturing may be derived from destructive reliability testing. Destructive samples are taken at periodic time intervals during manufacturing, which might create a long time-gap between key product attributes and real-time process data. A case study is briefly summarized for the medium density fiberboard (MDF) industry. MDF is a wood composite that is used extensively by the home building and furniture manufacturing industries around the world. The cost of unacceptable MDF was as large as 5% to 10% of total manufacturing costs. Prevention can result In millions of US dollars saved by using better Information systems.