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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the production of products, and more specifically, to an integrated manufacturing system for managing the distribution to a factory floor and throughout a factory of the information that is necessary to effectuate the
production of products on the factory floor.
It has long been known to manufacture products in factories. Moreover, it has long been known that one of the primary factors to which consideration normally is most often given before commencing the construction of a new manufacturing facility
and/or the refurbishing of an old one is the nature of the product which will be manufactured therein. Also, the fact that particular types of facilities are better suited for the manufacture of certain kinds of products than are others is well
accepted. Finally, it has long been known that the configuration of the exterior and the interior of a manufacturing facility as well as the manner in which the production equipment is arranged within the facility are predicated, in large measure if not
entirely, upon the nature of the steps which are required to be performed in order to effect the successful manufacture of the given product in the particular facility.
Continuing, factories built prior to World War II commonly were built in the form of multistory buildings. Moreover, in accord with the design and use of such multistory buildings as factories, the heaviest of the manufacturing equipment
normally was located in the basement and/or first floor of the multistory factory building. The upper floors of the multistory factory building were thus left free to be used for purposes of receiving the lighter manufacturing equipment thereat and/or
to permit assembly-type operations to be conducted thereat. As a consequence of the manufacturing equipment being laid out in the aforedescribed fashion in such multistory factory buildings, the materials from which the products were being fabricated,
as these materials progressed through the various stages of manufacturing culminating in the completed production of the products, were customarily required to be moved about within the multistory factory building, i.e., from one portion of one floor
thereof to another portion of the same floor thereof and/or from one floor thereof to another floor thereof. With the materials having to be moved about within the multistory factory building, this resulted in valuable manufacturing time being lost
since obviously while the materials were in transit between one point and another within the multistory factory building there was no manufacturing operation being performed thereon.
However, following World War II as new factories were being built it became more and more common to find such new factories being built in the form of single story buildings, i.e., being built so as to be all on one level. Moreover, by the
middle of the 1950's not only were factories being built so that they were all of one level but also so that they were laid out in a particular fashion. Namely, in terms of layout such factories were being made to embody a layout wherein the raw
materials from which the products were to be manufactured were made to enter the factory building at one end thereof. Then, while in the process of traversing the interior of the factory building these raw materials progressively were subjected to
successive operations of the manufacturing process such that by the time they reached the other end of the building they had been transformed into finished products. As finished products, they were then shipped out of the factory building from this
other end thereof. One of the benefits that was derived from the use of such a layout was that it enabled a reduction to be had in the amount of production time lost due to materials having to be moved from one area to another within the factory
building which had served to disadvantageously characterize the use of multistory buildings for manufacturing purposes.
The focus in the 1960's and 1970's, insofar as factories and the manufacturing operations conducted therewithin are concerned, shifted from one of plant construction and layout to one largely of looking at ways of achieving a more effective and
efficient utilization of the manufacturing equipment being employed in the factory building. In one way or another much of this effort was centered on realizing a reduction in the extent to which a human was required to be involved in the actual
operation of the manufacturing equipment. Said another way, much of this effort in one way or another was centered on ways in which it might be possible to automate more and more of the manufacturing equipment's operation. One outgrowth undoubtedly
attributable to this effort was the fact that numerically controlled (NC) machines began to be seen in increasing numbers within factory buildings.
The period following this, up to and including the present, has been characterized by and large by the fact that more and more attention has been devoted to finding ways in which more and more use can be made of computers in connection with
manufacturing operations. By way of exemplification and not limitation in this connection, reference is had here in particular to the development during this period of what have come to be referred to as computer-aided design (CAD) systems and
computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) systems. Very broadly stated, one might say that the difference between a CAD system and a CAM system resides primarily in the fact that as may be derived from the name applied thereto a CAD system is a system wherein
the use which is made of the computer in such a system is related to the design of a product, whereas a CAM system is a system wherein the use which is made of the computer in such a system is related to the manufacture of a product.
To thus summarize the preceding discussion herein, it is well accepted by virtually all that a number of significant changes have occurred over the past 40 years or so both in the manner in which factory buildings are constructed and the interior
thereof is laid out, and in the manner in which manufacturing operations are conducted therewithin. For instance, it is known that in the era of multistory factory buildings notwithstanding how effectively and efficiently each of the individual
operations which collectively combine to make up the total manufacturing process for a given product may have been made to be, manufacturing conducted in multistory factory buildings was nevertheless characterized by the fact that it was inherently
inefficient, i.e., was not as efficient as it might otherwise have been. Reference is had in this connection to the fact that a multistory factory building by its very nature customarily gave rise to a requirement that the materials from which the
products were being fabricated, as these materials progressed through the various stages of manufacturing culminating in the completed production of the products, needed to be moved about within the multistory factory building, i.e., from one portion of
one floor thereof to another portion of the same floor thereof and/or from one floor thereof to another floor thereof. This requirement that the materials be moved about within the multistory factory building resulted in valuable manufacturing time
being lost since obviously while the materials were in transit from one point to another within the multistory factory building there were no manufacturing operations being performed thereon.
In an effort to overcome the inefficiencies in the manufacturing process occasioned by the use of multistory factory buildings wherein materials were required to be moved from one location to another therewithin in order to enable manufacturing
operations to be performed thereon thereby giving rise to lost manufacturing time while the materials were in transit, factory buildings as discussed hereinbefore began to be built all on one level, i.e., in the form of single story factory buildings.
Furthermore, the movement towards replacing multistory factory buildings with single story factory buildings was then followed by a movement towards laying out the interior of the single story factory building in such a manner that the raw materials from
which the products were to be manufactured were made to enter the factory building at one end thereof whereupon while in the process of traversing the interior of the single story factory building from one end to the other thereof, these raw materials
progressively were subjected to successive operations in the manufacturing process such that by the time they reached the other end of the single story factory building they had been transformed into finished products and it was from this other end of
the single story factory building from whence as finished products they were then shipped. By employing such a layout of the single story factory building, it was thus possible to realize therefrom a reduction in the amount of manufacturing time which
was lost due to the need to move materials around from one location to another within the factory building for purposes of enabling manufacturing operations to be conducted thereupon as compared to the amount of production time which was lost due to
materials having to be moved from location to location within a multistory factory building for purposes of enabling manufacturing operations to be performed thereon.
Thereafter, the focus of attention appeared to shift from one which was centered on how factory buildings were being constructed and/or how the interior thereof was being laid out to one which was centered on finding ways that would enable
manufacturing equipment to be employed more effectively and more efficiently. This change in the focus of attention undoubtedly contributed in large part to the increasing frequency with which one found NC machines being employed in factory buildings
and to the development of what are known today as CAD systems and CAM systems.
Once again, however, we have reached a point in time wherein notwithstanding how effectively and efficiently through the use of NC machines and/or CAD systems and/or CAM systems, etc. it may now be possible to perform each of the individual
manufacturing operations which collectively combine to encompass the entire manufacturing process for a given product, time which could otherwise be better spent in the productive performance of manufacturing operations is now being lost unnecessarily
just as was the case in the 1940's in the days when multistory buildings were being utilized as factories. However, unlike in the days of multistory factory buildings wherein valuable manufacturing time was being lost by virtue of the need to move the
raw materials which were used in the manufacture of products extensively about from one location to another within the multistory factory building in order to enable the requisite manufacturing operations to be performed thereon, today the loss in
valuable manufacturing time can be attributed not to the need to extensively move raw materials around but to the need to extensively move information around. The information to which reference is had here is the design and manufacturing data that is
required for purposes of effectuating the manufacture on the factory floor of products. Today's loss of valuable manufacturing time can occasion a number of problems in the manufacturing process. Moreover, these problems may manifest themselves in a
number of ways. In this regard, by way of exemplification and not limitation, there can be the problem of late delivery or missed schedules, and/or the problem of nonconforming products attributable to poor quality or the use of out-of-date data, and/or
the problem of high rework and scrap levels, and/or the problem of few inventory turnovers, and/or the problem of an information poor environment wherein there is no movement of data and/or the wrong data is moved and/or the movement of data is not
timely, and/or the problem of no or inadequate feedback in the status of operations within the factory, and/or the problem of no or inadequate feedback in the manufacturing capability of the equipment being employed in the factory, etc.
A need has thus been evidenced in the prior art for a new and improved system suitable for use for purposes of managing the distribution to a factory floor and throughout a factory of the information, particularly as it relates to design and
manufacturing data, which is necessary to effectuate the production of products on the factory floor. More specifically, a need has thus been evidenced for such a system, which is capable of distributing in a logical and efficient fashion to the factory
floor as well as throughout the factory from a central repository for all shared information, information consisting of design and manufacturing data pertaining to the product to be produced so as to thereby enable the product to be produced on the
factory floor in a most timely and most cost-effective manner. Moreover, desirably such a system should encompass, but not necessarily be limited to, the central repository for all shared information, the engineering enterprise wherein the design
information pertaining to the production of the product is generated, and the manufacturing resource planning system wherein the scheduling information pertaining to the flow through the factory of materials culminating in the production of the finished
product is generated.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved integrated system suitable for use for managing the distribution to a factory floor and throughout a factory of information required for the manufacture of
products.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an integrated manufacturing system for distributing to the factory floor and throughout the factory information in the form of design and manufacturing data that is necessary for the
production of products on the factory floor.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such an integrated manufacturing system which is characterized in that it encompasses a central repository for all shared information wherein is stored the information that is
distributed to the factory floor and throughout the factory.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such an integrated manufacturing system which is characterized in that it encompasses an engineering enterprise wherein the design information pertaining to the production of the product
which is distributed to the factory floor and throughout the factory is generated.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide such an integrated manufacturing system which is characterized in that it encompasses a manufacturing resource planning system wherein the scheduling information pertaining to the flow
through the factory of materials culminating in the production of the finished product which is distributed to the factory floor and throughout the factory is generated.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such an integrated manufacturing system which is characterized in that it is capable of being used in a new factory building.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide such an integrated manufacturing system which is characterized in that it is capable of being retrofitted into an existing factory building.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a new and improved system in the nature of an integrated management system suitable for use for the purposes of managing the distribution to a factory floor as well as the distribution
throughout a factory of the information which is required to effectuate the manufacture of products on the factory floor. The subject integrated management system comprises product information entry means, configuration management means, manufacturing
resource planning means and factory floor means. In addition, the subject integrated management system may further include other design/manufacturing information source means. The product information entry means is designed so as to be operative to
generate from specifications, which are furnished by the customer with regard to the products that are to be manufactured, certain forms of information which are required for purposes of effectuating the manufacture of products on the factory floor. As
such, the product information entry means functions as the source of product specific information such as, by way of exemplification and not necessarily limitation, information of a design/drawing nature, of a process planning nature, of a bill of
materials nature and of an estimated cost nature. The configuration management means functions as the central repository for all of the shared information that is required for purposes of effectuating the manufacture of products on the factory floor.
To this end, the configuration management means functions as the source of information such as, by way of exemplification and not necessarily limitation, information of an engineering/manufacturing control change nature, of an overall facility
information control nature and of a product description, i.e., bill of information, nature. The manufacturing resource planning means functions as the source of information of a scheduling nature that is required for purposes of effectuating the
manufacture of products on the factory floor. In this regard, the manufacturing resource planning means functions as the source of information such as, by way of exemplification and not necessarily limitation, information of a scheduling nature, of a
purchase order/work order nature and of an inventory control nature. The factory floor means functions as the source of information relating to the operations which take place on the factory floor during the course of effectuating thereat the
manufacture of products. Thus, the factory floor means functions as the source of information such as, by way of exemplification and not necessarily limitation, information of a work center load nature, of a general work center operations nature, of a
manufacturing method nature, of a data collection nature, of a direct numerical control (DNC) nature, of a quality feedback nature, of a maintenance nature and of a tooling/fixturing status nature. When the subject integrated manufacturing system also
includes other design/manufacturing information source means, this other design/manufacturing information source means functions in the nature of an additional source of design information and/or manufacturing information. More specifically, by way of
exemplification and not necessarily limitation, the other design/manufacturing information source means functions as a source of information such as information of a detail drafting nature and of a numerical control (N/C) programming nature.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of an integrated manufacturing system constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the configuration management means of an integrated manufacturing system constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the four subfunctions which are encompassed within the manage configuration function that is performed by the configuration management means of an integrated manufacturing system
constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the information flow between the four subfunctions illustrated in FIG. 3 of the manage configuration function of the configuration management means of an integrated manufacturing
system constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the store and retrieve documents subfunction of the manage configuration function of the configuration management means of an integrated manufacturing system constructed in accordance
with the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the control changes subfunction of the manage configuration function of the configuration management means of an integrated manufacturing system constructed in accordance with the
present invention;
FIG. 7 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the approve documents information required by the configuration management means of an integrated manufacturing system constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the approve documents information, which is broken down by storage type, required by the configuration management means of an integrated manufacturing system constructed in accordance
with the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the approve documents information, which is broken down according to central distribution, required by the configuration management means of an integrated manufacturing system
constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the approve documents information, which is broken down according to distribution list, required by the configuration manufacturing system of an integrated manufacturing system
constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 11 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the approve documents information, which is broken down according to content, how stored and how distributed, required by the configuration management means of an integrated
manufacturing system constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 12 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the authorization list information required for access control purposes by the configuration management means of an integrated manufacturing system constructed in accordance with the
present invention;
FIG. 13 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the change requests information required by the configuration management means of an integrated manufacturing system constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 14 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the change requests information, which is broken down according to sign-off list and approvals, required by the configuration management means of an integrated manufacturing system
constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 15 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the information flow through the manufacturing resource planning means of an integrated manufacturing system constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 16 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the scheduling function of the manufacturing resource planning means of an integrated manufacturing system constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 17 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the manufacture product function of the factory floor means of an integrated manufacturing system constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 18 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the data collection element of the manufacture product function of the factory floor means of an integrated manufacturing system constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 19 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the data distribution element of the manufacture product function of the factory floor means of an integrated manufacturing system constructed in accordance with the present
invention;
FIG. 20 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the checkout and download bill of information subfunction of the data distribution element of the manufacture product function of the factory floor means of an integrated
manufacturing system constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 21 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the checkout and download the work center files subfunction of the data distribution element of the manufacture product function of the factory floor means of an integrated
manufacturing system constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 22 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of both the check in work center files subfunction and the check in bill of information subfunction of the data distribution element of the manufacture product function of the factory
floor means of an integrated manufacturing system constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 23 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the maintenance element of the manufacture product function of the factory floor means of an integrated manufacturing system constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 24 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the tooling element of the manufacture product function of the factory floor means of an integrated manufacturing system constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 25 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of a first portion of the information model for the data collection element of the manufacture product function of the factory floor means of an integrated manufacturing system
constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 26 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of a second portion of the information model for the data collection element of the manufacture product function of the factory floor means of an integrated manufacturing system
constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 27 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the information model for the maintenance element of the manufacture product function of the factory floor means of an integrated manufacturing system constructed in accordance with
the present invention; and
FIG. 28 is a schematic representation in block diagram form of the information model for the tooling element of the manufacture product function of the factory floor means of an integrated manufacturing system constructed in accordance with the
present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is depicted therein in block diagram form an integrated manufacturing system, generally designated by the reference numeral 10, constructed in accordance with the
present invention. The integrated manufacturing system 10 is operative for the purposes of managing the distribution to a factory floor as well as the distribution throughout a factory of the information which is required to effectuate the manufacture
of products on the factory floor. As best understood with reference to FIG. 1, the integrated manufacturing system 10 comprises suitably connected in operative relation one to another, as will be more fully described hereinafter, product information
entry means, generally designated in FIG. 1 by the reference numeral 12; configuration management means, generally designated in FIG. 1 by the reference numeral 14; manufacture resource planning means, generally designated in FIG. 1 by the reference
numeral 16; factory floor means, generally designated in FIG. 1 by the reference numeral 18; and other design/manufacturing information source means, generally designated in FIG. 1 by the reference numeral 20.
For purposes of setting forth a description of the nature of the construction and the mode of operation of the integrated manufacturing system 10 to which the present invention is directed, the integrated manufacturing system 10 will not be
described in the context of its utilization for purposes of effectuating the manufacture on the factory floor of any particular type of product. Rather, insofar as the description that follows of the integrated manufacturing system 10 is concerned, it
will be assumed that the integrated manufacturing system 10 is suitable for use for purposes of effectuating the manufacture on the factory floor of any given type of product. Further to this point, although the integrated manufacturing system 10 is
capable of being utilized in connection with the manufacture of products that are produced by means of a continuous manufacturing process as contrasted to a discrete manufacturing process, the integrated manufacturing system 10 is deemed to be more
suitable for use in connection with the manufacture of products that are produced by a discrete manufacturing process.
With the preceding by way of background, a description will now be had, with particular reference being given to FIG. 1 of the drawing, of the integrated manufacturing system 10 which forms the subject matter of the present invention. As noted
above previously, the description of the nature of the construction and the mode of operation of the integrated manufacturing system 10 will be had herein in the context of the manner in which the integrated manufacturing system 10 is employed in order
to effectuate the manufacture on a factory floor of any type of product, but with most attention being directed herein to products that are produced by means of discrete manufacturing processes.
Reference will be had first to the product information entry means 12. The product information entry means 12 is designed so as to be operative to generate certain forms of product specific information which are required for purposes of
effectuating the manufacture of products on the factory floor. These certain forms of product specific information are generated in response to input, the latter being depicted schematically in FIG. 1 of the drawing wherein this input is denoted by the
reference numeral 22, in the form of the specifications which have been furnished by the customer with respect to the particular product that the customer seeks to have manufactured on the factory floor and which will be manufactured on the factory floor
utilizing information distributed to the factory floor as well as throughout the factory in accordance with the mode of operation of the integrated manufacturing system 10 which forms the subject matter of the present invention. As used herein, the term
"customer" is being used in its broadest sense; namely, as simply a means of designating the party for whom the product is being manufactured.
Continuing, the product information entry means 12 in accordance with the best mode embodiment of the present invention has various forms of data housed therewithin. More specifically, housed within the product information entry means 12 in
accord with the best mode embodiment of the present invention is information, i.e., data, in the form of the designs for the particular types of products which it is contemplated would be manufactured on the factory floor, such information, i.e., data,
being denoted at 24 in FIG. 1 of the drawing. Secondly, in accord with the best mode embodiment of the present invention there is housed within the product information entry means 12 information, i.e., data, in the form of the drawings for the
particular types of products which it is contemplated would be manufactured on the factory floor, such information, i.e., data, being denoted at 26 in FIG. 1 of the drawing. Thirdly, housed within the product information entry means 12 in accord with
the best mode embodiment of the present invention is process planning information, i.e., data relating to the various process steps that would be required for purposes of effectuating the manufacture on the factory floor of the particular types of
products which it is contemplated would be manufactured thereat, such information, i.e., data, being denoted at 28 in FIG. 1 of the drawing. Fourthly, in accord with the best mode embodiment of the present invention there is housed within the product
information entry means 12 information, i.e., data, in the form of the bills of materials for the particular types of products which it is contemplated would be manufactured on the factory floor, such information, i.e., data, being denoted at 30 in FIG.
1 of the drawing. Fifthly, in accordance with the best mode embodiment of the present invention the product information entry means 12 has housed therewithin information, i.e., data, in the form of the estimated costs for manufacturing the particular
types of products which it is contemplated would be manufactured on the factory floor, such information, i.e., data, being denoted at 32 in FIG. 1 of the drawing. Although the product information entry means 12 has been depicted in FIG. 1 and has been
described hereinbefore as having housed therewithin various particular forms of data, i.e., the forms of information denoted in FIG. 1 of the drawing by the reference numerals 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32, it is to be understood that the product information
entry means 12 may equally well without departing from the essence of the present invention have housed therewithin a greater or a lesser number of forms of information, as established in particular by a consideration of the nature of the information,
which the integrated manufacturing system 10 is required to manage the distribution of to the factory floor as well as throughout the factory.
Consideration will next be given to the configuration management means 14. The configuration management means 14 is designed to function as the central repository for all of the shared information that is required for purposes of effectuating
the manufacture of products on the factory floor. To this end, the configuration management means 14 functions as the source of various forms of information, i.e., data. More specifically, in accord with the best mode embodiment of the present
invention the configuration management means 14 functions as the source of information, i.e., data, of an engineering control change nature, such information, i.e., data, being denoted at 34 in FIG. 1. Secondly, the configuration management means 14 in
accord with the best mode embodiment of the present invention functions as the source of information, i.e., data, of a management control change nature, such information, i.e., data, being denoted at 36 in FIG. 1. Thirdly, in accord with the best mode
embodiment of the present invention the configuration management means 14 functions as the source of information, i.e., data, of an overall facility information control nature, such information, i.e., data, being denoted at 38 in FIG. 1. Fourthly, the
configuration management means 14 in accord with the best mode embodiment of the present invention functions as the source of information, i.e., data, of a product description, i.e., bill of information, nature, such information, i.e., data, being
denoted at 40 in FIG. 1. Although the configuration management means 14 has been depicted in FIG. 1 and has been described hereinbefore as being the source of various particular forms of data, i.e., the forms of information denoted in FIG. 1 by the
reference numerals 34, 36, 38 and 40, it is to be understood that the configuration management means 14 may equally well without departing from the essence of the present invention serve as the source of a greater or a lesser number of forms of
information, as established in particular by a consideration of the nature of the information, which the integrated manufacturing system 10 is required to manage the distribution of to the factory floor as well as throughout the factory.
With further regard thereto, the configuration management means 14 fulfills a number of different roles. A more detailed description of these different roles will now be had herein. For purposes of this description, reference will be had in
particular to FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the drawing with some occasional reference also being had to FIG. 1 of the drawing. As best understood with reference to FIG. 2, the top level summary role of the configuration management means 14 is, as the name
given thereto implies, to manage configurations. To this end, as denoted by the arrow identified in FIG. 1 by the reference numeral 42, inputs are received by the configuration management means 14 from the product information entry means 12. Numbered
among these inputs which are communicated in electronic form from the product information entry means 12 to the configuration management means 14 through the use of any conventional form of electronics means suitable for use for this purpose are a
multiplicity of inputs each of which serves to convey from the product information entry means 12 to the configuration management means 14 a different type of product specific information relating to the product that the customer desires to have
manufactured on the factory floor. More specifically, the product specific information provided by virtue of these inputs encompasses things such as customer product requirements, product performance requirements, previous product designs and product
documents, e.g., product drawings, and product change requests of an engineering and/or manufacturing nature.
In turn, in a manner to which further reference will be had hereinafter there are transmitted in electronic form through the use of any conventional form of electronics means suitable for use for this purpose outputs from the configuration
management means 14 to each of the other means, i.e., the product information entry means 12, the manufacturing resource planning means 16, the factory floor means 18 and the other design/manufacturing information source means 20, which when combined
with the configuration management means 14 collectively comprise the best mode embodiment of the integrated manufacturing system 10 which forms the subject matter of the present invention. These outputs from the configuration management means 14 by
means of which information is transmitted therefrom in electronic form to the product information entry means 12, to the manufacturing resources planning means 16, to the factory floor means 18 and to the other design/manufacturing information source
means 20 are denoted by the arrows which are identified in FIG. 1 by the reference numerals 44, 46, 48 and 50, respectively. The nature of the information which is transmitted in electronic form, i.e., is transmitted via outputs 44,46,48 and 50 from
configuration management means 14 to the product information entry means 12, to the manufacturing resource planning means 16, to the factory floor means 18 and to the other design/manufacturing information source means 20, respectively, includes
information relating to product structures, product approved changes, revised product designs and product documents, e.g., product drawings, and product notification lists. Other information which passes in electronic form through the outputs 44, 46, 48
and 50 from the configuration management means 14 to the product information entry means 12, to the manufacturing resource planning means 16, to the factory floor means 18 and to the other design/manufacturing information source means 20, respectively,
is information which is deemed to be of a control nature. The latter information, i.e., the information of a control nature, is deemed to include information such as information relating to engineering and manufacturing product standards, governmental
and company policies and procedures relating to factory floor operations, product inventories, factory floor costs, etc.
Continuing with the description of the configuration management means 14, the manage configurations role, i.e., function, of the configuration management means 14 of the integrated manufacturing system 10 consists, in accordance with the best
mode embodiment of the invention, of four subfunctions, i.e., subroles. These four subfunctions, as best understood with reference to FIG. 3 of the drawing, of the manage configurations function of the configuration management means 14 are, in
accordance with the best mode embodiment of the invention, the following: identify product structure, identify/create the bill of information, store and retrieve documents, and control changes. For ease of reference thereto in FIG. 3 of the drawing, the
manage configurations function is denoted therein generally by the reference numeral 52, the identify product structure subfunction is denoted therein generally by the reference numeral 54, the identify/create the bill of information subfunction is
denoted therein generally by the reference numeral 56, the store and retrieve documents subfunction is denoted therein generally by the reference numeral 58 and the control changes subfunction is denoted therein generally by the reference numeral 60.
The manner in which information is made to flow among these four subfunctions, i.e., among the identify product structure subfunction 54, the identify/create the bill of information subfunction 56, the store and retrieve documents subfunction 58, and the
control changes subfunction 50, is best understood with reference to FIG. 4 of the drawing wherein there is to be found an illustration of this information flow among the subfunctions 54, 56, 58 and 60. It should be understood here that the flow of
information among the subfunctions 54, 56, 58 and 60 takes place in an electronic form through the use of any conventional form of electronic means suitable for use for such a purpose.
The primary output in terms of subfunction from the manage configurations function 52 of the configuration management means 14 is the product structure subfunction 54. During the product design and product manufacturing process additional
documents are created and related to the product structure subfunction 54 so as to create the bill of information subfunction 56. Next, there is the third subfunction, i.e., the store and retrieve documents subfunction 58 which as depicted in FIG. 5 of
the drawing deals with the actual storage and retrieval of the various types of documents required for purposes of effectuating the manufacture of the product desired by the customer. Essentially this is a librarian and/or archive type function.
Finally, there is the fourth subfunction, i.e., the control changes subfunction 60. The role of the control changes subfunction 60 is to exercise control over changes from both product engineering and product manufacturing which relate to the product
that the customer desires to have manufactured on the factory floor. As best understood with reference to FIG. 6 of the drawing, the control changes subfunction 60 is capable of being further decomposed with respect to the aforereferenced changes into
the functions of evaluating, of approving and of implementing changes. These functions of evaluating, of approving and of implementing changes are denoted by the reference numerals 62, 64 and 66, respectively, in FIG. 6 of the drawing.
In the way of a brief summarization of the preceding discussion concerning the configuration management means 14, the primary function which the configuratio | | |
