Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Product assembly or manufacturing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-21
2001-06-05
Lee, Thomas (Department: 2182)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Product assembly or manufacturing
C700S097000, C700S103000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06243614
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and products for optimizing assembly performance.
2. Background Information
Most manufactured products have many components defining many physical and operational characteristics such as, for example, measurements having tolerances. These characteristics include characteristics defined by a single component, and characteristics defined by cooperating components such as, for example, a gap measurement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,052 issued to Iannuzzi et al. describes an existing rule based method for evaluating an engineering design. The methods described therein establish relationships between part features and part tolerances. These relationships are interpreted in light of a given set of completeness and well formedness criteria to determine part quality. If a part is unacceptable, a designer may then revise the tolerance plan.
Although existing hardware variability control techniques employed in the manufacturing of products have been used successfully in the past, these existing methods do not systematically identify critical product characteristics while illustrating the connectivity among different performance areas for the product such as fit, form and function. Thus, with existing methods there is little guidance available for choosing tolerances that will provide acceptable quality in the final assembly, while not applying excessively strict tolerances that increase cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In carrying out the above objects, other objects and features in the present invention, a computer based method for optimizing performance of a product having components defining a plurality of characteristics is provided. The method comprises constructing a characteristic tree with branches corresponding to performance areas. The characteristic tree has nodes corresponding to characteristics. A design limit is inputted for each node. Process capability for each node is determined based on the design limit for that node. A performance factor is determined for each node based on the process capability for that node.
The method further comprises inputting a contribution parameter for each node with each contribution parameter for each node representing the contribution of a contributor to the variation in the characteristic corresponding to that node. A performance rating is determined for each node with the performance rating based on the performance factor and the contribution parameter for that node. An output is generated based on the performance rating and the characteristic tree to illustrate the connectivity among the performance areas of the product.
Further, in carrying out the present invention, a product for optimizing performance of a device having components defining a plurality of characteristics is provided. The product comprises a storage medium, and computer readable instructions recorded on the storage medium. The instructions are operative to construct a characteristic tree, input a design limit, determine a process capability, determine a performance factor, and input a contribution parameter. The instructions are further operative to determine a performance rating, and generate an output based on the performance rating and the characteristic tree to illustrate the connectivity among the performance areas of the product.
The advantages associated with embodiments of the present invention are numerous. For example, embodiments of the present invention make it possible to systematically identify critical product characteristics, and illustrate to a user the connectivity among different performance areas for the product. In manufacturing, tolerances for an assembly may be optimized, to the extent desired, based on the quality requirements of the completed assembly and the capabilities of the manufacturing processes used. Further, products such as, for example, aerospace products, may be designed in accordance with methods and products of the present invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5687094 (1997-11-01), Kagawa et al.
patent: 5808432 (1998-09-01), Inoue et al.
patent: 5825651 (1998-10-01), Cupta et al.
patent: 5907489 (1999-05-01), Elliott
patent: 5949693 (1999-09-01), Tandler
patent: 6061722 (2000-05-01), Lipa et al.
Brooks & Kushman P.C.
Lee Thomas
Rijue Mai
The Boeing Company
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