Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Product assembly or manufacturing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-08
2001-05-08
Grant, William (Department: 2121)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Product assembly or manufacturing
C700S096000, C700S098000, C700S103000, C700S105000, C700S049000, C700S050000, C716S030000, C716S030000, C345S420000, C345S427000, C345S419000, C703S001000, C703S013000, C703S014000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230066
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to the technology of revising computer assisted engineering designs based on learned information, and more particularly to systems for rapidly bringing together the collective engineering intellect of one or more engineering organizations on a specific engineering project.
DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART
State of the art engineering is today usually carried out by first generating a concept drawing of a part, or system of parts, that are to be manufactured. Such concept drawing can be generated with some degree of speed by use of computer aided design (CAD) in sequence with computer aided manufacturing. The drawing is reviewed and analyzed by individuals having differing engineering disciplines (e.g., metallurgy, stress analysis, environmental impact, etc.) usually independent of each other with little interaction. Further changes to the CAD drawing are subsequently made either as a result of field experience with physical specimens of the part or system, or as a result of cost analyses of the part or system. But the geometry of the drawing, the common denominator, is the focus for the continuum of engineering and review that massages the design to its final conclusion. This continuum is time consuming (although speeded by computer assistance); there is no assurance that the engineering work will not be duplicative of what is already available at existing facilities. It further does not insure that mistakes made with similar designs will not be repeated or that known constraints of the manufacturing facility will be observed. What is lacking is a process by which not only the scientific principles of all disciplines that bear on the engineering project, along with engineering and business history or constraints of similar engineering projects, can be revealed to a new type of “direct engineer” who will also be provided with alternative solutions to signaled problems. The direct engineer will be able to make design judgments and design iterations within a fraction of the time currently required, while producing a total final design that is much freer of errors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a method of simultaneously carrying out manufacturing and product engineering integrated with knowledge networking. The method in its broadest aspect comprises the steps of: (a) creating a logic modeller by (i) identifying elements of an engineering project and syntactically arranging such elements in a logic sequence based on engineering functions, (ii) ascertaining uniform meaning for such elements and engineering functions to allow for interdisciplinary communication, (iii) gathering existing knowledge pertinent to such elements and engineering functions, and encoding such gathered knowledge into terms according to uniform meanings, and (iv) programming a computer memory template with such logic sequence and with attached data bases of such encoded existing knowledge; and (b) operating the logic modeller through a direct engineer that: (i) requests review of initial input specifications of an inchoate design that results in an analysis by the modeller to indicate rule or constraint violations of the gathered knowledge and (ii) interacts with the analysis in response to such indications to converge on acceptable or improved engineering design functions.
The gathered knowledge may include scientific and engineering rules, business information and prior engineering design history; the gathered knowledge may come from remote sources, such as suppliers, assembly plants, dealerships, repair shops, etc. Heuristic dialog between members of differing engineering and business disciplines is utilized during the identification of elements of an engineering project which allows for introduction of innovative elements or engineering functions, as well as provide for reorienting conventional thinking. The logic sequence may include consideration of backward scheduling.
Operating the logic modeller may start with selection of a points file in CAD and transporting such file into the modeller. Analysis by the modeller will present alternatives or suggested ways to overcome violations. If the first stages of interaction with the logic modeller does not result in a desired total product and manufacturing definition, the definition may be converted to a 3-D object for visual analysis so that the interactive step may be reiterated.
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Burek Gregory John
O'Reilly Sean Bogue
Sferro Peter Richard
Ford Global Technologies Inc.
Grant William
Malleck Joseph W.
Patel Ramesh
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