Methods and apparatus for manufacturing a plurality of parts with tool path correction

A method of producing a machined part, the method comprising:

• directing use of electronic instructions for producing a given part, the instructions comprising a series of cutting instructions comprising a plurality of lines of code that coordinate a cutting path of a machine tool as a function of an electronic nominal model of the part;
• receiving inspection results of the given part produced using the electronic instructions, the inspection results showing one or more error deviations from the nominal model, each error deviation being associated with a particular feature of the given part as produced;
• identifying a set of the cutting instructions associated with a particular feature of the given part;
• associating the error deviation(s) of the particular feature of the given part with the identified set of the cutting instructions;
• and
• editing at least one line of code from the plurality of lines of code of the identified set of the cutting instructions to correct at least part of the error deviation(s) of the particular feature.

A computer program product for use on a computer system for producing a machined part, the computer program product comprising a tangible, non-transient computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising:

• program code configured for directing use of electronic cutting instructions for producing a given part, the cutting instructions comprising a plurality of lines of code that coordinate a cutting path of a machine tool as a function of an electronic nominal model of the part;
• program code configured for receiving inspection results of the given part produced using the electronic cutting instructions, the inspection results showing one or more error deviations from the nominal model, each error deviation being associated with a particular feature of the given part as produced;
• program code configured for identifying a set of the cutting instructions associated with a particular feature of the given part;
• program code configured for associating the error deviation(s) of the particular feature of the given part with the identified set of the cutting instructions;
• and
• program code configured for editing at least one line of code from the plurality of lines of code of the identified set of the cutting instructions to correct at least part of the error deviation(s) of the particular feature.

An apparatus for producing a machined part, the apparatus comprising:

• an electronic interface configured to receive electronic instructions for producing a given part, the instructions comprising a plurality of lines of code that coordinate a cutting path of a machine tool as a function of an electronic nominal model of the part, the electronic interface also being configured to receive inspection results of the given part produced using the electronic instructions, the inspection results showing one or more error deviations from the nominal model, each error deviation being associated with a particular feature of the given part as produced;
• an instruction controller operatively coupled with the electronic interface, the instruction controller configured to identify a set of the cutting instructions associated with a particular feature of the given part, the instruction controller also configured to associate the error deviation(s) of the particular feature of the given part with the identified set of the cutting instructions;
• and
• an editor operatively coupled with the instruction controller, the editor being configured to edit at least one line of code from the plurality of lines of code of the identified set of the cutting instructions to correct at least part of the error deviation(s) of the particular feature.