# US 12,182,735 B2 · Quester evaluation for additive manufacturing of a vehicle part

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- Number: US 12,182,735 B2
- Document ID: US12182735B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/942,058
- Filed: 2018-03-30
- Published: 2019-10-03
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2018-03-30
- Assignees: The Boeing Company
- Applicants: The Boeing Company
- Inventors: Gail L. Bohnhoff-Hlavacek; Brent Louis Hadley; Patrick Jan Eames; Robert James Martin; Joseph Frank Floyd; Chul Young Park
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12182735B2

## CPC

- G06F 30/15: Vehicle, aircraft or watercraft design
- B33Y 50/00: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
- G06F 16/2457: with adaptation to user needs
- G06F 16/252: {between a Database Management System and a front-end application}
- G06F 30/00: Computer-aided design [CAD]
- G06N 5/048: Fuzzy inferencing
- G06F 2113/10: Additive manufacturing, e.g. three-dimensional [3D] printing
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS

## Abstract

A system for evaluating a measure of appropriateness of additive manufacturing (AM) to manufacture a vehicle part of a vehicle is provided. The system includes a plurality of data source importers to import a plurality of datasets from a plurality of data sources to a data collection system with a composite dataset including data of the plurality of datasets. The system also includes a dataset manager system (DMS) to manage the data collection system. The system further includes a client application coupled to the DMS. The client application receives a user request for the measure of appropriateness of AM to manufacture the vehicle part of the vehicle during a lifecycle of the vehicle. In response to the user request, the client application produces the measure of appropriateness using an evaluation of a plurality of assessments on the data retrieved from the composite dataset.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer system for evaluating a measure of appropriateness of additive manufacturing (AM) to manufacture a vehicle part of a vehicle, comprising:
a memory configured to store computer-readable program code; and
a processor configured to access the memory, and execute the computer-readable program code to cause the computer system to at least:
import a plurality of datasets from a respective plurality of data sources to a data collection system with a composite dataset including data of the plurality of datasets;
receive a user request for the measure of appropriateness of AM to manufacture the vehicle part of the vehicle during a lifecycle of the vehicle;
interpret the user request to produce a query executable by a dataset manager system (DMS) managing the data collection system to retrieve data of the composite dataset from the data collection system;
perform a plurality of assessments using a plurality of quester modules on the data retrieved from the composite dataset, the plurality of assessments including a similarity assessment of similarity of the vehicle part with other vehicle parts, an AM adaptability assessment, and a part fabrication assessment of technical capability of utilizing AM to manufacture the vehicle part;
produce the measure of appropriateness using an evaluation of the plurality of assessments, the plurality of assessments producing respective nominal factors, on which appropriateness of AM to manufacture the vehicle part depends, and the measure of appropriateness including a suitability of utilizing AM to manufacture the vehicle part, the suitability indicated by a relevancy index that is a summation of the respective nominal factors from the plurality of assessments;
produce a graphical user interface;
display a report including at least the measure of appropriateness using the graphical user interface,
wherein the user request includes a classification of the plurality of assessments selected from the group consisting of: a first classification for routine assessments indicating a predefined selection of the plurality of assessments, a second classification for conditional assessments indicating a selection of the plurality of assessments based on a condition of the vehicle part, and a third classification for conditional assessments indicating a selection of the plurality of assessments based on an unusual event of the vehicle part, and
wherein the computer system is caused to produce the measure of appropriateness according to the first classification, the second classification, or the third classification in the user request; and
facilitate manufacture of the vehicle part using AM based on the measure of appropriateness.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The computer system of claim 1, wherein the composite dataset includes at least a set of parameters for the plurality of assessments and part identification information that describes vehicle parts of the vehicle including at least part numbers, illustrated parts catalogue, and locations of the vehicle parts on the vehicle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The computer system of claim 2, wherein the computer system caused to interpret the user request includes the computer system caused to interpret the user request to produce the query that identifies the vehicle part based on the part identification information, the query being executable by the DMS to retrieve data of the composite dataset according thereto, and wherein the computer system caused to produce the measure of appropriateness includes the computer system caused to produce the measure of appropriateness using the set of parameters.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The computer system of claim 1, wherein the computer system caused to import the plurality of datasets includes the computer system caused to import the plurality of datasets from the respective plurality of data sources including data sources for vehicle operators, vehicle manufacturers, part designers, material manufacturers, part fabricators, equipment designers/makers, part suppliers, maintenance providers, repair providers, over-haulers, part post-market suppliers, and retrofitters.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The computer system of claim 1, wherein the computer system caused to receive the user request includes the computer system caused to receive the user request indicating a selection of the plurality assessments from a group including a larger plurality of assessments that are available to produce the measure of appropriateness.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The computer system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is caused to produce the measure of appropriateness in which the summation is a weighted summation of the respective nominal factors from the plurality of assessments.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The computer system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is caused to perform the plurality of assessments including the similarity assessment in which the other vehicle parts include successfully AM manufactured vehicle parts.

### Claim 8

A method of evaluating a measure of appropriateness of additive manufacturing (AM) to manufacture a vehicle part of a vehicle, comprising:
importing a plurality of datasets from a respective plurality of data sources to a data collection system with a composite dataset including data of the plurality of datasets;
receiving a user request for the measure of appropriateness of AM to manufacture the vehicle part of the vehicle during a lifecycle of the vehicle;
interpreting the user request to produce a query executable by a dataset manager system (DMS) managing the data collection system to retrieve data of the composite dataset from the data collection system;
performing a plurality of assessments using a plurality of quester modules on the data retrieved from the composite dataset the plurality of assessments including a similarity assessment of similarity of the vehicle part with other vehicle parts, an AM adaptability assessment and a part fabrication assessment of technical capability of utilizing AM to manufacture the vehicle part;
producing the measure of appropriateness using an evaluation of the plurality of assessments, the plurality of assessments producing respective nominal factors, on which appropriateness of AM to manufacture the vehicle part depends, and the measure of appropriateness including a suitability of utilizing AM to manufacture the vehicle part, the suitability indicated by a relevancy index that is a summation of the respective nominal factors from the plurality of assessments;
producing a graphical user interface;
displaying a report including at least the measure of appropriateness using the graphical user interface,
wherein receiving the user request comprises receiving the user request including a classification of the plurality of assessments selected from the group consisting of: a first classification for routine assessments indicating a predefined selection of the plurality of assessments, a second classification for conditional assessments indicating a selection of the plurality of assessments based on a condition of the vehicle part, and a third classification for conditional assessments indicating a selection of the plurality of assessments based on an unusual event of the vehicle part, and
wherein producing the measure of appropriateness comprises producing the measure of appropriateness according to the first classification, the second classification or the third classification in the user request; and
facilitating manufacture of the vehicle part using AM based on the measure of appropriateness.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the composite dataset includes at least a set of parameters for the plurality of assessments and part identification information that describes vehicle parts of the vehicle including at least part numbers, illustrated parts catalogue, and locations of the vehicle parts on the vehicle.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein interpreting the user request includes interpreting the user request to produce the query that identifies the vehicle part based on the part identification information, the query being executable by the DMS to retrieve data of the composite dataset according thereto, and wherein producing the measure of appropriateness includes producing the measure of appropriateness using the set of parameters.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein importing the plurality of datasets includes importing the plurality of datasets from the respective plurality of data sources including data sources for vehicle operators, vehicle manufacturers, part designers, material manufacturers, part fabricators, equipment designers/makers, part suppliers, maintenance providers, repair providers, over-haulers, post-market suppliers, and retrofitters.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein receiving the user request includes receiving the user request indicating a selection of the plurality of assessments from a group including a larger plurality of assessments that are available to produce the measure of appropriateness.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the measure of appropriateness is produced in which the summation is a weighted summation of the respective nominal factors from the plurality of assessments.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of assessments that are performed include the similarity assessment in which the other vehicle parts include successfully AM manufactured vehicle parts.

### Claim 15

A computer-readable storage medium for evaluating a measure of appropriateness of additive manufacturing (AM) to manufacture a vehicle part of a vehicle, the computer-readable storage medium being non-transitory and having computer-readable program code stored therein that in response to execution by a processor, causes a computer system to at least:
import a plurality of datasets from a respective plurality of data sources to a data collection system with a composite dataset including data of the plurality of datasets;
receive a user request for the measure of appropriateness of AM to manufacture the vehicle part of the vehicle during a lifecycle of the vehicle;
interpret the user request to produce a query executable by a dataset manager system (DMS) managing the data collection system to retrieve data of the composite dataset from the data collection system;
perform a plurality of assessments using a plurality of quester modules on the data retrieved from the composite dataset the plurality of assessments including a similarity assessment of similarity of the vehicle part with other vehicle parts, an AM adaptability assessment and a part fabrication assessment of technical capability of utilizing AM to manufacture the vehicle part;
produce the measure of appropriateness using an evaluation of the plurality of assessments on the data retrieved from the composite dataset the plurality of assessments producing respective nominal factors, on which appropriateness of AM to manufacture the vehicle part depends, and the measure of appropriateness including a suitability of utilizing AM to manufacture the vehicle part, the suitability indicated by a relevancy index that is a summation of the respective nominal factors from the plurality of assessments;
produce a graphical user interface;
display a report including at least the measure of appropriateness using the graphical user interface,
wherein the user request includes a classification of the plurality of assessments selected from the group consisting of: a first classification for routine assessments indicating a predefined selection of the plurality of assessments, a second classification for conditional assessments indicating a selection of the plurality of assessments based on a condition of the vehicle part, and a third classification for conditional assessments indicating a selection of the plurality of assessments based on an unusual event of the vehicle part, and
wherein the computer system is caused to produce the measure of appropriateness according to the first classification, the second classification or the third classification in the user request; and
facilitate manufacture of the vehicle part using AM based on the measure of appropriateness.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the composite dataset includes at least a set of parameters for the plurality of assessments and part identification information that describes vehicle parts of the vehicle including at least part numbers, illustrated parts catalogue, and locations of the vehicle parts on the vehicle.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the computer system being caused to interpret the user request includes being caused to interpret the user request to produce the query that identifies the vehicle part based on the part identification information, the query being executable by the DMS to retrieve data of the composite dataset according thereto, and wherein the computer system being caused to produce the measure of appropriateness includes being caused to produce the measure of appropriateness using the set of parameters.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer system being caused to import the plurality of datasets includes being caused to import the plurality of datasets from the respective plurality of data sources including data sources for vehicle operators, vehicle manufacturers, part designers, material manufacturers, part fabricators, equipment designers/makers, part suppliers, maintenance providers, repair providers, over-haulers, post-market suppliers, and retrofitters.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer system being caused to receive the user request includes being caused to receive the user request indicating a selection of the plurality of assessments from a group including a larger plurality of assessments that are available to produce the measure of appropriateness.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer system is caused to produce the measure of appropriateness in which the summation is a weighted summation of the respective nominal factors from the plurality of assessments.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer system is caused to perform the plurality of assessments including the similarity assessment in which the other vehicle parts include successfully AM manufactured vehicle parts.