Web based process capability data collection and reporting system
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsLeslie McLean Hellemann, Marita Platt Pettit, Christopher Cave Jackson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system is provided that is accessible through a computer network and is used for collecting and tracking process capability data for manufacturers of parts. The recipient of the parts can input information on the characteristics of the parts that require process capability data into the system. The manufacturer of the parts can then access the system and enter process capability data relative to a specific part and characteristic. The system can then be used by both recipients and manufacturers to generate reports on the process capability status for all parts, processes, characteristics and manufacturers.
Claims20
A system for collecting and recording product data on a plurality of products, the system comprising:
- a server computer, the server computer comprising a storage device and a processor;
- a database, the database storing product data on a plurality of products, wherein product data includes process capability information for each product of the plurality of products;
- an application to manage entry, storage and retrieval of process capability information in the database by a user, the application being stored in the storage device of the server computer, and the application further comprising:
- a product information section, the product information section comprising means for providing, updating and reviewing process capability information for a product;
- a file management section, the file management section comprising means for performing a bulk transfer of process capability information for at least one product;
- and
- a report generation section, the report generation section comprising means for generating at least one report using the process capability information in the database;
- and
- a client computer in communication with the server computer, the application being accessible by the user on the client computer.
A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium and executable by a computer for collecting and recording product data on a plurality of products, the computer program product comprising:
- a database, the database storing product data on a plurality of products, wherein product data includes process capability information for each product of the plurality of products;
- a characteristic system, the characteristic system comprising means for entering process capability information for a product in the database by a user;
- a file management system, the file management system comprising means for performing a bulk transfer of process capability information for at least one product to the database by the user;
- and
- a report generation system, the report generation system comprising means for generating at least one report using the product data in the database.
A method of collecting data on a manufactured product from a source, the method comprising the steps of:
- identifying important characteristics of a product;
- developing a process plan for manufacturing the product using the important characteristics and a plan for data collection on the product using the important characteristics;
- evaluating each measurement system for measuring product data in the data collection plan for the product;
- collecting first product data on the product according to the data collection plan in response to a positive evaluation of each measurement system;
- evaluating the manufacturing process plan based on the collected first product data;
- collecting second product data on the product according to the data collection plan in response to a positive evaluation of the manufacturing process plan based on the collected first product data;
- evaluating the manufacturing process plan based on cumulative collected product data;
- storing the cumulative collected product data in a database in response to a positive evaluation of the manufacturing process plan based on the cumulative collected product data;
- collecting additional product data on the product according to the data collection plan;
- and
- repeating the steps of evaluating the manufacturing process plan based on cumulative collected product data, storing the cumulative collected product data in a database in response to a positive evaluation of the manufacturing process plan and collecting additional product data on the product according to the data collection plan.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.