Methods and systems for managing electronic work instructions for manufacture of product
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsThomas A. Cogswell, Ross J. Cardilino
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems for interfacing computer modeled design and manufacture data from an Manufacturing Process Planning (MPP) system to a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) and allowing, via an integration server interface, electronic work instructions of the MPP system to be revised promptly and efficiently in mid-production manufacturing processes.
Claims21
A method of revising electronic work instructions for manufacture of a product in mid-production by a manufacturing execution system (MES), the electronic work instructions being generated by a computerized manufacturing process planning (MPP) system, the MPP system and the MES being remotely located from one another, the method comprising:
- interfacing the MPP system and the MES with an integration server;
- storing a released electronic work instruction for execution by the MES on the MPP system;
- communicating the electronic work instruction to the MES via the integration server;
- interrupting the execution of the electronic work instruction by the MES;
- and
- accepting a revision to the released electronic work instruction.
A method of manufacturing a product, the product being electronically modeled on a computerized manufacturing process planning (MPP) system that generates electronic work instructions for execution by an electronic manufacturing execution system (MES), the electronic work instructions being stored on the MPP system and the MPP system and the MES being remotely located from one another, the method comprising:
- interfacing the MPP system and the MES with an integration server separately provided from either of the MPP system and the MES;
- communicating the electronic work instruction to the MES via the integration server;
- executing the electronic work instruction with the MES;
- and
- while the MES is executing the electronic work instruction:
- pausing the execution of the electronic work instruction;
- revising the electronic work instruction to effect a change to the electronic work instruction;
- and
- re-communicating the revised electronic work instruction to the MES.
The method of claim 15, wherein the PLM system comprises an manufacturing hub, the method comprising:
- storing the released electronic work instruction in the manufacturing hub.
A networked computer system for manufacturing of a product, the system comprising:
- a manufacturing process planning (MPP) system adapted to create a computer model of the product manufacture and to generate electronic work instructions for manufacturing of the product;
- a computerized manufacturing execution system (MES) remotely located from the MPP system, the MES adapted to receive the electronic work instructions and perform corresponding manufacturing steps to produce the product;
- and
- an integration server separately provided from the MPP system and the MES, the integration server configured to retrieve the electronic work instruction from the MPP system after the MES has initiated performance of manufacturing steps but not yet completed the performing steps, and the integration server adapted to re-release a revised version of the electronic work instruction.
A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for managing electronically modeled product and manufacture data and information exchange between a computerized manufacturing process planning (MPP) system and an electronic manufacturing execution system (MES) remotely located from one another, the program embodied on an integration server connected between the MPP and the MES and the MPP system generating electronic work instructions for execution by the (MES), the program comprising at least one code segment that:
- communicates the electronic work instruction to the MES via the integration server;
- and
- while the MES is executing the electronic work instruction:
- pausing the execution of the electronic work instruction;
- accepting a revision to the electronic work instruction to effect a change to the electronic work instruction;
- and
- re-communicating the revised electronic work instruction to the MES.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.