US 2017/0153627 A1 · METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING AN OPTIMUM MANUFACTURING ALTERNATIVE FOR MANUFACTURING A PRODUCT

Abstract

A method and device for determining an optimum manufacturing variant for manufacturing a product from currently available manufacturing alternatives of one or more manufacturing plants, and for creating the associated manufacturing documents based on the following steps: creating a product-specific, manufacturing plant-independent CAD manufacturing specification of the product to be manufactured; determining different possible manufacturing alternatives for manufacturing the product based on the created product-specific, manufacturing plant independent CAD-manufacturing specification and the available manufacturing machines; generating a specific CAD-model for each determined manufacturing alternative, wherein a feedback report is created by an associated CAM-engine for each generated specific CAD-model; evaluating the created feedback reports of the different manufacturing alternatives in order to determine the manufacturing alternatives that are suitable for manufacturing the product and to evaluate whether each manufacturing alternative complies with predefined manufacturing tolerances and manufacturing specifications; and selecting the optimum manufacturing alternative.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for determining an optimum manufacturing variant for manufacturing a product from currently available manufacturing alternatives of one or more manufacturing plants and producing the associated manufacturing documents on the basis of the following steps:

(a) producing a product-specific, manufacturing plant-independent CAD manufacturing specification for the product to be manufactured;
(b) determining various possible manufacturing alternatives for manufacturing the product on the basis of the produced product-specific, manufacturing plant-independent CAD manufacturing specification and the available manufacturing machines;
(c) generating an enhancement of the CAD model for each manufacturing alternative determined, an associated CAM engine producing a feedback report for each generated enhancement of the CAD model;
(d) evaluating the produced feedback reports of the various manufacturing alternatives for the purpose of determining manufacturing alternatives suitable for manufacturing the product and evaluating whether predefined manufacturing tolerances and manufacturing specifications are complied with in the respective manufacturing alternative;
and
(e) selecting the optimum manufacturing alternative from the determined suitable manufacturing alternatives on the basis of a current manufacturing situation.

3 more elements

An apparatus for providing an optimum manufacturing variant for manufacturing a product from currently available manufacturing alternatives of one or more manufacturing plants, having:

a CAD system for producing a product-specific, manufacturing plant-independent CAD manufacturing specification for the product to be manufactured,
a CAD model generator which determines various possible manufacturing alternatives for manufacturing the product on the basis of the product-specific, manufacturing plant-independent CAD manufacturing specification produced by the CAD system, an enhancement of the CAD model being generated for each determined manufacturing alternative and being tested by an associated CAM engine for the purpose of producing a feedback report, and having
an evaluation unit which evaluates the produced feedback reports of the various manufacturing alternatives for the purpose of determining
manufacturing alternatives suitable for manufacturing the product and selects the optimum manufacturing alternative from the determined suitable manufacturing alternatives on the basis of all available specifications and influencing variables.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for determining an optimum manufacturing alternative for manufacturing a product

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for determining an optimum manufacturing alternative for manufacturing a product

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15