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US 6,611,727 B2Granted
Method and system for simulating production within a manufacturing environment
AssigneeDell Products L.P.
InventorsBranden Clark Bickley, Ashish Goel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method, a system, and logic for simulating production within a build to order manufacturing environment are described. According to one aspect, a system for allocating resources within the manufacturing environment is disclosed. The system includes a control center operably coupled to one or more databases having associated work in process profile information for selective portions of a manufacturing facility. A simulator may be communicatively coupled to the control center to simulate allocation of resources based on real-time acquisition of information associated with the WIP information.
Claims19
A system for allocating resources within a build to order manufacturing environment comprising:
- a control center operably coupled to one or more databases having associated work in process (WIP) information for selective portions of a manufacturing facility;
- a simulator communicatively coupled to the control center and operable to simulate allocation of resources based on real-time acquisition of information associated with the WIP information;
- wherein the WIP information for selective portions of the manufacturing facility includes a WIP profile for a build facility within the manufacturing facility and a WIP profile for a packaging facility within the manufacturing facility;
- wherein the WIP profile for the build facility includes information on throughput of distinct build areas within the build facility, based on a count of products processed through the distinct build areas;
- wherein the WIP profile for the build facility further includes operational status information for equipment in the build facility obtained in substantially real-time from the build facility;
- wherein the WIP profile for the packaging facility includes information on throughput of distinct packaging areas within the packaging facility, based on a count of products processed through the distinct packaging areas;
- wherein the WIP profile for the packaging facility further includes operational status information for equipment in the packaging facility obtained in substantially real-time from the packaging facility;
- one or more user interfaces in the control center operable to display throughput data for the distinct build areas within the build facility, throughput data for the distinct packaging areas within the packaging facility, current operational status of the equipment in the build facility, and current operational status of the equipment in the packaging facility;
- a monitor operable to identify an error within the manufacturing facility and, in response to identifying the error, automatically provide a visual indication of the error in the control center;
- the simulator operable to simulate an allocation based on the identified error;
- and
- the one or more user interfaces in the control center operable to display results from the simulator.
9 more elements
A method for simulating allocation of resources within a build to order manufacturing environment comprising;
- obtaining work in process (WIP) information for selective portions of a manufacturing facility, wherein:
- the WIP information includes a WIP profile for a build facility within the manufacturing facility and a WIP profile for a packaging facility within the manufacturing facility;
- the WIP profile for the build facility includes information on throughput of distinct build areas within the build facility, based on a count of products processed through the distinct build areas;
- the WIP profile for the build facility further includes operational status information for equipment in the build facility, obtained in substantially real-time from the build facility;
- the WIP profile for the packaging facility includes information on throughput of distinct packaging areas within the packaging facility, based on a count of products processed through the distinct packaging areas;
- and
- the WIP profile for the packaging facility further includes operational status information for equipment in the packaging facility obtained in substantially real-time from the packaging facility;
- storing the WIP information in a database;
- displaying throughput data for the distinct build areas within the build facility in one or more user interfaces in a control center for a manufacturing facility;
- displaying throughput data for the distinct packaging areas within the equipment in the packaging facility in the one or more user interfaces;
- displaying current operational status of the equipment in the build facility in the one or more user interfaces;
- displaying current operational status of the equipment in the packaging facility in the one or more user interfaces;
- identifying an error within the manufacturing facility;
- in response to identification of the error, automatically providing a visual indication of the error in the one or more user interfaces;
- in response to identification of the error, simulating an allocation based on the identified error and on the WIP information;
- and
- displaying simulation results in the one or more user interfaces in the control center.
14 more elements
A program product for simulating allocation of resources within a build to order manufacturing environment, the program product comprising:
- a computer-usable medium;
- and
- control logic encoded in the computer-usable medium, wherein the control logic, when executed, performs operations comprising:
- obtaining work in process (WIP) information for selective portions of a manufacturing facility, wherein:
- the WIP information includes a WIP profile for a build facility within the manufacturing facility and a WTP profile for a packaging facility within the manufacturing facility;
- the WIP profile for the build facility includes information on throughput of distinct build areas within the build facility, based on a count of products processed through the distinct build areas;
- the WIP profile for the build facility further includes operational status information for equipment in the build facility, obtained in substantially real-time from the build facility;
- the WIP profile for the packaging facility includes information on throughput of distinct packaging areas within the packaging facility, based on a count of products processed through the distinct packaging areas;
- and
- the WIP profile for the packaging facility further includes operational status information for equipment in the packaging facility obtained in substantially real-time from the packaging facility;
- storing the WIP information in a database;
- displaying throughput data for the distinct build areas within the build facility in one or more user interfaces in a control center for a manufacturing facility;
- displaying throughput data for the distinct packaging areas within the packaging facility in the one or more user interfaces;
- displaying current operational status of the equipment in the build facility, in the one or more user interfaces;
- displaying current operational status of the equipment in the packaging facility, in the one or more user interfaces;
- identifying an error within the manufacturing facility;
- in response to identifying the error, automatically providing a visual indication of the error in the one or more user interfaces;
- in response to identification of the error, simulating an allocation based on the identified error and on the WIP information;
- and
- displaying simulation results in the one or more user interfaces in the control center.
17 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.