Storage and retrieval of process capability and guidance information, and computer media therefor

A method for saving and retrieving process capability and guidance information related to supporting product design and manufacturing activities, comprising the steps of:

• receiving, from an information entry computer, process capability and guidance information,
• storing said process capability and guidance information in a first database,
• receiving, from a user computer associated with a system user, attributes describing one of the group consisting of a product and a design process, wherein said attributes correspond to attributes included in said process capability and guidance information,
• retrieving, from said first database, at least one of the group consisting of a set of guidance information and process capability information relating to the attributes,
• displaying, on the user computer, at least a portion of said at least one of the group consisting of said retrieved set of guidance information and process capability information,
• receiving, from the user computer, a request to save at least one of the group consisting of said retrieved set of design guidance information and process capability information, and
• saving at least one of the group consisting of said retrieved set of design guidance information and process capability information in a second database, said saving including appending said at least one of the group consisting of said retrieved set of guidance information and process capability information onto at least one of the group consisting of a previously saved set of guidance information and process capability information to create a collection of retrieved information.

A method for saving and retrieving process capability and guidance information related to supporting product design and manufacturing activities, comprising the steps of:

• receiving, from an information entry computer, process capability and guidance information, wherein the guidance information is selected from the group consisting of design guidance information for aiding a product designer in designing a particular part, process guidance information for aiding a product manufacturer in manufacturing the particular part, and sourcing guidance information for aiding a product scheduler in sourcing manufacture of the particular part, and combinations thereof,
• storing said process capability and guidance information in a first database,
• receiving, from a user computer associated with a system user, attributes describing one of the group consisting of a product and a design process, wherein said attributes correspond to attributes included in said process capability and guidance information,
• retrieving, from said first database, at least one of the group consisting of a set of guidance information and process capability information relating to the attributes, and
• displaying, on the user computer, at least a portion of said at least one of the group consisting of said retrieved set of guidance information and process capability information,
• receiving, from the user computer, an indication regarding a selected type of guidance information to display, and
• displaying, to the user computer, only the selected type of guidance information from the group consisting of the retrieved set of guidance information and process capability information.

A computer readable medium to be used on a server in communication with a plurality of user computers, the medium having computer readable code comprising:

• (a) instructions for receiving, from an information entry computer, process capability and guidance information,
• (b) instructions for storing said process capability and guidance information in a first database, wherein said instructions for storing comprising:
• (i) instructions for creating at least one database record having a plurality of fields corresponding respectively, to various types of process capability and guidance information, wherein said at least one database record corresponds to a predefined collection of process capability and guidance information,
• (ii) instructions for storing attribute information corresponding to a standardized set of part and process attributes in a first field of said database record, and
• (iii) instructions for storing output guidance information in a second field of said database record,
• (c) instructions for receiving, from a user computer, attributes describing a product or design process, wherein said attributes correspond to attributes included in said process capability and guidance information,
• (d) instructions for retrieving, from said first database, at least one type of information from a set consisting of guidance information and process capability information relating to the attributes,
• (e) instructions for displaying, on the user computer, at least a portion of the information retrieved from said first database information,
• (f) instructions for segmenting said first field of said database record into a plurality of first sub-fields, each first sub-field corresponding to a particular one of part and process attributes,
• (g) instructions for segmenting said second field of said database record into a second sub-field and a third sub-field,
• (h) instructions for storing process capability information corresponding to a predetermined process capability model in said second sub-field, and
• (i) instructions for storing guidance information corresponding to particular combinations of part and process attributes in said third sub-field.

A computer readable medium to be used on a server in communication with a plurality of user computers, the medium having computer readable code comprising:

• instructions for receiving, from an information entry computer, process capability and guidance information,
• instructions for storing said process capability and guidance information in a first database,
• instructions for receiving, from a user computer, attributes describing a product or design process, wherein said attributes correspond to attributes included in said process capability and guidance information,
• instructions for retrieving, from said first database, at least one type of information from a set consisting of guidance information and process capability information relating to the attributes,
• instructions for displaying, on the user computer, at least a portion of the information retrieved from said first database information,
• instructions for receiving, from the user computer, a request to save the at least one type of information retrieved from the set consisting of guidance information and process capability information, and
• instructions for saving at least one type of information retrieved from a set consisting of guidance information and process capability information in a second database, wherein the instructions for saving include instructions for appending the at least one type of information retrieved from the set consisting of guidance information and process capability information onto a previously saved set of guidance information and process capability information to create a collection of retrieved information.

A system for enabling individual users to save and retrieve process capability and guidance information related to supporting product design and manufacturing activities, comprising:

• a computer network,
• a server coupled to said computer network,
• an information entry computer coupled to the computer network for delivering process capability and guidance information to said server,
• said server including a first database for storing said process capability and guidance information, and
• a user computer for use by one of the individual users, coupled to the computer network for delivering attributes describing one of the group consisting of a product and a design process and corresponding to attributes included in said process capability and guidance information,
• wherein said server, upon receipt of said attributes, is adapted to retrieve from said first database a set of one of the group consisting of guidance information and process capability information relating to the attributes included in said process capability and guidance information,
• wherein said user computer is adapted to display at least a portion of said retrieved set of guidance information and process capability information, and
• wherein a first field of said database record comprises a plurality of first sub-fields, each first sub-field corresponding, respectively, to a particular part or process attribute, and a second field of said database record comprises respectively, a second sub-field and a third sub-field, wherein process capability information corresponding to a predetermined process capability model is stored in said second sub-field, and wherein guidance information corresponding to particular combinations of part or process attributes is stored in a third sub-field.

A system for enabling individual users to save and retrieve process capability and guidance information related to supporting product design and manufacturing activities, comprising:

• a computer network,
• a server coupled to said computer network,
• an information entry computer coupled to the computer network for delivering process capability and guidance information to said server,
• said server including a first database for storing said process capability and guidance information, and
• a user computer for use by one of the individual users, coupled to the computer network for delivering attributes describing one of the group consisting of a product and a design process and corresponding to attributes included in said process capability and guidance information,
• wherein said server, upon receipt of said attributes, is adapted to retrieve from said first database a set of one of the group consisting of guidance information and process capability information relating to the attributes included in said process capability and guidance information,
• wherein said user computer is adapted to display at least a portion of said retrieved set of guidance information and process capability information,
• wherein said server includes a second database and is operative to receive, from the user computer, a request to save said retrieved set of guidance information and process capability information and to save said retrieved set of guidance information and process capability information in said second database, and
• wherein said server is operative to receive, from the user computer, a request to view a previously saved collection of retrieved information, to retrieve, from the second database, the previously saved collection of retrieved information, and to display, on the user computer, at least a portion of said previously saved collection of retrieved information.