US 8,798,779 B2 · Multi-dimensional resource optimization in the manufacture of substantially two-dimensional elements

Abstract

The present invention enables the efficient use of resources in the manufacture of substantially two-dimensional elements through multi-dimensional resource optimization subject to rules and objectives. The invention may be embodied as a computer-based method, a computerized system that performs the method, or a machine readable storage medium containing instructions that when executed cause performance of the method using the computerized system. To fulfill customer orders, product design data, resource data, and rules and objective data are accessed to determine the efficient use of the resources, such as consumption of particular units of raw material and utilization of production stations. For a given set of customer orders, multiple scenarios of production plans are computed and recomputed until an efficient production plan is achieved. The production plan can be generated at a location remote from the manufacturing site, and it can then be sent in an automated fashion to the production stations.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A computer-based method of combining customer order information with information about available resources and about product design to produce an efficient production plan for manufacturing substantially two-dimensional elements, the method comprising the following steps:

maintaining manufacturing data in a memory, the data including job data, product design data, resource data, and rule and objective data;
computing, based on the product design data, the resource data, and the rule and objective data, production orders for substantially two-dimensional elements for selected jobs associated with the job data, whereby a production order specifies for at least one given job one or more nests and resources to cut the one or more nests;
computing, based on the product design data, the resource data, and the rule and objective data, a production plan for the production orders, whereby the production plan schedules execution of the production orders;
determining, based on the resource data, whether the production plan requires more resources than are available;
and
modifying the rule and objective data maintained in the memory and repeating the maintaining, computing production orders, computing production plan, and determining steps, if more resources than available are determined to be required;
wherein:
(1) the product design data include at least one of:
a. a listing of parts that compose a product,
b. geometric definitions of each of the parts,
c. manufacturing restrictions for a product and/or a specific part that makes the product, and
d. material requirements;
(2) the resource data include descriptions of inventory of raw material and/or machines available for cutting the nests of the elements;
and
(3) the rule and objective data specify manufacturing constraints.

12 more elements

A computerized system for combining customer order information with information about available resources and about product design to produce an efficient production plan for manufacturing substantially two-dimensional elements, the system comprising:

an input interface configured to receive manufacturing data that include job data, product design data, resource data, and rule and objective data;
a processing unit operatively connected to the input interface;
a storage unit operatively connected to the processing unit to store the manufacturing data, the storage unit also containing instructions that when executed by the processing unit cause the processing unit to:
(1) compute, based on the product design data, the resource data, and the rule and objective data, production orders for substantially two-dimensional elements for selected jobs associated with the job data, whereby a production order specifies for at least one given job one or more nests and resources to cut the one or more nests;
(2) compute, based on the product design data, the resource data, and the rule and objective data, a production plan for the production orders, whereby the production plan schedules execution of the production orders;
(3) determine, based on the resource data, whether the production plan requires more resources than are available;
and (4) modify the rule and objective data maintained in the storage unit and repeat the preceding instructions, if more resources than available are determined to be required;
and
an output interface operatively connected to the processing unit, the output interface configured to transmit signals indicative of the computed production plan;
wherein:
(1) the product design data include at least one of:
a. a listing of parts that compose a product,
b. geometric definitions of each of the parts,
c. manufacturing restrictions for a product and/or a specific part that makes the product, and
d. material requirements;
(2) the resource data include descriptions of inventory of raw material and/or machines available for cutting the nests of the elements;
and
(3) the rule and objective data specify manufacturing constraints.

15 more elements

an input interface means for receiving signals that indicate manufacturing data that include job data, product design data, resource data, and rule and objective data;
a means for processing operatively connected to the input interface means;
a means for storing the manufacturing data and instructions, the instructions when executed by the processing means cause the processing means to:
(1) compute, based on the product design data, the resource data, and the rule and objective data, production orders for substantially two-dimensional elements for selected jobs associated with the job data, whereby a production order specifies for at least one given job one or more nests and resources for cutting the one or more nests;
(2) compute, based on the product design data, the resource data, and the rule and objective data, a production plan for the production orders, whereby the production plan schedules execution of the production orders;
(3) determine, based on the resource data, whether the production plan requires more resources than are available;
and (4) modify the rule and objective data maintained in the means for storing and repeat the preceding instructions, if more resources than available are determined to be required;
and
an output interface means for transmitting signals that indicate the computed production plan;
wherein:
(1) the product design data include at least one of:
a. a listing of parts that compose a product,
b. geometric definitions of each of the parts,
c. manufacturing restrictions for a product and/or a specific part that makes the product, and
d. material requirements;
(2) the resource data include descriptions of inventory of raw material and/or machines available for cutting the nests of the elements;
and
(3) the rule and objective data specify manufacturing constraints.

15 more elements

A non-transitory machine readable storage medium containing instructions associated with combining customer order information with information about available resources and about product design to produce an efficient production plan for manufacturing substantially two-dimensional elements, the instructions when executed causing the following:

maintaining manufacturing data in a memory, the data including job data, product design data, resource data, and rule and objective data;
computing, based on the product design data, the resource data, and the rule and objective data, production orders for substantially two-dimensional elements for selected jobs associated with the job data, whereby a production order specifies for at least one given job one or more nests and resources to cut the one or more nests;
computing, based on the product design data, the resource data, and the rule and objective data, a production plan for the production orders, whereby the production plan schedules execution of the production order;
determining, based on the resource data, whether the production plan requires more resources than are available;
and
modifying the rule and objective data maintained in the memory and repeating the preceding instructions, if more resources than available are determined to be required.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-dimensional resource optimization in the manufacture of substantially two-dimensional elements

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Multi-dimensional resource optimization in the manufacture of substantially two-dimensional elements

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Abstract

Claims30