Methods, systems, and software for processing expedited production or supply of designed products

• US 10,073,439 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2015
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Desprez, LLC
• Original Assignee: Desprez, LLC
• Inventors: Jacobs, II, James L., Lynch, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhu, Sheng
• Application Number:
  US14/929,102
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 705 8, 705 9
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4097 characterised by using design data to control NC machines, e.g. CAD/CAM G05B19/4093 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35134 3-D cad-cam
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/30 Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing

Abstract

A method carried out on a computer system for ordering and executing expedited production options. A user may submit a request for manufacturing a product defined by a 3D computer model. Systems described herein may then verify that the request is subject to an expedited production option and parse the 3D computer model to identify the processes required to manufacture the product. The product may then be manufactured with an expedited lead time that may vary as a function of the processes in question and the nature of the applicable expedited production option.

Claims

1. A method of enabling expedited manufacture of one or more instantiations of a structure modeled as a 3D computer model, the method implemented on one or more computer devices and comprising:

displaying, by the one or more computer devices, to a user one or more user selectable expedited manufacturing reservation options for a plurality of requests for manufacture;

prompting, by the one or more computer devices, the user to select one of the user selectable expedited manufacturing reservation options from among the one or more displayed;

receiving, at the one or more computer devices, an expedited manufacturing reservation, wherein the reservation is applicable to a plurality of requests for manufacture;

storing, at the one or more computer devices, the expedited manufacturing reservation;

receiving, at the one or more computer devices, a request for manufacture of one or more instantiations of a structure modeled in an associated 3D computer model from a user;

automatedly comparing, via at least one of the one or more computer devices, one or more of the requests for manufacture and one or more aspects of the associated 3D computer model with the expedited manufacturing reservation, wherein comparing further comprises;

interrogating the associated 3D computer model;

determining as a function of the interrogation, a material, dimension, or tolerance requirement for manufacturing the structure; and

comparing the material, dimension, or tolerance requirement determined from interrogating the associated 3D computer model to a material, dimension, or tolerance requirement in the expedited manufacturing reservation;

determining, via the one or more computer devices and as function of the automated comparing, whether the expedited manufacturing reservation is applicable to the request for manufacture;

calculating, via at least one of the one or more computer devices, total time to complete the request for manufacture; and

presenting, via at least one of the one or more computer devices, the total time to complete the request for manufacture.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a confirmation of the request for manufacture from the user and storing, on at least one of the one or more computer devices, information in connection with the request for manufacture to expedite manufacture of one or more instantiations of the structure in accordance with the reservation when the expedited manufacturing reservation is applicable to the request for manufacture.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising automatedly advising or notifying the user as a function of a result of the comparing.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein advising or notifying the user includes offering one or more expedited manufacturing reservations to the user for purchase.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the one or more expedited manufacturing reservations are determined as a function of a result of the comparing.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising comparing one or more aspects of the associated 3D computer model with one or more data sets specifying best manufacturing practices.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising comparing one or more aspects of the associated 3D computer model with one or more 3D computer models associated with structures that have already been manufactured.

8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising offering an expedited manufacturing reservation to the user at a discounted rate or free of charge if one or more aspects of the associated 3D computer model is identical to a 3D computer model associated with a structure that has already been manufactured.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising comparing one or more aspects of the associated 3D computer model with one or more 3D computer models associated with structures for which molds have already been manufactured.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising comparing the associated 3D computer model with one or more 3D computer models associated with structures that have already been manufactured.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the expedited manufacturing reservation specifies a duration of time for which it remains effective.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the expedited manufacturing reservation specifies a monetary limit up to which it applies.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising limiting applicability of the expedited manufacturing reservation to requests having cumulative charges that are within the monetary limit.

14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

if the expedited manufacturing reservation is applicable to the request, displaying a listing of one or more processes of the manufacture that may be expedited to the user.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising receiving an indication of which of the processes are to be expedited from the user, wherein remaining ones of the processes are not expedited.

16. A method according to claim 14, further comprising receiving an indication of which of the processes are to be expedited and to what extent the selected processes are to be expedited from the user.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the request for manufacture requires one or more materials or operations and the materials or operations are analyzed to determine which are eligible for expediting.

18. A method according to claim 1, further comprising identifying one or more aspects of the associated 3D computer model that may require a manufacturing process incompatible with the expedited manufacturing reservation and presenting the user with an option to proceed with a modified expedited manufacturing reservation.

19. A method according to claim 1, further comprising identifying one or more aspects of the associated 3D computer model that may by incompatible with best manufacturing practices and presenting the user with options to proceed or cancel.

20. A method of enabling expedited manufacture of one or more instantiations of a structure modeled as a 3D computer model, the method implemented on one or more computer devices and comprising:

displaying, by the one or more computer devices, to a user one or more user selectable expedited manufacturing reservation options for a plurality of requests for manufacture;

prompting, by the one or more computer devices, the user to select one of the user selectable expedited manufacturing reservation options from among the one or more displayed;

receiving, at the one or more computer devices, an expedited manufacturing reservation, wherein the reservation is applicable to a plurality of requests for manufacture;

storing, at the one or more computer devices, the expedited manufacturing reservation;

receiving, at the one or more computer devices, a request for manufacture of one or more instantiations of a structure modeled in an associated 3D computer model from a user;

automatedly comparing, via at least one of the one or more computer devices, one or more of the requests for manufacture and one or more aspects of the associated 3D computer model with the expedited manufacturing reservation, wherein automatedly comparing further comprises;

interrogating the associated 3D computer model;

determining as a function of the interrogation, a material, dimension, or tolerance requirement for manufacturing the structure; and

automatedly comparing the material, dimension, or tolerance requirement determined from interrogating the associated 3D computer model to a material, dimension, or tolerance requirement in the expedited manufacturing reservation;

determining, via the one or more computer devices and as function of the automated comparing, whether the expedited manufacturing reservation is applicable to the request for manufacture;

calculating, via at least one of the one or more computer devices, total time to complete the request for manufacture; and

storing, on at least one of the one or more computer devices, information in connection with the request for manufacture to expedite manufacture of one or more instantiations of the structure in accordance with the reservation when the expedited manufacturing reservation is applicable to the request for manufacture.