System and methods for managing changes to a product in a manufacturing environment including a minor model relational design

• US 10,725,453 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2018
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: DiPippo, Edward A., Hagberg, Kyle Kurtis, Carpenter, Christopher Luis, Jensen, Max Neal, Williams, Anthony John
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Chun
• Application Number:
  US16/029,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20180314237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 700117
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4155 characterised by programme execution, i.e. part programme or machine function execution, e.g. selection of a programme
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31044 Assembly of modular products, variant configurability
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32033 Send article design, needed material, packaging and shipping info to manufacturer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32082 Planing, material requiring planning MRP, request
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32119 Order handling and manufacturing module and offline monitoring

Abstract

A manufacturing process management (MPM) computer device is provided. The MPM computer device is configured to store a first version of a product and a second version of the product. The second version includes the first plurality of parts, the second plurality of parts, and a third plurality of parts associated with the plug. The first location is between the first plurality of locations and the second plurality of locations. The MPM computer device is also configured to calculate a first numbering system, calculate a second numbering system for a third plurality of locations associated with the third plurality of parts, determine a first grid overlay for the first version of the product based on the first numbering system, determine a second grid overlay for the second version of the product based on the first numbering system and the second numbering system.

Claims

1. A manufacturing process management (MPM) computer device (212) comprising a processor (405) and at least one memory device (410), wherein said processor (405) is in communication with said at least one memory device (410), said MPM computer device (212) configured to:

store (805), with the at least one memory device (410), a first version of a product and a second version of the product, wherein the second version extends the first version by a plug at a first location, wherein the first version includes a first plurality of parts (116) at a first plurality of locations, and wherein the second version includes the first plurality of parts (116) and a second plurality of parts (116) associated with the plug;

calculate (810), by the MPM computer device (212), a first numbering system, wherein each of the first plurality of locations includes a location number based on the first numbering system;

calculate (815), by the MPM computer device (212), a second numbering system for a second plurality of locations associated with the second plurality of parts (116);

determine (825), by the MPM computer device (212), a grid overlay for the second version of the product based on the first numbering system and the second numbering system; and

transmit, from the MPM computer device to a client computer device associated with a user, an instruction to display (830) the second version of the product including the grid overlay.

2. The MPM computer device (212) in accordance with claim 1 further configured to:

store a three dimensional (3D) view of an area of the first version of the product;

associate the 3D view with one part (132) of the first plurality of parts (116) included in the 3D view, wherein the location corresponding to the one part (132) of the first plurality of parts (116) is assigned to the 3D view; and

shift the 3D view based on the first numbering system when displaying the second version of the product to correspond with the associated one part (132).

3. The MPM computer device (212) in accordance with claim 1 further configured to:

display a pre-defined view of the product;

receive, from the client computer device, a request to zoom-in on a view of an installation; and

display a zoom-in view of the installation including one or more numbers associated with the first numbering system.

4. The MPM computer device (212) in accordance with claim 1 further configured to:

determine, by said MPM computer device, a first grid overlay for the first version of the product based on the first numbering system;

determine, by said MPM computer device, a second grid overlay for the second version of the product based on the first numbering system and the second numbering system;

receive an input from the client computer device; and

toggle displaying the first grid overlay or the second grid overlay based on the input.

5. The MPM computer device (212) in accordance with claim 1, wherein one part (132) of the first plurality of parts (116) is substantially the same as one part (132) of the second plurality of parts (116), and wherein the MPM computer device (212) is configured to:

associate a single part number with the one part (132) of the first plurality of parts (116) and the one part (132) of the second plurality of parts (116);

associate a first part location with the one part (132) of the first plurality of parts (116), wherein the first part location is based on the first numbering system and the first plurality of locations; and

associate a second part location with the one part (132) of the second plurality of parts (116), wherein the second part location is based on the second numbering system and the second plurality of locations.

6. The MPM computer device (212) in accordance with claim 1, wherein the product is an aircraft.

7. The MPM computer device (212) in accordance with claim 6, wherein the first numbering system is one of a station line, a water line, and a buttock line.

8. The MPM computer device (212) in accordance with claim 6, wherein the plug extends the aircraft by one or more rows of seats.

9. The MPM computer device (212) in accordance with claim 1, wherein the product includes a front end, a top, and a bottom, and wherein the first numbering system is in relation to a reference point at the front end of the product.

10. The MPM computer device (212) in accordance with claim 9, wherein the plug includes a plug front end which is oriented based on the front end of the product, and wherein the second numbering system is based on the plug front end.

11. The MPM computer device (212) in accordance with claim 10, wherein the second numbering system is only associated with the plug and starts at zero at the plug front end.

12. The MPM computer device (212) in accordance with claim 10, wherein the first numbering system pauses at the plug front end and restarts after the plug.

13. A computer implemented method for displaying differences between versions of a product, said method implemented using a manufacturing process management (MPM) computer device (212) in communication with a memory, said method comprising:

storing (805), in the memory (410), a first version of a product and a second version of the product, wherein the second version extends the first version by a plug at a first location, wherein the first version includes a first plurality of parts (116) at a first plurality of locations, and wherein the second version includes the first plurality of parts (116) and a second plurality of parts (116) associated with the plug;

calculating (810), by the MPM computer device (212), a first numbering system, wherein each of the first plurality of locations includes a location number based on the first numbering system;

calculating (815), by the MPM computer device (212), a second numbering system for a second plurality of locations associated with the second plurality of parts (116);

determining (825), by the MPM computer device (212), a grid overlay for the second version of the product based on the first numbering system and the second numbering system; and

transmitting, from the MPM computer device to a client computer device associated with a user, an instruction to display (830) the second version of the product including the grid overlay.

14. The method in accordance with claim 13 further comprising:

storing a three dimensional (3D) view of an area of the first version of the product;

associating the 3D view with one part (132) of the first plurality of parts (116) included in the 3D view, wherein the location corresponding to the one part (132) of the first plurality of parts (116) is assigned to the 3D view; and

shifting the 3D view based on the first numbering system when displaying the second version of the product to correspond with the associated one part (132).

15. The method in accordance with claim 13 further comprising:

displaying a pre-defined view of the product;

receiving, from the client computer device, a request of a zoom-in of a view of an installation; and

displaying a zoom in view of the installation including one or more numbers associated with the first numbering system.

16. The method in accordance with claim 13 further comprising:

determining a first grid overlay for the first version of the product based on the first numbering system;

determining a second grid overlay for the second version of the product based on the first numbering system and the second numbering system;

receiving an input from the client computer device; and

toggling display the first grid overlay or the second grid overlay based on the input.

17. The method in accordance with claim 13, wherein one part (132) of the first plurality of parts (116) is substantially the same as one part (132) of the second plurality of parts (116), and said method further comprising:

associating a single part number with the one part (132) of the first plurality of parts (116) and one part (132) of the second plurality of parts (116);

associating a first part location with the one part (132) of the first plurality of parts (116), wherein the first part location is based on the first numbering system and the first plurality of locations; and

associating a second part location with the one part (132) of the second plurality of parts (116), wherein the second part location is based on the second numbering system and the second plurality of locations.

18. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by manufacturing process management computer device (212) having at least one processor (405) coupled to at least one memory device (410), the computer-executable instructions cause the processor (405) to:

store (805), in the at least one memory device (410)a first version of a product and a second version of the product, wherein the second version extends the first version by a plug at a first location, wherein the first version includes a first plurality of parts (116) at a first plurality of locations, and wherein the second version includes the first plurality of parts (116) and a second plurality of parts (116) associated with the plug;

calculate (810), by the processor (405), a first numbering system, wherein each of the first plurality of locations includes a location number based on the first numbering system;

calculate (815), by the processor (405), a second numbering system for a second plurality of locations associated with the second plurality of parts (116);

determine (825), by the processor (405), a grid overlay for the second version of the product based on the first numbering system and the second numbering system; and

transmit, from the MPM computer device to a client computer device associated with a user, an instruction to display (830) the second version of the product including the grid overlay.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor (405) to:

store a three dimensional (3D) view of an area of the first version of the product;

associate the 3D view with one part (132) of the first plurality of parts (116) included in the 3D view, wherein the location corresponding to the one part (132) of the first plurality of parts (116) is assigned to the 3D view; and

shift the 3D view based on the first numbering system when displaying the second version of the product to correspond with the associated one part (132).

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein one part (132) of the first plurality of parts (116) is substantially the same as one part (132) of the second plurality of parts (116), and wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor (405) to:

associate a single part number with the one part (132) of the first plurality of parts (116) and one part (132) of the second plurality of parts (116);

associate a first part location with the one part (132) of the first plurality of parts (116), wherein the first part location is based on the first numbering system and the first plurality of locations; and

associate a second part location with the one part (132) of the second plurality of parts (116), wherein the second part location is based on the second numbering system and the second plurality of locations.