Network-based system for the manufacture of parts with a virtual collaborative environment for design, development and fabricator selection

• US 20020035450A1
• Filed: 07/13/2001
• Published: 03/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chemtron Research LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eagle Engineering Of America, Inc.
• Inventors: Thackston, James D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,928,396 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32038 Client can develop programs, parts on remote server located by manufacturer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32126 Hyperlink, access to program modules and to hardware modules in www, web server, browser
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35008 Www cad, world wide design and manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/02 CAD in a network environment, e.g. collaborative CAD or distributed simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

The invention relates generally to a comprehensive, integrated computer-based system and method for undertaking an engineering design and development effort in a virtual collaborative environment, identifying qualified fabricators for manufacturing a part design based on fabricator capability information stored in a global registry database substantially maintained by the fabricators themselves, and conducting a virtual bidding process whereby electronic representations of three dimensional model and specification data are provided by a central server. The central server further supports the bidding process by providing quasi-real time audio, video and graphics, and the contracts negotiation and formalization steps.

Claims

1. A server-based system for a fabricator evaluating a request for a proposal to view a part design model, comprising:

a memory for storing a part design model provided by a designer seeking a proposal for manufacturing the part represented by the part design model;

a server system for enabling a fabricator connected over a packet-switched network to access said part design model;

said server system having a software component for presenting the part design model to the fabricator through said network using a graphical user interface.

2. The server based system of claim 1, wherein said software component includes a substantially platform independent client side application to be run on the user system of the fabricator.

3. The server based system of claim 2, wherein said application permits the manipulation of the part design model.

4. The server based system of claim 3, wherein said manipulation comprises one or more of rotation, translation, two-dimensional cutting and a fly-through.

5. The server based system of claim 3, wherein said manipulation comprises the presentation of the part design model as a higher fidelity graphical representation.

6. The server based system of claim 1, wherein the part design model comprises a plurality of features which are linked by the server system with specifications or standards.

7. The server based system of claim 6, wherein said software component further provides for the fabricator to select a specific feature in order to view an associated specification or standard.

8. The server based system of claim 7, wherein the selection is performed using a mouse device.

9. The server based system of claim 1, wherein said server system is further adapted to receive from the designer said request for a proposal.

10. The server based system of claim 9, wherein said proposal further includes information of the identity of a plurality of fabricators permitted to access said request.

11. The server based system of claim 9, wherein said proposal includes at least a portion of the part design model.

12. The server based system of claim 9, wherein said part design model was stored in said memory at a time before submission of said proposal.

13. The server based system of claim 9, wherein server system is further adapted to receive from the fabricator a bid in response to said request for a proposal.

14. The server based system of claim 1, wherein said software component further enables the fabricator and the designer to engage in a communications session that is substantially real-time.

15. The server based system of claim 14, wherein said communications session comprises one or more of audio and video.

16. The server based system of claim 14, wherein said communications session comprises the simultaneous presentation of the part design model to the fabricator and the designer.

17. The server based system of claim 16, wherein the simultaneous presentation includes the manipulation of the part design model.

18. The server based system of claim 1, wherein the part design model is uploaded by the designer using a substantially platform independent application provided by the server for transmitting the part design model as a data compressed file.