System and method for determining packaging requirements for a part

• US 20030130753A1
• Filed: 12/16/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Grant, John E., Akright, William T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,069,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/97
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• 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

A computer based system and method determines packaging for a part. The system and method allow a user to establish a set of part characteristics and generates the packaging specification as a function thereof. Additionally the system and method uses packaging materials and packaging methods stored in a database and allows the association of one or more of the packaging materials and packaging methods to a part to create the packaging specification.

Claims

1. A method for determining packaging for a part, comprising the steps of:

establishing a set of part characteristics; and

,

determining a packaging specification for the part as a function of the part characteristics.

2. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the packaging specification is determined as a function of a package specification database.

3. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of establishing a set of part characteristics includes the steps of:

establishing a part identification;

determining the part characteristics as a function of the part identification and a parts characteristics database.

4. A method, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the part identification includes a part number.

5. A method, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the part identification includes a part type identification.

6. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the part characteristics include a language for the part specification.

7. A method, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the part identification is input by a user.

8. A method, as set forth in claim 3, including the step of determining a list of potential part specifications.

9. A method, as set forth in claim 8, including the steps of providing the list to the user and allowing the user to select one of the potential part specifications.

10. A method, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the potential part specifications are identified by at least one of the part identification, a country code, a record type, a supplier code, and a supplier name.

11. A method, as set forth in claim 8, wherein one of the potential part specifications is identified as a preferred part specification.

12. A computer based system for determining packaging for a part, comprising:

a database for storing package specification data; and

,

a processing unit coupled to the database and being adapted to establish a set of part characteristics and to determine a packaging specification for the part as a function of the part characteristics and the package specification data.

13. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 12, wherein the processing unit is further adapted to establish a part identification and determine the part characteristics as a function of the part identification and a parts characteristics database.

14. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 13, wherein the part identification includes a part number.

15. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 13, wherein the part identification includes a part type identification.

16. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 12, wherein the part characteristics include a language for the part specification.

17. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 13, wherein the part identification is input by a user.

18. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the processing unit is further adapted to determine a list of potential part specifications.

19. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 18, wherein the processing unit is adapted to provide the list to the user and allow the user to select one of the potential part specifications.

20. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 18, wherein the potential part specifications are identified by at least one of the part identification, a country code, a record type, a supplier code, and a supplier name.

21. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 18, wherein one of the potential part specifications is identified as a preferred specification.

22. A method for preparing packaging for a part, including the steps of:

storing a plurality of packaging materials in a database;

storing a plurality of packaging methods in the database;

establishing a set of part characteristics related to the part;

associating at least one packaging material from the database with the part;

associating at least one packaging method from the database with the part; and

,

defining a packaging specification for the part as a function of the part characteristics, the at least one packaging material, and the at least one packaging method.

23. A method, as set forth in claim 22, including the steps of:

storing a plurality of statements in the database; and

,

associating at least one statement from the database to the part, wherein the packaging specification is defined as a function of the part characteristics, the at least one packaging material, the at least one packaging method, and the at least one statement.

24. A method, as set forth in claim 22, including the step of providing a graphical user interface.

25. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the graphical user interface includes a material panel, a methods panel, and a statements panel.

26. A method, as set forth in claim 22, including the step of defining the plurality of packaging materials by type, size, and material.

27. A method, as set forth in claim 22, including the step of associating the plurality of packaging materials by a user type.

28. A method, as set forth in claim 27, wherein the user type is one of universal, supplier, remanufacturer, and identified supplier.

29. A method, as set forth in claim 22, including the step of associating dimensional data with the plurality of packaging materials.

30. A method, as set forth in claim 29, wherein the dimensional data includes inside dimensions, natural rest dimensions, shelf dimensions, and wood dimensions.

31. A method, as set forth in claim 22, including the step of associating a weight with the plurality of packaging materials.

32. A method, as set forth in claim 22, including the step of associating an image with the plurality of packaging materials.

33. A method, as set forth in claim 22, including the step of associating a drawing with the plurality of packaging materials.

34. A method, as set forth in claim 22, including the step of associating a part type identification with each of the plurality of packaging materials.

35. A method, as set forth in claim 22, including the step of identifying at least one of an effective date in and an effective date out associated with each of the packaging materials.

36. A method, as set forth in claim 22, including the step of associating a part type with each of the packaging methods.

37. A method, as set forth in claim 22, including the step of assigning a method identifier with each packaging method.

38. A method, as set forth in claim 22, including the step of assigning at least one class description to each packaging method.

39. A method, as set forth in claim 22, including the step of assigning a major class description and a minor class description to each packaging method.

40. A method, as set forth in claim 22, including the step of assigning a priority code to each packaging method.

41. A method, as set forth in claim 22, including the step of providing method instructions with each packaging method.

42. A method, as set forth in claim 22, including the step of associating the plurality of packaging methods by a user type.

43. A method, as set forth in claim 42, wherein the user type is one of universal, supplier, and identified supplier.

44. A method, as set forth in claim 23, wherein at least one of the statements is related to placement of material statements.

45. A method, as set forth in claim 23, wherein at least one of the statements is related to caution statements.

46. A computer based system for preparing packaging for a part, comprising:

a database for storing a plurality of packaging materials and a plurality of packaging methods; and

,

a processing unit coupled to the database and being adapted to establish a set of part characteristics related to the part, associate at least one packaging materials from the database with the part, and associate at least one packaging method from the database with the part, and to define a packaging specification for the part as a function of the part characteristics, the at least one packaging material, and the at least one packaging method.

47. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 46, wherein the database includes a plurality of statements in the database and the processing unit is further adapted to associate at least one statement from the database to the part, wherein the packaging specification is defined as a function of the part characteristics, the at least one packaging material, the at least one packaging method, and the at least one statement.

48. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 46, including a graphical user interface.

49. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 48, wherein the graphical user interface includes a material panel, a methods panel, and a statements panel.

50. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 46, wherein the plurality of packaging materials are defined by type of packaging, size, and material.

51. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 46, wherein the plurality of packaging materials are defined by a user type.

52. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 51, wherein the user type is one of universal, supplier, remanufacturer, and identified supplier.

53. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 46, wherein the plurality of packaging materials are defined by dimensional data.

54. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 53, wherein the dimensional data includes inside dimensions, natural rest dimensions, shelf dimensions, and wood dimensions.

55. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 46, wherein the plurality of packaging materials are defined by a weight.

56. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 46, wherein the plurality of packaging materials include an image.

57. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 46, wherein the plurality of packaging materials includes a drawing.

58. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 46, wherein the plurality of packaging materials include a part type identification.

59. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 46, wherein the plurality of packaging materials include at least one of an effective date in and an effective date out associated with each of the packaging materials.

60. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 46, wherein each packaging method includes a part type.

61. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 46, wherein each packaging method includes a method identifier.

62. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 46, wherein each packaging method includes at least one class description.

63. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 46, wherein each packaging method includes a major class description and a minor class description.

64. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 46, wherein each packaging method includes a priority code.

65. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 46, wherein each packaging method includes method instructions.

66. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 46, wherein each packaging method includes a user type.

67. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 66, wherein the user type is one of universal, supplier, and identified supplier.

68. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 47, wherein at least one of the statements is related to placement of material statements.

69. A computer based system, as set forth in claim 47, wherein at least one of the statements is related to caution statements.

70. A computer program product for determining packaging for a part, comprising:

computer readable program code means for establishing a set of part characteristics; and

,

computer readable program code means for determining a packaging specification for the part as a function of the part characteristics and a package specification database.

77. A method, as set forth in claim 70, wherein the step of dynamically determining at least one recommended package takes into account cost of materials.

71. A computer program product for preparing packaging for a part, comprising:

computer readable program code means for storing a plurality of packaging materials in a database;

computer readable program code means for storing a plurality of packaging methods in the database;

computer readable program code means for establishing a set of part characteristics related to the part;

computer readable program code means for associating at least one packaging material from the database with the part;

computer readable program code means for associating at least one packaging method from the database with the part; and

, computer readable program code means for defining a packaging specification for the part as a function of the part characteristics, the at least one packaging material, and the at least one packaging method.

75. A method, as set forth in claim 71, the part characteristics includes shipping characteristics.

76. A method, as set forth in claim 75, wherein the shipping characteristics includes at least one of distance, method of travel, and exposure.

72. A method for determining packaging for a part, comprising the steps of:

establishing a set of part characteristics; and

,

dynamically determining at least one recommended package as a function of the part characteristics and a package database.

73. A method, as set forth in claim 72, wherein the step of dynamically determining at least one recommended package includes the step of performing a best-fit algorithm.

74. A method, as set forth in claim 73, wherein the best-fit algorithm includes the step of comparing dimensions of the part with dimensions of the package.