Sheet metal equipment sales method and system therefor

• US 20040148230A1
• Filed: 12/11/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amada Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Amada Company Limited
• Inventors: Kondo, Atsushi, Matsui, Yoshiyuki, Tsuchida, Koichi, Nakamura, Kaoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,610,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation

Abstract

A sheet metal equipment sales method includes the following steps of: prompting a user to access from an information terminal; receiving engineering drawing-related information relating to the user'"'"'s product by a seller'"'"'s computer, editing the engineering drawing-related information, searching a product the same as or similar to the user'"'"'s product from a database, performing demonstrative working of the user'"'"'s product by actual equipment to prepare demonstrative working information; and distributing one of the user'"'"'s product fabrication information and the demonstrative working information.

Claims

1. A sheet metal equipment sales method in which a seller sells sheet metal equipment to a user based on an appropriate metal working proposal, using a computer network, comprising:

a step for prompting the user to access from an information terminal;

a step for receiving engineering drawing-related information relating to the user'"'"'s product by a seller'"'"'s computer, based on the access, and storing the information in a memory;

a step for editing the engineering drawing-related information, to generate engineering drawing-related editing information, such as a 3D model of the product, development information, and attribute information;

a step for searching a product the same as or similar to the user'"'"'s product from a database, and reading registered product fabrication information associated with the same or similar product,

a step for using the registered product fabrication information and the engineering drawing-related editing information to prepare user'"'"'s product fabrication information, which is the information relating to the appropriate production method of the user'"'"'s product by appropriate production equipment, and storing the information in a memory;

a step for performing demonstrative working of the user'"'"'s product by actual equipment to prepare demonstrative working information, based upon the user'"'"'s product fabrication information, when there is an instruction from the user; and

a step for distributing one of the user'"'"'s product fabrication information and the demonstrative working information, as the proposal information.

2. A sheet metal equipment sales method according to claim 1, wherein the prepared information of the user'"'"'s product fabrication information and the demonstrative working information is accumulated in the database.

3. A sheet metal equipment sales method according to claim 1, including a step for preparing the demonstrative working information by performing the demonstrative working, when a product the same as or similar to the user'"'"'s product is not searched.

4. A sheet metal equipment sales method according to claim 1, wherein the development information, the 3D model information, and the attribute information are generated according to a predetermined procedure.

5. A sheet metal equipment sales method according to claim 1, wherein the proposal information includes a step in which the seller logs in the computer of the user, from the seller'"'"'s computer, to determine an appropriate production method of the product by cooperating with the user.

6. A sheet metal equipment sales method according to claim 1, wherein the proposal information includes optimum equipment information and profit increase information.

7. A sheet metal equipment sales method according to claim 1, wherein the actual equipment for performing demonstrative working is existing equipment held by the user, or proposed equipment proposed by the seller to the user.

8. A sheet metal equipment sales method according to claim 1, wherein the appropriate production equipment for the user'"'"'s product is existing equipment held by the user, or proposed equipment proposed by the seller.

9. A sheet metal equipment sales system in which a seller sells sheet metal equipment to a user based on an appropriate metal working proposal, using a computer network, comprising:

a unit to prompt the user to access from an information terminal;

a unit to receive engineering drawing-related information relating to the user'"'"'s product by a seller'"'"'s computer, based on the access, and store the information in a memory;

a unit to edit the engineering drawing-related information, to generate engineering drawing-related editing information, such as a 3D model of the product, development information, and attribute information;

a unit to search a product the same as or similar to the user'"'"'s product from a database, and read registered product fabrication information associated with the same or similar product;

a unit to use the registered product fabrication information and the engineering drawing-related editing information to prepare user'"'"'s product fabrication information, which is the information relating to the appropriate production method of the user'"'"'s product by appropriate production equipment, and store the information in a memory;

a unit to perform demonstrative working of the user'"'"'s product by actual equipment to prepare demonstrative working information, when there is an instruction from the user; and

a unit to distribute the prepared information of the user'"'"'s product fabrication information and the demonstrative working information, as the proposal information.

10. A sheet metal working information proposing method in which a seller proposes appropriate sheet metal working information to a user, using a computer network, comprising:

a step for prompting the user to access from an information terminal;

a step at which a seller'"'"'s computer held by the seller receives engineering drawing-related information relating to the user'"'"'s product and product fabrication information A prepared by the user, and the user stores the information in a memory;

a step for searching a product the same as or similar to the user'"'"'s product from database, and reading registered product fabrication information associated with the same or similar product,

a step for using the registered product fabrication information and the engineering drawing-related editing information obtained by editing the engineering drawing-related information to prepare user'"'"'s product fabrication information B by appropriate production equipment, and storing the information in the memory; and

a step for proposing a difference between the user product fabrication information B and the product fabrication information A prepared by the user obtained by comparison.

11. A sheet metal working information proposing method according to claim 10, wherein the appropriate production equipment is existing equipment held by the user, or proposed equipment proposed by the seller.

12. A sheet metal working information proposing system in which a seller proposes appropriate sheet metal working information to a user, using a computer network, comprising:

a unit to prompt the user to access from an information terminal;

a unit by which a seller'"'"'s computer held by the seller receives engineering drawing-related information relating to the user'"'"'s product and product fabrication information A prepared by the user based on the access, and the user stores the information in a memory;

a unit to search a product the same as or similar to the user'"'"'s product from database, and read registered product fabrication information associated with the same or similar product;

a unit to use the registered product fabrication information and the engineering drawing-related editing information obtained by editing the engineering drawing-related information to prepare user'"'"'s product fabrication information B by appropriate production equipment, and store the information in a memory; and

a unit to propose a difference between the user product fabrication information B and the product fabrication information A prepared by the user obtained by comparison.

13. A sheet metal working information proposing system according to claim 12, wherein the appropriate production equipment is existing equipment held by the user, or proposed equipment proposed by the seller.