Method of analyzing a product

• US 20050055176A1
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Grichnik, Anthony J., Seskin, Michael, Clarke, Burton R., Dove, Kermit H. Jr., Weis, Danny L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,251,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

The present invention includes a system and method configured to analyze a performance of a product. The product has associated process and performance characteristics. The method includes the steps of establishing a plurality of process characteristics associated with the product, establishing an analysis relationship between the process characteristics and the performance characteristic, and analyzing the performance characteristic of the product in response to the relationship.

Claims

1. A computer based method of analyzing a performance of a product, said product having a performance characteristic, comprising the steps of:

establishing a plurality of process characteristics of said product;

establishing a plurality of potential relationships between at least a portion of said process characteristics and said performance characteristic;

establishing a first evaluation technique associated with said plurality of relationships;

down selecting said potential relationships in response to said first evaluation technique;

establishing a second evaluation technique associated with said down selected potential relationships;

establishing a performance relationship between said process characteristics and said performance characteristic in response to said down selected potential relationships and said second evaluation technique; and

analyzing said performance characteristic of said product in response to said performance relationship.

2. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing said performance characteristic, further comprises the step of predicting said performance characteristic in response to said relationship and said process characteristics.

3. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said product includes a plurality of parts, said parts being assembled to form said product, and further wherein said process characteristics include actual part process characteristics and desired part process characteristics, and at least a portion of said parts have associated desired part process characteristics.

4. A method, as set forth in claim 3, further including the step of establishing said desired part process characteristics in response to said performance relationship.

5. A method, as set forth in claim 4, further including the step of automatically generating assembly instructions in response to said desired part process characteristics.

6. A method, as set forth in claim 5, further comprising the step of automatically programming at least one of a piece of assembly equipment and a piece of machining equipment in response to said desired process characteristics.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of establishing a plurality of relationships between said process characteristics and said plurality of performance characteristics, each of said performance characteristics having an associated performance relationship.

8. A method, as set forth in claim 7, further comprising the step of establishing a system relationship in response to said plurality of relationships.

9. A method, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the step of analyzing said performance characteristic further comprises the step of analyzing said product performance in response to said process characteristics and said system relationship.

10. A method, as set forth in claim 9, wherein said product includes a plurality of parts, said parts being assembled to form said product, and further wherein said process characteristics include actual part process characteristics and desired part process characteristics, and at least a portion of said parts have associated desired process characteristics.

11. A method, as set forth in claim 10, further including the step of establishing said desired part process characteristics in response to said system relationship.

12. A method, as set forth in claim 11, further including the step of automatically generating assembly instructions in response to said desired part process characteristics.

13. A method, as set forth in claim 12, further comprising the step of automatically programming an assembly equipment in response to said desired process characteristics.

14. A method, as set forth in claim 7, further comprising the step of establishing a priority of at least a plurality of said process characteristics with respect to at least one performance characteristic.

15. A method, as set forth in claim 7, further comprising the step of establishing a priority of at least a plurality of said process characteristics with respect to said performance of said product.

16. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing said performance characteristic of said product, further comprises the step of predicting a pass rate of said product type in response to said relationship.

17. A method, as set forth in claim 16 further comprising the step of establishing a production characteristic in response to said pass rate.

18. A method, as set forth in claim 17, wherein said production characteristic further includes at least one of a production rate and a production cost.

19. A method, as set forth in claim 7, wherein the step of analyzing said performance characteristic of said product, further comprises the step of predicting a pass rate of said product type in response to said system relationship.

20. A method, as set forth in claim 19, further comprising the step of establishing a production characteristic in response to said pass rate.

21. A method, as set forth in claim 20, wherein said production characteristic further includes at least one of a production rate and a production cost.

22. A method, of modifying a control parameter of a machine, the machine being associated with the assembly of a product, the product having a plurality of assembly characteristics and a performance characteristic, comprising the steps of:

establishing a relationship between said assembly characteristics and said performance characteristics; and

modifying said control parameter in response to said relationship.

23. A method, as set forth in claim 22, wherein the step of modifying said control parameter further comprises the steps of:

assembling a product;

establishing said assembly characteristics in response to said product assembly;

predicting a performance of said product in response to said assembly characteristic and said relationship;

identifying an assembly characteristic to modify in response to said predicted performance and;

modifying said control parameter in response to said identified assembly characteristic.

24. A system configured to analyze a performance of a product, said product having a performance characteristic, the system comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of process characteristics associated with said product;

an input interface configured to receive a plurality of process characteristics from one or more external machines; and

a controller configured to receive one or more process characteristics from at least one of said memory and said input interface, establish a plurality of potential relationships between at least a portion of said process characteristics and said performance characteristic, establish a first evaluation technique associated with said plurality of relationships, down select said potential relationships in response to said first evaluation technique, establish a second evaluation technique associated with said down selected potential relationships, establish a performance relationship between said process characteristics and said performance characteristic in response to said down selected potential relationships and said second evaluation technique, and analyze said performance of said product in response to said performance relationship.