System and method of dynamic clearance checking using a geometric model

• US 20060025983A1
• Filed: 07/27/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Roberts, David, Arbitter, Daniel, Putnam, William, Pesch, Vincent, Shreffler, Sejal
• Granted Patent: US 8,364,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/15 Vehicle, aircraft or watercraft design

Abstract

A system and method for dynamically checking clearance within a geometric mesh model is provided. The system includes a user computer system having memory, a processor, a user input device and a display device and a remotely located computer system having a processor and a memory and operatively in communication with the user computer system. The system also includes a data storage means operatively in communication with the remotely located computer system and the user computer system for storing information. The method includes the steps of periodically updating a model representing a digital buck of assembled component parts that is digital buck is stored on the data storage means, interactively selecting a predetermined clearance rule applicable to the digital buck and interactively selecting a predetermined clearance condition applicable to the selected clearance rule for the digital buck that modifies the predetermined clearance rule. The method also includes the steps of periodically calculating clearance within the digital buck using the selected clearance rule and the selected clearance condition and summarizing the clearance check. The method further includes the steps of the user reviewing the clearance check summary to identify a clearance issue using a predetermined clearance checking criteria and submitting the identified clearance issue to an issue manager software program for tracking clearance issues.

Claims

1. A system for dynamically checking clearance within a geometric mesh model comprising:

a user computer system, wherein said user computer system includes a processor, a user input device and a display device;

a remotely located computer system operatively in communication with said user computer system, wherein said remotely located computer system includes a processor;

a data storage means operatively in communication with said remotely located computer system and said user computer system for storing information wherein said user uses said user computer system to interactively select a predetermined clearance rule and a predetermined clearance condition that is applicable to the digital buck and the predetermined clearance rule and predetermined clearance condition is stored in said data storage means;

a computer-generated digital buck representative of a geometric mesh model stored in said data storage means, and accessible to said user computer system, wherein said digital buck is dynamically updated on a periodic basis;

an executable clearance check software program resident on said remotely located computer system that dynamically calculates clearance within the updated digital buck on a periodic basis, using the predetermined clearance rule and the predetermined clearance condition stored in said data storage means and summarizes the calculated clearance, wherein the user uses said user computer system to review the clearance check summary and identify clearance issues.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said data storage means includes a library containing a digital buck of assembled component parts in a geometric mesh model format.

3. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said data storage means includes a knowledge-based engineering library of predetermined clearance rules and predetermined clearance conditions.

4. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the predetermined clearance rules and predetermined clearance conditions include technical specifications, or guidelines, or standards for the digital buck.

5. A system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of user computer systems operatively in communication with said remotely located computer system via a communications network.

6. A system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said communications network is the Internet.

7. A system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a issue manager software program resident on said remotely located computer system that is operatively in communication with said clearance check software program for tracking clearance issues identified by the user.

8. A method of dynamic clearance checking within a geometric model using a computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

periodically updating a model representing a digital buck of assembled component parts, wherein the digital buck is stored on a data storage means;

selecting a predetermined clearance rule applicable to the digital buck;

selecting a predetermined clearance condition applicable to the selected clearance rule for the digital buck, wherein the clearance condition modifies the predetermined clearance rule;

periodically calculating clearance within the digital buck using the selected clearance rule and the selected clearance condition;

summarizing the calculated clearance check within the digital buck;

reviewing the clearance check summary to identify a clearance issue using a predetermined clearance criteria; and

submitting the identified clearance issue to an issue manager software program, wherein the issue manager software program tracks identified clearance issues.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said step of updating the digital buck further includes the steps of selecting a mesh model of component parts from a library of component parts and assembling the component parts together in a visualization format.

10. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said step of selecting a clearance rule further includes the step of selecting a clearance rule from a knowledge-based engineering library of predetermined clearance rules.

11. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said step of selecting a clearance condition further includes the step of selecting a clearance condition from a knowledge-based engineering library of predetermined clearance conditions.

12. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the clearance rules and clearance conditions include technical specifications, or guidelines, or standards for the digital buck.

13. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the data storage means is operatively in communication with the remotely located computer system.

14. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the clearance rule defines a physical distance between component parts in the digital buck.

15. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the results of the clearance check are stored in a database.

16. A method as set forth in claim 8 further including the step of highlighting non-compliance with clearance rules and conditions in a user-defined clearance calculator summary.

17. A method of dynamic clearance checking within a geometric model using a computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

periodically updating a model representing a digital buck of assembled component parts using a remotely located computer system, wherein the digital buck is stored on a data storage means operatively in communication with the remotely located computer system;

selecting a predetermined clearance rule applicable to the digital buck using a user computer system, wherein the predetermined clearance rule is selected from a knowledge-based engineering library of clearance rules stored in the data storage means and operatively in communication with the user computer system;

selecting a predetermined clearance condition applicable to the selected clearance rule for the digital buck, wherein the predetermined clearance rule is selected from a knowledge-based engineering library of clearance rules stored in the data storage means, and the clearance condition modifies the predetermined clearance rule;

periodically calculating clearance within the digital buck using the selected clearance rule and the selected clearance condition;

summarizing the calculated clearance check within the digital buck;

identifying a clearance issue in the clearance check summary using a predetermined clearance criteria, wherein the clearance check summary is displayed on a display screen for the user computer system; and

submitting the identified clearance issue to an issue manager software program, wherein the issue manager software program tracks identified clearance issues.

18. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein said step of updating the digital buck further includes the steps of selecting a mesh model of component parts from a library of component parts and assembling the component parts together in a visualization format, and storing the updated digital buck in the data storage means.

19. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein the clearance rules and clearance conditions include technical specifications, or guidelines, or standards defining packaging of components parts for digital buck.

20. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein the clearance rule defines a physical distance between component parts in the digital buck.

21. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein the clearance calculator summary is stored in the data storage means.

22. A method as set forth in claim 17 further including the step of highlighting non-compliance with clearance rules and conditions in a user-defined clearance check summary.