System and method for service parts planning in a multi-echelon network

• US 20060031084A1
• Filed: 02/22/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Schierholt, Hans Karsten, Sodan, Uwe, Prabhoo, Priti
• Granted Patent: US 7,778,857 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• 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]

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to a system and method for service parts planning in a multi-echelon network having one or more service parts. For at least a subset of the one or more service parts, a calculation is performed to determine a location within the multi-echelon network at which allocating the service part provides the greatest gain in system availability per item cost. In one embodiment, the calculations take into consideration violations of incremental optimal allocation. In an embodiment, the calculations take into consideration violations of convexity.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a memory to store a data structure representing a multi-echelon network having one or more service parts; and

a processor and logic executable thereon to, for each of at least a subset of the one or more service parts,

calculate, for the service part, a location within the multi-echelon network, for which allocating the service part to the location provides a greatest gain in system availability per item cost,

allocate an additional instance of the service part to the location,

recalculate the gain in system availability per item cost based, at least in part, on the additional instance of the service part allocated to the location, and

repeat the process of allocating an additional instance of the service part to the location and recalculating the gain in system availability per item cost until an average gain in system availability per item cost decreases.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic executable thereon to calculate, for the service part, the location within the multi-echelon network, for which allocating the service part to the location provides the greatest gain in system availability per item cost further comprises logic to:

determine whether the location is an entry location;

determine whether a parent location of the location has one or more instances of the service part, if the location is not an entry location; and

reallocate an instance of the service part to a child location of the parent location.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the parent location is associated with one or more child locations and the logic executable thereon to reallocate the instance of the service part to the child location of the parent location further comprises logic to:

calculate, for which of the one or more child locations, allocating the service part to the child location provides a greatest gain in system availability per item cost; and

reallocate the instance of the service part to the child location providing the greatest gain in system availability per item cost.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the logic executable thereon further comprises logic to:

determine whether a gain in system availability per item cost is greater subsequent to reallocating the service part to the child location of the parent location; and

repeat the process of determining whether the parent location of the location has one or more instances of the service part and reallocating an instance of the service part, if the gain in system availability per item cost is greater subsequent to reallocating the instance of the service part.

5. A method for service parts planning in a multi-echelon network having one or more service parts comprising:

for each of at least a subset of the one or more service parts,

calculating, for the service part, a location within the multi-echelon network, for which allocating the service part to the location provides a greatest gain in system availability per item cost;

allocating an additional instance of the service part to the location;

recalculating the gain in system availability per item cost based, at least in part, on the additional instance of the service part allocated to the location; and

repeating the process of allocating an additional instance of the service part to the location and recalculating the gain in system availability per item cost until an average gain in system availability per item cost decreases.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein calculating, for the service part, the location within the multi-echelon network, for which allocating the service part to the location provides the greatest gain in system availability per item cost further comprises:

determining whether the location is an entry location;

determining whether a parent location of the location has one or more instances of the service part, if the location is not an entry location; and

reallocating an instance of the service part to a child location of the parent location.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the parent location is associated with one or more child locations and reallocating the instance of the service part to the child location of the parent location further comprises:

calculating, for which of the one or more child locations, allocating the service part to the child location provides a greatest gain in system availability per item cost; and

reallocating the instance of the service part to the child location providing the greatest gain in system availability per item cost.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining whether a gain in system availability per item cost is greater subsequent to reallocating the service part to the child location of the parent location; and

repeating the process of determining whether the parent location of the location has one or more instances of the service part and reallocating an instance of the service part, if the gain in system availability per item cost is greater subsequent to reallocating the instance of the service part.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining whether the parent location is an entry location, if the gain in system availability per item cost is not greater subsequent to reallocating the instance of the service part;

determining whether a next higher parent location has one or more instances of the service part, if the parent location is not an entry location; and

reallocating an instance of the service part to a child location of the next higher parent location.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining a service part providing a greatest gain in system availability per item cost; and

increasing an investment in the service part providing the greatest gain in system availability per item cost.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

repeating the process until one of,

a target budget is expended; and

a target system availability is achieved.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein calculating, for the service part, the location within the multi-echelon network, for which allocating the service part to the location provides the greatest gain in system availability per item cost comprises:

calculating the location within the multi-echelon network, for which allocating the service part to the location provides the greatest gain in system availability per item cost based, at least in part, on marginal analysis.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein system availability is given by

14. An article of manufacture for service parts planning in a multi-echelon network having one or more service parts, the article of manufacture comprising an electronically accessible medium providing instructions that, when executed by an apparatus, cause the apparatus to:

for each of at least a subset of the one or more service parts,

calculate, for the service part, a location within the multi-echelon network, for which allocating the service part to the location provides a greatest gain in system availability per item cost;

allocate an additional instance of the service part to the location;

recalculate the gain in system availability per item cost based, at least in part, on the additional instance of the service part allocated to location; and

repeat the process of allocating an additional instance of the service part to the location and recalculating the gain in system availability per item cost until an average gain in system availability per item cost decreases.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to calculate, for the service part, the location within the multi-echelon network, for which allocating the service part to the location provides the greatest gain in system availability per item cost further, cause the apparatus to:

determine whether the location is an entry location;

determine whether a parent location of the location has one or more instances of the service part, if the location is not an entry location; and

reallocate an instance of the service part to a child location of the parent location.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the parent location is associated with one or more child locations and the instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to reallocate the instance of the service part to the child location of the parent location further cause the apparatus to:

calculate, for which of the one or more child locations, allocating the service part to the child location provides a greatest gain in system availability per item cost; and

reallocate the instance of the service part to the child location providing the greatest gain in system availability per item cost.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the electronically accessible medium provides further instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to:

determine whether a gain in system availability per item cost is greater subsequent to reallocating the service part to the child location of the parent location; and

repeat the process of determining whether the parent location of the location has one or more instances of the service part and reallocating an instance of the service part, if the gain in system availability per item cost is greater subsequent to reallocating the instance of the service part.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein the electronically accessible medium provides further instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to:

determine whether the parent location is an entry location, if the gain in system availability per item cost is not greater subsequent to reallocating the instance of the service part;

determine whether a next higher parent location has one or more instances of the service part, if the parent location is not an entry location; and

reallocate an instance of the service part to a child location of the next higher parent location.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein the electronically accessible medium provides further instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to:

determine a service part providing a greatest gain in system availability per item cost; and

increase an investment in the service part providing the greatest gain in system availability per item cost.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the electronically accessible medium provides further instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to:

repeat the process until one of,

a target budget is expended; and

a target system availability is achieved.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to calculate, for the service part, the location within the multi-echelon network, for which allocating the service part to the location provides the greatest gain in system availability per item cost cause the apparatus to:

calculate the location within the multi-echelon network, for which allocating the service part to the location provides the greatest gain in system availability per item cost based, at least in part, on marginal analysis.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein system availability is given by