System and method for dynamically simulating value stream and network maps

• US 20070073421A1
• Filed: 12/05/2005
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Createasoft Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hosni Adra
• Inventors: Adra, Hosni
• Granted Patent: US 7,599,755 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/36
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/041 in which a variable is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/10 Program control for peripheral devices G06F13/14 - G06F13/42 take precedence

Abstract

A computer readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by a computer system causes the computer to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of a process flow is provided. For a plurality of processed objects, the method identifies corresponding value stream metrics and triggers a state engine to simulate the process flow. The state engine is configured to manage all operations rules related to the value network map. The method dynamically updates the value stream metrics during the simulation of the value network map.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by a computer system causes the computer to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of a process, the method comprising:

identifying value stream metrics, the value stream metrics corresponding to a plurality of processed objects and to interrelationships between the plurality of processed objects at corresponding cells of the process;

triggering a state engine to simulate the value network map, the state engine configured to manage all operations rules related to the value network map; and

dynamically updating the value stream metrics during the simulation of the value network map.

2. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 1, the method further comprising:

analyzing the dynamically updated value stream metrics to evaluate a performance of the value network map.

3. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 1, the method further comprising:

determining alternate values of the identified value stream metrics; and

dynamically and concurrently updating the alternate values of the identified value stream metrics during the simulation of corresponding value network maps.

4. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 1, wherein the value stream metrics are at least one of VAT, non-VAT, efficiency, takt time, objects completed, objects in progress, capacity, downtime, set-up and change over, load time, unload time, buffer size, and lead time.

5. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 1, wherein the value stream metrics are customized.

6. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 2, further comprising:

determining at least one dynamic value network map improvement;

identifying value stream metrics that correspond to the at least one value network improvement; and

dynamically modifying the identified value stream metrics.

7. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 1, the method further comprising:

dynamically storing the value stream metrics in a database.

8. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 3, the method further comprising:

dynamically storing the simulated data of the alternate values of the value stream metrics in a database.

9. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 6, the method further comprising:

dynamically displaying stored simulation data for a post-simulation analysis.

10. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 8, the method further comprising:

displaying concurrently the corresponding stored simulated data of the alternate values of the value stream metrics.

11. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to Implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating simulated value stream data to a graphical user interface; and

dynamically displaying value stream data over a graphical representation of the process.

12. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 9, wherein the graphical representation is a three dimensional representation.

13. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 1, the method further comprising:

exchanging data between the process flow and the dynamic value network map.

14. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 1, wherein one of the value stream metrics corresponds to tracking data of one of the plurality of objects.

15. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 14, wherein the tracking data enables a dynamic allocation of the tracked object.

16. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 15, wherein a graphical representation of the tracked object is provided dynamically during the simulation of the dynamic value network map.

17. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 15, wherein the graphical representation of the tracked object is provided dynamically after the simulation using the corresponding stored data.

18. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 1, the method comprising:

detecting imported data;

dynamically updating the value stream metrics during the simulation of the value network map based on the imported data.

19. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 18,

wherein the imported data is provided by external applications.

20. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 18,

wherein the imported data corresponds to object, cell and/or buffer data.

21. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 18,

wherein the imported data corresponds to alternate routing tables of the process flow or process definition methods.

22. The computer readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by a computer system causes the computer to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of a process which comprises a plurality of cells, the method comprising:

identifying value stream metrics, the value stream metrics corresponding to a plurality of processed objects at sub-cells and to interrelationships between the plurality of processed objects, the plurality of sub-cells defining activities within a sub-process flow;

triggering a state engine to simulate the value network map, the state engine configured to manage all operations rules related to the value network map; and

dynamically updating the value stream metrics during the simulation.

23. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for creating a dynamic value network map of claim 22, the method further comprising:

analyzing the dynamically updated value stream metrics to evaluate a performance of the value network map.

24. A computer readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by a computer system causes the computer to implement a method for dynamically determining an object routing map of a process flow, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of cells that process a plurality of objects, the plurality of cells being connected by a plurality of paths;

triggering a state engine to simulate the process flow, the state engine configured to manage all operations rules related to the process flow;

tracking each of the plurality of objects on each of the plurality of paths during a predetermined time period of the process flow,

determining which of the plurality of paths carry a number of the plurality of objects that is greater than a corresponding predetermined threshold value during the predetermined time period.

25. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for dynamically determining an object routing map of claim 24, the method further comprising:

altering at least one of the plurality of paths connecting the plurality of cells to reduce the number of carried objects to or below the corresponding predetermined threshold values.

26. The computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement a method for dynamically determining an object routing map of claim 24, the method further comprising:

adding at least one cell to the process flow to reduce the number of carried objects to or below the predetermined threshold values on corresponding paths.