Method and system for replenishing rotable inventory

• US 20070299747A1
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Shorter, Bret Allen, Osborne, Cassandra Lea, Ahlers, Amy Michelle, Aspinall, Jennifer Katherine, Graves, Andrew James
• Application Number:
  US11/607,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20070299747A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method for replenishing rotable material associated with a parts exchange program comprises receiving replenishment data associated with a part number, and estimating projected rotable requirements for the part number based on the replenishment data. A supplemental quantity of new materials required to meet the projected rotable requirements is determined if the projected rotable requirements exceed an available rotable or core quantity. Future new material requirements for the part number are estimated based on the replenishment data and the supplemental quantity of new materials required to meet the projected rotable requirements. A purchase order for new material is generated based on the future new material requirements if the amount of new material onhand is not sufficient to support new demand and needed rotable supplement material.

Claims

1. A method for replenishing rotable material associated with a parts exchange program comprising:

receiving replenishment data associated with a part number;

estimating projected rotable requirements based on the replenishment data;

determining a supplemental quantity of new materials required to meet the projected rotable requirements if the projected rotable requirements exceed an available rotable or core quantity;

estimating future new material requirements based on the replenishment data and the supplemental quantity of new materials required to meet the projected rotable requirements; and

generating a purchase order for new material based on the future new material requirements.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving replenishment data associated with a part number includes collecting replenishment data from an inventory management database.

3. The method of claim 1, further including generating a purchase order for rotable material for authorizing a repair of core material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein estimating the projected rotable requirements includes predicting the projected rotable requirements based on one or more of historical rotable exchange data, a quantity of open rotable exchange orders, rotable gross requirement adjustments, core material returned from the customer, scheduled rotable receipts, planned receipts, and quantity of rotable material onhand.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein estimating the projected rotable requirements includes determining a repair lead time associated with each of the one or more rotable part requests.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the available core quantity is estimated by determining a quantity of core parts available in inventory and predicting a quantity of core material to be returned based on washout rate associated with one or more part numbers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the washout rate is estimated as a percentage based on a quantity of one or more of un-repaired cores to a total quantity of cores in the exchange program.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the washout rate, WR, is estimated as:

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the supplemental quantity of new materials required to meet the projected rotable requirements includes determining a difference between the projected rotable requirements and the available core and rotable quantity.

10. A computer-readable medium for use on a computer system, the computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

11. An inventory replenishment method for rotable parts comprising:

a rotable material replenishment process comprising;

receiving replenishment data associated with a part number;

estimating projected rotable requirements based on the replenishment data;

determining a supplemental quantity of new materials required to meet the projected rotable requirements if the projected rotable requirements exceed an available core and rotable quantity; and

a new material replenishment process comprising;

receiving new material replenishment data associated with a part number;

receiving data indicative of a supplemental quantity of new materials required to meet the projected rotable requirements;

estimating future new material requirements based on the replenishment data and the supplemental quantity of new materials required to meet the projected rotable requirements; and

generating a purchase order for new material based on the future new material requirements.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving replenishment data associated with a part number includes collecting replenishment data from an inventory management database.

13. The method of claim 11, further including generating a purchase order for rotable material for authorizing a repair of core material.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein estimating the projected rotable requirements includes predicting the projected rotable requirements based on one or more of historical rotable exchange data, a quantity of open rotable exchange orders, rotable gross requirement adjustments, core material returned from the customer, scheduled rotable receipts, planned receipts, and quantity of rotable material onhand.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein estimating the projected rotable requirements includes determining a repair lead time associated with each of the one or more rotable part requests.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the available core quantity is estimated by determining a quantity of core parts available in inventory and predicting a quantity of core material to be returned based on washout rate associated with one or more part numbers.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the washout rate is estimated as a percentage based on a quantity of one or more of un-repaired cores to a total quantity of cores in the exchange program.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the washout rate, WR, is estimated as:

19. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the supplemental quantity of new materials required to meet the projected rotable requirements includes determining a difference between the projected rotable requirements and the available core and rotable quantity.

20. A computer-readable medium for use on a computer system, the computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing the method of claim 11.