METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ASSOCIATING OBJECTS IN A MANUFACTURING PROCESS

• US 20080147223A1
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X Corp. (f/k/a Twitter, Inc.) (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Erickson, Steven C., Zemke, Matthew H., Knipfer, Ivory Wellman, Strong, Robert Noble
• Granted Patent: US 7,680,554 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/108
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A system for associating objects in a manufacturing process. In response to an occurrence of an event for an object, a time is recorded of the event for the object. Entries for parts and assemblies associated with the object are located within a database. An entry of the event for the object is created within the database. The entry includes the event for the object, the time of the event for the object, and the entries for the parts and the assemblies associated with the object.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for associating objects in a manufacturing process, the computer implemented method comprising:

responsive to an occurrence of an event for an object, recording a time of the event for the object;

locating entries for parts and assemblies associated with the object within a database; and

creating an entry of the event for the object within the database, wherein the entry includes the event for the object, the time of the event for the object, and the entries for the parts and the assemblies associated with the object.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the entries for the parts and the assemblies associated with the object include an event and an event time for each of the parts and the assemblies associated with the object.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the object is one of a part or a subassembly.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the event is a manufacturing event in the manufacturing process, and wherein the manufacturing process is used to build a manufacturing unit.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 4, wherein the database includes a table, and wherein the table is a history table of manufacturing events in the manufacturing process to build the manufacturing unit.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 4, wherein the manufacturing unit is a build-to-order product.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 4, wherein the manufacturing event is one of installing the object into an assembly or removing the object from an assembly.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the history table is one of a plurality of history tables in the database.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the history table of the manufacturing events in the manufacturing process to build the manufacturing unit is capable of being displayed within a display device for a user to review.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 7, wherein the time is a timestamp, and wherein the timestamp determines when the object was installed into the assembly or removed from the assembly.

11. A data processing system for associating objects in a manufacturing process, comprising:

a bus system;

a storage device connected to the bus system, wherein the storage device includes a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to record a time of an event for an object in response to an occurrence of the event for the object, locate entries for parts and assemblies associated with the object within a database, and create an entry of the event for the object within the database, wherein the entry includes the event for the object, the time of the event for the object, and the entries for the parts and the assemblies associated with the object.

12. The data processing system of claim 11, further comprising:

a manufacturing process control unit.

13. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the object is one of a part or a subassembly.

14. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the event is a manufacturing event in the manufacturing process, and wherein the manufacturing process is used to build a manufacturing unit.

15. A computer program product for associating objects in a manufacturing process, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer usable program code embodied therein, the computer usable medium comprising;

computer usable program code configured to record a time of an event for an object in response to an occurrence of the event for the object;

computer usable program code configured to locate entries for parts and assemblies associated with the object within a database; and

computer usable program code configured to create an entry of the event for the object within the database, wherein the entry includes the event for the object, the time of the event for the object, and the entries for the parts and the assemblies associated with the object.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the entries for the parts and the assemblies associated with the object include an event and an event time for each of the parts and the assemblies associated with the object.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the database includes a table, and wherein the table is a history table of manufacturing events in the manufacturing process to build a manufacturing unit.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the manufacturing unit is a build-to-order product.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the history table is one of a plurality of history tables in the database.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the history table of the manufacturing events in the manufacturing process to build the manufacturing unit is capable of being displayed within a display device for a user to review.