Component Inventory Management

• US 20080301010A1
• Filed: 06/01/2007
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Rhodes, Brian K., Klim, Thomas R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,099,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

A component management system can comprise one or more software tools that streamline creation and adjustment of documents that indicate parts stocking requirements for manufacturing assets. The manufacturing assets may comprise machines, sub-assemblies, and the like, while the components comprise parts, tools, and other equipment used to maintain operation of the manufacturing assets. The component management system can be used to enhance authorization processes by handling authority to stock documents online. Furthermore, by interfacing with an enterprise resource planning system, such as SAP, component and inventory management can be made more efficient and flexible. For instance, simulations of future versions of the installed component base can be used to generate component forecast documents useful for proactive component management. As another example, by handling asset definition and authority to stock in an online form, information can be easily retrieved from and uploaded to an enterprise resource management system.

Claims

15. A component management system comprising at least one computing device, the at least one computing device adapted to:

maintain at least one queue;

place an asset definition document into the at least one queue, the asset definition document comprising data identifying one or more component stocking requirements associated with at least one manufacturing asset;

receive design data defining one or more modifications to the one or more component stocking requirements;

after receiving design data, update the asset definition document to identify the one or more component stocking requirements as modified; and

based on the one or more component requirements as modified, determine if authority to stock approval is needed.

1. A method of managing inventory, the method comprising:

maintaining at least one queue;

placing an asset definition document into the at least one queue, the asset definition document comprising data identifying one or more component stocking requirements associated with at least one manufacturing asset;

receiving design data defining one or more modifications to the one or more component stocking requirements;

after receiving design data, updating the asset definition document to identify the one or more component stocking requirements as modified; and

based on the one or more component requirements as modified,

determining if authority to stock approval is needed.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

prior to receiving design data, receiving selection data identifying at least one manufacturing asset;

querying at least one enterprise management dataset for data associated with the at least one identified manufacturing asset; and

based on the results of the query, generating an asset definition document;

wherein placing comprises placing the generated asset definition document into the at least one queue.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, further comprising:

prior to querying;

accessing at least one enterprise resource planning database and creating an image of a plurality of portions of the database, each portion associated with a manufacturing asset;

wherein the enterprise resource planning dataset comprises the imaged portions of the enterprise resource planning database.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3, wherein an image of at least one portion is updated based on determining whether a manufacturing asset or assets associated with the at least one portion is associated with an active project.

5. The method as set forth in claim 2, further comprising:

determining a change or changes to at least one component stocking requirement associated with the at least one manufacturing asset based on data included in at least one version of an asset definition document associated with the manufacturing asset;

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, further comprising:

based on the determined change or changes to the at least one component stocking requirement, generating a component stocking forecast document;

wherein the component stocking forecast document comprises data defining at least one projected change in a component stocking requirement at a facility.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6, wherein generating a component stocking forecast document comprises:

accessing data indicating a projected date associated with each determined change;

querying at least one enterprise management dataset for data defining current component stocking requirements for the facility; and

simulating future component stocking requirements for the facility based on the current component stocking requirements, the determined change or changes in at least one component requirement, and the projected date associated with each determined change.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining at least a first and second queue, wherein placing comprises placing the asset definition document in the first queue;

receiving release data regarding at least one asset definition document in the first queue; and

transferring the at least one asset definition document to the second queue in response to the release data.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, further comprising:

receiving supervisory design data defining one or more supervisory modifications to the component stocking requirements in the asset definition document in the second queue;

updating the asset definition document to define the at least one component stocking requirement as modified; and

based on the one or more component stocking requirements as modified, determining if authority to stock approval is needed.

10. The method as set forth in claim 8, further comprising:

receiving approval data for at least one asset definition document in the second queue; and

if the approval data indicates approval;

modifying data in at least one enterprise management database to reflect at least one component stocking requirement for a manufacturing asset as defined in the asset definition document in the second queue

if the approval data indicates rejection;

placing the at least one asset definition document in the at least one other queue without modifying the at least one enterprise management database.

11. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein maintaining comprises maintaining at least a first, second, and third queue, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving approval data regarding at least one asset definition document in the second queue; and

if the approval data indicates approval;

placing the at least one asset definition document in the third queue in response to the release data,

if the approval data indicates rejection;

placing the at least one asset definition document in a queue other than the third queue.

12. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

if authority to stock approval is needed for a component, determining if at least one authority to stock document corresponding to the asset definition document is available;

if at least one authority to stock document is available, updating the authority to stock document to comprise data related to the component; and

if at least one authority to stock document is not available, generating an authority to stock document comprising data related to the component, and placing the authority to stock document in at least one queue.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein placing the authority to stock document comprises placing the authority to stock document in a first queue, and wherein the method further comprises:

maintaining at least a second queue;

receiving release data regarding at least one authority to stock document in the first queue; and

transferring the at least one authority to stock document to the second queue in response to the release data.

14. The method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising:

receiving approval data for at least one authority to stock document in the at least one queue; and

if the approval data indicates approval;

modifying at least one enterprise management database to include data specified in the authority to stock document.

16. The system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the at least one computing device is further adapted to:

prior to receiving design data, receive selection data identifying at least one manufacturing asset;

query at least one enterprise management dataset for data associated with the at least one identified manufacturing asset; and

based on the results of the query, generate an asset definition document;

wherein placing comprises placing the generated asset definition document into the at least one queue.

17. The system as set forth in claim 16, wherein the at least one computing device is further adapted to:

prior to querying;

access at least one enterprise resource planning database and creating an image of a plurality of portions of the database, each portion associated with a manufacturing asset;

wherein the enterprise resource planning dataset comprises the imaged portions of the enterprise resource planning database.

18. The system as set forth in claim 17, wherein an image of at least one portion is updated based on determining whether the manufacturing asset or assets associated with the at least one portion is included in an active project.

19. The system as set forth in claim 16, wherein the at least one computing device is further adapted to:

determine a change or changes to at least one component stocking requirement associated with the at least one manufacturing asset based on data included in at least one version of an asset definition document associated with the manufacturing asset;

20. The system as set forth in claim 19, wherein the at least one computing device is further adapted to:

based on the determined change or changes to the at least one manufacturing asset, generate a component stocking forecast document;

wherein the component stocking forecast document comprises data defining at least one projected change in an installed base of components.

21. The system as set forth in claim 20, wherein generating a parts forecast document comprises:

accessing data indicating a projected date associated with each determined change;

querying at least one enterprise management database for data defining the current installed base of components; and

simulating at least one future installed base of components at a future date based on the current installed base, the determined change or changes in at least one component requirement, and the projected date associated with each determined change.

22. The system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the at least one computing device is further adapted to:

maintaining at least a first and second queue, wherein the asset definition document is placed in the first queue;

receiving release data regarding at least one asset definition document in the first queue; and

transferring the at least one asset definition document to the second queue in response to the release data.

23. The system as set forth in claim 22, wherein the at least one computing device is further adapted to:

receive supervisory design data defining one or more supervisory modifications to the component stocking requirements in the asset definition document in the second queue;

update the asset definition document to define the at least one manufacturing asset as modified; and

based on the one or more component stocking requirements as modified, determine if authority to stock approval is needed.

24. The system as set forth in claim 22, wherein the at least one computing device is further adapted to:

receive approval data for at least one asset definition document in the second queue; and

if the approval data indicates approval;

provide data to an enterprise resource planning system to change data maintained by the enterprise resource planning system so as to reflect the at least one component stocking requirement for a manufacturing asset as defined in the asset definition document in the second queue,

if the approval data indicates rejection;

place the at least one asset definition document in the at least one other queue without providing data to change data maintained by the at least one enterprise management database.

25. The system as set forth in claim 22, wherein maintaining comprises maintaining at least a first, second, and third queue, and wherein the method further comprises:

receive approval data regarding at least one asset definition document in the second queue; and

if the approval data indicates approval;

place the at least one asset definition document in the third queue in response to the release data,

if the approval data indicates rejection;

place the at least one asset definition document in a queue other than the third queue.

26. The system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the at least one computing device is further adapted to:

if authority to stock approval is needed for a component, determining if at least one authority to stock document corresponding to the asset definition document is available;

if at least one authority to stock document is available, updating the authority to stock document to comprise data related to the component; and

if at least one authority to stock document is not available, generating an authority to stock document comprising data related to the component, and placing the authority to stock document in at least one queue.

27. The system as set forth in claim 26, wherein placing an authority to stock document comprises placing an authority to stock document in a first queue and the at least one computing device is further adapted to:

maintain at least a second queue;

receive release data regarding at least one authority to stock document in the first queue; and

transfer the at least one authority to stock document in the first queue to the second queue in response to the release data.

27-1. The system as set forth in claim 26, wherein the at least one computing device is further adapted to:

receive approval data for at least one authority to stock document in the at least one queue; and

if the approval data indicates approval;

provide data to an enterprise resource planning system to include data specified in the authority to stock document.