MATERIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RETOOLING AND PRODUCING A MANUFACTURING LINE
First Claim
1. A material management system operable to utilize components from at least one existing manufacturing line to configure a predetermined manufacturing line, the system comprising:
- an inventory, the inventory having a list of components of the existing manufacturing lines, and the inventory includes the specification of each of the components in the list of components;
a database for storing the inventory;
a first processor in communication with the database, the first processor is operable to process the database so as to identify each component stored therein; and
an interface and a display, the interface is operable to provide information needed to configure the predetermined manufacturing line to the first processor so as to generate a list of needed components, and the list of needed components includes all of the components needed to configure the new manufacturing line, and the first processor is operable to process the inventory and the list of needed components so as to identify all components in the inventory which are compatible for use in the predetermined manufacturing line and generate a list of compatible components, and the list of compatible components includes all components in the inventory which are compatible for use in the predetermined manufacturing line, and the first processor is operable to transmit the list of compatible components to the display so as to display the list of compatible components, and the interface is operable to selectively choose any component from the list of compatible components for use in the predetermined manufacturing line.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A material management system and method for utilizing components from an existing manufacturing line to configure a predetermined manufacturing line is provided. The system and method includes an inventory, and an interface. The inventory is stored in a database and includes a list of components of existing manufacturing lines. A first processor is in communication with the database. The interface is operable to transmit information relating to the predetermined manufacturing line to the first processor so as to generate a list having all of the components needed to configure the predetermined manufacturing line. The first processor is further operable to process the inventory and identify all components in the inventory which are compatible for use in the predetermined manufacturing line and generate a list of compatible components. The interface is operable to selectively choose any component from the list of compatible components for use in the predetermined manufacturing line.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A material management system operable to utilize components from at least one existing manufacturing line to configure a predetermined manufacturing line, the system comprising:
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an inventory, the inventory having a list of components of the existing manufacturing lines, and the inventory includes the specification of each of the components in the list of components; a database for storing the inventory; a first processor in communication with the database, the first processor is operable to process the database so as to identify each component stored therein; and an interface and a display, the interface is operable to provide information needed to configure the predetermined manufacturing line to the first processor so as to generate a list of needed components, and the list of needed components includes all of the components needed to configure the new manufacturing line, and the first processor is operable to process the inventory and the list of needed components so as to identify all components in the inventory which are compatible for use in the predetermined manufacturing line and generate a list of compatible components, and the list of compatible components includes all components in the inventory which are compatible for use in the predetermined manufacturing line, and the first processor is operable to transmit the list of compatible components to the display so as to display the list of compatible components, and the interface is operable to selectively choose any component from the list of compatible components for use in the predetermined manufacturing line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for managing materials and saving costs while producing a predetermined manufacturing line, the method comprising the steps of:
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populating a database with each component of selected manufacturing lines so as to create an inventory of components, and the inventory of components further includes the specifications of each of the components; determining the components needed in the predetermined manufacturing line and determining the specifications of the needed components of the predetermined manufacturing line; compiling the components needed into a list of needed components, and the list of needed components includes the specifications of each of the needed components; processing the inventory of components and the list of needed components so as to identify components in each of the existing manufacturing lines that are suitable for use in the predetermined manufacturing line; compiling the identified component in each of the existing manufacturing lines that are suitable for use in the predetermined manufacturing line into a list of compatible components, and the list of compatible components contain components from existing manufacturing lines that meet the specifications of any of the components in the list of needed components; and selecting components from the list of compatible components for use in the predetermined manufacturing line. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification