Assembly data model system

• US 5,023,800 A
• Filed: 10/17/1990
• Issued: 06/11/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Northrop Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Lovrien, Glenn A., Zamzow, Charles E., Mladenoff, Donald D., Carver, Larry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Application Number:
  US07/600,294
• Time in Patent Office: 237 Days
• Field of Search: 364/188, 364/189, 364/191, 364/192, 364/552, 364/571.01, 364/521, 364/522, 364/425, 364/474.22, 364/474.23, 364/474.24, 364/513
• US Class Current: 700/182
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2207/14 Combination of conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4097 characterised by using design data to control NC machines, e.g. CAD/CAM G05B19/4093 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35062 Derive mating, complementary, mirror part from computer model data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35215 Generate optimal nc program variant as function of cost, time, surface, energy
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35223 Tolerance, consider tolerance in design, design for assembly
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37196 Measuring station, flexible, integrated cmm
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37205 Compare measured, vision data with computer model, cad data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37441 Use nc machining program, cad data for measuring, inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49008 Making 3-D object with model in computer memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2008 Assembling, disassembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/919 Designing, planning, programming, CAD, CASE

Abstract

A manufacturing system includes a 3-dimensional computer system having memory. A graphics definition of an article is located in the system memory. The computer system includes an interface for defining a graphics virtual surface in the system memory. The computer system further includes computer aided design software for generating a graphics virtual member in the system memory where the virtual member incorporates at least a portion of the graphic virtual surface. Additionally the computer system includes computer aided manufacturing software for generating manufacturing instructions for manufacturing a tangible member corresponding to the virtual member. A numerically controlled machine tool suitable for machining the tangible part is interfaced with the computer system for receiving a control program corresponding to the manufacturing instruction for production of the tangible part by the numerically controlled machine tool.

Claims

1. A method of producing tools for forming and assembling an article from parts using a 3-dimensional graphics computer which comprises

generating, in said 3-dimensional graphics computer, a definition of an article to be formed at least in part by a tool, said definition generated as a graphics data set in a data base in said 3-dimensional graphics computer system,

selecting at least a portion of the definition of said article in said 3-dimensional graphics computer,

generating further data in said data base defining virtual images of component parts of tools which interact with said selected portions of said definition of said article,

downloading said further data to a means for forming parts,

operating said means for forming parts with said further data to form said component parts of tools,

assembling said component parts of said tools into tools,

operating said tools to form parts of said article generating, in said computer, from said description of said product, an assembly data model of means for forming a spatial reference system for assembling said parts of said article, and

downloading said description of said spatial reference system plurality from said computer to means forming a physical spatial reference system for assembling said article, and positioning said parts of said article in said spatial reference system for assembly.

2. A method of producing a tool comprising:

a generating a definition of a product to be formed at least in part by a tool, said definition generated as a graphics data set in a data base in a 3-dimensional graphics computer system;

selecting at least a portion of said definition of said product;

associating computer aided tool design software with said computer system;

associating computer aided tool manufacture software with said computer system;

defining a features library in said data base, said features library including a plurality of features each having a set of defined attributes describing each of said respective features;

calling said features library from said computer aided tool design software to select features from said features library and to incorporate said features in to said virtual images of said component parts of said tool.

interfacing a time and costs standards software program with said computer system, said time and costs standards software program including a standard for material costs and manufacturing time for each of said respective features in said features library; and

calling said time and costs standards software program from said computer aided tool design software and said computer aided tool manufacture software to generate material costs and manufacturing times for said component parts of said tool

running said computer aided tool manufacture software in coordination with said computer aided tool design software to generate said further data defining said virtual images of said component parts of said tool

downloading said further data to a means for forming tool parts;

operating said means for forming parts with said further data to form said component parts of said tool; and

assembling said component parts of said tool into said tool.

3. A method of producing a tool of claim 2 including:

associating a data transferring means with said computer system, said data transferring means for outputting, storing and transferring data between data devices;

downloading a memory copy of at least said further data from said data base to said transferring means to form a copy of at least said further data;

transferring said copy of said further data from said transferring means to a numerically controlled machining tool means; and

operating said numerically controlled machining tool means with said copy of said further data to form said component parts of said tool.

4. A method of producing a tool of claim 3 including:

selecting a numerically controlled tape generating means as at least a portion of said transferring means, said numerically controlled tape generating means for forming input tapes for numerically controlled machining tool means.

5. A method of producing a tool of claim 3 including:

selecting a further computer system means as at least a portion of said transferring means, said further computer system means for generating commands for direct numerical control of said machining tool means by said further computer system means.

6. A method of producing a tool comprising:

a generating a definition of a product to be formed at least in part by a tool, said definition generated as a graphics data set in a data base in a 3-dimensional graphics computer system;

selecting at least a portion of said definition of said product;

generating further data in said data base defining virtual images of component parts of a tool which interact with said selected portion of said definition of said product;

generating said definition of said product to include coordinate points precisely locating said definition of said product in a three dimensional coordinate system;

generating said virtual image of said component parts of said tool to include coordinate points in said coordinate system;

operating said means for forming parts to locate coordinating points of at least one said component parts of said tool wherein said located coordinating points on said component parts of said tool correspond to said coordinate points in said coordinate system;

downloading said further data to a means for forming parts;

operating said means for forming parts with said further data to form said component parts of said tool; and

assembling said component parts of said tool into said tool

inputting at least said copy of said further data to a microprocessor controlled measuring means, said measuring means for measuring target points in three dimensional space;

operating said measuring means to measure said coordinating points on said component parts of said tool; and

comparing said measured coordinating points on at least one of said component parts of said tool to respective coordinate points in said further data.

7. A manufacturing system comprising:

a 3-dimensional graphics computer system having memory;

said computer system containing a graphics definition of a complete article in said memory;

said definition of said article including coordinate points means for precisely locating a design definition of said article in a three dimensional coordinate system;

said computer system including means for selecting a surface of a part of said article in said memory;

said computer system including means for generating a manufacturing description of said part together with said surface in said memory;

emulating means for manufacturing a tool for making a copy or a complimentary copy of said part in correspondence with said description, said emulating means operatively interfaced with said computer system; and

means for downloading said definition of said part to said emulating means whereby said emulating means forms said part;

and tools including a mold means for use in mold forming a part, said mold means including a surface, a plurality of target means, an image mold and a complimentary mold;

said plurality of target means for defining a precisely known spatial relationship in a three dimensional coordinate system, said plurality of target means located on said surface for defining precisely known positions on said surface;

said image mold including an image of said part, said image mold locatable on said surface in a known association with said target means;

said complimentary mold formed on said image mold and said surface, said complimentary mold including a complimentary image of said part and further including an image of said target means on said surface; and

said image of said target means on said complimentary mold defining precisely known positions on said complimentary mold to precisely define said complimentary image of said part with respect to said three dimensional coordinate system whereby when a part is molded on said complimentary mold, points on said part are precisely known with respect to said three dimensional coordinate system;

said image mold including a plurality of profile boards and at least one connector board, said profile boards including at least one profile edge, said profile edge of each of said profile boards located in a molding surface which defines said image of said part, each of said profile boards further including locator means of fixedly locating said profile board with respect to said connector boards, said connector board further including locator means for fixedly locating said connector board with respect to each of said profile boards, said respective locator means each includes a locator edge on said respective profile boards and said respective connector board.

8. A manufacturing system comprising:

a 3-dimensional graphics computer system having memory;

said computer system containing a graphics definition of an article in said memory;

said computer system including means for defining a graphics virtual surface of said article in said memory;

said computer system including computer aided tool design software means for generating a graphics virtual member in said memory, said virtual member including at least a portion of said graphics virtual surface;

said computer system further including computer aided tool manufacture software means for generating manufacturing tooling instructions for manufacturing a tangible member corresponding to said virtual member;

tooling means for forming a tangible member which corresponds to said virtual member in response to said manufacturing tooling instructions;

means connected with said computer system for downloading said manufacturing tooling instructions to said tooling means;

a features library in said memory, said features library including a plurality of features each having a set of defined attributes describing each of said respective features; and

a time and costs standards software program interfaced with said memory, said time and costs standards software program including a standard for material costs and manufacturing time for each of said respective features in said features library.

9. In a method of producing a product, the steps of:

generating a definition of a product to be formed, said definition generated as a graphics data set in a data base in a 3-dimensional graphics computer system;

associating computer aided tool design software with said computer system;

associating computer aided tool manufacture software with said computer system;

selecting portions of said definition of said product;

running said computer aided tool design software to generate further data in said data base defining a virtual image of a tool means for forming each selected portion of said product;

running said computer aided tool manufacture software in coordination with said computer aided tool design software to generate additional further data in said data base comprising manufacturing instructions for said tool means;

downloading said additional further data to a means for forming parts;

operating said means for forming parts with said additional further data to form said tool means;

forming said respective selected portions of said product with said tool means;

having a set of defined attributes describing each of said respective features;

interfacing a time and costs standard software program with said computer system, said time and costs standards software program including a standard for material costs and manufacturing time for each of said respective features in said features library;

calling said features library from said computer aided tool design software to selected features from said features library and to incorporate said features in to said virtual images of said tool means; and

calling said time and costs standards software program from said computer aided tool design software and said computer aided tool manufacture software to generate material costs and manufacturing times for said tool means.