Method and system for automated bill-of-material generation

• US 5,119,307 A
• Filed: 12/22/1989
• Issued: 06/02/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Rumbaugh, James E., Premerlani, William J., Blaha, Michael R., Salemme, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUGGIERO, JOSEPH F
• Application Number:
  US07/455,042
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 364/512, 364/513, 364/191-193, 364/401, 364/402, 364/403, 364/474.24, 364/468, 395/919
• US Class Current: 700/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/20 Configuration CAD, e.g. designing by assembling or positioning modules selected from libraries of predesigned modules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/919 Designing, planning, programming, CAD, CASE

Abstract

A computer implemented process and apparatus for selecting components of an assembly from input design specifications and displaying the selected component to a system user is provided. The selected components can be displayed in one of many formats including in a bill-of-material format. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes selection means for selecting a component from input design specifications and display means for displaying the selected assembly components.

Claims

1. An apparatus for selecting components for inclusion in the design of a final product assembly, said apparatus comprising:

means for representing rules for selecting an assembly component comprising selection criteria tables including selection criteria elements, each selection criteria element corresponding to an assembly component;

means for applying input design specifications to said selection criteria tables to select an assembly component; and

means for providing an identification of selected assembly components to a system user.

2. An apparatus for identifying components in accordance with claim 1 wherein said applying means further comprises:

means for querying a system user to identify a selection criteria element required to select an assembly component; and

means for inputting an identification of the element.

3. An apparatus for identifying components in accordance with claim 2 wherein said querying means operates in a user interactive format whereby a user supplies an element upon being queried by the system for the element.

4. An apparatus for identifying components in accordance with claim 2 wherein said querying means operates in a batch format whereby elements are stored in an electronic memory prior to initiating selection processes.

5. An apparatus for identifying components in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for providing an identification of selected assembly components comprises a display means including printing means for generating a print-out of each selected component.

6. An apparatus for identifying components in accordance with claim 5 wherein said printing means prints out the selected components in a bill-of-material format.

7. An apparatus for identifying components in accordance with claim 5 wherein said printing means prints out the selected components in a user specified format.

8. An apparatus for identifying components in accordance with claim 5 wherein said printing means prints out the selected components in alphabetical order.

9. An apparatus for identifying components in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for providing an identification of selected assembly components comprises a computer.

10. A computer implemented process for identifying components of an assembly, a computer upon which said process is to be operated comprising a data base including an assembly table, said process comprising the steps of:

populating selection criteria tables with rules for selecting assembly components, said rules derived from said assembly table;

inputting to the selection table design specifications of an assembly;

selecting a component by processing said selection table; and

identifying a selected assembly component to a system user.

11. A computer implemented process in accordance with claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

querying a system user regarding an element required to select a component; and

inputting an identification of the element.

12. A computer implemented process in accordance with claim 10 wherein identifying the selected assembly component comprises the step of printing selected assembly components in a bill-of-material format.

13. A computer implemented process in accordance with claim 10 wherein identifying the selected assembly component comprises the step of printing selected assembly components in a user specified format.

14. A computer implemented process in accordance with claim 10 wherein identifying the selected assembly component comprises the step of displaying selected assembly components on a computer screen.