Parallel manufacturing system
First Claim
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1. A parallel manufacturing system for use in connection with a manufacturing plant, said manufacturing system comprising:
- memory means for storing manufacturing data representing the relationship between at least one product and a number of components necessary for the manufacture of said product, each of a plurality of said components being produced by a respective manufacturing operation;
parallel processing means coupled to said memory means, said parallel processing means having at least 100 processors capable of substantially simultaneous parallel operation, said parallel processing means comprising;
means for determining the number of each of said components that must be manufactured to produce a quantity of said product; and
means for determining when each of said manufacturing operations should begin; and
means coupled to said memory means for assigning said manufacturing data stored in said memory means among said processors in said parallel processing means.
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Abstract
A parallel manufacturing system for use in a manufacturing plant that utilizes a massively parallel computer determines the scheduling of all manufacturing operations used in connection with the manufacture of the products made in the plant. The system utilizes an explosion procedure to determine the net requirements for all components used in the manufacturing operations, and then schedules any manufacturing operations necessary to make the required components.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A parallel manufacturing system for use in connection with a manufacturing plant, said manufacturing system comprising:
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memory means for storing manufacturing data representing the relationship between at least one product and a number of components necessary for the manufacture of said product, each of a plurality of said components being produced by a respective manufacturing operation; parallel processing means coupled to said memory means, said parallel processing means having at least 100 processors capable of substantially simultaneous parallel operation, said parallel processing means comprising; means for determining the number of each of said components that must be manufactured to produce a quantity of said product; and means for determining when each of said manufacturing operations should begin; and means coupled to said memory means for assigning said manufacturing data stored in said memory means among said processors in said parallel processing means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A parallel manufacturing system comprising:
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a memory that stores manufacturing data representing the relationship between at least one product and a number of components necessary for the manufacture of said product, each of a plurality of said components being produced by a respective manufacturing operation; a parallel computer coupled to said memory, said parallel computer having at least 100 processors capable of parallel operation, said parallel computer determining the number of each of said components that must be manufactured to produce a quantity of said product and determining when each of said manufacturing operations should begin; and an assignment module that assigns said manufacturing data stored in said memory among said processors in said parallel computer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for use in a manufacturing plant, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) generating manufacturing data representing the relationship between a product and number of components used in the manufacture of said product; (b) distributing said manufacturing data generated in said step (a) among a plurality of parallel processors in a massively parallel computer; and (c) using said manufacturing data to determine the number of said components that must be manufactured to produce a quantity of said product. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method for use in a manufacturing plant, said method of comprising the steps of:
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(a) generating manufacturing data relating to the relationship between a product and a number of components used in the manufacture of said product; (b) generating demand data relating to a quantity of said product that is needed; (c) generating supply data relating to a quantity of said product that is on hand; (d) distributing said manufacturing data, said demand data and said supply data generated in said steps (a)-(c) among a plurality of parallel processors in a massively parallel computer; and (e) determining a quantity of components needed to manufacture said quantity of said product by comparing said demand data generated in said step (b) with said supply data generated in said step (c). - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for use in a manufacturing plant, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) generating manufacturing data representing the relationship between a product and a number of components used in the manufacture of said product; (b) distributing said manufacturing data generated in said step (a) among a plurality of parallel processors in a massively parallel computer; (c) using said manufacturing data to determine a number of said components that must be manufactured to produce a quantity of said product; (d) generating a visual display relating to said number of said components that must be manufactured as determined in said step (c); (e) modifying said manufacturing data in response said visual display generating is said step (d); and (f) repeating said steps (c)-(e) with said modified manufacturing data until a satisfactory manufacturing plan is achieved. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A method for use in a manufacturing plant, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) generating manufacturing data representing the relationship between a product and a number of components used in the manufacture of said product; (b) distributing said manufacturing data generated in said step (a) among a plurality of parallel processors in a massively parallel computer; and (c) using said manufacturing data to determine when all manufacturing operations that produce any components that must be manufactured to produce a quantity of said product should be performed. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for use in the manufacture of at least one product in a manufacturing plant, comprising the steps of:
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(a) generating manufacturing data representing a number of manufacturing operations necessary in the manufacture of said product, said operations generating a number of components, said step (a) comprising the steps of; (a1) determining said manufacturing operations that are necessary in the manufacture of said product; (a2) determining said components that are generated by said operations of said step (a1); (a3) determining a number of manufacturing operations in which said components of said step (a2) are needed; (a4) generating said manufacturing data to represent the relationship between said operations of said step (a1) and said operations of said step (a3); (b) assigning said manufacturing data generating during said step () to a plurality of parallel processors; and (c) determining a time schedule for said operations of said step (a1) utilizing said parallel processors. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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Specification