Method and apparatus for modeling material handling systems

• US 6,041,171 A
• Filed: 09/30/1997
• Issued: 03/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jervis B Webb Company (Daifuku Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Jervis B Webb Company (Daifuku Company Limited)
• Inventors: Mattison, Bruce W., Farthing, Robert C., Sarosy, Michelle A., Blaisdell, Dennis R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fiul, Dan
• Application Number:
  US08/941,211
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 395/500.27, 395/500.28, 395/500.29, 395/500.38, 395/500.41, 74/490.09
• US Class Current: 703/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]

Abstract

A method and apparatus for modeling material handling systems for carrying discrete objects is disclosed which is capable of displaying models of a system in two, three, or four dimensions. The system is based on an existing program for modeling fluid flow networks, such as the piping design module of the CATIA CCPlant design package. All of the changes to pipe design program are made using tools present in that program, and no computer code needs to be modified.

Claims

1. A method for modeling a material handling system in three dimensions comprising the steps of:

providing at least one memory means;

storing in digital form in said at least one memory means a set of instructions for designing and displaying a model of a fluid flow network comprising a plurality of fluid flow elements;

storing in digital form in said at least one memory means a catalog of material handling system elements and rules for connecting said elements;

providing a computer operatively connected to said at least one memory means;

selecting a first material handling system element from said catalog;

selecting a second material handling system element from said catalog;

entering data into said computer including the identity of said first and second selected elements;

executing said set of instructions on said data to display said first and second selected elements connected in accordance with said rules.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the elements in said catalog are arranged in a hierarchy.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein each of said elements in said catalog is defined in terms of a number of characteristics.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of selecting a first element comprises the step of prompting a user to identify characteristics of said first element.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein each of said elements is uniquely identified by a subset of said characteristics.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of entering data into said computer is performed automatically each time one of said elements is selected.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said set of instructions includes a set of rules for connecting said plurality of fluid flow elements.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said material handling system is selected from a set consisting of conveyor systems, baggage handling systems, automated guided vehicle systems, automated storage and retrieval systems, and newspaper handling systems.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein the material handling system is a discrete article material handling system.

42. The method of claim 1, wherein the material handling system element includes a component that defines a path of travel of the material being handled.

9. A method for modeling a material handling system in three dimensions comprising the steps of:

providing at least one memory means;

storing in digital form in said at least one memory means a fluid flow object;

creating a material handling object as a subset of said fluid flow object;

storing in digital form in said at least one memory means a set of instructions for designing and displaying a model of a fluid flow network comprising a plurality of fluid flow elements defined in terms of said fluid flow object;

providing a computer operatively connected to said at least one memory means;

defining a plurality of material handling system elements in terms of said material handling object;

entering data into said computer including the identity of a first one of said plurality of material handling system elements;

entering data into said computer including the identity of a second one of said plurality of material handling system elements;

executing said set of instructions on said computer to display said first one of said plurality of elements connected to said second one of said plurality of elements.

37. The method of claim 9, wherein the material handling system is a discrete article material handling system.

43. The method of claim 9, wherein the material handling system element includes a component that defines a path of travel of the material being handled.

10. A method for modeling a material handling system in three dimensions comprising the steps of:

providing at least one memory means;

storing in digital form in said at least one memory means a program for designing and displaying a model of a fluid flow network comprising interconnected fluid flow elements defined in terms of a hierarchy of characteristics;

defining a plurality of material handling system elements in terms of a plurality of characteristics;

arranging the material handling system characteristics of each of said plurality of elements into a hierarchy corresponding to said fluid flow element hierarchy;

storing said plurality of elements in a material handling system catalog;

storing said catalog in digital form in said at least one memory means;

providing a computer operatively connected to said at least one memory means;

inputting into said computer data describing a first element of said plurality of material handling system elements from said catalog;

inputting into said computer data describing a second element of said plurality of material handling system elements from said catalog;

running said program on said data to produce a display of said first element connected to said second element.

38. The method of claim 10, wherein the material handling system is a discrete article material handling system.

44. The method of claim 10, wherein the material handling system element includes a component that defines a path of travel of the material being handled.

11. An apparatus for modeling a material handling system in three dimensions comprising:

at least one memory means;

a program stored in said at least one memory means for designing and displaying a model of a fluid flow network comprising interconnected fluid flow elements defined in terms of a hierarchy of characteristics;

a plurality of material handling system elements defined in terms of a plurality of characteristics, said characteristics being arranged into a hierarchy corresponding to said hierarchy of fluid flow element characteristics and stored in a catalog;

a computer operatively connected to said at least one memory means;

means for inputting into said computer data describing a first element of said plurality of material handling system elements from said catalog;

means for inputting into said computer data describing a second element of said plurality of material handling system elements from said catalog; and

means for producing a display of said first element connected to said second element.

39. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the material handling system is a discrete article material handling system.

45. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the material handling system element includes a component that defines a path of travel of the material being handled.

12. A method for modeling a material handling system comprising the steps of:

providing at least one memory means;

storing in digital form in said at least one memory means a set of instructions for designing and displaying a model of a fluid flow network comprising a plurality of fluid flow elements, each of said elements being defined by a first set of characteristics arranged in a first hierarchical structure;

creating a catalog of material handling system elements defined by a second set of characteristics;

arranging said second set of characteristics into a second hierarchical structure corresponding to a subset of said first hierarchical structure;

storing said catalog in digital form in said at least one memory means;

providing a computer operatively connected to said at least one memory means;

providing a display operatively connected to said computer;

identifying a first material handling system element from said catalog;

displaying a representation of said first element on said display;

identifying a second material handling system element from said catalog;

executing said set of instructions on said second element to display a representation of said second material handling system element connected to said first element.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein each of said first and second hierarchical structures comprises a plurality of levels for holding a plurality of characteristics.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said first set of characteristics comprises a first number of elements and wherein said second set of characteristics comprises a second number of elements.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said first number is greater than said second number.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said first number is equal to said second number.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said first number is less than said second number.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein said representation is a three-dimensional representation.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said representations of said elements look similar to actual material handling system elements.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said representations of said elements are volumetric.

21. The method of claim 12 wherein said representation is a two-dimensional representation.

22. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of identifying a first material handling element from said catalog comprises the additional steps of:

prompting a user to select an initial characteristic from a first level of said second hierarchical structure;

prompting the user to select at least one additional characteristic from said second hierarchical structure, wherein said additional selection is dependent on said initial selection.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said initial characteristic is selected from the set consisting of conveyor systems, baggage handling systems, automated guided vehicle systems, automated storage and retrieval systems, and newspaper handling systems.

40. The method of claim 12, wherein the material handling system is a discrete article material handling system.

46. The method of claim 12, wherein the material handling system element includes a component that defines a path of travel of the material being handled.

24. A method for modeling a material handling system in three dimensions comprising the steps of:

providing at least one memory means;

storing in digital form in said at least one memory means a set of instructions for designing and displaying a model of a fluid flow network comprising a plurality of fluid flow elements including a first set of rules for connecting said elements;

storing in digital form in said at least one memory means a catalog of material handling system elements;

providing a computer operatively connected to said at least one memory means;

selecting a first material handling system element from said catalog;

selecting a second material handling system element from said catalog;

entering data into said computer including the identity of said first and second selected elements;

executing said set of instructions on said data to display said first and second selected elements connected in accordance with said rules.

41. The method of claim 24, wherein the material handling system is a discrete article material handling system.

47. The method of claim 24, wherein the material handling system element includes a component that defines a path of travel of the material being handled.

25. A method for constructing a layout of a material handling system using a digital computer and a digital computer modeling program for piping comprising the steps of:

inputting into a first database information pertaining to a plurality of material handling system elements, each material handling system element describing a discrete article moving component;

inputting into a second database information pertaining to a plurality of locations to be connected together to form the layout of the material handling system;

automatically designing a layout for the material handling system to connect said plurality of locations by running the digital computer modeling program for piping using the first and second database information.

35. The method of claim 25, further comprising inputting rules defining how the locations interconnect into a third database, the automatic designing step using the rules as a check to ensure that the plurality of locations are properly connected.

48. The method of claim 25, wherein at least one of the discrete article components defines a path of travel of the material being handled.

26. A method for modeling a material handling system using a digital computer and a digital computer modeling program for piping comprising:

a) inputting data pertaining to discrete article material handling system elements into a database of said digital computer; and

b) using the digital computer modeling program to;

i) prompt a user to select a first discrete article material handling system element from said database;

ii) prompt a user to select a second discrete article material handling system element from said database; and

,

iii) display said first element connected to said second element based on said prompts and running of the digital computer modeling program for piping.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the elements in said database are arranged in a hierarchy.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein each of said elements in said database is defined in terms of a number of characteristics.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the step of prompting a user to select a first element comprises the step of providing a list of characteristics of said first element.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein each of said elements is uniquely identified by a subset of said characteristics.

31. The method of claim 26 wherein said data includes a set of rules for connecting said plurality of elements.

32. The method of claim 26 wherein said material handling system is selected from a set consisting of conveyor systems, baggage handling systems, automated guided vehicle systems, automated storage and retrieval systems, and newspaper handling systems.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein said first element connected to said second element is displayed in two, three, or four dimensions.

49. The method of claim 26, wherein the discrete article material handling system element includes a component that defines a path of travel of the material being handled.

33. An apparatus for modeling a material handling system comprising:

a) a computer having a memory storing a database, said database including descriptions of a plurality of discrete article material handling system elements, and a computer program for modeling piping systems, said computer including;

i) input means for allowing a user to select at least two of said plurality of discrete article material handling system elements; and

ii) means for assembling said at least two of said plurality of discrete article material handling system elements using the computer program for modeling piping systems; and

b) display means for displaying said at least two assembled discrete article material handling system elements.

50. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the discrete article material handling system element includes a component that defines a path of travel of the material being handled.