Method and apparatus for scheduling work orders in a manufacturing process
First Claim
1. A computerized method for scheduling a plurality of work orders for manufacturing products in a manufacturing process, each work order comprising a set of operations to be performed using a plurality of resources and materials, the method comprising:
- monitoring the availability of each resource used in the manufacturing process;
monitoring the availability of each material used in the manufacturing process;
inputting work order information for each work order to be scheduled, comprising (1) a release date and a want date for the work order, (2) operations information, and (3) material requirements information;
assigning resource capacity and a start date/time and a finish date/time to each operation based upon the resource availability, the material availability and the work order information by selecting a start date/time for each operation based upon a determination that both the resource capacity and the material required for that operation are concurrently available on such start date/time, to provide a schedule; and
outputting the assigned resource capacity, the assigned start date/time and the assigned finish date/time for each operation in a graphical format.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computerized system is provided for scheduling a plurality of work orders in a manufacturing process. Each work order to be scheduled specifies a set of operations to be performed using a plurality of resources and materials. Data including resource availability information for each resource used in the manufacturing process, material availability information for each material used in the manufacturing process, and work order information is received and stored in a computer. The work order information includes a release date for the work order, a want date for the work order, operations information, and material requirements information. The operations information includes the identity and sequence of operations to be performed for the work order, the identity of the resources needed to perform each operation, a minimum resource capacity needed to perform each operation, and the time needed to perform the operation. The materials information includes the identity of the materials needed to perform each operation and the quantity of each material needed for the operation. Resource capacity and a start date/time and a finish date/time are assigned to each operation based upon the resource availability information, the material availability information, and the work order information. The assigned resource-capacity, the assigned start date/time, and the assigned finish date/time for each operation are displayed on a computer screen in a graphical format.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A computerized method for scheduling a plurality of work orders for manufacturing products in a manufacturing process, each work order comprising a set of operations to be performed using a plurality of resources and materials, the method comprising:
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monitoring the availability of each resource used in the manufacturing process; monitoring the availability of each material used in the manufacturing process; inputting work order information for each work order to be scheduled, comprising (1) a release date and a want date for the work order, (2) operations information, and (3) material requirements information; assigning resource capacity and a start date/time and a finish date/time to each operation based upon the resource availability, the material availability and the work order information by selecting a start date/time for each operation based upon a determination that both the resource capacity and the material required for that operation are concurrently available on such start date/time, to provide a schedule; and outputting the assigned resource capacity, the assigned start date/time and the assigned finish date/time for each operation in a graphical format. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computerized system for scheduling a plurality of work orders for manufacturing products in a manufacturing process, each work order comprising a set of operations to be performed using a plurality of resources and materials, the system comprising:
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means for monitoring the availability of each resource used in the manufacturing process; means for monitoring the availability of each material used in the manufacturing process; means for inputting work order information for each work order to be scheduled, the work order information comprising (1) a release date and a want date for the work order, (2) operations information, and (3) material requirements information; means for assigning resource capacity and a start date/time and a finish date/time to each operation based upon the resource availability, the material availability and the work order information by selecting a start date/time for each operation based upon a determination that both the resource capacity and the material required for that operation are concurrently available on such start date/time, to provide a schedule; and means for outputting the assigned resource capacity, the assigned start date/time and the assigned finish date/time for each operation in a graphical format. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A computerized method for scheduling a plurality of work orders, each comprising a set of operations to be performed using a plurality of resources and materials, for manufacturing products in a manufacturing process, the method comprising:
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monitoring the availability of each resource and each material used in the manufacturing process; inputting for each work order to be scheduled work order information including a release date, a want date, operations information, and material requirements information; assigning resource capacity and a start date/time and a finish date/time to each operation based upon the resource availability, the material availability and the work order information by selecting a start date/time for each operation based upon a determination that the resource capacity and the material required for that operation are concurrently available on such start date/time, to provide a schedule; and outputting the assigned resource capacity, the assigned start date/time and the assigned finish date/time for each operation in a graphical format.
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Specification