Network-based system for the manufacture of parts with a virtual collaborative environment for design, developement, and fabricator selection

• US 6,295,513 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1999
• Issued: 09/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Chemtron Research LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC), James D. Thackston
• Original Assignee: Eagle Engineering Of America, Inc.
• Inventors: Thackston, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US09/410,619
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 700/98, 700/118, 705/1, 707/104, 707/500, 703/13, 345/442, 345/440, 345/421, 716/18
• US Class Current: 703/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32038 Client can develop programs, parts on remote server located by manufacturer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32126 Hyperlink, access to program modules and to hardware modules in www, web server, browser
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35008 Www cad, world wide design and manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/02 CAD in a network environment, e.g. collaborative CAD or distributed simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• 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 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

The invention relates generally to a comprehensive, integrated computer-based system and method for undertaking an engineering design and development effort in a virtual collaborative environment, identifying qualified fabricators for manufacturing a part design based on fabricator capability information stored in a global registry database substantially maintained by the fabricators themselves, and conducting a virtual bidding process whereby electronic representations of three dimensional model and specification data are provided by a central server. The central server further supports the bidding process by providing quasi-real time audio, video and graphics, and the contracts negotiation and formalization steps.

Claims

1. A server-based system for a fabricator evaluating detailed manufacturing instructions contained within a request for a propsal to view a part design model, comprising:

a memory for storing a part design model provided by a designer seeking a proposal for manufacturing the part represented by the part design model, said memory resident at a first location. said designer resident at a second location and said fabricator resident at a third location. where the first location is separate from both the second and third locations; and

a server system for enabling a fabricator connected over a packet-switched network to access said part design model;

said server system having a software component for presenting the part design model to the fabricator through said network using a graphical user interface and where said software component is resident at said server system and accessible by said software component includes a substantially planform indenpendent client side application to be run on the system of the fabricator. where said application permits the manipulation of the part design model.

2. The server-based system of claim 1, wherein said manipulation comprises one or more of rotation, translation, two-dimensional cutting and a fly-through.

3. The server-based system of claim 1, wherein the part design model comprises a plurality of three-dimensional graphical features which are linked by the server system with at least one of specifications, regulations and standards associated with each of the plurality of features.

4. The server-based system of claim 3, wherein said software component further provides for the fabricator to select a specific three-dimensional graphical feature in order to view the at least one associated specification, regulations and standard associated with the selected feature.

5. The server based system of claim 4, wherein the selection is performed using a mouse device.

6. The server-based system of claim 1, wherein said server system is further adapted to permit the designer to review the accuracy of detailed manufacturing instructions contained within said request for a proposal.

7. The server based system of claim 1, wherein said software component further enables the fabricator and the designer to engage in a communications session that is substantially real-time.

8. The server based system of claim 7, wherein said communications session comprises one or more of audio and video.

9. The server based system of claim 7, wherein said communications session comprises the simultaneous presentation of the part design model to the fabricator and the designer.

10. The server based system of claim 9, wherein the simultaneous presentation includes the manipulation of the part design model.

11. The server-based system of claim 4, wherein the at least one associated specifications, regulations and standrds reside in the server memory and are sent over the network connection to the client-side on demand.

12. The server-based system of claim 6, wherein the part design model comprises a plurality of three-dimensional graphical features which are linked by the server system with at least one specification, regulation and standard associated with each feature.

13. The server based system of claim 1, wherein said software component further provides for the fabricator to select a specific three-dimensional graphical feature in order to view the at least one associated specification, regulation and standard.

14. The server-based system of claim 13, wherein the at least one associated specification, regulation and standard reside in the server memory and are sent over the network connection to the client-side application on demand.

15. A server-based system for a fabricator evaluating detailed manufacturing instructions to view a part design model, comprising:

a memory for storing part design model provided by a designer where a part is represented by the part design model, wherein the part design model comprises at least one three-dimensional graphical depiction having a plurality of features which are linked by the server system with at least one specification, regulation, and standard associated with each of the plurality of features; and

a server system for enabling a fabricator connected over a packet-switched network to access said part design model;

said server system having a software component for presenting the part design model to the fabricator through said network using a graphical user interface. wherein said software component further provides for the fabricator to select a specific feature of the three-dimensional graphical depiction in order to view the specification, regulation, and standard associated with the selected feature.

16. The server-based system of claim 15, wherein said software component further permits the manipulation of the part design model.

17. The server-based system of claim 15, wherein said manipulation comprises one or more of rotation, translation, two-dimensional cutting and a fly-through.

18. The server-based system of claim 15, wherein the selection is performed using a mouse device.

19. The server-based system of claim 15, wherein said server system is further adapted to permit the designer to review the accuracy of detailed manufacturing instructions contained within said request for a proposal.

20. The server-based system of claim 15, wherein said proposal includes at least a portion of the part design model.

21. The server-based system of claim 15, wherein said part design model was stored in said memory at a time before submission of said proposal.

22. The server-based system of claim 15, wherein said software component further enables the fabricator and the designer to engage in a communications session that is substantially real-time.

23. The server-based system of claim 22, wherein said communications session comprises one or more of audio and video.

24. The server-based system of claim 22, communications session comprises the simultaneous presentation of the part design model to the fabricator and the designer.

25. The server-based system of claim 22, wherein the simultaneous presentation includes the manipulation of the manipulation of the part design model.

26. A process for obtaining information for a fabricators registry comprising the steps of:

providing one or more fabricator manager applications to at least one fabricator, where the one or more fabricator manager applications;

1) assist the at least one fabricator in managing the fabricator'"'"'business;

2) reside in a central repository; and

3) are accessed through a global open network.

receiving data from the at least one fabricator, where the data is the result of the at least one fabricator using the one or more fabricator manager applications;

aggregating the received data into a fabricator registry; and

providing access to the fabricator registry to at least one designer, where at least one of;

a) the at least one designer accesses at least a portion of the received data in the fabricator registry; and

b) the entiry providing the fabricator manager applications accesses at least a portion of the received data in the course of providing services to one or more customers.

27. The process according to claim 26, where the one or more fabricator applications comprises a tool inventory application, where the fabricator uses the tool inventory application to maintain a catalog of standard and custom tools used by the fabricator.

28. The process according to claim 26, where the one or more fabricator applications comprises a machine availability scheduling application, where the fabricator uses the machine availability scheduling application to maintain a schedule indicating jobs one or more machines are scheduled for and when the one or more machines are available for a new job.

29. The process according to claim 26, where the one or more fabricator applications comprises a machine maintenance scheduling application, where the one or more fabricator uses the machine maintenance scheduling application to maintain a schedule indicating when one or more machines are scheduled for maintenance and when each of the one or more machines last had maintenance.

30. The process according to claim 26, where the one or more fabricator applications comprises an accounting application, where the fabricator uses the accounting application to maintain billing information, transaction records, and billing records.

31. The process according to claim 26, where the one or more fabricator applications comprises a training management application, where the fabricator uses the training management application to maintain at least one record of the training status of one or more employees.

32. The process according to claim 31, where the training status of the one or more employees includes at least one of:

a) certifications received by the one or more employees;

b) the most recent training of the one or more employees;

c) the next scheduled training for the one or more employees;

d) the years of experience of the one or more employees; and

e) the machines the one or more employees are trained on.

33. The process according to claim 26, where the one or more fabricator applications comprises a certification management application, where the fabrication uses the certification management application to maintain at least one record of the certification status of the fabricator, and to track the compliance status of the fabricator for one or more certifications.

34. The process according to claim 26, further comprising the step of receiving a selection of one or more of the at least one fabricator by the at least one designer based on the accessed data.

35. A system for obtaining information for a fabricators registry comprising:

at least one fabricator module;

an application provider module for providing one or more fabricator manager applications to the at least one fabricator module, where the one or more fabricator manager applications assist the at least one fabricator module in managing the fabricator'"'"'business, data is input by the at least one fabricator module using the one or more fabricator manager applications, and the data is aggregated into a fabricator registry; and

at least one designer module, where at least one portion of;

a) the at least one designer module accesses a portion of the data in the fabricator registry; and

b) the entiry providing the fabricator manage application accesses at least a portion of the received data in the course of providing services to one or more customers.

36. The system according to claim 35, where the one or more fabricator applications comprises a tool inventory application. where the fabricator module uses the tool inventory application to maintain a catalog of standard and custom tools used by the fabricator module.

37. The system according to claim 35, where the one or more fabricator applications comprises a machine availability scheduling application, where the fabricator module uses the machine availability scheduling application to maintain a schedule indication jobs one or more machines are scheduled for and when the one or more machines are available for a new job.

38. The system according to claim 35, where the one or more fabricator applications comprises a machine maintenance scheduling application, where the fabricator module uses the machine maintenance scheduling application to maintain a schedule indicating when one or more machines are scheduled for maintenance and when each of the one or more machines last had maintenance.

39. The system according to claim 35, where the one or more fabricator applications comprises an accounting application, where the fabricator module uses the accounting application to maintain billing information, transaction records, and billing records.

40. The system according to claim 35, where the one or more fabricator applications comprises a training management application, where the fabricator module uses the training management application to maintain at least one record of the training status of one or more employees.

41. The system according to claim 35, where the training status of the one or more employees includes at least one of:

a) certifications received by the one or more employees;

b) the most recent training of the one or more employees;

c) the next scheduled training for the one or more employees;

d) the years of experience of the one or more employees; and

e) the machines the one or more employees are trained on.

42. The system according to claim 35, where the one or more fabricator applications comprises a certification management application, where the fabricator module uses the certification management application to maintain at least one record of the certification status of the fabricator module, and to track the compliance status of the fabricator for one or more certifications.

43. The system according to claim 35, where the at least one designer module selects one or more of the fabricator modules based on the accessed data.