Automated quoting of molds and molded parts

• US 7,496,528 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2005
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proto Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Proto Labs, Inc.
• Inventors: Gilbert, John M., Lukis, Lawrence J., Walls-Manning, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Garg; Yogesh C
• Application Number:
  US11/035,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20050125092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/26, 705/27, 705/38, 709/97, 709/200, 425/130
• US Class Current: 705/26.4
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 19/04 Controlling devices specially designed for moulding machines
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/3835 Designing moulds, e.g. using CAD-CAM
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization

Abstract

A customer sends a CAD file for the part to be molded to the system. The system assesses the CAD file to determine various pieces of mold manufacturing information. One or more acceptability criteria are applied to the part, such as whether the part can be manufactured in a two-piece, straight-pull mold, and whether the mold can by CNC machined out of aluminum. If not, the system sends a file to the customer graphically indicating which portions of the part need modification to be manufacturable. The system provides the customer with a quotation form, that allows the customer to select several parameters, such as number of cavities, surface finish and material, which are independent of the shape of the part. The quotation module then provides the customer with the cost to manufacture the mold or a number of parts. Budget-driven quotation is possible, wherein proposed modifications in the molding process are controlled by the budget of the customer. Interactivity is also achieved, with the customer being able to modify the quotation interactively by modifying one or more of the initially selected parameters, including selecting a different budgeted amount.

Claims

1. A method of interactive quotation for manufacture of a mold and/or manufacture of a part, the method comprising:

receiving customer part data comprising a CAD file for the part to be molded, the CAD file defining a part surface profile;

assessing the part surface profile in a processor to determine cost-affecting parameters of mold manufacture and/or part manufacture of the part surface profile;

a processor generating a quotation for mold manufacture and/or part manufacture based in part upon the cost-affecting parameters determined by part surface profile, the quotation including a price; and

providing, either over a communication network or from the customer'"'"'s processor, the generated quotation to the customer on a computer screen, the generated quotation including at least one interactive parameter, wherein the customer can interactively change the at least one interactive parameter to result in real time modification of a different, non-price modification parameter of the quotation.

2. The method of interactive quotation of claim 1, wherein the at least one interactive parameter is selected from the group consisting of customer part data and price.

3. The method of interactive quotation of claim 2, wherein the at least one interactive parameter comprises price, and the modification parameter comprises part surface profile, such that the customer'"'"'s interactive changing of price results in a real time morphing of part surface profile of a rendering of the part on the computer screen.

4. The method of interactive quotation of claim 1, wherein the interactive changing of the interactive parameter is through an on-screen slide bar.

5. The method of interactive quotation of claim 1, wherein the generated quotation includes at least two interactive parameters, and wherein the customer can fix one of the interactive parameters as a constraint.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one interactive parameter comprises surface finish.

7. The method of interactive quotation of claim 1, wherein the generated quotation includes at least two modification parameters, and wherein the modification parameter modified as a result of a customer'"'"'s change of the interactive parameter is algorithmically selected.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the algorithmic selection is based upon the most popular accepted modification parameters of prior quotations.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the algorithmic selection is based upon the least significant change in price.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the algorithmic selection is based upon the marginal revenue associated with the modification.