On-demand repair planning

• US 7,620,561 B1
• Filed: 08/19/2002
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Blue Yonder Group, Inc. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: i2 Technologies US Incorporated (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Rammohan, Deepak, Som, Pradip, Burkhardt, Thomas, Adgaonkar, Amol B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett; Scott L
• Application Number:
  US10/223,845
• Time in Patent Office: 2,647 Days
• Field of Search: 705/8
• US Class Current: 705/7.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method is provided for planning repairs in response to demand in a multi-level repair network of locations at which parts may be repaired. Modeled for a location are: (1) an unserviceable buffer for parts inspected at the location and repairable at the location, and (2) a serviceable buffer for parts inspected at the location and serviceable without repair. A forecasted demand, for a quantity of serviceable parts at a future time at the location, is accessed. In a push planning phase, for each inspected part in the unserviceable buffer, the earliest time at which repair can begin for the part at the location is estimated. In a pull planning phase, if the forecasted demand cannot be satisfied using parts in the serviceable buffer: (1) a quantity of parts in the unserviceable buffer repairable at the location and available to help satisfy the forecasted demand is estimated; (2) the latest time at which repair can begin with respect to these parts at the location to help satisfy the forecasted demand is estimated; and (3) repair for these parts is planned at the estimated latest time to pull these parts from the unserviceable buffer, from which they cannot be put to service to help satisfy the forecasted demand, into the serviceable buffer, from which they can be put to service to help satisfy the forecasted demand.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for planning repairs in response to demand in a multi-level repair network, the system comprising:

a computer system comprising one or more processing units and one or more memory units, the computer system configured to;

for each of one or more repair locations in the multi-level repair network, wherein each level within the multi-level repair network comprises the one or more repair locations, model;

an unserviceable parts buffer for parts inspected at a repair location and determined to be repairable at the repair location; and

a serviceable parts buffer for parts inspected at the repair location and determined to be serviceable without repair;

access a forecasted demand for a specified quantity of serviceable parts at a specified future time at a particular repair location;

in a first push planning phase, for each inspected part in the unserviceable parts buffer of the particular repair location and of one or more repair locations upstream of the particular repair location, estimate an earliest time at which a repair operation can begin for the parts inspected at the particular repair location;

in a second pull planning phase to satisfy the forecasted demand, when the forecasted demand is not satisfied for the specified quantity of serviceable parts at the specified future time at the particular repair location using parts in the serviceable parts buffer;

estimate a quantity of parts in the unserviceable parts buffer of the particular location that are determined to be repairable at the particular repair location, taking into account the earliest time at which a repair operation can begin and a repair lead time required for repairing the parts at the particular repair location;

estimate a latest time at which a repair operation can begin with respect to these available parts at the repair location, taking into account the repair lead time, wherein the latest time at which the repair operation can begin is the specified time of the forecasted demand minus the repair lead times; and

plan a repair order for these available parts at the estimated latest time, wherein these available parts are pulled from the unserviceable parts buffer of the particular repair location, from which these available parts are not put to service, into the serviceable parts buffer of the particular repair location, from which these available parts are put to service; and

in the second pull planning phase, when the forecasted demand is not satisfied using parts at the particular repair location;

estimate a quantity of parts in the unserviceable parts buffer of the upstream repair location that are determined to be repairable at the upstream repair location, taking into account a repair lead time required for repairing the parts at the upstream repair location and one or more move lead times required to move the parts from the upstream repair location to the particular repair location;

estimate a latest time at which a repair operation can begin with respect to these available parts at the upstream repair location, taking into account the repair lead time for the upstream repair location and the one or more move lead times; and

plan a repair order for these available parts at the estimated latest time, wherein these available parts are pulled from the unserviceable parts buffer of the upstream repair location into the serviceable parts buffer of the upstream repair location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a part in the unserviceable parts buffer is available when the part can be pulled into the serviceable parts buffer at the specified time of the forecasted demand or earlier.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the push planning phase and the pull planning phase are each performed for each of a plurality of times within a planning horizon, each pull planning phase corresponding to a push planning phase.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the repair order is planned on a just-in-time basis.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is further configured to automatically approve planned repair orders satisfying one or more predefined constraints.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is further configured to plan a move order for the available parts for the upstream repair location in order to move these available parts from the serviceable parts buffer of the upstream repair location into the serviceable parts buffer of the repair location, from which these available parts are put to service.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a part in the unserviceable parts buffer of the upstream repair location is available when the part can be moved into the serviceable parts buffer of the repair location at the specified time of the forecasted demand or earlier.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the latest time at which the repair operation can begin at the upstream repair location is the specified time of the forecasted demand minus the repair lead time for the upstream repair location minus the one or more move lead times.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the repair lead time associated with the repair operation is specified for each part for each repair location and comprises one or more full days.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein a move order specifies a Bill of Distribution (BOD) and a move lead time comprises one or more full days.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is further configured to:

estimate the latest time at which the available parts for the upstream repair location can begin being moved to the repair location; and

plan a move order for these available parts at the estimated latest time.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is further configured to automatically approve planned move orders satisfying one or more predefined constraints.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is further configured to:

model unserviceable parts buffers and serviceable parts buffers for each of one or more additional upstream repair locations within the multi-level repair network; and

in the pull planning phase, when the forecasted demand is not satisfied using parts at the repair location and the upstream repair location, proceed to plan repair orders for available parts for each of a succession of additional upstream repair locations at the latest times at which repair operations can begin for these available parts until either;

the forecasted demand is satisfied;

or

it is estimated that no quantity of parts is available at any additional upstream repair location, in which case the forecasted demand must be shorted or parts must be procured from one or more other sources to satisfy the forecasted demand.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is further configured to independently track time-varying inventories of parts in the unserviceable parts buffer and parts in the serviceable parts buffer.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a replenishment planning engine of a service parts planning system.

16. A computer-implemented method for planning repairs in response to demand in a multi-level repair network, the method comprising:

for each of one or more repair locations in the multi-level repair network, wherein each level within the multi-level repair network comprises the one or more repair locations, modeling;

an unserviceable parts buffer for parts inspected at a repair location and determined to be repairable at the repair location; and

a serviceable parts buffer for parts inspected at the repair location and determined to be serviceable without repair;

accessing, by the computer, a forecasted demand for a specified quantity of serviceable parts at a specified future time at a particular repair location;

in a first push planning phase, for each inspected part in the unserviceable parts buffer of the particular repair location and of one or more repair locations upstream of the particular repair location, estimating, by the computer, an earliest time at which a repair operation can begin for the parts inspected at the particular repair location;

in a second pull planning phase to satisfy the forecasted demand, when the forecasted demand is not satisfied for the specified quantity of serviceable parts at the specified future time at the particular repair location using parts in the serviceable parts buffer;

estimating, by the computer, a quantity of parts in the unserviceable parts buffer of the particular location that are determined to be repairable at the particular repair location, taking into account the earliest time at which a repair operation can begin and a repair lead time required for repairing the parts at the particular repair location;

estimating, by the computer, a latest time at which a repair operation can begin with respect to these available parts at the repair location, taking into account the repair lead time, wherein the latest time at which the repair operation can begin is the specified time of the forecasted demand minus the repair lead times; and

planning, by the computer, a repair order for these available parts at the estimated latest time, wherein these available parts are pulled from the unserviceable parts buffer of the particular repair location, from which these available parts are not put to service, into the serviceable parts buffer of the particular repair location, from which these available parts are put to service; and

in the second pull planning phase, when the forecasted demand is not satisfied using parts at the particular repair location;

estimating, by the computer, a quantity of parts in the unserviceable parts buffer of the upstream repair location that are determined to be repairable at the upstream repair location, taking into account a repair lead time required for repairing the parts at the upstream repair location and one or more move lead times required to move the parts from the upstream repair location to the particular repair location;

estimating, by the computer, a latest time at which a repair operation can begin with respect to these available parts at the upstream repair location, taking into account the repair lead time for the upstream repair location and the one or more move lead times; and

planning, by the computer, a repair order for these available parts at the estimated latest time, wherein these available parts are pulled from the unserviceable parts buffer of the upstream repair location into the serviceable parts buffer of the upstream repair location.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a part in the unserviceable parts buffer is available when the part can be pulled into the serviceable parts buffer at the specified time of the forecasted demand or earlier.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the push planning phase and the pull planning phase are each performed for each of a plurality of times within a planning horizon, each pull planning phase corresponding to a push planning phase.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the repairs order is planned on a just-in-time basis.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising automatically approving planned repair orders satisfying one or more predefined constraints.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising planning a move order for the available parts for the upstream repair location in order to move these available parts from the serviceable parts buffer of the upstream repair location into the serviceable parts buffer of the repair location, from which these available parts are put to service.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein a part in the unserviceable parts buffer of the upstream repair location is available when the part can be moved into the serviceable parts buffer of the repair location at the specified time of the forecasted demand or earlier.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the latest time at which the repair operation can begin at the upstream repair location is the specified time of the forecasted demand minus the repair lead time for the upstream repair location minus the one or more move lead times.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the repair lead time associated with the repair operation is specified for each part for each repair location and comprises one or more full days.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein a move order specifies a Bill of Distribution (BOD) and a move lead time comprises one or more full days.

26. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

estimating the latest time at which the available parts for the upstream repair location can begin being moved to the repair location; and

planning a move order for these available parts at the estimated latest time.

27. The method of claim 16, further comprising automatically approving planned move orders satisfying one or more predefined constraints.

28. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

modeling unserviceable parts buffers and serviceable parts buffers for each of one or more additional upstream repair locations within the multi-level repair network; and

in the pull planning phase, when the forecasted demand is not satisfied using parts at the repair location and the upstream repair location, proceeding to plan repair orders for available parts for each of a succession of additional upstream repair locations at the latest times at which repair operations can begin for these available parts until either;

the forecasted demand is satisfied;

or

it is estimated that no quantity of parts is available at any additional upstream repair location, in which case the forecasted demand must be shorted or parts must be procured from one or more other sources to satisfy the forecasted demand.

29. The method of claim 16, further comprising independently tracking time-varying inventories of parts in the unserviceable parts buffer and parts in the serviceable parts buffer.

30. The method of claim 16, wherein the method is performed using a replenishment planning engine of a service parts planning system.

31. Software for planning repairs in response to demand in a multi-level repair network, the software embodied in a computer-readable medium and when executed using a computer system configured to:

for each of one or more repair locations in the multi-level repair network, wherein each level within the multi-level repair network comprises the one or more repair locations, model;

an unserviceable parts buffer for parts inspected at a repair location and determined to be repairable at the repair location; and

a serviceable parts buffer for parts inspected at the repair location and determined to be serviceable without repair;

access a forecasted demand for a specified quantity of serviceable parts at a specified future time at a particular repair location;

in a first push planning phase, for each inspected part in the unserviceable parts buffer of the particular repair location and of one or more repair locations upstream of the particular repair location, estimate an earliest time at which a repair operation can begin for the parts inspected at the particular repair location;

in a second pull planning phase to satisfy the forecasted demand, when the forecasted demand is not satisfied for the specified quantity of serviceable parts at the specified future time at the particular repair location using parts in the serviceable parts buffer;

estimate a quantity of parts in the unserviceable parts buffer of the particular location that are determined to be repairable at the particular repair location, taking into account the earliest time at which a repair operation can begin and a repair lead time required for repairing the parts at the particular repair location;

estimate a latest time at which a repair operation can begin with respect to these available parts at the repair location, taking into account the repair lead time, wherein the latest time at which the repair operation can begin is the specified time of the forecasted demand minus the repair lead times; and

plan a repair order for these available parts at the estimated latest time, wherein these available parts are pulled from the unserviceable parts buffer of the particular repair location, from which these available parts are not put to service, into the serviceable parts buffer of the particular repair location, from which these available parts are put to service; and

in the second pull planning phase, when the forecasted demand is not satisfied using parts at the particular repair location;

estimate a quantity of parts in the unserviceable parts buffer of the upstream repair location that are determined to be repairable at the upstream repair location, taking into account a repair lead time required for repairing the parts at the upstream repair location and one or more move lead times required to move the parts from the upstream repair location to the particular repair location;

estimate a latest time at which a repair operation can begin with respect to these available parts at the upstream repair location, taking into account the repair lead time for the upstream repair location and the one or more move lead times; and

plan a repair order for these available parts at the estimated latest time, wherein these available parts are pulled from the unserviceable parts buffer of the upstream repair location into the serviceable parts buffer of the upstream repair location.

32. The software of claim 31, wherein a part in the unserviceable parts buffer is available when the part can be pulled into the serviceable parts buffer at the specified time of the forecasted demand or earlier.

33. The software of claim 31, wherein the push planning phase and the pull planning phase are each performed for each of a plurality of times within a planning horizon, each pull planning phase corresponding to a push planning phase.

34. The software of claim 31, wherein the repairs order is planned on a just-in-time basis.

35. The software of claim 31, further configured to automatically approve planned repair orders satisfying one or more predefined constraints.

36. The software of claim 31, further configured to plan a move order for the available parts for the upstream repair location in order to move these available parts from the serviceable parts buffer of the upstream repair location into the serviceable parts buffer of the repair location, from which these available parts are put to service.

37. The software of claim 31, wherein a part in the unserviceable parts buffer of the upstream repair location is available when the part can be moved into the serviceable parts buffer of the repair location at the specified time of the forecasted demand or earlier.

38. The software of claim 31, wherein the latest time at which the repair operation can begin at the upstream repair location is the specified time of the forecasted demand minus the repair lead time for the upstream repair location minus the one or more move lead times.

39. The software of claim 31, wherein the repair lead time associated with the repair operation is specified for each part for each repair location and comprises one or more full days.

40. The software of claim 31, wherein a move order specifies a Bill of Distribution (BOD) and a move lead time comprises one or more full days.

41. The software of claim 31, further configured to:

estimate the latest time at which the available parts for the upstream repair location can begin being moved to the repair location; and

plan a move order for these available parts at the estimated latest time.

42. The software of claim 31, further configured to automatically approve planned move orders satisfying one or more predefined constraints.

43. The software of claim 31, further configured to:

model unserviceable parts buffers and serviceable parts buffers for each of one or more additional upstream repair locations within the multi-level repair network; and

in the pull planning phase, when the forecasted demand is not satisfied using parts at the repair location and the upstream repair location, proceed to plan repair orders for available parts for each of a succession of additional upstream repair locations at the latest times at which repair operations can begin for these available parts until either;

the forecasted demand is satisfied;

or

it is estimated that no quantity of parts is available at any additional upstream repair location, in which case the forecasted demand must be shorted or parts must be procured from one or more other sources to satisfy the forecasted demand.

44. The software of claim 31, further configured to independently track time-varying inventories of parts in the unserviceable parts buffer and parts in the serviceable parts buffer.

45. The software of claim 31, the software comprising a replenishment planning engine of a service parts planning system.

46. A system for planning repairs in response to demand in a multi-level repair network, the system comprising:

a computer system comprising one or more processing units and one or more memory units, the computer system configured to;

model, for each of one or more repair locations in the multi-level repair network, wherein each level within the multi-level repair network comprises the one or more repair locations;

an unserviceable parts buffer for parts inspected at a repair location and determined to be repairable at the repair location; and

a serviceable parts buffer for parts inspected at the repair location and determined to be serviceable without repair;

access a forecasted demand for a specified quantity of serviceable parts at a specified future time at a particular repair location;

in a first push planning phase, for each inspected part in the unserviceable parts buffers of the particular repair location and of one or more repair locations upstream of the particular repair location, estimate an earliest time at which a repair operation can begin for the parts inspected at the particular repair location;

in a second pull planning phase, when the forecasted demand is not satisfied for the specified quantity of serviceable parts at the specified future time at the particular repair location using parts in the serviceable parts buffer of the particular repair location;

estimate a quantity of parts in the unserviceable parts buffer of the particular repair location that are determined to be repairable at the particular repair location, taking into account the earliest time at which a repair operation can begin and a repair lead time required for repairing the parts at the particular repair location;

estimate a latest time at which a repair operation can begin with respect to these available parts at the one or more upstream repair locations, taking into account the repair lead times for the upstream repair location and the move lead times; and

plan a repair order for these available parts at the particular repair location on a just-in-time basis at the estimated latest time, wherein these available parts are pulled from the unserviceable parts buffers of the particular repair location, from which these available parts are not put to service, into the serviceable parts buffer of the particular repair location, from which these available parts are put to service;

in the second pull planning phase, when the forecasted demand is not satisfied using parts at the particular repair location;

estimate a quantity of parts in the unserviceable parts buffer of a first upstream repair location that are determined to be repairable at the first upstream repair location, taking into account a repair lead time required for repairing the parts at the first upstream repair location and one or more move lead times required to move the parts from the first upstream repair location to the repair location;

estimate a latest time at which a repair operation can begin with respect to these available parts at the first upstream repair location, taking into account the repair lead time for the first upstream repair location and the one or more move lead times; and

plan a repair order for these available parts at the first upstream repair location on a just-in-time basis at the estimated latest time, wherein these available parts are pulled from the unserviceable parts buffer of the first upstream repair location into the serviceable parts buffer of the first upstream repair location; and

in the second pull planning phase, when the forecasted demand is not satisfied using parts at the particular repair location and the first upstream repair location, proceed to plan repair orders for available parts for each of a succession of additional upstream repair locations on a just-in-time basis at the latest times at which repair operations can begin for these available parts until either;

the forecasted demand is satisfied;

or

it is estimated that no quantity of parts is available at any additional upstream repair location, in which case the forecasted demand must be shorted or parts must be procured from one or more other sources to satisfy the forecasted demand;

the push planning phase and the pull planning phase each performed for each of a plurality of times within a planning horizon, each pull planning phase corresponding to a push planning phase.