×

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
First Claim
Patent Images

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.

View all claims
  • 17 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×