Process data development and analysis system and method

• US 7,664,780 B1
• Filed: 02/02/2006
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Beachy, Keith, Russell, Tonya, Parks, Peter, Brake, William Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kim T
• Application Number:
  US11/345,791
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/30 Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A process data development and analysis system and method is disclosed. In an example embodiment, the system and method are implemented as a web-based tool that supports varied activities for defining and managing all aspects of production line processes used in a manufacturing environment. Software modules provide features and functionality for process and unit management as well as administration and report generation. Manufacturing processes comprise a plurality of units of operation, and a unit of operation comprises one or more working point details (i.e., tasks). Times are associated with each unit of operation so that the manufacturer may understand and analyze the amount of time required to complete the processes and manufacture the product. The process and unit data may be used to create operation standards for use by associates working on the production line. Report generation features allow a user to produce a variety of reports associated with the processes and units of operation.

Claims

1. A computerized method for data development for a plurality of processes for associates on a production line to perform to install parts on manufactured products comprising the steps of:

(a) interacting with a software application operating on a computer to develop data for a plurality of processes by;

(i) defining a plurality of processes, each of said plurality of processes comprising a process number and a process name;

(ii) associating with each of said plurality of processes a plurality of units of operation, each of said units of operation comprising;

(A) a unit sequence number;

(B) a unit description;

(C) a base part number;

(D) a plurality of working point details related to installation of a part on a manufactured product; and

(E) a unit time for each of said working point details;

(iii) associating with each of said plurality of processes a plurality of details, said details comprising;

(A) a team identifying a group of associates that performs said units of operation;

(B) a zone identifying a section on said manufactured product where said process is performed; and

(C) a product location identifying a physical location on said manufactured product where said parts are installed by said group of associates; and

(iv) accessing a computerized parts database from said computer to obtain data regarding said parts to be installed on said manufactured product by said associates on said production line and associating said parts data with said plurality of processes and said units of operation;

(v) associating a first set of processes with a first manufactured product;

(vi) associating a second set of processes with a second manufactured product, said second set of processes different than said first set of processes; and

(b) saving in a computerized database data developed for each of said plurality of processes for associates on said production line to perform to install parts on said manufactured products.

2. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

interacting with said software application to produce parts delivery information indicating where to deliver parts on said production line to assemble said manufactured products according to said processes.

3. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein associating a first set of processes with a first manufactured product comprises the step of:

interacting with said software application to define which processes apply to said first manufactured product according to a combination of model year, model type, production rate, and production line.

4. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising interacting with said software application to define for said units of operation details comprising work area, torque value, auxiliary materials, quality issues, working points, and quality points.

5. The computerized method of claim 4 further comprising interacting with said software application to define operation standards for use by said associates on said production line wherein said operation standards comprise a brief description of said process, a description of said units of operation that explains individual tasks to be performed by said associates to complete said process, descriptions of safety and quality issues involved in installation of a part on said manufactured product, and a description of problems that may be encountered when installing said part on said manufactured product.

6. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein said unit times are based on pre-determined data from a computerized database of sequences entered by a user.

7. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein said manufactured products are automobiles.

8. A computerized method for developing process data for associates on a production line to perform to install parts on a manufactured product comprising the steps of:

(a) entering into a computerized database administration data, said administration data comprising user data, team data, manufactured product data comprising model year, production rate, production line, and model code data;

(b) interacting with a software application operating on a computer to select from said computerized database manufactured product data comprising a model year, production rate, production line, and model code for a first manufactured product;

(c) interacting with said software application to define a plurality of processes for associates on a production line to perform to install parts on said first manufactured product, each of said plurality of processes comprising a process number and a process name;

(d) interacting with said software application to define a plurality of units of operation for each of said plurality of processes, each of said units of operation comprising;

(i) a unit sequence number;

(ii) a unit description;

(iii) a base part number;

(iv) a plurality of working point details related to installation of a part on said manufactured product;

(v) a unit time for each of said working point details; and

(e) interacting with said software application to associate with each of said plurality of processes a plurality of details, said details comprising;

(i) a team identifying a group of associates that performs said units of operation;

(ii) a zone identifying a section on said first manufactured product where said process is performed; and

(iii) a product location identifying a physical location on said first manufactured product where said parts are installed;

(f) associating said plurality of processes with said manufactured product data;

(g) saving in said computerized database data for said process associated with said manufactured product data and data for said plurality of units of operation for said process.

9. The computerized method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

(h) interacting with said software application operating on said computer to select from said computerized database manufactured product data comprising a model year, production rate, production line, and model code for a second manufactured product;

(i) associating a plurality of processes with said manufactured product data for said second manufactured product; and

(j) saving in said computerized database data for said processes associated with said manufactured product data for said second manufactured product.

10. The computerized method of claim 8 further comprising the step of:

interacting with said software application to produce parts delivery information indicating where to deliver parts on said production line to assemble said manufactured products according to said processes.

11. The computerized method of claim 8 further comprising the step of:

interacting with said software application to define for said units of operation details comprising work area, torque value, auxiliary materials, quality issues, working points, and quality points.

12. The computerized method of claim 8 further comprising the step of:

interacting with said software application to define operation standards for use by said associates on said production line wherein said operation standards comprise a brief description of said process, a description of said units of operation that explains individual tasks to be performed by said associates to complete said process, descriptions of the safety and quality issues involved in installation of the part on said manufactured product, and a description of problems that may be encountered when installing the part on said manufactured product.

13. The computerized method of claim 8 further comprising:

retrieving from said computerized database administration data, process data, and units of operation data by querying said database; and

generating a report in accordance with said administration data, said process data, and said units of operation data.

14. The computerized method of claim 8 further comprising associating images with said units of operation.

15. A computerized method for developing process data to instruct associates on a production line to install parts on a manufactured product comprising the steps of:

(a) defining a plurality of teams, each of said teams comprising a team sequence number and a plurality of associates;

(b) defining a plurality of zones, each of said zones corresponding to an area on said production line where a process for installing a part on said manufactured product is performed;

(c) defining a plurality of processes for associates of a team on a production line to perform to install parts on said manufactured product;

(d) associating each of said plurality of processes with a model year, a production rate, and a model type for said manufactured product;

(e) associating each of said plurality of processes with a team;

(f) associating each of said plurality of processes with a zone;

(g) determining a user'"'"'s selection of a model year, a production rate, and a model type for said manufactured product;

(h) determining a user'"'"'s selection of process view according to team or zone; and

(i) presenting to said user a view of processes for associates of a team on a production line to perform to install parts on said manufactured product related to said user'"'"'s selections of model year, production rate, model type, and process view.

16. The computerized method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

(j) determining a user'"'"'s selection of a second model year, a second production rate, and a second model type;

(k) determining a user'"'"'s selection of process view according to team or zone; and

(l) presenting to said user a view of processes for associates of a team on a production line to perform to install parts on said manufactured product related to said user'"'"'s selections of said second model year, said second production rate, said second model type, and process view.

17. The computerized method of claim 15 further comprising generating parts delivery information indicating where to deliver parts to said production line to assemble said manufactured product according to said processes.

18. The computerized method of claim 15 further comprising generating from said processes operation standards for use by said associates on said production line.

19. The computerized method of claim 15 wherein said operation standards comprise a brief description of said process, a description of a units of operation that explains individual tasks to be performed by said associates to complete said process, descriptions of the safety and quality issues involved in installation of a part on said manufactured product, and a description of problems that may be encountered when installing the part on said manufactured product.

20. The computerized method of claim 15 wherein said description of a units of operation comprises:

(i) a unit sequence number;

(ii) a unit description;

(iii) a base part number;

(iv) a plurality of working point details related to installation of a part on said manufactured product;

(v) a unit time for each of said working point details.