Method for associating objects in a manufacturing process

• US 7,680,554 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X Corp. (f/k/a Twitter, Inc.) (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Strong, Robert Noble, Erickson, Steven C., Zemke, Matthew H., Knipfer, Ivory Wellman
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick; Michael D
• Application Number:
  US11/612,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20080147223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 700/90, 700/95, 700/115, 700/117
• US Class Current: 700/115
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A method for associating objects in a manufacturing process. In response to an occurrence of an event for an object, a time is recorded of the event for the object. Entries for parts and assemblies associated with the object are located within a database. An entry of the event for the object is created within the database. The entry includes the event for the object, the time of the event for the object, and the entries for the parts and the assemblies associated with the object.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method in a data processing system within a manufacturing environment for associating objects in a manufacturing process, the computer implemented method comprising:

determining by the data processing system whether one or more parts or subassemblies need to be installed in a manufacturing unit during a manufacturing process to build the manufacturing unit;

responsive to determining that one or more parts or subassemblies need to be installed in the manufacturing unit, installing by the data processing system the one or more parts or subassemblies in the manufacturing unit;

recording by the data processing system a time for when the one or more parts or subassemblies were installed in the manufacturing unit;

locating entries for all parts and subassemblies associated with each of the one or more parts or subassemblies installed in the manufacturing unit within a database by the data processing system;

creating an entry within the database by the data processing system that includes an installing event for each of the one or more parts or subassemblies installed in the manufacturing unit, the time of the installing event for each of the one or more parts or subassemblies installed in the manufacturing unit, and the entries for all the parts and the subassemblies associated with each of the one or more parts or subassemblies installed in the manufacturing unit;

determining by the data processing system whether one or more previously installed parts or subassemblies need to be removed from the manufacturing unit during the manufacturing process to build the manufacturing unit;

responsive to determining that one or more previously installed parts or subassemblies need to be removed from the manufacturing unit, removing by the data processing system the one or more previously installed parts or subassemblies from the manufacturing unit;

recording by the data processing system a time for when the one or more previously installed parts or subassemblies were removed from the manufacturing unit;

locating entries for all parts and subassemblies associated with each of the one or more previously installed parts or subassemblies removed from the manufacturing unit within a database by the data processing system; and

creating an entry within the database by the data processing system that includes a removing event for each of the one or more previously installed parts or subassemblies removed from the manufacturing unit, the time of the removing event for each of the one or more parts or subassemblies installed in the manufacturing unit, and the entries for all the parts and the subassemblies associated with each of the one or more previously installed parts or subassemblies removed from the manufacturing unit.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the entries for all parts and subassemblies associated with each of the one or more parts or subassemblies installed in the manufacturing unit include an event and an event time for each of the all parts and subassemblies associated with each of the one or more parts or subassemblies installed in the manufacturing unit, and wherein the entries for all parts and subassemblies associated with each of the one or more previously installed parts or subassemblies removed from the manufacturing unit include an event and an event time for each of the all parts and subassemblies associated with each of the one or more previously installed parts or subassemblies removed from the manufacturing unit.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the database includes a table, and wherein the table is a history table of manufacturing events in the manufacturing process to build the manufacturing unit.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the manufacturing unit is a build-to-order product.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the history table is one of a plurality of history tables in the database.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the history table of the manufacturing events in the manufacturing process to build the manufacturing unit is output to a display device for a user to review.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the time is a timestamp, and wherein the timestamp determines when the one or more parts or subassemblies were installed into the manufacturing unit or when the one or more previously installed parts or subassemblies were removed from the manufacturing unit.