System and method for creating a build set and bill of materials from a master source model

• US 7,747,483 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2008
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MiTek Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MiTek Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: Puerini, Gary Ronald, Hinson, Phelan James, Kashian, Richard, Doherty, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender; F. Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALMATRAHI, FARIS S
• Application Number:
  US12/043,304
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials

Abstract

A system and method for creating a build set and a BOM from user-selected options from a single master source model.

Claims

1. A method for augmenting a build set and a bill of materials (BOM) comprising the steps of:

copying a master source model including a set of the CAD objects;

determining which of the set of the CAD objects has associated option strings;

applying user selected option values to each of the associated option strings with each of the determined CAD objects;

logically evaluating, by a processor, each of the associated option strings;

manipulating each of the determined CAD objects based on the associated logically evaluated option string;

storing the manipulated determined CAD objects in build set;

creating an electronic package, including quantities of materials and BOM rules, for each computer-aided design (CAD) object in the created package;

receiving a selection of a section of the build set;

collecting the CAD objects from the section;

determining the electronic package associated with each of the collected CAD objects;

determining the quantities of materials associated with the determined package;

applying at least one of the BOM rules to determine build set materials from the quantities of materials;

merging similar of the determined build set materials to form a material list and associated quantities;

removing the determined build set materials that have a zero value for an associated quantity property for the determined build set materials from the material list;

applying a rounding rule associated with the determined package to the associated quantities;

creating the BOM from the rounded associated quantities and the material list;

determining an external option associated with each of the determined CAD objects;

determining external CAD objects having associated external option strings;

applying external user selected option values to each of the associated external option strings;

logically evaluating, by an external processor, each of the associated external option strings;

manipulating each of the determined external CAD objects based on the associated logically evaluated external option strings;

determining, from the external option, an external box option, wherein the external box option includes an external boundary box and an external option connection array, wherein the external option connection array includes at least one external option connection, wherein each of the at least one external option connection includes an external option connection option string, an external base point, and an external option point;

evaluating, by the external processor, the external option connection option string associated with the at least one external option connection if there is no more than one of the at least one external option connections;

deleting the external CAD objects within the external box option and the external boundary box if the evaluated external option connection option string resolves to “

false”

;

assigning an external depth level to each external nested box option within the external box option;

ordering the external nested box options according to the external depth level;

solving the external box option by solving each of the ordered external nested box options according to the external depth level;

applying the external box option if the evaluated external option connection option string resolves to “

true”

;

deleting the external box onion if the evaluated external option connection option string resolves to “

false”

;

collecting the external CAD objects having external default styles and external style options;

evaluating external style option strings associated with the external style objects;

changing the external default style of the external CAD object to the external style option associated with the external style option string that resolves to “

true”

; and

copying the external CAD objects into the build set.

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

selecting the external CAD objects from a group consisting of the external CAD objects associated with external CAD entities, the external CAD objects contained within at least one external closed line, the external CAD objects on at least one external pre-selected layer, and the external CAD objects in at least one pre-selected external drawing.

3. The method as in claim 1 wherein said step of manipulating each of the determined external CAD objects comprises the step of:

selecting manipulation options from a group consisting of deleting the determined external CAD object, copying the determined external CAD object, and modifying a property of the determined external CAD object.

4. The method as in claim 1 wherein said step of solving each of the ordered external nested box options comprises the steps of:

determining a set of the at least one external option connections associated with the at least one external box option;

evaluating an external option connection option string associated with each of the set of the at least one external option connections;

copying the external CAD object contained within the external boundary box from the external option point to an external base point if the evaluated external option string resolves to “

true”

; and

deleting the at least one external box option after all the at least one external option connections have been evaluated.

5. The method as in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

displaying dimensions associated with the CAD objects including points and sides;

receiving selections of the displayed dimensions;

creating external dimensions for each side of the master source model, wherein the external dimensions include opening positions, wall positions, side dimensions, nodes for the side dimensions, and internal dimension strings; and

storing the external dimensions in the build set.

6. The method as in claim 5 wherein said step of creating external dimensions comprises the steps of:

determining the nodes and the internal dimension strings from the master source model;

determining the opening positions, the wall positions, and display attributes from pre-selected settings assigned to the master source model;

determining internal dimensions, including internal horizontal dimensions and internal vertical dimensions, by assessing a template dimension manual set by the user; and

storing the internal dimensions in the build set.

7. The method as in claim 1 wherein the CAD objects are selected from a group consisting of CAD objects associated with CAD entities, CAD objects contained within at least one closed line, CAD objects on at least one pre-selected layer, CAD objects in at least one pre-selected external drawing.

8. The method as in claim 1 wherein said step of manipulating comprises the step of:

selecting manipulation options from a group consisting of deleting the determined CAD object, copying the determined CAD object, and modifying a property of the determined CAD object.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

grouping graphical objects associated with the CAD objects into types;

applying each of the user selected option values to each of the graphical objects according to the type of the graphical object; and

if one of the applied user selected option values associated with one of the graphical objects resolves to “

false”

, deleting one of the graphical objects from the build set.

10. The method as in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

determining, from the master source model, at least one box option, including a boundary box and an option connection array, wherein the option connection array includes at least one option connection, wherein each of the at least one option connection includes an option connection option string, a base point, and a option point;

evaluating the option connection option string associated with the at least one option connection if there is no more than one of the at least one option connections;

if the evaluated option connection option string resolves to “

false”

, deleting the CAD objects within the at least one box option and the boundary box from the build set;

assigning a depth level to each nested box option within the at least one box option;

ordering the nested box options according to the depth level; and

solving the at least one box option by solving each of the ordered nested box options according to the depth level.

11. The method as in claim 10 wherein said step of solving each of the ordered nested box options comprises the steps of:

determining a set of the at least one option connections associated with the at least one box option;

evaluating the option connection option string associated with each of the set of at least one option connections;

ignoring the at least one option connection if the evaluated option connection option string resolves to “

false”

;

copying the CAD objects contained within the boundary box from the option point to the base point if the evaluated option connection option string resolves to “

true”

; and

deleting the at least one box option after all the option connections have been evaluated, including the CAD objects contained within.

12. A system for creating a solved build set and a bill of materials (BOM) comprising:

a BOM processor

creating a package for each computer-aided design (CAD) object, said package including quantities of materials and BOM rules,

receiving a selection of a section of a build set, collecting said CAD objects from said section,

determining said packages associated with said CAD objects, determining said quantities of materials associated with said packages, applying at least one of said BOM rules to determine build set materials from said quantity of materials,

merging similar of said build set materials to form a material list and associated quantities,

removing said build set materials that have a zero value for the associated quantity from said material list,

applying a rounding rule associated with said package to said associated quantities, and

creating said BOM from said rounded associated quantities and said material list; and

a build set processor copying a master source model including a set of said CAD objects,

determining which of said set of said CAD objects has associated option strings,

applying user selected option values to each of said associated option strings with each of the determined CAD objects,

logically evaluating each of said associated option strings,

manipulating each of the determined CAD objects based on the associated logically evaluated option string, and

saving the manipulated determined CAD objects in said build set;

an external option processor

determining an external option associated with said CAD object and determining external CAD objects having associated external option strings,

applying external user selected option values to each said external option string associated with each of the determined external CAD objects,

logically evaluating each said external option string, manipulating each of the determined external CAD objects based on the associated logically evaluated external option string,

determining, from said external option, an external box option, having an external boundary box, and an external option connection array having at least one external option connection, each at least one external option connection having an external option connection option string, an external base point, and an external option point,

evaluating said external option connection option string associated with said at least one external option connection if there is no more than one of said at least one external option connections,

deleting said external CAD objects within said external box option and deleting said external boundary box if the evaluated external option connection option string resolves to “

false”

,

assigning an external depth level to each said external nested box option within said at least one external box option,

ordering said external nested box options according to said external depth level,

solving said at least one external box option by solving each of said ordered external nested box options according to said external depth level,

applying said extemai box option if the evaluated external option connection option string resolves to “

true”

,

deleting said external box option if said evaluated external option connection option string resolves to “

false”

,

collecting said external CAD objects having external default styles and external style options,

evaluating external style option strings associated with said external style objects,

changing said extemat default style of said external CAD object to said external style option associated with said external style option string that resolves to “

true”

,

copying said external CAD objects contained on said external drawing into said build set, and

closing and deactivating said external drawing,

wherein said manipulating each of the determined external CAD objects based on the associated logically evaluated external option string includes deleting the determined external CAD object, copying the determined external CAD object, and modifying a property of the determined external CAD object;

wherein said property includes origin, orientation, layer, style, and wall height;

wherein said solving each of the ordered external nested box options includes

determining a set of the at least one external option connections associated with said at least one external box option,

evaluating an external option connection option string associated with each of said set of said at least one external option connections,

ignoring said at least one external option connection if said evaluated external option connection option string resolves to “

false”

,

copying said external CAD object contained within said external boundary box from said external option point to external base point if said evaluated external option string resolves to “

true”

, and

deleting said at least one external box option after all said at least one external option connections have been evaluated.

13. The system as in claim 12 further comprising:

an autodimension processor

displaying dimensions associated with said CAD objects including points and sides,

receiving selections of said dimensions, and

creating external dimensions for each said side of said master source model, the external dimensions including opening positions, wall positions, side dimensions, nodes for said side dimensions, and dimension strings;

wherein said creating external dimensions includes

determining said nodes and said dimension strings from said master source model,

determining positioning and display attributes from pre-selected settings assigned to said master source model, and

determining internal dimensions, including internal horizontal dimensions and internal vertical dimensions, by assessing a template dimension manual set.