Manufacturing design and process analysis system
First Claim
1. A method facilitating design and manufacturing processes, the method comprisingreceiving into a computer-readable memory a plurality of article characteristic values associated with a set of articles having a range of variation as to a plurality of article characteristics resulting from a process;
- evaluating, using a computing device, correlations between the plurality of article characteristics based on analysis of the plurality of article characteristic values;
selecting, using the computing device, a predictor characteristic from the plurality of article characteristics based on the correlations between the plurality of article characteristics;
determining the regression model(s) between the predictor characteristic and at least one of the remaining article characteristics in the plurality of article characteristics; and
generating a diagram of the regression model(s) for display on a display device.
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Abstract
Methods, apparatuses and systems that facilitate the design, production and/or measurement tasks associated with manufacturing and other processes. In one embodiment, the present invention provides an understanding of how the multiple characteristics of a given process output are related to each other and to process inputs. This knowledge facilitates a reduction in measurement costs. It also facilitates an understanding of the sometimes complex interrelationships between design targets, design tolerances, process inputs, process control variables, average process output and variation in the process output. As disclosed in more detail below, embodiments of the present invention facilitate 1.) determination of design target values, 2.) determination of design application limits, 3.) design of process inputs, 4.) determination of process control variable settings, and/or 5.) reduction of measurement costs.
24 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method facilitating design and manufacturing processes, the method comprising
receiving into a computer-readable memory a plurality of article characteristic values associated with a set of articles having a range of variation as to a plurality of article characteristics resulting from a process; -
evaluating, using a computing device, correlations between the plurality of article characteristics based on analysis of the plurality of article characteristic values; selecting, using the computing device, a predictor characteristic from the plurality of article characteristics based on the correlations between the plurality of article characteristics; determining the regression model(s) between the predictor characteristic and at least one of the remaining article characteristics in the plurality of article characteristics; and generating a diagram of the regression model(s) for display on a display device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4)
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3. A method, comprising
receiving into a computer-readable memory a plurality of article characteristic values associated with a set of articles having a range of variation as to a plurality of article characteristics resulting from a process; -
evaluating, using a computing device, correlations between the plurality of article characteristics based on analysis of the plurality of article characteristic values; selecting, using the computing device, a predictor characteristic from the plurality of article characteristics based on the correlations between the plurality of article characteristics; determining the regression model(s) between the predictor characteristic and at least one of the remaining article characteristics in the plurality of article characteristics; identifying a range for the predictor characteristic over which a plurality of remaining article characteristics are within design specifications; and generating a representation of the range for display on a display device. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 21)
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14. An apparatus facilitating design, manufacturing, and other processes comprising:
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a processor; a memory; a software application, physically stored in the memory, comprising instructions operable to cause the processor and the apparatus to; receive a plurality of article characteristic values associated with a set of articles having a range of variation as to a plurality of article characteristics resulting from a process; evaluate correlations between the plurality of article characteristics; receive a selection of a predictor characteristic from the plurality of article characteristics based on the correlations between the plurality of article characteristics; and
,determine the regression model(s) between the predictor characteristic and at least one of the remaining article characteristics in the plurality of article characteristics; and generate a diagram of the regression model(s) for display on a display device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. An apparatus facilitating design, manufacturing, and other processes comprising:
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a processor; a memory; a software application, physically stored in the memory, comprising instructions operable to cause the processor and the apparatus to; receive a plurality of article characteristic values associated with a set of articles having a range of variation as to a plurality of article characteristics resulting from a process; evaluate correlations between the plurality of article characteristics; receive a selection of a predictor characteristic from the plurality of article characteristics based on the correlations between the plurality of article characteristics; and
,determine the regression model(s) between the predictor characteristic and at least one of the remaining article characteristics in the plurality of article characteristics; identify a range for the predictor characteristic over which a plurality of remaining article characteristics are within design specifications; and generate a representation of the range for display on a display device.
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18. A computer readable storage medium, for facilitating design, manufacturing, and other processes, comprising instructions operable, when executed, to cause a programmable processor to:
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receive into a computer-readable memory a plurality of article characteristic values associated with a set of articles having a range of variation as to a plurality of article characteristics resulting from a process; evaluate correlations between the plurality of article characteristics based on analysis of the plurality of article characteristic values; receive a selection of a predictor characteristic from the plurality of article characteristics based on the correlations between the plurality of article characteristics; determine the regression model(s) between the predictor characteristic and at least one of the remaining article characteristics in the plurality of article characteristics; and generate a diagram of the regression model(s) for display on a display device. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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22. A method comprising:
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receiving into a computer-readable memory a plurality of article characteristic values associated with a set of articles having a range of variation as to a plurality of article characteristics resulting from a process; receiving, by a computing device, a selection of an article characteristic of the plurality of article characteristics as a predictor characteristic for one or more of the remaining article characteristics in the plurality of article characteristics; determining, using the computing device, the regression model(s) between the predictor characteristic and at least one of the remaining article characteristics in the plurality of article characteristics; assessing, using the computing device, the process using the determined regression model(s) between the predictor characteristic and remaining article characteristics, including at least one of (1) determining whether the values of at least one of the remaining article characteristics relative to the regression model(s) comply with respective specification limits for all corresponding values of the predictor characteristic for articles that may be generated by the process; (2) determining whether the articles with predictor characteristic values and remaining article characteristic values relative to the regression model(s) can be manufactured within specification limits; (3) determining a minimum value of the predictor characteristic such that the value of one or more of the remaining article characteristic relative to the regression model(s) complies with a corresponding specification limit for the process, (4) determining a maximum value of the predictor characteristic such that the value of one or more of the article characteristics relative to the regression model(s) complies with a corresponding specification limit for the process, and (5) determining a distance between a target specification value for the predictor characteristic and one or more of the remaining article characteristic and a regression line of the regression model(s). - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
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a processor; a memory; computer program code, stored on a non-transitory data storage medium, comprising instructions for execution by the processor, the computer program code comprising; a data input module comprising instructions operative to cause the processor to receive a plurality of article characteristic values associated with a set of articles having a range of variation as to a plurality of article characteristics resulting from a process; a correlation module comprising instructions operative to cause the processor to compute, for each of the article characteristics, a predictor capability value indicating the ability of the article characteristic to be a predictor of the remaining article characteristics of the plurality of article characteristics; a user interface module comprising instructions operative to cause the processor to display the plurality of article characteristics on a display device, and receive a selection of an article characteristic of the plurality of article characteristics as a predictor characteristic for one or more of the remaining article characteristics in the plurality of article characteristics; a regression module comprising instructions operative to cause the processor to determine the regression model(s) between the values of the predictor characteristic and at least one remaining article characteristic value in the plurality of article characteristics; and wherein the computer program code further comprises instructions operative to cause the processor to; assess the process using the determined regression model(s) between the predictor characteristic and remaining article characteristics, including at least one of (1) determining whether the values of at least one of the remaining article characteristics relative to the regression model(s) comply with respective specification limits for all corresponding values of the predictor characteristic for articles that may be generated by the process; (2) determining whether the articles with predictor characteristic values and remaining article characteristic values relative to the regression model(s) can be manufactured within specification limits; (3) determining a minimum value of the predictor characteristic such that the value of one or more of the remaining article characteristic relative to the regression model(s) complies with a corresponding specification limit for the process, (4) determining a maximum value of the predictor characteristic such that the value of one or more of the article characteristics relative to the regression model(s) complies with a corresponding specification limit for the process, and (5) determining a distance between a target specification value for the predictor characteristic and one or more of the remaining article characteristic and a regression line of the regression model(s). - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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Specification