Suite of configurable supply chain infrastructure modules for deploying collaborative e-manufacturing solutions

• US 8,069,071 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2003
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: McCarthy, Robert J., Troy, Thomas A., Kall, Jonathan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): BOSWELL, BETH V
• Application Number:
  US10/424,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20030200130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,136 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.11, 705/7.12, 700/97
• US Class Current: 705/7.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals

Abstract

A suite of configurable supply chain infrastructure modules provides the “collective manufacturing management infrastructure” necessary to support a high velocity e-business initiative. At the core of the collaboration scheme is the Business Process Modeling Module. The Business Modeling Module consists of two components: Business Process Event Coordinator, and Business Process Modeler. To further support the collaborative scheme, a suite of highly configurable application templates and pre-configured industry applications provide an interface or wrapper around the business rules. The application templates are designed to be used as stand-alone components, or can be assembled/configured into a cohesive solution to provide a basic foundation layer for a Collaborative Manufacturing Execution System (CMES). To address the connectivity of the CMES layer to the business layer and the shop floor automation layer, an Extensible Markup Language (XML) Business Connector and Optical Photo Conductor (OPC) Shop Floor Connector fulfill the interface needs required to support a collaborative infrastructure.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause a computer to carry out computer-implemented acts for controlling manufacturing process and product flow, the acts comprising:

interfacing with a plurality of external coordination and synchronization entities at a business level through a first graphical user interface;

coordinating and synchronizing the external coordination and synchronization entities at the business level through a business processing modeling module, wherein the business processing modeling module facilitates to graphically configure a manufacturing business rule, and to model static manufacturing entities;

interfacing with a plurality of internal coordination and synchronization entities at a manufacturing level through a second graphical user interface;

coordinating and synchronizing the internal coordination and synchronization entities at the manufacturing level through a communication connector module; and

integrating in real time said external entities and said internal entities.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said first and second graphical user interfaces are customizable to a plurality of market segments.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein said external coordination and synchronization entities include at least one of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) module, a Product Life Cycle Management (PLM) module, a Product Data Management (PDM) module, a Supply Chain Management (SCM) module, a Customer Relations Management (CRM) module, or an Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) module.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein said internal coordination and synchronization entities include at least on of a Work Order Management (WOM) application template, a Material Management application template, a Tool Management application template, a Quality Management application template, a Quality Data Collection application template, a Defect Tracker application template, a Downtime Tracker application template, a Specification Management application template, a Shipping application template, a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) application template, a Engineering Change Order (ECO) application template, a Material Review Board (MRB) application template, a Work Instructions application template, or an Electronic Notebook application template.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said first graphical user interface interfaces to said business level with a Web-based technology.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein said Web-based technology includes at least one of Extensible Markup Language (XML) or Ole for Process Control (OPC).

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said second graphical user interface interfaces to said manufacturing level with an open standard technology.

8. The computer-computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein said open standard technology includes at least one of an Application Programming Interface (API) or an Ole Process Control (OPC) Shop Floor Connector.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said real time integration is implemented through at least one of an intranet or the Internet.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 further comprises a visualization module, wherein said visualization module provides visualization of manufacturing performance.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said visualization module provides visualization of manufacturing performance by analyzing and reporting Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE).

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said visualization module provides standard or ad-hoc reporting capability through Microsoft®

Excel.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said second graphical user interface further comprises a Work In Progress (WIP) Management template which models and maintains static manufacturing resources.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein said Work In Progress Management template further comprises a Report Manager capable of generating textual, numerical, and graphical reports.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said second graphical user interface further comprises an Inventory Management template, which provides the ability to receive and inspect raw materials, purchase orders and confirm delivery.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein said Inventory Management template further provides the ability to merge multiple inventory entities into a single entity.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein said Inventory Management template further provides visualization to all items in inventory.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said second graphical user interface further comprises a Shop Scheduler template which based at least one of a change in orders, a change in priorities, a change in inventory or a change in a resource availability rebuilds a production schedule.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein said Shop Scheduler template further comprises a GANTT chart display with a detailed order input window and a spreadsheet display of resultant schedule.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein said Shop Scheduler template further comprises a schedule dispatch report which can be transformed into a GANTT display via a Web browser.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein said Shop Scheduler template further comprises an audit trail and enforces a configurable electronic signature scheme.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said second graphical user interface further comprises a Lab Manager template which assists engineers and technicians with managing laboratory data in a manufacturing environment.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein said Lab Manager template further comprises an audit trail and enforces a configurable electronic signature scheme.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said computer program product is a Manufacturing Execution System (MES).

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said computer program product is a Collaborative Manufacturing Execution System (CMES).