Process And System For Identifying Demand For Inventory

• US 20080313058A1
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Budnik, Daniel J., Patel, Kalpesh
• Application Number:
  US11/762,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20080313058A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A computer-implemented process for identifying demand for excess inventory includes the steps of determining an inventory level and a forecasted demand of at least one part at least one facility; determining a part interchangeability of a first part with a second part of the at least one part; inputting an inventory level reflecting the part interchangeability and a forecasted demand reflecting the part interchangeability of the at least one part into an inventory module embodied in a server in communication with the at least one facility; accumulating the inventory level reflecting the part interchangeability and the forecasted demand reflecting the part interchangeability in the inventory module embodied in the server; determining an inventory position reflecting the part interchangeability for the at least one part for all of the at least one facility; determining a real-time demand reflecting the part interchangeability for the at least one part for all of the at least one facility; and conveying the real-time demand reflecting the part interchangeability for the at least one part to all of the at least one facility.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented process for identifying demand for excess inventory, comprising:

determining an inventory level and a forecasted demand of at least one part at least one facility;

determining a part interchangeability of a first part with a second part of said at least one part;

inputting an inventory level reflecting said part interchangeability and a forecasted demand reflecting said part interchangeability of said at least one part into an inventory module embodied in a server in communication with said at least one facility;

accumulating said inventory level reflecting said part interchangeability and said forecasted demand reflecting said part interchangeability in said inventory module embodied in said server;

determining an inventory position reflecting said part interchangeability for said at least one part for all of said at least one facility;

determining a real-time demand reflecting said part interchangeability for said at least one part for all of said at least one facility; and

conveying said real-time demand reflecting said part interchangeability for said at least one part to all of said at least one facility.

2. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining a real-time demand for said first part indicates low inventory exists;

determining a real-time demand for said second part indicates excess inventory exists;

determining said first part and said second part are interchangeable;

replacing a second part number of said second part with a first part number of said first part in response to said real-time demand for said first part; and

conveying said replacement step to said at least one facility.

3. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining a real-time demand for said first part indicates excess inventory exists;

determining a real-time demand for said second part indicates low inventory exists;

determining said first part and said second part are interchangeable;

replacing a first part number of said first part with a second part number of said second part in response to said real-time demand for said second part; and

conveying said replacement step to said at least one facility.

4. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining a real-time demand for said at least one part indicates said at least one part is obsolete;

reoperating said at least one part to create at least one reoperated part;

elevating a ranking value and a progression level value for said at least one reoperated part to a higher configuration level; and

determining a real-time demand for said at least one reoperated part having said higher configuration level.

5. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, wherein determining said part interchangeability comprises comparing a part genealogy of said first part with said part genealogy of said second part.

6. The computer-implemented process of claim 4, wherein comparing comprises comparing at least one first ranking value and at least one first progression level value of said first part with at least one second ranking value and at least one second progression level value of said second part.

7. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, further comprising ordering said at least one part when said real-time demand reflecting said part interchangeability indicates low inventory exists for said at least one part.

8. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, further comprising consuming said at least one part when said real-time demand reflecting said part interchangeability indicates excess inventory exists for said at least one part.

9. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, further comprising determining said at least one part is obsolete when said real-time demand reflects there are no possible interchangeable parts.

10. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, wherein determining said real-time demand reflecting said part interchangeability comprises determining said real-time demand reflecting said part interchangeability is an under-demand status, an over-demand status or zero.

11. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, wherein inputting comprises inputting said inventory level and said forecasted demand from a plurality of facilities.

12. An inventory management system, comprising:

an inventory module embodied in a server in communication with at least one facility;

means for inputting information connected to said server; and

means for conveying information connected to said server, wherein said inventory module comprises a program having a set of instructions executable to perform the steps of;

an instruction to determine an inventory level and a forecasted demand of at least one part at least one facility;

an instruction to determine a part interchangeability of a first part with a second part of said at least one part;

an instruction to input an inventory level reflecting said part interchangeability and a forecasted demand reflecting said part interchangeability of said at least one part into an inventory module embodied in a server in communication with said at least one facility;

an instruction to accumulate said inventory level reflecting said part interchangeability and said forecasted demand reflecting said part interchangeability in said inventory module embodied in said server;

an instruction to determine an inventory position reflecting said part interchangeability for said at least one part for all of said at least one facility;

an instruction to determine a real-time demand reflecting said part interchangeability for said at least one part for all of said at least one facility; and

an instruction to convey said real-time demand reflecting said part interchangeability for said at least one part to all of said at least one facility.

13. The inventory management system of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

an instruction to determine a real-time demand for said first part indicates low inventory exists;

an instruction to determine a real-time demand for said second part indicates excess inventory exists;

an instruction to determine said first part and said second part are interchangeable;

an instruction to replace a second part number of said second part with a first part number of said first part in response to said real-time demand for said first part; and

an instruction to convey said replacement step to said at least one facility.

14. The inventory management system of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

an instruction to determine a real-time demand for said first part indicates excess inventory exists;

an instruction to determine a real-time demand for said second part indicates low inventory exists;

an instruction to determine said first part and said second part are interchangeable;

an instruction to replace a first part number of said first part with a second part number of said second part in response to said real-time demand for said second part; and

an instruction to convey said replacement step to said at least one facility.

15. The inventory management system of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

determining a real-time demand for said at least one part indicates said at least one part is obsolete;

reoperating said at least one part to create at least one reoperated part;

elevating a ranking value and a progression level value for said at least one reoperated part to a higher configuration level;

determining a real-time demand for said at least one reoperated part having said higher configuration level; and

.

16. The inventory management system of claim 12, wherein said instruction to determine said part interchangeability comprises an instruction to compare a part genealogy of said first part with said part genealogy of said second part.

17. The inventory management system of claim 16, wherein said instruction to compare comprises an instruction to compare at least one first ranking value and at least one first progression level value of said first part with at least one second ranking value and at least one second progression level value of said second part.

18. The inventory management system of claim 12, further comprising an instruction to order said at least one part when said real-time demand reflecting said part interchangeability indicates low inventory exists for said at least one part.

19. The inventory management system of claim 12, further comprising an instruction to consume said at least one part when said real-time demand reflecting said part interchangeability indicates excess inventory exists for said at least one part.

20. The inventory management system of claim 12, further comprising an instruction to determine said at least one part is obsolete when said real-time demand reflects there are no possible interchangeable parts.

21. The inventory management system of claim 12, wherein said instruction to determine said real-time demand reflecting said part interchangeability comprises an instruction to determine said real-time demand reflecting said part interchangeability is an under-demand status, an over-demand status or zero.

22. The inventory management system of claim 12, wherein said instruction to input comprises an instruction to input said inventory level and said forecasted demand from a plurality of facilities.