Method and apparatus for component assembly using continuous selection

Abstract

A manufacturing process for providing an assembly formed of a first piece and a best fitted second piece is described. The manufacturing process is carried out by performing at least the following operations: receiving the first piece characterized in accordance with at least a first attribute, selecting the best fitted second piece from a buffer, the selecting based in part upon a best matching value of a second attribute in relation to the first attribute replacing the selected best fitted second piece with another second piece such that the number of second pieces in the buffer remains about the same, and forming the assembly the first part and the second part to form the assembly.

Description

FIELD OF THE DESCRIBED EMBODIMENTS[0001]The described embodiments generally relate to manufacturing. In particular, assembly of manufactured parts using continuous selection is described.DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART[0002]In manufacturing products are typically assembled from multiple parts. Those parts are often made of different materials and / or constructed using different manufacturing steps. Consequently the yield of “good” assembled products is a function of at least two factors, control of the manufacturing steps to ensure functioning and / or in-specification components, and the specific tolerances of the assembled product.[0003]In most cases, designers strive to ensure that individual components are manufactured with tight enough tolerances such that when the parts are brought together and assembled, the final product meets its overall specifications. For example, the process to cut glass for a window is usually sufficiently controlled so that it is neither too big nor too sm...