System and method for valve mounting kit design automation

Abstract

Systems and methods for valve mounting kit design automation. Valve mounting kit (VMK) design systems and methods are presented that implement: a graphical user interface (GUI) configured to receive input from a user, the input defining at least one parameter for a VMK; and a computer-implemented rule engine configured to receive input from the GUI, apply a set of rules to the input, where the set of rules includes a rule-based relationship between the at least one parameter and a design of the VMK and a predefined case-based inference rule, and design a geometric parameter of the VMK based on applying the set of rules to the input, and generating a VMK design output via the automated design tool, the output including at least one of a master model, a manufacturing drawing, a computational report, or a bill of materials corresponding to the design of the VMK.

Description

Background Art

[0001] A valve mounting kit (VMK) is a mechanical component used to provide a connection between a valve and other components such as, for example, an actuator that causes the valve to open or close. For example, a VMK configured to connect a valve to an actuator includes one interface configured to connect to the valve and another interface configured to connect to the actuator. Thus, the VMK allows various valves to be connected to various actuators even if the valve and actuator are manufactured by different companies and / or have different specifications. In a comparative example, some companies manufacture standardized VMKs that interface with a limited range of valves or actuators (e.g., only the most commonly used or best-selling components).

[0002] As an alternative to standardized VMKs where the customer must select a specific valve actuator from a limited catalog of available actuators, some companies offer "engineer-to-order" VMKs where the customer can specify one or more parameters and thereby request and receive a customized valve actuator. In a comparative example, designing an engineer-to-order VMK is a manual process. In such an example, an engineer or other professional must receive product specifications from the customer and manually generate design parameters such as 3D models, assembly files, production drawings, etc. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a VMK design system is provided. The VMK design system includes: a graphical user interface (GUI) configured to receive input from a user that defines at least one parameter for the VMK; and a computer-implemented rule engine configured to: receive the input from the GUI, apply a rule set to the input, where the rule set includes rule-based relationships between at least one parameter and the design of the VMK and predefined case-based reasoning rules, and based on applying the rule set to the input, generate instructions configured to cause an automated design tool to generate an output that includes at least one of the following: a main model corresponding to the design of the VMK, a manufacturing drawing corresponding to the design of the VMK, a calculation report corresponding to the design of the VMK, or a bill of materials corresponding to the design of the VMK. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0004] The drawings incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrate embodiments of the subject matter of the present invention and, together with the description, are used to explain the principles of embodiments of the subject matter of the present invention.

[0005] FIG. 1 illustrates an example process flow for VMK design according to the prior art.

[0006] Figure 2Illustrates an example process flow for VMK design in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0007] Figure 3 Illustrates an example VMK design system in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0008] Figure 4 Illustrates an example VMK design device in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0009] Figure 5 Illustrates an example GUI in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 6 Illustrates an example rule engine in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 7 Illustrates an example of the data flow for VMK design in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 8 Illustrates an example VMK design method in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 9 Illustrates an example VMK design method in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 10 Illustrates Figure 9 the various sub-operations of an example VMK design method. Detailed Description

[0015] The following discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use embodiments of the inventive subject matter. Various modifications to the illustrated embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles herein can be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the embodiments of the inventive subject matter. Thus, the embodiments of the inventive subject matter are not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. The following detailed description is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like elements in different drawings have the same reference numerals. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, which depict selected embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of the inventive subject matter. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the examples provided herein have many useful alternatives and fall within the scope of the embodiments of the inventive subject matter.

[0016] Before explaining any embodiments of the subject matter of the present invention in detail, it should be understood that the subject matter of the present invention is not limited in its application to the construction details and component arrangements set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The subject matter of the present invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it should be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. For example, the use of "including", "comprising", or "having" and their variants herein is intended to cover the terms listed thereafter and their equivalents as well as additional items.

[0017] As an initial matter, while the present disclosure presents embodiments related to the design of VMKs, in which context the subject matter of the present invention has been found to be particularly advantageous, the subject matter of the present invention is not limited solely to VMKs and is applicable to other torque transfer applications. For example, the systems and methods described herein can be used for direct torque transfer adaptations (e.g., keyed adapters, square adapters, spline adapters, bushing adapters) ordered by design engineers, indirect torque transfer adaptations (e.g., keyed adapter / couplers, spline adapter / couplers, valve stem adapter couplers), gearboxes, valves, control fittings mounted on actuators (e.g., limit switches, position transmitters, controllers), pressure or flow measurement devices mounted on valves or pipelines, etc. More generally, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can be applied in the same manner as described herein to any application that requires an engineer-ordered design for any kit that includes a connection between two or more components, whether the connection is direct or indirect.

[0018] As noted above, some companies offer engineer-ordered VMKs. However, the process of ordering an engineer-ordered VMK is a manual process. Accordingly, the process suffers from problems related to speed and accuracy (e.g., the manual design process is time-consuming and prone to human error at each step of the process), lack of scalability (e.g., each design process requires a human to execute it, and a human can only execute one design process at a time), and lack of adaptability (e.g., each new request requires a new manual design process to be started).

[0019] The present disclosure provides systems and methods for automating the design process for VMKs and thus provides improvements in the speed, accuracy, scalability, and adaptability of the engineer-ordered VMK design process. Accordingly, the systems and methods described herein and particularly recited in the claims achieve improvements at least in the technical field of engineer-ordered tool design.

[0020] Figure 1 shows a comparative example of a process 100 for a VMK ordered by a design engineer. The comparative design process 100 begins with receiving an input including design specifications from a customer. This input may be received, for example, by an engineer who is responsible for designing the VMK according to customer rules. At operation 102, the designer must first review the input. Next, at operation 104, the designer manually checks to see if the specifications correspond to the reuse of a design from an existing design database. If the specifications do not so correspond, the input is considered a request for a design to be ordered by the engineer, and the engineer must manually generate the design from scratch. The designer accomplishes this task by manually creating one or more 3D models for the components of the desired VMK (operation 106), then manually creating one or more assemblies for the components of the desired VMK (operation 108), and finally creating a set of production drawings for the desired VMK (operation 110). Once these files are created, the designer must painstakingly check all the created files to ensure they are error-free and that they correctly correspond to the customer's request (operation 112). After performing this check, the designer may submit a final release package (operation 114).

[0021] In the comparative manual process, the operations of checking the database for reusable files, creating 3D models, creating assembly files, and creating product drawings (see 104 to 110 in Figure 1) are all time-intensive and resource-intensive. For example, if a designer attempts to make a small adjustment to a design during the comparative process, the designer typically must repeat the operations for each adjustment and then instruct the computer to generate the adjusted design for each adjustment (e.g., by manually loading and operating a CAD program). Each iteration of this manual adjustment process requires the computer to perform processing-intensive operations, and thus as the number of iterations increases, the amount of processing resources used by the computer (e.g., the amount of processor uptime consumed by the 3D model generation subroutine) increases in turn. Thus, the manual process consumes more power and more processing resources and may prevent the use of the computer to perform other operations simultaneously.

[0022] In contrast, in the automated process according to the present disclosure, a corresponding operation is performed by an automated design system. This avoids the problems present in the comparative process, resulting in an increase in the scalability and adaptability of the system. Figure 2 Figure 8 shows one such example of a process 200 for a VMK ordered by a design engineer according to the present disclosure. Process 200 includes an operation 202 of reviewing an input including design specifications and an operation 206 of submitting a release package. However, instead of the time- and resource-intensive manual design operations of the comparative example, process 200 implements an automated design system 204.

[0023] Figure 3 shows an example of an automated system 300 that can be used to perform the Figure 2 process shown in. The system receives input from one or more users (e.g., designers) 302 via a GUI program 304 that communicates with a computer-implemented rule engine 306. The GUI 304 also communicates with a VMK database 308. The rule engine 306 communicates with a set of master model files (e.g., computer-aided drafting (CAD) files) 310. An automated design tool 312 communicates with the GUI 304, the rule engine 306, and the master model files 310; and generates a VMK output 314. The VMK output 314 can also be operated on by one or more users 302. In some implementations, the VMK output 314 can also communicate with the database 308.

[0024] In one example, the GUI 304 and the automated design tool 312 can be implemented as executable (.exe) files. In other examples, the GUI 304 and / or the automated design tool 312 can be implemented as a network interface, a mobile interface, or an application programming interface (API) provided by a server application over a network. In some examples, the rule engine 306 can be implemented using or configured to operate on a spreadsheet / database table for a data structure, and / or can be or include logic that interprets one or more tables in a database, one or more scripts (e.g., Python-based scripts), or one or more extensible markup language (XML) files. The master model files 310 can be implemented as 3D drawing (.par,.asm,.dft, etc.) files, and the VMK output 314 can be a combination of a drawing (.pdf) file and a spreadsheet / database file. However, this example is not restrictive, and in fact, any suitable file format can be used for the various components of the system 300.

[0025] Although Figure 3For purposes of illustration only, three users 302 are shown, but in reality any number of users 302 (including one, two, and more than three) may exist. The users 302 may be customers, installers, experts, design professionals, etc. The automation system 300 may operate as follows. In the case where there is only one user 302, the sole user 302 collects VMK order data and enters all the inputs in the GUI 304. In the case of multiple users 302, each user 302 may enter one or more inputs in the GUI 304 such that the users 302 together enter all the inputs. In either case, the inputs may include parameters for a specific target environment in which the VMK is to be installed. The inputs may be determined by the users 302 or may be received from a different party. The inputs define at least one parameter of the VMK that the customer or other requester wishes to order as designed. Based on the inputs, the GUI 304 searches the VMK database 308 for existing VMK designs. If such a design exists, the existing data (e.g., design specifications) may be retrieved from the VMK database 308 and displayed on the GUI 304. The GUI 304 may search for an exact match or a partial match of the existing design. In either case, the user 302 decides whether the existing design should be used.

[0026] If an existing design exists and the user 302 selects to use the existing design, the user may use the code or other identifier returned by the search query to access files (e.g., manufacturing drawings) associated with the existing design. If no existing design exists, or if the existing design is partially or completely unsuitable, the user 302 may trigger the automatic creation of a VMK design by entering and / or modifying inputs for one or more desired components on the GUI 304. The determination as to whether a design exists (and thus whether it is available for reuse) may be based on an exact match, a partial match, or a combination of an exact match and a partial match of the input parameters. For example, certain design parameters may require an exact match, while for other design parameters, a partial match may be acceptable, and for still other design parameters, no match may be required to allow reuse.

[0027] The rules engine 306 captures the input from the GUI 304 and applies at least one ruleset to the input. The ruleset includes rule-based relationships between at least one parameter and the design of the VMK, as well as predefined case-based reasoning rules. Thus, the rules engine 306 is configured to implement rule-based reasoning (RBR) and case-based reasoning (CBR), and perform design calculations. The rules engine 306 operates to generate a series of values that the GUI 304 can read to determine whether any interference or safety issues (collectively referred to as safety factors) exist. At this point, the user 302 can use the GUI 304 to examine the values and, if necessary, change the input.

[0028] Based on applying the ruleset to the input, the rules engine 306 is configured to perform various operations (either directly or via the automated design tool 312). For example, the rules engine 306 can update the main model file 310; can cause the automated design tool 312 to read the encoding from the rules engine 306; can cause the automated design tool 312 to connect to CAD software and read data from the main model file 310; can generate a VMK folder on the user 302's hard drive and / or in remote (e.g., cloud) storage, where the VMK folder can be configured as a storage location for various components of the VMK output 314; can cause the automated design tool 312 to generate a copy of the main 3D model file and store the copy in the VMK folder; can cause the automated design tool 312 to generate manufacturing drawings and add them to the VMK folder; can cause the automated design tool 312 and / or the GUI 304 to generate calculation reports and store them in the VMK folder; can cause the automated design tool 312 to generate a bill of materials (BOM) and add it to the VMK folder; and so on.

[0029] Upon completion, the rules engine 306 and / or the automated design tool 312 can generate a completion message and cause it to be displayed on the GUI 304. The GUI 304 can be triggered by the user 302 to save the new VMK design (e.g., the VMK output 314) in the VMK database 308. In some implementations, the VMK output 314 can additionally or alternatively be automatically stored in the database 308 (e.g., to allow for reuse). The user 302 can retrieve and / or examine the VMK output 314 at this time or any later time, can upload it, and / or can send the package to a factory or supplier for manufacturing. Additionally or alternatively, the VMK output 314 can be automatically sent for manufacturing, and / or the user 302 can be provided with an estimate of the price and shipping date (e.g., based on the BOM generated by the automated design tool 312).

[0030] Certain components of system 300 may be combined and implemented via a common device. For example, Figure 4 FIG. Figure 4 illustrates an example of a valve installation design device 400 that implements system 300 by providing a GUI 406 (which may be the same as or similar to GUI program 304) and a rule engine 408 (which may be the same as or similar to rule engine 306) in a single device (e.g., a single computing device).

[0031] As used herein, the term "processor" may include one or more individual electronic processors, each of which may include one or more processing cores and / or one or more programmable hardware elements. Processor 402 may be or include any type of electronic processing device, including but not limited to a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a microcontroller, a digital signal processor, or other device capable of executing software instructions. One or all of the individual electronic processors may be external to device 400 (e.g., to implement cloud or distributed computing). In implementations where device 400 has multiple processors 402 and / or multiple processing cores, the various operations described herein may be performed serially or in parallel by any one or more of the microprocessors or processing cores in any combination.

[0032] Memory 404 may be any storage medium, including non-volatile media such as magnetic media or hard drives, optical storage, or flash memory; volatile media such as system memory, e.g., random access memory (RAM), such as dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM), static RAM (SRAM), extended data output (EDO) DRAM, extreme data rate dynamic (XDR) RAM, double data rate (DDR) SDRAM, etc.; or installation media such as software media, e.g., CD-ROM or floppy disk, on which programs and / or data communications may be buffered. The term "memory" may also include other types of memory or combinations thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, cloud storage is considered in the definition of memory.

[0033] Memory 404 is an example of a non - transitory computer - readable medium that stores instructions executable by processor 402. The execution of the instructions by processor 402 can be configured to cause device 400 or another system operating under the control of device 400 to perform one or more operations, including but not limited to the processing, communication, automation, and display operations set forth herein. In a particular example, the execution of the instructions by processor 402 can be configured to cause device 400 to perform operations including receiving, via the GUI, input from a user that defines at least one parameter for the VMK; importing the input into a computer - implemented rule engine; applying a rule set to the input, where the rule set includes at least one rule - based relationship between the at least one parameter and the design of the VMK and predefined case - based reasoning rules; and based on applying the rule set to the input, generating instructions configured to cause an automated design tool to generate an output that includes at least one of the following: a main model corresponding to the design of the VMK, a manufacturing drawing corresponding to the design of the VMK, a computational report corresponding to the design of the VMK, or a bill of materials corresponding to the design of the VMK.

[0034] GUI 406 is a graphical interface through which a user can interact with device 400 and vice versa. The user can interact with GUI 406 using physical buttons, soft buttons, peripheral devices (e.g., mouse, keyboard, etc.), a touch - screen device, or a combination thereof, any of which can be included in device 400 or separate from device 400. GUI 406 can interact with the user using an audio device, a haptic feedback device, a display device, or a combination thereof, any of which can be included in device 400 or separate from device 400. In implementations where any of these devices is separate from device 400, device 400 can include hardware, software, and / or firmware to allow interface connection and communication with the external device (e.g., via one or more I / O ports such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port). Although GUI 406 is shown Figure 4 separate from processor 402 and memory 404 in, GUI 406 can be, for example, a software program stored in memory 404 and executed by processor 402. Figure 5 An example of GUI 406 is shown in.

[0035] In particular, Figure 5 shows what can be presented to the user (e.g., Figure 3The GUI window 500 of the user 302 shown therein thus allows the user to provide an input that defines one or more parameters for the VMK ordered by the engineer. The GUI window 500 is divided into multiple panels, including a main details panel 502, an actuator details panel 504, a valve details panel 506, an adapter details panel 508, a component material details panel 510, a fastener details panel 512, a top mount details panel 514, a first reference image panel 516, a main function button panel 518, a database search output panel 520, a secondary function button panel 522, a safety factor results panel 524, and a second reference image panel 526. Note that the exact set of panels presented in the GUI 406 may vary according to the embodiment. For example, in other VMK-based embodiments, some of the panels in the window 500 may be omitted for reasons such as simplicity and inapplicability. Additionally, as described above, the present disclosure can be applied to engineer-ordered devices other than the VMK; in such an implementation, one or more of the VMK-specific details panels among the details panels 502-516 can be replaced with panels specific to the particular device type being designed.

[0036] The main details panel 502, the actuator details panel 504, the valve details panel 506, the adapter details panel 508, the component material details panel 510, the fastener details panel 512, and the top mount details panel 514 can provide a series of data entry fields to allow the user to enter certain parameters of the VMK ordered by the engineer. As shown, the data entry fields can include text fields, drop-down menu fields, check boxes, and / or slider / switch fields. However, there can be other types of data entry fields, such as radio buttons. The following description lists several examples of data entry fields that can be included in the details panels 502-514; however, it should be understood that these examples are not restrictive. Depending on the needs of a particular embodiment, some of the data entry fields described below can be omitted or modified, and additional data entry fields not explicitly described below can be added. Additionally, in cases where a particular data entry field is described as one particular type of field (e.g., a drop-down menu), it can alternatively be implemented by using another type (e.g., text entry).

[0037] The main details panel 502 may include data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can select default units, such as metric or imperial units. Thus, the user can specify whether the length unit should be millimeters, centimeters, inches, feet, etc.; whether the torque unit should be Newton-meters, pound-feet, etc.; and so on. The main details panel 502 may additionally or alternatively include data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can select a manufacturing location, which may include world regions (e.g., Asia-Pacific, North America, etc.) and / or specifications of a particular manufacturing plant.

[0038] The actuator details panel 504 may include data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can select from several product lines or families of different actuator manufacturers. The actuator details panel 504 may include data fields implemented as check boxes through which a user can identify whether the product line and family correspond to the mounting interface based on metric or imperial measurements. The actuator details panel 504 may include data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can select a specific actuator model. The actuator details panel 504 may include data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can select a specific actuator type (e.g., actuator mechanism). The actuator details panel 504 may include data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can select the actuator torque.

[0039] The valve details panel 506 may include data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can select a specific valve manufacturer. The valve details panel 506 may include data fields implemented as text fields through which a user can specify the file location and / or file name of the valve drawing (e.g., engineering drawing). The valve details panel 506 may include data fields implemented as text fields through which a user can specify the size and / or class of the valve. The valve details panel 506 may include data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can select one or more features of the valve (e.g., flange type). The valve details panel 506 may include data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can select the valve stem type of the valve.

[0040] The adapter details panel 508 may include data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can specify the adapter type. The adapter details panel 508 may include data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can specify the bracket mounting hole type (e.g., through hole, threaded hole, etc.).

[0041] The component material details panel 510 may include data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can specify the material categories for all components (e.g., carbon steel, stainless steel, combination, etc.). The component material details panel 510 may include separate data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can specify the material for an individual component (e.g., a specific carbon steel, a specific stainless steel, etc.), such individual component being, for example, a fastener, a bracket / flange, a coupler / bushing, a key, a key ring support, a vent, and / or a seal.

[0042] The fastener details panel 512 may include data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can specify the stud or screw type for the actuator side (e.g., threaded, partially threaded, etc.). The fastener details panel 512 may include data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can specify the material for the stud or screw for the actuator side. The fastener details panel 512 may include data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can specify the material for the nut for the actuator side. The fastener details panel 512 may include data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can specify the material for the pin for the actuator side. The fastener details panel 512 may include supplementary data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can specify the corresponding valve side parameters. The fastener details panel 512 may include data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can specify the fastener range on the valve side. The fastener details panel 512 may include data fields implemented as drop-down menus through which a user can specify the flat washer on the valve side.

[0043] The top mount details panel 514 may include a series of data fields implemented as text fields through which a user can specify the various dimensions of the VMK. Each data field may be represented by a variable and may also identify the unit of the variable. Depending on the details entered in the details panels 502 - 512, for example, certain data fields may be grayed out to specify that a particular variable is not used in the VMK being designed. For example, certain VMK types may typically use the variable W to represent a specific key width, while other VMK types may not include a key and thus may not use the variable W.

[0044] A user may receive a top mount drawing from a customer or another party, which includes expected values of variables. To guide the user in entering information in the top mount detail panel 514, the first reference image panel 516 may include a reference drawing that shows a sample VMK type annotated with applicable variables. For example, if a customer or other requester uses specific variables to specify parameters, but the top mount detail panel 514 uses different variables to specify the same parameters, the user can compare the top mount drawing with the reference drawing shown in the first reference image panel 516 to ensure that the correct variables are used to enter the parameters. The reference drawing can be selected and displayed based on the details entered in the detail panels 502 - 512. For example, if the user has specified that the valve flange has female centering in the valve detail panel 506, a specific reference drawing can be displayed, and if the user has specified that the valve flange has male centering in the valve detail panel 506, a different reference drawing can be displayed.

[0045] Thus, a VMK design automation tool such as the automation design tool 312 can collect corresponding user - specified design parameters via the respective fields of the detail panels 502 - 514 (or similar GUI) to generate a customized VMK, and can store these parameters as variables in the form of numerical data, alphanumeric data, binary data, etc.

[0046] In some implementations, an entry in one data field can automatically populate other data fields and / or can automatically modify the list of available selections in other data fields. For example, if the user specifies in the main detail panel 502 that the default unit is imperial, an appropriate checkbox can be automatically activated in the actuator detail panel 504. Similarly, if the user specifies via the component material detail panel 510 that all components should be carbon steel, the list of available selections in the drop - down menu for the fastener material type can be limited to carbon steel selections.

[0047] The main function button panel 518 may include one or more buttons and / or other interface elements (e.g., checkboxes, sliders, etc.) to allow the user to adjust settings and / or perform functions related to database queries and design generation. For example, the main function button panel 518 may include a data field implemented as a checkbox through which the user can selectively activate or deactivate automatic database synchronization. The main function button panel 518 may include a set of soft buttons through which the user can initiate operations such as in the database (e.g., Figure 3search for data in the VMK database 318), save data in the database, delete data from the database, and / or modify data in the database. The results of database queries can be presented using the database search output panel 520.

[0048] In this way, the user can query the database to determine whether a design corresponding to the input entered in the detail panels 502-514 already exists. If the design already exists, the user can use the pre-existing design details. The primary function button panel 518 may include a set of soft buttons through which the user can instruct the automated design tool (e.g., Figure 3 the automated design tool 312) to perform operations related to design generation. Thus, if the design does not exist, the user can generate design details such as CAD packages, calculation reports, and BOMs.

[0049] The secondary function button panel 522 may include one or more buttons and / or other interface elements (e.g., checkboxes, sliders, etc.) to allow the user to initiate operations on the results of database queries presented on the database search output panel 520. For example, the secondary function button panel 522 may include a synchronization button that the user can use to initiate a database synchronization operation (e.g., if automatic synchronization has been disabled in the primary function button panel 518), an export button that the user can use to export data from the database to another file or device, a view expansion button that the user can use to instruct the GUI 500 to present all results (e.g., if the database search output panel 520 only shows a subset of the results, such as the most recent results), a help button that the user can use to open a ReadMe file or website, and an upload button that the user can use to initiate an upload of data to an external server.

[0050] The safety factor result panel 524 can include one or more read-only data fields to convey any warnings or potential errors in the entry to the user. For example, the safety factor result panel can include separate read-only fields to display the safety factors associated with components of the VMK design (e.g., actuators, valves, brackets, actuator keys, actuator fasteners, valve fasteners, etc.). The safety factor result panel 524 can include fields for safety factors in the following: actuator side shear, actuator side compression, valve side shear, valve side compression, enclosed bracket pipe shear and bending, enclosed bracket weld shear and bending, open bracket shear, open bracket bending, actuator key shear, actuator shear compression, actuator fastener slip, actuator fastener slip with pin, actuator fastener strength, valve fastener slip, valve fastener slip with pin, valve fastener strength, etc. The safety factor can be represented as a decimal number and in some implementations can be a color code (e.g., green for acceptable values, red for values that may be outside the acceptable range). As will be described in more detail below, the safety factor can be calculated by a rule engine and then output to the GUI 500 for output via the display.

[0051] The second reference image panel 526 can display a sample 3D perspective image of the design. In some implementations, the sample image can generally be based on the VMK details entered in the detail panels 502 - 512, excluding the specific dimensions entered in the top mount detail panel 514. In this way, the second reference image panel 526 can be configured to provide a preview to the user to ensure that the VMK details entered in the detail panels 502 - 512 are correct before the user begins entering specific dimensions in the top mount detail panel 514.

[0052] Return to Figure 4 , the rule engine 408 can be a software program or its component that provides for the automatic application of a rule set to the input received via the GUI 406. In a specific example, the rule engine 408 can be implemented using a custom data application with data fields configured to receive certain parameters of the input and linked to rule-based logic configured to apply certain formulas to it. Although the rule engine 408 is Figure 4 shown as separate from the processor 402 and the memory 404 in Figure 6 an example of the rule engine 408 is shown.

[0053] Figure 6 shows a rule engine 600 that includes a GUI (e.g., Figure 3 the GUI program 304 ofFigure 5 The input 602, ruleset 604, and output 612 received by the GUI 500 can be provided to an automated design tool (e.g., Figure 3 the automated design tool 312) and / or one or more master models (e.g., Figure 3 the master model file 310). The input 602, ruleset 604, and output 612 can be implemented as software functions within an existing program or as a custom application.

[0054] The ruleset 604 includes a plurality of rules tabs 606. For example, the tab 606 can be implemented as a separate spreadsheet tab. The ruleset includes a series of rule-based reasoning (RBR) 608 and case-based reasoning (CBR) 610. The individual tabs 606 can include RBR 608, CBR 610, or both. As an example, CBR 610 can be based on the target geographical location of the VMK (e.g., based on the input in the main detail panel 502 of the GUI 500). For example, certain geographical locations can have certain requirements regarding how holes are spaced or machined, and the rules in CBR 610 can reflect these requirements.

[0055] The ruleset 604 can include separate tabs 606 for each component of the VMK design. Figure 6 An example with a certain integer n number of components is explicitly shown, although in practical applications, any number of components can exist, including one. Additionally, Figure 6 tabs 606 for material rules, tabs 606 for tolerance rules, and tabs 606 for coding are shown. However, Figure 6 only a subset of the tabs 606 included in the ruleset 604 is shown. The ruleset 604 can include additional tabs 606 that include rules for: non-welded connector / bushing valve stem adapters, welded valve stem adapters, welded / woodworking closed tube supports, machined closed tube supports, box-type opening supports, welded C-type opening supports, opening support covers, hole and attached flange thickness, valve adapter hardware, actuator keys, etc., each of which can include its own combination of RBR 608 and CBR 610.

[0056] In some examples, the ruleset 604 can include ten or more tabs 606, and each tab 606 can include one hundred or more variables and one thousand or more RBR 608 and CBR 610. Thus, the rule engine 600 can be adapted to a wide variety of VMK specifications ordered by engineers and can scale to large orders.

[0057] In an example, the input 602 is received in the form of a two-dimensional data array, and its parameters are automatically imported into appropriate cells of an appropriate tab 606. The tab 606 can include multiple columns, each corresponding to a specific component model (e.g., an actuator model), and the parameters can be stored in a series of rows for each column or only for the column corresponding to the component model being designed. A ruleset 604 can be applied to the input 602. Based on applying the ruleset 604 to the input 602, the rule engine 600 can generate an output 612 in the form of a data vector that serves as an instruction to an automated design tool and / or to one or more master models (e.g., Figure 3 the master model file 310), thereby causing the automated design tool to generate at least one of a master model corresponding to the VMK design, a manufacturing drawing corresponding to the VMK design, or a BOM corresponding to the VMK design.

[0058] Returning to Figure 4 , the device 400 can also include a communication circuit that can include or implement any wired or wireless communication interface to permit communication between the device 400 and external systems and devices. The communication circuit can be configured to permit wired communication via, for example, copper wire, fiber optic cable, etc. The communication circuit can additionally or alternatively be configured to permit wireless communication via, for example, Wi-Fi protocol, Bluetooth protocol, Near Field Communication (NFC) protocol, Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) protocols such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5G New Radio (NR), etc., including extended and updated versions of any of the foregoing protocols. In some examples, the communication circuit can operate under the control of the processor 402 to upload data to an external device (e.g., a cloud-based server) and / or download data from an external device, to request processing from an external device, and so on.

[0059] Figure 4Only one example of a device that can implement system 300 is described. In other examples, device 400 may include additional components of system 300. For example, the VMK database 308, the master model file 310, and / or the VMK output 314 (or portions thereof) may be stored in the memory 404; the automated design tool 312 may be implemented as a software program stored in the memory 404 and executed by the processor 402; or a combination thereof. In other examples, device 400 may be configured to execute software that is not stored on device 400 itself. For example, the GUI 406 and / or the rule engine 408 may be stored in a remote device (e.g., a server), and when requested by device 400, may be temporarily loaded into the memory 404 for execution by the processor 402. In other examples, the GUI 406 and / or the rule engine 408 may be local to device 400, and device 400 may access them remotely via a computing device associated with one or more of the users 302 (see Figure 3 ). Thus, the user may access the GUI 406 and / or the rule engine 408 using, for example, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model via a web browser or other program running on device 400 or another device.

[0060] Figure 7 An example of the data flow for VMK design is shown. For example, Figure 7 an example of how data may flow between components of an automated design tool or using components of an automated design tool and / or within an automated design tool such as, for example, the above-described process 200, system 300, device 400, GUI 500, and / or rule engine 600 may be shown. A series of inputs 710 are received via a GUI (e.g., Figure 3 the GUI program 304 of Figure 5 the GUI 500). The inputs 710 may include parameters specifying a location (e.g., the geographical location where a component is manufactured or used), actuator details, valve details, fitting details, material details, and / or fastener details. The inputs 710 may also include a search query via a search engine, for example, to allow a user or an automated design tool to determine whether a specified design has been previously created and stored in the reuse library and database 750. Thus, the data provided as the inputs 710 may be provided to the reuse library and database 750, and the data from the reuse library and database 750 may be provided as an input (e.g., in the case of a match with a pre-existing VMK).

[0061] The data provided as the inputs 710 is also provided to the rule engine 720, such as, for example, Figure 3 the rule engine 306 of Figure 6Rule engine 600. The rule engine 720 may include, access, or call one or more databases, including an actuator database (e.g., a database including parameters associated with actuator details, such as actuator details specified by the user using Figure 5 the actuator detail panel 504), a tolerance database (e.g., a database including tolerances associated with components of the VMK), a material database (e.g., a database including parameters associated with materials, such as material details specified by the user using Figure 5 the component material detail panel 510), and a database of rules or cases. The rule engine 720 may be configured to apply rules (e.g., CBR and RBR) to the input 710 and / or values derived or calculated from the input 710, thereby applying calculations to one or more variables. The various components of the rule engine 720 may be organized into one or more tabs, such as the tab 606 described above, where each tab 606 may be for a specific component of the VMK design and / or for a specific parameter (e.g., material, tolerance, etc.). The individual tabs may be stored in or retrieved from the corresponding databases. The rule engine 720 is configured to provide data to the reuse library and database 750, e.g., to store calculation results, etc. for future use.

[0062] The rule engine 720 is also configured to provide data to the parametric design tool 730, which may be Figure 3 the automated design tool 312. The parametric design tool 730 is configured to generate one or more models, each having one or more views, such as a valve stem adapter model, a bracket model, a key model, a fitting model, etc. Figure 7 The specific set of models described in

[0063] is merely illustrative and not restrictive. The parametric design tool 730 may transfer data to the reuse library and database 750, e.g., to store models (e.g., master model files) and views for future use.

[0064] Figure 8An example of a process flow 800 for operations to generate a VMK design ordered by an engineer is shown and can be executed under the control of a device 400 implementing a GUI 500 and a rules engine 600 by an automated design tool 312. The process flow 800 can be triggered by receiving an input including (e.g.) an entity edge 3D model and an assembly master file, which in turn can include parameters linked to a data source such as a database table or a spreadsheet file. At operation 802, the model undergoes a validation process. If the validation process fails, at operation 804, errors in the model can be diagnosed and / or fixed. If the diagnosis or repair process fails, at operation 806, the error can be logged and reported, and the process flow 800 can terminate. However, if the validation process at operation 802 passes or the diagnosis / repair process at operation 804 passes, the process flow 800 proceeds to operation 808.

[0065] At operation 808, data related to the geometric topology of the VMK (e.g., geometry based on specific dimensions entered in the top-mounted detail panel 514 as described above) is collected from the input. Next, at operation 810, the data can be preprocessed if needed or desired. For example, if the data contains links or other references to external sources or to other internal sources, these links or other references can be broken, thus ensuring that each data entry can exist independently and reducing the likelihood of runtime errors. Drawing creation begins at operation 812, which can include loading a blank drawing template. At operation 814, one or more views (e.g., front view, perspective view, etc.) are created and can then be scaled and / or positioned. This can be achieved using code configured to scale and position multiple views. At operation 816, data processing begins, for example, by identifying geometric elements (e.g., lines, curves, etc.) in the drawing for dimensioning. This can be achieved using code configured to transform edges and face points in the assembly and the model relative to the drawing view coordinate system. Operation 816 can include adding geometric elements for dimensioning and adding surface finishes, feature control frames, etc. Figure 5 At operation 818, a dimensioned view is created, for example, by adding dimension lines, surface finishes, and / or data frames to the one or more views created at operation 814. Operation 818 can be performed according to rules such as rules to avoid interference between dimensions and surface finishes, feature control frames, data frames, etc. In some but not all implementations, if applicable, operation 820 can be performed to balloon the view and create a BOM. At operation 822, an output including applicable manufacturing drawings, calculation reports, and BOMs is created, and the drawings, parts, and assemblies can be saved locally and / or uploaded to a remote storage device.

[0066]

[0067] Although Figure 8 a series of operations is shown as being performed one after another in sequence, in an actual implementation, the operations of process flow 800 can be performed in any logical order and can be performed serially or in parallel (e.g., by different processors or processing cores).

[0068] Figure 9 An example of a VMK design method 900 is shown. Method 900 begins with an operation 902 of receiving input from a user via a GUI (e.g., GUI 500), the input defining at least one parameter for the VMK. Operation 902 can include displaying the GUI to the user. In operation 902, the input can be received by a processor (e.g., Figure 4 processor 402) via the GUI. Some examples of such input and parameters were described above with respect to Figure 5 GUI 500; for example, the input can include or specify one or more of actuator type, valve type, and material.

[0069] At operation 904, the input is imported into a rule engine (e.g., rule engines 306, 600, or 720). For example, the processor that receives the input via the GUI can send or provide the input to the rule engine. Examples of importing the input into rule engines 306 with respect to Figure 3 , rule engine 600 with respect to Figure 6 , and rule engine 720 with respect to Figure 7 were described. To import the input, the input can be stored in a memory (e.g., memory 404) or another memory accessible by the rule engine.

[0070] At operation 906, a rule set including RBR and / or CBR is applied to the input. Thus, based on the input, calculations are performed, which can be used to generate a 3D model of the VMK that connects the actuator type to the valve type, the VMK including components such as brackets, valve stem adapters, etc. Examples of applying the rule set to the input were described with respect to rule engines 306 with respect to Figure 3 , rule engine 600 with respect to Figure 6 , and rule engine 720 with respect to Figure 7 . Additionally, examples of applying the rule set to the input are further described below with respect to Figure 10 .

[0071] At operation 908, instructions can be generated that are configured to cause an automated design tool to generate an output, the output including various components of the VMK design, such as a main model, manufacturing drawings, calculation reports, BOM, etc. With respect to rule engine 306 communicating with design tool 312 to generate VMK output 314 ( Figure 3 ), with respect to output 612 ( Figure 6) and the output 740 Figure 7 ) describes an example of generating such instructions.

[0072] Figure 10 An example method 1000 of applying a ruleset to an input is shown. Method 1000 can be Figure 9 an example of a sub - operation included in operation 906. In this example, applying the ruleset to the input includes an operation 1002 of determining geometric parameters of the actuator type and / or valve type. Operation 1002 can be performed based on information retrieved from a database (e.g., as shown in Figure 7 the rule engine 720) and / or existing drawings. Additionally or alternatively, operation 1002 can include at least one of the following: parsing the information of the input (e.g., the received and imported input as described regarding operations 902 and 904) and / or providing the information to an appropriate recipient part of the rule engine (e.g., providing to Figure 6 the appropriate tab 606 or a cell within tab 606).

[0073] At operation 1004, for example, based on parameters of the actuator type and / or valve type, one or more geometric parameters of the VMK can be calculated. Operation 1004 can include applying one or more formulas (e.g., equations) to the information received, parsed, or determined in operation 1002. The formulas can be included in the RBR and / or CBR. If the VMK or a part of it corresponds to a previously created entry, operation 1004 can include retrieving geometric parameters from a database (e.g., Figure 7 the reuse library and database 750).

[0074] At operation 1006, one or more rules (e.g., one or more RBRs and / or CBRs) can be applied to the geometric parameters calculated at operation 1004, thereby evaluating the geometric parameters. The rules applied in this evaluation can include at least one of a tolerance - based rule, a coding - based rule, a part - based rule, or a material - based rule (e.g., see Figure 6 tab 606). Operation 606 can include generating values of one or more safety factors (e.g., as described regarding Figure 5 the safety factor panel 524). Thus, operation 1006 can be configured to predict, determine, and / or identify any potential problems in a particular design requested by a customer, such as shear risk, bending risk, compression risk, slip risk, strength / failure risk, etc.

[0075] In operation 1008, the calculated parameters can be provided to the user, for example, via the GUI. The user can evaluate the parameters (e.g., by referring to safety factors) to determine whether the VMK design corresponding to the calculated parameters is acceptable. In some examples, if the design is unacceptable, the GUI can be configured to receive new or revised user input (e.g., another iteration corresponding to 902). In other examples, operation 1008 can include automatically analyzing the design to determine whether the design is acceptable (e.g., by comparing one or more safety factors to predefined thresholds) instead of providing the parameters to the user; if the design is unacceptable, the operations of method 1000 can be repeated iteratively until an acceptable VMK design is found. For example, in each iteration, one or more input parameters (e.g., materials, dimensions, etc.) corresponding to the components that cause the undesired safety factors can be changed by the user via the GUI or automatically by the system.

[0076] In an implementation where changes are made by the user via the GUI, the user can simply enter new input (e.g., a new iteration corresponding to operation 902), which results in additional iterations of the associated import, rule set application, parameter determination, and / or parameter calculation operations (e.g., new iterations corresponding to any one or more of operations 904, 906, 1002, 1004, or 1006). This can be followed by another iteration of determining the acceptability of the design (e.g., based on safety factors, such as in operation 1008). The iterative process can be repeated as many times as needed until an acceptable design is achieved.

[0077] In an implementation where changes are made automatically by the system, the system can be configured to automatically generate new input (e.g., based on the original input). The new input can be generated by modifying at least one input parameter by a certain amount (e.g., ±10%). The specific input parameter to be modified can be determined based on the reason why the previous design was unacceptable. For example, if the previous design was unacceptable due to a safety factor related to the actuator, the geometric or material input parameters of the actuator can be modified. The input parameter to be modified and / or the way to modify the input parameter can be determined by calling an artificial intelligence (AI) or other model, such as a machine learning (ML) model that has been trained on reference data to determine the correspondence between input parameters and safety factors. As described above, this can correspond to a new iteration of operation 902 and can be followed by new iterations of any one or more of operations 904, 906, 1002, 1004, or 1006. The iterative process can be automated any number of times until the design is acceptable and can be performed without further input or attention from the user.

[0078] Once it is determined at operation 1008 that the design is acceptable, method 1000 may terminate. When method 1000 is executed to implement Figure 9 operation 906 of, method 900 may return to operation 908 after operation 1008. As described above, in operation 908, instructions may be generated that are configured to cause an automated design tool to generate an output that includes various components of the VMK design, such as a master model, manufacturing drawings, calculation reports, BOMs, and the like.

[0079] Although Figure 9 and Figure 10 show a series of operations being performed one after the other in sequence, in actual implementation, the operations of methods 900 and 1000 may be performed in any logical order and may be performed serially or in parallel (e.g., by different processors or processing cores).

[0080] Any of the above methods may be integrated into a method of manufacturing a VMK, followed by a method of manufacturing a VMK, or configured to operate with a method of manufacturing a VMK. In one example, a method of manufacturing a VMK may include receiving an actuator / valve assembly and / or other specifications; using an automated VMK design tool (e.g., the automated VMK design tool described in any one or more of the above regarding Figures 2 - 9 to generate a model based on the specifications; and manufacturing a VMK based on the model.

[0081] In some embodiments, aspects of the subject matter of the present invention, including computerized implementations of the methods, may be implemented as a system, method, apparatus, or article of manufacture that uses standard programming or engineering techniques to produce software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof to control a control device such as a processor device, a computer (e.g., a processor device operatively coupled to a memory), or other electrically operated controller to implement the aspects detailed herein. Thus, for example, an embodiment may be implemented as a set of instructions tangibly embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium such that a processing device may implement the instructions based on reading the instructions from the computer-readable medium. Some embodiments may include (or utilize) a control device, such as an automated device, a dedicated or other computer including various computer hardware, software, firmware, etc., consistent with the discussion herein.

[0082] As used herein, the term "article of manufacture" is intended to encompass a computer program accessible from any computer-readable device, carrier (e.g., a non-transitory signal), or medium (e.g., a non-transitory medium). For example, computer-readable media can include, but are not limited to, magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disks, floppy disks, magnetic strips, etc.), optical disks (e.g., compact disks (CDs), digital versatile disks (DVDs), etc.), smart cards, and flash memory devices (e.g., cards, sticks, etc.). Additionally, it should be understood that a carrier can be used to carry computer-readable electronic data, such as those used when sending and receiving email or accessing a network such as the Internet or a local area network (LAN). Those skilled in the art will recognize that many modifications can be made to these configurations without departing from the scope or spirit of the claimed subject matter.

[0083] Certain operations of a method or a system performing those methods may be schematically represented in the figures or otherwise discussed herein. Unless otherwise specified or limited, the representation of specific operations in a particular spatial order in the figures may not necessarily require that those operations be performed in a particular sequence corresponding to the particular spatial order. Accordingly, certain operations represented in the figures or otherwise disclosed herein may be performed in an order different from the explicitly shown or described order, as appropriate for a particular embodiment. Additionally, in some embodiments, certain operations may be performed in parallel, including by dedicated parallel processing devices or separate computing devices configured to interoperate as part of a larger system.

[0084] As used herein in the context of computer implementation, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "component", "system", "module", etc. are intended to encompass a part or all of a computer-related system that includes hardware, software, a combination of hardware and software, or software in execution. For example, a component can be, but is not limited to, a processor device, a process (or executable) executed by a processor device, an object, an executable file, an execution thread, a computer program, or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a computer and the computer can be components. One or more components (or systems, modules, etc.) can reside within a process or execution thread, can be localized on one computer, can be distributed between two or more computers or other processor devices, or can be included within another component (or system, module, etc.).

[0085] Also as used herein, unless otherwise restricted or defined, "or" indicates a non-exclusive list of components or operations that can exist in any of various combinations, rather than an exclusive list of components that exist only as alternatives to each other. For example, a list of "A, B, or C" indicates the following options: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; and A, B, and C. Accordingly, the term "or" as used herein is intended to indicate exclusive alternatives only when preceded by an exclusive term, such as "either", "one of", "only one of", or "exactly one of". For example, a list of "one of A, B, or C" indicates the following options: A, but not B and C; B, but not A and C; and C, but not A and B. A list preceded by "one or more" (and variants thereof, such as "at least one of") and including "or" to separate the listed elements indicates an option of one or more of any or all of the listed elements. For example, the phrases "one or more of A, B, or C" and "at least one of A, B, or C" indicate the following options: one or more A; one or more B; one or more C; one or more A and one or more B; one or more B and one or more C; one or more A and one or more C; and one or more A, one or more B, and one or more C. Similarly, a list preceded by "a plurality of" (and its variants) and including "or" to separate the listed elements indicates an option of multiple instances of any or all of the listed elements. For example, the phrases "a plurality of A, B, or C" and "two or more of A, B, or C" indicate the following options: A and B; B and C; A and C; and A, B, and C.

[0086] As described herein, embodiments may provide systems and / or methods for automated design of VMK and / or other components. The foregoing description of the disclosed embodiments has been provided to enable a person skilled in the art to make use of the subject matter of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate various modifications to these embodiments, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Thus, the subject matter of the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments explicitly shown herein; rather, it is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A valve installation kit design system, comprising: a graphical user interface GUI, the GUI configured to receive input from a user, the input defining at least one parameter for the valve installation kit; as well as A computer-implemented rules engine configured to: receiving said input from said GUI, applying a rule set to the input, wherein the rule set includes a rule-based relationship between the at least one parameter and a design of the valve mounting kit and predefined case-based reasoning rules, and Based on applying the rule set to the input, geometric parameters of the valve installation kit are determined, and a valve installation kit design output is generated via an automated design tool of the system, the output comprising at least one of: a master model corresponding to the design of the valve installation kit, a manufacturing drawing corresponding to the design of the valve installation kit, a calculation report corresponding to the design of the valve installation kit, or a bill of materials corresponding to the design of the valve installation kit.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one parameter comprises at least one of: a main detail parameter, an actuator detail parameter, a valve detail parameter, an adaptation detail parameter, a component material detail parameter, a fastener detail parameter or a top installation detail parameter.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The GUI is further configured to output a security factor based on applying the rule set to the input.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The GUI is also configured to: querying a database to determine if there is an entry corresponding to the input, the entry comprising at least one of: a pre-generated master model, a pre-generated manufacturing drawing, a pre-generated calculation report, or a pre-generated bill of materials; In response to determining that the entry exists, retrieving the entry; as well as In response to determining that the entry does not exist, the rule engine is instructed to perform the operations of receiving, applying, and generating.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein: The GUI is further configured to, in response to determining that the entry does not exist, store the output generated by the automated design tool in the database.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The GUI is configured to display a plurality of entry fields and a reference image corresponding to a mapping between corresponding entry fields of the plurality of entry fields and corresponding parameters of the at least one parameter.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The case-based reasoning rules are based on a target geographic location of the valve installation kit.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The rule engine defines a plurality of tabs corresponding to a plurality of components of the valve installation kit, respectively.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein: A first tab of the plurality of tabs includes a first subset of rules for the rule-based relationship, and a second tab of the plurality of tabs includes a second subset of rules for the rule-based relationship.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The rule engine defines multiple tabs, each corresponding to at least one of: a component of the valve installation kit, a material of the valve installation kit, a tolerance of the valve installation kit, a hole table of the valve installation kit, a code of the valve installation kit, or a user-specified note.

11. A method comprising: receiving input from a user via a graphical user interface GUI, the input defining at least one parameter for the valve installation kit; importing the input into a computer-implemented rules engine; applying a rule set to the input, wherein the rule set includes a rule-based relationship between the at least one parameter and a design of the valve mounting kit and predefined case-based reasoning rules; as well as Based on applying the rule set to the input, geometric parameters of the valve installation kit are determined, and a valve installation kit design output is generated via an automated design tool, the output comprising at least one of: a master model corresponding to the design of the valve installation kit, a manufacturing drawing corresponding to the design of the valve installation kit, a calculation report corresponding to the design of the valve installation kit, or a bill of materials corresponding to the design of the valve installation kit.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating the output by the automated design tool.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The at least one parameter comprises at least one of: a main detail parameter, an actuator detail parameter, a valve detail parameter, an adaptation detail parameter, a component material detail parameter, a fastener detail parameter or a top installation detail parameter.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: generating a safety factor based on applying the rule set to the input; as well as The input is displayed to the user via the GUI.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: querying a database to determine if there is an entry corresponding to the input, the entry comprising at least one of: a pre-generated master model, a pre-generated manufacturing drawing, a pre-generated calculation report, or a pre-generated bill of materials; In response to determining that the entry exists, retrieving the entry; as well as In response to determining that the entry does not exist, the rule engine is instructed to perform the operations of receiving, applying, and generating.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: In response to determining that the entry does not exist, the output generated by the automated design tool is stored in the database.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The case-based reasoning rules are based on a target geographic location of the valve installation kit.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The rule engine defines a plurality of tabs corresponding to a plurality of components of the valve installation kit, respectively.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein: A first tab of the plurality of tabs includes a first subset of rules for the rule-based relationship, and a second tab of the plurality of tabs includes a second subset of rules for the rule-based relationship.

20. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause execution of: receiving input from a user via a graphical user interface GUI, the input defining at least one parameter for the valve installation kit; importing the input into a computer-implemented rules engine; applying a rule set to the input, wherein the rule set includes a rule-based relationship between the at least one parameter and a design of the valve mounting kit and predefined case-based reasoning rules; as well as Based on applying the rule set to the input, geometric parameters of the valve installation kit are determined, and a valve installation kit design output is generated via an automated design tool, the output comprising at least one of: a master model corresponding to the design of the valve installation kit, a manufacturing drawing corresponding to the design of the valve installation kit, a calculation report corresponding to the design of the valve installation kit, or a bill of materials corresponding to the design of the valve installation kit.

Images