Estimate creating apparatus, estimate creating method, and program

Abstract

To provide an estimate preparation device for suppressing any influence on the operation of a customer company, and for suppressing resources necessary for the manufacture and storage of equipment by a manufacturing company, exhaust gas such as discharged carbon dioxide, exhaust heat, or waste, and for suppressing the waste of resources or energy.SOLUTION: This system is provided with a reception part 11 for receiving an estimate request of a cable from a customer, a processing part 12 for specifying a combination of manufacturing facilities, and an estimate preparation part 13 for preparing a plurality of estimates in the case of respectively manufacturing the specified combination of the manufacturing facilities. The estimate creation unit 13 creates a first estimate for the case of manufacturing all of a plurality of cables having different specifications for which an estimate is requested by a customer, a second estimate for the case of manufacturing a cable having a length that is the sum of the length of a first cable and the length of a second cable, and a third estimate for the case of manufacturing a cable having a length that is the sum of the length of the first cable and the length of the second cable and necessary equipment.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an estimate creation device, an estimate creation method, and a program for creating an estimate. [Background technology]

[0002] In transactions involving cables that transmit electricity or electrical signals, which are a type of equipment, manufacturers generally prepare quotations in response to requests from companies that wish to purchase (hereinafter referred to as "customer companies"). For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an order support system that has a means for generating quotation information by adding rental price information to specification information, visualizing this information as a quotation and presenting it to consumers, and a means for generating order information for the manufacturer based on the specification information, and visualizing this information as a purchase order.

[0003] Here, cables include power transmission lines that transmit power and communication cables that transmit electrical signals. Power transmission lines are a comprehensive concept that includes bare wires, insulated cables with no coating, CV cables (cross-linked polyethylene insulated vinyl sheath cables), CVT cables (Cross-linked Polyethylene insulated Vinyl Sheathed Triplex Type Power Cables), and OF cables (oil-filled cables). The client company reviews the quote and places an order. The manufacturer processes the order for each part so that it will be delivered in time for the delivery date of the ordered product (specified delivery date) based on the parts and quantities required to produce the ordered product, the time it takes from ordering each part to delivery (hereinafter referred to as delivery lead time), the time required for manufacturing, and the schedule when the contractor can carry out the cable installation work. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-077277 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, if inventory levels are set low, excess inventory will not be maintained, which can reduce the resources required for manufacturing and storing inventory and the waste generated by manufacturers.However, if orders exceed the inventory level, new equipment (such as cables) will have to be manufactured, making it difficult to provide the equipment in a timely manner, which can result in requests for short delivery times and affecting the operations of client companies.If a wide-area disaster such as a typhoon or earthquake occurs and damage occurs in multiple locations, requests for short delivery times cannot be met, which can particularly affect the operations of client companies.

[0006] On the other hand, if the inventory quantity is set high, equipment can be provided in a timely manner in response to orders from customer companies, without affecting the operations of the customer companies, but if orders continue to fall short of the inventory quantity, the manufacturer will be left with inventory for a long period of time, making it difficult to reduce the resources required for manufacturing and storing inventory and the waste generated by the manufacturer. Also, manufacturers want to reduce the burden on them when manufacturing cables.

[0007] The present invention aims to provide an estimate creation device, estimate creation method, and program that can reduce the impact on the operations of a client company (for example, avoiding a situation where business is halted due to a sustained damage to power transmission lines), reduce the resources required for manufacturing and storing equipment by a manufacturing company, as well as the amount of exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide emitted, waste heat, or waste, thereby reducing the waste of resources and energy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] (1) A quotation preparation device comprising: a reception unit that receives a request for quotation for a cable from a customer; a processing unit that identifies a combination of manufacturing equipment based on information about the cable included in the quotation request; and a quotation preparation unit that creates multiple quotations for manufacturing each of the combinations of manufacturing equipment identified by the processing unit. (2) The quotation preparation device according to (1) includes a memory unit that stores information about cables sold to customers, and the processing unit includes a search unit that refers to the information about the cables sold to the customers and searches for candidate cables that can be manufactured at the same time as the cable for which the customer has requested a quotation, based on the information about the cable included in the quotation request, and an identification unit that identifies a combination of equipment to be manufactured based on the search results of the search unit, and the quotation preparation unit creates a first quotation for manufacturing only the cable for which the customer has requested a quotation, a second quotation for manufacturing a cable that adds an extension cable to the cable for which the customer has requested a quotation and is manufactured at the same time, and a third quotation for manufacturing the cable for which the customer has requested a quotation and the necessary equipment, (3) The quotation preparation device according to (1) includes a memory unit that stores information about a cable to be manufactured, and the processing unit includes a search unit that refers to the information about the cable to be manufactured and searches for candidate cables that can be manufactured simultaneously with the cable for which a quote has been requested from a customer, based on the information about the cable included in the quote request, and an identification unit that identifies a combination of equipment to be manufactured based on the search results of the search unit, and the quotation preparation unit prepares a first quotation for manufacturing only the cable for which a quote has been requested from the customer, a second quotation for manufacturing a cable that includes an extension cable to be manufactured simultaneously with the cable for which a quote has been requested from the customer, and a third quotation for manufacturing a cable that includes an extension cable to be manufactured simultaneously with the cable for which a quote has been requested from the customer, and the necessary equipment. (4) In the quotation creation device described in (2), when there are multiple candidate cables that can be manufactured at the same time as the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer based on the results of the search by the search unit, the identification unit identifies the cable to be manufactured as the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer, with all of the candidate cables added as extensions. (5) The quotation request is a request for preparing a plurality of cables with different specifications, and the processing unit identifies the length of a first cable that will be subject to preventive work before breakage from among the plurality of cables with different specifications, and the length of a second cable that will be subject to interleaving work or detour work from among the plurality of cables with different specifications. The quotation preparation unit prepares a first quotation for manufacturing all of the plurality of cables with different specifications for which a quotation has been requested from the customer, a second quotation for manufacturing a cable with a length equal to the total length of the first cable and the second cable, and a third quotation for manufacturing a cable with a length equal to the total length of the first cable and the second cable and the necessary equipment. (6) The quotation creation device according to (5), wherein the quotation creation unit creates a fourth quotation for manufacturing only a cable having the second cable length. (7) The quotation request is a request to replace a cable with a short-length emergency repair cable, and the quotation creation device described in (1) includes a memory unit that stores information about the cables in stock and the cables that have been sold, and the processing unit includes a search unit that refers to the information about the cables in stock and the cables that have been sold, and searches for a cable that corresponds to the cable for which the customer has requested a quotation based on the information about the emergency repair cable included in the quotation request, and an identification unit that identifies the combination of cables to be manufactured based on the search results of the search unit, and the quotation creation unit creates a first quotation for manufacturing only the short-length emergency repair cable for which the customer has requested a quotation, a second quotation for manufacturing a long cable corresponding to the entire length of the cable instead of the short-length emergency repair cable, and a third quotation for manufacturing the short-length emergency repair cable and the long cable at the same time. (8) A quotation preparation method including: a receiving step of receiving a quotation request for a cable from a customer; a processing step of identifying a combination of manufacturing equipment based on information about the cable included in the quotation request; and a quotation preparation step of creating multiple quotations for manufacturing each of the combinations of manufacturing equipment identified by the processing step. (9) A program for causing a computer to execute the following steps: a receiving step of receiving a request for a cable quotation from a customer; a processing step of identifying a combination of manufacturing equipment based on information about the cable included in the request for quotation; and a quotation creation step of creating multiple quotations for manufacturing each of the combinations of manufacturing equipment identified by the processing step. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The present disclosure can reduce the impact on customer company operations (for example, avoiding a situation where business is halted due to a sustained power transmission line damage), reduce the burden on manufacturers for manufacturing and storing equipment, and reduce waste of resources and energy. It can also reduce the number of cables stored unused and shorten the storage period. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a quotation creation system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of an estimate creation system according to an application example of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating an estimate. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a quotation creating system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a quotation creation system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a case where cables are connected to each other using a junction box. [Figure 7]FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of a quotation creation system according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the estimate creation method. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a computer. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another configuration of a computer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The configuration and operation of an estimate creation device, an estimate creation method, and a program for creating an estimate according to this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the content described in the following embodiment. Furthermore, the components described below include those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art and those that are substantially identical. Furthermore, the components described below can be combined as appropriate.

[0012] (First Example) FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a quotation creation system 100 according to a first embodiment. In the quotation creation system 100, a customer side 7 and a quotation creation device 1 are interconnected via a network NW such as the Internet. The quotation creation system 100 creates a quotation using the quotation creation device 1 when a request for a cable quotation is received from the customer side 7. The customer side 7 may be a single company or multiple companies, such as a first customer side 7a, a second customer side 7b, and a third customer side 7c. Hereinafter, the term "customer side 7" may refer to all customers, such as the first customer side 7a, the second customer side 7b, and the third customer side 7c, or may refer to each of the first customer side 7a, the second customer side 7b, and the third customer side 7c. The quotation creation device 1 receives quotation requests from multiple customers.

[0013] For example, the customer 7 operates a terminal device such as a personal computer, tablet, or smartphone to request a quote using a predetermined application or a predetermined form displayed in a web browser. Note that the terminal 3 may request a quote not via a terminal device, but via facsimile, email, or postcard or letter without using the network NW.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the quotation creation device 1 includes a reception unit 11, a processing unit 12, and a quotation creation unit 13.

[0015] The reception unit 11 receives a request for a cable quotation from a customer. When the customer 7 sends a request for a quotation by handwriting or printing, such as by facsimile, postcard, or letter, the reception unit 11 may use an OCR (Optical Character Recognition / Reader) function to convert the handwritten or printed characters into digital character codes that can be used by a computer, and transmit the converted character codes to the processing unit 12.

[0016] The processing unit 12 identifies the combination of equipment to be manufactured based on the information about the cable included in the quotation request. The information about the cable includes, for example, the length, rated voltage, and thickness (external dimensions) of the cable, as well as other information such as the cable specifications and the environment in which the cable is used. The rated voltage of a cable is the maximum operating voltage at which it can be used continuously without causing insulation breakdown.

[0017] Cable specifications include, for example, compliance standards, manufacturer name, production lot, production year, installer name, installation year, conductor (material, number of cores, nominal cross-sectional area, configuration, etc.), insulator (material, finished outer diameter), approximate mass, conductor resistance, protective tape (material, thickness), shielding layer (material thickness), water-shielding layer (material, thickness), armor / protective pipe (material, thickness, corrugation), anti-corrosion layer (material, finished outer diameter), shielding material (material), repeated bending resistance, minimum bending radius, termite resistance, waterproofing, seawater resistance, number of damaged areas, cause of damage, damage status of the conductor, protective layer, and insulator, and damage depth. The configuration includes, for example, oil-filled cable, CV cable, and CVT cable, as described in detail below. Information about the environment in which the cable is used includes, for example, the location of the cable, the type of installation (aerial or buried), the presence or absence of a protective pipe, the inner diameter of the protective pipe, the presence or absence of a work area for re-installation, and the presence or absence of a detour route for re-installation.

[0018] The combination of manufacturing facilities is a combination of facilities that offers various advantages when manufactured simultaneously with the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer 7.

[0019] Here, we will explain a combination of equipment that offers various advantages. When a cable used in a customer's factory is damaged, partial replacement work may be performed to replace only the damaged section of the cable with a new, shorter cable in order to quickly restore factory operations. The customer requests the manufacturer to manufacture a shorter cable for the partial replacement work. If the manufacturer has the requested short cable in stock, it will provide it, but if it does not have the requested short cable in stock, it will have to manufacture a new short cable.

[0020] On the other hand, a customer may plan a complete installation project to replace the entire cable in use at their factory, even though the cable has not yet been damaged, taking into consideration its useful life and state of use (deterioration). The customer requests a quote from the manufacturer for the manufacture of the cable. The manufacturer prepares a quote and sends it to the customer, and if approved, manufactures a long cable for the complete installation project. Note that the manufacturer may prepare and send (present) quotes multiple times depending on the customer's response.

[0021] Here, when comparing the case where the above-mentioned short cable and long cable are manufactured at different times with the case where the short cable and long cable are manufactured simultaneously, manufacturing them simultaneously has the advantage of reducing manufacturing costs compared to manufacturing them separately, and also has the advantage of reducing the resources required for manufacturing and storing the cables, the exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide emitted, waste heat, and waste, thereby reducing the waste of resources and energy.

[0022] Generally, long cables are manufactured in a continuous process, so producing short and long cables simultaneously is more effective in reducing exhaust gas, heat, and waste, and in reducing the waste of resources and energy, than producing short and long cables separately.

[0023] Specifically, in the production of long cables, exhaust gases, heat, and waste are generated during the warm-up period until the temperature conditions of extremely large extrusion manufacturing equipment and other equipment stabilize, the preparation period until various roll process equipment operates stably, and the cleaning period for extremely large equipment after production is completed.In addition, excess cable length is generated during the preparation period.

[0024] Here, when short and long cables are manufactured simultaneously, the warm-up period, preparation, and cleaning times are reduced compared to when short and long cables are manufactured separately. Therefore, when they are manufactured simultaneously, the amount of exhaust gas, heat, and waste generated during these periods is reduced, significantly reducing the waste of resources and energy.

[0025] From the customer's perspective, if a cable is suddenly damaged, it can take time to obtain a replacement cable, which can lead to a business suspension. However, if a short cable is prepared as a spare, restoration work can be carried out immediately, which has the advantage of minimizing the impact on company operations (for example, avoiding a situation where business is suspended due to the power transmission line remaining damaged).

[0026] Therefore, in cases like the one described above, both the customer and the manufacturer would find it advantageous in the long run to combine short and long cables in terms of manufacturing costs and the environment, etc. However, until now, these advantages have not been quantitatively demonstrated to customers.

[0027] The processing unit 12 determines which combination will be most advantageous based on the information about the cable included in the quotation request, and specifies the combination of facilities for manufacturing.

[0028] The estimate creation unit 13 creates multiple estimates for manufacturing each combination of manufacturing equipment identified by the processing unit 12. The estimate creation unit 13 may create multiple estimates individually, or may create multiple estimates collectively. For example, when creating three individual estimates, the estimate creation unit 13 creates three individual estimates. Also, when creating three estimates collectively, the estimate creation unit 13 creates one estimate including the contents of the three estimates. The estimates may be printed on paper and mailed to the customer side 7, or may be created as digital data and sent to the customer side 7 via the network NW.

[0029] The estimate creation unit 13 creates, for example, a first estimate including an estimate of the cost required to manufacture the cable for which the customer 7 has requested an estimate, and a second estimate including an estimate of the cost required to manufacture a different cable at the same time as the cable for which the customer 7 has requested an estimate. The second estimate is for manufacturing equipment at the same time that has not been requested by the customer 7, and is a new proposal to the customer. The estimates may also be created by a worker using a computer, printer, etc. In this case, the estimate creation unit 13 corresponds to the computer, printer, etc. operated by the worker.

[0030] The estimate creation unit 13 may quantify not only the cost (expense) of manufacturing each combination of equipment identified by the processing unit 12, but also the resources required during manufacturing, waste materials, resources, and energy emissions, and include this quantified information in the estimate. For example, the estimate creation unit 13 may include the carbon dioxide emissions involved in manufacturing, along with the manufacturing costs, in the estimate. Furthermore, the carbon dioxide emissions involved in manufacturing may be indicated in the second estimate based on the first estimate. For example, the second estimate may indicate the amount of carbon dioxide reduction (e.g., a 20% reduction).

[0031] In this way, when a customer 7 requests a quote for a cable, the quote creation device 1 identifies a combination of equipment that will be used to manufacture the cable for which the customer 7 requests a quote, along with a quote that includes an estimate of the costs required to manufacture the cable for which the customer 7 requests a quote. The quote creation device 1 then creates multiple quotes for each of the identified combinations of manufacturing equipment. The manufacturing company that operates and manages the quote creation device 1 can reduce the resources required for manufacturing and storing the equipment, as well as the exhaust gases (e.g., carbon dioxide) emitted, heat, and waste generated, thereby reducing resource and energy waste. The customer 7 can also reduce the impact on its own operations (e.g., avoiding a situation where a power transmission line remains damaged and business is halted). Furthermore, since the quote includes not only the manufacturing costs but also the waste, resources, and energy (e.g., carbon dioxide reductions) emitted during manufacturing, the customer 7 can quantitatively compare alternative combinations of manufacturing equipment and determine which quote to adopt, taking into account the global environmental perspective.

[0032] Next, an application example of the first embodiment will be described. As shown in Fig. 2, the quotation creation device 1 includes a storage unit 31 that stores information about cables sold to customers. The information includes, for example, the rated voltage, thickness, length, date and time of sale, and useful life of the cable.

[0033] The processing unit 12 includes a search unit 21 and an identification unit 22. The search unit 21 refers to information stored in the storage unit 31 and searches for candidate cables that can be manufactured simultaneously with the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer, based on information about the cable included in the quote request. The information about the cable included in the quote request includes, for example, the rated voltage and diameter of the cable. Candidate cables that can be manufactured simultaneously with the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer are those that have advantages in terms of manufacturing costs and the environment from a long-term perspective.

[0034] The identifying unit 22 identifies a combination of facilities for manufacturing based on the search results obtained by the searching unit 21.

[0035] The quotation preparation unit 13 prepares a first quotation for manufacturing only the cable for which the quotation was requested by the customer, a second quotation for manufacturing a cable that includes an extension cable to be manufactured at the same time as the cable for which the quotation was requested by the customer, and a third quotation for manufacturing a cable that includes an extension cable to be manufactured at the same time as the cable for which the quotation was requested by the customer and the necessary equipment. The quotation preparation unit 13 may prepare the first, second, and third quotation individually, or may include all three quotation in one quotation. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a quotation. FIG. 3(a) is a schematic diagram of the first quotation. FIG. 3(b) is a schematic diagram of the second quotation. FIG. 3(c) is a schematic diagram of the third quotation. FIG. 3(d) is a schematic diagram of the fourth quotation, which will be described later. Each quotation includes items such as carbon dioxide emissions, resin emissions, and costs. The quotation also includes other items such as the creation date, destination of the quotation, source of the quotation, remarks, etc. The numerical values ​​of each item shown in FIG. 3 are merely examples and are not limiting.

[0036] In this way, when a customer 7 requests a quote for a cable, the quote creation device 1 identifies a combination of equipment that will be used to manufacture the cable for which the customer 7 requests a quote, along with a quote that includes an estimate of the costs required to manufacture the cable for which the customer 7 requests a quote, and creates multiple quotes for manufacturing each of the identified combinations of manufacturing equipment. The manufacturing company that operates and manages the quote creation device 1 can reduce the resources required for manufacturing and storing the equipment, as well as the exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide emitted, waste heat, and waste, thereby reducing the waste of resources and energy. Furthermore, the customer 7 can reduce the impact on its own operations (for example, avoiding a situation where business is halted due to a power transmission line remaining damaged).

[0037] Based on the search results of the search unit 21, if there are multiple candidate cables that can be manufactured simultaneously with the cable for which the customer requested a quote, the identification unit 22 identifies the cable to be manufactured by adding all of the candidate cables as extensions to the cable for which the customer requested a quote. For example, if the cable for which the customer requested a quote is 500 meters long and there are three cables (200 sq m) that can be manufactured simultaneously (e.g., one 50 m, one 100 m, and one 200 m), the identification unit 22 identifies the cable to be manufactured, which is the sum of the 500 m, 50 m, 100 m, and 200 m. Here, "sq" is an index representing the thickness of the cable's conductor and is specified by the JIS standard. It particularly represents the cross-sectional area (square millimeters) of the twisted conductor. In the United States, AWG is used.

[0038] If a 500m cable, a 50m cable, a 100m cable, and a 200m cable were to be manufactured separately, the manufacturing equipment would need to be operated in four separate runs. However, manufacturing an 850m cable in one run and then cutting it into a 500m cable, a 50m cable, a 100m cable, and a 200m cable has the advantage of reducing costs and also reduces the resources required to manufacture the cables, as well as the exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide emitted, waste heat, and waste, thereby reducing the waste of resources and energy.

[0039] (Second Example) A second embodiment will now be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of an estimate creation system 101 according to the second embodiment. In the estimate creation system 101, a customer side 7 and an estimate creation device 2 are interconnected via a network NW such as the Internet. The estimate creation system 101 is a system that creates an estimate using the estimate creation device 2 when a cable estimate request is received from the customer side 7. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations will be omitted.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 4, the quotation creation device 2 includes a first storage unit 31a that stores information about cables to be manufactured. This information includes information about cables that have not yet been manufactured by the manufacturing company but are scheduled to be manufactured in the future at the request of the customer 7 (so-called cables in process). The information about the cables to be manufactured includes, for example, the length, rated voltage, and thickness (external dimensions) of the cables to be manufactured, as well as other specifications of the cables to be manufactured. Cable specifications include, for example, compliance standards, conductor (material, number of cores, nominal cross-sectional area, configuration, etc.), insulator (material, finished outer diameter), approximate mass, conductor resistance, protective tape (material, thickness), shielding layer (material, thickness), waterproof layer (material, thickness), armor / protective tube (material, thickness, corrugation), corrosion protection layer (material, finished outer diameter), shielding material (material), repeated bending resistance, minimum bending radius, termite resistance, waterproofing, seawater resistance, number of damaged areas, cause of damage, damage status of the conductor, protective layer, and insulator, damage depth, etc.

[0041] The first processing unit 12a includes a first search unit 21a and a first identification unit 22a. The first search unit 21a refers to information stored in the first storage unit 31a and searches for candidate cables that can be manufactured simultaneously with the cable for which the customer has requested a quote, based on information about the cable included in the quote request. The information about the cable included in the quote request includes, for example, the rated voltage and diameter of the cable. Candidate cables that can be manufactured simultaneously with the cable for which the customer has requested a quote are those that have advantages in terms of manufacturing costs and the environment from a long-term perspective.

[0042] The first identifying unit 22a identifies a combination of manufacturing facilities based on the search results obtained by the first searching unit 21a.

[0043] The quotation preparation unit 13 prepares a first quotation for manufacturing only the cable for which a quotation has been requested by the customer, a second quotation for manufacturing a cable obtained by adding an extension cable to the cable for which a quotation has been requested by the customer to be manufactured at the same time, and a third quotation for manufacturing a cable obtained by adding an extension cable to the cable for which a quotation has been requested by the customer to be manufactured at the same time and the necessary equipment. The quotation preparation unit 13 may prepare the first quotation, second quotation, and third quotation separately, or may include all three quotation in one quotation.

[0044] The quotation preparation unit 13 may quantify not only the cost (expense) of manufacturing each combination of equipment identified by the processing unit 12, but also the resources required during manufacturing, waste, resources, and energy generated, and include this quantified information in the quotation.

[0045] When manufacturing a cable (e.g., 3000 m), a certain amount of excess length (e.g., 100 m) is generated. This excess length is subject to disposal because it is not a stable product quality. Here, when manufacturing three 3000 m cables, if the three cables are manufactured separately and each cable has an excess length of, say, 100 m, 300 m of excess length will be generated. On the other hand, if a 3000 m cable is manufactured in one go (i.e., a 9000 m cable) and then divided into three, only 100 m of excess length will be required. Furthermore, operating the manufacturing equipment multiple times to manufacture a cable consumes less energy than operating it once, making the latter a more environmentally friendly manufacturing method. Therefore, the customer 7 can quantitatively compare options for combinations of manufacturing facilities and decide which quotation to adopt, taking into account the global environmental perspective, since the quotation contains not only the costs at the time of quotation and manufacturing, but also quantified information on waste, resources, and energy (for example, the amount of carbon dioxide reduction) emitted during manufacturing.

[0046] Furthermore, the information included in the quotation that quantifies the waste, resources, and energy (e.g., carbon dioxide reduction) emitted during manufacturing may be absolute or relative. For example, the second quotation may include a percentage compared to the first quotation as a relative value.

[0047] In this way, when a customer 7 requests a quote for a cable, the quote creation device 2 identifies a combination of equipment that will be used to manufacture the cable for which the customer 7 requests a quote, along with a quote that includes an estimate of the costs required to manufacture the cable for which the customer 7 requests a quote, and creates multiple quotes for manufacturing each of the identified combinations of manufacturing equipment. The manufacturing company that operates and manages the quote creation device 2 can reduce the resources required to manufacture and store the equipment, as well as the exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide emitted, waste heat, and waste, thereby reducing the waste of resources and energy. Furthermore, the customer 7 can reduce the impact on its own operations (for example, avoiding a situation where business is halted due to a power transmission line remaining damaged).

[0048] (Third Example) A third embodiment will now be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of an estimate creation system 102 according to the third embodiment. In the estimate creation system 102, a customer side 7 and an estimate creation device 3 are interconnected via a network NW such as the Internet. The estimate creation system 102 is a system that creates an estimate using the estimate creation device 3 when a cable estimate request is received from the customer side 7. Note that the same components as those in the first and second embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations will be omitted.

[0049] In the third embodiment, the quotation request is a request to prepare a plurality of cables with different specifications.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 5, the quotation creation device 3 includes a reception unit 11, a second processing unit 12b, and a quotation creation unit 13.

[0051] The second processing unit 12b identifies the length of a first cable that is the target of preventive work before breakage from among a plurality of cables with different specifications (e.g., rated voltage, diameter, configuration, etc.) and the length of a second cable that is the target of split work or detour work. The first cable is used for full-scale installation work to lay the entire cable (full line). The second cable is used for partial replacement work to replace part of the cable. Furthermore, the first cable and the second cable are compatible, with the first cable being the higher-ranking cable.

[0052] This section explains the process of splicing a new cable to an existing cable. When splicing cables, the new cable is transported to the site and the splicing work is performed there. The various materials required for splicing cables, such as conductor splicing tubes, fusion tape, and conductive tape, are called splicing materials, and a splice box is manufactured using these materials. Splice boxes include tape-wound intermediate splice boxes, which connect cables by wrapping tape around them, and rubber block intermediate splice boxes, which are factory-expanded to a larger diameter than the cable sheath using a spiral core and then attached to the cable by removing the spiral core at the site. Tape-wound intermediate splice boxes are also called various names, such as tape-wound intermediate joints and TJs. Tape-wound intermediate splice boxes are also used to connect cables with large diameter differences. Rubber block intermediate splice boxes are also called various names, such as rubber block joints and RBJs (rubber block joints).

[0053] Next, we will briefly explain the case of connecting cables of different diameters. Figure 6 is a diagram that schematically shows the process of connecting cables of different diameters using a connection box (tape-wound intermediate connection box). In the figure, "A" indicates the currently installed cable (e.g., an 80 sq. cable), "X" indicates the fault location (e.g., the broken part), "B" indicates a second cable (e.g., a 1000 sq. cable) to be connected to the end of the currently installed cable, and "C1, C2" indicate the connection boxes.

[0054] At the site, a worker cuts a portion of cable A as shown in Figure 6(b), and then, as shown in Figure 6(c), connects one end of the cut cable A to one end of a second cable B using a connection box C1, and also connects the other end of the cut cable A to the other end of the second cable B using a connection box C2.

[0055] Furthermore, cables are classified into CV cables, CVT cables, etc. depending on the configuration. CV cables are, for example, configured with a single core. The diameter of a CV cable is, for example, 80 sq to 2500 sq when the rated voltage is 66 kV, 400 sq to 2500 sq when the rated voltage is 77 kV, and 200 sq to 2500 sq when the rated voltage is 154 kV. Furthermore, CVT cables are, for example, configured by twisting together three single-core cables. The diameter of a CVT cable is 80 sq to 1200 sq.

[0056] The quotation preparation unit 13 prepares a first quotation for manufacturing all of a plurality of cables with different specifications for which a quotation has been requested by a customer, a second quotation for manufacturing a cable having a length equal to the total length of the first cable and the second cable, and a third quotation for manufacturing a cable having a length equal to the total length of the first cable and the second cable and the necessary equipment.

[0057] Here, for example, the case where the reception unit 11 receives a request from the customer 7 for a quote for multiple cables with different specifications, stating that three cables (for example, a cable with a rated voltage of 77 kV, 400 sq m, 3000 m, a cable with a rated voltage of 66 kV, 250 sq m, 2000 m, and a cable with a rated voltage of 66 kV, 200 sq m, 1000 m) used on an important line are old and that spare parts would like to be prepared for safety reasons will be described below.

[0058] In addition, in the case of a cable with a rated voltage of 77kV, 400sq, 3000m, a cable with a rated voltage of 66kV, 250sq, 2000m, and a cable with a rated voltage of 66kV, 200sq, 1000m, the 77kV, 400sq cable is the higher-ranking cable.

[0059] Based on the above-mentioned details of the estimate requested by the customer 7, the second processing unit 12b determines a cable with a rated voltage of 77 kV and 400 sq m as the first cable to be subjected to preventive repair before damage occurs, and specifies the length of the first cable as 3000 m. The second processing unit 12b also determines a cable with a rated voltage of 66 kV and 250 sq m and a cable with a rated voltage of 66 kV and 200 sq m as the second cables, and specifies the length of the second cables as 100 m. Note that the length of the second cables is not limited to 100 m, and may be 50 m, 150 m, or the like.

[0060] The quotation preparation unit 13 prepares a first quotation for the manufacture of three cables, which are a cable with a rated voltage of 77 kV, 400 sq m, and 3000 m, a cable with a rated voltage of 66 kV, 250 sq m, and 2000 m, and a cable with a rated voltage of 66 kV, 200 sq m, and 1000 m, as requested by the customer 7.

[0061] In addition, the quotation preparation unit 13 prepares a second quotation for manufacturing a cable (3100 m) with a rated voltage of 77 kV and 400 sq m, the length of which is the sum of the length of the first cable (3000 m) and the length of the second cable (100 m).

[0062] In addition, the quotation preparation unit 13 prepares a third quotation for the manufacture of a cable with a rated voltage of 77 kV and 400 sq m, a length (3100 m) that is the sum of the length of the first cable (3000 m) and the length of the second cable (100 m), and a different diameter connecting material (material capable of manufacturing two different shaped connecting boxes) as necessary equipment.

[0063] The second and third quotations are not requested by the customer 7, but are proposals from the manufacturing company.

[0064] The customer 7 receives the first, second, and third estimates, listens to explanations from the manufacturer, and decides which estimate to use to place an order. From a long-term perspective, the second and third estimates allow for immediate partial replacement work using the second cable, even if the cable is damaged due to a sudden accident, which also has the effect of reducing risk.

[0065] Furthermore, the quotation creation unit 13 may quantify not only the cost (expense) of manufacturing the cable, but also the resources required during manufacturing, as well as the waste, resources, and energy emitted during manufacturing, and include this quantified information in the quotation. Since the quotation includes not only the manufacturing cost but also quantified information on the waste, resources, and energy emitted during manufacturing (for example, the amount of carbon dioxide reduction), the customer 7 can quantitatively compare options for combinations of manufacturing equipment and determine which quotation to adopt, taking into account the global environmental perspective.

[0066] In this way, when a customer 7 requests a quote for a cable, the quote creation device 3 identifies a combination of equipment that will be used to manufacture the cable for which the customer 7 requests a quote, along with a quote that includes an estimate of the costs required to manufacture the cable for which the customer 7 requests a quote, and creates multiple quotes for manufacturing each of the identified combinations of manufacturing equipment. The manufacturing company that operates and manages the quote creation device 3 can reduce the resources required for manufacturing and storing the equipment, as well as the exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide emitted, waste heat, and waste, thereby reducing the waste of resources and energy. Furthermore, the customer 7 can reduce the impact on its own operations (for example, avoiding a situation where business is halted due to a power transmission line remaining damaged).

[0067] The quotation preparation unit 13 may also be configured to prepare a fourth quotation for manufacturing only a cable of the second cable length (rated voltage 77 kV, diameter 400 sq, length 100 m). Figure 3(d) is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the fourth quotation. The fourth quotation includes items such as carbon dioxide emissions, resin emissions, and costs. The quotation also includes other items such as the date of creation, destination of the quotation, source of the quotation, and remarks. The numerical values ​​of each item shown in Figure 3(d) are examples and are not limited to these.

[0068] Furthermore, if the first cable according to the first quotation and the second cable according to the fourth quotation were manufactured separately, the total carbon dioxide emissions would be 8 kg, the total resin emissions would be 1.6 tons, and the total cost would be 38 million yen. The second quotation is for manufacturing the first and second cables simultaneously, which would result in 6 kg of carbon dioxide emissions, 1.2 tons of resin emissions, and 32 million yen. Therefore, manufacturing the first and second cables simultaneously would reduce carbon dioxide emissions and resin emissions, and would also keep costs lower.

[0069] The customer 7 receives the second, third and fourth estimates along with the first estimate for which the customer requested a quote, which gives the customer a wider range of choices and allows the customer to plan cable maintenance from various perspectives.

[0070] (Fourth Example) A fourth embodiment will now be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of an estimate creation system 103 according to the fourth embodiment. In the estimate creation system 103, a customer side 7 and an estimate creation device 4 are interconnected via a network NW such as the Internet. The estimate creation system 103 is a system that creates an estimate using the estimate creation device 4 when a cable estimate request is received from the customer side 7. Note that the same components as those in the first, second, and third embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations will be omitted.

[0071] In the fourth embodiment, the quotation request is for replacement with a short cable for emergency restoration. Emergency restoration is synonymous with the partial replacement work described above.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 7, the quotation creation device 4 includes a reception unit 11, a second processing unit 12c, a quotation creation unit 13, and a second storage unit 31c.

[0073] The second storage unit 31c stores information about owned cables and sold cables. Information about owned cables is information about cables that have not yet been sold and are stored in a warehouse. Information about sold cables is information about cables that have been sold to customers, and may be generated as separate information for each customer.

[0074] This information includes, for example, the rated voltage, thickness (external dimensions), length, and service life of the cable, but may also include other cable specifications, etc. The rated voltage is the maximum operating voltage that can be used continuously without causing insulation breakdown.

[0075] Cable specifications include, for example, compliance standards, manufacturer name, production lot, production year, conductor (material, number of cores, nominal cross-sectional area, configuration, etc.), insulator (material, finished outer diameter), approximate mass, conductor resistance, protective tape (material, thickness), shielding layer (material, thickness), waterproof layer (material, thickness), armor / protective tube (material, thickness, wave shape), corrosion protection layer (material, finished outer diameter), shielding material (material), repeated bending resistance, minimum bending radius, termite resistance, waterproofing, seawater resistance, number of damaged parts, cause of damage, damage status of the conductor, protective layer, and insulator, damage depth, etc.

[0076] The second processing unit 12c includes a second search unit 21c and a second identification unit 22c. The second search unit 21c refers to information stored in the second storage unit 31c and searches for a cable corresponding to the cable for which a quote has been requested from the customer, based on information about the emergency restoration cable included in the quote request. The information about the cable included in the quote request includes, for example, the rated voltage and thickness of the cable.

[0077] Specifically, the second search unit 21c refers to the information stored in the second storage unit 31c and searches whether the second search unit 21c has the same cable as the cable for emergency restoration for which a quote has been requested, or an alternative cable. The second search unit 21c also searches for information on cables previously sold to the customer for whom a quote has been requested.

[0078] The second specifying unit 22c specifies a combination of cables to be manufactured based on the search results obtained by the second searching unit 21c.

[0079] The estimate preparation unit 13 prepares a first estimate for manufacturing only the short emergency restoration cable requested by the customer, a second estimate for manufacturing a long cable corresponding to the entire length of the cable instead of the short emergency restoration cable, and a third estimate for manufacturing the short emergency restoration cable and the long cable simultaneously. The estimate preparation unit 13 may prepare the first, second, and third estimates separately, or one estimate may contain all three estimates. The estimate preparation unit 13 may also be configured to prepare a fourth estimate for manufacturing the equipment required to connect the short cable to other cables.

[0080] Here, for example, the case where the reception unit 11 receives a quote request from the customer 7 requesting that a cable with a rated voltage of 66 kV, a diameter of 400 sq m, and a length of 3000 m be replaced with an emergency restoration cable (for example, a rated voltage of 66 kV, a diameter of 400 sq m, and a length of 100 m) because the cable has been damaged will be described below. The quote request is expected to include an estimate of the delivery date and price for the emergency restoration cable, if it is to be manufactured in the future.

[0081] For example, if the second search unit 21c finds that the cable for which a quote has been requested is still held in stock, the held cable may be conveyed to the customer side 7 and sold as is.

[0082] Furthermore, when the second search unit 21c finds that the customer who requested a quote is currently using 30 cables with a rated voltage of 66 kV and a diameter smaller than 400 sq., the second identification unit 22c, anticipating the possibility that these electric wires will be replaced in the future and that after emergency restoration work (partial replacement work), work to replace the entire cable line (full installation work) will be carried out, identifies the first cable (cable for emergency restoration) of 66 kV, a diameter of 400 sq. and a length of 100 m, the second cable (cable for full installation work) of 66 kV, a diameter of 400 sq. and a length of 3000 m, and the third cable of 66 kV, a diameter of 400 sq. and a length of 3100 m, for which quotes have been requested from the customer side 7. The third cable will be divided into a 3,000m cable and a 100m cable. The 3,000m cable will be used for the entire installation work, and the 100m cable will be used as an emergency restoration cable in the event that the cable currently being used by the customer breaks down.

[0083] The estimate preparation unit 13 prepares a first estimate for manufacturing a cable with a rated voltage of 66 kV, a diameter of 400 sq m, and a length of 100 m. The estimate preparation unit 13 also prepares a second estimate for manufacturing a cable with a rated voltage of 66 kV, a diameter of 400 sq m, and a length of 3000 m. The estimate preparation unit 13 also prepares a third estimate for manufacturing a cable with a rated voltage of 66 kV, a diameter of 400 sq m, and a length of 3100 m. The estimate preparation unit 13 may also be configured to prepare a fourth estimate for manufacturing equipment (junction box) included in the third estimate that is used to connect a cable for emergency restoration when a cable currently in use by the customer breaks down to another cable.

[0084] Until now, when a cable suddenly broke, Customer 7 would first perform partial replacement work using a cable for emergency repair, which would incur the costs listed in the first estimate, and then later perform work to replace the entire cable that had been temporarily repaired (full installation work), which would incur the costs listed in the second estimate. Therefore, by adopting the third estimate, Customer 7 will be able to achieve significant cost reductions. Furthermore, since the third estimate includes a cable for emergency repair when the cable currently being used by the customer breaks, it has the advantage of being able to perform emergency repairs immediately when other cables in use break, allowing for early restoration.

[0085] Furthermore, the quotation creation unit 13 may quantify not only the cost (expense) of manufacturing the cable, but also the resources required during manufacturing, as well as the waste, resources, and energy emitted during manufacturing, and include this quantified information in the quotation. Since the quotation includes not only the manufacturing cost but also quantified information on the waste, resources, and energy emitted during manufacturing (for example, the amount of carbon dioxide reduction), the customer 7 can quantitatively compare options for combinations of manufacturing equipment and determine which quotation to adopt, taking into account the global environmental perspective.

[0086] (How to create a quote) Next, we will explain a method for creating an estimate that minimizes the impact on the operations of a client company (for example, to avoid a situation where business is halted due to a sustained power transmission line damage), minimizes the resources required for the manufacturing company to manufacture and store equipment, minimizes the amount of exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide emitted, waste heat, and waste, and minimizes the waste of resources and energy. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the steps in the estimate creation method.

[0087] In step ST1, the reception unit 11 receives a request for a cable estimate from a customer (reception step).

[0088] In step ST2, the processing unit 12 identifies a combination of equipment for manufacturing based on the information about the cable included in the quotation request (processing step).

[0089] In step ST3, the estimate preparation unit 13 prepares a plurality of estimates for manufacturing each of the combinations of manufacturing facilities identified by the processing steps (estimate preparation step).

[0090] In this way, when a customer 7 requests a quote for a cable, the quote creation method identifies a combination of equipment that will be used to manufacture the cable for which the customer 7 requests a quote, along with a quote that includes an estimate of the costs required to manufacture the cable for which the customer 7 requests a quote, and creates multiple quotes for manufacturing each of the identified combinations of manufacturing equipment. A manufacturing company that implements the quote creation method can reduce the resources required to manufacture and store the equipment, as well as the amount of exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide emitted, waste heat, and waste, thereby reducing the waste of resources and energy. In addition, the customer 7 can reduce the impact on its own operations (for example, avoid a situation where a power transmission line remains damaged and business is halted).

[0091] The estimate creation step may quantify not only the cost (expense) of manufacturing each combination of equipment identified by the processing step, but also the resources required for manufacturing, and the waste, resources, and energy emitted during manufacturing, and include this quantified information in the estimate. For example, the estimate creation step may include the carbon dioxide emissions required for manufacturing, as well as the manufacturing cost, in the estimate.

[0092] With this configuration, the customer can quantitatively compare options for combinations of manufacturing equipment and decide which estimate to adopt, taking into account the global environmental perspective, since the estimate includes not only the manufacturing costs but also the waste, resources, and energy (e.g., the amount of carbon dioxide reduction) generated during manufacturing.

[0093] The processing steps of step ST2 may include the following steps.

[0094] In step ST21, the search unit 21 refers to information about the cable sold to the customer stored in the memory unit 31, and searches for candidate cables that can be manufactured at the same time as the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer, based on the information about the cable included in the request for quote (search process).

[0095] In step ST22, the specifying unit 22 specifies a combination of facilities for manufacturing based on the results of the search in the search step (specifying step).

[0096] In the estimate preparation process, the estimate preparation unit 13 prepares a first estimate in the case of manufacturing only the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer, a second estimate in the case of manufacturing a cable in which an extension cable to be manufactured at the same time is added to the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer, and a third estimate in the case of manufacturing a cable in which an extension cable to be manufactured at the same time is added to the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer and the necessary equipment.

[0097] According to this configuration, when a customer 7 requests a quote for a cable, the quote creation method identifies a combination of equipment that will be manufactured at the same time as the cable for which the customer 7 requests a quote, along with a quote that includes an estimate of the costs required to manufacture the cable for which the customer 7 requests a quote, and creates multiple quotes for manufacturing each of the identified combinations of manufacturing equipment. A manufacturing company that implements the quote creation method can reduce the resources required to manufacture and store the equipment, as well as the amount of exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide emitted, waste heat, and waste, thereby reducing the waste of resources and energy. In addition, the customer 7 can reduce the impact on its own operations (for example, avoid a situation where a power transmission line remains damaged and business is halted).

[0098] Furthermore, in the identification process of step ST22, if there are multiple candidate cables that can be manufactured at the same time as the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer, based on the results of the search in the search process, the identification unit 22 identifies the cable to be manufactured as the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer plus all of the candidate cables as extensions.

[0099] For example, if a customer requests a quote for a 500m cable of 200sq, and there are three cables (200sq) that can be manufactured at the same time (for example, one 50m, one 100m, and one 200m), the identification unit 22 will identify that a cable of 850m in length should be manufactured, which is the sum of 500m, 50m, 100m, and 200m.

[0100] If a 500m cable, a 50m cable, a 100m cable, and a 200m cable were to be manufactured separately, the manufacturing equipment would need to be operated in four separate runs. However, manufacturing an 850m cable in one run and then cutting it into a 500m cable, a 50m cable, a 100m cable, and a 200m cable has the advantage of reducing costs and also reduces the resources required to manufacture the cables, as well as the exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide emitted, waste heat, and waste, thereby reducing the waste of resources and energy.

[0101] The processing steps of step ST2 may also include the following steps.

[0102] In step ST21a, the first search unit 21a refers to the information stored in the first memory unit 31a and searches for candidate cables that can be manufactured at the same time as the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer, based on the information about the cable included in the quote request (first search process).

[0103] The information about the cable included in the quotation request is, for example, the rated voltage and thickness of the cable. Candidates for cables that can be manufactured at the same time as the cable for which the quotation was requested by the customer are those that have advantages in terms of manufacturing costs and the environment from a long-term perspective.

[0104] In step ST22a, the first identifying unit 22a identifies a combination of facilities for manufacturing based on the results of the search in the first search step (first identifying step).

[0105] In the case of the above configuration, in the estimate preparation process, the estimate preparation unit 13 prepares a first estimate in the case of manufacturing only the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer, a second estimate in the case of manufacturing a cable that includes the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer and an additional cable that will be manufactured at the same time as an extension, and a third estimate in the case of manufacturing a cable that includes the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer and an additional cable that will be manufactured at the same time as an extension, and the necessary equipment.

[0106] The estimate creation process may quantify not only the cost (expenses) of manufacturing the equipment, but also the resources required during manufacturing, waste materials, resources, and energy generated, and include this quantified information in the estimate.

[0107] According to this configuration, when a customer 7 requests a quote for a cable, the quote creation method identifies a combination of equipment that will be used to manufacture the cable for which the customer 7 requests a quote, along with a quote that includes an estimate of the costs required to manufacture the cable for which the customer 7 requests a quote. The method then creates multiple quotes for each of the identified combinations of manufacturing equipment. A manufacturing company that implements the quote creation method can reduce the resources required for manufacturing and storing the equipment, as well as the amount of exhaust gases (e.g., carbon dioxide) emitted, waste heat, and waste products, thereby reducing resource and energy waste. The customer 7 can also reduce the impact on its operations (e.g., avoiding a situation where a power transmission line remains damaged and business is halted). The quote also includes quantified information on not only the manufacturing costs but also the waste, resources, and energy (e.g., carbon dioxide reductions) emitted during manufacturing. This allows the customer 7 to quantitatively compare alternative combinations of manufacturing equipment and determine which quote to adopt, taking into account the global environmental perspective.

[0108] Furthermore, if the quotation request is for preparing a plurality of cables with different specifications, the processing steps of step ST2 may include the following steps.

[0109] In step ST12b, the second processing unit 12b identifies the length of the first cable that will be subject to preventive work before breakage from among multiple cables with different specifications (e.g., rated voltage, diameter, configuration, etc.), and the length of the second cable that will be subject to interposition work or detour work.

[0110] In the above configuration, in the estimate creation process, the estimate creation unit 13 creates a first estimate for manufacturing all of the multiple cables with different specifications for which a customer has requested a quote, a second estimate for manufacturing a cable whose length is the sum of the length of the first cable and the length of the second cable, and a third estimate for manufacturing a cable whose length is the sum of the length of the first cable and the length of the second cable and the necessary equipment.

[0111] The customer 7 receives the first, second, and third estimates, listens to explanations from the manufacturer, and decides which estimate to use to place an order. From a long-term perspective, the second and third estimates allow for immediate partial replacement work using the second cable, even if the cable is damaged due to a sudden accident, which also has the effect of reducing risk.

[0112] Furthermore, the estimate creation process may quantify not only the cost (expense) of manufacturing the cable, but also the resources required during manufacturing, as well as the waste, resources, and energy emitted during manufacturing, and include this quantified information in the estimate. Since the estimate includes quantified information on not only the manufacturing cost but also the waste, resources, and energy emitted during manufacturing (for example, the amount of carbon dioxide reduction), the customer 7 can quantitatively compare options for combinations of manufacturing equipment and decide which estimate to adopt, taking into account the global environmental perspective.

[0113] In this way, when a customer 7 requests a quote for a cable, the quote creation method identifies a combination of equipment that will be used to manufacture the cable for which the customer 7 requests a quote, along with a quote that includes an estimate of the costs required to manufacture the cable for which the customer 7 requests a quote, and creates multiple quotes for manufacturing each of the identified combinations of manufacturing equipment. A manufacturing company that implements the quote creation method can reduce the resources required to manufacture and store the equipment, as well as the amount of exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide emitted, waste heat, and waste, thereby reducing the waste of resources and energy. In addition, the customer 7 can reduce the impact on its own operations (for example, avoid a situation where a power transmission line remains damaged and business is halted).

[0114] In addition, in the estimate preparation step, the estimate preparation unit 13 may be configured to prepare a fourth estimate for the case where only a cable of the second cable length (rated voltage 77 kV, diameter 400 sq, length 100 m) is to be manufactured.

[0115] The customer 7 receives the second, third and fourth estimates along with the first estimate for which the customer requested a quote, which gives the customer a wider range of choices and allows the customer to plan cable maintenance from various perspectives.

[0116] Furthermore, if the estimate request is for replacing the cable with a short cable for emergency restoration, the processing steps of step ST2 may include the following steps.

[0117] In step ST21c, the second search unit 21c refers to information about the cables in its possession and the cables it has sold, which is stored in the second memory unit 31c, and searches for a cable corresponding to the cable for which the customer has requested a quote, based on information about the emergency restoration cable included in the request for quote (second search process).

[0118] In step ST22c, the second specifying unit 22c specifies a combination of cables to be manufactured based on the results of the search in the second search step (second specifying step).

[0119] In the case of the above configuration, in the quotation preparation process, the quotation preparation unit 13 prepares a first quotation in the case of manufacturing only the short emergency restoration cable for which a quotation has been requested by the customer, a second quotation in the case of manufacturing a long cable corresponding to the entire length of the cable rather than the short emergency restoration cable, and a third quotation in the case of manufacturing the short emergency restoration cable and the long cable at the same time.

[0120] Furthermore, the estimate creation process may quantify not only the cost (expense) of manufacturing the cable, but also the resources required during manufacturing, as well as the waste, resources, and energy emitted during manufacturing, and include this quantified information in the estimate. Since the estimate includes quantified information on not only the manufacturing cost but also the waste, resources, and energy emitted during manufacturing (for example, the amount of carbon dioxide reduction), the customer 7 can quantitatively compare options for combinations of manufacturing equipment and decide which estimate to adopt, taking into account the global environmental perspective.

[0121] Until now, when a cable suddenly broke, Customer 7 would first perform partial replacement work using a cable for emergency repair, which would incur the costs listed in the first estimate, and then later perform work to replace the entire cable that had been temporarily repaired (full installation work), which would incur the costs listed in the second estimate. Therefore, by adopting the third estimate, Customer 7 will be able to achieve significant cost reductions. Furthermore, since the third estimate includes a cable for emergency repair when the cable currently being used by the customer breaks, it has the advantage of being able to perform emergency repairs immediately when other cables in use break, allowing for early restoration.

[0122] (About the program) Next, we will explain a program for reducing the impact on the operations of a client company (for example, to avoid a situation where business is halted due to a sustained power transmission line damage), reducing the resources required for the manufacturing company to manufacture and store equipment, as well as the amount of exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide emitted, waste heat, and waste materials, thereby reducing the waste of resources and energy. The program mainly consists of the following steps, and is executed by a computer 500 (hardware).

[0123] Step 1: Receive a request for a cable quotation from the customer (reception step). Step 2: Based on the information about the cable included in the quotation request, the combination of equipment to be manufactured is identified (processing step). Step 3: Create multiple quotations for manufacturing each combination of manufacturing equipment identified in the processing step (quotation creation step).

[0124] By executing this program, when a customer 7 requests a quote for a cable, the program generates a quote that includes an estimate of the costs required to manufacture the cable requested by the customer 7, as well as a combination of equipment that will be manufactured at the same time as the cable requested by the customer 7, and creates multiple quotes for manufacturing each of the identified combinations of manufacturing equipment.By executing this program, a manufacturing company can reduce the resources required for manufacturing and storing equipment, as well as the amount of exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide emitted, waste heat, and waste, thereby reducing the waste of resources and energy.In addition, the customer 7 can reduce the impact on its own operations (for example, avoid a situation where a power transmission line remains damaged and business is halted).

[0125] The estimate creation step may quantify not only the cost (expense) of manufacturing each combination of equipment identified by the processing step, but also the resources required for manufacturing, and the waste, resources, and energy emitted during manufacturing, and include this quantified information in the estimate. For example, the estimate creation step may include the carbon dioxide emissions required for manufacturing, as well as the manufacturing cost, in the estimate.

[0126] With this configuration, the customer can quantitatively compare options for combinations of manufacturing equipment and decide which estimate to adopt, taking into account the global environmental perspective, since the estimate includes not only the manufacturing costs but also the waste, resources, and energy (e.g., the amount of carbon dioxide reduction) generated during manufacturing.

[0127] Step 2 (treatment step) may include the following steps: Step 21: Information about the cables sold to the customer stored in memory unit 31 is referenced, and based on the information about the cable included in the quotation request, a search is conducted for candidate cables that can be manufactured at the same time as the cable for which a quotation has been requested by the customer (search step). Step 22: Based on the results of the search in the search step, a combination of equipment for manufacturing is identified (identification step).

[0128] In the quotation preparation process, a first quotation is prepared in the case of manufacturing only the cable for which the quotation has been requested by the customer, a second quotation is prepared in the case of manufacturing a cable in which the cable for which the quotation has been requested by the customer is extended by adding a cable to be manufactured at the same time, and a third quotation is prepared in the case of manufacturing a cable in which the cable for which the quotation has been requested by the customer is extended by adding a cable to be manufactured at the same time and the necessary equipment.

[0129] By executing this program, when a customer 7 requests a quote for a cable, the program generates a quote that includes an estimate of the costs required to manufacture the cable requested by the customer 7, as well as a combination of equipment that will be manufactured at the same time as the cable requested by the customer 7, and creates multiple quotes for manufacturing each of the identified combinations of manufacturing equipment.By executing this program, a manufacturing company can reduce the resources required for manufacturing and storing equipment, as well as the amount of exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide emitted, waste heat, and waste, thereby reducing the waste of resources and energy.In addition, the customer 7 can reduce the impact on its own operations (for example, avoid a situation where a power transmission line remains damaged and business is halted).

[0130] Furthermore, in step 22 (identification step), if there are multiple candidate cables that can be manufactured at the same time as the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer, based on the results of the search in the search step, the identification unit 22 identifies the cable to be manufactured as the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer plus all of the candidate cables as extensions.

[0131] For example, if a customer requests a quote for a 500m cable of 200sq, and there are three cables (200sq) that can be manufactured at the same time (for example, one 50m, one 100m, and one 200m), the identification unit 22 will identify that a cable of 850m in length should be manufactured, which is the sum of 500m, 50m, 100m, and 200m.

[0132] If a 500m cable, a 50m cable, a 100m cable, and a 200m cable were to be manufactured separately, the manufacturing equipment would need to be operated in four separate runs. However, manufacturing an 850m cable in one run and then cutting it into a 500m cable, a 50m cable, a 100m cable, and a 200m cable has the advantage of reducing costs and also reduces the resources required to manufacture the cables, as well as the exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide emitted, waste heat, and waste, thereby reducing the waste of resources and energy.

[0133] Step 2 (treatment step) may also include the following steps: Step 21a: By referring to the information stored in the first memory unit 31a, and based on the information about the cable included in the quotation request, a search is made for candidate cables that can be manufactured at the same time as the cable for which a quotation has been requested by the customer (first search step).

[0134] The information about the cable included in the quotation request is, for example, the rated voltage and thickness of the cable. Candidates for cables that can be manufactured at the same time as the cable for which the quotation was requested by the customer are those that have advantages in terms of manufacturing costs and the environment from a long-term perspective.

[0135] Step 22a: Based on the results of the search in the first search step, a combination of equipment for manufacturing is identified (first identification step).

[0136] In the case of the above configuration, in the estimate preparation process, the estimate preparation unit 13 prepares a first estimate in the case of manufacturing only the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer, a second estimate in the case of manufacturing a cable that includes the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer and an additional cable that will be manufactured at the same time as an extension, and a third estimate in the case of manufacturing a cable that includes the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer and an additional cable that will be manufactured at the same time as an extension, and the necessary equipment.

[0137] The estimate creation process may quantify not only the cost (expenses) of manufacturing the equipment, but also the resources required during manufacturing, waste materials, resources, and energy generated, and include this quantified information in the estimate.

[0138] By executing this program, when a customer 7 requests a quote for a cable, the program generates a quote that includes an estimate of the costs required to manufacture the cable requested by the customer 7. It also identifies combinations of equipment that will be used to manufacture the cable at the same time as the cable requested by the customer 7, and creates multiple quotes for each of the identified combinations of manufacturing equipment. By executing this program, a manufacturing company can reduce the resources required for manufacturing and storing the equipment, as well as the amount of exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide emitted, waste heat, and waste material, thereby reducing resource and energy waste. The program also enables the customer 7 to reduce the impact on its operations (e.g., avoiding a situation where a power transmission line remains damaged and business is halted). The quote also includes quantified information on not only the manufacturing costs but also the waste, resources, and energy emitted during manufacturing (e.g., carbon dioxide reductions), allowing the customer 7 to quantitatively compare alternative combinations of manufacturing equipment and determine which quote to adopt, taking into account the global environmental perspective.

[0139] Furthermore, when the quotation request is for preparing a plurality of cables with different specifications, step 2 (processing step) may include the following steps.

[0140] Step 12b: From among multiple cables with different specifications (e.g., rated voltage, diameter, configuration, etc.), identify the length of the first cable that will be subject to preventive work before damage occurs, and the length of the second cable that will be subject to interposition work or detour work.

[0141] In the above configuration, in the estimate creation process, the estimate creation unit 13 creates a first estimate for manufacturing all of the multiple cables with different specifications for which a customer has requested a quote, a second estimate for manufacturing a cable whose length is the sum of the length of the first cable and the length of the second cable, and a third estimate for manufacturing a cable whose length is the sum of the length of the first cable and the length of the second cable and the necessary equipment.

[0142] The customer 7 receives the first, second, and third estimates, listens to explanations from the manufacturer, and decides which estimate to use to place an order. From a long-term perspective, the second and third estimates allow for immediate partial replacement work using the second cable, even if the cable is damaged due to a sudden accident, which also has the effect of reducing risk.

[0143] Furthermore, the estimate creation process may quantify not only the cost (expense) of manufacturing the cable, but also the resources required during manufacturing, as well as the waste, resources, and energy emitted during manufacturing, and include this quantified information in the estimate. Since the estimate includes quantified information on not only the manufacturing cost but also the waste, resources, and energy emitted during manufacturing (for example, the amount of carbon dioxide reduction), the customer 7 can quantitatively compare options for combinations of manufacturing equipment and decide which estimate to adopt, taking into account the global environmental perspective.

[0144] By executing this program, when a customer 7 requests a quote for a cable, the program generates a quote that includes an estimate of the costs required to manufacture the cable requested by the customer 7, as well as a combination of equipment that will be manufactured at the same time as the cable requested by the customer 7, and creates multiple quotes for manufacturing each of the identified combinations of manufacturing equipment.By executing this program, a manufacturing company can reduce the resources required for manufacturing and storing equipment, as well as the amount of exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide emitted, waste heat, and waste, thereby reducing the waste of resources and energy.In addition, the customer 7 can reduce the impact on its own operations (for example, avoid a situation where a power transmission line remains damaged and business is halted).

[0145] In addition, the estimate preparation step may be configured to prepare a fourth estimate for the case where only a cable having the second cable length (rated voltage 77 kV, diameter 400 sq, length 100 m) is to be manufactured.

[0146] The customer 7 receives the second, third and fourth estimates along with the first estimate for which the customer requested a quote, which gives the customer a wider range of choices and allows the customer to plan cable maintenance from various perspectives.

[0147] Furthermore, when the quotation request is for replacing the cable with a short cable for emergency restoration, the step 2 (processing step) may include the following steps. Step 21c: Refer to the information that manages information about owned cables and sold cables stored in the second memory unit 31c, and search for a cable that corresponds to the cable for which a quote has been requested by the customer based on the information about the emergency restoration cable included in the quote request (second search step). Step 22c: Based on the results of the search in the second search step, a combination of cables to be manufactured is identified (second identification step).

[0148] In the case of the above configuration, in the quotation preparation process, the quotation preparation unit 13 prepares a first quotation in the case of manufacturing only the short emergency restoration cable for which a quotation has been requested by the customer, a second quotation in the case of manufacturing a long cable corresponding to the entire length of the cable rather than the short emergency restoration cable, and a third quotation in the case of manufacturing the short emergency restoration cable and the long cable at the same time.

[0149] Furthermore, the estimate creation process may quantify not only the cost (expense) of manufacturing the cable, but also the resources required during manufacturing, as well as the waste, resources, and energy emitted during manufacturing, and include this quantified information in the estimate. Since the estimate includes quantified information on not only the manufacturing cost but also the waste, resources, and energy emitted during manufacturing (for example, the amount of carbon dioxide reduction), the customer 7 can quantitatively compare options for combinations of manufacturing equipment and decide which estimate to adopt, taking into account the global environmental perspective.

[0150] Until now, when a cable suddenly broke, Customer 7 would first perform partial replacement work using a cable for emergency repair, which would incur the costs listed in the first estimate, and then later perform work to replace the entire cable that had been temporarily repaired (full installation work), which would incur the costs listed in the second estimate. Therefore, by adopting the third estimate, Customer 7 will be able to achieve significant cost reductions. Furthermore, since the third estimate includes a cable for emergency repair when the cable currently being used by the customer breaks, it has the advantage of being able to perform emergency repairs immediately when other cables in use break, allowing for early restoration.

[0151] Here, the configuration and operation of the computer 500 will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of the computer 500. As shown in Fig. 9, the computer 500 is configured by connecting a processor 501, a memory 502, a storage 503, an input / output I / F 504, and a communication I / F 505 on a bus A, and these components work together to realize the functions and / or methods described in this disclosure.

[0152] A display and a pointing device (e.g., a mouse, keyboard, etc.) are connected to the input / output I / F 504. The communication I / F is an interface that complies with a predetermined communication standard, and communicates with a device (e.g., a terminal device on the customer side 7) via a network NW, either wired or wirelessly. The communication I / F corresponds to the reception unit 11.

[0153] The memory 502 is configured by a RAM (Random Access Memory). The RAM is configured by a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory.

[0154] The storage 503 is configured with a nonvolatile memory or the like, and is realized by, for example, an HDD (Hard Disc Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive). The storage 503 corresponds to the storage unit 31, the first storage unit 31a, and the second storage unit 31c. The storage 503 stores various programs, such as the programs realized in the above-mentioned processes.

[0155] The processor 501 controls the overall operation of the computer 500. The processor 501 is an arithmetic unit that loads an operating system and various programs that implement various functions from a storage 503 into a memory 502 and executes instructions contained in the loaded programs.

[0156] Specifically, when processor 501 receives a user operation, it reads a program (for example, a program according to the present invention) stored in storage 503, expands the read program in memory 502, and executes the program. Furthermore, by processor 501 executing the management program, each function of processing unit 12, first processing unit 12a, second processing unit 12b, estimate creation unit 13, search unit 21, first search unit 21a, second search unit 21c, identification unit 22, first identification unit 22a, second identification unit 22c, etc. is realized.

[0157] Here, we will explain the configuration of the processor 501. The processor 501 is realized by, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), various other arithmetic devices, or a combination of these.

[0158] Furthermore, to realize the functions and / or methods described in the present disclosure, some or all of the functions of the processor 501, memory 502, storage 503, etc. may be configured in a processing circuit 601, which is dedicated hardware. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of the processing circuit 601 of the computer 600. The processing circuit 601 may be, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof.

[0159] Furthermore, although the processor 501 has been described as a single component, the present invention is not limited to this and may be configured as a set of multiple physically separate processors. In this specification, a program described as being executed by the processor 501 or instructions included in the program may be executed by a single processor 501, or may be distributed and executed by multiple processors. Furthermore, a program executed by the processor 501 or instructions included in the program may be executed by multiple virtual processors.

[0160] Although some of the embodiments of the present application have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, these are merely examples, and the present invention can be implemented in other forms that have undergone various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, including the aspects described in the disclosure of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0161] 1,2,3,4 Estimate creation device 7 Customer side 11 Reception 12 Processing section 12a First processing section 12b Second processing section 13 Estimate Preparation Department 21 Search Section 21a First Search Section 21c Second Search Section 22 Specific section 22a 1st Specific Part 22c Second Specific Part 31 Storage section 31a 1st memory section 31c 2nd memory section 100,101,102,103 Estimate creation system NW Network

Claims

1. a reception section that receives cable quotation requests from customers; a processing unit that identifies a combination of equipment to be manufactured based on information about the cable included in the quotation request; an estimate creation unit that creates multiple estimates for manufacturing each of the combinations of manufacturing equipment identified by the processing unit; The quotation request is a request for preparing a plurality of cables with different specifications, The processing unit identifies a length of a first cable that is to be subjected to preventive construction work before breakage from among the plurality of cables having different specifications, and a length of a second cable that is to be subjected to interposition construction or detour construction, The estimate creation unit a first quotation for manufacturing all of the plurality of cables with different specifications for which a quotation has been requested by the customer; a second estimate for manufacturing a cable having a length equal to the sum of the length of the first cable and the length of the second cable; An estimate creation device creates a third estimate for manufacturing a cable having a length equal to the total length of the first cable and the second cable, and for manufacturing the necessary equipment.

2. The quotation preparation device according to claim 1 , wherein the quotation preparation unit prepares a fourth quotation for manufacturing only a cable having the second cable length.

3. a receiving step of receiving a request for a cable quotation from a customer by a receiving unit; a processing step of identifying a combination of equipment to be manufactured based on information about the cable included in the quotation request by a processing unit; an estimate creation step of creating a plurality of estimates for manufacturing each of the combinations of manufacturing equipment identified by the processing step, by an estimate creation unit; The quotation request is a request for preparing a plurality of cables with different specifications, In the processing step, the processing unit identifies a length of a first cable that is to be subjected to preventive construction work before breakage and a length of a second cable that is to be subjected to interruption construction work or detour construction work from among the plurality of cables having different specifications, In the estimate creation step, the estimate creation unit: a first quotation for manufacturing all of the plurality of cables with different specifications for which a quotation has been requested by the customer; a second estimate for manufacturing a cable having a length equal to the sum of the length of the first cable and the length of the second cable; A method for creating an estimate for producing a cable having a length equal to the total length of the first cable and the second cable, and a third estimate for producing the necessary equipment.

4. On the computer, A reception process for receiving cable quotation requests from customers; a processing step of identifying a combination of equipment to be manufactured based on information about the cable included in the request for quotation; an estimate creation step of creating multiple estimates for manufacturing each of the combinations of manufacturing equipment identified by the processing step, The quotation request is a request for preparing a plurality of cables with different specifications, In the processing step, a length of a first cable that is to be subjected to preventive construction work before the breakage and a length of a second cable that is to be subjected to interruption construction work or detour construction work are identified from among the plurality of cables having different specifications, In the estimate creation process, a first quotation for manufacturing all of the plurality of cables with different specifications for which a quotation has been requested by the customer; a second estimate for manufacturing a cable having a length equal to the sum of the length of the first cable and the length of the second cable; A program for creating a cable having a length equal to the total length of the first cable and the second cable, and a third estimate for manufacturing the necessary equipment.

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