Data Normalization for Digital Component Descriptions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing data normalization methods for product lifecycle management tools face challenges in handling inconsistent, incorrect, and duplicate data from various sources, leading to inaccuracies and inefficiencies in data entry and production processes.

Innovation Solution

A method for normalizing part description data involves uploading digital component description documents, identifying the type of components, aligning field headers with global standards, detecting deviations, and manually correcting or consolidating entries, ensuring data conformity with predefined rules before importing into a component library.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If data normalization is performed manually for each part descriptor entry, then data accuracy and consistency are improved, but time consumption and operational complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata accuracyVSAvoidtime consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically detecting deviations from part descriptor rules before manual correction is needed. The normalization process pre-identifies inconsistent, incorrect, or duplicate data patterns, allowing users to review and correct only the detected anomalies rather than manually checking every entry, thus improving data accuracy while reducing time consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service data normalization by automatically comparing part descriptor entries against predefined rules and identifying deviations. The system serves itself by detecting and flagging data quality issues without requiring manual intervention for every entry, only for the specific deviations that are automatically detected, thereby maintaining high data accuracy with minimal time investment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Stability of the object's composition

If comprehensive data validation rules are applied to all part descriptor entries, then data consistency is improved, but processing complexity and computational resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata consistencyVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by implementing data validation rules selectively based on the specific type of digital component description document and the particular part descriptor entries being processed. Different validation rules are applied to different document types (e.g., bills of materials, part lists) and different data fields, rather than uniformly to all entries, thus maintaining data consistency while reducing unnecessary processing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes parameters by dynamically adjusting validation rules based on the identified document type and part category. The normalization process modifies which rules are applied and with what strictness based on the specific context, allowing comprehensive validation where needed while simplifying processing for standard cases, thereby achieving data consistency without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple data sources from various CAD programs are integrated, then data versatility and coverage are improved, but data heterogeneity and normalization difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata coverageVSAvoidnormalization difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system achieves universality by implementing a standardized part descriptor rule set that can process multiple types of digital component description documents from different CAD programs (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Inventor). The normalization framework is designed to handle various document formats and structures through a single unified process, allowing versatile data integration while managing normalization difficulty through consistent rule application across all sources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses an intermediary normalization layer that translates data from various CAD program formats into a standardized structure before validation. This intermediary process converts heterogeneous data from different sources into a common format that can be validated against part descriptor rules, thereby improving data coverage from multiple sources while reducing normalization difficulty through standardized transformation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10599129B2Method for data normalization

Publication Date: 2020.03.24 DURO LABS INC

AI summary

One variation of a method for normalizing manufacturing data includes: identifying a type of the digital component description document, including a set of part descriptor entries describing a set of physical parts, based on categories of physical parts described in part descriptor entries within the digital component description document; accessing a set of part descriptor rules corresponding to the type of the digital component description document; detecting deviation of a part descriptor entry, in the set of part descriptor entries, from a part descriptor rule in the set of part descriptor rules; at the user portal, serving a prompt to manually correct the part descriptor entry; and, in response to alignment between the digital component description document and the set of part descriptor rules, importing the set of part descriptor entries into the component library.