Deck Configuration System Automates Railing Hardware Calculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional railing systems for outdoor structures like decks often require manual calculation of hardware quantities, leading to potential wastage and inefficiency, as hardware is typically sold in bundled kits rather than individual components.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a server, database, and client computer that accepts deck information, converts it into component requirements, and generates a list of minimum necessary parts and instructions for assembly, also offering chat support and inventory-based pricing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual calculation of hardware quantities is used for railing systems, then flexibility in design is maintained, but calculation accuracy and time efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical calculation methods with an automated computer-based system that uses algorithms to calculate hardware quantities. The system accepts deck design parameters and automatically computes the exact number of kits needed, eliminating manual arithmetic errors and saving time simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing users to input their own deck dimensions and receive automated calculations for hardware requirements. The computer program independently performs the calculation task without requiring manual intervention or external assistance, improving both accuracy and efficiency.
2Ease of manufacture
If hardware is sold in bundled kits, then inventory management is simplified, but material wastage increases due to inability to purchase exact quantities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the bundled hardware kits into individual component levels for calculation purposes. By breaking down the kit contents and calculating the exact number of each component needed, the system determines the precise number of kits required, minimizing wastage while maintaining the bundled kit structure for inventory management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the calculation parameter from estimating kit quantities to precisely calculating component-level requirements. This parameter transformation allows the system to work with bundled kits while determining exact quantities needed, reducing material wastage through precise parameter-based calculation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If custom railing system design is created for each project, then design adaptability improves, but determination of hardware requirements becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal computer-based system that can handle various custom railing designs through a single platform. The system accepts different deck configurations, dimensions, and designs, and automatically adapts its calculations accordingly, providing a multi-functional solution that simplifies hardware determination across diverse custom projects.
Solution Approach 2:
The computer-based calculation system acts as an intermediary between the custom design parameters and the hardware requirements. It mediates the complex relationship between varied design inputs and the determination of kit quantities, transforming complex design specifications into clear hardware requirements through automated processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for facilitating construction of a deck comprises a server, a client computer, and a database. A user inputs, through a graphical user interface on the display of the client computer, a configuration for the deck. The server receives the deck information from the client computer and determines, based on information in the database and the deck information, a parts list and instruction information. The instruction information includes information on the alterations to the parts needed to construct the deck. The parts list and the instruction information may be displayed on the user interface.