Manufacturing Process Management System for Product Version Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
As products become larger and more complex, managing changes to their design and manufacturing processes across different geographical locations becomes increasingly difficult, leading to challenges in clear communication and documentation between engineering, manufacturing, and production teams, especially when changes occur after production has begun.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing process management (MPM) computer system that stores and compares different versions of a product, calculates numbering systems, and uses grid overlays to display changes, enabling effective management of engineering and manufacturing changes, pre-generation of manufacturing bills of materials, and real-time tracking of production processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If products become larger and more complex with more parts and processes, then product functionality and capabilities are improved, but the difficulty to track and manage all parts and processes increases exponentially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the product into modular components with standardized interfaces, allowing complex products to be broken down into manageable modules. Each module can be tracked and managed independently through the system, reducing the exponential complexity growth that would otherwise occur with increasing product size and functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal tracking system that handles multiple product types, versions, and configurations through a single platform. The system uses standardized data structures and interfaces that can accommodate diverse product complexities, allowing the same management infrastructure to scale with product functionality without proportionally increasing management difficulty.
2Productivity
If engineers, manufacturing engineers, and mechanics are located on different continents to enable global manufacturing, then production capacity and cost efficiency are improved, but clear communication between these groups becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a centralized digital platform that serves as an intermediary between engineers, manufacturing engineers, and mechanics across different locations. The system translates and standardizes communication protocols, ensuring that technical specifications, change orders, and manufacturing instructions are accurately transmitted and understood across cultural and linguistic boundaries, preventing information loss in global manufacturing environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates real-time feedback mechanisms where each user group can confirm receipt, ask clarifying questions, and report issues directly through the system. This creates a closed-loop communication system that reduces information loss by ensuring mutual understanding before manufacturing actions are taken, even across continents.
3Adaptability or versatility
If changes are made to product design after production has begun, then product adaptability and responsiveness to market requirements are improved, but the difficulty to trace and implement changes throughout design and manufacturing documents increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary versioning and documentation structures where all design elements, manufacturing processes, and associated documents are pre-tagged with unique identifiers and version information. When changes are needed during production, the system can quickly identify all affected documents and processes through these pre-established connections, dramatically reducing the time required to trace and implement changes compared to traditional manual tracking methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual document tracking and change propagation with an automated digital system. The system automatically traces changes through connected design and manufacturing documents, notifications, and processes using electronic data structures rather than physical paperwork, reducing change implementation time from days or weeks to minutes or hours.
4Manufacturing precision
If detailed documentation and paperwork are reviewed to ensure proper product transition from design to manufacturing, then manufacturing precision and quality control are improved, but the time and resources required for review increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual document review processes with automated validation systems that use digital signatures, version control, and rule-based checking. The system automatically verifies that design specifications are correctly translated into manufacturing instructions, checks for completeness and consistency, and tracks approval workflows, maintaining high manufacturing precision while reducing review time from manual page-by-page examination to automated instant validation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-validating documentation systems where the software automatically checks for errors, inconsistencies, and completeness in design and manufacturing documents before they reach human reviewers. The system performs preliminary validation, highlights potential issues, and organizes documents for review, allowing human reviewers to focus only on critical decisions rather than basic verification, thereby reducing overall review time while maintaining precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A manufacturing process management (MPM) computer device is provided. The MPM computer device is configured to store a first version of a product and a second version of the product. The second version includes the first plurality of parts, the second plurality of parts, and a third plurality of parts associated with the plug. The first location is between the first plurality of locations and the second plurality of locations. The MPM computer device is also configured to calculate a first numbering system, calculate a second numbering system for a third plurality of locations associated with the third plurality of parts, determine a first grid overlay for the first version of the product based on the first numbering system, determine a second grid overlay for the second version of the product based on the first numbering system and the second numbering system.