Plant Bill of Process Generation From Product Process Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Deriving a plant bill of process (PBoP) from a product bill of process (PdBoP) is challenging due to differences in operation granularities, requiring human engineers to manually construct complex production processes, which is time-consuming and often impossible in flexible production scenarios with multiple production entities and time constraints.

Innovation Solution

A production support system that automates PBoP generation using a reasoning component to determine possible cells, a selection component to identify operation capabilities, and an operation capabilities identifying component to generate PBoP by combining individual entity capabilities, leveraging ontology and inference techniques to solve planning problems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual construction of PBoP by human engineers is used, then accuracy and expertise can be applied, but time consumption and labor effort increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of PBoP constructionVSAvoidtime consumption for PBoP generation

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of PBoP construction by human engineers with an automated computer-based system. The system uses software components including a reasoning component, selection component, and PBoP generating component to automatically derive PBoP from PdBoP, eliminating manual labor while maintaining accuracy through algorithmic processing and expert systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service automation where the computer system automatically performs PBoP generation without human intervention. The reasoning component autonomously analyzes PdBoP operations, identifies required production entities and cells, and constructs PBoP using predefined rules and ontologies, making the system self-sufficient for this task.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If human engineers manually construct PBoP from PdBoP, then complex production scenarios can be handled with expertise, but the process becomes impossible or prohibitively difficult with multiple production entities and time constraints

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecapability to handle complex production scenariosVSAvoiddifficulty of PBoP construction

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the complex PBoP construction task into distinct automated components: a reasoning component that analyzes requirements, a selection component that identifies appropriate production entities and cells, and a PBoP generating component that assembles the final process. This segmentation allows the system to handle complex scenarios by breaking them down into manageable automated steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary computer-based system that mediates between PdBoP input and PBoP output. This intermediary automatically performs the complex transformation by selecting and coordinating multiple production entities and cells, handling the complexity that would be impossible for human engineers to manage under time constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If automation is introduced to generate PBoP, then time and effort are reduced, but the system must handle different granularities and emergent skills from composite cells

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeed of PBoP generationVSAvoidsystem complexity for handling granularities

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal automated system capable of handling multiple functions: analyzing PdBoP operations, identifying individual production entities, combining them into cells, detecting emergent skills from composite cells, and generating PBoP. This multi-functional system handles different granularities through a unified automated approach, managing complexity through integrated design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining production entities, their capabilities, and cell combinations before PBoP generation. The reasoning component and selection component prepare the necessary information structure in advance, allowing the PBoP generating component to efficiently assemble the final process without dealing with complexity during the actual generation phase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11954643B2System and method for generating a plant bill of process

Publication Date: 2024.04.09 SIEMENS AG

AI summary

A production support system for generating a plant bill of process, PBoP, from a product bill of process, PdBoP, for a production plant, a corresponding method and a corresponding computer program product is provided. The production support system includes: (a) a reasoning component for determining possible cells; (b) a selection component for selecting all those cells that address operation capabilities used in the PdBoP; (c) an operation capabilities identifying component for identifying, additional operation capabilities for the selected cells which include at least two production entities, PET, based on the operation capabilities of the individual production entities, PET; and (d) a PBoP generating component for generating the PBoP from the PdBoP using the additional operation capabilities identified by the operations identifying component.