Process System Component Sourcing With Inventory-Aware Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In industrial environments, designing process systems requires manual component sourcing, which is inefficient and costly, as it relies on users to search inventories and order components from external providers without automation.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that automate component sourcing by receiving design specifications, identifying components needed from an external provider, and populating this information into a component sourcing application, while also checking the inventory to determine if components are already available, thereby reducing the need for external sourcing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual component sourcing is used, then users can search and order components from external providers, but the process is inefficient and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated component sourcing where the design application automatically checks inventory, identifies available components, and populates sourcing applications without requiring manual user intervention for each component search and order placement
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of searching inventories and ordering components with an automated computer-based system that uses software applications to perform inventory checking, component identification, and sourcing population automatically
2Ease of manufacture
If components are sourced from external providers, then the process system can be implemented, but costs increase and existing inventory is not optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary inventory checking before components are ordered from external providers. The design application automatically checks existing inventory and identifies available components in advance, preventing unnecessary external purchases and optimizing use of existing resources
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback about available inventory to the component sourcing process. The design application communicates with inventory systems to retrieve information about available components and uses this feedback to determine which components can be sourced from existing inventory versus external providers
3Productivity
If automated component sourcing is implemented, then efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The design application performs multiple functions: it designs process systems, checks inventory for required components, identifies available components, and populates component sourcing applications. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems while achieving automation
Solution Approach 2:
The design application acts as an intermediary between the inventory management system and the component sourcing process. It retrieves inventory information, processes component requirements, and communicates sourcing needs to appropriate systems, simplifying the overall architecture through a central coordinating application
Data Source
AI summary
The technology disclosed herein enables automation of component sourcing when designing a process system in an industrial environment. In a particular embodiment, a method includes receiving design specifications of a process system in an industrial environment via a system design application. The method further includes determining components to implement the process system from the design specifications and identifying a first subset of the components for sourcing from an external provider. The method also includes populating the first subset into a component sourcing application.