Simrev Tool Version Control for Engineering Mesh Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The physical part manufacturing industry lacks collaboration tools and version control systems similar to those used in the software development industry, making it difficult for manufacturing engineers to effectively collaborate and manage product development across various phases, from design to market launch.
Innovation Solution
The Simrev tool provides a platform for manufacturing engineers to collaborate by using a processor that parses user-supplied instructions, interfaces with CAD systems, finite Element Analysis (FEA) tools, and version control repositories, allowing for the simulation and design of physical objects using object-oriented textual expressions, similar to software development processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manufacturing engineers use traditional CAD systems and mesh modeling systems, then they can perform design and manufacturing tasks, but they cannot effectively collaborate or track design changes like software development teams
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system that translates physical object design data into version-controlled formats. This intermediary layer enables manufacturing engineers to use familiar CAD systems while simultaneously providing software-like version tracking and collaboration capabilities, resolving the contradiction between maintaining traditional workflows and gaining new collaboration features.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides multiple functions within a unified platform: traditional CAD design capabilities, version control tracking, collaborative editing, and simulation integration. This multi-functionality allows the system to serve both traditional manufacturing needs and modern collaboration requirements without requiring separate systems.
2Ease of operation
If manufacturing engineers adopt software development collaboration tools, then they can improve team collaboration, but they cannot effectively interface with existing manufacturing systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs intermediary translation layers that convert between software development collaboration tool formats and manufacturing system formats. This allows engineers to leverage the ease of use of software collaboration tools while maintaining compatibility with existing manufacturing systems through automatic format translation and data mapping.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts data parameters and formats to bridge between different system requirements. By changing parameter representations and data structures as needed, the system maintains compatibility with both software collaboration tools and traditional manufacturing systems without losing information or functionality.
3Loss of information
If engineers manually track design changes across multiple phases, then they can maintain design history, but they lose time and efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements automatic version tracking and change detection that operates without manual intervention. The system self-updates design histories, automatically detects changes, and manages version control records, eliminating the time engineers would otherwise spend on manual tracking while ensuring complete design change documentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides continuous feedback about design changes, version status, and collaboration activity to all team members. This automated feedback mechanism keeps everyone informed of design evolution without requiring manual status updates, reducing time loss while maintaining comprehensive design history.
Data Source
AI summary
The physical object design and manufacture tool employs a processor programmed to parse user-supplied instructions expressed as text statements according to a predefined syntax and grammar. The processor interfaces with a graphical mesh creation tool that that expresses object geometry according to a predefined data model and that produces a graphical rendering of an object in accordance with the data model. The processor also interfaces with a computer-implemented analysis system that responds to predefined analysis code instructions and generates a simulation output stored in a file system associated with the analysis system. The processor is further interfaced with a version control repository system. The processor translates user-supplied instructions into designated analysis code that it submits to the analysis system as a job to be run. The processor causes the version control repository system to capture a state of the user-supplied instructions and generates an identifier or hash code that it uses to tag the file where the simulation output is stored.