R.j. Reynolds Tobacco Company

R Victor Walsh

David Chandler

Thomas W Cearley

Marvin R Martin

David C Twine

William F Summers

Charlotte M Smith

Lloyd T Prout

Jeffrey R Schlottman

Kim A Gondring

Eugene E Norris

William G Hutchins

Richard A Guarino

Thomas B Beasley

Michael J Bird

Daniel J Tylak

Jaime P Saluta

Rickey R Cornett

Ronald S Willard

Michael Z Johnston

An intelligent computer integrated maintenance system and method includes an electronically stored parts manual which contains a hierarchical listing of all parts in production machines, and a maintenance operations computer controller which includes a maintenance schedule management subsystem, an engineering change control subsystem, a parts manual management subsystem and a spares inventory management subsystem. The maintenance schedule management subsystem obtains a schedule of actual and planned production, and groups maintenance activities in order to minimize lost production time. The engineering change control subsystem integrates engineering change activities with maintenance activities to maximize production time. The automated parts manual is also updated to account for engineering changes. The spare parts inventory management subsystem orders spare parts based on predicted maintenance rather than on prescribed inventory levels. Production efficiency is thereby maximized, as is the use of available maintenance manpower. Engineering changes are easily accommodated and spare parts inventory is kept to a minimum.

Intelligent computer integrated maintenance system and method

The Computer Integrated Manufacturing System includes a plurality of levels of computer control which organize and disseminate the information for controlling shop floor level systems. Both scheduling data and data relating to process, product, and material specifications as well as bills of material are generated in an upper level computer system and refined and down loaded as needed to lower level computers controlling the shop floor processes. The computers on the upper levels are capable of communication with the computers on the lower levels and computers on the same level are capable of communication with each other as needed to pass information back and forth.

Computer integrated manufacturing system

Growing community of inventors

Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America

R Victor Walsh