International Business Machines Corporation

Robert B Mathis

Kate M Ferriter

A method for the automatic interfacing of a conceptual design tool with a project management tool is disclosed. The conceptual design tool provides for the early manufacturing involvement information needed to aid and improve the total design and manufacturing effort to produce a final product. The conceptual design tool is used to build and modify a product structure. Using the conceptual design tool, a user inputs manufacturing details by item in the product structure. When the user invokes the project mangement tool interface, the system prompts the user to select items of the product structure which are critical. The system then orders the selected items according to lead times from manufacturing detail data gathered by the conceptual design tool. The ordered data is then formatted in a file of the project management tool. The formatted file is then imported into the project management tool. In addition, data modified by the project management tool can later be reformatted for export to the conceptual design tool to allow the design process to continue with updated project data.

Automated interfacing of design/engineering software with project

A bill of material for a product is automatically created from a query session on the product structure. The user is first queried on functional product structure. A top down approach, rather than a focus on design details, is encouraged. As the query occurs, a hierarchical tree structure is created on the screen for the user to view. Within a relational database, the structure data is kept in a table which is accessed by item number. Once the product structure is established, the user can see the hierarchical tree and check it for correctness. From the tree structure, which has been captured in the relational database, the indented bill of material is built.

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Merietta, GA, United States of America

Robert B Mathis