WO2006079398A1

WO2006079398A1 - Electronic construction device

Info

Publication number: WO2006079398A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/013722
Authority: WO
Inventors: Susanne Hornig; Thomas Nestle; Holger Wick
Original assignee: Daimlerchrysler Ag
Priority date: 2005-01-25
Filing date: 2005-12-20
Publication date: 2006-08-03
Also published as: DE102005003424A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic device, in addition to a computer program product which is used to construct a technical product. The construction device comprises a data storage device, wherein data sets containing information about the construction of the technical product, and data sets for, respectively, one component of the product and data sets for, respectively, one process step for producing the product, are stored. Information data sets can be combined with component data sets and with the process step data sets. The construction device carries out, after selecting a component, a preselection of the respective information data sets, which are combined to the component data set. It also carries out, after selecting a process step, a preselection of information data sets which are combined with the process step data set. A user only offers the preselected information data set for selection.

Description

DaimlerChrysler AG

Electronic construction device

The invention relates to an electronic device for constructing a technical product. Designing and designing a product requires information about the technical product and its manufacture. These are targeted to provide.

WO 02/25385 A1 discloses a design system with modeling and calculation programs. These work on a common database and are addressed by a common control unit. With the design system, different concept variants are worked out and compared with each other by an evaluation unit.

From US 2001/0023376 Al an information system for components is known. A user enters a specification for components in the information system. Determined are component types that meet the specification. For this purpose, the information system accesses various management systems, for. B. one for part numbers, one for quality assurance, one for stock management, one for sales control, one for cost collection and monitoring, one for production planning and one for sales control. The determined components are displayed in a specific order, the z. B. depends on the frequency of use and the degree of standardization of the particular component. From DE 10213830 Al a system and a method are known to compare the manufacturing costs of different product variants and to determine set screws to reduce costs. The various product variants are manufactured on the same production line, with components in each case being assembled into one product. The actual manufacturing costs of at least one component that is used in several product variants are determined. For the component, target costs are calculated per product variant by multiplying the actual production costs by a coefficient that depends on the mixing ratio of the production line, ie on the proportion of product variants in the total number of pieces. The actual costs and the target costs are divided into cost components, eg. B. in costs of raw materials, labor costs, processing costs, energy costs and depreciation. The comparison between actual cost components and target cost components shows the set screws for cost reductions.

EP 1168225 A1 discloses a device which reduces the cost of a product, e.g. B. the manufacturing cost of a motorcycle, estimates. With the device, the production costs can be calculated. The calculated costs, the production z. B. caused by a component in one's own company can be compared with the cost of production by a supplier. In addition, it is possible to approximately predict how changes in the "product shape", that is, for example, in its construction, as well as various manufacturing processes, will affect the cost of the product , Manufacturing costs for components and information on influencing factors, such as labor costs, costs of materials., Preferably, different subject matter experts provide cost estimates A user classifies manufacturing processes ("processes"), the z. B. be carried out for the production of a motorcycle. With the help of cost bills, the costs of carrying out production steps of a category are estimated.

DE 10025219 A1 discloses a method, a computer program product and a device for automatically linking data records from at least one data source. For linking, the data sets are analyzed on the basis of data in the data records themselves.

A database system for requirements management is known from EP 1061461 A1 The database system stores data records describing requirements for a technical product as well as data records representing a functional specification of this product These links are tagged in one embodiment.

WO 02/50634 A2 describes a method and an apparatus for supporting the development of a technical product. In a database requirements for the technical product and its production and packaging are stored, as well as documents. These documents are linked to the requirements. Changes to the requirements are also saved. Preferably, requirements are summarized to summary requirements with different levels of detail.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic device for constructing a technical product which automatically selects from the data sets stored in a database information about the construction of the respectively currently required data sets.

The object is achieved by a construction device having the features of claim 1 and a computer program product having the features of claim 14. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the subclaims. The invention provides an electronic device for constructing a technical product. This product includes several ingredients. The product can be produced in a production process comprising a plurality of process steps.

The design apparatus includes an electronic data storage device in which records of information about engineering the technical product and records for each of the components and records for each of the process steps may be stored. The design device further includes an arithmetic unit for automatic preselection of data records among the information records of the data storage device. The construction device further comprises

Means for selecting a component, means for selecting a process step,

Means for selecting an information record of the data storage device (12) and

Means for outputting a selected information record. Each information record in the data storage device is linked or linkable with at least one component record and with at least one process step record.

The arithmetic unit of the design device is configured to preselect, upon selection of a component, those information records associated with the record of the selected component. Furthermore, it is designed such that, after selecting a process step, it preselects the information records associated with the record of the selected process step. The means for selecting information records are arranged so that only the preselected information records are selectable.

The invention can be used both for datasets with geometric design information and datasets with information about design of the technical product. Both data records with information about the design and about the design can also be stored or stored in the data storage device.

The invention automatically carries out a pre-selection of information records according to technical aspects. Only the particular information records are offered for selection associated with a previously selected item and / or a previously selected item of the process. This avoids that a user is "overwhelmed" with information that is currently useless for him.

The invention makes it possible to provide a unified source of data for various information about the design and / or construction of the product. This information can come from different data processing systems. It is not necessary to standardize or modify the information prior to its use.

The provision of a uniform central data source avoids redundant data storage. The information is provided by a central data source and can be maintained, updated and adjusted centrally.

In one embodiment, additional data sets for variants of the technical product are stored in the data storage device. Data records with information are additionally linked or linkable with variant data records. The construction device comprises means for selecting a variant. Only the j enigen ^'records are pre-selected, the associated with the record for a previously selected variant.

This embodiment makes it possible to compare several variants with each other. For example, a component and / or a process step and then successively selected several different variants. The respective information data records, which are linked to the component and / or the process step and refer in each case to one of the variants, are displayed one after the other.

In the following an embodiment of the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures. Showing:

Fig. 1. an exemplary system architecture of the design device;

Fig. 2. An exemplary database schema for the design tool database.

The embodiment relates to designing and designing a motor vehicle as the technical product. The information particularly describes the production-appropriate design and construction of this motor vehicle. When designing, requirements for the motor vehicle are typically defined. These requirements include, for. B. the use of trim parts and covers in certain areas. These requirements result from qualitative and production and process aspects. Furthermore, geometric parameters of the motor vehicle, z. B. Design of flanges for process-safe joining as well as the wheelbase and other relevant geometric parameters set. When constructing, the shape of the Motor vehicle set. In this case, at least one design model of the motor vehicle and its components is generated. It is possible that a design model is created for each component and linked to a design model for the entire vehicle.

The motor vehicle consists of several structural components, which are called in the following construction groups. These design groups include

Assembling Stem, Assembling Main Floor, Assembling Rear Floor, Sidewall,

- stern, roof, front fender, doors,

Bonnet and boot lid, rear door, trim parts and insulation material.

It is possible that a design group comprises several construction elements.

Specimens of this motor vehicle are manufactured in a manufacturing process comprising several process steps. These process steps include the following steps and aspects of the manufacturing process:

pretreatment,

- dip coating, apply filler, Apply topcoat, black spray,

Paint repair by injection molding and spot repair,

Cavity preservation, - seam sealing, injection molding, equipment,

Welding including bolt and laser welding, gluing, screwing, folding,

Laying processes, shell furnace, conveyor technology, plant control.

It is possible that a process step comprises several process substeps.

The motor vehicle is manufactured in different variants, which differ structurally from each other.

Fig. 1 shows an exemplary system architecture of the construction apparatus according to the invention and its environment.

The construction device is realized in this embodiment with the aid of a network central computer 10 ("server") .This network central computer 10 comprises a computing unit 11 and a data storage device 13. In this data storage device 13 runs a database 14, for example a relational or an object-oriented database, records are stored in this database 14. Each record contains either information about a Part of the motor vehicle, information about a process step for the production of the motor vehicle, information about a variant of the motor vehicle or information about the design and construction of the motor vehicle. Each constituent record contains as an information a name of the respective design group. Each process step record contains as an information a name of the respective process step. Each variant data set contains as information one name of the respective variant. Each information record contains as an information a textual identification of the respective information of the record, eg. B. an identification of the location on the motor vehicle to which this information relates.

At least four types of records are thus distinguished in this embodiment:

Constituent records, process step records, - variant records and information records.

An Internet answering program 12 ("web server"), whose mode of operation is described below, continues to run on the arithmetic unit 11 of the network central computer 10.

Several network subscriber computers ("clients") are connected via a data network, for example an intranet or the Internet, to the network central computer 10. In the example of Fig. 1, two network subscriber computers 1 and 2 are connected to the network Preferably, every data connection between a network subscriber computer 1, 2 and the network central computer 10 is protected against unauthorized access by encrypted data transmission. An Internet access program 7 ("browser") is installed on each network subscriber computer, and a software program for playing a digital film is also installed on the network subscriber computer 1. The Internet access program 7.1 is installed in the example of FIG. on the network subscriber computer 2, the Internet access program 7.2 Other programs do not need to be installed on the network subscriber computers 1, 2 in order to realize the design device and to use the information about designing and constructing , 2 is configured in the usual way with a screen device 4 as well as a DV mouse 6 and a keyboard 5. With the DV mouse 6, a positioning mark ("cursor") can be moved over the screen of the screen device 4.

A user logs on to his network subscriber computer for use of the construction device according to the invention. In this example, the network subscriber computer 1 acts as a requesting computer. To do this, the user selects or types in the Internet or Intranet address of Internet Answering Program 12. This request is transmitted to the Internet response program 12 on the network host 10. This transmits a file in the form of an Internet page ("HTML page") to the requesting network subscriber computer 1. By entering a password, the user authorizes himself The reply is sent back to the network host computer 10.

Preferably, this first Internet page also includes a AusWahlmöglichkeit. The user decides whether he wants to see all the answers found by the subsequent search or wants to hide certain information.

Next, the Internet Responder 12 transmits to the network subscriber computer 1 an Internet page that provides a choice between the alternatives "Selecting a Design Group", "Selecting a Process Step" and "Checklist." The user selects one of the three alternatives discussed below.

In an alternative embodiment, the user first selects one of the three alternatives just outlined. Only if he chooses the alternative "checklist" is he required to authorize himself through a password as just described.

After selecting the alternative "selection of a design group", the internet response program 12 generates an internet page that belongs to the means for selecting a design group by determining in the database all the construction group records stored there and generating the internet page using all of these identified construction group records

Preferably, this Internet page is generated only at the query time and not already generated in advance and cached. This embodiment has the advantage that the Internet page for selection is up to date and contains all the construction groups for which data records are stored in the database.

For example, the Internet Responder creates an Internet page with a selection list. This selection list contains the names of the construction groups. Or the Internet response program generates an Internet page with a graphical representation of the motor vehicle

The generated Internet page is transmitted to the requesting network subscriber computer. The Internet access program on the network subscriber computer displays this Internet page on the screen. In the embodiment with the graphical representation, the Internet page is preferably so makes the Internet access program show the name of the particular design group on which the positioning mark is positioned. In the illustration, this design group is also preferably highlighted, z. B. in another colour . By activating the left mouse, the user selects the particular design group of the selection list or the graphical representation on which the positioning mark is located.

In this embodiment, the motor vehicle is manufactured in different variants. The internet response program generates a selection list for selecting one of these variants. In one embodiment, the internet response program inserts this variant selection list into the internet page for selecting a design group. The means for selecting a construction group thus comprise means for selecting a variant. In another embodiment, the Internet answering program generates its own Internet page for selecting a variant and transmits it to the network subscriber computer.

In both embodiments, the user selects a design group and a variant, using the means for selecting a component and a variant. In the first embodiment, the user selects in the same Internet page, in the second embodiment sequentially in different Internet pages.

The Internet page with the user selection is sent to the Internet answering program. This evaluates the web page to identify the user-selected variant and user-selected design group. The Internet Answerer then pre-selects among all the information records in the database. This preselection selects all the information records associated with both the selected variant and the selected design group. The internet response program generates an internet page which belongs to the means for selecting an information record and displays the result of the preselection on the screen. Preferably, this Internet page contains a selection list with all preselected data records. This Internet page is transmitted to the requesting network subscriber computer. The user selects an information record in this web page.

An analog operation is performed when the user has selected the alternative "selection of a process step." The Internet page for selecting a process step includes either a selection list of all process steps or a graphical illustration of the manufacturing process with the selectable process steps. B is the form of a flow chart.

Preferably, each information record comprises data fields for the following components: a short textual identification of the information record information,

a textual description of a problem or a task that arises when designing or designing the motor vehicle, a textual description of the technical implications that this problem may have, and

- a textual description of a constructive solution to this problem.

The short textual labeling designates z. B. the location on the motor vehicle to which the information record relates. The selection list, which is one of the means for selecting an information record, is built using these short textual labels.

An information record may additionally include data fields for the following optional components: - a pictorial representation of the problem or task, a visual representation of a technical effect, a link to a file containing a digital film illustrating the constructive solution, at least one reference to a German or international standard, at least one reference on an internal company policy.

After selecting an information record from the Internet page, eg. B. from the selection list, this selection is transmitted to the Internet response program. The internet response program generates an internet page with the information record information. This web site is one of the means for issuing a selected information record. In particular, the Internet page displays the textual problem description, the description of the effects and the description of the constructive solution.

The internet site preferably includes a menu item for downloading the movie. This menu item is created by referring to the file containing the digital movie.

Preferably, a template is stored in the database for an Internet site that displays an information record The Internet response program generates the Internet site using this template by retrieving from the data fields of the information record The template specifies the content of which data fields of the information data record are to be positioned at which positions of the Internet page. By selecting several variants one after the other, several variants and design versions can be compared.

In a further development of the embodiment, each data record is additionally linked to at least one organizational unit. If the data sets relate to the construction and production of motor vehicles, these organizational units are preferably the trades, e.g. B. "Body shell", "Oberflache", "Montage" and "Inneneinbau". The user not only selects a design group and a variant, but also chooses whether to restrict the search for records to an organizational unit or not. For example, if the user chooses to restrict himself to the "Surface" product, only those records associated with the "Surface" item will be preselected.

After selecting the alternative "checklist", the Internet answering program preferably first generates an Internet page for selecting a variant.This Internet page displays all variants for which data records are stored in the database 14. The user selects a variant the following sequence is repeated:

The internet response program 12 generates an internet page for selecting a design group.

The user selects a construction group.

Internet answering program 12 preselects all information records associated with both the selected variant and the selected design group.

The Internet answering program 12 generates an Internet page for selecting one of the preselected information data records and transmits this Internet page to the requesting network subscriber computer 1. The user selects one of the preselected information records in this web page.

The Internet response program 12 generates an Internet page, which represents at least one piece of information of the selected information record, and transmits this Internet page to the requesting network subscriber computer 1.

The user enters an evaluation of the selected variant with respect to the information in the selected information record. This input is transmitted to the internet response program 12.

Internet response program 12 supplements the information data record with this evaluation, which relates to the variant. It changes the Internet page so that the rating is displayed in the Internet page, and transmits the changed Internet page to the requesting network subscriber computer 1.

The rating entered by the user determines whether the construction of the selected variant honors the constructive solution to the problem contained in the selected information record. For example, the rating is a confirmation that the solution has been honored, or a selection from one of the alternatives "green" - "yellow" - "red" or a number from the interval 0% to 100%.

The modified website presents this rating graphically. If the rating is a confirmation, the rating will be z. B. indicated by a check mark. If the evaluation is one of the alternatives "green" - "yellow" - "red", it is eg represented by a traffic light If the user has not yet carried out a valuation for an information data record, this traffic light is z A rating in the form of a number between 0% and 100% is shown by means of a scale, for example. Preferably, the internet response program automatically generates a rating related to the variant of each construction group of the motor vehicle. For this purpose, the internet response program 12 aggregates the evaluations of all the respective information records associated with both the variant and the design group.

If the evaluation of each information record is an acknowledgment, then the automatically generated rating of a design group is an acknowledgment if all the information records associated with both the variant and the design group have received a validation as a rating. If the score of each information record is one of the values "green" - "yellow" - "red", the rating of the design group is preferably generated as follows:

The design group is rated "green" if all information records associated with both the variant and the design group are rated "green".

- The design group is rated "red" if at least one information record assigned to both the variant and the design group is rated "red".

- The design group does not receive a rating if no rating has yet been entered for at least one information record that is assigned to both the variant and the design group.

- Otherwise, the design group is rated "yellow".

For example, if the score of each information record is a number between 0% and 100%, then the rating of the design group is, for example, the smallest of all the information records associated with both the variant and the design group. Or the product of all ratings of these information records is used as a rating of the design group.

Preferably, the Internet Responder 12 inserts these automatically generated reviews of design groups into the Internet site to select a design group. This makes it possible to see at a glance which design groups have which ratings. The information records associated with the selected variant and the design groups of that variant, as well as the calculated scores of those design groups, function as a checklist for the variant.

In a further development of this embodiment, the Internet response program 12 additionally generates an evaluation of the variant. For this purpose, the Internet response program 12 aggregates the ratings of the design groups. The aggregation is performed according to a calculation rule that corresponds to the one used to calculate the rating of a design group.

In a further training, the checklist is not only related to a variant and a design group, but also to a process step. For this purpose, individual data records for process steps are marked as such process step data records for which a rating is possible ("quality gates") .The user is offered all of the process steps marked for selection in this manner.

Preferably, the scores in a fifth type of data set are stored in the database 14. This fifth type is the type of ratings records. As a data field, each evaluation data record comprises an encoding of the evaluation of a variant with regard to an information data record. Each valuation record is assigned to exactly one information record and exactly one variant. An information record can be assigned to several evaluation records, namely one per variant.

Fig. Figure 2 shows an exemplary database schema for the database 14 of the design device. The database schema is shown in the form of an entity relationship diagram. Database schemas in the form of entity relationship diagrams are from P. -P. S. Chen: "The Entity-Relationship Model - to-ward a unified view of data", ACM Transactions on Database Systems, Vol. 1 No. 1, pp. 9-36, March 1976, as well as from DE 10250286 Al and DE 10254571 Al Rectangles represent types of datasets, diamonds relations between these types, and numbers at the edge cardinalities - a constituent dataset can have multiple information datasets associated with it, and vice versa an information dataset can have multiple constituent datasets associated with it Edge two "N" notes. A rating record can be assigned to exactly one information record and exactly one constituent record. Therefore, two "1s" are noted at the two edges starting from "Information Record".

Preferably, the construction device additionally comprises means for changing the records stored in the database 14. A user of such a maintenance component is, for example, a "knowledge administrator" or a system administrator who, for example, supplements data records for process steps, for vehicle components or for product variants, and if necessary, modifies existing data records, links existing data records with one another or deletes one existing link between records again.

The device preferably further comprises means for managing user rights. With this administrative component, the administrator creates one user account for each user who performs a device-related task. Preferably, the administrator sets accounts for different user groups. These user groups are distinguished by different read and / or write access permissions to the records. The administrator defines in the corresponding account for a user group which read accesses and which write accesses the members of this user group have, what these users can read and what they are allowed to write or delete, and what not. Each user account is still associated with at least one user group account.

For example, an account is created for the user group of the administrators. A user of the administrator user group has the right to change all contents of the database and in particular to read and write to each record and also to delete each record. The device generates an Internet page through which an administrator can modify and link all records for design groups, process steps, variants, etc., mark process steps as "quality gates" as described above, can supplement records with images or movies, define checklists An administrator may continue to modify and delete user accounts of all other user groups, and the administrator also determines which user has read access to which product variants and to which ones.

A user without administrator rights gets offered by an appropriate Internet page only diej enigen vehicle variants for selection, which the administrator has released for this user.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

Claims

DaimlerChrysler AGPatent claims

An electronic device for constructing a technical product, wherein the product comprises a plurality of components and can be manufactured in a manufacturing process comprising a plurality of process steps, the design device comprises a data storage device (12) in the records with information about the engineering of the technical product as well as data records in each case one of the components and data records for each of the process steps are storable, a computing unit (11, 12) for automatically preselecting data records among the information data records of the data storage device (12), means for selecting a component, means for selecting one Process step, - means for selecting an information record of the data storage device (12) and

Means for outputting a selected information record comprises, each information record being linked or linkable with at least one constituent record and with at least one process step record; the arithmetic unit (11, 12) is arranged to preselect, upon selection of a component, those information items associated with the record of the selected item and, after selecting a process step, preselecting those information records associated with the record of the selected process step, and the means for selecting information records are arranged so that only the preselected information records are selectable.

2. Construction device according to claim 1, characterized in that the arithmetic unit (11, 12) is designed so that it selects vorj enigen information records, both with the record of the selected component and after selection of a component and after selecting a process step are linked to the record of the selected process step.

3. Construction device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that each information record comprises an identification,

the design device is designed to generate a selection list comprising the identifications of the preselected information data records, and

- The means for selecting an information record include this selection list and are configured so that an information record is selectable by selecting a label contained in the selection list.

4. Construction device according to claim 3, characterized in that the marking of at least one information record comprises a description of a task occurring during the construction of the product.

5. Construction device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the construction device comprises an output device and is designed so that the information of a selected information record can be displayed on the output device.

A construction device according to claim 5, characterized in that at least one information record comprises a description of a problem encountered in constructing the product and a description of a solution to this problem.

7. Construction device according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one of the descriptions of the data set comprises a textual description, a table, a pictorial representation and / or an executable on the output device film.

8. Construction device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the data storage device (12) and the arithmetic unit (11, 12) are components of a network central computer (10), at least temporarily with at least one network subscriber computer (1, 2), and all the selection means are arranged to be executable on the network subscriber computer (1, 2).

9. Construction device according to claim 8, characterized in that the network central computer (10) and the at least one network subscriber computer (1, 2) are interconnected by a data network and the selection means using a network on the subscriber computer ( 1, 2) installed Internet access program (7.1, 7.2) are realized.

10. Construction device according to one of claims 1 to

characterized in that in the data storage device (12) additional records for different variants of the technical product are stored

- Each information record of the data storage device (12) can be linked to at least one variant data set, the construction device comprises means for selecting a variant and - The arithmetic unit (11, 12) is designed so that it preselects thej these information records after selecting a variant, which are linked to the record (14) of the selected variant.

11. A construction device according to claim 10, characterized in that the arithmetic unit (11, 12) is configured so that after selection of a component, after selecting a process step and after selecting a variant preselects thesej information information sets, both with the data set of the selected component as well as the record of the selected process step and the record of the selected variant.

12. A construction device according to claim 10 or claim

11, characterized in that the construction device is designed so that an evaluation of the selected variant with respect to the selected information record can be entered and stored in the data storage device (12).

13. A construction device according to claim 12, characterized in that the arithmetic unit (11, 12) is configured to provide an evaluation of the selected variant with respect to a component in dependence on the evaluation of the selected variant with respect to all of the information data sets corresponding to the one Data set of the component are calculated.

14. Computer program product (12) for constructing a technical product, wherein

the product comprises a plurality of components and can be manufactured in a manufacturing process comprising a plurality of process steps, the computer program product (12) comprises an information transfer interface to a data storage device (12), in the data storage device (12) data sets containing information about the construction of the data each of the components and records for each of the process steps is storable, the computer program product (12) for automatically preselecting records among the information records of the data storage means (12) to produce means for selecting of an item, for generating means for selecting a process step, for generating means for selecting an information record of the data storage device (12) and for outputting a selected information record is embodied in each information-D a sentence with at least one constituent record and at least one process step record is linked or linked, the computer program product (12) is designed so that it upon selection of a component, preselecting the information records associated with the record of the selected item and, after selecting a process step, preselecting those information records associated with the record of the selected process step and the means for selecting information - Records are designed so that only the preselected information records are selectable.