Title:
3D VIRTUAL MANUFACTURING PROCESS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2003046672
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
A method of is disclosed of checking the feasibility or other properties of a process involving movement and/or assembly of items or components. The method comprises setting up, within a computer, in terms of corresponding sets of data, a virtual three-dimensional space and, in such space, virtual versions of the items or components concerned, represented by corresponding sets of data, and operating a program in the computer so as to manipulate the virtual items or components in that virtual space. The method makes it possible to determine, by operation of the computer, potential difficulties in manipulating corresponding real items or components in real space. The method can be used to set up, within a computer, a virtual factory in virtual manufacturing premises with dimensions corresponding to the real premises available, with virtual machinery with data as to dimensions, to positioning, movement and timing of such machinery, and virtual personnel with corresponding data as to dimensions, limits of safe movement, speed of movement and the like. It is thus readily possible to adjust the data which is variable, and thus represents degrees of freedom, to arrive at an efficient workable arrangement.
Inventors:
READ DALE (GB)
Application Number:
PCT/GB2002/005219
Publication Date:
May 06, 2004
Filing Date:
November 20, 2002
Export Citation:
Assignee:
PROPHET CONTROL SYSTEMS LTD (GB)
READ DALE (GB)
READ DALE (GB)
International Classes:
G05B19/418; (IPC1-7): G05B19/418
Foreign References:
| US6157902A | 2000-12-05 | |||
| EP1107082A2 | 2001-06-13 |
Other References:
LATOMBE J-C ET AL: "Assembly sequencing with toleranced parts", COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN, ELSEVIER PUBLISHERS BV., BARKING, GB, vol. 29, no. 2, 1 February 1997 (1997-02-01), pages 159 - 174, XP004070878, ISSN: 0010-4485
HSU W ET AL: "FEEDBACK APPROACH TO DESIGN FOR ASSEMBLY BY EVALUATION OF ASSEMBLY PLAN", COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN, ELSEVIER PUBLISHERS BV., BARKING, GB, vol. 25, no. 7, 1 July 1993 (1993-07-01), pages 395 - 410, XP000385000, ISSN: 0010-4485
OLIVER J H ET AL: "AUTOMATED PATH PLANNING FOR INTEGRATED ASSEMBLY DESIGN", COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN, ELSEVIER PUBLISHERS BV., BARKING, GB, vol. 26, no. 9, 1 September 1994 (1994-09-01), pages 658 - 666, XP000468867, ISSN: 0010-4485
LUNDSTROM M ET AL: "A method for assembly system design including an integrated computerized design support", COMPEURO '93. 'COMPUTERS IN DESIGN, MANUFACTURING, AND PRODUCTION', PROCEEDINGS. PRIS-EVRY, FRANCE 24-27 MAY 1993, LOS ALAMITOS, CA, USA,IEEE COMPUT. SOC, US, 24 May 1993 (1993-05-24), pages 52 - 61, XP010096086, ISBN: 0-8186-4030-8
ROSSGODERER U ET AL: "A CONCEPT FOR AUTOMATICAL LAYOUT GENERATION", PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION. NAGOYA,JAPAN, MAY 21 - 27, 1995, NEW YORK, IEEE, US, vol. 1, 21 May 1995 (1995-05-21), pages 800 - 805, XP000657267, ISBN: 0-7803-1966-4
ANDRE G ET AL: "Expert systems applied to scheduling of assembly line", PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SYSTEMS, MAN AND CYBERNETICS. LE TOUQUET, OCT. 17 - 20, 1993, NEW YORK, IEEE, US, vol. 3, 17 October 1993 (1993-10-17), pages 743 - 748, XP010132483, ISBN: 0-7803-0911-1
HSU W ET AL: "FEEDBACK APPROACH TO DESIGN FOR ASSEMBLY BY EVALUATION OF ASSEMBLY PLAN", COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN, ELSEVIER PUBLISHERS BV., BARKING, GB, vol. 25, no. 7, 1 July 1993 (1993-07-01), pages 395 - 410, XP000385000, ISSN: 0010-4485
OLIVER J H ET AL: "AUTOMATED PATH PLANNING FOR INTEGRATED ASSEMBLY DESIGN", COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN, ELSEVIER PUBLISHERS BV., BARKING, GB, vol. 26, no. 9, 1 September 1994 (1994-09-01), pages 658 - 666, XP000468867, ISSN: 0010-4485
LUNDSTROM M ET AL: "A method for assembly system design including an integrated computerized design support", COMPEURO '93. 'COMPUTERS IN DESIGN, MANUFACTURING, AND PRODUCTION', PROCEEDINGS. PRIS-EVRY, FRANCE 24-27 MAY 1993, LOS ALAMITOS, CA, USA,IEEE COMPUT. SOC, US, 24 May 1993 (1993-05-24), pages 52 - 61, XP010096086, ISBN: 0-8186-4030-8
ROSSGODERER U ET AL: "A CONCEPT FOR AUTOMATICAL LAYOUT GENERATION", PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION. NAGOYA,JAPAN, MAY 21 - 27, 1995, NEW YORK, IEEE, US, vol. 1, 21 May 1995 (1995-05-21), pages 800 - 805, XP000657267, ISBN: 0-7803-1966-4
ANDRE G ET AL: "Expert systems applied to scheduling of assembly line", PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SYSTEMS, MAN AND CYBERNETICS. LE TOUQUET, OCT. 17 - 20, 1993, NEW YORK, IEEE, US, vol. 3, 17 October 1993 (1993-10-17), pages 743 - 748, XP010132483, ISBN: 0-7803-0911-1
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