Vehicle supply chain analysis system
View Patent ↗A computer implemented supply chain analysis apparatus permits user to create a supply chain map for analyzing a manufacturing operation. A template forms a workspace to depict a supply chain related to a manufacturing operation. Supply chain icons are predefined to depict specified aspects and relationships of an automotive supply chain function. The stencil stores icons which are related to a manufacturing area. The icons which are related to a manufacturing area are grouped together on a stencil.
1. A computer implemented apparatus for analyzing a manufacturing operation that contains a supply chain, said manufacturing operation having a plurality of manufacturing areas, said apparatus comprising:
a template for supplying a workspace to depict the supply chain related to the manufacturing operation;
icons which are predefined to depict factors of a supply chain; and
a stencil for storing the icons associated with one of the manufacturing areas, wherein the template comprises a perspective template having at least one supply chain icon, the perspective template providing a pre-populated framework to evaluate the manufacturing operation.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said icons are selected from the stencil and moved to the template.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 further includes a plurality of icons that are connected to show a supply chain flow.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 further includes at least one stencil selected from the group consisting of process flow stencil, logistics stencil, and environmental stencil.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said perspective template is selected from the group consisting of international template, logistics template, supplier template, and supplier process template.
6. A computer implemented supply chain analysis apparatus comprising:
a template for supplying a workspace to depict a supply chain related to a manufacturing operation;
icons which are predefined to depict factors of an automotive supply chain; and
a stencil for storing icons associated with a vehicle manufacturing area, wherein the template comprises a perspective template having at least one supply chain icon, the perspective template providing a pre-populated framework to evaluate the manufacturing operation.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said icons are selected from the stencil and moved to the template.
8. The apparatus of claim 6 further includes a plurality of icons that are connected to show a supply chain flow.
9. The apparatus of claim 6 further includes at least one stencil selected from the group consisting of process flow stencil, logistics stencil, and environmental stencil.
10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said perspective template is selected from the group consisting of international template, logistics template, supplier template, and supplier process template.
11. A system for analyzing a supply chain, the supply chain having multiple tiers of suppliers geographically removed from one another or from end users of products provided by the suppliers, and for optimizing a delivery process discovered using the system for analyzing the supply chain, the system adapted for use on a computer or network of computers, the system comprising:
a graphical interface system comprising at least one perspective template having a pre-arranged supply chain representation, the supply chain representation configured to provide information about the supply chain in a format useful to a particular user or participant in the supply chain, and a stencil including a plurality of iconic representations of elements for inclusion in the supply chain representation by the particular user.