Method for interpreting design data and associating manufacturing information with the data and software and systems for implementing the method

1. A method of generating a manufacturing process for producing at least one assembly, said method comprising the steps of:

designing at least one assembly to be produced comprising at least two components to be engaged to one another such that the area where the components are to be engaged thereby defines at least one contact area;

generating a representation of the assembly;

assigning a first identifier to a first component of the assembly or, when a group of more than one identical first components is utilized in the assembly, assigning identical first identifiers to each first component of the group thereby identifying each first component as identical;

assigning a second identifier to a second component of the assembly or, when a group of more than one identical second components is utilized in the assembly, assigning identical second identifiers to each second component thereby identifying each second component as identical;

assigning a manufacturing methodology to at least one contact area;

generating manufacturing instructions for the manufacturing process based at least in part on the first identifier, second identifier, and the contact area; and

outputting the generated manufacturing instructions for the manufacturing process.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising assigning a manufacturing methodology to the first identifier and the second identifier.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein at least one computer system is utilized to execute at least one step of the method.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the computer system directs a computer numerical controlled device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generated manufacturing instructions are in machine readable form and the method further comprises designing the assembly on a computer system remote from a manufacturing facility thereby allowing a remote user to design an assembly independent from the manufacturing facility.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of shipping the assembly to a user of the remote computer system.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of predicting manufacturing costs for varying product designs and monitoring manufacturing cost predictions of varying product designs.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of reporting to a user one or more design defects between the individual components of the assembly and the assigned manufacturing methodologies of at least one contact area based at least in part on the manufacturing methodologies of the contact area and the identifier for the components.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of predicting manufacturing costs for varying product designs and monitoring manufacturing cost predictions of varying product designs.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of modifying the manufacturing instructions generated by modifying the manufacturing methodology assigned to the identifiers, the contact area or both the identifiers and contact area and regenerating the manufacturing instructions.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first identifier and second identifier each comprise at least one of the group consisting of a three-dimensional representation, an alphanumeric identifier, the shape of the component, the material of the component, the numerical identifier, an alphabetical identifier, the size of the component, and any other physical property of the component.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first identifier and second identifier each comprise at least one of the group consisting of a three-dimensional representation, an alphanumeric identifier, the shape of the component, the material of the component, the numerical identifier, an alphabetical identifier, the size of the component and any other physical property of the component.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the representation of the assembly is generated using at least one of the group consisting of computer-aided drafting software, a writing surface and a writing device, and an Internet web-site.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising using at least one computer system utilizing at least a portion of the manufacturing instructions to direct at least one machine used to produce the assembly wherein the manufacturing methodology comprises a manufacturing methodology chosen from the group consisting of machining instructions, hardware instructions, and combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of producing the assembly utilizing the manufacturing instructions for the manufacturing process, wherein the manufacturing instructions comprise one or more tasks performed by a first manufacturing device, a manufacturing instruction generating computer system comprising a processor and memory directs the first manufacturing device to perform at least one task defined at least in part by the manufacturing instructions, the manufacturing instruction generating computer system and the first manufacturing device are connected by a network, and a design computer system located remote from the instruction generating computer system is utilized to design the assembly.

16. A method of producing an assembly comprising the steps of:

providing a design computer system comprising a processor and a memory subsystem coupled to the processor wherein the memory subsystem stores code;

designing an assembly to be produced using the design computer system to generate a three-dimensional representation of the assembly wherein the assembly comprises at least two components and wherein a spatial relationship between the components comprises a contact area;

assigning a first identifier to a first component of the assembly or, when a group of more than one identical first components is utilized in the assembly, assigning the identical first identifiers to each first component thereby identifying each first component as identical;

assigning a second identifier to a second component of the assembly or, when a group of more than one identical second components is utilized in the assembly, assigning identical second identifiers to each second component thereby identifying each second component as identical;

assigning a manufacturing methodology to the contact area;

generating manufacturing instructions for the manufacturing process based at least in part on the first identifier, second identifier, and the contact area; and

outputting the generated manufacturing instructions for the manufacturing process.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the design computer system is remote from the instruction generating computer system.

18. A method of producing an assembly comprising the steps of:

providing a design computer system comprising a processor and a memory subsystem coupled to the processor wherein the memory subsystem stores code;

designing an assembly to be produced using the design computer system to generate a three-dimensional representation of the assembly wherein the assembly comprises at least two components and wherein a spatial relationship between the components comprises a contact area;

assigning an identifier to identical individual components of the assembly;

assigning a manufacturing methodology to at least one contact area;

generating manufacturing instructions for the manufacturing process based at least in part on the identifiers and the contact area; and

outputting the generated manufacturing instructions for the manufacturing process.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the design computer system is remote from an instruction generating computer system.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the design computer system is located remote from a computer system that generates the manufacturing instructions for the manufacturing process and further comprising the step of shipping the assembly to a user of the design computer system.