Verification methods and systems for use in computer directed assembly and manufacture

1. A computer-implemented method of verifying the completion of a sequence of one or more assembly instructions used when assembling a manufactured product, the method comprising:

displaying assembly instructions for an in-use component being assembled in a user interface in addition to a predetermined image of a previously assembled component with a visual highlight area that overlays a portion of the previously assembled component that received materials through the assembly instructions, wherein the assembly instructions relate the visual highlight area from the previously assembled component with a portion of the in-use component being assembled;

positioning an image capture device over the portion of an in-use component that received materials as a result of an assembler completing one or more assembly instructions displayed on the user interface;

processing a first voice command from the assembler authorizing acquisition of an image from the image capture device positioned over the portion of the in-use component;

processing a second voice command from the assembler confirming accuracy between the visual highlight area from the predetermined image of the previously assembled component with the image acquired and that the in-use component has been properly assembled; and

storing the first and second voice commands from the assembler and images of the in-use component being assembled in an assembly record database creating a traceable record of the materials used, the assembly operation performed, and an assembler's verbal participation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the assembler performs assembly instructions with the component placed on an assembly workstation.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the assembler performs assembly instructions with the component located adjacent to the assembly workstation.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the materials associated with the manufactured product are extracted directly from a Bill of Materials in an enterprise database system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein processing a first voice command comprises:

displaying the image acquired on the user interface allowing the assembler to determine if the in-use component appears to have been assembled properly and if the image accurately captures the portion of in-use component.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first voice command includes the phrase, “Take photo”.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the second voice command includes the phrase, “Photo ok”.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

processing a third voice command resulting from requiring the assembler to read a predetermined confirmation statement presented on the user interface and storing the third voice command in the assembly record database with other voice commands, wherein a match between the third voice command and the predetermined confirmation statement provides an indicia of the assembler's attention when assembling the manufactured product.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the predetermined confirmation statement corresponds to at least one assembly instruction selected from the sequence of one or more assembly instructions.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the predetermined confirmation statement is a randomly generated phrase.

11. A computer program product for verifying the completion of a sequence of one or more assembly instructions used when assembling a manufactured product, tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

display assembly instructions for an in-use component being assembled in a user interface in addition to a predetermined image of a previously assembled component with a visual highlight area that overlays a portion of the previously assembled component that received materials through the assembly instructions, wherein the assembly instructions relate the visual highlight area from the previously assembled component with a portion of the in-use component being assembled;

position an image capture device over the portion of an in-use component that received materials as a result of an assembler completing one or more assembly instructions displayed on the user interface;

process a first voice command from the assembler authorizing acquisition of an image from the image capture device positioned over the portion of the in-use component;

process a second voice command from the assembler confirming accuracy between the visual highlight area from the predetermined image of the previously assembled component with the image acquired and that the in-use component has been properly assembled; and

store the first and second voice commands from the assembler and images of the in-use component being assembled in an assembly record database creating a traceable record of the materials used, the assembly operation performed, and an assembler's verbal participation.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , further comprising instructions, when executed, process a third voice command resulting from requiring the assembler to read a predetermined confirmation statement presented on the user interface and storing the third voice command in the assembly record database with other voice commands, wherein a match between the third voice command and the predetermined confirmation statement provides an indicia of the assembler's attention when assembling the manufactured product.

13. An apparatus for verifying the completion of a sequence of one or more assembly instructions used when assembling a manufactured product, the apparatus comprising:

a processor capable of executing instructions; and

a memory holding instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

display assembly instructions for an in-use component being assembled in a user interface in addition to a predetermined image of a previously assembled component with a visual highlight area that overlays a portion of the previously assembled component that received materials through the assembly instructions, wherein the assembly instructions relate the visual highlight area from the previously assembled component with a portion of the in-use component being assembled;

position an image capture device over a portion of an in-use component that received materials as a result of an assembler completing one or more assembly instructions displayed on a user interface;

process a first voice command from the assembler authorizing acquisition of an image from the image capture device positioned over the portion of the in-use component;

process a second voice command from the assembler confirming accuracy between the visual highlight area from the predetermined image of the previously assembled component with the image acquired and that the in-use component has been properly assembled; and

store the first and second voice commands from the assembler and images of the in-use component being assembled in an assembly record database creating a traceable record of the materials used, the assembly operation performed, and an assembler's verbal participation.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising instructions, when executed, that, process a third voice command resulting from requiring the assembler to read a predetermined confirmation statement presented on the user interface and storing the third voice command in the assembly record database with other voice commands, wherein a match between the third voice command and the predetermined confirmation statement provides an indicia of the assembler's attention when assembling the manufactured product.