IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,014,886
Granted Patent B2
US 8,014,886 · App. 12/118,954 · Granted Sep 6, 2011

Method and system for generating an assembly configuration

Assignee: Ford Motor Company
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,014,886
App. No.
12/118,954
Granted
Sep 6, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A bill of material and a design layout are aligned to generate a configuration for a virtual vehicle. The bill of material includes a part number and usage associated with a part. The design layout includes a CAD model of the part. CAD models in vehicle position are generated from the design layout. Logical positions are identified based on the usage and the CAD models in vehicle position are associated with the logical positions. Feature conditions are applied to the CAD models in vehicle position representing content and position configuration.

Claims (18)

1. A method for generating a configuration of an assembly from a design layout including a geometric representation of a part of the assembly and a bill of material including a part reference and a part address for the part of the assembly, the method comprising:

mapping the geometric representation of the part to the part reference from the bill of material;

generating positioned geometric representations of the part based on the mapping of the geometric representation of the part to the part reference;

identifying a logical position associated with the part based on the part address from the bill of material via a part address to logical position table;

mapping the positioned geometric representations of the part to the logical position based on logical position zones;

identifying a plurality of feature conditions based on the part reference and the part address; and

mapping each of the positioned geometric representations of the part to one of the feature conditions to generate, via one or more computers, a configuration of the assembly from the design layout and bill of material.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the logical position zones are defined by geometric rules.

3. A computer-readable storage medium having information stored thereon for directing a computer to perform the method of claim 1 .

4. A system for generating a configuration of an assembly from a design layout including a geometric representation of a part of the assembly and a bill of material including a part reference and a part address for the part of the assembly, the system comprising:

one or more computers configured to

map the geometric representation of the part to the part reference from the bill of material,

generate positioned geometric representations of the part based on the mapping of the geometric representation of the part to the part reference,

identify a logical position associated with the part based on the part address from the bill of material via a part address to logical position table,

map the positioned geometric representations of the part to the logical position based on logical position zones,

identify a plurality of feature conditions based on the part reference and the part address, and

map each of the positioned geometric representations of the part to one of the feature conditions to generate a configuration of the assembly from the design layout and bill of material.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the logical position zones are defined by geometric rules.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 13, 2008
From: KNAPP, DAVID MICHAEL; FISK, ALAN GEORGE DAVID; WALLACE, GARY STUART
To: FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Reel/Frame 020937/0669 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090281651A1 · Nov 12, 2009