Abstract: A method for calculating availability in line power systems composed of power circuit modules determines power circuit parameters associated with the power circuits, accepting input from central databases. The method calculates a required number of power circuits to complete the line power system, and calculates the total power to be delivered over the power system, based on a power calculator. The method calculates individual power circuit availabilities based on the power circuit compositions and external variables. The method then calculates an overall system availability based on the power circuit availabilities and other external variable inputs. The method may compare the calculated line power system availability with a target availability, revise the power circuit parameters, and recalculate the system availability to meet the target availability.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for packing a required quantity of products, wherein a plurality of different packages for packing the products and a plurality of packaging specifications comprising rounding rules are provided. In one implementation, a method is provided comprising determining a packaging specification out of a plurality of packaging specifications, extracting parameter values form the determined packaging specification and rounding, according to a predetermined packaging specification, the required quantity of products to a multiple of packages.

Abstract: A distributed architecture system including a plurality of nodes operatively coupled together by a bus. Each node includes a main controller configured to provide data to the bus and to an actuator, and a supervisory controller configured to provide data to the bus and to the actuator. Each node is configured such that during normal operations the main controller provides data to the actuator that controls the actuator and the supervisory controller generally does not provide data to the actuator that controls the actuator. Each node is configured such that if it is determined that the main controller is providing improper data, the supervisory controller provides data to the actuator that controls the actuator and the main controller does not provide data to the actuator that controls the actuator.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and a system, for provided for performing an automated process flow adjustment. A semiconductor wafer is processed based upon a routing plan and a predetermined schedule. A fault detection relating to the processing of the semiconductor wafer is performed. Dynamically modifying the predetermined routing plan or the predetermined schedule based upon the fault detection. A predetermined process material delivery plan is dynamically modified based upon the modifying of the routing plan or modifying of the predetermined schedule.

Abstract: The methodology disclosed herein calculates the dates that product must come to stock for every component in the supply chain as needed to meet exit demands associated with a plurality of due dates and priorities. Every planned product stock is thus associated with multiple stock dates and associated priorities as is every planned manufacturing start and every shipment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a modular controller that connects to irrigation modules with varying station terminals and a standard footprint size. Additionally, the modular controller includes surge protection options, wireless communication with PDA's and other external devices, no required position for each controller module to be connected, immediate display of station modules on the LCD display, retention of a water program if module is removed, communications module for flow monitoring, a modular transformer, rain sensor receiver within the housing, an improved 9-volt batter holder, and other aspects described in the present application.

Abstract: A system and method for providing operational control and/or remote monitoring of a manufacturing device as in a foam dispenser device such as a foam-in-bag dispensing device. In architecture, the remote monitoring system includes a server device containing a remote monitoring system. The remote monitoring system further includes a transceiver to receive an indication of a help condition, connect to the manufacturing device; and receive data from the manufacturing device. The present invention can also be viewed as a method for providing remote monitoring of a manufacturing device. The method operates by (1) receiving an indication of a help condition; (2) connecting to the manufacturing device; and (3) receiving data from the manufacturing device.

Abstract: Methods and systems for wafer lot ordering using including estimation of allowable queue time based on utilization loss and rework percentage have been achieved. The method invented comprises steps of ranking lots, allocating equipment to the exit step of queue time, calculating and determining the optimal allowable queue time based on utilization loss and rework percentage, calculating the next available time for equipment, calculating earliest release time, and releasing lot/batch and pre-assign it to the equipment at exit step. The present invention can be applied to other manufacturing lines than semiconductor manufacturing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of designing an orthopedic implant in which a plurality of samples of the bone are selected and a CT scan of each of the samples of the bone is taken so that the data from the CT scan can be used to generate a 3D graphical solid body model of each of the sample of the bone. The 3D graphical models are placed into a category of one or more of average, small, and large, and the center of mass and an X, Y and Z plane for each model is determined. The 3D graphical models for one category is assembled and aligned at the center of mass to create a categorized composite 3D graphical solid body model of the bone. The categorized composite 3D graphical model is sectioned at a specified interval to create a lofted contoured surface of a selected thickness which is cut to create a categorized implant profile.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a matrix of thermoelectric devices for applying thermal gradients across an electronic component mounted in a PCB substrate within an enclosed housing. A matrix of thermosensitive devices are placed around the perimeter of the electronic component to measure thermal gradients associated with the component. A controller controls the matrix of thermoelectric devices based on the thermal gradients measured by the matrix of thermosensitive devices with a matrix of thermocouple coefficients.

Abstract: A fuel cell system control system includes a fuel cell system and a controller. The controller includes a display and a processor configured to execute a program for managing an operation of a fuel cell state machine having a plurality of states and capable of executing logic to execute state transitions, and a fuel cell failure detection and correction program, configured to detect one or more fuel cell system failures and correct each detected failure while the fuel cell system continues to operate. The control process includes the steps of representing an operation of a fuel cell control system as a state machine having one or more states, controlling the operation of the fuel cell system using the state machine, executing one or more states of the state machine, and correcting operational errors in the fuel cell control system while the fuel cell system continues to operate.

Abstract: In a method for assessing a plurality of electronic devices, cooling efficiencies for the plurality of electronic devices are calculated, where the cooling efficiencies comprise measures of energy usage requirements to respectively maintain the plurality of electronic devices within predetermined temperature ranges. In addition, the plurality of electronic devices are ranked according to their cooling efficiencies and the plurality of electronic devices are stored according to their rankings.

Abstract: The invention disclosed here is a method for achieving simultaneous consideration of multiple independent dates associated with a single demand. The method iterates through the demands to match the demands with the supply quantities respecting demand priorities which vary over time and demand quantities which may perish over time. One embodiment of the invention allocates demand to supply through an iterative process beginning with earlier demand requirement dates and concluding with later demands which may preempt supply from earlier demands depending upon their relative priorities. An additional embodiment transforms the demands to create multiple demand records, each having an associated priority, such that a single original demand record is transformed into a plurality of related demand records, each having an associated priority. The component supply quantities are accumulated into period ending inventories.

Abstract: A production planning method inputs demands for products. The demands have multiple due dates, and the multiple due dates have different priorities. The method performs an explosion process utilizing linear programming and heuristics to identify demands for components that are used to make the products (the explosion process maintains the multiple due dates and corresponding priorities for the components) and performs an implosion process utilizing linear programming and heuristics to assign resources to the components considering the multiple due dates and corresponding priorities.

Abstract: A controller with configurable connections between data processing components is provided. In one embodiment, the controller includes a number of configurable inputs and outputs that may be used with digital and/or analog signals. The controller includes a data processor with a plurality of data processing components. The inputs and outputs are configurable to the plurality of data processing components and transfer of processed data between the plurality of data processing components is also configurable.

Abstract: A molded product from a mold, the mold for molding a molded product in a desired shape can be designed with high precision by correcting a shape change of the molded product. A mold in which use surfaces of an upper mold and a lower mold are formed to be design curved surfaces of an optical lens is prepared. A curved surface shape of the optical lens molded from this mold is measured, and a measured value is approximated by equation (1). The curved surface of the optical lens specified by the equation and a design curved surface are compared to obtain an error between both the curved surfaces. Information corresponding to the error is used as correction information, and the use surfaces in the upper mold and the lower mold are corrected and designed.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing resource planning includes identifying multiple logical entities within a manufacturing facility; receiving supply information for each of the logical entities, the supply information for a particular logical entity including current and projected future inventories of resources assigned to the particular logical entity for use in manufacturing products; receiving demand information associated with manufacture of a requested product; identifying resources for use in manufacturing the requested product; and scheduling manufacture of the requested product using the identified resources at least one of the logical entities at least partially based on the supply information and the demand information.

Abstract: The invention is intended to provide a building sequence planning system for an automobile production line, which can prepare an efficient building sequence. The system comprises an input unit (1) for inputting information of vehicles to be manufactured, a processing unit (3) for deciding an optimum building sequence based on the vehicle information inputted through the input unit (1), and an output unit (5) for externally outputting a building sequence schedule decided by the processing unit (3). The processing unit (3) prepares a vehicle building sequence, determines a degree of dissatisfaction of the prepared building sequence, as a penalty value, in accordance with restriction conditions which are inputted through the input unit (1) and are imposed when building the vehicles into work, and decides a building sequence with a minimum penalty by preparing a plurality of building sequences and determining the penalty value for each building sequence with respect to the restriction conditions.

Abstract: A method for optimizing measurement and control of the flatness of a strip of rolled material. A mapping is accomplished by associating to relevant flatness fault types a reference strip model and an actuator space conversion matrix. A device for optimizing measurement and control of the flatness of a strip of rolled material.

Abstract: A machining unit corresponding to a cursor position in an editor section and in a synthetic model of a product model and a work model displayed in a model display section is highlight-displayed, and at the time of editing a created NC creation program, it is clearly determined to which machining unit on the model the cursor position in the editor section corresponds.