Abstract:
An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method for facilitating a preferred parts plan for an enterprise over a computer network utilizing a parts review process tool. The method comprises: receiving a bill of material from a client system that includes a non-preferred part; storing the bill of material in a bill of material review database; periodically searching an extracting non-preferred parts records from the bill of material review database; importing the non-preferred parts records into a deviation database; notifying a division representative assigned to the non-preferred parts records along with a link to a site questionnaire;  
     receiving answers to the site questionnaire; sending a notice to an evaluation team including a request to evaluate non-preferred parts usage relating to the non-preferred parts; evaluating risk factors associated with the non-preferred parts usage; developing an action plan to mitigate risks in using the non-preferred parts; developing a preferred parts strategy for use in minimizing requests to use non-preferred parts; and communicating the preferred parts strategy over a computer network to enterprise client systems.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to parts review processes in a manufacturing environment, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for reviewing parts usage, assessing related risks, developing an action plan for non-preferred parts, and providing this information to developers and procurement parties over a communications network.  
           [0002]    It is generally known in the manufacturing industry that a product is only as good as its collective components. In the early design phase of a product development cycle, design engineers are tasked with selecting the parts that will be incorporated into a product design. While the selections made by the designer may be technically sound, they may not always be the most cost effective from a financial standpoint because the designer is not privy to important business data such as cost rebates available from a particular supplier. Further, these part selections may not be the most pragmatic from a logistical standpoint since the designer is not equipped with the business skills or knowledge of a procurement specialist. Procurement specialists evaluate the business risks associated with part selection by examining various factors such as reliability, supplier technology and capability, availability, etc. However, procurement specialists are not generally knowledgeable about the technical or functional aspects of the parts or assemblies. As a result, there may be parts used by development that include some business and/or technical risks. Currently, there is no way for an enterprise to alert its development personnel of these risks and no capability to assess the action plans in order to minimize them. It is, therefore, desirable to provide a method and system for reviewing parts usage, finding problems or risk parts, and defining the actions that should be taken to mitigate the risks.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY  
         [0003]    An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method for facilitating a preferred parts plan for an enterprise over a computer network utilizing a parts review process tool. The method comprises: receiving a bill of material from a client system that includes a non-preferred part; storing the bill of material in a bill of material review database; periodically searching an extracting non-preferred parts records from the bill of material review database; importing the non-preferred parts records into a deviation database; notifying a division representative assigned to the non-preferred parts records along with a link to a site questionnaire;  
           [0004]    receiving answers to the site questionnaire; sending a notice to an evaluation team including a request to evaluate non-preferred parts usage relating to the non-preferred parts; evaluating risk factors associated with the non-preferred parts usage; developing an action plan to mitigate risks in using the non-preferred parts; developing a preferred parts strategy for use in minimizing requests to use non-preferred parts; and communicating the preferred parts strategy over a computer network to enterprise client systems. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]    Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several FIGURES:  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of computer network system in which the parts review process tool is implemented in a preferred embodiment of the invention;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is a flowchart describing the process of implementing a non-preferred parts review;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an exemplary division questionnaire for providing parts usage information to the parts review process tool; and  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 is an exemplary evaluation questionnaire for assisting an evaluation team in assessing parts usage, risks, and developing an action plan. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0010]    In a preferred embodiment, evaluation teams and council members for an enterprise determine which components a designer should consider first for use in a design. These components are referred to as ‘preferred parts’. Using a preferred part may mean that development and procurement experts who make up these teams/councils have determined that the part is readily available in the industry (no supply issues), is technically sound, will be available throughout the life of a specified program, and is being procured at the lowest cost available. It is understood that other criteria may be used to determine a preferred part.  
         [0011]    A preferred part is one that the technology development councils have determined to be of more value to the enterprise from a technical and business standpoint as compared to another part. Preferred parts are further defined by two areas—technology and suppliers. The following criteria are used for defining preferred parts according to technology.  
         [0012]    Industry standard. This element is concerned with whether or not the part is readily available from the industry. Wide acceptance of a part in the industry usually means good supply and price.  
         [0013]    Number of suppliers. The number of suppliers producing the technology is helpful in assessing whether or not sufficient suppliers exist to satisfy enterprise and industry demand.  
         [0014]    Continuity of supply. This factor addresses whether there are any known issues or technical events that may affect supply. For example, a natural disaster such as an earthquake or a serious fire may affect a supplier&#39;s ability to manufacture parts.  
         [0015]    Adequate lead times/capacity. This element is concerned with the amount of planning needed to ensure continuity of supply. Long lead times usually mean insufficient supply.  
         [0016]    Quality/reliability. This element addresses whether or not there are any known issues that may affect the enterprise&#39;s ability to ship a product due to a supplier&#39;s manufacturing and/or design issue.  
         [0017]    Manufacturability. This factor establishes whether the technology under evaluation lends itself to problem free assembly in the enterprise-designated assembly facility. For example, a certain package design may be more difficult to solder onto a card versus another package design.  
         [0018]    Technical advantage. This element assesses whether the use of this technology gives the enterprise a technical advantage in the market place. For example, one type of part may increase a machine&#39;s technical performance as compared to another type of part (microprocessor A works better in a design than microprocessor B).  
         [0019]    Position in the technology life cycle. This item addresses whether this technology will be available for the life of an enterprise program or whether there will be a need to execute an end-of-life exercise. An end-of-life exercise includes analysis of total parts requirements (from many machines or designs) for the remainder of a manufacturing period (e.g., from today until the date manufacturing will stop), establishing supply to fulfill those requirements, and inventory storage of the parts.  
         [0020]    The following criteria are used for defining preferred parts according to supplier selection.  
         [0021]    Supplier technology. Suppliers are compared to one another in the areas of quality/reliability; the ability to offer leading edge technology, steps they are taking to improve technology, and the ease with which the supplier may be qualified for the enterprise&#39;s products.  
         [0022]    Supplier menu. Supplier menu refers to the nature and scope of its product offerings and how well the supplier&#39;s offerings match enterprise needs (i.e., technology road map convergence as discussed further herein).  
         [0023]    Pricing. This factor looks not only at current price offerings but also whether the supplier provides aggressive pricing throughout the product life, whether the pricing is aggressive in beating the market average, and whether the supplier&#39;s pricing is aggressive across its entire offering as opposed to only select areas.  
         [0024]    Capacity. Capacity refers to whether the supplier has the manufacturing capacity to meet enterprise or industry demand and whether it is flexible in moving from one product set to another if market conditions dictate a change.  
         [0025]    Service. This factor assesses a supplier&#39;s serviceability to the enterprise in terms of delivery, communication, recovery capability, technical support and Electronic Data Interchange capability.  
         [0026]    In addition to the above-described criteria, other factors may be employed by an enterprise as desired in order to establish a preferred parts definition. It should be noted that the parts review process tool can be implemented for use in any electronics-based industry.  
         [0027]    In contrast to preferred parts described above, non-preferred parts are those which have been found to have some type of associated risk that needs to be addressed. There are varying degrees of risk based on the enterprise&#39;s business and technical requirements. Risk types range from a part that will go end-of-life during the time which the product will be using the part to a part that is no longer available requiring the substitution of a new part. Utilizing the technology and supplier criteria listed above, the parts review process tool&#39;s action plan will be executed only on these non-preferred parts to determine if the risk of using this part may impact the program&#39;s revenue commitment. If the risk is accepted, a mitigation plan will be developed to minimize the risk.  
         [0028]    Once a strategy or preferred parts action plan is in place, it is communicated to all development personnel and other interested parties of the enterprise via a web site. The web site contains a visual picture of the strategy, i.e., roadmap, a methodology to find a list of parts that match the roadmap, a contact list, a price projection, and market conditions (current and future predicted).  
         [0029]    Establishing a preferred parts list is only a portion of the process necessary to ensure that optimal resources are being utilized by the enterprise. A preferred part can easily become non-preferred overnight. Ongoing reviews of technology and suppliers qualifications may be necessary. Existing parts become obsolete while emerging technologies continue to offer new and improved parts in the market place. Furthermore, design groups may tend to develop loyalties to existing parts with which they are familiar, without consideration of whether the parts continue to be cost effective for the enterprise.  
         [0030]    The parts review tool of the present invention provides a means for information gathering of parts usage, collaborative evaluation of technical properties and business factors relating to parts available in the industry, and deployment of preferred parts strategies via a communications network across an enterprise.  
         [0031]    In an exemplary embodiment, the parts review process tool is implemented via a network system such as that depicted in FIG. 1. System  100  includes enterprise  102  which is operating in a client/server architecture mode whereby groupware applications and file distribution software are executed by system server  114  and/or council server  136  on behalf of requesting client systems  106 ,  108 ,  110 ,  112 ,  128 ,  130 ,  132 , and  138 . Groupware applications are well known to those skilled in the art and include email, messaging, calendaring, and a host of multi-media tools. Likewise, client systems of enterprise  102  employ suitable client-side applications for facilitating the groupware tools utilized by enterprise  102  such as web browser programs and email software. Enterprise  102  is also executing application software used by the parts review process tool including spreadsheet software such as Lotus 1-2-3 (TM) and database management software such as IBM&#39;s DB2 (TM). Enterprise  102  further comprises an evaluation team  104  with client systems  106 ,  108 , and  110 , each in communication via a communications link  140 . Client system  106  represents a procurement engineer, system  108  represents a procurement business specialist, and system  110  represents a development engineer. It is understood that any number of client systems may be used in order to realize the advantages of the invention. Evaluation team  104  evaluates non-preferred parts usage for divisions of enterprise  102  with respect to a commodity. Evaluation team  104  is responsible for looking at the non-preferred parts usage, determining any associated risks in using the part, and developing an action plan designed to minimize these risks. Evaluation team  104  pulls business people from procurement and technical people from both procurement engineering and development. Enterprise  102  may support evaluation teams for each commodity related to its business and commodity evaluation teams may be further broken down as needed into sub-commodity teams or otherwise as needed.  
         [0032]    Client system  112  represents a design engineer from a division of enterprise  102  who designs and develops electronic assemblies or products for enterprise  102 . Client system  112  is also connected to communications link  140 . System server  114  provides typical engineering resources to employees of enterprise  102  such as CAD software and other design tools. Server  114  also retrieves data stored in data storage device  116  for use by authorized client systems of enterprise  102 . Data storage device  116  houses databases used by enterprise  102  employees including the parts review process tool of the invention. Databases of data storage device  116  include a parts database  118 , a bill of material (BOM) review database  120 , a deviation database  122 , and a history database  124  all of which are explained further herein.  
         [0033]    Parts database  118  contains a list of all part numbers utilized by enterprise  102  as well as associated data. The preferred definition, as well as a description of the part, comes from database  118 .  
         [0034]    BOM review database  120  contains a list of parts that make up different parts of a machine as entered on a bill of material. Bills of materials are submitted by developers of enterprise  102  such as design engineer client system  112  who requests that a new part be released or to determine the current status of a part in parts database  118 . Deviation database  122  uses database  120  as the main source for determining which parts need to be reviewed by evaluation team  104 .  
         [0035]    Deviation database  122  contains all non-preferred parts extracted from database  120  along with key data that identifies the part and the program that uses the part. This database also contains data describing why the part was used and the status of the risk review.  
         [0036]    History database  124  stores the results of the evaluations performed for statistical and trend analysis as described further herein and in FIG. 2.  
         [0037]    Also included in enterprise  102  is technology development council  126  which comprises client systems  128 ,  130 , and  132 . Technology development council  126  is responsible for defining and communicating the preferred parts policies on an enterprise-wide level. Technology council  126  is commissioned to develop and communicate to enterprise  102  and suppliers a consistent strategy regarding enterprise  102 &#39;s use of designated parts. Council  126  may be staffed from technical members of each division of enterprise  102  and from procurement engineering. Due to the complex nature of some divisions, it may be appropriate to include multiple people from the same division sitting on the council. Client system  128  represents a representative of a division&#39;s development group, client system  130  represents a procurement representative, and client system  132  represents a representative of another division&#39;s development group. It is understood that any number of client systems may be used by enterprise  102 . Numerous division representatives may be assigned to the council and numerous councils may be created as needed. One council person from each division is selected to be the deviation process focal point for that division. This division representative is responsible for gathering the data needed to evaluate the non-preferred parts use. Council  126  also employs council server  136  for accessing the parts review process tool and retrieving information from data storage device  134  as needed.  
         [0038]    Client system  138  represents a system administrator for enterprise system  102  who assists in transporting the bill of material data provided by a design engineer client system  112  to deviation database  122  for assessment. System administrator client system  138  is described further in FIG. 2. Enterprise  102  is connected to a network (e.g., Internet) in order to facilitate communications with outside entities.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 2 illustrates the process involved in establishing and communicating a preferred parts usage plan in a preferred embodiment of the invention. A design engineer of enterprise  102  inputs a bill of materials into BOM review database  120  via client system  112  at step  202 . On a periodic basis (e.g., weekly), system server  114  performs extractions from BOM review database  120  of non-preferred parts appearing on the stored bills of material at step  204 . The extraction records are exported to a spreadsheet file at step  206 . This step is used where outputs obtained from database  120  are incompatible with information supplied by deviation database  122 , however, it may be eliminated by integrating the two databases via systems software or hardware. Division representative  128  of technology development council  126  is identified and associated with each record in the file by comparing data contained in the extraction record to data provided by deviation database  122 . The system administrator at client system  138  imports the spreadsheet file to deviation database  122  at step  208  where irrelevant data is filtered out from the record and relevant data is captured. Enterprise  102  may establish the criteria to be used for defining relevant data. Again, the tool may perform the importation of the non-preferred parts records from database  120  directly to deviation database  122 , thus bypassing steps  206  and  208  where the two databases have been integrated as described above. The filtered records in the file are stored in forms referred to as Request Descriptions in deviation database  122 . The following information fields may be included in the Request Description form and are used by the tool to identify the program that is requesting the parts, as well as to describe the part being requested.  
         [0040]    Division. Name of the division that requested the part.  
         [0041]    Technology Development Council Representative. The division representative that is responsible for completing the Requester Questionnaire (shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B).  
         [0042]    BOM Technical Contact. The technical person responsible for this BOM as identified in BOM database  120 .  
         [0043]    Responsible Engineer. The design engineers responsible for this BOM as identified in BOM database  120 .  
         [0044]    BOM Name. Bill of materials name as identified in BOM database  120 .  
         [0045]    Assembly PN. Assembly part number as identified in BOM database  120 .  
         [0046]    Enterprise PN. Part number of the component used in the assembly as identified in BOM database  120 .  
         [0047]    Product Description. Brief description of product as identified in BOM database  120 .  
         [0048]    Product GA. Date for general availability. This information is obtained by the division representative via the questionnaire of FIGS. 3A and 3B.  
         [0049]    Program Manager. Manager for the design project. This information is obtained by the division representative via the questionnaire of FIGS. 3A and 3B.  
         [0050]    Supplier Name. Supplier Name as identified in BOM database  120 .  
         [0051]    Classification. Part classification or category as identified in BOM database  120 .  
         [0052]    Type. Part type as identified in BOM database  120 .  
         [0053]    Other information such as size, units, density may be included here as well.  
         [0054]    Deviation database  122  automatically notifies division representative  128  by email along with a link to the site questionnaire (also referred to as requester questionnaire) of FIG. 3 at step  210 . Division representative  128  then contacts the project design team (not shown) of the BOM which comprises the design engineer of client system  112  and an engineering group to which the design engineer is assigned. Division representative  128  then gathers the information requested by the questionnaire at step  212 . The responses to the questionnaire are then inputted by division representative  128  at step  214  followed by selecting the submit button  302  of FIG. 3B at step  216 . Alternatively, the division representative  128  may enter information and save it as a draft (not shown) at step  218  if the data requested is still forthcoming. Once submitted, an alert is sent by the tool to evaluation team  104  notifying them that an assessment is required at step  220 . The evaluation team reviews the request/response and accesses related data from parts database  118 , BOM database  120 , Deviation database  122 , history database  124 , along with market analysis and industry trends for consideration. A questionnaire is provided by the tool as illustrated in FIG. 4 to aid team  104  in their assessment. Once completed, there are four courses of action possible for the evaluation team (step  224 ). At step  226 , if the risk is determined to be low, no action may be required. For example, the part is non-preferred because it is a card made for only one machine (wide usage is one of the requirements for preferredness). If the card is built with components that are preferred, the risk is low, thus no action is required. Another example might be where the system has a migration path to allow replacement of the non-preferred part with a preferred part and has a plan to move to the preferred solution when necessary.  
         [0055]    A second course of action requires council review at step  228 . This is where evaluation team  104  feels that technology development council  126  should reevaluate its position regarding the status of this part. A third course of action requests that a change be implemented at step  230 . The evaluation team has reviewed the data and has determined that the risk is too high to allow the use of the non-preferred part. A request has been made to the developer to modify the design to use a preferred part. Finally, at step  232  immediate attention may be required where the device being used is very high risk. This may require that an action plan be developed to reduce or eliminate the risk. Typical conditions that would trigger this response would include the use of an end-of-life component or a component from a high risk supplier.  
         [0056]    All evaluations and results are saved to history database  124  for future assessments and trend analysis. Once the data begins to flow into the database, analysis is critical to determine the steps needed to drive down the non-preferred parts request percentage. Measurements can be broken down into two sections: Database Management and Trend Analysis.  
         [0057]    Database management provides that turnaround time and form closure are tracked to make sure the forms are being closed on a timely basis. The following details may be measured on a site-by-site basis: turnaround time from start to finish, turnaround time to close the requester questionnaire (measured from time note was sent), turnaround time to close the evaluation (measured from time requester closes section), and status  402  of FIG. 4.  
         [0058]    Trend analysis include trends such as why a division is using a non-preferred part will help the council in developing action plans that will help drive the non-preferred request percentage down. The following areas will be grouped by site and division and the results evaluated: action  402  of FIG. 4, requester response distributions by division; why are you using non-preferred parts, action  406  of FIG. 3A; what are the dollars saved by using this part, action  408  of FIG. 3A; what is the expected life of the program, action  410  of FIG. 3A, what is the projected revenue of this program, action  412  of FIG. 3A; and what are the average expected yearly volumes for this part number, action  414  of FIG. 3B.  
         [0059]    As described above, the present invention can be embodied in the form of computer-implemented processes and apparatuses for practicing those processes. The present invention can also be embodied in the form of computer program code containing instructions embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD-ROMs, hard drives, or any other computer-readable storage medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. The present invention can also be embodied in the form of computer program code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits.  
         [0060]    While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation.