Patent Publication Number: US-2007106528-A1

Title: Method and system of restricted substance management and recycling

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)  
      The present invention is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/682,988, filed Nov. 5, 2001. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates generally to methods and systems of recycling and, more specifically, to a method and system of restricted substance management and recycling in a manufacturing corporate environment.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      It is known for a vehicle manufacture to require information on restricted substances used in making components for a vehicle. In the past, a paper form having a number of questions and blank boxes were sent to suppliers to respond or report to the vehicle manufacturer regarding restricted substances and recycle content in components they supplied to the vehicle manufacturer. Once the forms were completed, the suppliers mailed or faxed them to the vehicle manufacturer. The vehicle manufacturer would review the completed forms for restricted substances. The completed forms were then stored in a box.  
      It is known that one vehicle manufacturer implemented a restricted substance recycling content system to gather information on restricted substances and recycle content from vehicle suppliers. This system, however, operated by mailing a computer disk to the vehicle suppliers who filled out information on the computer disk and mailed the computer disk back to the vehicle manufacturer. This system only collected recycled content amount of recycle in the component parts, not recyclibility of the material for the components.  
      Another system for collecting information on restricted substances is known. This system collects restricted substances information on vehicle components and collects recyclibility characteristics of the components to be recycled. The system allows one supplier to provide content data or information to the next tier upward. Each data set has a numeric identifier. The supplier, however, is able to conceal proprietary materials by listing them as miscellaneous content. The system suffers from the disadvantage that the vehicle manufacturer does not know what the miscellaneous content is.  
      One disadvantage of above systems is that they do not report accurately restricted substances and recycle content of components supplied to a vehicle manufacturer. Another disadvantage of the above systems is that they are manual based and not computer based. As a result, it is desirable to provide a method and system of restricted substance management and recycling in a manufacturing corporate environment. It is also desirable to provide a method of substance management and recycling that is computer based. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a method and system that meets these desires.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, the present invention is a method of restricted substance management and recycling in a manufacturing environment. The method includes the steps of inputting restricted substances and recycle content data of parts supplied by an inputter of information and receiving the inputted data by a receiver of information via a computer system. The method also includes the steps of reviewing the inputted data and determining parts with banned or recycled content or substances over predetermined thresholds. The method further includes the steps of reporting the determined parts to the inputter of the information and the receiver of the information.  
      One advantage of the present invention is that a method and system is provided of restricted substance management and recycling in a manufacturing corporate environment. Another advantage of the present invention is that the method and system is a web-based tool to assist corporate efforts in meeting environmental, health, and recycling goals, as well as regulatory requirements. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the method and system replaces a labor-intensive, fax-based reporting process. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the method and system facilitates the collection of valuable information on recycled content in order to meet corporate targets and regulatory requirements for increased use of recycled materials in products. A further advantage of the present invention is that the method and system improves the identification, reduction, and elimination of certain hazardous substances in dimensional parts, which could possibly lead to worker exposure through assembly or further in house processing.  
      Other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood, after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a logic flow diagram of a method, according to the present invention, of restricted substance management and recycling.  
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a method, according to the present invention, of restricted substance management and recycling.  
       FIGS. 3A through 3D  are flowcharts of inputting restricted substance management and recycling data.  
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a method, according to the present invention, of creating reports for the restricted substance management and recycling. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)  
      Referring to the drawings and in particular  FIG. 1 , one embodiment of a system  10 , according to the present invention, of restricted substance management and recycling in a manufacturing corporate environment is shown. The system  10  includes a computer system  12  having a computer with a memory, a processor, a display and user input mechanism, such as a mouse or keyboard (not shown). A method, according to the present invention, is implemented on the computer system  12  in Microsoft Excel, coupled with other lower level languages. It should be appreciated that the computer system  12  is conventional and known in the art.  
      In general, the system  10  accepts data, stores data, and determines compliance. The system  10  is based on the vehicle manufacturer network and assists the vehicle manufacturer and its suppliers to better track, reduce, and eliminate the use of substances of concern in products supplied to the vehicle manufacturer. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the system  10  includes a restricted substance management (RSM)/recycling team of the vehicle manufacturer in block  14 . The RSM/recycling team uses the computer system  12  to send a recycling substance management system (RSMS) document in block  16  to one or more vehicle component suppliers in block  18 . The suppliers use the computer system  12  to send RSM/recycling data in block  20  to the RSM/recycling team in block  14 . The RSM/recycling team uses the computer system  12  to send an acknowledgement of receipt of the data in block  22  to the vehicle component supplier in block  18 . The RSM/recycling team uses the computer system  12  to send a notification of compliance or non-compliance including instructions for RSMS deviation in block  24  to the vehicle component suppliers in block  18 . It should be appreciated that the RSMS data may be stored on a server memory, the memory of the computer system  12 , a magnetic disk storage device, or any one of numerous other electronic or magnetic storage devices. It should also be appreciated that the method to be described is web-based.  
      Referring to  FIG. 2 , a method, according to the present invention, of reviewing reported substances is shown. The method starts in bubble  30  and advances to block  32 . In block  32 , the reported substances are analyzed for compliance with a restricted substance management (RSM) standard. The method advances to block  34  and compares the reported substances to a list of banned substances. The method advances to diamond  36  and determines whether there are banned substances. If so, the method advances to block  38  and stores to exception list, which is a banned or over threshold limit. The method then advances to block  40  and displays a non-compliant printable message to the supplier and the vehicle manufacturer will contact the supplier shortly. After block  40 , the method may advance to block  42  and supplier sent non-compliance notification by e-mail a predetermined number of days past data submission and end in bubble  44 . The method may advance to block  46  and a non-compliance notification is sent to vehicle manufacturer personnel immediately by e-mail and ends in bubble  48 .  
      In diamond  36 , if there are no banned substances, the method advances to block  50  and compares against the set of CAS numbers of substances with threshold content limits. The method advances to diamond  52  and determines whether there are substances with threshold content limits (TCL). If so, the method advances to block  54  and for each substance, compares the submitted mass ratio (% weight) against the specific TCL for the Chemical Abstract Substance (CAS) number. The method advances to diamond  56  and determines whether there are any reported substances with mass ratio greater than specific TCL. If so, the method advances to block  38  previously described. If not, the method advances to diamond  58  and determines whether no single substance over TCL or banned. If not, the method advances to block  38  previously described. If so, the method advances to block  60  and displays a compliant printable message to supplier that submission is compliant. The method then advances to bubble  48  and ends.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 3A through 3D , a method of inputting data for restricted substance management and recycling, according to the present invention, is shown and carried out in accordance with the system  10 . In  FIG. 3A , the method starts in bubble  100  and advances to block  102 . In block  102 , the method allows a member of the RSM/recycling team to annually enter or input restricted substance management/recycling (RSM/R) data, change in regulation, entry of data on a new component or part, or re-certification of existing data via the computer system  12 . The method advance to block  104  and the supplier logs into a supplier network (SN) of the vehicle manufacturer via the computer system  12 . The method advances to block  106  and displays a global supplier data base (GSDB) code and supplier information. The method advances to diamond  108  and determines whether to review re-certification of the supplier information. If so, the method advances to block  110  and system  10  selects and displays components or parts submitted by the supplier at last certification/re-certification review of the supplier information. The method then advances to block  112  and the supplier reviews each item of the supplier information on a printable parts listing via the computer system  12 . The method advances to diamond  114  and determines whether to modify the supplier information on the parts. If not, the method advances to block  116  and certifies no revisions are required to the supplier information. The method advances to block  118  and the supplier submits RSM/R data. The method then advances to bubble  120  and ends.  
      In diamond  108 , if the recertification review of the supplier information is not to be performed, or in diamond  114 , if the supplier information is to be modified, the method advances to diamond  122  and determines whether the supplier certifies that there are no restricted substances in parts supplied to the vehicle manufacturer. If the supplier certifies that there are no restricted substances in parts supplied to the vehicle manufacturer, the method advances to block  124  and the supplier submits the response or certification. The method advances to diamond  126  and determines whether recycled content of the parts is reported. If not, the method advances to block  128  in  FIG. 3D . In block  128 , the method saves the final RSM/R data submission by the supplier. The method advances to block  130  and the method marks submission complete and received by vehicle manufacturer. The method then advances to block  132  and deletes RSM/R data stored temporarily on-the computer system  12 . The method then advances to block  134  and generates on-screen, printable acknowledgement of receipt of RSM/R data in real time to the supplier via the computer system  12 . The method then advances to bubble  136  and ends.  
      In diamond  126  in  FIG. 3A , if the recycled content is reported, the method advances to block  138  in  FIG. 3C . In block  138 , the supplier enters data of post industrial/consumer content by weight (kg) of the parts supplied to the vehicle manufacturer. The method advances to block  140  and validates the data at field level via the computer system  12 . The method then advances to diamond  142  and determines whether there is valid alpha/numeric data in the data entered. If not, the method advances to block  144  and a specific error message is displayed via the computer system  12 . The method then advances to block  146  and the supplier re-enters the data. The method then advances to block  138  previously described.  
      In diamond  142 , if there is valid alpha/numeric data in the data entered, the method advances to diamond  148  and determines whether there is valid recycled content data of the data entered. If not, the method advances to block  144  previously described. If so, the method advances to diamond  150  and determines whether to continue entering material information of the parts supplied to the vehicle manufacturer. If not, the method advances to diamond  152  and determines whether to continue entering parts information of the parts supplied to the vehicle manufacturer. If not, the method advances to diamond  154  and determines whether the data entry by the supplier is complete. If not, the method advances to block  156  and temporarily stores the entered data for a predetermined time period such as x days. The method then advances to block  104 , previously described, in  FIG. 3A .  
      In diamond  154 , if the data entry is complete, the method advances to block  158  and the supplier submits the data to the vehicle manufacturer via the computer system  12 . The method advances to diamond  160  and determines whether the supplier has certified that the entries are either one of or both complete and accurate. If so, the method advances to block  128 , previously described, in  FIG. 3D . If not, the method advances to diamond  162  and determines whether the data is to be temporarily saved. If so, the method advances to block  156  previously described. If not, the method advances to block  164 , cancels the submission, and deletes all data entries. The method then advances to bubble  166  and ends.  
      In diamond  152 , if it is determined to continue entering parts information, the method advances to block  168  in  FIG. 3B . In block  168 , the supplier enters the vehicle manufacturer part number. The method then advances to block  170  and the data is validated at a field level. The method advances to diamond  172  and determines whether the part number is valid. If not, the method advances to block  174  and displays a specific error message. The method then advances to block  168  previously described.  
      In diamond  172 , if the part number is valid, the method advances to block  176  and returns and displays the part name. The method advances to block  178  and enters the supplier end-item part name. The method advances to diamond  180  and determines whether there is a restricted substance or recycle content in a component of a supplier subcomponent (SS) assembly part. If so, the method advances to block  182  and enters supplier&#39;s component/subcomponent part number and name. After block  182  or the restricted substance or recycle content is not in component of FSS assembly part, the method advances to block  184  and enters supplier material name, material specification, and material weight. The method advances to block  186  and validates the data at the field level by the computer system  12 . The method advances to diamond  188  and determines whether the alpha/numeric data is valid. If not, the method advances to block  190  and displays a specific error message by the computer system  12 . The method then advances to block  192  and re-enters the data. The method advances to block  184  previously described.  
      In diamond  188 , if the alpha/numeric data is valid, the method advances to diamond  194  and determines whether the material is valid. If not, the method advances to block  190  previously described. If so, the method advances to diamond  196  and determines whether the part contains restricted substance(s). If so, the method advances to block  198  and the supplier selects substance&#39;s CAS number or chemical name from a popup list. The method then advances to block  200  in  FIG. 3C .  
      In block  200 , the supplier enters the weight for substance in material. The method advances to block  202  and data is validated at field level. The method advances to diamond  204  and determines whether the alpha/numeric data is valid. If not, the method advances to block  206  and displays a specific error message by the computer system  12 . The method then advances to block  208  and re-enters the data. The method advances to block  200  previously described.  
      In diamond  204 , if the alpha/numeric data is valid, the method advances to diamond  210  and determines whether reporting recycled content. If so, the method advances to block  138  previously described.  
      In diamond  210 , if the recycle content is not being reported, the method advances to diamond  180  previously described. In diamond  196  of  FIG. 3B , if the part does not contain restricted substance(s), the method advances to diamond  210  previously described. In diamond  150  of  FIG. 3C , if entering more information is continued, the method advances to diamond  180  previously described. In diamond  126 , if the recycle content is being reported, the method advances to block  138  previously described.  
      In diamond  122  of  FIG. 3A , if no restricted substances in parts supplied to the vehicle manufacturer are certified, the method advances to diamond  212  and determines whether data entry is resumed. If so, the method advances to block  214  and the computer system  14  returns partially completed information to screen. After block  214  or if data entry is not resumed, the method advances to block  216  and the supplier refers to down-loadable list of restricted substances such as a CAS listing. The method advances to block  218  and inputs restricted management substance/recycle (RMS/R) data. After block  218 , the method can advance to block  220  and review/print on-line summary of reported information as needed and end in bubble  222  or the method can advance to block  168 , previously described, in  FIG. 3B .  
      Referring to  FIG. 4 , the method may include creating end-user reports. The method starts in bubble  300  and advances to block  302 . In block  302 , the method is triggered and supplier or appropriate vehicle manufacturer personnel has need to query/analyze RSM/R data. The method then advances to block  304  and logs onto the vehicle manufacturer supplier network (VMSN). The method advances to block  306  and selects a report from a report menu. The method advances to block  308  and enters report selection criteria. The method advances to block  310  and selects output options such as display, print and/or download to personal computer. The method advances to block  312  and runs report. The method advances to bubble  314  and ends.  
      The present invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.  
      Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.