Patent ID: 8027745

Claim:
A method performed on at least one computer, said at least one computer having a means for inputting, a means for displaying video, a means for playing audio files, and a means for storing, for creating and using an assembly guide to control the assembly of an article from a collection of parts based on a bill of material and assembly instructions, including using tools as required by said assembly instructions, testing said article using test fixtures as required by said assembly instructions, and capturing and recording production statistics and test results, said method comprising: identifying each part necessary to produce said article from said bill of material; identifying each tool necessary to produce said article from said assembly instructions; identifying each test fixture necessary to test said article from said assembly instructions; identifying the sequence of steps necessary to produce said article from said bill of material, said steps comprising individual states related to each part and each tool needed for the production of said article from said bill of material; creating a three-dimensional graphic representing each identified part; creating a three-dimensional graphic representing each identified tool; creating a three-dimensional graphic representing each identified test fixture; storing each graphic; annotating each graphic with visual clues to create an annotated graphic; storing said annotated graphics; generating said assembly guide using said annotated graphics and said sequence; storing said assembly guide; displaying said assembly guide where an assembler can view said assembly guide while said assembler is assembling said article from said discrete parts; and controlling access to said assembly guide; wherein said assembly guide is non-linear in nature and thus control may be transferred non-sequentially to one of several different states based on test results or worker responses during any stage of assembly of said article.