Patent Document ID: 8185420
Application ID: 12038134
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for approximating cycle times within a material flow network, performed using at least one computing device, the method comprising: assigning an approximate cycle time for completion of a part number PN within the material flow network by using a model that rounds the approximate cycle time to a nearest aggregate time period, using the at least one computing device; adjusting the assigned approximate cycle time based on a mathematical function representing an aggregate accuracy of an aggregation of cycle times throughout the material flow network, using the at least one computing device, wherein the adjusting includes selecting an approximate cycle time (ACT(PN, p)) for the part number PN in an aggregate time period p that minimizes an aggregation of weighted average rounding errors Z over all part numbers and time periods explored; and making local improvements to the adjusted approximate cycle time through adjustment of aggregate time periods to nearest neighbors in the material flow network, wherein the making includes evaluating a nearest neighbor aggregate time period for the adjusted approximate cycle time for all part numbers PN and aggregate time periods p and instituting an adjustment to the nearest neighbor aggregate time period if the aggregation of the weighted average rounding error Z is lowered.