Patent Document ID: 20120191235
Application ID: 13418314
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. A method of optimizing a complex manufacturing process performed on a subject to achieve at least one processing objective, the method comprising the steps of: providing a system comprising a graphical user interface, a process module in communication with the graphical user interface, and an optimization module in communication with the process module, the process module comprising a training module, an empirical relationships database, an analytical equations database, a heuristic knowledge database, and a process models database, the system controlling an apparatus adapted to perform the complex manufacturing process; using the graphical user interface to input into the system at least one processing variable and constraints for the at least one processing objective of the complex manufacturing process; operating the apparatus to perform a trial of the complex manufacturing process on a specimen of the subject using the at least one processing variable; inputting the at least one processing variable used in the trial and empirical data from the trial into the training module, the training module generating at least one empirical relationship between the at least one processing variable used in the trial and the empirical data from the trial and storing the at least one empirical relationship in the empirical relationships database; using the process module to generate a process model that takes into consideration heuristic knowledge of the complex manufacturing process stored in the heuristic knowledge database, the at least one empirical relationship stored in the empirical relationships database, and optionally analytical equations stored in the analytical equations database and relating to the complex manufacturing process; storing the process model in the process models database; and operating the optimization module by which the process model is employed to optimize the complex manufacturing process by adjusting the at least one processing variable and inputting the adjusted processing variable into the apparatus before again operating the apparatus to perform the complex manufacturing process.