Method and apparatus for component assembly using continuous selection

Abstract

A manufacturing process for providing an assembly formed of a first piece and a second piece is described. The manufacturing process is carried out by performing at least the following operations: receiving the first piece characterized in accordance with at least a first attribute, selecting the second piece from a buffer, the selecting based in part upon a matching value of a second attribute in relation to the first attribute, replacing the selected second piece with another second piece such that the number of second pieces in the buffer remains about the same, and forming a kit of the first part and the selected second part.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A manufacturing process, comprising:
 determining a first part attribute value, the attribute value used to identify a matching second part from a buffer of N second parts;   dividing the buffer of N second parts into two or more groups of second parts in accordance with predefined sub-ranges of second part attribute values;   using the first part attribute value to identify the matching second part from within one of the two or more groups of second parts when the matching second part includes a second part attribute value is within an acceptable range of second part attribute values;   removing the identified matching second part from the buffer; and   maintaining the buffer of N second parts by replacing the matching second part with a replacement second part having attribute values in accordance with sub-range corresponding to the group from which the selected second part was selected therefrom.   
     
     
         2 . The manufacturing process of  claim 1 , wherein the acceptable range of second part attribute values is based on a function of merit, wherein the function of merit is a difference between measurements of one at least one point on the first attribute of the first part and a corresponding point of the first attribute of the second part. 
     
     
         3 . The manufacturing process of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 monitoring a yield of the manufacturing process by determining a ratio of a number of first parts and a number of not matched first parts.   
     
     
         4 . The manufacturing process of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 rebalancing the buffer of N second parts by changing predefined sub-ranges of second part attribute values.   
     
     
         5 . The manufacturing process of  claim 1 , wherein the sub-ranges are determined in accordance with mean values associated with manufacturing yields of the second part. 
     
     
         6 . The manufacturing process of  claim 1 , wherein the sub-ranges are determined by dividing the range of attribute values into two or more substantially even amounts. 
     
     
         7 . The manufacturing process of  claim 1 , wherein the first part is rejected when first attribute value is greater than a predetermined amount. 
     
     
         8 . The manufacturing process of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a second attribute value of the first part, the second attribute value and the first attribute value used to identify the matching second part from a buffer of N second parts;   wherein the buffer of N second parts is further divided into two or more groups of second parts in accordance with predefined sub-ranges of first and second attribute values, and wherein the second attribute value is used with the first attribute value to identify the matching second part from within one of the two or more groups of second parts when the matching second value is within an acceptable range of first and second attribute values.   
     
     
         9 . The manufacturing process of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 rejecting the first part when attribute values of the first and second attributes exceeds a predetermined amount.   
     
     
         10 . An inventory control method performed in a continuous selection manufacturing process, comprising:
 receiving an incoming first part;   determining a first and a second attribute value of the first part;   storing second parts in two or more groups based on sub-ranges of first and second attribute values, wherein the two or more groups comprise a buffer of N second parts;   selecting a matching second part from the buffer of N second parts when a value of a function of merit associated with the first attribute value and a value of a function of merit associated with the second attribute value are within an acceptable amounts;   removing the selected matching second part from the buffer; and   providing a kit including the first part and the selected second part.   
     
     
         11 . The inventory control method as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 rejecting the first part when no matching second part is selected.   
     
     
         12 . The inventory control method as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 monitoring a yield of the continuous selection manufacturing process by determining a ratio of a number of incoming first parts and a number of not matched first parts.   
     
     
         13 . The inventory control method as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising:
 modifying the sub-ranges of the groups when the yield is less than a predetermined amount.   
     
     
         14 . The inventory control method as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising:
 modifying the sub-ranges of the groups in accordance with changing nominal first and second attributes of the first part.   
     
     
         15 . The inventory control method as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 recycling the first part when no matching second part is selected.   
     
     
         16 . The inventory control method as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising :
 selecting a replacement second part in accordance with the sub-ranges corresponding to the group from which the second part was selected therefrom.   
     
     
         17 . The manufacturing process as recited in  claim 16 , rebalancing the distribution of the N second parts in the buffer when the monitored yield is less than a pre-determined value. 
     
     
         18 . Non-transitory computer readable medium executable by a processor in a computer assisted manufacturing process, comprising:
 computer code for providing an incoming first part;   computer code for determining a first part attribute value, the attribute value used to identify a matching second part from a buffer of N second parts;   computer code for using the first part attribute value to identify the matching second part from within one of the two or more groups of second parts when the matching second part attribute value is within an acceptable range of second part attribute values;   computer code for removing the identified matching second part from the buffer; and,   computer code for maintaining the buffer of N second parts by replacing the removed matching second part with a replacement second part having attribute values in accordance with sub-range corresponding to the group from which the part was selected therefrom.   
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising:
 computer code for monitoring a yield of the manufacturing process by determining a ratio of a number of first parts and a number of not matched first parts.   
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium as recited in  claim 19 , further comprising:
 computer code for rebalancing the buffer of N second parts by changing predefined sub-ranges of second part attribute values.   
     
     
         21 . The computer readable medium as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising:
 computer code for rejecting the first part when attribute values of the first and attribute exceeds a predetermined amount.