In product development cycles, one or more common parts are often incorporated into both a product currently in production and a similar product currently in the design phase. It is desirable to have feedback from the manufacturing process of the product in production so that the product in the design phase can be improved before reaching production. In prior art systems, feedback from manufacturing often passes through a human component, which can slow the feedback process and introduce errors. Also, in prior art systems, there is no means of gathering manufacturing data and in real-time comparing the real-time manufacturing data to design data such that potential flaws in the design or undesirable parts are flagged so that appropriate remedial design corrections can be made.
Prior art software packages such that put forth by “Valor” of Yale, Israel, integrate design information to expedite design reviews. However, these prior art software packages cannot import real-time manufacturing data from a product in production, compare to design information to spot potential future manufacturing problems, flag these potential design problems so that they can be corrected and notify the appropriate design personnel.
Accordingly, there is a significant need for an apparatus and method that improves the design for manufacturing process.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the drawing have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements are exaggerated relative to each other. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the Figures to indicate corresponding elements.