GB2468762A

GB2468762A - A manufacturing system for furniture items

Info

Publication number: GB2468762A
Application number: GB1004204A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Malcolm Stanley Healey; Peter Kelly; Stephen Anson
Original assignee: EBUYER
Current assignee: EBUYER
Priority date: 2009-03-18
Filing date: 2010-03-15
Publication date: 2010-09-22
Also published as: GB201004204D0

Abstract

A manufacturing system 10 is coupled to a client device 100 and comprises a configuration server 20 which generates a manufacturing control file 260 that configures the manufacturing system to produce a plurality of items, such as kitchen units. A space planning tool 22 delivers a plurality of graphic objects 210, 220 to the client device 100 to be displayed on a display screen 120 to form at least a two-dimensional graphic representation 200 of the plurality of items and a physical space in which the items are arranged. The configuration server 20 is also arranged to receive the graphic objects 210, 220 back from the client device 100 in a modified form, where an extraction unit 24 extracts information from the received graphic objects 210, 220 to form the manufacturing control file 260.

Description

A MANUFACTURING SYSTEM

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to the field of manufacturing systems, and more particularly to systems that control manufacturing processes in factories, assembly lines or other industrial environments.

Description of Related Art

It is known to provide systems which control the production of complex items having multiple component parts. As one example, a manufacturing system controls the production of furniture items such as cupboards, cabinets, and drawer units. Typically, these furniture items are produced according to a bespoke customer order at the factory, and delivered ready to be installed into a physical space. That is, the furniture units are constructed to order and will fit together or be installed according to a required plan, such as in a customer's kitchen, bathroom or bedroom. Computer-aided planning tools are available to assist with space planning. However, these computer-aided planning tools tend to be relatively complex, have a high capital cost, and require skilled, professional operators.

It is now desired to provide a system with improved interaction and control over the manufacturing process, particularly when producing complex items which are to be installed together in a physical space according to a specific customer plan.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a manufacturing system as set forth in the appended claims. Other features of the invention will be apparent from the dependent

claims, and the description which follows.

Generally, a manufacturing system is provided that delivers graphic objects to a client device to be displayed on a display screen as graphical representation of a plurality of items, such as kitchen units, and a physical space in which the items will be installed; the system has a control that, when activated by the client device, forms a customer basket from the graphical representation; the system then produces the items according to the customer basket.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a manufacturing system which in use is coupled to a client device having a user input device and a display screen. The system comprises a configuration server arranged to generate a manufacturing control file that configures the manufacturing system to produce a plurality of items, and a manufacturing server that controls production of the items according to the manufacturing control file generated by the configuration server. The configuration server includes a space planning tool that is arranged to deliver a plurality of graphic objects to the client device to be displayed on the display screen to form at least a two-dimensional graphic representation of a plurality of items and a physical space in which the items are arranged. The configuration server is also arranged to receive the graphic objects from the client device in a modified form, including one or more boundary graphic objects that define boundaries of the graphic representation and one or more item graphic objects that define the items arranged in the graphic representation.

The configuration server includes an extraction unit that extracts information from the graphic objects received from the client device to form the configuration information.

In one aspect, the space planning tool in response to user commands received from the client device delivers one or more of the boundary graphic objects to the client device to define boundaries of the space being planned, selects among item data in a library file to thereby select the one or more item graphic objects relevant to the selected item data, and delivers the item graphic objects to the client device to be added to the representation as displayed on the display screen.

In one aspect, the library file comprises the item data for a plurality of related items, and each item data comprises a plurality of attributes, including at least an item identifier field and one or more manufacturing information fields; wherein each item graphic object received from the client device includes an item identifier field which records the item identifier of a corresponding item data in the library; and wherein the extraction unit extracts the attributes from the item data in the library file according to the item identifier recorded in each received item graphic object, modifies the extracted item data according to the information carried in the received item graphic objects, and uses the extracted data to form the manufacturing control file.

In one aspect, the boundary graphic objects comprise dimension fields that record physical dimensions of the space being planned and wherein the item graphic objects comprise dimension fields that record physical dimensions of the items, and wherein the space planning tool controls insertion of the item graphic objects and the boundary graphic objects into the representation according to the dimension fields.

In one aspect, the item graphic objects comprise position fields that record a relative position of that item within the representation, such that the manufacturing control file is formed with respect to the position information.

In one aspect, the item graphic objects comprise one or more manufacturing option fields that configure production of the respective item, and the extraction unit extracts the manufacturing option fields into the manufacturing control file.

In one aspect, the space planning tool recreates the representation at the manufacturing system according to the graphic objects received from the client device.

In one aspect, the graphic objects are transferred to the configuration server and stored at the configuration server in a serialised format.

In one aspect, the space planning tool further defines an item toolbar to the client device that displays one or more of the item graphic objects prior to the items being added to the space planning representation.

In one aspect, the space planning tool provides a control to the client device that, when activated, cause the graphic objects in the representation to be transferred between the client device and the configuration server, or vice versa.

In one aspect, the space planning tool provides a control to the client device that, when activated, triggers the extraction unit to form the manufacturing control file using the received graphic objects.

In one aspect, the manufacturing control file comprises one or more cost information fields, the manufacturing server automatically generates cost information from the manufacturing control file using the cost information fields, and the cost information is delivered to the client device.

In one aspect, the manufacturing system further comprises a customer accounting server that executes an account processing tool which automatically processes a customer payment account with respect to one or more cost fields held in the manufacturing control file, by communicating with the client device.

In one aspect, the space planning tool determines a remaining lateral dimension when an item graphic object is added to the space planning representation, and automatically adjusts a position of the item with respect to the space being planned to optimise the remaining lateral dimension for additional item graphic objects that are yet to be added to the space planning representation.

In one aspect, the configuration server holds at least one library file with attributes including at least one lateral dimension attribute for each of the items, and wherein the space planning tool automatically adjusts the position of the added item with respect to the space being planned according to the lateral dimension attributes of the other items in the library file.

In one aspect, the system is arranged to produce domestic furniture units such as kitchen units.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how example embodiments may be carried into effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic view of an example manufacturing system; Fig. 2 is another schematic view of the example manufacturing system; Fig. 3 is another schematic view of the example manufacturing system; Fig. 4 is another schematic view of the example manufacturing system; Fig 5 is a schematic view showing the example manufacturing system in use; and Fig. 6 is another schematic view showing the example manufacturing system in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

The following embodiments will be discussed in detail using the example of a system that produces complex furniture items such as cabinets, cupboards, drawer units and worktops for domestic kitchens. However, the teachings, principles and techniques discussed herein are also applicable to many other specific implementations. For example, embodiments of the invention are also applicable to the production of bathroom or bedroom furniture. Further examples include furniture for homes, factories, schools, offices or laboratories. Thus, the invention is generally applicable to any system where items are produced for installation in a planned physical space.

Figure 1 is a schematic overview of the example manufacturing system 10, which is suitably installed in a factory, warehouse or other industrial site. The system 10 includes, amongst other things, one or more server computers 20, 30, 40 which are coupled together with appropriate communication links, such as a local area network (LAN). The server computers 20, 30, 40 include physical hardware such as memory, processors, I/O interfaces, network cards, backbones, power supplies and so on, and an operating system such as UNIXTM, LinuxTM or SolarisTM. These server computers support a variety of software services including external communications, web server applications, data processing, and file storage.

Although three separate server computers 20, 30, 40 have been shown in this example, other embodiments may use more, or fewer, such servers.

The manufacturing system 10 controls one or more manufacturing process lines 12, such as component picking lines and assembly lines, to produce items ready for dispatch to customers. Also, the manufacturing system may include a plurality of local client terminals 14 for use by technical and administration staff at the site.

In use, the manufacturing system 10 is also coupled to one or more client devices 100.

The client device 100 is suitably remote from the factory site and is coupled to the manufacturing system 10 over a wide-area communications network 101 such as the Internet.

The client device 100 comprises a user input unit 110, such as a keyboard and mouse, and a display screen 120. In the example embodiment, the client device 100 is suitably a personal computer, laptop computer, personal digital assistant, or other computing device.

The client device 100 typically comprises hardware such as memory, processors, storage devices and so on, an operating system such as WindowsTM or LinuxTM, a web browser application such as Internet ExplorerTM, ChromeTM, FirefoxTM or SafariTM and a graphics rendering tool 130 such as an Adobe FlashTM animation tool.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the example manufacturing system 10 in more detail. Here, a configuration server 20 configures the manufacturing system 10 to produce the desired items, while a manufacturing server 30 controls production of the items according to configuration information received from the configuration server 20.

The configuration server 20 executes a space planning tool 22 that, in use, causes one or more graphic objects 210, 220 to be delivered across the communication network 101 to the client device 100. These graphic objects 210, 220 are rendered by the graphics tool 130 at the client device 100 and are displayed on the display screen 120 to form at least a two-dimensional graphical representation 200 of a physical space being planned. The graphic objects 210, 220 are conveniently rendered in the form of lines, rectangles or other geometric objects with start points and end points relative to an XY (or XYZ) origin.

Suitably, the graphic objects 210, 220 include one or more boundary graphic objects 210 and one or more item graphic objects 220 to the client device 100. The boundary graphic objects 210 define outlines of the space planning representation 200. That is, these boundary graphic objects 210 suitably comprise a plurality of boundary conditions that define boundaries of the space being planned by the space planning representation 200. Thus, in the case of a domestic kitchen, the boundary graphic objects 210 define, for example, a relative position and length of each wall of the kitchen, and optionally also define doors, windows, partition walls, electrical services, gas services and water service and other physical constraints relevant to the physical space being planned.

The item graphic objects 220 are used to add a plurality of items into the space planning representation 200. That is, the server 20 supplies the item graphic objects 220 to the client device 100 representing items within the space being planned. In this example, the item graphic objects 220 represent cabinets, drawers, corner units, wall units and so on as a new kitchen is planned graphically at the client device 100. Thus, the space planning representation 200 suitably provides a 2D or 3D representation of the space being planned using 2D or 3D graphic objects, or a combination thereof.

In the example embodiments, the graphic objects 210, 220 are modified at the client device 100 and are then returned to the manufacturing system 10. Conveniently, the graphic objects 210, 220 are grouped together into a single customer graphics file (CGF) 240, which is then stored in the manufacturing system 10. As will be discussed in more detail below, the manufacturing system 10 uses these graphic objects 210, 220 to control production of the items. In the example embodiments, the server 20 creates a manufacturing control file (MCF) 260, directly from the graphic objects 210, 220 in the customer graphics file 240. The manufacturing control file 260 configures the manufacturing system 10 and controls the production of these items, ready for delivery from the factory to the customer.

Figure 3 is schematic diagram showing the manufacturing system 10 in more detail.

Here, the item graphic objects (IGO) 210 and the boundary graphic objects (BGO) 220 are provided from the server 20 in a scripting language, such as PHP. In other words, each of the graphic objects 210, 220 is provided as a graphics control file that controls the graphical representation of that object.

In this embodiment, the space planning tool 22 refers to a plurality of library files 28, each of which contains item data 280 for a plurality of items that may be placed together into the space planning representation 200. For example, the library files 28 each relate to various cupboards, cabinets or drawer units that match together as a range.

Each set of item data 280 comprises a plurality of attributes, including at least an item identifier field 281 and one or more manufacturing information fields 282, 283. In one example, the library files 28 are constructed using a mark-up language such as XML. Thus, many different items each having multiple attributes are conveniently grouped together within a single library file 28. Also, each set of item data 280 is associated with a respective item graphic object 220.

Each item graphic object 220 suitably includes an item identifier field (ItemID) 221 which records the item identifier 281 of a corresponding item 280 in the library 28, and dimension fields (DIM) 222 which record least lateral dimensions of the corresponding item 280 (e.g. X & Y, width & length, or width & depth). For three dimensional planning, the graphic object 220 preferably also includes third-axis dimensions (e.g. Z or height). Further, each graphic object 220 conveniently comprises position fields (POS) 223 that are used to record a relative position of that item within the space being planned according to the space planning representation 200, e.g. relative to the XY origin (or an XYZ origin).

In this embodiment, the item graphic objects 220 also carry one or more manufacturing option fields (OPT) 224. These option fields 224 suitably correspond to one or more of the manufacturing information fields 283. For example, an item graphic object 220 comprises a manufacturing option field 224 which records whether a door will be hinged to a left-hand or right-hand side of a cabinet.

The boundary graphic objects 210 comprise, amongst other things, dimension fields (SIZE) 211. Conveniently, these dimension fields 211 are used to record relevant real-world physical dimensions of the space being planned.

In use, the space planning tool 22 first provides one or more of the boundary graphic objects 210 to the client device 100 to define boundaries of the space being planned, in response to user commands received from the client device 100. Next, the space planning tool 22 selects one of the library files 28, and selects among the item data 280 in that library file 28, again in response to user commands received from the client device 100. The space planning tool 22 thereby selects the one or more item graphic objects 220 relevant to the selected item data 280, which are delivered to the client device 100, added to the space planning representation 200, and displayed on the display screen 120. Here, the dimension fields 222 control insertion of each graphic object 210 into the space planning representation 200, e.g. by preventing overlaps between items or between items and boundaries. Suitably, the position of each graphic object 220 with respect to the space planning representation 200 (e.g. the XY position or XYZ position) determines item position values that are recorded in the position

fields 223 within that graphic object 220.

Next, the graphic object files 210, 220 are returned from the client device 100 to the manufacturing system 10, complete with the client-side data additions such as the dimension values, the position information values and the manufacturing option values.

In the example embodiment, the graphic objects 210, 220 are serialised into a string format as text files, and then sent back from the client device 100 to the server 20 as the customer graphic file 240. The customer graphic file 240 is conveniently stored at the first server 20 in this serialised format. In one example, the customer graphic file 240 is passed back to the manufacturing system 10 using a remoting gateway such as AMFPHP, which transforms the graphic objects 210, 220 from being held in the memory of the client device 100 relevant to the graphics tool 130 into a serialised textual format that is easily read by a variety of server-side tools, such as PHP.

Later, the serialised data held at the configuration server 20 is unserialised to restore the PHP scripting language format of the graphic object files 210, 220. Conveniently, the manufacturing system 10 then renders the graphic objects 210, 220 into a displayable form using an animation tool, such as Adobe FlashTM, e.g. to deliver viewable images on a display screen of one of the local terminals 14 within the manufacturing system 10. Thus, the space planning tool 22 on the server 20 exactly recreates the space planning representation 200 that was previously displayed on the client device 100. The servers 20, 30, 40 in the manufacturing system 10 access the same graphic objects 210, 220 as were displayed previously on the client device 100.

As mentioned above, the manufacturing control file 260 is created from the graphic objects 210, 220 that have been returned from the client device 100, here in the form of the customer graphic file 240. In the example embodiments, the manufacturing control file 260 is provided in a markup language, such as XML. To this end, the configuration server 20 further comprises an extraction unit 24 which extracts sets of item data 280 from the respective library files 28, according to the item identifier 215 carried by each item graphic object 220, modifies the extracted item data 280 according to the information carried in the graphic objects 210, 220, and adds the extracted data to the manufacturing control file 260. Conveniently, the many production attributes 282, 283 relevant to each item are retrieved from the item data 280 in the library file 28 by matching the item identifier 215 carried in the graphic object 220 against the item identifier 281 in the relevant library file 28. Thus, a full and detailed manufacturing control file 260 is created from the relatively lightweight information carried in the graphic objects 210, 220. Meanwhile, the graphic objects 210, 220 are an efficient mechanism to carry the information that is required by the manufacturing system 10 to produce the items.

Figure 4 is another schematic diagram illustrating the example system in more detail.

Here, the space planning tool 22 provides the boundary graphic objects (BGO) 210 and the item graphic objects (IGO) 220 in response to user commands from the client device 100, as discussed above, to form the graphic representation 200.

In this example, the space planning tool 22 delivers an item toolbar 202 that displays one or more of the item graphic objects 220 prior to the items being added to the space planning representation 200. These item graphic objects 220 are suitably derived from the item data 280 in the relevant library file 28. For example, the item toolbar 202 displays item graphic objects 220 for each corner unit or wall unit in a given range of kitchen units. Thus, the client device 100 is now able to graphically select from the available item graphic objects 220, in order to add items into the space planning representation 200.

In this example, the space planning tool 22 delivers a control toolbar 204 comprising a plurality of user controls, such as buttons or fields, that are activated in response to user commands through the user input unit 110. Here, the control toolbar 204 may include SAVE and RESTORE buttons that cause the graphic objects 210, 220 in the representation 200 to be pushed back to the configuration server 20 at the manufacturing system 10, e.g. using the remoting gateway discussed above, or pulled back to the client device 100 in order to restore a previously saved version of the space planning representation 200.

In this embodiment, the system has a control 204 that, when activated by the client device 100, forms a customer basket from the graphical representation 200 and delivers the customer basket back to the client device 100. The system then produces the items according to the customer basket.

For example, the control toolbar 204 suitably provides a SUBMIT button (or BUY icon) that causes the configuration server 20 to activate the extraction unit 22 and create the manufacturing control file 260. The manufacturing control file 260 is first used to process a payment for the items that have been gathered together into the space planning representation 200, by interacting with the client device 100 and performing a payment process. In the example embodiment, this payment process is performed by the manufacturing server 30, or by a separate accounting server 40 (see Fig. 1). Here, the manufacturing information fields 282, 283 suitably include one or more cost information fields. Thus, the manufacturing system generates cost information relevant to this customer order from the manufacturing control file 260, conveniently without any manual intervention. The cost information is suitably delivered to the client device 100 from the manufacturing system 10 and is displayed on the display screen 120, such as in the control toolbar 204. Thus, there is an immediate connection between the at least 2D graphical representation 200 and the displayed cost information displayed on the display screen 120. Conveniently, the payment process includes the collection of payment information form the customer, followed by a PROCEED or ACCEPT signal. Optionally, the payment process may include payment authorisation and the sending of an acknowledgement back to the client device 100. As discussed above, the manufacturing server 30 then extracts relevant item manufacturing information 282, 283 from the same manufacturing control file 260 to control production of the items, again without requiring any manual intervention. Thus, the manufacturing system 10 provides integrated configuration with complete end-to-end control of the manufacturing process all derived from the graphical space planning representation 200 as presented on the client device 100.

Figure 5 is a schematic view of the display screen 120 of the client device 100 when displaying the space planning representation 200. In this example, the space being planned is defined by at least two dimensions X and Y lying in an XY plane. Optionally, a third dimension Z is tracked using height markers above the XY plane.

In the example embodiment, an automatic placement algorithm is provided from the space planning tool 22 to the client device 100. Each new graphic object 220 is placed on the space planning representation 200 under user control, e.g. in response to user commands such as keyboard strokes and/or mouse movements. Then, the placement algorithm automatically adjusts a position of the graphic object 220. Conveniently, the automatic placement algorithm adjusts the position of the relevant item according to predetermined placement criteria, such that the new item is optimally placed.

In the illustrated example, the space planning tool 22 calculates a remaining linear distance Dl according to placement of an item A under user control. Then, the algorithm automatically adjusts the relative position of the item A so that the remaining distance Dl is reduced instead to a value D2. In this case, the distance Dl is adjusted according to the dimensions of one or more other items 280 available within the relevant library file 28. For example, the remaining distance Dl is adjusted according to a relevant width dimension of another item B, until an optimal positioning of the item A is achieved that will allow item B to be placed into the representation 200 alongside item A. Fig. 6 is another schematic view of the manufacturing system in use, with the display screen 120 of the client device 100 providing a visual image output of the space planning representation 200.

Here, a further plurality of the item graphic objects 220 are provided to represent lengthwise items that are manufactured and sold in unit lengths, such as a kitchen worktop.

That is, a kitchen worktop of laminate, wood or granite is manufactured to predetermined stock sizes of depth, width and length. Here, the manufacturing system automatically derives the required manufacturing information from these further graphic objects.

In Fig. 6, the dotted rectangle "Wi" represents a length of kitchen worktop which is placed onto the space planning representation 200 as a graphic object 220 as discussed above. Conveniently, the width of the object is present to one of a set of standard values according to selected item data 280 from the library file 28 for this type of worktop or worktop range as displayed on the item toolbar 202. Meanwhile, the length of the object is freely adjusted by the user controls of the client device 100 when placing the object 220 onto the representation 200. In this example, the object 220 is provided with one or more handles 225 for drag-resizing of the object. Notably, this type of lengthwise unit item has substantially different manufacturing constraints when compared with block items such as carcasses, cupboards, or drawer units, not least because worktops are a highly visible component of the finished kitchen and must fit appropriately into the physical space when the kitchen is assembled on site.

As shown in Fig. 6, this example kitchen requires worktops over the distances Dl, D2, D3 and D4. This dimensional information is provided in the customer graphic file 240 and transmitted back to the manufacturing system 10. As discussed above, the manufacturing control file 260 is derived from the customer graphic file 240, here using a processing routine for lengthwise items.

Firstly, the dimension Dl is automatically extended to D1A, because the worktop length at Dl is determined to be within a specified range of the boundary object 210. Typically, a customer will wish the worktop to run accurately to the wall rather than finish short, and the system hence allows for planning inaccuracies.

Secondly, one or more perpendicular join areas are identified, such as in the example here between the runs Dl and D3, because the two graphic objects are close adjacent one another. In response, the dimension D1A is further extended (i.e. to Dl B) to allow material for forming an appropriate join between the two worktop sections.

Thirdly, the extended length dimensions are distributed among a plurality of standard worktop planks of predetermined length. In other words, a cutting algorithm automatically determines one or more cuts that need to be made to the first plurality of planks in order to arrange the planks into the desired sections of worktop. This algorithm is iterative, such as to meet a fewest cuts criteria. However, each cut itself consumes material from the planks.

Therefore, fourthly, one or more additional planks are added to the plurality of planks to replace this wastage cause by the cuts, giving a second plurality of planks. This second plurality of planks is output as a manufacturing information in the manufacturing control file, optionally together with cut placement information for each of the determined cuts.

Thus, the manufacturing system now readily provides lengthwise units, such as kitchen worktops, to accurately fulfil the desired space planning representation when the worktops are installed at the customer's site.

In summary, the manufacturing system has many advantages as have been highlighted herein or will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In particular, the manufacturing system has a simple and convenient mechanism for interaction and control over the manufacturing or production process, particularly when manufacturing complex items which are to be installed together in a physical space according to a specific customer plan.

At least some of the example embodiments may be constructed, partially or wholly, using dedicated special-purpose hardware. Terms such as component', module' or unit' used herein may include, but are not limited to, a hardware device, such as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), which performs certain tasks. Also, elements of the example embodiments may be configured to reside on an addressable storage medium and be configured to execute on one or more processors. That is, some of the example embodiments may be implemented in the form of a computer-readable storage medium having recorded thereon instructions that are, in use, executed by a computer system. The medium may take any suitable form, but examples include solid-state memory devices (ROM, RAM, EPROM, EEPROM, etc.), optical discs (e.g. Compact Discs, DVDs, Blu-Ray discs and others), magnetic discs, magnetic tapes and magneto-optic storage devices. In some cases the medium is distributed over a plurality of separate computing devices that are coupled by a suitable communications network, such as a wired network or wireless network. Thus, functional elements of the invention may in some embodiments include, by way of example, components, such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components and task components, processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuitry, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. Further, although the example embodiments have been described with reference to the components, modules and units discussed below, such functional elements may be combined into fewer elements or separated into additional elements.

Although a few preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications might be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A manufacturing system which in use is coupled to a client device having a user input device and a display screen, the manufacturing system comprising: a configuration server arranged to generate a manufacturing control file that configures the manufacturing system to produce a plurality of items, wherein the configuration server includes a space planning tool that is arranged to deliver a plurality of graphic objects to the client device to be displayed on the display screen to form at least a two-dimensional graphic representation of a plurality of items and a physical space in which the items are arranged, wherein the configuration server is arranged to receive the graphic objects from the client device in a modified form, including one or more boundary graphic objects that define boundaries of the graphic representation and one or more item graphic objects that define the items arranged in the graphic representation, and wherein the configuration server includes an extraction unit that extracts information from the graphic objects received from the client device to form the manufacturing control file; and a manufacturing server that controls a production of the items according to the manufacturing control file generated by the configuration server.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the space planning tool in response to user commands received from the client device delivers one or more of the boundary graphic objects to the client device to define boundaries of the space being planned, selects among item data in a library file to thereby select the one or more item graphic objects relevant to the selected item data, and delivers the item graphic objects to the client device to be added to the representation as displayed on the display screen.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the library file comprises the item data for a plurality of related items, and each item data comprises a plurality of attributes, including at least an item identifier field and one or more manufacturing information fields; wherein each item graphic object received from the client device includes an item identifier field which records the item identifier of a corresponding item data in the library; and wherein the extraction unit extracts the attributes from the item data in the library file according to the item identifier recorded in each received item graphic object, modifies the extracted item data according to the information carried in the received item graphic objects, and uses the extracted data to form the manufacturing control file.
4. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the boundary graphic objects comprise dimension fields that record physical dimensions of the space being planned and wherein the item graphic objects comprise dimension fields that record physical dimensions of the items, and wherein the space planning tool controls insertion of the item graphic objects and the boundary graphic objects into the representation according to the dimension fields.
5. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the item graphic objects comprise position fields that record a relative position of that item within the representation, such that the manufacturing control file is formed with respect to the position information.
6. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the item graphic objects comprise one or more manufacturing option fields that configure production of the respective item, and the extraction unit extracts the manufacturing option fields into the manufacturing control file.
7. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the space planning tool recreates the representation according to the graphic objects received from the client device.
8. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the graphic objects are transferred to the configuration server and stored at the configuration server in a serialised format.
9. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the space planning tool further delivers an item toolbar to the client device that displays one or more of the item graphic objects prior to the items being added to the space planning representation.
10. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the space planning tool provides controls to the client device that, when activated, cause the graphic objects in the representation to be transferred between the client device and the configuration server, or vice versa.
11. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the space planning tool provides a control to the client device that, when activated, triggers the extraction unit to form the manufacturing control file using the received graphic objects.
12. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the manufacturing control file comprises one or more cost information fields, the manufacturing server automatically generates cost information from the manufacturing control file using the cost information fields, and the cost information is delivered to the client device.
13. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the manufacturing system further comprises a customer accounting server that executes an account processing tool which automatically processes a customer payment account with respect to one or more cost fields held in the manufacturing control file, by communicating with the client device.
14. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the space planning tool determines a remaining lateral dimension when an item graphic object is added to the space planning representation, and automatically adjusts a position of the item with respect to the space being planned to optimise the remaining lateral dimension for additional item graphic objects that are yet to be added to the space planning representation.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the configuration server holds at least one library file with attributes including at least one lateral dimension attribute for each of the items, and wherein the space planning tool automatically adjusts the position of the added item with respect to the space being planned according to the lateral dimension attributes of the other items in the library file.
16. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the system is arranged to produce domestic furniture units.
17. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the system is arranged to produce kitchen units.
18. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the configuration server is arranged to provide further graphic objects to represent lengthwise items such as worktops, and the manufacturing server is arranged to control production of the lengthwise items from planks arranged in unit lengths.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein a width of the graphic objects for lengthwise items is present to one of a set of standard values according to item data from a library file for this type of lengthwise item, a length of the object is adjustable by user controls of the client device when placing the graphic object onto the representation, and wherein a processing routine for the lengthwise items is arranged to derive the manufacturing control file from the customer graphic file relating to the lengthwise items.
20. The system of claim 18 or 19, wherein the processing routine is arranged to automatically extend a lengthwise dimension of the graphic object determined to be within a specified range of one or more of the boundary graphic objects, to allow additional material for forming an abutment of the lengthwise item with the respective boundary.
21. The system of claim 18, 19 or 20, wherein the processing routine is arranged to identify one or more perpendicular join areas when the graphic objects relevant to the lengthwise objects are arranged close adjacent one another, and in response to automatically extend the lengthwise dimension to allow material for forming a join between the lengthwise items.
22. The system of claim 18, 19, 20 or 21, wherein the processing routine is arranged to distribute the length dimensions of the graphic objects to derive a first plurality of planks of standard lengths, a cutting algorithm is arranged to automatically determine one or more cuts to be made to the first plurality of planks in order to divide the planks into the desired lengthwise items and to add one or more additional planks to replace wastage cause by the cuts thereby giving a second plurality of planks, and to output the second plurality of planks as the manufacturing information in the manufacturing control file.
23. A manufacturing system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.