US20210109507A1

US20210109507A1 - Method and system for creating assembly drawing for the building panels / frames

Info

Publication number: US20210109507A1
Application number: US16/714,702
Authority: US
Inventors: Maharaj Jalla
Original assignee: Consulting Engineers Corp
Current assignee: Consulting Engineers Corp
Priority date: 2019-10-09
Filing date: 2019-12-14
Publication date: 2021-04-15
Also published as: US20210110076A1; US20210183160A1; US20210110618A1; US20220043943A1; US20210110085A1; US20210110083A1; US20210110079A1; US20210110077A1; US20210110081A1; US11282151B2; US20210110080A1; US20210182983A1; US11244087B1; US20210182982A1; US20210110084A1; US20210110082A1; US11222387B2

Abstract

The present invention is a computer method for generating a set of assembly illustrations, comprising: accessing, by one or more processors, a set of sections of a frame; analysing, by one or more processors, the set of sections, wherein it is determined the type of section; identifying, by one or more processors, each member of each section; analysing, by one or more processors, the assembly of the section, wherein it is determined if a member conflicts with another member; and generating, by one or more processors, a set of illustrations depicting the members of the section in an assembled and disassembled position.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part (and claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC 120) of U.S. provisional application No. 62/912,692 filed Oct. 9, 2019. The disclosure of the prior applications is considered part of (and is incorporated by reference in) the disclosure of this application.

BACKGROUND

This Disclosure relates generally to building construction and in particular, to the method, computer program, or computer system for providing the assembly drawings for the walls, roofs, and floors.
Building construction is a complicated process in which the step of assembly of the framing members to form an assembly or panel or frame is time consuming activity. In pre engineering building construction, where the members for building framing are pre-engineered and premanufactured, the assembly of the members together to form the panel or frame is critical.
Traditional method of assembly of the buildings in which the member placement, fasteners requirement has to be correlated from some other drawings is time consuming and chances of error are more. There is a lot of wastage of the material on site due the Incorrect information.
During the building construction, the majority of the time is consumed for the assembly of the frame. The workers in the factory assembling the frame are typically not skilled labor. For an unskilled worker to read and assemble the members together can be a time-consuming activity and delay the overall construction process. Typically, these workers need to either have the entire process meticulously explained to them, or they have to be walked through the process for each section of the frame.
It is desired to have a system or method to generate drawings for the building frame, that permit even unskilled laborers to easily and quickly put the frame together with little to no errors. The creation of a set of drawings that are specific to the building, clearing identify each section, each frame member, and the order to install each member would provide a substantial advantage over the current methods which are used to generate drawings for the assembly of buildings and structures

SUMMARY

In a first embodiment, the present invention is a computer method for generating a set of assembly illustrations, comprising: accessing, by one or more processors, a set of sections of a frame; analysing, by one or more processors, the set of sections, wherein it is determined the type of section; identifying, by one or more processors, each member of each section; analysing, by one or more processors, the assembly of the section, wherein it is determined if a member conflicts with another member; and generating, by one or more processors, a set of illustrations depicting the members of the section in an assembled and disassembled position.
In a second embodiment, the present invention is a computer program product for generating assembly plans, comprising, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to: program instructions to access a set of sections of a frame, wherein the sections are comprised of a set of members; program instructions to analyse the set of sections, wherein it is determined the type of section each section represents; program instructions to identify each member of the set of members which comprise each of the sections of the set of sections; program instructions to analyse the members and determine if the members have a conflict within the section, wherein if it is determined that a conflict exists to identify the conflict; and program instructions to generate a set of illustrations depicting the members of the section in an assembled and disassembled position.
In a third embodiment, the present invention is a system comprising: a CPU, a computer readable memory and a computer readable storage medium associated with a computing device; program instructions to access a model, wherein the model is comprised of a set of sections and each section is comprised of a set of members; program instructions to analyse the set of sections to determine a type of each section, wherein an assembly process is associated with each type of section; program instructions to identify each individual member of the set of members which comprise each of the sections of the set of sections; program instructions to analyse the set of members and the assembly process and determine if any members have a conflict; program instructions to identify the members which are involved in the conflict based on the assembly process; program instructions to modify the members involved in the conflict to overcome the conflict; and program instructions to generate a set of illustrations depicting the set of members of each of the sections, wherein the set of illustrations identify the assembly order and process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numbers represent corresponding parts throughout:

FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram depicting a computing environment, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram depicting the internal and external components of the server and computing device of FIG. 1, in accordance with one embodiment of the present.

FIG. 3 depicts a cloud computing environment, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 depicts a flowchart of the operational steps of generating a set of drawings for the assembly of a section of a frame within the computing environment of FIG. 1, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 depicts a flowchart of the operational steps of generating a set of drawings for the assembly of a section of a frame within the computing environment of FIG. 1, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 depicts a drawing of an assembled wall section, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 depicts a drawing of a disassembled wall section, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 depicts a set of drawings of roof truss section, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 depicts an architectural illustration of a floor truss section, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention generally relates to a method for analyzing the frame (and sections of said frame) of a building and determining how each section is assembled. Then generating an illustration or a set of drawings that explain in detail the process to assemble each section. The drawings/illustrations provide all the necessary information a worker would need to construct each section. This includes each and every detail the worker would need, down to the number and type of screws needed, the specific placement of each member, and the order of assembly so that the worker can easily and correctly assemble each section.
The present invention provides the advantage over the prior art by incorporating the analyze of either 3D or 2D models or drawings, and determine the ideal construction method of the model or drawing based on the construction method or the type of members which are used in the construction of the section. The correct placement of each members is important as this affects the assembly process. Additionally, in the assembly process is sometimes, upwards of thousands of members, and many of the members may visually appear identical but may be designed for specific locations or placement. By placing the wrong member in the wrong position could results in a deficiency in the building construction and lead to serious problems or injuries. Equally as important is the fasteners or securing methods which are used to secure the members (and in some instances the sections) together. Again, different connection points require different fasteners or securing means and the incorrect type of fastener or securing method could result in deficiencies in the structural integrity of the building.
For each panel/frame the correct no. of fasteners, special fastener requirements at any particular junction has to be shown so the over estimation of material on site can be avoided and also any special fastener requirement as per Engineering calculation at any particular junction is correctly provided in panel/frame.
The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention.
The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire.
Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing/processing device.
Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++ or the like, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present invention.
Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions.
These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The flowcharts and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowcharts may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the flowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
It is understood in advance that although this disclosure includes a detailed description on cloud computing, implementation of the teachings recited herein are not limited to a cloud computing environment. Rather, embodiments of the present invention are capable of being implemented in conjunction with any other type of computing environment now known or later developed.
Cloud computing is a model of service delivery for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g. networks, network bandwidth, servers, processing, memory, storage, applications, virtual machines, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or interaction with a provider of the service. This cloud model may include at least five characteristics, at least three service models, and at least four deployment models.
Characteristics are as follows:
On-demand self-service: a cloud consumer can unilaterally provision computing capabilities, such as server time and network storage, as needed automatically without requiring human interaction with the service's provider.
Broad network access: capabilities are available over a network and accessed through standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, laptops, and PDAs).
Resource pooling: the provider's computing resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according to demand. There is a sense of location independence in that the consumer generally has no control or knowledge over the exact location of the provided resources but may be able to specify location at a higher level of abstraction (e.g., country, state, or datacenter).
Rapid elasticity: capabilities can be rapidly and elastically provisioned, in some cases automatically, to quickly scale out and rapidly released to quickly scale in. To the consumer, the capabilities available for provisioning often appear to be unlimited and can be purchased in any quantity at any time.
Measured service: cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by leveraging a metering capability at some level of abstraction appropriate to the type of service (e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource usage can be monitored, controlled, and reported providing transparency for both the provider and consumer of the utilized service.
Service Models are as follows:
Software as a Service (SaaS): the capability provided to the consumer is to use the provider's applications running on a cloud infrastructure. The applications are accessible from various client devices through a thin client interface such as a web browser (e.g., web-based e-mail). The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure including network, servers, operating systems, storage, or even individual application capabilities, with the possible exception of limited user-specific application configuration settings.
Platform as a Service (PaaS): the capability provided to the consumer is to deploy onto the cloud infrastructure consumer-created or acquired applications created using programming languages and tools supported by the provider. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure including networks, servers, operating systems, or storage, but has control over the deployed applications and possibly application hosting environment configurations.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): the capability provided to the consumer is to provision processing, storage, networks, and other fundamental computing resources where the consumer is able to deploy and run arbitrary software, which can include operating systems and applications. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure but has control over operating systems, storage, deployed applications, and possibly limited control of select networking components (e.g., host firewalls).
Deployment Models are as follows:
Private cloud: the cloud infrastructure is operated solely for an organization. It may be managed by the organization or a third party and may exist on-premises or off-premises.
Community cloud: the cloud infrastructure is shared by several organizations and supports a specific community that has shared concerns (e.g., mission, security requirements, policy, and compliance considerations). It may be managed by the organizations or a third party and may exist on-premises or off-premises.
Public cloud: the cloud infrastructure is made available to the general public or a large industry group and is owned by an organization selling cloud services.
Hybrid cloud: the cloud infrastructure is a composition of two or more clouds (private, community, or public) that remain unique entities but are bound together by standardized or proprietary technology that enables data and application portability (e.g., cloud bursting for load-balancing between clouds).
A cloud computing environment is service oriented with a focus on statelessness, low coupling, modularity, and semantic interoperability. At the heart of cloud computing is an infrastructure comprising a network of interconnected nodes.
FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of a computing environment 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 provides an illustration of one embodiment and does not imply any limitations regarding the environment in which different embodiments maybe implemented.
In the depicted embodiment, computing environment 100 includes network 102, computing device 104, and server 106. Computing environment 100 may include additional servers, computers, or other devices not shown.
Network 102 may be a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, any combination thereof, or any combination of connections and protocols that can support communications between computing device 104 and server 106 in accordance with embodiments of the invention. Network 102 may include wired, wireless, or fiber optic connections.
Computing device 104 may be a management server, a web server, or any other electronic device or computing system capable of processing program instructions and receiving and sending data. In other embodiments, computing device 104 may be a laptop computer, tablet computer, netbook computer, personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, or any programmable electronic device capable of communicating with patient computing device 104 via network 102. In other embodiments, computing device 104 may be a server computing system utilizing multiple computers as a server system, such as in a cloud computing environment. In one embodiment, computing device 104 represents a computing system utilizing clustered computers and components to act as a single pool of seamless resources. Computing device 104 may include components, as depicted and described in further detail with respect to FIG. 1.
Server 106 may be a management server, a web server, or any other electronic device or computing system capable of processing program instructions and receiving and sending data. In other embodiments server 106 may be a laptop computer, tablet computer, netbook computer, personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, or any programmable electronic device capable of communicating via network 102. In one embodiment, server 106 may be a server computing system utilizing multiple computers as a server system, such as in a cloud computing environment. In one embodiment, server 106 represents a computing system utilizing clustered computers and components to act as a single pool of seamless resources. In the depicted embodiment conflict identification program 108 and database 110 are located on server 106. Server 106 may include components, as depicted and described in further detail with respect to FIG. 1.
Assembly drawing creation program 108 has the unique feature of creating assembly drawing in the building panels/frames created using the software. Building panels/frames are reviewed for the assembly information. Separate drawing showing the assembly Instructions to the Assembly worker is created. Assembly drawing shows the information about the different elements of the panel/frame. It also shows the sequence for arranging the members on ground before assembling. The preference of the member If its Outer member or Inner member means the member will be connected to another member from outside or it will be inserted inside the other member. Drawing also shows the necessary Bill of material required for assembly of particular panel/frame.
In the depicted embodiment, Assembly drawing creation program 108 utilizes network 102 to access the computing device 104 and to communicate with database 110. In one embodiment, Assembly drawing creation program 108 resides on computing device 104. In other embodiments, Assembly drawing creation program 108 may be located on another server or computing device, provided Assembly drawing creation program 108 has access to database 110.
Database 110 may be a repository that may be written to and/or read by Assembly drawing creation program 108. Information gathered from computing device 104 and the 1-dimensional, 2-dimensional, and 3-dimensional drawings and models as well as the requirements so that the assembly drawing in one embodiment, database 110 is a database management system (DBMS) used to allow the definition, creation, querying, update, and administration of a database(s). In the depicted embodiment, database 110 resides on computing device 104. In other embodiments, database 110 resides on another server, or another computing device, provided that database 110 is accessible to Conflict identification program 108.
FIG. 2, a schematic of an example of a cloud computing node is shown. Cloud computing node 10 is only one example of a suitable cloud computing node and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of embodiments of the invention described herein. Regardless, cloud computing node 10 is capable of being implemented and/or performing any of the functionality set forth hereinabove.
In cloud computing node 10 there is a computer system/server 12, which is operational with numerous other general purposes or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well-known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with computer system/server 12 include, but are not limited to, personal computer systems, server computer systems, thin clients, thick clients, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputer systems, mainframe computer systems, and distributed cloud computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like.
Computer system/server 12 may be described in the general context of computer system executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer system. Generally, program modules may include routines, programs, objects, components, logic, data structures, and so on that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Computer system/server 12 may be practiced in distributed cloud computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed cloud computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer system storage media including memory storage devices.
FIG. 2, computer system/server 12 in cloud computing node 10 is shown in the form of a general-purpose computing device. The components of computer system/server 12 may include, but are not limited to, one or more processors or processing units 16, a system memory 28, and a bus 18 that couples various system components including system memory 28 to processor 16.
Bus 18 represents one or more of any of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, and a processor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, and not limitation, such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnects (PCI) bus.
Computer system/server 12 typically includes a variety of computer system readable media. Such media may be any available media that is accessible by computer system/server 12, and it includes both volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media.
System memory 28 can include computer system readable media in the form of volatile memory, such as random-access memory (RAM) 30 and/or cache memory 32. Computer system/server 12 may further include other removable/non-removable, volatile/non-volatile computer system storage media. By way of example only, storage system 34 can be provided for reading from and writing to a nonremovable, non-volatile magnetic media (not shown and typically called a “hard drive”). Although not shown, a magnetic disk drive for reading from and writing to a removable, non-volatile magnetic disk (e.g., a “floppy disk”), and an optical disk drive for reading from or writing to a removable, non-volatile optical disk such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or other optical media can be provided. In such instances, each can be connected to bus 18 by one or more data media interfaces. As will be further depicted and described below, memory 28 may include at least one program product having a set (e.g., at least one) of program modules that are configured to carry out the functions of embodiments of the invention.
Program/utility 40, having a set (at least one) of program modules 42, may be stored in memory 28 by way of example, and not limitation, as well as an operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data. Each of the operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data or some combination thereof, may include an implementation of a networking environment. Program modules 42 generally carry out the functions and/or methodologies of embodiments of the invention as described herein.
Computer system/server 12 may also communicate with one or more external devices 14 such as a keyboard, a pointing device, a display 24, etc.; one or more devices that enable a user to interact with computer system/server 12; and/or any devices (e.g., network card, modem, etc.) that enable computer system/server 12 to communicate with one or more other computing devices. Such communication can occur via Input/Output (I/O) interfaces 22. Still yet, computer system/server 12 can communicate with one or more networks such as a local area network (LAN), a general wide area network (WAN), and/or a public network (e.g., the Internet) via network adapter 20. As depicted, network adapter 20 communicates with the other components of computer system/server 12 via bus 18. It should be understood that although not shown, other hardware and/or software components could be used in conjunction with computer system/server 12. Examples, include, but are not limited to: microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data archival storage systems, etc.
FIG. 3, illustrative cloud computing environment 50 is depicted. As shown, cloud computing environment 50 comprises one or more cloud computing nodes 10 with which local computing devices used by cloud consumers, such as, for example, personal digital assistant (PDA) or cellular telephone 54A, desktop computer 54B, laptop computer 54C, and/or additional computer systems may communicate. Nodes 10 may communicate with one another. They may be grouped (not shown) physically or virtually, in one or more networks, such as Private, Community, Public, or Hybrid clouds as described hereinabove, or a combination thereof. This allows cloud computing environment 50 to offer infrastructure, platforms and/or software as services for which a cloud consumer does not need to maintain resources on a local computing device. It is understood that the types of computing devices 54A-C shown in FIG. 2 are intended to be illustrative only and that computing nodes 10 and cloud computing environment 50 can communicate with any type of computerized device over any type of network and/or network addressable connection (e.g., using a web browser).
Referring back to FIG. 2, the Program/utility 40 may include one or more program modules 42 that generally carry out the functions and/or methodologies of embodiments of the invention as described herein. Specifically, the program modules 42 may analyze a model of a building and create a set of illustrations for each wall, floor truss, and roof truss section. These illustrations depict the assembly process, the specific location and position of each member, and in some instances the position of the fastener and the type of fastener to use. The program is also able to identify if the two or more members have conflicts and identify a potential solution to this conflict, so that the assembly process of the section(s) can be without issues. The unique feature of analyzing a model or drawing, determining the ideal construction/assembly method for the model, section, or sub-section, and creating a set of drawings or illustrations to assembly the part of the building. Other functionalities of the program modules 42 are described further herein such that the program modules 42 are not limited to the functions described above. Moreover, it is noted that some of the modules 42 can be implemented within the infrastructure shown in FIGS. 1-3.
FIG. 4 depicts flowchart 400 depicting a method according to the present invention. The method(s) and associated process(es) are now discussed, over the course of the following paragraphs, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The program(s) described herein are identified based upon the application for which they are implemented in a specific embodiment of the invention. However, it should be appreciated that any particular program nomenclature herein is used merely for convenience, and thus the invention should not be limited to use solely in any specific application identified and/or implied by such nomenclature.
In step 402, the assembly generation program 108 accesses the building frame and/or sections. The frame is identified as the building comprising each section to complete the frame. The section is each part of the frame which is comprised of members. In some embodiments, the sections are generated based from the frame, or may be predefined. Depending on what is received by the assembly generation program 108 or what the assembly generation program 108 has access to. The building frame or sections may be 3D models or 2D drawings. The model or drawings may have each member identified. In other embodiments, the model or drawings do not identify each individual member, and it is viewing a single element.
In step 404, the assembly generation program 108 identifies the construction requirements for the building frame or section. The construction requirements may establish the type of material used for the members, the type of fastener or securing means which is used for the building, or other features or aspects which may require modifications or alterations to the assembly of the frame or sections.
In step 406, the assembly generation program 108 identifies each section of the frame and the type of each section. The sections maybe, but not limited to, walls, roof trusses, floor trusses, or other section types based on the construction requirements or building design. Each section type has a set of different features and characteristics which the assembly generation program 108 uses to identify the illustrations and conflict checks which are specific to the section type.
In step 408, the assembly generation program 108 analyzes each member of the section. In embodiments, where the section is constructed of individual members, the program 108 is able to extract the member data. In embodiments, where the sections are not constructed of individual members or incomplete members, the program 108 is able to analyze the section to extract the members, the members characteristics, and the section design to determine member overlap and fastening types.
In decision 410 the assembly generation program 108 determines if the section members have any conflicts. A conflict arises where when the actual members are assembled the members would not be able to be assembled properly because a member would incorrectly overlap another member, or a member's features would hinder the members from fitting together correctly. This may result from a cutout not being present in a member or a bend in a member not being present. If the program 108 determines a conflict exists, the program 108 identifies corrections to the conflict (step 412). If the program 108 does not determine any conflicts are present, the program 108 processes to generate the illustrations of the section (step 414).
In step 412 the assembly generation program 108 identifies corrections or solutions to the conflicts which were discovered. These corrections or resolutions are determined based on the construction requirements and may provide more than one correction type or solution. The corrections may include moving members, modifying members, or the replacement of members to adhere to the construction requirements. In some embodiments, a third party needs to confirm the proper correction. In other embodiments, a computer learning algorithm, artificial intelligence, or the like may be able to determine the ideal correction based on the members, the section, the construction requirements, the manufacturing capabilities, the assembly process or the like.
In step 414, the assembly generation program 108 generates the illustrations of the sections. As shown in FIGS. 6-9 are various embodiments of different section types and different illustration generations. The illustrations show the members, the position of the members relative to the other members, the section in both an assembled and disassembled state, and other relevant information to assist in the assembly process. This may include a BOM, each member number and orientation, the fastener type and position, and the like. In some embodiments, dimensions are shown on the illustrations to provide reference points for the workers to confirm that the members are correct. In other embodiments, the members have differing markers to assist in identifying the member type, the overlap of the members, and which member is outside and which member is inside. In these embodiments, the members are cold rolled “C” channels, at some intersections one member may fit within another member, thereby having an inside and outside member.
FIG. 5 depicts flowchart 500 depicting a method according to another embodiment of the present invention. The method(s) and associated process(es) are now discussed, over the course of the following paragraphs, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The program(s) described herein are identified based upon the application for which they are implemented in a specific embodiment of the invention. However, it should be appreciated that any particular program nomenclature herein is used merely for convenience, and thus the invention should not be limited to use solely in any specific application identified and/or implied by such nomenclature.
The assembly generation program 108 after identifying the construction requirements (504) processes through each type of section type and determines if the selected section type is either a wall (506), a roof truss (508), or a floor truss (510). In additional embodiments with different section types, these may be replaced, or additional decisions may be incorporated into the process. After the determination of the section type, the assembly generation program 108 identifies the specific section type members (512, 516, or 516). Each section type has different processes to identify the members by the assembly generation program 108. Each section type may have predetermined and preset member identification techniques which are harmful to the identification of the members in other section types. In steps 512, 514, and 516 additional programing may be incorporated to generate a 3D model of the section of one is not known or created. The assembly generation program 108 performs the conflict check on the section or frame (518) and determined if potential corrections can be incorporated into the section drawing or models (520). The identified corrections are incorporated into the model or drawings (521), and the updated drawing or model is reanalyzed to determine if the conflict is still present. If the section passes the conflict check, a set of illustrations are generated (522) to be provided to the workers to create a clear and easy to use drawing set for the construction of the sections.
FIG. 6 depicts a drawing of an assembled wall section, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The present drawing depicts a cold formed steel wall section comprised of a set of members 602. This image depicts all of the members secured to one another in a final state. The dimensions are shown as visual indicators for the works to confirm that the assembled section matches the intended size.
FIG. 7 depicts a drawing of a disassembled wall section, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The drawing shows the section from FIG. 6 in a disassembled state. Each member is identified as an outer 702 inner 703, or an end 704 or 706 member. Also, sections of these members which is cutout or removed to further identify which members are which. In some embodiments, the cutout may require another member to be inserted through the cutout. Various notes or identifications of specific assembly steps may be shown or added into the drawing. The BOM 708 is shown in the illustration to assist the workers as well.
FIG. 8 depicts a set of drawings of roof truss section, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The illustration shows both the assembled and disassembled views of the roof truss in a single illustration. In the present illustration each member type has a different number e.g. W1-W8. In the depicted embodiment, several member numbers are repeated to show the members are identical and replicated, this shows that several members are replicated and assist with the assembly process. In the depicted embodiment, the “cutouts” are blacked out sections of the members. In the depicted embodiment, the specific type of fasteners are identified by comments and markings.
FIG. 9 depicts an architectural illustration of a floor truss section, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The depicted illustration shows the assembled and disassembled views of the floor truss. The assembled view shows markings to indicate where the fasteners are used to secure two or more members together (901). In the disassembled view, the members again are identified as interior 904 or exterior 902 members. Each member has a shaded section 903, which shows either where the member intersects or where a member has a cutout to receive another member. In some embodiments, the program is able to calculate and determine which members need a cutout based on the assembly of the section.
The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention.
The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire.
Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing/processing device.
Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++ or the like, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, to perform aspects of the present invention.
Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions.
These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
Present invention: should not be taken as an absolute indication that the subject matter described by the term “present invention” is covered by either the claims as they are filed, or by the claims that may eventually issue after patent prosecution; while the term “present invention” is used to help the reader to get a general feel for which disclosures herein that are believed as maybe being new, this understanding, as indicated by use of the term “present invention,” is tentative and provisional and subject to change over the course of patent prosecution as relevant information is developed and as the claims are potentially amended.
The foregoing descriptions of various embodiments have been presented only for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the forms disclosed. Accordingly, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. Additionally, the above disclosure is not intended to limit the present invention. In the specification and claims the term “comprising” shall be understood to have a broad meaning similar to the term “including” and will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. This definition also applies to variations on the term “comprising” such as “comprise” and “comprises”.
Although various representative embodiments of this invention have been described above with a certain degree of particularity, those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventive subject matter set forth in the specification and claims. Joinder references (e.g. attached, adhered, joined) are to be construed broadly and may include intermediate members between a connection of elements and relative movement between elements. As such, joinder references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to each other. Moreover, network connection references are to be construed broadly and may include intermediate members or devices between network connections of elements. As such, network connection references do not necessarily infer that two elements are in direct communication with each other. In some instances, in methodologies directly or indirectly set forth herein, various steps and operations are described in one possible order of operation, but those skilled in the art will recognize that steps and operations may be rearranged, replaced or eliminated without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not limiting. Changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments outlined above, various alternatives, modifications, variations, improvements and/or substantial equivalents, whether known or that are or may be presently foreseen, may become apparent to those having at least ordinary skill in the art. Listing the steps of a method in a certain order does not constitute any limitation on the order of the steps of the method. Accordingly, the embodiments of the invention set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is intended to embrace all known or earlier developed alternatives, modifications, variations, improvements and/or substantial equivalent.

Claims

1. A method for generating an assembly illustration set for the construction of a building via a computing device, comprising:

accessing, by one or more processors, a model of a structure, wherein the model of the structure is comprised of a series of sections and the series of structures are formed of members;

extracting, by one or more processors, a section from the structure;

analyzing, by one or more processors, the section, wherein a section type is identified;

analyzing, by one or more processors, the section, wherein the section is analyzed to determine an assembly procedure of the section;

identifying, by one or more processors, each member of the section;

analyzing, by one or more processors, the assembly procedure of the section, wherein it is determined if a conflict is present within the section;

presenting, by one or more processors, an amendment to at least one member of the section, wherein the amendment corrects the identified conflict within the section; and

generating, by one or more processors, a set of illustrations, wherein the set of illustrations depict the section in an assembled and disassembled view and identify the analyzed conflicts and the presented amendments.

2. (canceled)

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, implementing, by one or more processors, the conflict amendment and analyzing the section to determine if a conflict still exists.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, establishing, by one or more processors, an assembly process of the section, wherein fastening locations are identified in each member based on the section type and the assembly procedure.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, establishing, by one or more processors, the positioning of the members.

6. (canceled)

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, marking, by one or more processors, the members with a type of member in the set of illustration.

8. (canceled)

9. A computer program product for generating assembly plans for the construction of a structure, comprising,

the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to:

program instructions to access a model of a structure, wherein the model of the structure is comprised of a series of sections and the series of structures are formed of members;

program instructions to deconstruct the sections, wherein the sections are analyzed to determine an assembly procedure of the sections;

program instructions to identify the type of section based on the deconstruction process;

program instructions to identify each member of the sections, and based on the identified section type categorize the members of the sections;

program instructions to analyze each of the members and determine if the members have a conflict based on the section type;

program instructions to implement a solution to the conflict based on the identified conflict, the section type, and the member involved in the conflict, wherein the conflict is corrected; and

program instructions to generate a set of illustrations depicting the members of the section in an assembled and disassembled position, wherein the implement solutions are identified in the set of illustrations.

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising, program instructions to establish an assembly process of the members.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising, program instructions to establish a positioning sequence of each of the members, wherein the positioning sequence includes fasteners used to secure two or more members together.

14. (canceled)

15. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising, program instructions to mark each of the members with a member type in the set of illustration based on the position of the member.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising, program instructions to identify each member based on the order of the member in the assembly process.

17. A system for identifying conflicts with the construction process of a structure and generating a set of illustration for the construction of the structure, the system comprising:

a CPU, a computer readable memory and a computer readable storage medium associated with a computing device;

program instructions to access a model, wherein the model is comprised of a set of sections and each section is comprised of a set of members;

program instructions to analyze the set of sections to determine a section type, wherein an assembly process is associated with each type of section type;

program instructions to analyze the set of members and the assembly process and determine if any conflicts exist within the sections;

program instructions to modify section to overcome the conflict; and

program instructions to generate a set of illustrations depicting the assembly order and process of the sections.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the assembly process of the set of members, wherein the assembly process includes the order of the set of members and fastening locations.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising, program instructions to establish the positioning of the set of members.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising, program instructions to categorize the set of members based on a type of member in the set of illustration.