U.S. patent application number 10/706939 was filed with the patent office on 2004-07-29 for process for structuring and managing the configuration of industrial products, and particularly aircraft.
Invention is credited to Arnaud, Francoise, Scotto D'appolonia, Antoine.
Application Number | 20040148044 10/706939 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 8865165 |
Filed Date | 2004-07-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040148044 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Arnaud, Francoise ; et
al. |
July 29, 2004 |
Process for structuring and managing the configuration of
industrial products, and particularly aircraft
Abstract
This invention relates to a process for structuring and managing
the configuration of an industrial product using processing means
comprising at least one processor, a memory, data input means and a
display screen, in which: a set of technical objects is described,
each technical object either representing a product function
(EPAC), or describing an implementation method (TDU) for such a
product function, in order to achieve a configuration of this
product; a database is updated to specify the definition of each
technical object and of rules and constraints; this database is
used interactively and dynamically through a selection of
options.
Inventors: |
Arnaud, Francoise; (Castanet
Tolosan, FR) ; Scotto D'appolonia, Antoine; (Blaonal,
FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OBLON, SPIVAK, MCCLELLAND, MAIER & NEUSTADT, P.C.
1940 DUKE STREET
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
8865165 |
Appl. No.: |
10/706939 |
Filed: |
November 14, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10706939 |
Nov 14, 2003 |
|
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|
10189260 |
Jul 3, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
700/97 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 10/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
700/097 |
International
Class: |
G06F 019/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 5, 2001 |
FR |
01 08932 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A system to structure and manage a configuration of an
industrial product, taking account of options selected by a
customer, comprising: means for processing for describing a set of
technical objects, each technical object either representing a
product function or describing an implementation method for making
a product configuration for the product function, the set of
technical objects representing manufacturing options of the
industrial product; means for storing to be updated for clarifying
a definition of each technical object and its inter-relations with
other of the technical objects in the product configuration by an
expression of rules and constraints; and means for data input and
means for displaying for interactively and dynamically using said
means for storing during definition of the product, through the
selection of the options by the customer.
2. A system according to claim 1, wherein each technical object
represents either a function of an aircraft or describes an
implementation method of the aircraft function to create an
aircraft configuration.
3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the means for processing
comprises: a knowledge management module; a contract management
module; an administration module; and a mass management module; all
working on the means for storing.
4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the knowledge management
module is configured to manage technical objects each representing
an aircraft function, wherein the contract management module is
configured to manage fleet configurations of aircraft; wherein the
administration module is configured to manage user profiles, and
wherein the mass management module is configured to manage mass of
a customized configuration from data supplied from the contract
management module.
5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the industrial product is
considered as a set of functions in a functional approach.
6. A system according to claim 3, wherein the contract management
module works in a connected or disconnected mode.
7. A system according to claim 1, wherein in the means for
processing a technical object oriented configuration is used in
which the options and corresponding implementation methods are
selected directly in a list sorted by at least one of ATA chapter,
job category, and sales policy, the selection being made either
individually or globally using a global procedure that joins a
possible application and a weight to a set of options in a same
functional domain.
8. A system according to claim 1, wherein in the means for
processing a functional oriented configuration is used that
supplies a functional approach to directly select technical
objects, specifying required properties of a functional
characteristic.
9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the means for processing
allows a contract manager to start a configuration checking process
at any time.
10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the industrial product
is an aircraft.
11. A system to structure and manage a configuration of an
industrial product, taking account of options selected by a
customer, comprising: a processor configured to describe a set of
technical objects, each technical object either representing a
product function or describing an implementation method for making
a product configuration for the product function, the set of
technical objects representing manufacturing options of the
industrial product; a database to be updated for clarifying a
definition of each technical object and its inter-relations with
other of the technical objects in the product configuration by an
expression of rules and constraints; and a data input and display
for interactively and dynamically using said database during
definition of the product, through selection of the options by the
customer.
12. A system according to claim 11, wherein each technical object
represents either a function of an aircraft or describes an
implementation method of the aircraft function to create an
aircraft configuration.
13. A system according to claim 11, wherein the processor
comprises: a knowledge management module; a contract management
module; an administration module; and a mass management module; all
working on the database.
14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the knowledge
management module is configured to manage technical objects each
representing an aircraft function, wherein the contract management
module is configured to manage fleet configurations of aircraft;
wherein the administration module is configured to manage user
profiles, and wherein the mass management module is configured to
manage mass of a customized configuration from data supplied from
the contract management module.
15. A system according to claim 11, wherein the industrial product
is considered as a set of functions in a functional approach.
16. A system according to claim 13, wherein the contract management
module works in a connected or disconnected mode.
17. A system according to claim 11, wherein in the processor a
technical object oriented configuration is used in which the
options and corresponding implementation methods are selected
directly in a list sorted by at least one of ATA chapter, job
category and sales policy, the selection being made either
individually or globally using a global procedure that joins a
possible application and a weight to a set of options in a same
functional domain.
18. A system according to claim 11, wherein in the processor a
functional oriented configuration is used that supplies a
functional approach to directly select technical objects,
specifying required properties of a functional characteristic.
19. A system according to claim 11, wherein the processor allows a
contract manager to start a configuration checking process at any
time.
20. A system according to claim 11, wherein the industrial product
is an aircraft.
Description
DESCRIPTION
[0001] 1. Technical Domain
[0002] This invention relates to a process for structuring and
managing the configuration of industrial products, and particularly
aircraft.
[0003] 2. State of the Art
[0004] A patent application according to known art, EP-0 899 672,
discloses a computer-aided process for structuring data concerning
the configuration of products, for example aircraft, and to
configure these products. This process is used to collect,
structure and display this type of data and to use them to produce
a computer program that validates product option selections and
configures such a product. When product data objects are selected,
an operator is invited to enter the specific data belonging to the
selected object. Constraints limit selections that the operator can
make, the appearance of these objects, and configurations that may
be produced from the selected objects. Data belonging to the
selected objects and their configurations are stored in a database.
Changes may be made directly in the data stored in the database,
and these changes are reproduced in a corresponding display. After
production of a knowledge map that graphically displays the data
necessary to configure the product, the data are retrieved from
this database to produce a set of rules that are entered into the
program to validate a set of product option selections and to
configure a final product defined by the resulting modules.
[0005] This process is a graphic structuring, input, data storage
and management process to configure a product, taking account of
options selected by a customer. But it does not disclose
interactive and dynamic use of these data during the exercise to
define the product with a customer.
[0006] The purpose of the invention is to overcome this
disadvantage and to provide a process for structuring and managing
the complete process to configure an industrial product, and
particularly an aircraft for example such as an Airbus type as it
is sold to customers, and in this case to trigger the process for
construction of this aircraft in the assembly lines.
PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION
[0007] This invention relates to a process for structuring and
managing the configuration or an industrial product and
particularly an aircraft, using processing means comprising at
least one processor, a memory, data input means and a display
screen, in which:
[0008] a set of technical objects is described, each technical
object either representing a product function (EPAC), or describing
an implementation method (TDU) for such a product function to make
a configuration of this product,
[0009] a database is updated to specify the definition of each
technical object and its inter-relations with other objects of the
configuration by an expression of rules and constraints;
[0010] this database is used interactively and dynamically through
a choice of options;
[0011] this database is used interactively and dynamically during
the product definition made with this customer, through a selection
of options.
[0012] It is advantageous to use:
[0013] a knowledge management module,
[0014] a contract management module,
[0015] an administration module,
[0016] a mass management module,
[0017] a tariff management module,
[0018] all working on the database.
[0019] Advantageously, in one functional approach, the aircraft is
considered as a set of functions.
[0020] The contract management module may operate in connected or
disconnected mode.
[0021] It is possible to use
[0022] an EPAC/TDU oriented configuration in which the options
(EPAC) and the corresponding technical solutions (TDU) are chosen
directly in a list sorted by ATA chapter, job category and sales
policy, this selection being made either individually or globally
due to a global procedure used to attach a possible aircraft
application, a weight and a price to a set of options in the same
functional domain, or
[0023] a functional oriented configuration that provides a
functional approach used to directly select EPAC/TDU technical
objects specifying the required properties of a functional
characteristic.
[0024] The contract manager can initiate a configuration checking
process at any time.
[0025] Unlike patent application EP-0 899 672 mentioned above that
emphasizes modeling of technical objects and the description of
their inter-relations in a constraints graph, but which leaves
little opportunity for the use of this graph during the definition
of the said objects with customers, the process according to the
invention uses the opposite approach and makes use of:
[0026] simple modeling of rules and constraints in the
database;
[0027] interactive and dynamic use ("Front-Office Application") of
these constraints during the definition of the industrial
product.
[0028] Furthermore, the process according to the invention does not
use any graphic representation or management.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] FIG. 1 illustrates the different modules used in the process
according to the invention.
[0030] FIG. 2 illustrates an example embodiment of the process
according to the invention.
[0031] FIG. 3 illustrates the operating steps of a specific patent
application according to the invention.
DETAILED PRESENTATION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS
[0032] The case of the Airbus type aircraft configuration is
considered as an example throughout the remainder of this
description, however the configuration of any other industrial
product would be quite possible, for example helicopters,
automobiles, etc.
[0033] This invention relates to a process for structuring and
managing the configuration of an aircraft using a computer 9 that
in particular includes a processor, a memory, data input means, for
example a keyboard and a mouse, and a display screen, in which:
[0034] a set of technical objects is described, each technical
object either representing a function of the aircraft (EPAC), or
describing an implementation method (TDU) for such an aircraft
function to create an aircraft configuration, these objects
representing implementation options for this aircraft proposed to a
customer;
[0035] a known database is updated to clarify the definition of
each technical object, and its inter-relations with the other
objects in the configuration by an expression of rules and
constraints;
[0036] this database is used interactively and dynamically during
the definition of this aircraft carried out with this customer
through a choice of options.
[0037] More precisely, this process uses five modules, for which
the state may be illustrated on the display screen and modified
using input means:
[0038] a knowledge management module (11) ("Back Office Module",
the "Back office" being technical documentation and validation work
that is done in close cooperation with design offices and program
managers), which is dedicated to the management of all Airbus
entities including documentation generation, in other words the
standard specification and catalogues. For example, these entities
are EPAC technical objects each representing an aircraft function,
some of these functions being compulsory (for example the motor
drive), TDU technical objects each describing a solution to
implement an EPAC technical object (several TDU technical solutions
may be proposed for one EPAC function), the definition of standard
characteristics, the catalogue definition, etc.
[0039] a contract management module 12 ("Front Office Module", the
"Front Office" being use of the work done by the "Back Office" for
technical-sales engineers working with the customer) that is
dedicated to the management of fleet configurations including the
generation of contract documentation;
[0040] an administration module 13 that is dedicated to the
management of user profiles, either in "Back Office" or in "Front
Office";
[0041] a mass management module 14, either in the "Back Office" or
the "Front Office".
[0042] In FIG. 1, the "Back Office" and "Front Office" parts are
marked with references 16 and 17 respectively.
[0043] These five modules work on the same database 18. The system
using the process according to the invention has interfaces with
other data systems belonging to the Airbus company; for example
with the cabin layout configuration system 20 as shown in FIG. 1,
with product management and the ACC ("Aircraft Configuration
Control") system for communication with partners of the Airbus
company. The ACC system is a computer tool used to manage the
industrial configuration of all aircraft and to launch the
necessary work orders.
[0044] The database 18 is used to update the ACC databases 21
shared particularly between the Airbus company and its partners in
order to manage production orders.
[0045] Statistics may be extracted from the database 18 to supply
data about the use of TDU technical objects, the definition of the
aircraft of a customer, or the internal operating efficiency of the
Airbus company.
[0046] The Knowledge Management Module 11 (in "Back Office")
[0047] This module 11 is intended to satisfy the needs of catalogue
specialists and engineers. This module is used to create and update
solutions defining entities proposed by the Airbus company to its
customers, and to produce a technical aircraft documentation
(standard characteristics and option catalogues).
[0048] The technical solutions proposed by the Airbus company are
debugged according to the breakdown into EPAC/TDU. The first two
digits of the EPAC technical object correspond to the ATA result;
ATA is an internationally recognized breakdown of the functions of
an aircraft.
[0049] This knowledge management module 11 manages the creation and
updating of all EPAC and TDU technical objects.
[0050] The description of a TDU technical object includes:
[0051] an equipment breakdown,
[0052] a text,
[0053] and drawings.
[0054] Further data are related to the TDU technical object, such
as the impact of the weight on the aircraft or the price.
[0055] The process related to a TDU technical object can be used to
memorize a policy, which is a means of classifying the TDU
technical object as a function of the sales policy decided upon by
the Airbus company.
[0056] In liaison with an EPAC technical object, the process
according to the invention is used to memorize a job category. This
job category is used to sort the different EPAC technical objects
and it may be used to filter EPAC technical objects that can be
used by a particular User; for example, cabin engineers work mainly
on cabin elements.
[0057] All these data are used and compiled during generation of
the technical documentation.
[0058] Logical relations are used between EPAC technical objects
and/or between TDU technical objects. These relations actually
express all the knowledge of specialists and are available to
contract managers. They enable an expression of the links between
different options in terms of incompatibility or prior acceptance.
The introduction of this type of constraint guarantees the
consistency and the complete nature of the future
configuration.
[0059] These constraints may be applied in two different ways:
[0060] a "hard" manner; the constraints are automatically applied
by the contract management module 12 without any action by the
user;
[0061] a "soft" manner: the user is informed by the contract
management module 12 that there is a constraint, but the user can
avoid it.
[0062] Each specialist can define the following in relation to a
constraint:
[0063] an explanation,
[0064] a warning.
[0065] The process according to the invention proposes a functional
approach, in addition to a conventional approach consisting of
browsing through an ATA decomposition.
[0066] This functional approach is a means of considering an
aircraft as a set of functions and no longer as a set of EPAC/TDU
technical objects. This enables a much more efficient aircraft
design; with this type of decomposition, the process according to
the invention can be used to configure an aircraft by specifying
the required aircraft functions rather than by selecting individual
TDU technical objects.
[0067] These two approaches are possible simultaneously with the
process according to the invention; it is thus possible to
configure an aircraft either using the functional approach or the
conventional approach. However, since aircraft functions are used
by TDU technical objects, in each approach the result of a
configuration remains a set of TDU technical objects.
[0068] The technical documentation considered here includes a
specification, in other words an understandable description of a
standard aircraft, and the catalogue of options (optional TDU
technical objects that may be used to customize a standard
aircraft).
[0069] The process according to the invention makes it easy to view
(use data) the different decompositions, in order to facilitate the
user's work. Data access is simplified because the user can take
advantage of synthetic and graphic views of the data hierarchy.
Similarly, it is possible to work on a large set of data
simultaneously rather than on a single item of data at a time.
[0070] The specialist is responsible for determining if the
delivered product is correct, before issuing a standard
specification or a catalogue. Test tools are used to check
consistency.
[0071] The ACC application is the current tool used by the Airbus
company to exchange data with its partners, and to synchronize the
aircraft construction process in assembly lines, therefore "Back
Office" outputs such as the creation of EPAC and TDU technical
objects and management of specific requests are input into the ACC
database 21.
[0072] The Contract Management Module 12 (in "Front Office")
[0073] This module 12 is intended to satisfy the requirements of
contract managers, cabin engineers and IFE ("In Flight
Entertainment") engineers, IFE including audio/video means
available in the cabin of an aircraft.
[0074] These users use this module 12 to define the configuration
of the aircraft that forms part of the fleet defined by the Airbus
company. This configuration is made up of functions and technical
solutions defined by the Design Office and selected by the
customer. Once the configuration has been fixed, the customer is
provided with contract documentation.
[0075] Since a fleet may be configured taking account of the
customer's wishes and during several configuration sessions, this
contract management module 12 is designed to work either in
connected mode (to the Airbus company) or in disconnected mode
(using a portable). Server synchronization functions are used to
manage "upload" or "download" procedures necessary to synchronize
resident and portable databases. This module 12 is used for
configuration management in the presence of the customer.
[0076] In the configuration exercise, that consists of configuring
a fleet in accordance with the customer's wishes, wher ver possible
based on options proposed by the Airbus company, the contract
manager must firstly select the fleet to be configured, and revise
the standard specification that will determine the catalogue
revisions available to customize the aircraft.
[0077] The contract manager can also display different data about
the fleet including the number of aircraft, delivery dates,
certification capacities, etc.
[0078] This module can be used to configure two types of
fleets:
[0079] a normal fleet,
[0080] a fleet in "leasing".
[0081] In some cases, the contract manager may prepare the
configuration of a fleet before it is created in the ACC base. To
work by anticipation, he then uses the concept of the preliminary
design in order to create a standard configuration based on a
standard specification revision and not related to a fleet. This
concept may also be used to study alternative solutions for a fleet
configuration.
[0082] Once these data have been defined, the contract manager can
start the configuration exercise that consists of selecting the
customer's needs. There are two ways of managing the aircraft
configuration:
[0083] an EPAC/TDU oriented configuration in which the options
(EPAC) and the corresponding technical solutions (TDU) are selected
directly in a list sorted by ATA chapter, job category and sales
policy. This selection may be made either individually or globally
using a global procedure to attach a possible aircraft application
and a mass to a set of options in the same functional domain. The
global procedure is managed through the global configuration
concept ("packages").
[0084] a functional oriented configuration that provides a
functional approach in order to directly select EPAC/TDU technical
objects by specifying the required properties of a functional
characteristic. This type of configuration is available only for
some complex subjects and provides more significant data. But this
type of option selection also leads to EPAC/TDU technical
objects.
[0085] Logical constraints used between EPAC technical objects
and/or TDU technical objects express all the specialist's
knowledge, and are available for use by the contract manager. This
knowledge is used through the configuration process, to help
contract managers during the aircraft definition step while
avoiding errors and guiding the configuration.
[0086] At the time of an aircraft configuration, the Airbus company
may encounter a specific need formulated by the customer for which
there is no EPAC/TDU technical object. In this case, the contract
manager asks the design office and the partners to study and
possibly propose a new solution. This specific request is processed
through a specific process, and the TDU technical objects are sent
to it as a reply; if a new TDU technical object is created
specifically for the said request, this new TDU technical object is
used to input data to the system.
[0087] For some selected options, the contract manager can
configure the aircraft properties in order to satisfy the
customer's needs. These properties are defined by the "Back Office"
and are identified as being configurable.
[0088] The contract manager can also set parameters for the
selected options in order to satisfy the customer's needs; change
the quantities of elements in the TDU technical object, give
detailed specifications for an elements family, to change the
BFE/SFE status which represents the equipment procurement mode; BFE
("Buyer Furnished Equipment") being equipment supplied by the
customer and SFE ("Seller Furnished Equipment") being equipment
supplied by the Airbus company. All these modifications are taken
into account at the time when the contract documentation is
generated. The text description of the TDU technical object (change
consequence, impacts of specification, etc.) cannot be changed.
However, the contract manager can modify the final contract
document once it has been generated.
[0089] When the EPAC/TDU simple or global configuration or the
functional configuration is used, all logical constraints defined
in the "Back office" are checked dynamically. The contract manager
is then informed about each inconsistent selection in order to
finally obtain a consistent and complete fleet configuration. The
logical rules used may be incompatibility or prior acceptance.
[0090] When an individual option is being selected, the contract
manager can specify that this option should be installed in
"retrofit", in other words off the production line after the
aircraft has been delivered.
[0091] Cabin features and IFE specific features are used to take
account of specific features in the process for configuration of
these functional domains.
[0092] The contract manager can start a configuration checking
process at any time during the configuration exercise, to perform a
complementary check to ensure that the fleet configuration is
complete. For example, he can check that at least one TDU technical
object has been selected for all compulsory EPAC technical objects,
or obtain a summary of all software constraints that have been
violated during the configuration.
[0093] During the configuration exercise, the contract manager can
use a standard catalogue and specification viewer at any time to
view the contents of electronic catalogues or standard "in line"
specifications corresponding to versions of the options catalogue
or the standard specifications of the Airbus company. In this way,
he can access a complete technical description of options supplied
by the Airbus company; text and graphic descriptions, mass
information and the component number are thus all available.
[0094] The exercise to make a detailed definition of an aircraft
may require several work sessions and a contract may be effective
over several years. Changes which have an impact on the customized
fleet (movement of an aircraft from one fleet to another, addition
or deletion of aircraft in a fleet), etc. may take place during
this period of time and thus make the contents of the contract
documentation supplied to the customer obsolete. Change management
functions are used to detect these changes and inform the contract
manager to help him make the right decisions.
[0095] The contract management module 12 is interfaced with the
system to define the interior of the cabin 20 which may initially
be used to attach the reference of the drawing of the cabin
interior to an aircraft or a set of aircraft in a fleet, and
secondly to retrieve all elements selected in the cabin, in this
module 12. This avoids multiple inputs of the same data, and thus
guarantees good consistency.
[0096] When a customer selects an option, the contract manager may
supply these data to partners of the Airbus company by activating
the interface to the ACC (industrial aircraft configuration
management system). This interface is used to use "Front Office"
outputs such as EPAC, TDU technical objects and configuration
selections as input to the ACC database 21.
[0097] The Administration Module 13
[0098] This module 13 is dedicated to the management of user
profiles. Several categories of specialists, each with their own
specific competence, are involved:
[0099] in the aircraft definition process, these specialists may
for example be contract managers, cabin engineers, IFE engineers,
mass specialists;
[0100] in the aircraft design process, these specialists may for
example be technical specialists, mass specialists and catalogue
author specialists.
[0101] Since access to functions and data is strongly dependent on
the user profile, this administration module 13 is used to
manipulate profile management.
[0102] The Mass Management Module 14
[0103] Masses are managed by a specific module 14 that uses all
data supplied by the contract management module to calculate the
mass of the customized configuration produced by the contract
manager.
Example Use of the Process According to the Invention
[0104] FIG. 2 shows such an example of use of the process according
to the invention. Starting from an open fleet 30, and the
configuration 31 of an aircraft is made by making EPAC/TDU
selections 32 by using specific requests to trace additional
requests of the customer 33, doing a global configuration of the
cabin and the IFE 34 and by setting parameters for TDU objects 35.
This is followed by an ACC communication 36 with officialization of
the contract definition and production of documentation 38.
[0105] These different phases will be analyzed below.
[0106] Selection (32) of EPAC/TDU Technical Objects
[0107] The following steps take place during this phase:
[0108] the original configuration screen displays all available
EPAC technical objects proposed for the fleet considered by the ATA
breakdown;
[0109] an EPAC technical object (function) is selected followed by
a TDU technical object (to indicate the selected solution);
[0110] each TDU technical object has a status in the fleet:
[0111] "available" to stop the selection of a previously selected
TDU technical object;
[0112] "selected" to select a TDU technical object for the fleet
considered, and define a possible aircraft application;
[0113] all these selections are made official through customer
Requests for change transmitted in ACC
[0114] The above selections may be made with a graphic interface
("click, drag and drop" type actions carried out using a
mouse).
[0115] It is possible to use a filter to restrict the display to
technical objects that have already been decided upon for the
fleet.
[0116] It is possible to use an aircraft view and select an
aircraft in a list of aircraft so that only options for this
aircraft can be seen.
[0117] Different icons illustrated in the selection screens for
EPAC/TDU technical objects, are used to make validations like those
described above, and to determine logical incompatibilities; for
example for an EPAC/TDU technical object for one or several
aircraft in the fleet.
[0118] Different types of constraints may apply to EPAC/TDU
technical objects:
[0119] prior acceptance: an EPAC or a TDU may require prior
acceptance of another EPAC or TDU;
[0120] an incompatibility: an EPAC or a TDU may be incompatible
with another EPAC or TDU;
[0121] these two types of constraints may be expressed in a
"compulsory" or "Informative" manner. If a constraint is
compulsory, the related technical object will be selected
automatically. If it is optional, a warning is issued about the
constraint and the user is requested to confirm his decision.
[0122] Exclusive TDUs; an EPAC may comprise an "exclusive TDU" item
of data input into the "Back Office" that prevents two TDUs from
this EPAC being selected for the same aircraft.
[0123] Specific Request (33)
[0124] This type of request is used when no TDU technical object
can be found to satisfy a definition need.
[0125] The diagram shown in FIG. 3 shows the different steps in
such a request, that begins when it is created by the "Front
Office" user.
[0126] Global Configuration-Procedure (CABIN, IFE, etc.) (34)
[0127] This phase includes the following steps:
[0128] for a new configuration, the job category concerned is
selected;
[0129] an existing global configuration can then be modified;
[0130] the requested TDU technical objects are selected;
[0131] this selection is validated;
[0132] applicability for the global configuration created on one or
several aircraft in the fleet can be expressed.
[0133] The customer request is then made official in ACC.
[0134] Setting TDU Parameters
[0135] Parameters may be set for the following elements:
[0136] the state and the quantity, as a function of data indicated
in "Back Office";
[0137] the seller, or the seller and the part identification, if
they are not specified in the TDU "Back Office" technical
object;
[0138] the properties, that consist of complementary data and are
compulsory wherever they are applicable.
[0139] Setting Parameters for Global Configurations (35)
[0140] In this phase:
[0141] TDU technical objects for the global configuration can be
set in the same way as individual TDUs;
[0142] some complementary details are necessary to make the request
official; the reference number of the cabin layout drawing, cabin
parameters.
[0143] ACC Communication (36)
[0144] All selected TDU technical objects can be displayed for all
ATAS, or one selected ATA, and the corresponding states and numbers
can be displayed for the generated customer requests.
[0145] Different icons may be seen in the ACC interface screen
indicating the following in particular:
[0146] applicability on fleet aircraft;
[0147] the TDU was updated and validated in the "Back Office" after
its last selection;
[0148] an official contract document has already been generated for
the TDU, or global configuration
[0149] the officialization state of the customer's request:
refused, accepted, being processed.
[0150] Officialization (37)
[0151] This is a means of making the customer's acceptance or
rejection of an option (EPAC, TDU) official for the industrial
world.
[0152] Documentation (38)
[0153] This operation is used to:
[0154] create an SCN document based on a "Front Office" TDU
technical object ("TDU "Back Office"+individualization);
[0155] document modification if necessary;
[0156] print the document if requested;
[0157] save the document and its officialization state.
[0158] A viewer may be used to display the recorded documents.
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