Systems, methods, and software for automated design and manufacturing of hvac control panels

Abstract

The present inventors devised, among other things, systems, methods, and software that radically simplify and reduce the time necessary to specify, design, manufacture, and document control panels and wiring harnesses for semi-custom and custom equipment, such as HVAC equipment. One exemplary system includes a computerized product configuration module that defines product family parameters from user input and outputs a product family data structure, for example, a coded character string, to a technical design module. The technical design module, which incorporates engineering design rules for control panels and wiring modules, automatically processes the coded character string, outputting detailed engineering drawings, component listings, and even assembly instructions to robotic manufacturing equipment. The exemplary system dramatic reduces the product specification and engineering time required for any custom control panel and makes it possible for OEMs to efficiently offering more options and shorter turn-around times to its customers.

1 . A graphical user interface for controlling automated configuration of equipment during manufacture, the interface comprising:
 a processor configured for communicating a set of two or more electrical parameter options and mechanical parameter options for the equipment; and   a processor configured for accepting a selection of at least one of the electrical parameter options or the mechanical parameter options from a user.   
     
     
         2 . The graphical user interface of  claim 1 , wherein the equipment comprises heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment. 
     
     
         3 . The graphical user interface of  claim 1 , wherein the equipment is associated with an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). 
     
     
         4 . The graphical user interface of  claim 1 , wherein the set of two or more electrical parameter options and mechanical parameter options includes one or more of a model number, voltage-phase-frequency data, a disconnect, a fan type and quantity, a condenser type, a damper, gas heat data, an electric tempering coil, electric heat data, heat recovery data, enthalpy wheel phase data, a compressor crankcase, a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet, and head pressure control data. 
     
     
         5 . The graphical user interface of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a processor configured for communicating a set of two or more first options for the equipment and for accepting a selection of at least one of the first options; and   a processor configured for communicating a set of two or more second options for the equipment, and for accepting a selection of at least one of the second options, wherein the processor configured for communicating the set of second options is responsive to selection of at least one of the first options to alter the communicated set of second options.   
     
     
         6 . The graphical user interface of  claim 5 , wherein the processor configured for communicating the set of second options is responsive to selection of at least one of the first options to limit the communicated set of second options. 
     
     
         7 . The graphical user interface of  claim 1 , wherein the equipment comprises a control panel. 
     
     
         8 . The graphical user interface of  claim 7 , comprising a processor configured to automatically generate one or more of an electrical schematic and a mechanical schematic based on the set of two or more electrical parameter options and mechanical parameter options for the equipment. 
     
     
         9 . The graphical user interface of  claim 8 , wherein one or more of the electrical schematic and the mechanical schematic define at least a portion of the control panel. 
     
     
         10 . The graphical user interface of  claim 8 , wherein one of more of the electrical schematic and the mechanical schematic define at least a portion of a harness for coupling the control panel to the equipment. 
     
     
         11 . The graphical user interface of  claim 7 , comprising:
 a computer processor configured for generating assembly instructions using engineering design rules and one or more of the electrical schematic and the mechanical schematic;   a computer processor configured for generating and ordering parts using one or more of the electrical schematic and the mechanical schematic and an enterprise resource planning system; and   a computer processor configured for communicating the assembly instructions to robotic manufacturing equipment.   
     
     
         12 . The graphical user interface of  claim 11 , comprising:
 a computer processor configured for receiving the assembly instructions; and   a computer processor configured for use in connection with manufacturing the equipment using the robotic manufacturing equipment.   
     
     
         13 . The graphical user interface of  claim 12 , comprising:
 a computer processor configured for receiving instructions for the control panel; and   a computer processor configured for testing the control panel using the instructions.   
     
     
         14 . The graphical user interface of  claim 1 , comprising a computer processor configured for validating the set of two or more electrical parameter options and mechanical parameter options for the equipment to verify that the set of two or more electrical parameter options and mechanical parameter options are compatible as a function of a set of option rules. 
     
     
         15 . The graphical user interface of  claim 1 , comprising a computer processor configured for generating a product price quote using the set of two or more electrical parameter options and mechanical parameter options for the equipment. 
     
     
         16 . A computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by a computer processor execute a process for controlling automated configuration of equipment during manufacture, the process comprising:
 communicating a set of two or more electrical parameter options and mechanical parameter options for the equipment; and   accepting a selection of at least one of the electrical parameter options or the mechanical parameter options from a user.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , comprising instructions for:
 communicating a set of two or more first options for the equipment and for accepting a selection of at least one of the first options; and   communicating a set of two or more second options for the equipment, and for accepting a selection of at least one of the second options, wherein the processor configured for communicating the set of second options is responsive to selection of at least one of the first options to alter the communicated set of second options; wherein the instructions for communicating the set of second options is responsive to selection of at least one of the first options to limit the communicated set of second options.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , comprising instructions for automatically generating one or more of an electrical schematic and a mechanical schematic based on the set of two or more electrical parameter options and mechanical parameter options for the equipment; wherein one or more of the electrical schematic and the mechanical schematic define at least a portion of the control panel. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , comprising instruction for:
 generating assembly instructions using engineering design rules and one or more of the electrical schematic and the mechanical schematic;   generating and ordering parts using one or more of the electrical schematic and the mechanical schematic and an enterprise resource planning system; and   communicating the assembly instructions to robotic manufacturing equipment.   
     
     
         20 . A process comprising:
 communicating a set of two or more electrical parameter options and mechanical parameter options for the equipment; and   accepting a selection of at least one of the electrical parameter options or the mechanical parameter options from a user.