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 system comprising:
 a computer processor configured for receiving input defining specifications for a product;   a computer processor responsive to the received input and configured for enabling a selection of options for the product;   a computer processor responsive to the selection of options and configured for automatically defining a control panel electrical schematic;   a computer processor responsive to the electrical schematic and configured for defining a control panel mechanical schematic; and   a computer processor responsive to data from the control panel electrical schematic and configured for defining a bill of materials and outputting pricing information for manufacture of a control panel.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the input is received from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the product comprises a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a computer processor responsive to electrical and mechanical design data from the electrical schematic and configured for automatically operating a piece of computer-controlled machinery for producing a portion of the control panel.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the piece of computer-controlled machinery includes a wiring machine. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the piece of computer-controlled machinery includes a laser cutter or milling machine. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system for ordering parts and scheduling manufacturing based on the electrical schematic. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the control panel electrical schematic and the control panel mechanical schematic define a portion of a harness for coupling the control panel to the product. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , comprising:
 a computer processor configured for generating assembly instructions using engineering design rules and the control panel electrical schematic and the control panel mechanical schematic;   a computer processor configured for generating and ordering parts using the control panel electrical schematic and the control panel mechanical schematic and an enterprise resource planning system; and   a computer processor configured for communicating the assembly instructions to robotic manufacturing equipment.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , comprising:
 a computer processor configured for receiving the assembly instructions; and   a computer processor configured for manufacturing the equipment using the robotic manufacturing equipment.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , 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.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a computer processor configured for validating the input to verify that the selection of options is compatible as a function of a set of option rules. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a computer processor configured for generating a product price quote using the control panel electrical schematic and the control panel mechanical schematic. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the input comprises 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. 
     
     
         15 . A computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor executes a process comprising:
 receiving input defining specifications for a product;   enabling a selection of options for the product;   automatically defining a control panel electrical schematic;   defining a control panel mechanical schematic; and   defining a bill of materials and outputting pricing information for manufacture of a control panel.   
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , comprising instructions for:
 automatically operating a piece of computer-controlled machinery for producing a portion of the control panel responsive to electrical and mechanical design data from the electrical schematic.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , comprising instructions for:
 generating assembly instructions using engineering design rules and the control panel electrical schematic and the control panel mechanical schematic;   generating and ordering parts using the control panel electrical schematic and the control panel mechanical schematic and an enterprise resource planning system; and   communicating the assembly instructions to robotic manufacturing equipment.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , comprising instructions for:
 receiving the assembly instructions; and   manufacturing the equipment using the robotic manufacturing equipment.   
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 18 , comprising instructions for:
 receiving instructions for the control panel; and   testing the control panel using the instructions.   
     
     
         20 . A process comprising:
 receiving input defining specifications for a product;   enabling a selection of options for the product;   automatically defining a control panel electrical schematic;   defining a control panel mechanical schematic; and   defining a bill of materials and outputting pricing information for manufacture of a control panel.   
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 a computer processor configured for receiving input for defining specifications for a product;   a computer processor, responsive to the received input and coupled to a display device, configured for enabling a selection of options for the product; and   a computer processor, responsive to the selected options, configured for automatically defining a control panel electrical schematic;   wherein the computer processor responsive to the selected options and configured for automatically defining a control panel electrical schematic, is configured for:   storing computer aid design (CAD) macros for a computer aided design tool; and   for storing CAD macro attributes separate from the CAD macros, wherein one or more of the CAD macros are logically associated with at least two CAD macro attributes;   wherein each of the CAD macro attributes is associated with the product, and   wherein the system comprises a computer processor, responsive to the product and to one or more of the selected options, configured for retrieving one or more CAD macros; and   a computer processor, responsive to the product and to one or more of the selected options, configured for retrieving CAD macro attributes separate from the retrieved CAD macros;   wherein the computer processor responsive to the selected options and configured for automatically defining a control panel electrical schematic, is configured for defining the schematic based on one or more of the retrieved CAD macros and the separately retrieved CAD macro attributes.