WO2002041090A1

WO2002041090A1 - Apparatus and method for offering and trading material working operations and material working products

Info

Publication number: WO2002041090A1
Application number: PCT/NL2000/000837
Authority: WO
Inventors: Carel Wilhelm Theodoor Van Apeldoorn; Lucas Leonardus Jozef Van Ardenne; Jurg Benders; Edgar Arthur Fortunati; Carel Johannes Wilhelm Theodoor Van Sorgen
Original assignee: Metalunity B.V.
Priority date: 2000-11-16
Filing date: 2000-11-16
Publication date: 2002-05-23
Also published as: AU2001222364A1

Abstract

A method for composing request parameters for an electronic search profile of a material working order. The method comprises the following steps: receiving a search profile which comprises at least an electronic working drawing; and deriving request parameters from the received working drawing. The request parameters derived from the presented working drawing can be communicated for the purpose of deriving the total costs and the working time for that working order. A supply profile can be received, which contains at least a series of working operations which a supplier can perform; and a coupling between the supply profile and a matching search profile can be effected.

Description

Title: Apparatus and method for offering and trading material working operations and material working products.

This invention relates to a method for composing request parameters for an electronic search profile of a material working order, for instance for metal or plastic forms to be cut or punched from a plate. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for support in the trading of material working products and to an environment for offering such products, such as, for instance, an Internet site.

As is known, nowadays many Internet platforms are active in the field of offering and trading products and services. Thus, there are a few very well- known sites that offer products such as books and/or CDs; also, a large number of sites are active as auctions for trading products between suppliers and requesting parties. Another procedure for effecting a coupling between supply and demand is known, for instance, from sites for recruitment and selection, whereby candidates eligible for a position are invited to furnish to a central database some data about themselves in a profile, which data can be matched with interest profiles of employers who are looking for candidates with a number of specific qualities.

It is conceivable that such auction systems are also employed in the field of material working. For instance, a commissioning party (requester) wishing to have a material working order carried out is looking for a suitable producer (supplier). These orders can be offered by a requester, whereupon a few suppliers can be identified, so that a supply party can be selected, with whom an agreement is concluded, or subsequent negotiations are entered into.

In the following, reference will be made to "material working orders", briefly "orders", which are understood to include at least, but not exclusively so, orders for the performance of working operations in the field of material working and material processing (material industry) and the trading of products obtained by such working operations. Although the deployment of such auction and matching systems is conceivable per se, it is generally found that a material working order relates to so large an amount of conceivable materials and working operations that it is not simply possible to offer them in the usual way, as, for instance, when a product or an operation can be identified by a description thereof or by pointing it out from a list or from drawings. Often, a material working order can only be adequately specified on the basis of an electronic working drawing, such as is known from CAD-CAM technology. Although these working drawings (CAD drawings) used in practice involve a certain degree of standardization, and although it is conceivable that on the basis of an

(electronic) exchange of transmitted drawings a transaction can be entered into, the mere exchange of such a drawing is not a feasible concept if the volume between supply and demand increases. In particular, this is not very well possible if a form of automatic selection is desired to automatically identify a series of potential suppliers or requesters or if a fast and effective means of obtaining a rough cost estimate of the material working order is desired.

The object of the invention is therefore to develop a method and apparatus which do make it possible, for the purpose of placing working orders, in particular material working orders, to realize an efficient platform on which trading can take place and which make it possible on a large scale to put requesters in contact with suppliers in this area and to provide a facility which makes it simple to produce a fast assessment ©f the time and costs involved in those working orders. This object is achieved by a method according to the invention, which comprises the following steps:

- receiving a search profile of a material working order, comprising at least an electronic working drawing; and

- deriving request parameters from the received working drawing. The derivation of request parameters as mentioned in connection with the present application comprises determining the working operations required for that working order, such as, for instance, the number and different kinds of operations required for a working order. It is then conceivable that from a working drawing, of each type of operation, an exact total amount is indicated, for instance the total number of infeeds of a cutting laser, the total number of meters involved in a laser cutting pass, the total number of times that tools are to be changed, the total number of times that material is to be changed, the total number of other operations, such as material-removing and non-material removing operations and other working parts and working operations conceivable, for instance, in the field of turning, muling, bending, squaring and die-cutting.

In a preferred embodiment, at least one supply profile is received, which supply profile comprises supply parameters including at least a series of working operations which a supplier can perform; and at least one coupling between the supply profile and a matching search profile is effected and communicated.

In other words, by means of parameter matching, a search profile can be coupled with a supply profile, while it is conceivable both that the coupling is effected on the basis of request and supply parameters that are not derived from the working drawing (for instance because a requester explicitly specifies a number of relevant request parameters), and that by means of conversion, the type and amount of required working operations are derived from the working drawing presented, and on the basis of this information a coupling is effected with various matching supply profiles. It has been found that carrying out the method according to the invention in this way, offers possibilities of contacting supply and demand with each other in a simple manner and on a large scale, whereby requesters are enabled to rapidly obtain a highly structured insight into the possibilities for various suppliers to supply a particular product, and whereby suppliers are furnished with an additional sales channel through their being able to offer their products and services through e-commerce on Internet.

In another preferred embodiment, these request parameters are communicated to a supplier of material working operations for the purpose of deriving the total costs and the working time for that working order. These request parameters (totals) can be used by a supplier for composing a quotation, for instance by combining these totals with a standard cost table presenting the costs and/or time associated with the individual working operations. In a further elaboration, the method can comprise the step of generating a virtual environment in which a supplier and a requester can establish contact with each other and in which both can manipulate the working drawing, for instance by pointing at, moving and rotating parts in it, while discussing this by telephone or e-mail. A supply profile can comprise the materials available at the supplier's, available tools with which those materials can be worked, the setup time required for making the tools ready for production, and the time and costs involved therein; the method can comprise the step of supplementing the search profile in order to identify suitable materials and required tools to carry out the order.

In a specific preferred embodiment, a search profile comprises an order to laser cut from a metal plate a form specified by a working drawing, and the method comprises the step of deriving the kind and type of laser cutting operations. The supplier, using a nesting program, can then calculate from the working drawing the total number of infeeds and the total cutting length of the laser and, on the basis of the costs per infeed of the laser and the costs per cutting distance to be covered, send a quotation to the requester.

Conceivably, the requester or supplier can optimize for a number of parameters, such as: available materials, available sizes, available tools, fastest delivery, lowest price, greatest supply, etc. To that end, a search profile can comprise weighting factors for defining an optimum match for the requester, or a supply profile can comprise weighting factors for defining an optimum match for the supplier.

In a further aspect, the invention further relates to a method for composing request parameters for an electronic search profile of a material working order, comprising receiving a search profile for a material working order in a computer memory, the search profile comprising at least an electronic working drawing; and deriving request parameters from the presented working drawing by means of a processing unit with the aid of a conversion program.

The method can comprise the further steps of outputting the request parameters derived from the presented working drawing through output means, for the purpose of deriving the total costs and the working time for that working order. The method of the invention can further comprise the steps of receiving a supply profile in a computer memory, which supply profile comprises supply parameters including at least a series of working operations which a supplier can perform; by means of a processing unit, through comparison of the request and supply parameters specified in the profiles, effecting at least one coupling between the supply profile and a matching search profile; and outputting information concerning that coupling by means of output means.

The invention further relates to a computer for composing request parameters for an electronic search profile of a material working order, comprising: input means for inputting a search profile for a material working order, comprising at least an electronic working drawing; a processing unit, for deriving from the presented working drawing, using a conversion program, request parameters comprising the working operations required for that material working order; and memory means, for storing the search profile.

Preferably, the computer comprises further output means for outputting the request parameters derived from the presented working drawing, for the purpose of deriving the total costs and the working time for that working order.

The input means can be suitable for inputting a supply profile, which supply profile comprises supply parameters including at least a series of working operations which this supplier can perform; the memory means can be suitable for storing the supply profile; the processing unit can be suitable for coupling, through comparison of the request parameters and supply parameters specified in the profiles, a search profile with a matching supply profile; and the computer can comprise further output means for outputting that coupling.

In a specific embodiment, the input means can be suitable for receiving cost parameters relating to the supply profile, comprising the costs associated with the working operations; and the processing unit can be suitable for deriving from these cost parameters the total costs and the working time for that working order.

The invention further relates to a computer for accessing a central computer for composing request parameters for an electronic search profile of a material working order according to the above-described aspects, which computer is provided with receiving means, suitable for receiving request parameters derived from the presented working drawing; memory means, for storing a supply profile as well as cost parameters relating thereto, comprising the costs associated with the working operations; and processing means for deriving the total costs and the working time for that working order.

The invention also relates to a computer program product that can be read in by a computer for composing request parameters for an electronic search profile of a material working order, while, after the computer program product has been read in, the computer is arranged according to at least one of the above-mentioned embodiments. Finally, the invention relates to a data carrier provided with such computer program product. The invention will be further elucidated with reference to the drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a computer system with which the invention can be practiced; Fig. 2 is a schematic flow chart of a method according to the invention; and

Fig. 3 is a schematic flow chart of another method according to the invention.

Finally, with reference to Fig. 4, the invention will be further elucidated in and by a practical example.

Fig. 1 represents a realistic practical setup of a computer system according to the invention in an Internet configuration 1, with different client computers, indicated in the example of Fig. 1 by reference numerals 2 and 3, being in communication with a central server computer 4 via Internet. The computers 2, 3 and 4 comprise the usual components, such as a memory 5, a processor unit 6, a communication unit 7 for effecting an Internet connection, and, further, input means such as a keyboard 8 and display means such as a display 9. Although in the example of the drawing a search profile 10 and a supply profile 11 are transmitted via two different computers 2 and 3, it is also possible to send the profiles 10, 11 via one computer;_it is even possible to practice the invention in a stand-alone configuration.

In the example of Fig. 1, computer 2 is the computer for generating a (partial) search profile 10. To that end, a user of that computer 2 establishes a connection with Internet and logs on to the central computer 4. The usual routines for login and authentication are carried out, and if access to the main program is obtained, the user can identify himself as a requester and fill in a search profile 10, in which he includes at least an electronic working drawing (for instance a CAD drawing in DXF file format), which describes a material working order. An example of such a working drawing will be further discussed with reference to Fig. 4. Further elements of the profile can be: the required kind of material, the required quality, the material thickness and the required working method. The computer 2 can send the search profile 10 with the working drawing to the server computer 4, where it is processed and stored. The purpose of such processing as performed on the search profile 10 by the server computer 4 is to derive from the working drawing request parameters comprising the kind and amount of required working operations for that material working order. To that end, use is made of an automatic conversion program, which reads in the CAD drawing and which distills the parameters in question from it. There are commercially available programs which, on the basis of a desired product form, are capable of calculating an optimum nesting of this form in a metal plate of a random size. The conversion program provides the request parameters needed for the practice of the invention, such as the number of infeeds and the total cutting length required for a laser cutting pass in a (metal) plate. This example will be further elucidated with reference to Fig. 4.

In the same manner as described above, a user of computer 3 establishes a connection with Internet, logs on to the central computer 4 and, after traversing a login routine, gains access to the main program, where he identifies himself as a supplier. To that end, he can fill in a supply profile 11, in which he identifies a number of material working operations which he can perform. In this connection, use can be made, for instance, of categories corresponding to the above-described request parameters.

The transmissions of request and supply profiles occur independently of each other and at random times; the central server computer 4 receives and processes the profiles and stores them, so that an extensive collection of profiles is built up. At a certain time, a coupling routine is activated. This moment depends inter alia on the amount of supply and demand, and can further be determined by various factors. A customary factor is the receipt of a search profile 10. A matching algorithm, through a comparison of the request and supply parameters specified in the profiles, effects an optimum coupling between the search profile and one of the supply profiles. Thereafter, the information of the supply profile 11 is combined with that of the search profile 10. According to the invention, it is possible that a coupling between a requester and a supplier is effected before the search profile is supplemented or completed, by deriving, through conversion, the working operations required for that material working order. This is the case, for instance, if the search profile shows, for instance through specification of a category code, that a type of working operation is being sought, or if this already appears from the search profile in any other way. However, it is also possible to practice the invention precisely by effecting a coupling on the basis of the parameters derived from the working drawing, which parameters provide an insight into the nature and the amount of different required working operations. According to the invention, information derived from the working drawing is employed for realizing a coupling, or for generating a quotation based on that information, or for other, similar purposes. In the example of Fig. 1, the server computer 4 generates a quotation 12 based on this information. This quotation 12 is then sent both to the requester and (possibly in modified form) to the supplier, who, in the example of the figure, are respectively active at computer 2 and computer 3. It is also conceivable, however, that the information derived from the working drawing, for instance the working operations required for that material working order, is sent direct to the supplier on computer 3, where the latter generates a quotation himself. Such an example is worked out in the chart of Fig. 3.

In a further preferred embodiment, supplier and a requester can enter into further contact with each other in a so-called Online Design Viewer mode. This mode makes it possible to enable the parties involved to work simultaneously in a particular design, so that a drawing can, for instance, be manipulated by pointing at, moving and rotating parts therein, while parties discuss this over the telephone or by e-mail.

With reference to Fig. 2, now a schematic flow chart of a method according to the invention will be discussed. A first step 13 comprises generating a search profile. Such a profile comprises at least the particulars of the requesting party, and the material working order which this party has specified, on the basis of a CAD drawing (electronic working drawing). In a second step 14, the working drawing is converted, from which conversion the kind and required numbers of working operations can be derived. These parameters are added to the search profile. A third, optional, step 15 comprises the further supplementation of the search profile to arrive at a complete statement of the desired material working product or order. Such supplementation can be done by the requester direct, which involves his additionally specifying in the search profile the kind of material, the quality thereof, the thickness, tolerances and/or permissible tolerances, as well as a required working method.

However, supplementation can also (partly) take place, as schematically represented in Fig. 2, by comparison and optimization in step 16. In such a case, one or more of these parameters are entered in a matching routine, and a weighted result is obtained for the supply available. In such a case, it is possible to compare a number of alternatives (for instance different qualities, different materials, or different tools applied). If the requester provides too little information, or if an insufficient coupling with available supply is achieved, a communication 17 to that effect can be furnished. On the supply side, in step 18, a supply profile is generated, which identifies the particulars of the supplier and the working operations offered by him as well as, in the example of Fig. 2, the costs associated with those operations. What can also be indicated is the materials available at the supplier's, available tools with which those materials can be worked, the setup time needed for making those tools ready for production, and the time and costs involved. The other steps of the method follow from Fig. 2 and are, in succession, the step 19 of coupling a search profile with a supply profile (optionally obtained by means of comparison and optimization), the step 20 of generating a quotation based on the information from the search profile and the supply profile, the step 21 of sending that quotation to requester and supplier, and finally the step 22 of generating a virtual environment in which a supplier and a requester can establish contact with each other and in which both parties can manipulate the working drawing , the so-called Onhne Viewer Mode. With reference to Fig. 3, another embodiment of the method according to the invention will be discussed. In this embodiment, in steps 23 and 24, search profiles and supply profiles, respectively, are received on a central server, and stored. The search profiles are provided, according to the invention, with an electronic working drawing and further contain the competences sought. Such competences can, for instance through a category coding, identify working operations which a requester wishes to have carried out. The supply profiles reflect the competences of the supplier in question. In a following step 25, the central server creates a coupling between requester and supplier, whereby a selection of corresponding competences has been made through a comparison 26 of request and supply parameters. As a result, in the system, a number of matching request and supply profiles can be identified, on the basis of which requester and supplier can be put in contact with each other. In the example of the drawing, this contact takes place by communicating the search profiles which have been coupled with a supply profile, to the supplier in question. According to the example, the supplier makes a selection from the search profiles presented, and the central server receives this selection in step 27. In step 28, the central server sends to the supplier request parameters derived by conversion from the working drawing presented, for the purpose of deriving the total costs and the working time for that working order. Finally, in step 29, the supplier generates a quotation on the basis of that information and sends it to the requester.

Practical example with laser cutting and/or punching. In the practical example below, it will be described with reference to

Fig. 4 how a number of material forms to be specified through a working drawing can be included in a search profile. The material forms are to be cut, for instance from a metal plate, by means of laser cutting and/or by punching. The dimensions of the plate can be standard dimensions or pre-specified dimensions. In the working drawing, for instance 1 to 40 products can be represented, while always indicating quality, material type, material thickness, number, and minimum tolerance. The working drawing, for instance as is represented in Fig. 4a, is sent, for instance in a DXF file format, via Internet to the central server, with a number of request parameters which it is desired to specify further. An example of these parameters is found in

Table 1 belonging to Fig. 4a (the broken line represents the laser displacement path).

Table 1

Search profile

Material type Zincor ST1203

Material thickness 1.0 mm

Material quality according to

Din/lso Number to be 450 produced

Minimum Tolerance ± 0.1 mm

The central server converts the working drawing and calculates an optimum nesting. The search profile is completed by deriving the further required parameters from this calculation. An example of such a nesting, with a broken line indicating the displacement path of the laser, is represented in Fig. 4b. It will be understood that such optimum nesting can look different in reality. Thus, it is possible, for instance, to specify in advance whether it is allowed to turn the forms relative to each other, so that a more favorable material consumption can be achieved. By leaving the dimensions of the plate undecided, it can be calculated which standard size yields the most favorable material consumption. Table 2, belonging to Fig. 4b, lists the additional request parameters that are derived from the working drawing by means of the nesting program on the central server.

Table 2

Completed Search Profile

Material type Zincor ST1203 Material thickness 1.0 mm Material quality according to Din/lso ... Number to be produced 450 Minimum Tolerance ± 0.1 mm Tools NC Machine Laser

Make Trumpf 3002, year 1998

Plate size 3000x1250 Required plates 56.25 (57 plates) Total weight of required plates 1687.5 (1710) kg. 2 initial displacements, average 650 nm 28 displacements, average 500 mm 28 outer contours length 1700 mm 28 inner contours circular 251.2 mm 28 inner contours square 260.0 mm 84 starts and stops per plate 28 type a, 28 type b and 28 type c

The data of Table 2 are an example of a completed search profile, where the type and numbers of required working operations for that material working order have been specified through automatic conversion.

A supplier, on his part, can indicate, via Internet, the working operations he can perform. The following example applies to laser cutting in Zincor 1.0 mm by means of the NC machine (NC Machine Laser Make Trumpf 3002, year 1998), which working operation matches the working operations sought in the search profile. Here, a distinction is made between the start (the burn-in of the laser), and the cutting speeds (meters/minute). The costs can be derived from the utilization times of the tools.

Table 3

Supply profile Zincor 1.0 mm.

Material price Zincor NLG 1.35 per kg

Setup NC machine first order 100% 0.5 hour

Setup NC-machine followup order same material 100% 0.2 hour

Start time Type A 100% 0.3 sec

Start time Type B 100% 0.9 sec

Start time Type C 100% 1.7 sec

Maximum speed X-Y axes high-speed run 100% 200 m/min

Maximum speed X-Y axes coarse cutting 100% 8 m/min

Maximum speed X-Y axes normal cutting 90% 7.2 m/min

Maximum speed X-Y axes fine cutting 75% 6 m/min

Cycle time changing plate 100% 4 min

Run-down of order to NC Machine 100% 15 min

Time unforeseen as percentage of whole prod, time 10%

Rate per hour at full planning 100% NLG 185.00 per hour

Rate per hour at normal planning 95% NLG 175.75 per hour

Rate per hour at subcapacity utilization 80% NLG 148.00 per hour

Finally, Table 4 represents the eventual quotation generated by coupling Table 2 and Table 3.

Table 4

Material price Zincor 1.35 1710 NLG 2,308.50

Setup NC-machine first order 100% 0.5 hour 0.500

Setup NC-machine followup 100% 0.2 hour order same material

Start time Type A 100% 0.3 sec 28 0.3 0.002

Start time Type B 100% 0.9 sec 29 0.9 0.007

Start time Type C 100% 1.7 sec 30 1.7 0.014

Maximum speed X-Y axes 100% 200 m/min 153 200 0.000 high-speed run

Maximum speed X-Y axes 100% 8 m/min coarse cutting +/-0.15

Maximum speed X-Y axes 90% 7.2 m/min 0.143

Normal cutting +/-0.10

Maximum speed X-Y axes fine 75% 6 m/min cutting +/- 0.08

Cycle time changing plate 100% 4 min 3.800

Run-down of order to NC 100% 5 min

Machine

Sub-Total time 4.467

Time unforeseen as a 10% 0.447 percentage of whole prod. time

Total time 4.914

Rate per hour at full planning 100% NLG per hour 185.00

Rate per hour at normal 95% NLG per hour NLG 863.64 planning 175.75

Rate per hour at subcapacity 80% NLG per hour utilization 148.00

Total Costs NLG 3,172.14 Price per item NLG 8.16 Program costs NLG 500.00 Although the above practical example has been tailored to a quotation that is generated for laser cutting, it will be clear to one skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described with reference to the drawing. Thus, it is equally conceivable that the method according to the invention can be carried out for other types of material working processes, such as punching, milling or turning. Thus, for punching, the tools required to punch the product can be represented in a hst, which tools can be compared with available tools. Additionally, for instance a punching time can be specified, on the basis of an average distance per punch, per tool, and the number of punches per tool per unit time. Further, the time it takes to change a plate, and a machine setup time can be indicated. On the basis of size and weight, also a time factor can be calculated for changing the product from a machine. Such variations are understood to fall within the scope of protection of the following claims.

Claims

1. A method for composing request parameters for an electronic search profile of a material working order, which method comprises the following steps: receiving a search profile of a material working order, comprising at least an electronic working drawing; and

- deriving request parameters from the received working drawing.

2. A method according to claim 0, characterized in that the method comprises the further step of:

- communicating the request parameters derived from the presented working drawing, for the purpose of deriving the total costs and the working time for that working order.

3. A method according to claim 0 or 0, characterized in that the method comprises the further step of:

- receiving at least one supply profile, which supply profile comprises supply parameters including at least a series of working operations which a supplier can perform;

- effecting at least one coupling between the supply profile and a matching search profile and communicating that coupling.

4. A method for composing request parameters for an electronic search profile of a material working order, which method comprises the following steps: receiving in a computer memory a search profile for a material working order, comprising at least an electronic working drawing; and - deriving request parameters from the presented working drawing by means of a processing unit, using a conversion program.

5. A method according to claim 4, which method comprises the further steps of:

- outputting by means of output means the request parameters derived from the presented working drawing, for the purpose of deriving the total costs and the working time for that working order.

6. A method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the method comprises the further step of: - receiving in a computer memory a supply profile, which supply profile comprises supply parameters which include at least a series of working operations which a supplier can perform;

- by means^*of a processing unit, through comparison of the request parameters and supply parameters specified in the profiles, effecting at least one coupling between the supply profile and a matching search profile; and

- outputting information concerning that coupling by means of output means.

7. A method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a search profile comprises weighting factors for defining an optimum match for the requester.

8. A method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a supply profile comprises weighting factors for defining an optimum match for the supplier.

9. A method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the method comprises the step of generating a virtual environment in which a supplier and a requester can enter into contact with each other and in which both can manipulate the working drawing.

10. A method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a supply profile further comprises the available materials at the supplier's and/or available tools with which those materials can be worked.

11. A method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the method comprises the step of supplementing the search profile in order to identify suitable materials and/or required tools to carry out the order.

12. A method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a search profile comprises an order to laser cut from a (material) plate a form specified by a working drawing, and that the method comprises the step of deriving the kind and type of laser cutting operations.

13. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that the supplier, by means of a nesting program, calculates from the working drawing the total number of infeeds and the total cutting length of the laser, and on the basis of the costs per infeed of the laser and the costs per cutting distance to be covered sends a quotation to the requester.

14. A computer for composing request parameters for an electronic search profile of a material working order, characterized in that it comprises:

- input means for inputting a search profile for a material working order, comprising at least an electronic working drawing;

- a processing unit for deriving request parameters from the presented working drawing, using a conversion program; and

- memory means for storing the search profile.

15. A computer according to claim 14, characterized in that the computer further comprises:

- output means for outputting the request parameters derived from the presented working drawing, for the purpose of deriving the total costs and the working time for that working order.

16. A computer according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the input means are suitable for inputting a supply profile, which supply profile comprises supply parameters including at least a series of working operations which this suppher can perform; that the memory means are suitable for storing the supply profile; that the processing unit is suitable for coupling, through comparison of the request parameters and supply parameters specified in the profiles, a search profile with a matching supply profile; and that the computer further comprises output means for outputting that coupling.

17. A computer according to at least one of claims 14-16, characterized in that the input means are suitable for receiving cost parameters relating to the supply profile, comprising the costs associated with the working operations; and that the processing unit is suitable for deriving from these cost parameters the total costs and the working time for that working order.

18. A computer for accessing a central computer for composing request parameters for an electronic search profile of a material working order according to at least one of claims 14-17, characterized in that it comprises: receiving means suitable for receiving request parameters derived from the presented working drawing;

- memory means, for storing a supply profile as well as cost parameters relating thereto, comprising the costs associated with the working operations; and - processing means for deriving the total costs and the working time" for that working order.

19. A computer program product that can be read in by a computer for composing request parameters for an electronic search profile of a material working order, while after the computer program product has been read in, the computer is arranged according to at least one of claims 14-18.

20. A data carrier provided with a computer program product according to claim 19.