Method for manufacturing an item

• US 20030196312A1
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Moore, Diane E., Lubash, John J.
• Application Number:
  US10/445,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20030196312A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/430
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/001 Article feeders for assembling machines screws or nuts being carried by a disposable strip or disc B25B23/045
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 21/004 the units passing two or more work-stations whilst being composed
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 2700/50 Other automobile vehicle parts, i.e. manufactured in assembly lines
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/18 Transportation, conveyor or haulage systems specially adapted for motor vehicle or trailer assembly lines conveyors and haulage in general B65G
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41805 characterised by assembly
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31046 Aid for assembly, show display on screen next workpiece, task, position to be assembled, executed
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31432 Keep track of conveyed workpiece, batch, tool, conditions of stations, cells
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31466 Display position of different workpieces, tools in system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32005 Graphical, text operator instructions synchronous with product distribution
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49764 with testing or indicating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49769 Using optical instrument [excludes mere human eyeballing]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49778 with aligning, guiding, or instruction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4978 Assisting assembly or disassembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49828 Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49829 Advancing work to successive stations [i.e., assembly line]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53052 including position sensor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53087 with signal, scale, illuminator, or optical viewer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53365 Multiple station assembly apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/534 : Multiple station assembly or disassembly apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53548 : and work carrying vehicle

Abstract

A method for notifying installers 14-22 of the existence, type, and location of a portion 26 of an item within an assembly line 10. The notification allows the installers 14-22 to respectively ensure that the components 40 which are needed to be placed upon the portion 26 are available for use by the installer 14-22 in a timely manner.

Claims

1. A method for use with an assembly line of the type having a plurality of installers and an item which is to receive at least one component from each of said plurality of installers, said method comprising the step of:

notifying each of said plurality of installers of said existence of said item and said type of said item when said item enters said assembly line.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said item comprises a portion of a vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

remotely locating some of said components from said assembly line; and

retrieving at least a portion of said remotely located components in response to said notification.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of notifying said installers comprises the step of visually notifying said installers.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said step of visually notifying said installers comprises the steps of:

creating a visual representation of said assembly line; and

displaying an icon upon said visual representation.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said visual representation comprises a computer screen.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said member traverses various locations upon said assembly line and wherein said icon is displayed upon said computer screen at a position corresponding to a current location of said item.