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Method and apparatus for tracking a workpiece through a multi-station machine

  • US 5,121,331 A
  • Filed: 10/09/1990
  • Issued: 06/09/1992
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1988
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method for manufacturing a workpiece in a manufacturing machine having a plurality of stations each of which has a means for storing data, comprising the steps of:

  • storing in each local station'"'"'s storage means a part processing record containing,status data of the part at that local station and status data of parts at any other station which could subsequently arrive at that local station anda part position index locating each part relative to a particular station of the machine,cycling said plurality of stations by performing the operations indicated by the part status data;

    updating said part status of said process record corresponding to said workpiece located at a station;

    distributing to said means for storing at each local station a concurrent updated part process record of any part at any other station which could subsequently arrive at the local station;

    transferring said workpiece to a next station of said plurality of stations; and

    adjusting said part position index to reflect the movement of the workpieces.

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