Assembly line control system

• US 6,516,239 B1
• Filed: 08/03/1999
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Canada Incorporated (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Madden, Rick, French, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Von Buhr, Maria N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRANK, ELLIOT L
• Application Number:
  US09/368,254
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 700/112-116, 700/221-223, 700/228-230, 198/349, 198/349.6, 198/358
• US Class Current: 700/115
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41815 characterised by the cooperation between machine tools, manipulators and conveyor or other workpiece supply system, workcell
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31274 Convey products, move equipment according to production plan in memory
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32266 Priority orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

An assembly line control system, and more particularly, an automotive assembly line storage and lot controlled system is disclosed. A communications network is overlaid onto a manufacturing assembly line. The assembly line includes a number of readers and processing stations to determine and confirm the identity of vehicles passing proximate to the readers and processing stations, and the vehicles'"'"' build instructions, status, position, condition, defect and repair history, etc. This information is stored in a computer database. Based on the information stored about the vehicles, the status of inventories, production schedules and the like, a routing of the vehicles through the manufacturing process is determined and implemented. The assembly line incorporates various storage loop and shunting lanes so that members of a lot of vehicles, having similar build instructions, are more likely to be placed into contact with each other, reducing possible parts changeovers, meeting production schedules, accommodating a shortfall in parts availability, etc.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a plurality of assemblies, said method comprising:

forming lots of assemblies from said plurality of assemblies;

moving said lots of assemblies from a first location to a second location;

tracking a position of each assembly of a first lot of said lots as each assembly moves along a path between said first and second locations;

determining whether an assembly of said first lot is separated from other assemblies of said first lot;

routing at least one of said plurality of assemblies along an alternate path so that said separated assembly re-unites with said other assemblies of said first lot.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one of said plurality of assemblies comprises said separated assembly.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said separated assembly is separated from said other assemblies of said first lot by an assembly of another lot being interposed therebetween and said separated assembly is routed along said alternate path so as to bypass said assembly of another lot, to a position adjacent to said other assemblies of said first lot to form a contiguous group of assemblies of said first lot.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said separated assembly is separated from said other assemblies of said first lot by said separated assembly being at a position on a first path and said other assemblies of said first lot being at a position on a second path, and said separated assembly is routed to a position adjacent to said other assemblies of said first lot.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said tracking comprises, for each assembly of said first lot:

creating a record recording its position at a plurality of stations;

associating with said recorded position an assembly identifier unique for said each assembly; and

associating with said recorded position a lot identifier unique to said first lot.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of tracking the position of each assembly of said first lot comprises accessing said records based on said assembly identifier and said lot identifier.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein said routing comprises:

transferring said interposed assembly to a storage position; and

transferring said separated assembly to a position adjacent to said other assemblies of said first lot.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said assembly is a partially completed vehicle.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein each assembly of said assemblies has an associated lot condition indicator indicating the priority of said each assembly compared with other ones of said plurality of assemblies.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said routing to re-unite bypasses assemblies of other lots having a lower priority than said separated assembly.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said priority is updated at a plurality of positions between said first and second locations.

9. An assembly line comprising:

a first station, having a first assembly that is a member of a first group of assemblies positioned proximate to said first station;

a second station, downstream of said first station, having a second assembly that is a member of a second group of assemblies positioned proximate to said second station;

a third station, downstream of said first and second stations, having a third assembly that is a member of said first group of assemblies positioned proximate to said third station; and

a router adapted to transfer said first assembly from said first station to said third station bypassing said second assembly and said second station.

10. A system for the manufacturing of a plurality of assemblies, said system comprising:

a conveyor system for moving said assemblies from a first position to a second position, said conveyor system having a plurality of paths interposed between said first and second positions;

a computer adapted to assign said plurality of assemblies to lots and adapted to track the position of each assembly of said lots as each assembly moves between said first and second locations, said computer also adapted to determine when an assembly is separated from other assemblies of its lot; and

said computer adapted to route at least one of said plurality of assemblies along an alternate path of said conveyor system so that an assembly that is separated from said other assemblies of its lot can rejoin said other assemblies of its lot to form a contiguous group with said other assemblies its lot.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said conveyor system comprises a plurality of conveyors interconnected to from several paths between said first and said second positions, each of said plurality of conveyors being independently operable and said operation of said plurality of conveyors being controlled by said computer.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein at least one of said plurality of conveyors is a variable speed conveyor.

13. A method of manufacturing a plurality of assemblies, said method comprising:

forming lots of assemblies from said plurality of assemblies;

moving said lots of assemblies from a first location to a second location;

tracking a position of each assembly of a first lot of said lots as each assembly moves along a path between said first and second locations, wherein said tracking comprises, for each assembly of said first lot;

creating a record recording its position at a plurality of stations;

associating with said recorded position an assembly identifier unique for said each assembly;

associating with said recorded position a lot identifier unique to said first lot; and

accessing said record based on said assembly identifier and said lot identifier;

determining whether an assembly of said first lot is separated from another assembly of said first lot;

routing at least one of said plurality of assemblies along an alternate path so that said separated assembly re-unites with said another assembly of said first lot.

17. An assembly line for manufacturing a plurality of assemblies, said assemblies formed into lots, said assembly line comprising:

a plurality of conveyors to move assemblies from a first point to a second point;

a plurality of switching points interconnecting said plurality of conveyors to form a plurality of paths from said first point to said second point;

a tracking device for tracking the position of each assembly of at least a first lot of assemblies as said each assembly moves between said first point and said second point;

a controller for;

determining whether an assembly of said first lot is separated from other assemblies of said first lot based on information received from said tracking device; and

controlling said plurality of switching points and said plurality of conveyors so that said separated assembly of said first lot moves along a path which bypasses a second assembly of a second lot of assemblies positioned between said first and second points such that said separated assembly is re-united with said other assemblies of said first lot.

18. The assembly line of claim 17 wherein said controller comprises:

a computer in communication with said plurality of conveyors and said plurality of switching points;

said computer adapted to form a routing path for moving said separated assembly along one of said plurality of paths between said first point and said second point.

19. The assembly line of claim 18 wherein said bypassing comprises routing said second assembly from said position between said first point and said second point to a position upstream of said separated assembly.

20. The assembly line of claim 19 wherein said plurality of conveyors form a plurality of storage lanes.

21. The assembly line of claim 20 wherein said bypassing comprises:

transferring said second assembly to a first storage lane of said plurality of storage lanes;

transferring said separated assembly to a second storage lane of said plurality of storage lanes; and

transferring said separated assembly to said second point from said second storage lane.

22. A method of manufacturing a plurality of automotive assemblies, said method comprising:

forming lots of automotive assemblies from said plurality of automotive assemblies;

moving said lots of automotive assemblies from a first location to a second location;

tracking a position of each automotive assembly of a first lot of said lots as each automotive assembly moves along a path between said first and second locations;

determining whether or not an automotive assembly of said first lot is separated from other automotive assemblies of said first lot;

routing at least one of said plurality of automotive assemblies along an alternate path so that said separated automotive assembly re-unites with said other automotive assemblies of said first lot.

23. A method of manufacturing a plurality of assemblies, said method comprising:

forming lots of assemblies from said plurality of assemblies;

moving, in at least a substantially contiguous manner, said lots of assemblies from a first location to a second location;

tracking a position of each assembly of a first lot of said lots as each assembly moves along a path between said first and second locations;

determining whether or not an assembly of said first lot is separated from other assemblies of said first lot;

routing at least one of said plurality of assemblies along an alternate path so that said separated assembly re-unites with said other assemblies of said first lot.