Flexible manufacturing system
First Claim
1. A standalone manufacturing system capable of integration into a flexible manufacturing line, the standalone manufacturing system comprising:
- a) at least one module, b) a first operational unit mounted to said at least one module, and c) a local controller operatively connected to said first operational unit, said local controller being adapted to control said first operational unit, to receive a virtual reference velocity and/or position signal from the flexible manufacturing line when said at least one module is connected to the flexible manufacturing line and to synchronize said first operational unit to the flexible manufacturing line based upon said virtual reference signal when said at least one module is connected to the flexible manufacturing line wherein said standalone manufacturing system is capable of a standalone mode operation by a docking station providing power distribution, safety systems, compressed air, vacuum, glycol, and adhesives, the standalone manufacturing system capable of a standalone operation, the standalone manufacturing system further includes a web material provided by an unwind stand for processing at the standalone manufacturing system, the processed web material is subsequently collected by a rewind stand, and wherein said standalone manufacturing system is capable of integration into the flexible manufacturing line by a master motion/drive reference capable of providing the virtual reference signal for synchronizing the operation of the standalone manufacturing system with the flexible manufacturing line.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A flexible manufacturing system including at least one module, a operational unit mounted to said at least one module and a local controller operatively connected to the operational unit. The local controller is adapted to control the operational unit. The at least one module and the local controller together are capable of operating in a standalone operation or of integration into a flexible manufacturing system. The local controller is further adapted to receive a reference signal from the flexible manufacturing system and to synchronize the operational unit to the flexible manufacturing system when the at least one module is connected to the flexible manufacturing line.
85 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A standalone manufacturing system capable of integration into a flexible manufacturing line, the standalone manufacturing system comprising:
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a) at least one module, b) a first operational unit mounted to said at least one module, and c) a local controller operatively connected to said first operational unit, said local controller being adapted to control said first operational unit, to receive a virtual reference velocity and/or position signal from the flexible manufacturing line when said at least one module is connected to the flexible manufacturing line and to synchronize said first operational unit to the flexible manufacturing line based upon said virtual reference signal when said at least one module is connected to the flexible manufacturing line wherein said standalone manufacturing system is capable of a standalone mode operation by a docking station providing power distribution, safety systems, compressed air, vacuum, glycol, and adhesives, the standalone manufacturing system capable of a standalone operation, the standalone manufacturing system further includes a web material provided by an unwind stand for processing at the standalone manufacturing system, the processed web material is subsequently collected by a rewind stand, and wherein said standalone manufacturing system is capable of integration into the flexible manufacturing line by a master motion/drive reference capable of providing the virtual reference signal for synchronizing the operation of the standalone manufacturing system with the flexible manufacturing line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification