System and method for delivering supplies to a production line

• US 6,705,523 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2002
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda of America Manufacturing Incorporated (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Stamm, Erick F., Endsley, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US10/256,992
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/385
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41895 using automatic guided vehicles [AGV] control of position or course of AGV's G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31002 Computer controlled agv conveys workpieces between buffer and cell
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31283 Communication memory, storage, ram, eprom on workpiece or pallet
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• 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: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for delivering supplies from a loading dock to a production line using a supply delivery computer system that interfaces with a conveyor computer system to control transportation of supplies from a conveyor system to pickup stations and a vehicle facility manager computer system to control automated guided vehicles that transport supplies from pickup stations on the conveyor system to delivery stations on a production line. Supplies are labeled with barcodes indicating production line delivery location (i.e., an identifier for a delivery station), load sequence number, load quantity, and lot number to facilitate tracking and routing from the time they are unloaded at the manufacturing plant loading dock on to the conveyor system until they delivered to delivery stations on the production line.

Claims

1. A method for delivering supplies to a production line comprising:

labeling a plurality of supply loads with barcodes comprising a production line delivery station identifier;

loading said supply loads on a conveyor, said conveyor comprising a plurality of positions;

scanning said barcodes on each of said supply loads loaded on said conveyor;

transferring each of said supply loads on said conveyor into one of said plurality of positions on said conveyor;

entering into a computer said barcodes and said position for each of said supply loads;

receiving at said computer a request for one of said plurality of supply loads on said conveyor, said request received from a production line delivery station;

locating a supply load on said conveyor to match said request, said supply load located by said computer in accordance with said production line delivery station identifier and said barcode and said position for each of said supply loads;

transferring said located supply load from said conveyor position to a pickup station;

dispatching an automated guided vehicle to transport said located supply load from said pickup station to said production line delivery station; and

transporting by said automated guided vehicle said located supply load from said pickup station to said production line delivery station.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein transferring each of said supply loads into one of said plurality of positions on said conveyor comprises transferring each of said supply loads to a random access position on said conveyor.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein locating a supply load on said conveyor to service said request comprises locating said supply load in accordance with said random access position on said conveyor.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

transferring a supply load on said conveyor to said random access position on said conveyor after said located supply load is transferred to said pickup station.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a request for one of said plurality of supply loads on said conveyor, said request received from a production line delivery station comprises receiving said request from a sensor on said production line delivery station.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein locating a supply load on said conveyor to match said request comprises transmitting said request from said computer to a conveyor system computer.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein dispatching an automated guided vehicle comprises transmitting a dispatch request from said computer to a vehicle facility manager computer.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein transferring said located supply load from said conveyor position to a pickup station comprises transferring said located supply load from said conveyor position to a pickup station in accordance with a transfer car.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein transferring said located supply load from said conveyor position to a pickup station comprises transferring said located supply load from said conveyor position to a pickup station in accordance with a conveyor forward movement.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

labeling said plurality of supply loads with barcodes comprising a quantity for each of said supply loads;

receiving at said computer a second request for one of said plurality of supply loads on said conveyor, said request received from a second production line delivery station;

receiving at said computer a third request for one of said plurality of supply loads on said conveyor, said request received from a third production line delivery station;

locating a second supply load on said conveyor to match said second request, said supply load located by said computer in accordance with said production line delivery station and said barcode and said position for each of said supply loads;

locating a third supply load on said conveyor to match said third request, said supply load located by said computer in accordance with said production line delivery station identifier and said barcode and said position for each of said supply loads;

determining the quantity of supplies in said second supply load and said third supply load;

transferring to a pickup station said third supply load if said third supply load has fewer supplies than said second supply load or said second supply load if said second supply load has fewer supplies than said third supply load; and

dispatching an automated guided vehicle to transport the supply load from said pickup station.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transferring an empty pallet from said production line delivery station to said automated guided vehicle; and

delivering said empty pallet to an automated guided vehicle drop station at an inbound lane of said conveyor.

12. A method for delivering supplies to a production line:

labeling a plurality of supply loads with barcodes comprising a production line delivery station identifier and quantity of supplies for each of said supply loads;

loading said supply loads on a conveyor, said conveyor comprising a plurality of positions;

scanning said barcodes on each of said supply loads loaded on said conveyor;

transferring each of said supply loads on said conveyor into one of said plurality of positions on said conveyor;

entering into a computer said barcodes and said position for each of said supply loads;

receiving at said computer requests for said supply loads on said conveyor, said requests received from production line delivery stations;

determining a priority for servicing said requests for said supply loads;

locating supply loads on said conveyor to match said requests, said supply loads located by said computer in accordance with said production line delivery station identifiers, said barcodes and said positions for each of said supply loads, and said priorities for said requests;

transferring said located supply loads from said conveyor positions to pickup stations;

dispatching automated guided vehicles to transport said located supply loads from said pickup stations to said production line delivery stations; and

transporting by said automated guided vehicles said located supply loads from said pickup stations to said production line delivery stations.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein transferring each of said supply loads into one of said plurality of positions on said conveyor comprises transferring each of said supply loads to a random access position on said conveyor.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein locating a supply load on said conveyor to service said requests comprises locating said supply loads in accordance with said random access positions on said conveyor.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

transferring remaining supply loads on said conveyor to new random access positions on said conveyor after said located supply loads are transferred to said pickup stations.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein receiving requests for supply loads on said conveyor comprises receiving said requests from sensors on said production line delivery stations.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein locating supply loads on said conveyor to match said requests comprises transmitting said requests from said computer to a conveyor system computer.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein dispatching automated guided vehicles comprises transmitting dispatch requests from said computer to a vehicle facility manager computer.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein determining a priority for servicing said requests for said supply loads comprises determining the quantity of supplies in each supply load and servicing the requests from smallest quantity to largest quantity.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein transferring said located supply load from said conveyor position to a pickup station comprises transferring said located supply load from said conveyor position to a pickup station in accordance with a transfer car.

21. The method of claim 12 wherein transferring said located supply load from said conveyor position to a pickup station comprises transferring said located supply load from said conveyor position to a pickup station in accordance with a conveyor forward movement.

22. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

transferring an empty pallet from said production line delivery station to said automated guided vehicle; and

delivering said empty pallet to an automated guided vehicle drop station at an inbound lane of said conveyor.

23. A system for delivering supplies to a production line comprising:

a conveyor computer system adapted to;

a) receive barcode information about supply loads received on a plurality of conveyor lanes, said barcode information comprising a production line delivery station identifier;

b) receive position information for each of said supply loads on said plurality of conveyor lanes;

c) transmit requests to locate supply loads on said plurality of conveyor lanes in accordance with said position information for each of said supply loads; and

d) transmit requests to transfer supply loads from said positions on said plurality of conveyor lanes to pickup stations;

a vehicle facility manager computer adapted to receive and track requests to dispatch automated guided vehicles adapted to receive supply loads from pickup stations at said conveyor lanes and deliver them to production line delivery stations; and

a supply delivery computer adapted to;

a) receive from said conveyor computer system said barcode information for said supply loads;

b) receive from production line delivery stations requests for delivery of supplies;

c) process said production line delivery station requests;

d) transmit to said conveyor system computer commands to locate and transport to said pickup stations supply loads to service said requests for said delivery of supplies; and

e) transmit to said vehicle facility manager computer commands to dispatch automated guided vehicles to transport supply loads from said pickup stations to said production line delivery stations.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein said supply loads are received in said conveyor lanes in a random order.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein said requests for supply loads are received from sensors on said production line delivery stations.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein said supply delivery computer processes said request for supplies in accordance with the quantity of supplies in each of said supply loads.

27. The system of claim 23 further comprising transfer cars to transfer supply loads from said positions on said plurality of conveyor lanes to pickup stations.

28. A system for delivering supplies to a production line comprising:

a production line comprising a plurality of delivery stations, each of said delivery stations comprising at least one sensor for detecting the presence of a supply load;

at least one outbound conveyor lane for transferring supply loads from a back position on said outbound conveyor lane to a front position on said outbound conveyor lane;

a first scanner at said back position of said outbound conveyor lane for reading barcode labels on supply loads loaded on said outbound conveyor lane;

an automated guided vehicle pickup station at said front position for receiving supply loads from said outbound conveyor lane wherein said supply loads are transferred to said automated guided vehicle pickup station in accordance with supply delivery requests initiated by said sensors at said delivery stations;

a second scanner at said automated guided vehicle pickup station for confirming said supply load at said automated guided vehicle pickup station matches one of said supply delivery requests; and

an automated guided vehicle for transferring supply loads from said automated guided vehicle pickup station to said delivery stations on said production line.

29. The system of claim 28 further comprising:

at least one inbound conveyor lane; and

an automated guided vehicle drop station at said inbound conveyor lane for receiving empty pallets wherein said empty pallets are delivered by said automated guided vehicle upon return from one of said delivery stations on said production line.

30. The system of claim 29 further comprising a vertical pallet stacker at said inbound conveyor lane for stacking said empty pallets.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein said supply loads are transferred to said automated guided vehicle pickup station in accordance with conveyor forward movements.

32. The system of claim 28 further comprising a transfer car for transferring supply loads from random positions of said outbound conveyor lane to said front position of said outbound conveyor lane.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein said transfer car comprises a scanner for locating supply loads in said random positions of said outbound conveyor lane.

34. The system of claim 28 wherein said front position of said outbound conveyor lane is a centering device station where the supply load is centered on a pallet for delivery to the production line.