Method for manufacturing products according to customer orders

• US 6,711,798 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2001
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Brown, Mark D., Sanders, John H., Cunningham, C. Michael, Patil, Satish Y., Graham, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, John C.
• Application Number:
  US09/800,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20010016787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 294/070.1, 294/29, 294/30, 29/33.P, 297/05, 297/29, 297/71, 297/72, 297/83, 297/86, 297/91, 297/93, 297/94, 198/346.2, 198/345.1, 700/216
• US Class Current: 29/407.01
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/00 Programme-control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/44 pneumatic
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• 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 29/49764 with testing or indicating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49851 of link closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5196 Multiple station with conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53022 with means to test work or product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 Means to assemble electrical device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53365 Multiple station assembly apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53378 including converging conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53413 and primary central conveyor

Abstract

A manufacturing facility for manufacturing products according to customer orders includes a kitting facility at which components are collected for a product in a customer order. The manufacturing facility also includes a build cell in which the component are assembled, configured, and tested according to the customer order to form a product. The manufacturing facility also includes a boxing facility at which the product is packaged. A transportation system transports the two or more components from the kitting facility to the build cell and transports the product to the boxing facility, whereby the product is assembled, configured, and tested in the build cell and packaged at the boxing facility.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing products according to customer orders, the method comprising:

collecting components at a kitting facility for a product ordered by a customer;

transporting the components from the kitting facility to a build cell;

assembling, configuring, and testing the components in the build cell to form the product, wherein;

the operation of configuring comprises installing software into the assembled components in the build cell; and

the operation of testing comprises performing extended testing on the assembled components in the build cell;

transporting the product to a boxing facility; and

packaging the product at the boxing facility;

wherein sets of components for at least two build cells are received from a transportation system, via one receiving apparatus; and

wherein, after the components have been assembled, configured, and tested to form the product, the receiving apparatus transports the product from the build cell to the transportation system, for delivery to the boxing facility.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transporting a first product from a finishing tray of a first build cell to a first staging area, via one removal apparatus;

transporting a second product from a finishing tray of a second build cell to a second staging area, via the one removal apparatus; and

moving the first and second products from the first and second staging areas to a transportation system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two build cells comprise first and second build cells, and the method further comprises:

receiving sets of components from the transportation system for third and fourth build cells, via a second receiving apparatus;

transporting products from finishing trays of the first and third build cells to first and third staging areas, via one removal apparatus; and

transporting products from finishing trays of the second and fourth build cells to second and fourth staging areas, via a second removal apparatus.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transporting the components from the kitting facility to the build cell comprises transporting the components to the build cell via an incoming conveyor that is aligned generally vertically with an outgoing conveyor that transports products from the build cell to the boxing facility.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of assembling, configuring, and testing the components in the build cell comprises:

assembling the components at a build station of the build cell;

configuring the assembled components at a burn station of the build cell; and

transforming the assembled components into the product at a finishing station of the build cell.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising shipping the product from the manufacturing facility to a customer, in accordance with the customer order.

6. A method for manufacturing products according to customer orders, the method comprising:

collecting components at a kitting facility for a product ordered by a customer;

transporting the components from the kitting facility to a build cell;

assembling, configuring, and testing the components in the build cell to form the product, wherein;

the operation of assembling comprises assembling the components at a build station of the build cell; and

the operation of configuring comprises configuring the assembled components at a burn station of the build cell;

transporting the assembled components to a finishing tray of the finishing station, via a finishing conveyor;

transforming the assembled components into the product at a finishing station of the build cell;

transporting the product from the finishing tray to a transportation device, via an exit conveyor, for removal to a transportation system;

after transporting the product from the finishing tray to the transportation device, transporting the product on the transportation device in a primarily vertical direction, for delivery to the transportation system;

transporting the product to a boxing facility; and

packaging the product at the boxing facility.

8. A method for manufacturing products according to customer orders, the method comprising:

collecting components at a kitting facility for a product ordered by a customer;

transporting the components from the kitting facility to a build cell via an incoming conveyor that is aligned generally vertically with an outgoing conveyor that transports assembled components from the build cell to a boxing facility;

assembling the components in the build cell;

installing software into the assembled components in the build cell;

performing extended testing on the assembled components in the build cell;

transporting the assembled components to the boxing facility; and

packaging the assembled components at the boxing facility.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving sets of components from a transportation system for first and second build cells, via one receiving apparatus.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transporting a first product from a finishing tray of a first build cell to a first staging area, via one removal apparatus;

transporting a second product from a finishing tray of a second build cell to a second staging area, via the one removal apparatus; and

moving the first and second products from the first and second staging areas to a transportation system.

14. A method according to claim 8, further comprising:

transporting totes away from the build cell on a tote conveyor within an overhead transportation system that includes the incoming conveyor and the outgoing conveyor.

15. A method according to claim 8, wherein the incoming conveyor and outgoing conveyor constitute parts of an overhead transportation system, the method further comprising:

transporting first and second sets of components from the kitting facility, via the incoming conveyor within the overhead transportation system, to first and second build cells within a first group of build cells disposed between the kitting facility and the boxing facility;

transporting third and fourth sets of components from the kitting facility, via the incoming conveyor within the overhead transportation system, to third and fourth build cells within a second group of build cells disposed between the first group of build cells and the boxing facility;

transporting assembled components from the first group of build cells to the boxing facility via the outgoing conveyor within the overhead transportation system; and

transporting assembled components from the second group of build cells to the boxing facility via the outgoing conveyor within the overhead transportation system, such that the incoming conveyor and the outgoing conveyor service two or more distinct groups of build cells disposed in sequence between the kitting facility and the boxing facility.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein:

the transportation system includes a conveyor and a spur offset from the conveyor; and

the receiving apparatus receives the components from the spur.

11. A method for manufacturing products according to customer orders, the method comprising:

collecting components at a kitting facility for a product ordered by a customer;

transporting the components from the kitting facility to a build cell;

assembling the components in the build cell;

installing software into the assembled components in the build cell;

performing extended testing on the assembled components in the build cell;

transporting the assembled components to a boxing facility; and

packaging the assembled components at the boxing facility;

wherein sets of components for at least two build cells are received from a transportation system, via one receiving apparatus; and

wherein, after the components have been assembled and tested in the build cell, the receiving apparatus transports the product from the build cell to the transportation system, for delivery to the boxing facility.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of transporting the components from the kitting facility to the build cell comprises:

transporting the components to the build cell via an incoming conveyor that is aligned generally vertically with an outgoing conveyor that transports products from the build cells to the boxing facility.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transporting a first product from a finishing tray of a first build cell to a first staging area, via one removal apparatus;

transporting a second product from a finishing tray of a second build cell to a second staging area, via the one removal apparatus; and

moving the first and second products from the first and second staging areas to a transportation system.