System for manufacturing products according to customer orders

• US 6,832,435 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2003
• Issued: 12/21/2004
• 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:
  US10/464,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20030208902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 297/05, 297/29, 297/86, 294/06, 294/070.1, 29/33.P, 700/216, 700/213, 700/228, 700/95, 198/339.1, 198/346.2, 198/346.3, 198/370.09
• US Class Current: 29/786
• 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 manufacturing facility for manufacturing products according to customer orders, the manufacturing facility comprising:

a kitting facility at which components are collected for a product ordered by a customer;

a build cell in which the components are assembled, configured, and tested to form the product;

a boxing facility at which the product is packaged;

a transportation system that transports the components from the kitting facility to the build cell where the components are assembled, configured, and tested, and that transports the product to the boxing facility where the product is packaged; and

an individual receiving apparatus that receives sets of components for at least two build cells from the transportation system, the receiving apparatus disposed between the two build cells and operable to move laterally therebetween.

2. The manufacturing facility of claim 1, further comprising:

at least first and second build cells, each having at least one finishing tray, the second build cell disposed substantially adjacent to the first build cell; and

an individual removal apparatus that services the first and second build cells by receiving products from the respective finishing trays and staging the products for removal from the first and second build cells.

3. The manufacturing facility of claim 1, further comprising:

a quadruplet of build cells including first, second, third, and fourth build cells, with the first build cell disposed substantially adjacent to the second build cell and to the third build cell;

a first receiving apparatuses that services the first and second build cells;

a second receiving apparatus that services the third and fourth build cells;

a first removal apparatus that receives products from the first and third build cells; and

a second removal apparatus that receives products from the second and fourth build cells.

4. The manufacturing facility of claim 1, further comprising:

a quadruplet of build cells including first, second, third, and fourth build cells, with the first build cell disposed substantially adjacent to the second build cell and to the third build cell;

a first receiving apparatuses that services the first and second build cells; and

a second receiving apparatus that services the third and fourth build cells.

5. The manufacturing facility of claim 1, wherein the transportation system further comprises:

an incoming conveyor that transports components from the kitting facility to the build cell; and

an outgoing conveyor that transports products from the build cell to the boxing facility;

with the incoming conveyor and the outgoing conveyor aligned generally vertically along a conveyance line between the kitting facility and the boxing facility.

6. The manufacturing facility of claim 5, comprising:

one or more conveyance lines; and

two or more quadruplets of build cells disposed in series along each of the conveyance lines.

7. The manufacturing facility of claim 1, wherein the transportation system further comprises:

a first transportation unit that transports the components from a picking facility to the build cell; and

a second transportation unit that delivers the product to the boxing facility.

8. The manufacturing facility of claim 7, wherein the build cell comprises a transportation device that transports the product from the build cell to the second transportation unit for delivery to the boxing facility.

9. The manufacturing facility of claim 8, wherein the first and second transportation units further comprise:

an incoming conveyor and an outgoing conveyor, respectively, aligned generally vertically; and

the transportation device operates below the incoming and outgoing conveyors, such that space within the manufacturing facility is conserved.

10. The manufacturing facility of claim 1, wherein the build cell further comprises:

a build station at which the components are assembled;

a burn station at which the assembled components are configured; and

a finishing station at which the assembled components are transformed into a product.

11. The manufacturing facility of claim 10, wherein the finishing station further comprises:

at least one finishing tray;

a finishing conveyor that transports the assembled components to the at least one finishing tray; and

an exit conveyor that transports the product to the transportation device for removal from the build cell.

12. The manufacturing facility of claim 11, further comprising:

the finishing conveyor and the exit conveyor aligned generally vertically to conserve space within the manufacturing facility.

13. The manufacturing facility of claim 1, further comprising a distribution facility that provides for shipping the product from the manufacturing facility to a customer, in accordance with the customer order.

14. The manufacturing facility of claim 1, further comprising two or more quadruplets of build cells disposed in series along a conveyance line between the kitting facility and the boxing facility.

15. A manufacturing facility for manufacturing products according to customer orders, the manufacturing facility comprising:

a kitting facility at which components are collected for a product ordered by a customer;

a build cell in which the components are assembled, configured, and tested to form the product;

a boxing facility at which the product is packaged; and

a transportation system that transports the components from the kitting facility to the build cell and that transports the product to the boxing facility;

wherein the transportation system comprises;

an incoming conveyor that transports components from the kitting facility to the build cell;

an outgoing conveyor that transports products from the build cell to the boxing facility;

with the incoming conveyor and the outgoing conveyor aligned generally vertically along a conveyance line between the kitting facility and the boxing facility; and

a removal apparatus laterally movable along the build cell, the removal apparatus operable to transport components from the incoming conveyor to the build cell and to transport products from the build cell the outgoing conveyor.

16. The manufacturing facility of claim 15, further comprising:

at least first and second build cells, each having at least one finishing tray, the second build cell disposed substantially adjacent to the first build cell; and

an individual removal apparatus that services the first and second build cells by receiving products from the respective finishing trays and staging the products for removal from the first and second build cells.

17. The manufacturing facility of claim 15, wherein the build cell further comprises:

a build station at which the components are assembled;

a burn station at which the assembled components are configured; and

a finishing station at which the assembled components are transformed into a product.

18. The manufacturing facility of claim 17, wherein the build cell further comprises:

at least one finishing tray;

a finishing conveyor that transports the assembled components to the at least one finishing tray; and

an exit conveyor that transports the product to the transportation device for removal from the build cell.

19. The manufacturing facility of claim 15, further comprising a distribution facility that provides for shipping the product from the manufacturing facility to a customer, in accordance with the customer order.

20. The manufacturing facility of claim 15, further comprising two or more quadruplets of build cells disposed in series along a conveyance line between the kitting facility and the boxing facility.