Glass production sequencing
First Claim
1. A method of controlling production run sequences of insulating glass units, comprising:
- a) scheduling a sequence of runs of insulating glass units to be produced for assembly to form a window or door at a plurality of glazing lines;
b) monitoring a status of said sequence of runs on a production control workstation;
c) monitoring a status of one or more computer controlled insulating glass unit component processing machines on the production control workstation by means of electronic communication between the processing machines and said production control workstation;
d) monitoring a queue of insulating glass units from the insulating glass component processing machines to be assembled to a window or door at the glazing lines and indicating a status of the queue on a visual display at the production control workstation;
e) providing a user actuated input at the production control workstation for adjusting production by the processing machines; and
f) altering production within the sequence of runs in response to the user actuated input at the production control workstation based on one of the status of the runs, the status of the one or more insulating glass unit component processing machines, and the queue of insulating glass units at the glazing lines.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling production run sequences of insulating glass units based on manufacturing variables. The method creates a sequence of runs of insulating glass units to be produced for assembly to window or door sash and frames at a plurality of glazing lines. A status of the runs, a status of one or more insulating glass component processing machines, and/or a queue of insulating glass units to be assembled to window or door sash and frames at the glazing lines is monitored at a production control workstation. The sequence of runs is altered at the production control workstation based on one of the status of the runs, the status of the one or more glass processing machines, and the queue of insulating glass units at the glazing line.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method of controlling production run sequences of insulating glass units, comprising:
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a) scheduling a sequence of runs of insulating glass units to be produced for assembly to form a window or door at a plurality of glazing lines; b) monitoring a status of said sequence of runs on a production control workstation; c) monitoring a status of one or more computer controlled insulating glass unit component processing machines on the production control workstation by means of electronic communication between the processing machines and said production control workstation; d) monitoring a queue of insulating glass units from the insulating glass component processing machines to be assembled to a window or door at the glazing lines and indicating a status of the queue on a visual display at the production control workstation; e) providing a user actuated input at the production control workstation for adjusting production by the processing machines; and f) altering production within the sequence of runs in response to the user actuated input at the production control workstation based on one of the status of the runs, the status of the one or more insulating glass unit component processing machines, and the queue of insulating glass units at the glazing lines. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of controlling production run sequences of insulating glass units, comprising:
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a) scheduling a sequence of runs of insulating glass components to be produced for assembly into insulating glass units at an assembly station; b) monitoring a status of one or more insulating glass component processing machines; c) electronically communicating the status of the one or more insulating glass component processing machines to a production control workstation; d) determining a status of runs of insulating glass components produced by the one or more insulating glass component processing machines from the electronically communicated status of the processing machines and indicating a status of said runs on a visual display; e) providing a user actuated input for altering the sequence of runs of insulating glass components based on a monitored status of the runs of insulating glass components; and f) altering the sequence of runs based on the user actuated input. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A method of controlling production run sequences for producing insulating glass units, comprising:
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a) scheduling a sequence of runs of insulating glass units to be produced for assembly into a window or a door upon reaching one glazing line of at a plurality of glazing lines; b) monitoring a number of runs of assembled insulating glass units in queue to be assembled into a window or a door sash at the plurality of glazing lines; c) identifying a low queue condition corresponding to a shortage of assembled insulating glass units at an identified glazing line; d) electronically communicating the low queue condition of the identified glazing line to a production control workstation and displaying said low queue condition on a visual display at the production control workstation; and e) altering the sequence of runs of insulating glass units to add assembled insulating glass units at the identified glazing line in response to a user input at the production control workstation. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of controlling production run sequences of insulating glass units, comprising:
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a) creating a sequence of runs of insulating glass units to be produced for assembly into a window or door at a plurality of glazing lines; b) identifying a low queue condition of insulating glass units at an identified glazing line and electronically communicating the low queue condition of the identified glazing line to a production control workstation, c) automatically prioritizing a run of insulating glass units required to increase a queue of insulating glass units at the identified glazing line; and d) altering the sequence of runs to produce the prioritized run of insulating glass units earlier in time. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A system for controlling production run sequences of insulating glass units, comprising:
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a) insulating glass component processing machines for producing assembled insulating glass units; and b) one or more controller or ancillary computers including a programmable device in communication with the insulating glass component processing machines for; i) creating a sequence of runs of insulating glass components to be produced for assembly into insulating glass units at an assembly station; ii) monitoring a status of one or more insulating glass component processing machines; iii) electronically communicating a status of the insulating glass component processing machines to a production control workstation; displaying a status of the insulating glass component processing machines on a visual display at the production control workstation; and iv) providing a user actuated input at the production control workstation for altering the sequence of runs based on the status of the insulating glass component processing machines.
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21. A system for controlling production run sequences of insulating glass units, comprising:
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a) window component processing stations for producing assembled insulating glass units; b) a plurality of glazing lines where assembled insulating glass units are assembled into a window or door; and c) one or more controller or ancillary computers including a programmable device in communication with the window component processing stations and the plurality of glazing lines for; i) creating a sequence of runs of insulating glass units to be produced into assembled insulating glass units for assembly to window or door sash at the plurality of glazing lines; ii) monitoring a number of runs of assembled insulating glass units in queue to be assembled to window or door sash at a given glazing line of the plurality of glazing lines; iii) identifying a low queue condition at an identified glazing line; iv) highlighting a next available run of insulating glass units that can be produced for the identified glazing line on the production control workstation; and iv) altering the sequence of runs to produce assembled insulating glass units in the next available run for routing to the identified glazing line. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for controlling production run sequences of insulating glass units, comprising:
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a) window component processing stations for producing assembled insulating glass units; b) a plurality of glazing lines where assembled insulating glass units are assembled into a window or door; and c) one or more controller or ancillary computers including a programmable device in communication with the window component processing stations and the plurality of glazing lines for; i) creating a sequence of runs of insulating glass units to be produced for assembly to window or door sash at a plurality of glazing lines; ii) identifying when a number of runs of assembled insulating glass units in queue at an identified glazing line reaches a predetermined queue lower limit and prioritizing a run of insulating glass units required by the identified glazing line; iii) altering the sequence of runs to produce the prioritized run of insulating glass units earlier in time. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A computer readable medium for storing instructions for performing a method of controlling production run sequences of insulating glass units, the method comprising:
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a) scheduling a sequence of runs of insulating glass units to be produced for assembly to window or door at one of a plurality of glazing lines; b) monitoring a status of said sequence of runs on a production control workstation; c) monitoring a status of one or more computer controlled insulating glass component processing machines at the production control workstation by means of electronic communication between the processing machines and said production control workstation; d) monitoring a queue of insulating glass units to be assembled into a window or door at the glazing lines and indicating a status of the queue on a visual display of the production control workstation; e) providing a user actuated input at the production control workstation for adjusting the production by the processing machines and f) altering production within the sequence of runs in response to the user actuated input at the production control workstation based on one of the status of the runs, the status of the one or more insulating glass unit component processing machines, and the queue of insulating glass units at the glazing line.
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28. A computer readable medium for storing instructions for performing a method of controlling production run sequences of insulating glass units, the method comprising:
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a) scheduling a sequence of runs of insulating glass components to be produced for assembly into insulating glass units at an assembly station; b) monitoring a status of one or more insulating glass component processing machines; c) electronically communicating the insulating glass component processing machines to a production control workstation; d) determining a status of runs of insulating glass components produced by the one or more insulating glass component processing machines from the electronically communicated status of the processing machines and indicating status of said runs on a visual display; e) providing a user actuated input for altering the sequence of runs of insulating glass components based on a monitored status of the runs of insulating glass components; and f) altering the sequence of runs based on the user actuated input.
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29. A computer readable medium for storing instructions for performing a method of controlling production run sequences of insulating glass units, the method comprising:
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a) scheduling a sequence of runs of insulating glass units to be produced for assembly into a window or a door at a plurality of glazing lines; b) monitoring a number of runs of assembled insulating glass units in queue to be assembled into a window or door sash at the plurality of glazing lines; c) identifying a low queue condition corresponding to a shortage of insulating glass units at an identified glazing line; d) electronically communicating the low queue condition of the identified glazing line to a production control workstation and displaying said low queue condition on a visual display at the production control workstation; and e) altering the sequence of runs of insulating glass units to add insulating glass units at the identified glazing line in response to a user input at the production control workstation. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A computer readable medium for storing instructions for performing a method of controlling production run sequences of insulating glass units, the method comprising:
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a) creating a sequence of runs of insulating glass units to be produced for assembly into a window or door at a plurality of glazing lines; b) identifying a low queue condition of insulating glass units at an identified glazing line and electronically communicating the low queue condition of the identified glazing line to a production control workstation; c) automatically prioritizing a run of insulating glass units required to increase a queue of insulating glass units at the identified glazing line; and d) altering the sequence of runs to produce the prioritized run of insulating glass units earlier in time. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. A method of controlling production run sequences of insulating glass units, comprising:
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a) scheduling a sequence of runs of insulating glass components to be produced for assembly into insulating glass units at an assembly station; b) monitoring a number of runs of completed insulating glass components in queue to be assembled into insulating glass units at the assembly station; c) identifying a low queue condition corresponding to a shortage of insulating glass components of a given type at the assembly station; d) electronically communicating the low queue condition of the given type of insulating glass component to a production control workstation and displaying said low queue condition on a visual display at the production control workstation; and e) providing a user input for altering the sequence of runs to resolve the low queue condition of the given type of insulating glass component at the assembly station.
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Specification