Efficient transfer of materials in manufacturing
First Claim
1. A method for automated handling for forming a device comprising:
- providing a production area with a plurality of destinations and a transport system comprising distinct transport units and load/unload (U/L) units which can freely and autonomously move in the production area to transfer carriers from one location to another location, the distinct transport units and U/L units comprise autonomously operated automated guided vehicles (AGVs), whereinan AGV includes a navigation system with an object detection module for autonomous operation in the production area,an AGV transport unit includes a storage compartment for holding at least one carrier containing production material for forming the device, wherein the AGV transport unit is dedicated to transport carriers from one location to another location, andan AGV U/L unit comprises a robotic system for automatically handling carriers and transporting carriers from one location to another location, whereinhandling the carriers comprise loading a carrier into a machine from the AGV transport unit, and unloading a carrier from a machine onto the AGV transport unit, andthe AGV U/L unit transports a carrier from one location to another location if the locations are less than a threshold distance;
determining a transfer of a selected carrier from a first destination to a second destination using one or more of the distinct AGV transport units and U/L units based at least in part on the identified first and second destinations and the threshold distance; and
issuing a request to the transport system to effect the transfer of the selected carrier, wherein effecting the transfer comprisesemploying a first selected U/L unit at the first destination for automatically loading the selected carrier onto a first selected transport unit,employing the first selected transport unit to transfer the selected carrier to the second destination, andemploying a second selected U/L unit to unload the selected carrier from the first selected transport unit, oremploying the first selected U/L unit at the first destination for handling the selected carrier and transporting the selected carrier to the second destination,wherein the transfer of the selected carrier is performed based on a lot list ranked by priority provided by a real-time dispatcher module of a production control system and based on an updated map of the production area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods for automated handling for forming a device and automated handling systems for forming a device are presented. One of the methods includes providing a production area with a plurality of destinations and a transport system which includes transport and load/unload (U/L) units in the production area. The transport units include automated guided vehicles (AGVs) with a storage compartment for holding at least one carrier containing production material for forming the device and U/L units include AGVs with a robotic system for handling carriers. A transfer of a selected carrier from a first destination to a second destination is determined. A request to the transport system is issued to effect the transfer of the selected carrier, which includes using a selected U/L unit, a selected transport unit, or a combination of selected U/L and transport units.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for automated handling for forming a device comprising:
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providing a production area with a plurality of destinations and a transport system comprising distinct transport units and load/unload (U/L) units which can freely and autonomously move in the production area to transfer carriers from one location to another location, the distinct transport units and U/L units comprise autonomously operated automated guided vehicles (AGVs), wherein an AGV includes a navigation system with an object detection module for autonomous operation in the production area, an AGV transport unit includes a storage compartment for holding at least one carrier containing production material for forming the device, wherein the AGV transport unit is dedicated to transport carriers from one location to another location, and an AGV U/L unit comprises a robotic system for automatically handling carriers and transporting carriers from one location to another location, wherein handling the carriers comprise loading a carrier into a machine from the AGV transport unit, and unloading a carrier from a machine onto the AGV transport unit, and the AGV U/L unit transports a carrier from one location to another location if the locations are less than a threshold distance; determining a transfer of a selected carrier from a first destination to a second destination using one or more of the distinct AGV transport units and U/L units based at least in part on the identified first and second destinations and the threshold distance; and issuing a request to the transport system to effect the transfer of the selected carrier, wherein effecting the transfer comprises employing a first selected U/L unit at the first destination for automatically loading the selected carrier onto a first selected transport unit, employing the first selected transport unit to transfer the selected carrier to the second destination, and employing a second selected U/L unit to unload the selected carrier from the first selected transport unit, or employing the first selected U/L unit at the first destination for handling the selected carrier and transporting the selected carrier to the second destination, wherein the transfer of the selected carrier is performed based on a lot list ranked by priority provided by a real-time dispatcher module of a production control system and based on an updated map of the production area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for automated handling for forming a device comprising:
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providing a production facility with a plurality of destinations; providing distinct transport units and load/unload (U/L) units which can freely and autonomously move in the production facility to transfer carriers from one location to another location, the distinct transport units and U/L units comprise autonomously operated automated guided vehicles (AGVs), wherein an AGV includes a navigation system with an object detection module for autonomous operation in a production area, an AGV transport unit is dedicated to transport one or more carriers in a storage compartment of the AGV transport unit, a carrier contains production material for forming the device, an AGV U/L unit includes a robotic system for automatically handling carriers and transporting carriers from one location to another location, wherein handling the carriers comprise loading a carrier into a machine from the AGV transport unit, and unloading a carrier from a machine onto the AGV transport unit, and the AGV U/L unit transports a carrier from one location to another location if the locations are less than a threshold distance; and transporting a selected carrier containing material for forming the device from a first machine at a first location to a second machine at a second location, wherein the transporting of the selected carrier comprises employing a first AGV U/L unit to unload the selected carrier from the first machine and loading the selected carrier onto a first AGV transport unit, the first AGV transport unit moving from the first location to the second location to transport the selected carrier to the second location, and employing a second AGV U/L unit to unload the selected carrier from the first AGV transport unit and loading the selected carrier in the second machine; wherein the transporting of the selected carrier is performed based on a lot list ranked by priority provided by a real-time dispatcher module of a production control system and based on an updated map of the production area.
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14. An automated handling system for forming a device comprising:
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a production facility having a plurality of locations with machines; a carrier containing material forming the device; and distinct load/unload (U/L) units and transport units which can freely and autonomously move for effecting transfer of the carrier from a first location to a second location in the facility, the distinct U/L units and transport units comprise autonomously operated automated guided vehicles (AGVs), wherein an AGV includes a navigation system with an object detection module for autonomous operation in a production area, an AGV transport unit includes a storage compartment for holding at least one carrier containing production material for forming the device, wherein the AGV transport unit is dedicated to transporting at least one carrier, an AGV U/L unit comprises a robotic system for automatically handling carriers and transporting carriers from one location to another location, wherein handling the carriers comprise loading a carrier into a machine from the AGV transport unit, and unloading a carrier from a machine onto the AGV transport unit, and the AGV U/L unit transports a carrier from one location to another location if the locations are less than a threshold distance, and a transfer from the first location to the second location comprises employing a first AGV U/L unit at the first location, wherein the first AGV U/L unit unloads a selected carrier from a first machine at the first location and loads the selected carrier onto a first AGV transport unit which proceeds to the second location, and employing a second AGV U/L unit at the second location, wherein the second AGV U/L unit unloads the selected carrier from the first AGV transport unit and loads the selected carrier into a second machine at the second location; wherein the transporting of the selected carrier from one location to another location is performed based on a lot list ranked by priority provided by a real-time dispatcher module of a production control system and based on an updated map of the production area.
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15. An automated handling system for forming a device comprising:
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automated guided vehicle (AGV) transport units; AGV load/unload (U/L) units; the distinct AGV transport units and AGV U/L units can freely and autonomously move to transfer carriers from one location to another location, and comprise autonomously operated AGVs, wherein an AGV includes a navigation system with an object detection module for autonomous operation in a production area, an AGV transport unit includes a storage compartment for holding at least one carrier containing production material for forming the device, wherein the AGV transport unit is dedicated to transporting at least one carrier, and an AGV U/L unit comprises a robotic system for automatically handling carriers and transporting carriers from one location to another location, wherein handling carriers comprise loading a carrier into a machine from the AGV transport unit, and unloading a carrier from a machine onto the AGV transport unit, and the AGV U/L unit transports a carrier from one location to another location if the location are less than a threshold distance; and a production control system for issuing commands to the distinct AGV transport units and AGV U/L units, thereby controlling the flow of production for forming the device; wherein the transporting of the carriers from one location to another location is performed based on a lot list ranked by priority provided by a real-time dispatcher module of a production control system and based on an updated map of the production area. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification