Assembly line article tracking system
First Claim
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1. A manufacturing tracking system, the system comprising:
- a first tool having a first identifier of a first identifier type, the first tool configured to receive a first article, wherein the first tool is a footwear last;
a first sensor of a first sensor type, the first sensor type configured to read the first identifier, wherein the first sensor type is comprised of a radiofrequency receiving device;
a second identifier coupled with a second article, wherein the second identifier is a second identifier type that is different from the first identifier type, wherein the second identifier is a bar code, and wherein the second article is a footwear sole component;
a first sensor of a second sensor type, the second sensor type configured to read the second identifier;
a first processing station for the first article;
a second processing station for the second article;
a second sensor of the first sensor type configured to read the first identifier following the first processing station;
a second sensor of the second sensor type configured to read the second identifier following the second processing station; and
a computing system having a processor and memory configured to;
associate the first identifier and second identifier based on a temporary mating of the first article and the second article; and
confirm the first identifier and the second identifier are associated for permanently mating the first article and the second article.
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Abstract
Manufacturing of article of footwear include temporarily mating a sole and an upper to determine processes to be performed to the sole and/or the upper before permanently mating. As specific operations are determined based on the particular combination of a sole and an upper, the sole and upper are individually tracked through the subsequent processes to ensure the correct pairing is achieved at the time of permanent mating. The tracking may leverage identifiers in the tooling supporting the upper and in the sole.
16 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A manufacturing tracking system, the system comprising:
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a first tool having a first identifier of a first identifier type, the first tool configured to receive a first article, wherein the first tool is a footwear last; a first sensor of a first sensor type, the first sensor type configured to read the first identifier, wherein the first sensor type is comprised of a radiofrequency receiving device; a second identifier coupled with a second article, wherein the second identifier is a second identifier type that is different from the first identifier type, wherein the second identifier is a bar code, and wherein the second article is a footwear sole component; a first sensor of a second sensor type, the second sensor type configured to read the second identifier; a first processing station for the first article; a second processing station for the second article; a second sensor of the first sensor type configured to read the first identifier following the first processing station; a second sensor of the second sensor type configured to read the second identifier following the second processing station; and a computing system having a processor and memory configured to; associate the first identifier and second identifier based on a temporary mating of the first article and the second article; and confirm the first identifier and the second identifier are associated for permanently mating the first article and the second article. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of tracking a first article and a second article in a manufacturing system, the method comprising:
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applying a first article to a first tool, wherein the first tool is a footwear last; scanning the first tool to read a first identifier of the first tool, wherein the first identifier is a first identifier type, wherein the scanning the first tool comprises utilizing a first sensor of a first sensor type, wherein the first sensor type is comprised of a radiofrequency receiving device; applying a second identifier to a second article, wherein the second identifier is a second identifier type that is different from the first identifier type, wherein the second identifier is a bar code, and wherein the second article is a footwear sole component; scanning the second article to read the second identifier; associating the first identifier and the second identifier such that the first article applied to the first tool can be associated with the second article; prior to performing a first operation, temporarily mating the first and second articles; performing the first operation to the first article on the first tool or the second article; subsequent to performing the first operation, scanning the first tool to read the first identifier and scanning the second article to read the second identifier; and mating the first article with the second article subsequent to confirming the first tool and the second article are associated based on the scan of the first tool and the second article after the first operation. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification