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US 11,256,241 B1Granted
Optimized factory schedule and layout generation
AssigneeVeo Robotics, Inc.
InventorsPatrick Sobalvarro, Clara Vu, Joshua Downer, Paulo Ferreira, Mehmet Ali Guney, Thomas C. Ferree, Alberto Moel, Richard A. Kelsey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for optimizing factory scheduling, layout or both which represent active factory elements (human and machine) as computational objects and simulate factory operation to optimize a solution. This enables the efficient assembly of customized products, accommodates variable demand, and mitigates unplanned events (floor blockages, machines/IMRs/workcell/workers downtime, variable quantity, location, and destination of supply parts).
Claims28
A method of scheduling, for execution on a factory floor having a layout, a plurality of interrelated manufacturing processes, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) storing, in a computer memory, a plurality of factory object data structures each corresponding to a machine or a human and containing data and/or instructions for simulating behavior in (i) carrying out a factory task, (ii) any allowed movement about the manufacturing floor layout, (iii) speed of operation and movement based on inherent characteristics of the machine or the human and proximity thereof to other objects, the object data structures including parameter values constraining the simulated behavior;
- (b) receiving, by a computational simulator, a work order specifying factory inputs and outputs and an objective function specifying a quantity to be maximized;
- (c) based on the work order, simulating, using the computational simulator and the stored object data structures, operation of the factory;
- (d) iteratively repeating step (c) with object parameter values that have been updated in accordance with an optimization algorithm until the quantity specified by the objective function is maximized;
- and
- (e) generating an operation schedule for the machines represented by factory object data structures,
- wherein at least some of the objects correspond to mobile transport machines, the mobile transport machine objects specifying (i) capability parameter values including a movement speed range of the mobile transport machine and a payload capacity of the machine, (ii) behavior parameter values including speed restrictions of the mobile transport machine based on proximity of the mobile transport machine to machines or humans represented by other objects, and (iii) mobile transport machine loading and unloading capabilities.
4 more elements
A method of scheduling, for execution on a factory floor having a layout, a plurality of interrelated manufacturing processes, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) storing, in a computer memory, a plurality of factory object data structures each corresponding to a machine or a human and containing data and/or instructions for simulating behavior in (i) carrying out a factory task, (ii) any allowed movement about the manufacturing floor layout, (iii) speed of operation and movement based on inherent characteristics of the machine or the human and proximity thereof to other objects, the object data structures including parameter values constraining the simulated behavior;
- (b) receiving, by a computational simulator, a work order specifying factory inputs and outputs and an objective function specifying a quantity to be maximized;
- (c) based on the work order, simulating, using the computational simulator and the stored object data structures, operation of the factory;
- (d) iteratively repeating step (c) with object parameter values that have been updated in accordance with an optimization algorithm until the quantity specified by the objective function is maximized;
- and
- (e) generating an operation schedule for the machines represented by factory object data structures,
- wherein at least some of the objects correspond to production machines, the production machine objects specifying (i) capability parameter values including a maximum processing speed of the production machine, (ii) behavior parameter values including speed restrictions of the production machine based on proximity of the production machine to machines or humans represented by other objects, and (iii) functions performed by the production machines.
4 more elements
A method of designing a layout of a factory for executing therein a plurality of interrelated manufacturing processes, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) storing, in a computer memory, a plurality of layout constraints;
- (b) storing, in a computer memory, a plurality of factory object data structures each corresponding to a machine or a human and containing data and/or instructions for simulating behavior in (i) carrying out a factory task, (ii) any allowed movement about a selected layout of the factory, (iii) speed of operation and movement based on inherent characteristics of the machine or the human and proximity thereof to other objects, the object data structures including parameter values constraining the simulated behavior;
- (c) receiving, by a computational simulator, a work order specifying factory inputs and outputs and an objective function specifying a quantity to be maximized;
- (d) computationally generating a proposed layout of the factory in accordance with the stored layout constraints;
- (e) based on the work order, simulating, using the computational simulator and the stored object data structures, operation of the factory in accordance with the layout;
- and
- (f) iteratively repeating steps (d) and (e) with new layouts updated in accordance with the layout constraints by an optimization algorithm until the quantity specified by the objective function is maximized,
- wherein at least some of the objects correspond to mobile transport machines, the mobile transport machine objects specifying (i) capability parameter values including a movement speed range of the mobile transport machine and a payload capacity of the machine, (ii) behavior parameter values including speed restrictions of the mobile transport machine based on proximity of the mobile transport machine to machines or humans represented by other objects, and (iii) mobile transport machine loading and unloading capabilities.
5 more elements
A method of designing a layout of a factory for executing therein a plurality of interrelated manufacturing processes, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) storing, in a computer memory, a plurality of layout constraints;
- (b) storing, in a computer memory, a plurality of factory object data structures each corresponding to a machine or a human and containing data and/or instructions for simulating behavior in (i) carrying out a factory task, (ii) any allowed movement about a selected layout of the factory, (iii) speed of operation and movement based on inherent characteristics of the machine or the human and proximity thereof to other objects, the object data structures including parameter values constraining the simulated behavior;
- (c) receiving, by a computational simulator, a work order specifying factory inputs and outputs and an objective function specifying a quantity to be maximized;
- (d) computationally generating a proposed layout of the factory in accordance with the stored layout constraints;
- (e) based on the work order, simulating, using the computational simulator and the stored object data structures, operation of the factory in accordance with the layout and
- (f) iteratively repeating steps (d) and (e) with new layouts updated in accordance with the layout constraints by an optimization algorithm until the quantity specified by the objective function is maximized,
- wherein at least some of the objects correspond to production machines, the production machine objects specifying (i) capability parameter values including a maximum processing speed of the production machine, (ii) behavior parameter values including speed restrictions of the production machine based on proximity of the production machine to machines or humans represented by other objects, and (iii) functions performed by the production machines.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.