System and method for producing products based upon demand

A system for producing products based on demand data, said system comprising:

• a plurality of vehicles for articles;
• a linear synchronous motor track system comprising a track on which article-loaded vehicles are propellable;
• a plurality of unit operation stations disposed along the track system and configured to cooperate to create at least one finished product;
• wherein each article is disposed on a vehicle and the plurality of vehicles are independently routable along the track system to deliver at least some of the articles to at least one unit operation station;
• a control system comprising one or more controller units which are in communication with said track system, said vehicles, and said unit operation stations, and which control system:
• receives demand for finished products to be made, wherein the demand for finished products comprises demand for a first finished product and a second finished product, wherein the product to be produced is a fluent product within a container, and wherein the first finished product differs from the second finished product in one or more of:
• container volume, container shape, container size, contained material volume or mass, contained material composition, decoration, label or label contents, closure type, closure color, closure composition, container composition, container color, or other finished product attribute, wherein the demand for finished products comprises demand for a first finished product and a second finished product, wherein the product to be produced is a fluent product within a container, and wherein the first finished product differs from the second finished product in one or more of:
• container volume, container shape, container size, contained material volume or mass, contained material composition, decoration, label or label contents, closure type, closure color, closure composition, container composition, container color, or other finished product attribute;
• determines a route for a vehicle, where said route is determined based on a status of one or more unit operation stations;
• and
• causes a vehicle to be propelled to progress along said determined route so as to create one or more of said demanded finished products and delivers said one or more finished products to an unloading station.