System and method for manufacturing products according to customer orders

A build cell in a manufacturing facility that manufactures products according to customer orders, the manufacturing facility having a boxing facility at which a finished product is packaged, the build cell comprising:

• a build station at which components are assembled according to a customer order to form an assembled product;
• a burn station at which the assembled product is configured and tested to form a configured product;
• a finishing station at which the configured product is inspected to produce a finished product;
• and
• a transportation device that transports the finished product from the build cell to a transportation system for delivery to the boxing facility whereby the finished product is packaged.

A build cell for manufacturing products according to customer orders, the build cell comprising:

• a build station at which components are assembled to form an assembled product;
• a burn station at which the assembled product is configured according to the customer order and tested to form a configured product, the burn station being generally aligned with a corresponding burn station in a first adjacent build cell;
• and
• a transportation device that transports the assembled product to the burn station, the transportation device being situated between the build cell and the first adjacent build cell to also service the corresponding burn station in the first adjacent build cell.

A method for manufacturing products according to customer orders, the method comprising:

• assembling components according to a customer order to form an assembled product at a build station of a build cell;
• configuring and testing the assembled product to form a configured product at a burn station of the build cell;
• inspecting the configured product to produce a finished product at a finishing station of the build cell;
• and
• transporting the finished product from the build cell to a transportation system for delivery to a boxing facility outside the build cell for packaging.

A method for manufacturing computers according to customer orders, the method comprising:

• assembling hardware components according to a customer order to form an assembled product at a build station of a build cell;
• installing software and testing the assembled product to form a configured product at a burn station of the build cell;
• inspecting the configured product to produce a finished product at a finishing station of the build cell;
• and
• transporting the finished product from the build cell to a transportation system for delivery to a boxing facility outside the build cell for packaging.