Autonomous mobile robot pace management system

A method for robot pace management, the method comprising:

• moving a conveyor of a production line through a manufacturing envelope to progress a series of product units through the manufacturing envelope;
• configuring the manufacturing envelope for a series of manufacturing tasks in producing the product units using items that are assembled or processed into the product units;
• transporting, by a mobile robot, a payload of the items and delivering the items to the manufacturing envelope;
• providing, by a progression indicator that is readable or signal producing, a location for each product unit as the conveyor moves;
• determining, by at least one controller of a control network and through the progression indicator, a location for a target product unit entering the manufacturing envelope;
• determining, by the at least one controller, a build sequence for the target product unit including the items needed for the series of manufacturing tasks for the target product unit;
• determining a processing timeline for the manufacturing tasks for the target product unit in the manufacturing envelope;
• moving the mobile robot through the manufacturing envelope in pace with the target product unit;
• and
• presenting, by the mobile robot, the items to an operator of the workstation according to the build sequence and the processing timeline.

A robot pace management system, comprising:

• a manufacturing envelope within which a conveyor of a production line moves to progress a series of product units through the manufacturing envelope, wherein the manufacturing envelope is configured for a series of manufacturing tasks in producing the product units using items that are assembled or processed into the product units;
• a mobile robot configured to transport a payload of the items and to deliver the items to the manufacturing envelope;
• a progression indicator that is readable or signal producing and that provides a location for each product unit as the conveyor moves;
• and
• a control network including at least one controller configured to:
• determine, through the progression indicator, a location for a target product unit entering the manufacturing envelope;
• determine a build sequence for the target product unit including the items needed for the series of manufacturing tasks for the target product unit;
• determine a processing timeline for the manufacturing tasks for the target product unit in the manufacturing envelope;
• move the mobile robot through the manufacturing envelope in pace with the target product unit;
• maintain the mobile robot at a predefined distance from the operator as the operator moves through the manufacturing envelope;
• present, by the mobile robot, the items to an operator of the workstation according to the build sequence and the processing timeline;
• and
• collect error data during the presenting of the items to the operator.