Flexible manufacturing system

An improved flexible manufacturing system capable of automated production of machined parts comprising a plurality of computer numerically controlled machining centers which are each provided with a plurality of sets of machine NC part programs and program map, each said computer numerically controlled machining center executing a selected one of said sets of machine NC part programs in accordance with a program map in response to machine tool commands, and in the absence of said machine tool commands, in response to operator entered machine commands, and during execution of said selected one of said sets of machine NC part programs, each said computer numerically controlled machining center generating data indicative of machine tool operation including cumulative cutting tool usage;

• a transport system having at least one load/unload station where unfinished parts are entered thereto and are discharged therefrom, said transport system moving said parts between said load/unload station to said computer numerically controlled machining centers in accordance with electrical signals supplied to said transport system and said transport system generating data indicative of part location during part movement;
• at least one data entry and display unit located in physical proximity with an associated one of said transport system load/unload stations, said data entry and display unit transmitting data entered thereto by an operator indicative of the type of part entered at said associated load/unload station;
• a supervisory control computer system coupled to each said computer numerically controlled machining center for supplying each said computer numerically controlled machining center with said selected sets of machine NC part programs and said program map and for receiving said data from each said computer numerically controlled machining center indicative of machine tool operation, said supervisory control computer system being coupled to each said data entry and display unit and in accordance with data transmitted by each said data entry and display unit, said supervisory control computer system generating routing data indicative of the desired path of parts between said transport system load/unload stations and said machining centers;
• output means coupled to said supervisory control system for transmitting information indicative of cumulative machine tool use;
• and a material handling system controller coupled to said supervisory control computer system to receive said routing data therefrom, said material handling system controller coupled to said transport system for supplying said transport system with said electrical signals in accordance with said routing data, and in the absence of said routing data, in accordance with operator entered data, and said material handling system controller coupled to each of said computer numerically controlled machining centers for supplying said computer numerically controlled machining centers with machine tool commands in accordance with said data generated by said transport system indicative of part location during part movement.

In a manufacturing system:

• a plurality of machine tools, each of said machine tools having a computerized numerical control for regulating its operation;
• a separate memory associated with each of said machines and connected to store complete part programs and transmit such programs to the numerical control of its associated machine;
• means connected to transmit complete part programs to the individual memories of said machine tools for storage;
• a part program map in each of said computerized controls for recording the location of each of the part programs in the associated memory as the programs are stored in the memory;
• identifying means at the machine arranged to identify the workpiece as it arrives at the machine for the performance of a work operation;
• means being in the computerized numerical control responsive to the identification of the workpiece to refer to said part program map for determining the address of the required program in said memory;
• and means coupling the program at the determined address to said numerical control circuit for regulating the operation of the machine to produce the required operations on the workpiece at the machine.