Manufacturing system with centrally disposed dynamic buffer region

A manufacturing system wherein workpieces are treated at a predetermined sequence of machine stage from first to last having given machine cycle time characteristics comprising:

• a dynamic buffer having a predetermined periphery within which is provided a support surface for accessibly supporting select ones of said workpieces at assigned locations thereon.
• a machine stage region positioned adjacent said dynamic buffer periphery and configured for retaining said machine stages in predetermined groupings;
• input means for positioning incoming said workpieces at an input region;
• output means for receiving said workpieces subsequent to treatment by said last machine stage;
• first robot means mounted for accessing each said machine stage predetermined grouping for effecting movement of said workpieces therebetween in response to control inputs;
• second robot means mounted for accessing said dynamic buffer for effecting movement of said workpieces therewith in response to control inputs;
• and
• control means having a predetermined control program for deriving said control inputs to effect movement of said workpieces by said first and second robot means to effect said predetermined sequence of treatment and for identifying and assigning available said dynamic buffer locations and effecting movement by said second robot means of select workpieces to said assigned locations for temporary retention to accommodate variations of said cycle time characteristics and unforeseen machine cycle delays.

The method for treating workpieces at a predetermined sequence of industrial process locations from first to last, said locations exhibiting varying treatment intervals, comprising the steps of:

• providing a dynamic buffer having a support surface with temporarily assignable storage locations for said workpieces;
• locating said process locations about the periphery of said dynamic buffer;
• providing a supply of untreated said workpieces;
• providing a robot assemblage controllable to maneuver said workpieces in accordance with control instructions from said supply to said process locations and to and from said dynamic buffer support surface;
• assigning part identification completion level and instantaneous position data to each said workpiece from said supply;
• controlling said robot assemblage with said control instructions to maneuver said workpieces into and out of a predetermined sequence of said process locations;'
• updating said completion level and instantaneous position data of each said workpiece in correspondence with said maneuvering thereof;
• assigning available said temporary storage locations for said workpieces having given said completion levels when said treatment intervals vary to create supplies of said workpieces in excess of those required by succeeding said process locations within said predetermined sequence;
• controlling said robot assemblage to move said workpieces having said given competion levels to said assigned temporary storage locations;
• identifying said process locations requiring said workpieces having said given completion levels and corresponding said storage locations retaining said workpieces;
• and
• controlling said robot assemblage to move said identified workpieces having said given completion levels into said identified process locations.

A manufacturing system wherein workpieces are treated at a predetermined sequence of machine stages from first to last, comprising:

• a machine stage region for retaining said machine stages in a predetermined sequence;
• input means for positioning incoming said workpieces at an input region;
• output means for receiving said workpieces subsequent to treatment by said last machine stage;
• robot means for accessing said machine stage region and for effecting movement of said workpieces from said input region, to and from said machine stages and to said output means in response to control inputs;
• overhead support means for movably supporting said robot means above said machine stage region to effect said machine stage accessing;
• safety barrier means mounted above select said machine stages within said machine stage region and actuable for movement from a standby position to a safety position over a said select machine stage immediate maintenance vicinity to physically pevent robot means movement thereinto;
• and
• control means having a predetermined control program for deriving said control inputs to effect movement of said workpieces by said robot means in accordance with said predetermined sequence, and responsive to a maintenance access signal to restrict said movement of said robot means from travel into said immediate maintenance vicinity and to effect said safety barrier actuation.