Realtime decision making system for reduction of time delays in an automated material handling system

An apparatus for routing objects in a computer controlled manufacturing arrangement having alternate locations for predetermined ones of a plurality of manufacturing process steps and predetermined types of objects to be routed into alternate locations, comprising:

• means for establishing a distribution of events indicative of the alternate locations at which object is processed for a manufacturing process step with respect to the objects to be routed;
• means for documenting the distribution of events in a database with respect to the type of objects to be routed and the alternate locations in terms of routing times, therein establishing a historical routing time for the type of object to be routed;
• means for establishing an actual mix of objects to be routed to the alternate locations;
• means for comparing historical routing time with actual routing time for a type of routed object;
• means for selecting one of a plurality of substates that include:
• preposition routed object when historical and actual times are substantially the same, hold routed object when the times are different and re-route object when comparison is not available;
• and
• means for selecting one of a plurality of alternate locations to which to route the object for the next manufacturing process step as a result of a one of the substates selected.

An automated manufacturing arrangement for routing objects between locations in a factory floor, comprising:

• an object movement mechanism;
• a plurality of stockers coupled to a rail and arranged to transfer objects to and from the rail, each stocker providing temporary storage of an object for a manufacturing process step at a respective location, and at least one manufacturing processing step is performed at alternate locations;
• and
• a data processing system coupled to the stockers and configured and arranged to record a distribution of events in a database with respect to the type of objects to be routed and the alternate locations in terms of routing times, therein establishing a historical routing time for the type of object to be routed, and to compare historical routing time with actual routing time for a type of routed object and to select one of a plurality of substates that include:
• pre-position routed object when historical and actual times are substantially the same, hold routed object when the times are different and re-route object when comparison is not available and to select one of a plurality of alternate locations to which to route the object for the next manufacturing process step as a result of a one of the substates selected.