Dynamically reconfigurable assembly line for electronic products

A method of achieving high utilization and high flexibility on an assembly line for manufacturing electronic assemblies, the assembly line containing at least first and second placement workcells, a transport means for transporting the electronic assembly through the assembly line, and a host computer for the workcells and the transport means, comprising the following steps:

• performing a first activity on a first electronic assembly in the first placement workcell;
• transferring information relating to the state of the second placement workcell from the second placement workcell to the host computer;
• dynamically reconfiguring the first placement workcell at least partially concurrent with the step of performing a first activity and in response to the information transferred to the host computer from the second placement workcell;
• transporting the first electronic assembly from the first placement workcell to the second placement workcell via the transport means;
• transporting a second electronic assembly into the first placement workcell via the transport means;
• performing a second activity on the first electronic assembly in the second placement workcell;
• performing a third activity on the second electronic assembly in the dynamically reconfigured first placement workcell.