Efficient transfer of materials in manufacturing

A method for automated handling for forming a device comprising:

• providing a production facility with a plurality of destinations;
• providing distinct transport units and load/unload (U/L) units which can freely and autonomously move in the production facility to transfer carriers from one location to another location, the distinct transport units and U/L units comprise autonomously operated automated guided vehicles (AGVs), wherein
• an AGV includes a navigation system with an object detection module for autonomous operation in a production area,
• an AGV transport unit is dedicated to transport one or more carriers in a storage compartment of the AGV transport unit, a carrier contains production material for forming the device,
• an AGV U/L unit includes a robotic system for automatically handling carriers and transporting carriers from one location to another location, wherein
• handling the carriers comprise loading a carrier into a machine from the AGV transport unit, and unloading a carrier from a machine onto the AGV transport unit, and
• the AGV U/L unit transports a carrier from one location to another location if the locations are less than a threshold distance;
• and
• transporting a selected carrier containing material for forming the device from a first machine at a first location to a second machine at a second location, wherein the transporting of the selected carrier comprises
• employing a first AGV U/L unit to unload the selected carrier from the first machine and loading the selected carrier onto a first AGV transport unit, the first AGV transport unit moving from the first location to the second location to transport the selected carrier to the second location, and
• employing a second AGV U/L unit to unload the selected carrier from the first AGV transport unit and loading the selected carrier in the second machine;
• wherein the transporting of the selected carrier is performed based on a lot list ranked by priority provided by a real-time dispatcher module of a production control system and based on an updated map of the production area.

An automated handling system for forming a device comprising:

• a production facility having a plurality of locations with machines;
• a carrier containing material forming the device;
• and
• distinct load/unload (U/L) units and transport units which can freely and autonomously move for effecting transfer of the carrier from a first location to a second location in the facility, the distinct U/L units and transport units comprise autonomously operated automated guided vehicles (AGVs), wherein
• an AGV includes a navigation system with an object detection module for autonomous operation in a production area,
• an AGV transport unit includes a storage compartment for holding at least one carrier containing production material for forming the device, wherein the AGV transport unit is dedicated to transporting at least one carrier,
• an AGV U/L unit comprises a robotic system for automatically handling carriers and transporting carriers from one location to another location, wherein
• handling the carriers comprise loading a carrier into a machine from the AGV transport unit, and unloading a carrier from a machine onto the AGV transport unit, and
• the AGV U/L unit transports a carrier from one location to another location if the locations are less than a threshold distance, and
• a transfer from the first location to the second location comprises
• employing a first AGV U/L unit at the first location, wherein the first AGV U/L unit unloads a selected carrier from a first machine at the first location and loads the selected carrier onto a first AGV transport unit which proceeds to the second location, and
• employing a second AGV U/L unit at the second location, wherein the second AGV U/L unit unloads the selected carrier from the first AGV transport unit and loads the selected carrier into a second machine at the second location;
• wherein the transporting of the selected carrier from one location to another location is performed based on a lot list ranked by priority provided by a real-time dispatcher module of a production control system and based on an updated map of the production area.

An automated handling system for forming a device comprising:

• automated guided vehicle (AGV) transport units;
• AGV load/unload (U/L) units;
• the distinct AGV transport units and AGV U/L units can freely and autonomously move to transfer carriers from one location to another location, and comprise autonomously operated AGVs, wherein
• an AGV includes a navigation system with an object detection module for autonomous operation in a production area,
• an AGV transport unit includes a storage compartment for holding at least one carrier containing production material for forming the device, wherein the AGV transport unit is dedicated to transporting at least one carrier, and
• an AGV U/L unit comprises a robotic system for automatically handling carriers and transporting carriers from one location to another location, wherein
• handling carriers comprise loading a carrier into a machine from the AGV transport unit, and unloading a carrier from a machine onto the AGV transport unit, and
• the AGV U/L unit transports a carrier from one location to another location if the location are less than a threshold distance;
• and
• a production control system for issuing commands to the distinct AGV transport units and AGV U/L units, thereby controlling the flow of production for forming the device;
• wherein the transporting of the carriers from one location to another location is performed based on a lot list ranked by priority provided by a real-time dispatcher module of a production control system and based on an updated map of the production area.