阅读说明：本技术 具有共享共用机器人的互联存储结构与制造单元的制造系统 (Manufacturing system with interconnected storage structures and manufacturing units sharing a common robot ) 是由 史考特·葛拉维 于 2020-06-11 设计创作，主要内容包括：提供一种制造系统,包括：自动仓储系统(ASRS)结构,具有存储位置的三维阵列,三维阵列分布在整个ASRS结构的位于多个存储层的二维占用面积；工件,存储在ASRS结构的存储位置内；机器人存储/取出车辆,可在ASRS结构内沿三个维度导航以进入存储位置；以及多个制造单元,位在ASRS结构的外侧。制造系统包括连接至ASRS结构的轨道结构,轨道结构界定RSRV可从ASRS结构行进的一个或多个行进路径。可在ASRS结构内导航的同一队RSRV可操作以将工件传送至制造单元。一个或多个制造单元沿轨道结构定位,从而得到对工件及相关的工具件和工件支架的方便存取,以制造物品。(Providing a manufacturing system comprising: an automatic storage system (ASRS) structure having a three-dimensional array of storage locations distributed over a two-dimensional footprint of the entire ASRS structure at a plurality of storage levels; a workpiece stored in a storage location of the ASRS structure; a robotic storage/retrieval vehicle navigable along three dimensions within an ASRS structure to access a storage location; and a plurality of manufacturing units located outside of the ASRS structure. The manufacturing system includes a track structure connected to the ASRS structure, the track structure defining one or more travel paths from which the RSRV may travel. The same fleet of RSRVs that may be navigated within the ASRS structure may operate to transfer workpieces to the manufacturing cell. One or more manufacturing units are positioned along the rail structure to provide convenient access to the work-pieces and associated tooling members and work-piece carriers for manufacturing the articles.)

1. A manufacturing system, comprising:

a storage arrangement comprising:

an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) structure comprising a three-dimensional array of storage locations distributed over a two-dimensional footprint of the ASRS structure of a plurality of storage tiers throughout the ASRS structure;

a batch of workpieces stored within said storage locations of said ASRS structure for fabrication of articles therefrom; and

a fleet of robotic storage/retrieval vehicles, wherein each of the robotic storage/retrieval vehicles is navigable along three dimensions within the ASRS structure to access the storage locations in the three-dimensional array; and

a plurality of fabrication cells located outside of the ASRS structure;

wherein the same fleet of robotic storage/retrieval vehicles, navigable along the three dimensions within the ASRS structure, are operable to transfer the workpieces to the manufacturing cell.

2. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the workpieces are transportable between each of the manufacturing cells in any order.

3. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein each of the manufacturing cells is configured to receive the workpiece multiple times to perform one or more of a plurality of processing steps of a manufacturing process.

4. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein a first one of the manufacturing cells receives the workpiece to perform one or more of a plurality of processing steps of a manufacturing process, then stores the workpiece in the storage location of the ASRS structure, and retrieves the workpiece from the storage location of the ASRS structure to transfer the workpiece to a second one of the manufacturing cells.

5. The manufacturing system of claim 1, further comprising a track structure connected to the ASRS structure and extending beyond the two-dimensional footprint of the ASRS structure to define an extension of the ASRS structure, wherein the track structure is configured to define one or more travel paths over which the robotic storage/retrieval vehicle can navigate and along which the manufacturing units are distributed.

6. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein said storage arrangement further comprises a batch of tooling for manufacturing said article, wherein said tooling is stored in the same ASRS structure as said workpiece, and wherein said tooling is removable from said same ASRS structure and transferable to said manufacturing unit by said same fleet of robotic storage/retrieval vehicles.

7. The manufacturing system of claim 6, wherein the storage arrangement further comprises a batch of storage units compatible in size and shape for storage in the storage locations of the ASRS structure, wherein the storage units are configured to be carried by the robotic storage/retrieval vehicle to transfer the storage units to and from the storage locations and to and from the manufacturing units, and wherein the storage units comprise at least one of:

a plurality of workpiece storage units, each of the workpiece storage units configured to receive one or more of the workpieces; and

a tool piece storage unit, each of the tool piece storage units configured to accommodate one or more of the tool pieces.

8. The manufacturing system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of manufacturing units are configured in a continuous arrangement outside of the ASRS structure, and wherein the storage unit is configured to be transferred to and from the storage location of the ASRS structure and back and forth between the manufacturing units without identifying the storage unit due to the continuous arrangement of the manufacturing units.

9. The manufacturing system of claim 7, wherein the workpiece storage units comprise inventory storage units and suite storage units, wherein each of the inventory storage units is configured to include a set of inventory workpieces, and wherein each of the suite storage units is configured to include a suite of hybrid workpieces, wherein the hybrid workpieces are picked from one or more of the inventory storage units according to a manufacturing process to be performed on the hybrid workpieces once delivered to one of the manufacturing units.

10. The manufacturing system of claim 9, further comprising at least one stock preparation workstation configured to receive the inventory storage unit transferred from the ASRS structure by the robotic storage/retrieval vehicle to allow the stock work piece to be picked from the inventory storage unit at the at least one stock preparation workstation.

11. The manufacturing system of claim 10, wherein the at least one stock preparation workstation is configured to receive unloading of the workpiece storage unit by the same fleet of robotic storage/retrieval vehicles and/or travel of the workpiece storage unit through the at least one stock preparation workstation.

12. The manufacturing system of claim 7, wherein each of said manufacturing cells includes at least one workpiece receiving area configured at a respective one of said manufacturing cells to receive said workpiece to be processed, wherein said at least one workpiece receiving area is configured to receive one of said workpiece storage cells to be placed thereon.

13. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein said storage arrangement further comprises a batch of workpiece supports, wherein each of said workpiece supports is configured to accommodate one or more of said workpieces in a predetermined location during manufacture of said article, and wherein said workpiece supports are stored in the same ASRS structure as said workpieces, and wherein said workpiece supports are removable from said same ASRS structure and transferable to said manufacturing cell by said same fleet of robotic storage/retrieval vehicles.

14. The manufacturing system of claim 13, wherein each of said workpiece supports has a universal footprint of standardized shape and size, the size and shape of said universal footprint being the same as the compatible size and shape of each of an array of storage units configured to fit within said storage locations of said ASRS structure, and wherein each of said workpiece supports includes a base having a standardized shape and size configured to fit within said storage locations of said ASRS structure.

15. The manufacturing system of claim 14, wherein each of said workpiece supports and each of said storage units are configured to have a matching arrangement of interface features by which said robotic storage/retrieval vehicle interacts with said workpiece supports and said storage units to allow loading and unloading of said workpiece supports and said storage units to and from said robotic storage/retrieval vehicle.

16. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more manufacturing cells includes at least one workpiece receiving area configured to receive the workpiece to be processed at the respective each of the one or more manufacturing cells.

17. The manufacturing system of claim 16, wherein said at least one workpiece receiving area comprises two workpiece receiving areas, and wherein each of said two workpiece receiving areas is configured to receive a respective desired set of workpieces at a respective one of said one or more manufacturing cells.

18. The manufacturing system of claim 16, wherein the one or more manufacturing units are located in a grid track structure, and wherein the grid track structure includes a plurality of sets of intersecting tracks on which the robotic storage/retrieval vehicle is navigable in two dimensions, and wherein a width of the at least one workpiece receiving area in each of the two dimensions is generally equal to an integer multiple of a distance between two adjacent parallel tracks of the grid track structure.

19. The manufacturing system of claim 16, wherein the one or more manufacturing units are located in a grid track structure, and wherein the grid track structure includes a plurality of sets of intersecting tracks on which the robotic storage/retrieval vehicle is navigable in two dimensions, and wherein a width of the at least one workpiece receiving area in each of the two dimensions does not exceed a distance between two adjacent parallel tracks of the grid track structure.

20. The manufacturing system of claim 16, wherein each of the one or more manufacturing cells includes at least one robotic picker operable to pick the workpiece from the at least one workpiece receiving area, and wherein each of the one or more manufacturing cells further includes a work area to which the picked workpiece is transferred by the at least one robotic picker.

21. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein at least a subset of the manufacturing units are located in a grid track structure, and wherein the grid track structure includes a plurality of sets of intersecting tracks on which the robotic storage/retrieval vehicle is navigable along two dimensions, and wherein each of the manufacturing units in the subset includes at least one tool receiving area configured to receive tooling required at each respective manufacturing unit, and wherein a width of the at least one tool receiving area in each of the two dimensions is generally equal to a distance between two adjacent parallel tracks of the grid track structure.

22. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein at least a subset of the manufacturing units are located in a grid track structure, and wherein the grid track structure includes a plurality of sets of intersecting tracks on which the robotic storage/retrieval vehicle is navigable along two dimensions, and wherein each of the manufacturing units in the subset includes at least one tool receiving area configured to receive tooling required at each of the respective manufacturing units, and wherein a width of the at least one tool receiving area in each of the two dimensions does not exceed a distance between two adjacent parallel tracks of the grid track structure.

23. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein at least a subset of the manufacturing units are located in a grid track structure, and wherein the grid track structure includes a plurality of sets of intersecting tracks on which the robotic storage/retrieval vehicle is navigable in two dimensions, and wherein each of the manufacturing units in the subset includes at least one robotic worker mounted on top of a mounting base mounted on or within the grid track structure, and wherein a width of the mounting base in each of the two dimensions is generally equal to an integer multiple of a distance between two adjacent parallel tracks of the grid track structure.

24. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein at least a subset of the manufacturing units are located in a grid track structure, and wherein the grid track structure includes a plurality of sets of intersecting tracks on which the robotic storage/retrieval vehicles can navigate in two dimensions, and wherein each of the subset of the manufacturing units includes at least one robotic worker mounted on top of a mounting base mounted on or within the grid track structure, and wherein a width of the mounting base in each of the two dimensions does not exceed a distance between two adjacent parallel tracks of the grid track structure.

25. The manufacturing system of claim 1, further comprising a grid track structure on which at least a subset of the manufacturing units are located, wherein the grid track structure comprises a plurality of sets of intersecting tracks on which the robotic storage/retrieval vehicle can navigate in two dimensions, and wherein the grid track structure comprises square blocks, and wherein each of the square blocks is defined by a first pair of parallel tracks located in a first direction and a second pair of parallel tracks located in a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, and wherein each of the manufacturing units occupies a unit space having an area equal to an area of a predetermined number of the square blocks.

26. The manufacturing system of claim 25, wherein at least one of the cell spaces is a square space having an area that is divisible into nine square subspaces, and wherein each of the nine square subspaces has an area equal to an area of one of the square blocks of the grid track structure, and wherein four corner-drop subspaces of the nine square subspaces are configured as receiving areas for receiving supplies required by a corresponding one of the manufacturing cells, and wherein a first pair of intermediate peripheral subspaces between the four corner-drop subspaces on a first pair of opposing peripheral sides of the at least one cell space are occupied by the robotic worker, and wherein a central subspace between the robotic workers is configured as a work area to which the workpiece is transferred, and the workpiece is processed by the robot worker at the work area.

27. The manufacturing system of claim 26, wherein a second pair of intermediate peripheral subspaces located between the four corner subspace of a second pair of opposing peripheral sides of the at least one cell space is adjacent the workspace, and wherein at least one of the second pair of intermediate peripheral subspaces is an unoccupied open area through which the robotic storage/retrieval vehicle is configured to access the workspace.

28. The manufacturing system of claim 27, wherein each of the second pair of intermediate peripheral subspaces is an unoccupied open area, whereby the robotic storage/retrieval vehicle is configured to travel completely through each respective one of the manufacturing cells.

29. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of manufacturing units are configured as a multi-layer structure comprising multiple layers of manufacturing units.

30. The manufacturing system of claim 29, wherein the multi-layer structure comprises:

a grid track structure located at each of said plurality of levels, wherein said grid track structure comprises a plurality of sets of intersecting tracks on which said robotic storage/retrieval vehicle is navigable in two dimensions; and

an upright frame member interconnecting the cross rails of the plurality of levels.

31. The manufacturing system of claim 30, wherein one or more of said upright frame members are configured to allow said robotic storage/retrieval vehicle to travel in an ascending direction and/or a descending direction on said upright frame members to transition between said plurality of levels.

32. The manufacturing system of claim 31, wherein said grid track structure at one of said plurality of levels of said multi-level structure is connected to a corresponding one of said storage levels in said ASRS structure, said robotic storage/retrieval vehicle configured to transfer between said ASRS structure and said multi-level structure at said corresponding one level.

33. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the manufacturing units include fully automated manufacturing units configured with respect to a grid track structure comprising a plurality of sets of intersecting tracks on which the robotic storage/retrieval vehicle is navigable in two dimensions, and one or more human-engaged manufacturing units, wherein the fully automated manufacturing units are located at distributed locations throughout a major interior region of the grid track structure, and wherein the one or more human-engaged manufacturing units are located at a peripheral region of the grid track structure.

34. The manufacturing system of claim 1, further comprising a computer control system in operable communication with the fleet of robotic storage/retrieval vehicles, wherein the computer control system comprises: a network interface connected to a communication network; at least one processor connected to the network interface; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is configured to store computer program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to launch one or more of the robotic storage/retrieval vehicles to perform one or more of:

(a) navigating within the ASRS structure and/or through the manufacturing unit;

(b) retrieving one or more of the artifacts contained in one or more storage cells from the storage location of the ASRS structure;

(c) transferring the one or more workpieces contained in the one or more storage units to at least one preparation station to pack prepare the one or more workpieces into one or more kit storage units;

(d) picking up the one or more kit storage units from the at least one preparation workstation;

(e) returning and storing the one or more suite storage units to the storage location of the ASRS framework;

(f) taken from the same ASRS structure: at least one of the one or more kit storage units and one or more of the workpieces contained in another one or more of the storage units, one or more of the tools contained in yet another one or more of the storage units, and one or more workpiece supports;

(g) transferring the at least one of the one or more kit storage units and the one or more workpieces contained in the other one or more storage units, the one or more tooling contained in the yet another one or more storage units, and the one or more workpiece supports to the manufacturing unit to manufacture the article; and

(h) the article on the final workpiece holder is introduced into the ASRS structure.

35. A manufacturing system, comprising:

a storage arrangement comprising:

an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) structure comprising a three-dimensional array of storage locations distributed over a two-dimensional footprint of the ASRS structure of a plurality of storage levels throughout the ASRS structure, wherein the ASRS structure further comprises at least one track assembly layer comprising a two-dimensional grid track layout;

a batch of workpieces stored within said storage locations of said ASRS structure for fabrication of articles therefrom; and

a fleet of robotic storage/retrieval vehicles navigable along at least two dimensions within the ASRS structure on the two-dimensional grid track layout;

a plurality of manufacturing units located outside of the ASRS structure, wherein each of the plurality of manufacturing units includes one or more modular components; and

a track structure connected to the ASRS structure and arranging one or more travel paths traversable from the ASRS structure by the robotic storage/retrieval vehicle, wherein at least a subset of the manufacturing units are positioned along the track structure.

36. The manufacturing system of claim 35, wherein said track structure is a grid track structure comprising a plurality of sets of intersecting tracks on which said robotic storage/retrieval vehicle may navigate along said at least two dimensions.

37. The manufacturing system of claim 36, wherein each of the one or more modular components includes a footprint having a width in at least one of the at least two dimensions generally equal to an integer multiple of a distance between two adjacent parallel rails of the grid rail structure.

38. The manufacturing system of claim 36, wherein each of the one or more modular components includes a footprint having a width in each of the at least two dimensions that does not exceed a distance between two adjacent parallel rails of the grid rail structure.

39. The manufacturing system of claim 35, wherein said storage arrangement further comprises a batch of tooling for manufacturing said article, wherein said tooling is stored in the same ASRS structure as said workpiece, and wherein said tooling is removable from said same ASRS structure and transferable to said manufacturing unit by said same fleet of robotic storage/retrieval vehicles.

40. The manufacturing system of claim 35, wherein the one or more modular components comprise a robotic worker module.

41. The manufacturing system of claim 35, wherein the one or more modular components include a receiving station module configured to receive supplies required for each of the manufacturing units.

42. The manufacturing system of claim 41, wherein said storage arrangement further comprises a batch of storage units of compatible size and shape for storage in said storage locations of said ASRS structure, wherein said storage units are configured to be carried by said robotic storage/retrieval vehicle for transfer of said storage units to and from said storage locations and for transfer of said storage units to and from said manufacturing units, and wherein said receiving station modules are configured to receive said storage units.

43. The manufacturing system of claim 35, wherein the storage arrangement further comprises a batch of storage units compatible in size and shape for storage in the storage locations of the ASRS structure, wherein the storage units are configured to be carried by the robotic storage/retrieval vehicle for transfer of the storage units to and from the storage locations and for transfer of the storage units to and from the manufacturing units, and wherein the storage units comprise at least one of:

a plurality of workpiece storage units, each of the workpiece storage units configured to receive one or more of the workpieces; and

a tool storage unit, each of the tool storage units configured to store one or more of the tools.

44. The manufacturing system of claim 35, wherein the track structure is an extension of the two-dimensional grid track layout of the at least one track assembly layer of the ASRS structure.

45. A method for performing a workflow in a manufacturing system, the method comprising:

(a) in an automated storage system (ASRS) configuration of the manufacturing system, storing workpieces and workpiece supports in respective storage locations of the ASRS configuration, wherein the workpieces are stored in workpiece storage units of the storage locations;

(b) extracting one or more of said workpiece storage units and a selected workpiece carrier from said ASRS structure and transferring said one or more workpiece storage units and said selected workpiece carrier, respectively, to a manufacturing unit based on requirements of a manufacturing process to be performed by the manufacturing unit outside of said ASRS structure using a fleet of robotic storage/retrieval vehicles navigable within said ASRS structure;

(c) positioning, at the manufacturing cell, the selected workpiece holder at a work location accessible to one or more workers of the manufacturing cell; and

(d) at the manufacturing unit, with the selected workpiece holder fixed in the working position:

(i) transferring one or more of the workpieces from the one or more workpiece storage units to the selected workpiece support; and

(ii) performing a processing step of the manufacturing process on the one or more workpieces secured to the selected workpiece supports.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein step (b) comprises: the picking and transferring of the one or more workpiece storage units and the selected workpiece supports from the ASRS structure to the manufacturing unit is performed separately using the same type of robotic storage/retrieval vehicle.

47. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

in step (a), storing a tooling component storage unit in the ASRS structure, wherein the tooling component storage unit is configured to accommodate tooling components used in the manufacturing process; and

prior to step (d) (ii), extracting a subset of the tool storage units from the ASRS structure using one of the robotic storage/retrieval vehicles and transmitting the subset of the tool storage units to the manufacturing unit.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein step (d) (ii) comprises: attaching one of the tool pieces selected from the subset of the tool piece storage unit to a robotic worker of the manufacturing unit in accordance with requirements of a manufacturing process to be performed on the one or more workpieces by the robotic worker prior to performing the processing step of the manufacturing process.

49. The method of claim 45, wherein the one or more workpiece storage units comprises two workpiece storage units, and wherein step (b) comprises: transferring said two workpiece storage units to two corresponding receiving areas of said fabrication cell; and wherein step (d) (i) comprises: transferring two workpieces from the two workpiece storage units respectively placed in the two corresponding accommodation areas to the selected workpiece support.

50. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

after step (d) (i), removing unneeded or empty workpiece storage units from the manufacturing cell, wherein in the unneeded or empty workpiece storage units, selected one or more of the workpieces have been removed in step (d) (i) and there have been no more workpieces that are needed in the manufacturing process of the manufacturing cell; and

transferring an additional workpiece storage unit to the manufacturing unit using one of the robotic storage/retrieval vehicles, the additional workpiece storage unit including one or more additional workpieces required at the manufacturing unit.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the one or more additional workpieces are for different manufacturing processes to be performed at the same manufacturing cell, and wherein, after step (d) (ii), the method further comprises:

removing the selected workpiece support that has been processed in step (d) (ii) and the one or more workpieces on the selected workpiece support from the manufacturing cell;

transferring another workpiece holder to the manufacturing cell for the different manufacturing process using one of the robotic storage/retrieval vehicles;

supporting the other workpiece support in the working position;

transferring the one or more additional workpieces from the additional workpiece storage unit onto the another workpiece support; and

performing one or more processing steps of the different manufacturing process on the one or more additional workpieces.

52. The method of claim 51, further comprising: removing the unneeded or empty workpiece storage units using a robotic storage/retrieval vehicle different from the robotic storage/retrieval vehicle that transferred the additional workpiece storage units to the manufacturing unit.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the different robotic storage/retrieval vehicle configurations are configured to: removing the unnecessary or empty workpiece storage units after the different workpiece storage units have been unloaded at the different manufacturing units to supply the contents of the different workpiece storage units to the different manufacturing units.

54. The method of claim 45, further comprising: introducing the finished product into the ASRS structure on one of the robotic storage/retrieval vehicles after finishing the finished product by processing the one or more workpieces at one or more manufacturing units.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising: performing one or more final processing steps on a final workpiece support to complete the finished article, and introducing the finished article on the final workpiece support into the ASRS structure.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein the final workpiece holder is the same as the selected workpiece holder to which the one or more workpieces were transferred in step (d) (i).

57. The method of claim 45, further comprising: prior to step (a), filling each of the workpiece storage units with a kit of different workpieces as required by the manufacturing process.

58. The method as recited in claim 57, wherein the filling of each of the workpiece storage units is performed at a stock preparation workstation coupled to the ASRS structure, and wherein, at the stock preparation workstation:

the fleet of robotic storage/retrieval vehicles configured to deliver inventory storage units retrieved from respective storage locations in the ASRS structure, wherein the inventory storage units are configured to include inventory artifacts;

picking the different workpieces of the kit from the inventory workpieces in the inventory storage unit and compiling into the workpiece storage unit; and is

Each of the workpiece storage units is carried away from the preparation workstation by one of the robotic storage/retrieval vehicles and stored at a corresponding storage location in the ASRS structure for subsequent retrieval from the ASRS structure in step (a).

Technical Field

Embodiments herein relate generally to manufacturing. More particularly, embodiments herein relate to manufacturing systems having interconnected automated warehouse systems (ASRS) and manufacturing units that share a common fleet of robotic storage/retrieval vehicles (RSRVs) that navigate within the ASRS structure and transfer components from the ASRS structure to the various manufacturing units of the manufacturing system.

Background

Automation in manufacturing generally refers to implementing a system that performs mechanical operations, such as processing, assembly, material handling, etc., in a fully automated manner. Automated manufacturing includes automated steps of a manufacturing process that, in addition to the automated steps, involve the transfer of specific components, such as workpieces, workpiece supports, tooling, etc., required at various manufacturing units of a manufacturing facility according to the specific manufacturing process being performed at each manufacturing unit. With the continued development of automation technology, most operations in a manufacturing facility are typically performed with automated machines and robots with minimal human intervention. In some automated manufacturing facilities, the order of processing operations is determined by the configuration of the manufacturing equipment and cannot be changed from one order to another. In other automated manufacturing facilities that implement programmable automation, reprogramming and converting manufacturing equipment for each order is time consuming and can result in long downtime, thereby reducing manufacturing speed. Given that reprogramming and conversion of manufacturing equipment is time intensive, other automated manufacturing facilities greatly limit the number and variety of articles manufactured, thereby further reducing manufacturing speed.

Traditionally, manufacturing follows a linear workflow, where each manufacturing step is performed in a sequence defined by the typical unidirectional flow of a transport system or transport path. Once the workflow is designed and the conveyor is secured to the factory floor, the manufacturing workflow is substantially difficult to modify as the requirements change. As customer expectations for customized products have increased rapidly, manufacturers have aimed to stand out by focusing on customer experience. Accordingly, there is a need for a manufacturing system that is automated and has the ability to easily and flexibly adapt to changing conditions.

Conventional manufacturing facilities include two or more discrete manufacturing areas, and mostly separate or separated lines, in which manufacturing units are interconnected by large-scale remote transport systems and transportation paths. Conventional manufacturing facility layouts typically rely on large scale remote transport systems, numerous lanes between shelves, and widely spaced and discrete manufacturing areas and are therefore space-intensive, operation-intensive, and equipment-intensive. Conventional systems separate each manufacturing process into separate functions that are managed by separate entities connected by fixed conveyor belts or ground transportation. The manufacturing processes typically include receiving, preparing, building subassemblies, and final assembly, which are typically independent processes that are run by independent manufacturing equipment connected by linear conveyors or ground transportation. Depending on the assembly process, the manufacturing unit is typically configured for a single subassembly and requires many transport paths to complete the final assembly. All manufacturing processes need to be completed by a single automated material handling system that does not require remote conveyors or ground transportation, and the manufacturing units can be software configured and programmed as needed.

Automated storage systems (ASRS) used in some manufacturing facilities are typically not connected to the manufacturing units, making it difficult to access the components stored in the ASRS and required to perform the manufacturing process at the manufacturing units. In addition, ASRS equipment relies on downstream sorting solutions to deliver items to a work area at the correct time and in the correct order. There is a need to integrate an ASRS capable of handling a large inventory into a manufacturing environment by connecting a scalable manufacturing unit to the ASRS to provide convenient access to a large number of components, such as workpieces and workpiece suites and associated tooling and workpiece supports, to optimize the manufacture of articles. In addition, it is desirable to configure manufacturing units on-the-fly for a wide variety of on-demand manufacturing processes and to transport items between all manufacturing units in any order, thereby allowing any number of processes to be completed multiple times in any order. Furthermore, it is desirable to transfer the workpiece, tooling member and workpiece support to the manufacturing cell on time at any stage of the manufacturing process to manufacture the subassembly on time.

Another difficulty with conventional manufacturing methods is that, because of the reliance on one-way conveyors and line flow paths between processes, buffer storage is required if the line flow rates are different. Without buffer storage, if the upstream process is processing items faster than the downstream process at any given time, material can quickly accumulate and crash the system. Due to the complexity and expense of buffering each process, conventional automated solutions attempt to solve the problem through rigorous front-end equipment and workflow design, and careful management during operation, to ensure acceptable traffic between processes. Thus, the workflow cannot be flexibly changed once established, and the manufacturer is still vulnerable to unexpected circumstances.

In addition, in the conventional method, it is necessary to physically transfer a workpiece or the like from one manufacturing unit to another. Further, each manufacturing unit receives the components and identifies the components, such as by bar code scanning, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) scanning, and the like, to complete the logical transfer of custody between entities, which is another disadvantage of conventional logistics. In addition, because conventional automated solutions rely on miles of fixed above-ground conveyors or travel paths, and most of the vertical space above the conveyor system and workstations is not used, the footprint of the overall operation is relatively large.

Accordingly, there is a long felt need for a manufacturing system having interconnected ASRS and manufacturing units that share a common fleet of robotic storage/retrieval vehicles (RSRVs) that navigate within the ASRS structure and transfer components from the ASRS structure to the various manufacturing units of the manufacturing system to manufacture articles in a time, space and operational efficient manner while addressing the above-mentioned problems associated with the prior art.

Disclosure of Invention

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further disclosed in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Embodiments herein address the need for a manufacturing system having interconnected automated warehouse systems (ASRS) and manufacturing units that share a common fleet of robotic storage/retrieval vehicles (RSRVs) that navigate within the ASRS structure and transfer components from the ASRS structure to the various manufacturing units of the manufacturing system to manufacture articles in a time-efficient, space-efficient, and operational efficient manner. The manufacturing system disclosed herein is capable of easily and flexibly adapting to changing conditions. Embodiments herein allow all manufacturing processes to be completed with a single automated manufacturing system that does not require remote conveyors or ground transportation, and the manufacturing units can be software configured as needed. Embodiments herein integrate an ASRS capable of handling large inventories into a manufacturing environment by connecting a scalable manufacturing unit to the ASRS to provide convenient access to multiple components, such as workpieces and workpiece suites and associated toolpieces and workpiece supports, to optimize item manufacturing.

In the manufacturing system disclosed herein, manufacturing units may be configured on-the-fly for a wide variety of on-demand manufacturing processes. In addition, the manufacturing system allows components and articles to be transported in any order and sequence between all manufacturing units, rather than linearly with a conveyor, allowing any number of processes to be completed multiple times in any order. Further, the manufacturing system disclosed herein punctually transfers components to the manufacturing unit at any stage of the manufacturing process to punctually manufacture subassemblies. Additionally, the manufacturing system disclosed herein allows for buffering of components and finished products in the ASRS structure between processes performed by the manufacturing units. Furthermore, the continuity between each ASRS structure and the manufacturing units outside the ASRS structure allows for direct physical transfer of components and finished goods without the need to identify or scan the components and finished goods.

A manufacturing system disclosed herein includes a storage configuration including an ASRS structure, a batch of workpieces, and a fleet of RSRVs. The ASRS structure includes a three-dimensional array of storage locations distributed over a two-dimensional footprint of the ASRS structure of multiple storage tiers within the overall ASRS structure. The batch of workpieces is stored within a storage location of an ASRS structure for fabrication of articles from the workpieces. Each RSRV of the fleet of RSRVs may navigate along three dimensions within the ASRS structure to enter a storage location in the 3D array. In an embodiment, the ASRS structure comprises at least one track assembly layer comprising a 2D grid track layout. The fleet of RSRVs is navigable within the ASRS structure along at least two dimensions on a 2D grid track layout. The manufacturing system disclosed herein further includes a plurality of manufacturing units located outside of the ASRS structure. In an embodiment, the fabrication system disclosed herein further comprises a rail structure connected to the ASRS structure, the rail structure extending beyond the 2D footprint of the ASRS structure to define an extension of the ASRS structure. In an embodiment, the track structure is an extension of a 2D grid track layout of a track assembly layer of an ASRS structure. The track structure is configured to define one or more travel paths over which RSRV can navigate and along which manufacturing units are distributed. The same fleet of RSRVs, navigable along three dimensions within the ASRS structure, is operable to transfer workpieces to a manufacturing cell. In one embodiment, the workpieces may be transported between each manufacturing cell in any order. In another embodiment, a first one of the manufacturing cells receives a workpiece to perform one or more of the plurality of processing steps of the manufacturing process, then stores the workpiece in the storage location of the ASRS structure, and then retrieves the workpiece from the storage location of the ASRS structure to transfer the workpiece to a second one of the manufacturing cells. In another embodiment, each manufacturing cell is configured to receive a workpiece multiple times to perform one or more processing steps of a manufacturing process.

In one embodiment, the storage arrangement of a manufacturing system disclosed herein further comprises a batch of tooling for manufacturing the article. The tool pieces are stored in the same ASRS structure as the workpiece. The tool pieces may be removed from the same ASRS structure by the same fleet RSRV and transferred to the manufacturing unit.

In one embodiment, the storage configuration of the manufacturing system disclosed herein further comprises a batch of size and shape compatible storage cells for storage in the storage locations of the ASRS structure. The memory cells are configured to be carried by the RSRV to transfer the memory cells to and from storage locations, and to transfer the memory cells to and from manufacturing units. In an embodiment, the storage unit comprises a workpiece storage unit or a tool piece storage unit or any combination thereof. Each workpiece storage unit is configured to hold one or more workpieces. Each tool storage unit is configured to receive one or more tools. In one embodiment, the manufacturing units are arranged in a continuous array on the outside of the ASRS structure. In one embodiment, the memory cells are configured to be transferred to and from the storage locations of the ASRS structure, and to and from the manufacturing cells, due to the continuous arrangement of the manufacturing cells, without the need to identify the memory cells.

In one embodiment, the workpiece storage unit includes an inventory storage unit and a kit storage unit. Each inventory storage unit is configured to include a collection of inventory workpieces. Each kit storage unit is configured to include a kit of hybrid workpieces, wherein the hybrid workpieces are picked from one or more inventory storage units according to a manufacturing process to be performed on the hybrid workpieces once delivered to one manufacturing unit. In another embodiment, the manufacturing system disclosed herein further comprises at least one stock preparation workstation configured to receive the inventory storage unit conveyed by RSRV from the ASRS structure to allow picking of the inventory workpiece from the inventory storage unit at the stock preparation workstation. In an embodiment, the preparation workstation is configured to receive unloading of the workpiece storage units by the same fleet of RSRVs, and/or travel of the workpiece storage units through the preparation workstation.

In one embodiment, the storage arrangement of a manufacturing system disclosed herein further comprises a batch of workpiece supports. Each workpiece support is configured to receive one or more workpieces in a predetermined position during fabrication of the article. The workpiece supports are stored in the same ASRS structure as the workpiece. The workpiece supports may be removed from the same ASRS structure by the same fleet of RSRVs and transferred to the manufacturing unit. In an embodiment, each workpiece support has a universal footprint of standardized size and shape, the same size and shape as compatible sizes and shapes of each of the array of storage units, configured to fit within a storage location of the ASRS structure. Each workpiece support includes a base having a standardized shape and size configured to fit within a storage location of the ASRS structure. In an embodiment, each workpiece support and each storage unit are configured with a matching arrangement of interface features by which the RSRV interacts with the workpiece supports and storage units to allow loading and unloading of the workpiece supports and storage units to and from the RSRV.

In one embodiment, the storage arrangement comprises a batch of tool pieces or a batch of workpiece holders stored in the ASRS structure in addition to the batch of workpieces stored in the storage location of the ASRS structure. Each tool piece is useful for performing one or more processing steps of a manufacturing process on one or more workpieces during the manufacture of an article. Each workpiece support is configured to receive one or more workpieces in a predetermined position during fabrication of the article. In this embodiment, the fleet of RSRVs are operable to retrieve the workpieces and at least one of the tool pieces and the workpiece supports from the storage location. The same fleet of RSRVs, navigable in three dimensions within the ASRS structure, is operable to convey supplies or components, such as workpieces and tool pieces and/or workpiece supports, between manufacturing units. In one embodiment, the components may be shipped between each manufacturing unit in any order. In another embodiment, each manufacturing unit is configured to receive the assembly multiple times to perform one or more process steps of the manufacturing process.

In one embodiment, each manufacturing cell includes at least one workpiece receiving area configured to receive a workpiece to be processed at the corresponding manufacturing cell. The workpiece receiving area is configured to receive a workpiece storage unit disposed thereon. In one embodiment, the workpiece receiving area includes two workpiece receiving areas. Each of the two workpiece receiving areas is configured to receive a respective desired set of workpieces at a corresponding manufacturing cell.

In an embodiment, at least a subset of the manufacturing units are located in the track structure or in an area of the track structure. In an embodiment, the track structure is a grid track structure comprising a plurality of sets of intersecting tracks on which RSRV can navigate along two dimensions. In one embodiment, the width of the workpiece receiving area in each of the two dimensions is generally equal to an integer multiple of the distance between two adjacent parallel rails of the grid rail structure. In another embodiment, the width of the workpiece receiving area in each of the two dimensions does not exceed the distance between two adjacent parallel rails of the grid rail structure.

In one embodiment, the grid track structure comprises square blocks. Each square block is defined by a first pair of parallel rails located in a first direction and a second pair of parallel rails located in a second direction, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. Each of the manufacturing units occupies a cell space having an area equal to an area of a predetermined number of square blocks. In one embodiment, at least one of the cell spaces is a square space, and the area of the square space can be divided into nine square subspaces. The area of each of the nine square subspaces is equal to the area of one square block of the grid track structure. Four corner subspaces in the nine square subspaces are configured as accommodation areas for accommodating materials required by corresponding manufacturing units. In an embodiment, a first pair of intermediate peripheral subspaces located between the four corner drop subspaces of a first pair of opposing peripheral sides of the cell space is occupied by a robotic robot. In an embodiment, a central subspace located between the robot workers is configured as a working area, to which workpieces are transferred and in which workpieces are processed by the robot workers. In one embodiment, a second pair of intermediate perimeter subspaces located between the four corner subspace of a second pair of opposing perimeter sides of the cellular space is adjacent the workspace. In an embodiment, at least one of the second pair of intermediate peripheral subspaces is an unoccupied open area through which the RSRV is configured to enter and exit the workspace. In another embodiment, each of the second pair of intermediate peripheral subspaces is an unoccupied open area, whereby the RSRV is configured to travel completely through the respective manufacturing unit.

In an embodiment, each manufacturing cell includes at least one robotic picker operable to pick workpieces from the workpiece receiving areas. In another embodiment, each manufacturing cell further comprises a work area to which the picked workpiece is transferred from the workpiece receiving area by the robotic picker.

In one embodiment, each manufacturing unit in the subset includes at least one tool receiving area configured to receive tool pieces required at the respective manufacturing unit. In one embodiment, the width of the tool receiving area in each of the two dimensions is generally equal to the distance between two adjacent parallel rails of the grid rail structure. In another embodiment, the width of the tool receiving area in each of the two dimensions does not exceed the distance between two adjacent parallel rails of the grid rail structure. In an embodiment, each manufacturing unit in the subset comprises at least one robot worker mounted on top of a mounting base mounted on or within the grid rail structure. In an embodiment, the width of the mounting base in each of the two dimensions is generally equal to an integer multiple of the distance between two adjacent parallel rails of the grid rail structure. In another embodiment, the mounting base has a width in each of two dimensions that does not exceed a distance between two adjacent parallel rails of the grid rail structure.

In an embodiment, the manufacturing units of the manufacturing system disclosed herein are configured as a multi-layer structure comprising multiple layers of manufacturing units. In one embodiment, the multilayer structure comprises: a grid track structure located at each of the plurality of layers; and an upright frame member. The grid track structure comprises a plurality of sets of intersecting tracks on which RSRV can navigate in two dimensions. Upright frame members interconnect the cross rails of the multiple levels. In an embodiment, one or more upright frame members are configured to cause RSRV to travel in an ascending and/or descending direction on the upright frame members to transition between the plurality of levels. In an embodiment, the grid track structure at one of the plurality of layers of the multi-layer structure is connected to a respective one of the storage layers in the ASRS structure, the RSRV being configured at the respective one layer to be transferred between the ASRS structure and the multi-layer structure.

In an embodiment, the manufacturing unit comprises a fully automated manufacturing unit configured with respect to the grid track structure and one or more human-participated manufacturing units. The fully automated manufacturing units are located at distributed locations throughout a major interior region of the grid track structure. The artificially involved manufacturing units are located in a peripheral region of the grid track structure.

In an embodiment, the manufacturing system disclosed herein further comprises a Computer Control System (CCS) operable to communicate with the fleet of RSRVs. The CCS comprises: a network interface connected to a communication network; at least one processor connected to the network interface; and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium communicatively connected to the processor. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, such as a memory unit, configured to store computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to initiate one or more RSRVs to perform one or more of: (a) navigating within the ASRS structure and/or through the manufacturing unit; (b) retrieving one or more workpieces contained in one or more storage cells from a storage location of the ASRS structure; (c) conveying one or more workpieces contained in one or more storage units to at least one preparation station for preparing workpiece packages into one or more kit storage units; (d) picking up one or more kit storage units from a preparation workstation; returning and storing one or more suite storage units to a storage location of the ASRS structure; (f) taken from the same ASRS structure: at least one of one or more kit storage units and one or more workpieces contained in another one or more storage units, one or more tools contained in yet another one or more storage units, and one or more workpiece supports; (g) transferring at least one of the one or more kit storage units and the one or more workpieces contained in the one or more storage units, the one or more tooling contained in the one or more storage units, and the one or more workpiece supports to a manufacturing unit to manufacture an article; and (h) introducing the article on the final workpiece holder into the ASRS structure.

A method for performing a workflow in a manufacturing system is also disclosed herein. In the methods disclosed herein, the workpiece and the workpiece support are stored in respective storage locations of the ASRS structure. The work is stored in a work storage unit of the storage location. In one embodiment, each workpiece storage unit is filled with a kit of different workpieces as required by the manufacturing process. In one embodiment, each workpiece storage unit is filled at a preparation workstation coupled to the ASRS structure. At a stock preparation workstation, the fleet of RSRV configured to convey inventory storage units taken from respective storage locations in an ASRS structure, the inventory storage units comprising inventory workpieces; picking up different workpieces of the kit from the stock workpieces in the stock storage unit and compiling the workpieces into the workpiece storage unit; and, one RSRV for each workpiece storage unit is carried away from the preparation workstation and stored in a storage location of a respective one of the ASRS structures for subsequent removal from the ASRS structure.

In one embodiment, a tooling storage unit configured to hold tooling used in a manufacturing process is stored in the ASRS structure. Using the fleet of RSRVs navigable within the ASRS structure, one or more workpiece storage units and selected workpiece supports are extracted from the ASRS structure and transferred to the manufacturing unit, respectively, as required by the manufacturing process to be performed by the manufacturing unit outside of the ASRS structure. In an embodiment, the same type of RSRV is configured to perform the extraction and transfer of the workpiece storage unit and selected workpiece supports from the ASRS structure to the manufacturing unit individually. At the manufacturing cell, the selected workpiece support is positioned at a work location accessible to one or more workers of the manufacturing cell. At the manufacturing cell, with the selected workpiece support secured in the working position, (i) transferring one or more workpieces from the workpiece storage cell onto the selected workpiece support; and (ii) performing a processing step of the manufacturing process on the workpiece secured to the selected workpiece support. In one embodiment, a subset of the tool storage units is extracted from the ASRS structure using one RSRV and transferred to the manufacturing unit before performing the processing steps of the manufacturing process. In an embodiment, one of the tool pieces selected from the subset of the tool piece storage unit is attached to the robot worker of the manufacturing cell before performing the processing step of the manufacturing process, in accordance with requirements of the manufacturing process to be performed on the workpiece by the robot worker.

In one embodiment, the workpiece storage unit includes two workpiece storage units. In one embodiment, the two workpiece storage units are transferred to two corresponding receiving areas of the manufacturing unit. And transferring the two workpieces from the two workpiece storage units respectively placed in the two corresponding accommodation areas to the selected workpiece supports.

In one embodiment, after transferring the workpieces from the workpiece storage unit to the selected workpiece support, an unneeded or empty workpiece storage unit is removed from the manufacturing unit, wherein the selected workpieces have been removed from the unneeded or empty workpiece storage unit and no more workpieces are needed during the manufacturing process of the manufacturing unit. In this embodiment, an RSRV is used to transfer additional workpiece storage units to the manufacturing unit, including one or more additional workpieces required at the manufacturing unit. In an embodiment, the additional workpieces are used for different manufacturing processes to be performed in the same manufacturing cell. In one embodiment, an RSRV different from the RSRV used to transfer additional workpiece storage units to the manufacturing unit is used to remove unneeded or empty workpiece storage units. In an embodiment, the different RSRV configuration is configured to remove the unwanted or empty workpiece storage unit after a different workpiece storage unit has been unloaded at a different manufacturing unit to supply the contents of the different workpiece storage unit to the different manufacturing unit. Removing the selected workpiece support and the workpiece thereon from the manufacturing cell after performing a processing step of the manufacturing process on the workpiece secured on the selected workpiece support; transferring another workpiece support to the manufacturing cell using one RSRV for a different manufacturing process; supporting the workpiece support in a working position; transferring the additional workpiece from the additional workpiece storage unit to the workpiece support; and, performing one or more processing steps of the different manufacturing processes on the additional workpiece.

In the method disclosed herein, after the finished product is completed by processing the workpieces at one or more manufacturing units, the finished product is introduced into the ASRS structure on the one RSRV. In one embodiment, one or more final processing steps are performed on the final workpiece support to complete the finished article, and the finished article on the final support is introduced into the ASRS structure. In one embodiment, the final workpiece support is the same as the selected workpiece support to which the workpiece is transferred.

The manufacturing systems and methods disclosed herein integrate an ASRS structure with a plurality of manufacturing units in a manner to perform various manufacturing processes on the plurality of manufacturing units. In the manufacturing systems and methods disclosed herein, the grid track structure connected to the lower 2D grid of the ASRS structure allows the same fleet of RSRVs to continuously provide operation to all manufacturing units, wherein the same fleet of RSRVs can navigate to and from the ASRS structure and to and from each manufacturing unit.

In one or more embodiments, the related systems include circuitry and/or programming for performing the methods disclosed herein. The circuitry and/or programming is any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware configured to perform the methods disclosed herein according to the design choices of a system designer. In one embodiment, various structural elements are employed depending upon the design choices of the system designer.

Drawings

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of embodiments, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the embodiments herein, there is shown in the drawings exemplary constructions of the embodiments. However, the embodiments herein are not limited to the specific structures, assemblies, and methods disclosed herein. The description of structures, components, or method steps represented by reference numerals in the drawings applies to the description of structures, components, or method steps represented by the same reference numerals in any drawing that follows herein.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a manufacturing system including an automated storage system (ASRS) architecture adjacent a stock area and a manufacturing center according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 2 is a side perspective view of the manufacturing system shown in fig. 1, according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 3 is a top isometric view of a three-dimensional grid storage structure defining an ASRS structure of a manufacturing system according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 4A is a robotic storage/retrieval vehicle (RSRV) and compatible storage unit employed in an ASRS architecture of a manufacturing system according to an embodiment herein.

Figure 4B illustrates the RSRV and compatible storage unit shown in figure 4A showing the turret arm of the RSRV extended to engage with the storage unit to push or pull the storage unit off of or onto the RSRV, according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 4C is a bottom plan view of the memory cell shown in fig. 4A according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 4D is a partial cross-sectional view of the memory cell shown in fig. 4A showing interface features on a bottom side of the memory cell configured to be compatible with the RSRV shown in fig. 4A-4B, according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 5A is a top perspective view of a workpiece holder that may be stored in an ASRS configuration according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 5B is a top plan view of the workpiece support shown in fig. 5A according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 5C is a side view of the workpiece support shown in fig. 5A according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 6A is a top perspective view of the work support shown in fig. 5A, showing a work piece received within the work support.

Fig. 6B is a top plan view of a workpiece holder with a workpiece received therein according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a stock area of the manufacturing system shown in fig. 1-2, according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 8A-8D are partial top plan views of a manufacturing center of the manufacturing system shown in fig. 1-2, illustrating a fully automated manufacturing unit and an adjacent human participating manufacturing unit, wherein different storage units are employed in the manufacturing workflow, according to various embodiments herein.

Fig. 9A is a perspective view of one fully automated manufacturing unit of the manufacturing center shown in fig. 1-2 showing a robotic picker loading a first workpiece of a first type from a first workpiece storage unit onto a workpiece support carried by an RSRV, according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 9B is a perspective view of a manufacturing cell showing a robot picker loading a second workpiece of a second type from a second workpiece storage cell onto a workpiece support carried by an RSRV to attach it to a first workpiece of a first type by a robot handler on the workpiece support carried by the RSRV and the RSRV removing the first workpiece storage cell including the remaining workpieces of the first type to prepare the manufacturing cell for a subsequent different manufacturing process, according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 9C is a perspective view of the manufacturing cell showing the RSRV transferring a third workpiece storage unit containing a third type of workpiece to the manufacturing cell to replace the removed workpiece storage unit while a robotic handling worker is picking up an automatically selected tool from the tool storage unit to engage a second workpiece to the first workpiece on a workpiece support carried by the RSRV, according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 9D is a perspective view of a manufacturing unit according to an embodiment herein, showing: a completed subassembly of the joined first and second workpieces exiting the fabrication cell on a workpiece support carried by the RSRV; and a new workpiece support carrying workpieces of the fourth type, the new workpiece support being conveyed on another RSRV to be assembled with workpieces of the third type during a subsequent manufacturing process.

Fig. 9E is a perspective view of the manufacturing cell showing a robotic process worker picking an automatically selected tool piece from the tool piece storage unit to join a third workpiece to a fourth workpiece on a new RSRV-carried workpiece carrier while the robotic picker loads a third workpiece of a third type from a third workpiece storage unit onto the new RSRV-carried workpiece carrier, according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 9F is a perspective view of a manufacturing cell showing cooperation between a robotic picker and a robotic handler to join a third workpiece to a fourth workpiece on a new workpiece support carried by an RSRV, according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the manufacturing center shown in fig. 1 and 2 showing an example of one RSRV traveling on a multi-station path to move workpiece supports through multiple manufacturing stages of respective manufacturing units in the manufacturing center, according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the manufacturing center shown in fig. 1 and 2 showing an example of a pair of RSRVs traveling on a multi-station path to transport workpieces and tooling between ASRS structures and manufacturing units of the manufacturing center, according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 12A is a side perspective view of a manufacturing system showing a manufacturing center including a plurality of manufacturing units, with the manufacturing units configured as a multi-layer structure, according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 12B is an enlarged partial perspective view of the manufacturing center shown in fig. 12A according to an embodiment herein.

FIG. 13 is a flow diagram of a method for performing a workflow in a manufacturing system according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 14 is a flow diagram of a method for performing stock preparation operations for a workflow in a manufacturing system according to an embodiment herein.

15A-15C are flow diagrams of methods of performing manufacturing operations using workpiece storage units in a manufacturing system to fulfill a work order according to an embodiment herein.

16A-16C are flow diagrams of methods of performing manufacturing operations using a kit storage unit in a manufacturing system to fulfill a work order according to an embodiment herein.

FIG. 17 is a flow diagram of a method of manufacturing a product in a manufacturing system according to an embodiment herein.

FIG. 18 is an architectural block diagram of a manufacturing system illustrating communication between a computer control system and components of the manufacturing system according to an embodiment herein.

Detailed Description

Various aspects of the present disclosure may be embodied as systems, methods, and/or non-transitory computer-readable storage media having one or more computer-readable program codes stored thereon of components and/or structures. Accordingly, various embodiments of the present disclosure may take the form of a combination of hardware and software embodiments, including, for example, mechanical and electrical components, computing components, circuits, microcode, firmware, software, and so forth.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a manufacturing system 100 according to an embodiment herein, the manufacturing system 100 including an automated storage system (ASRS) structure 101 adjacent to a stock area 102 and a manufacturing center 105. Stock preparation area 102 adjoins ASRS structure 101 at a periphery 101a of ASRS structure 101. The stock preparation area 102 includes one or more stock preparation workstations, such as a manually operated, manually assisted or manually engaged stock preparation workstation 103 and a robotic stock preparation workstation 104 as disclosed in the detailed description of fig. 7. Fabrication center 105 also abuts ASRS structure 101 at a periphery 101a of ASRS structure 101. Fig. 2 is a side perspective view of manufacturing system 100 shown in fig. 1, according to an embodiment herein. Fig. 2 shows one side of an ASRS structure 101 where a stock preparation area 102 and a manufacturing center 105 are located. For illustration, fig. 1-2 show a stock preparation area 102 and a manufacturing center 105, both adjacent to ASRS structure 101 on the same peripheral side 101a of ASRS structure 101; however, the scope of manufacturing system 100 disclosed herein is not limited to configurations in which stock preparation area 102 and manufacturing center 105 are located on the same peripheral side 101a of ASRS structure 101, but may be extended to any configuration in which one or both of stock preparation area 102 and manufacturing center 105 are located on any one or more peripheral sides of ASRS structure 101.

As shown in fig. 3 and 4A-4B, the manufacturing system 100 disclosed herein includes a storage configuration that includes an ASRS structure 101 and a fleet of robotic storage/retrieval vehicles (RSRVs) 306. ASRS structure 101 includes a three-dimensional (3D) array of storage locations distributed over a two-dimensional (2D) footprint of ASRS structure 101 in multiple storage tiers throughout ASRS structure 101. As shown in fig. 3, in one embodiment, ASRS structure 101 is configured as a 3D mesh storage structure 300. Each RSRV306 of the fleet of RSRVs 306 may navigate along three dimensions within ASRS structure 101 to enter a storage location in a 3D array. As described below, the RSRV306 is operable to store and retrieve storage units, such as bins, trays, boxes, pallets, etc., from storage locations of the ASRS structure 101. As shown in fig. 3, in one embodiment, the ASRS structure 101 includes at least one track assembly layer that includes a 2D grid track layout 302. As shown in fig. 3, the fleet of RSRVs 306 may navigate within the ASRS structure 101 in at least two dimensions over the 2D grid track layout 302.

The manufacturing system 100 disclosed herein further includes a plurality of manufacturing units 106 and 107 located outside the ASRS structure 101. The manufacturing units 106 and 107 constitute a manufacturing center 105 of the manufacturing system 100. The manufacturing units 106 and 107 are sorted, standardized and modularly constructed for different manufacturing processes. In an embodiment, the fabrication system 100 disclosed herein further includes a rail structure 108, the rail structure 108 being connected to the ASRS structure 101 and extending beyond the 2D footprint of the ASRS structure 101 to define an extension of the ASRS structure 101. In an embodiment, the track structure 108 is an extension of the 2D grid track layout 302 of the track assembly layer of the ASRS structure 101. The manufacturing unit 106 is arranged relative to the track structure 108. The track structure 108 is configured to define one or more travel paths over which the RSRV306 may navigate and along which the manufacturing units 106 are distributed. The same fleet of RSRVs 306, which may be navigated in three dimensions within ASRS structure 101, may be operable to transfer components, such as workpieces and/or tooling included in a storage unit, workpiece supports, etc., to manufacturing units 106 and 107. In an embodiment, the components may be shipped between each of the manufacturing units 106 and 107 in any order. In another embodiment, each of the manufacturing units 106 and 107 is configured to receive the component multiple times to perform one or more process steps of the manufacturing process. In an embodiment, each of the manufacturing units 106 and 107 is equipped with a product neutral device and is configured to implement a particular basic function of the product. In another embodiment, each manufacturing unit 106 may be individually scalable with process-specific equipment. The manufacturing unit 106 is configured to perform a plurality of manufacturing processes, such as welding, gluing, stamping, brazing, riveting, and the like. Components for subsequent processing steps of the manufacturing process are routed to each manufacturing unit 106 on-the-fly during performance of previous processes of uninterrupted manufacturing. In an embodiment, at least a subset of the manufacturing units 106 are located in the track structure 108 or in an area of the track structure 108. In one embodiment, the track structure 108 is a grid track structure comprising a plurality of sets of intersecting tracks on which the RSRV306 can navigate along two dimensions.

The manufacturing center 105 comprises a plurality of fully automated manufacturing units 106 or robotic manufacturing units 106, the manufacturing units 106 being distributed in a spaced-apart manner over a 2D area of the track structure 108, the track structure 108 being connected to a 2D grid track layout 302 of the ASRS structure 101. The grid track structure 108 of the manufacturing center 105 forms a coplanar extension of the grid lower track layout 302 of the ASRS structure 101 to allow storage units to be deposited and extracted from the ASRS structure 101 at the same fleet of RSRVs 306 that the ASRS structure 101 navigates, and to transfer the extracted storage units to the manufacturing units 106 and 107, and to return the extracted storage units to the ASRS structure 101 when the manufacturing center 105 is no longer needed. In the embodiment illustrated in fig. 1-2, the manufacturing units 106 are arranged, for example, in a rectangular array such that each manufacturing unit 106 is aligned with other manufacturing units 106 located in respective rows and respective columns of the rectangular array. In other embodiments, the fabrication cells 106 are arranged in an array of different configurations. Similarly, although the embodiment shown in fig. 1-2 shows sixteen manufacturing units 106, the number of manufacturing units 106 may vary and need not be a square number, whether the manufacturing units 106 are arranged in a rectangular array, another uniformly distributed pattern or array, or in any other pattern, uniform, or other manner.

As shown in fig. 1-2, the fully automated manufacturing units 106 are distributed over a major interior region of the grid track structure 108. That is, the fully automated manufacturing units 106 are located at distributed locations throughout the main interior region of the grid track structure 108. In one embodiment, each fully automated manufacturing unit 106 includes at least one robotic picker 109, the robotic picker 109 operable to pick components, such as workpieces, tooling, etc., from a receiving area disposed in the respective manufacturing unit 106. In the embodiment illustrated in fig. 1-2, the manufacturing center 105 further comprises one or more manually operated, manually assisted or manually engaged manufacturing units 107, the manufacturing units 107 being located, for example, in a peripheral region 108a of the grid track structure 108. In one embodiment, the manually engaged manufacturing unit 107 is specifically located on the side of the grid track structure 108 furthest from the ASRS structure 101; however, in other embodiments, the artificially involved manufacturing units 107 are additionally or alternatively located on either of two lateral sides 108b and 108c of the grid track structure 108 extending outwardly from the peripheral side 101a of the ASRS structure 101. Furthermore, for illustration, fig. 1-2 show an ASRS structure 101 adjacent to a single manufacturing center 105, wherein the entire grid track structure 108 and all manufacturing units 106, 107 are located on a single side 101a of the ASRS structure 101. In another embodiment, the manufacturing system 100 disclosed herein is configured such that the grid track structure 108 of a single manufacturing center 105 occupies more than one side of the ASRS structure 101. In another embodiment, the plurality of manufacturing centers includes respective grid track structures adjacent to respective different sides of the ASRS structure 101 such that navigation of the RSRV306 is performed between the grid track structures of the separate manufacturing centers by the grid lower track layout 302 of the ASRS structure 101.

As shown in fig. 18, in an embodiment, the manufacturing system 100 disclosed herein further includes a Computer Control System (CCS)131, the CCS131 in operable communication with the fleet of RSRVs 306. At various stages of the workflow performed by manufacturing system 100, CCS131 initiates one or more RSRVs 306 to perform one or more of the following: (a) navigation within the ASRS structure 101 and/or through the manufacturing units 106, 107; (b) retrieving one or more workpieces contained in one or more storage cells from a storage location of ASRS structure 101; (c) transferring one or more workpieces contained in one or more storage units to at least one preparation station 103, 104 for preparing workpiece packages into one or more kit storage units; (d) picking up one or more kit storage units from the preparation workstations 103, 104; returning and storing one or more suite storage units to a storage location of ASRS structure 101; (f) taken from the same ASRS structure 101: at least one of one or more kit storage units and one or more workpieces contained in another one or more storage units, one or more tools contained in yet another one or more storage units, and one or more workpiece supports; (g) transferring at least one of the one or more kit storage units and the one or more workpieces contained in the one or more storage units, the one or more tooling contained in the one or more storage units, and the one or more workpiece supports to a manufacturing unit 106, 107 to manufacture an article; and (h) introducing the finished product on the final workpiece holder into the ASRS structure 101. When the product changes, the manufacturing units 106, 107 are automatically upgraded for a new task. In one embodiment, the CCS131 automatically upgrades the manufacturing units 106, 107 for new tasks. When a worker performs testing and maintenance on a particular manufacturing unit, the task may be transferred to other manufacturing units to achieve uninterrupted manufacturing. In the case where any of the manufacturing units 106, 107 is performing an uninterrupted manufacturing process, the manufacturing units 106, 107 are configured on-the-fly as needed.

Consider an example workflow of the manufacturing system 100 disclosed herein. Materials such as workpieces are introduced into the storage unit and stored in the ASRS structure 101. Similarly, materials such as tooling are introduced into the storage unit and stored in the ASRS structure 101. Further, a work support such as a jig is introduced and stored in the ASRS structure 101. The CCS131 receives a digitized production plan with specified materials or workpiece kits/toolkits and associated process instructions. The digital instructions for the software configure the manufacturing unit 106 to manufacture the article or product. The production plan includes details of all processes required to manufacture the article. The details include, for example: a list of all procedures involving manufactured items, where each process is assigned to one or more manufacturing units 106; a list of materials required to complete each process; a list of tools required to complete each process; and a list of steps/specifications required by the robot worker to complete each process, etc. Kit storage units, including, for example, workpiece kit boxes and tool kit boxes, are established at the preparation workstations 103, 104 and stored in the ASRS structure 101. The workpiece kit box containing the workpieces is cycled through the pick access of the preparation workstation 103 or 104 to allow a human or robotic worker to pick all of the workpieces required for each manufacturing process. The kit of tool pieces including the tool pieces is circulated through the pick access of the preparation station 103 or 104 to allow a human or robotic worker to pick all of the work pieces required for each manufacturing process. In an embodiment, the workpiece kit box and/or the tool kit box comprises inserts, such as foam, inserts, etc., to arrange the workpieces and/or the tool pieces depending on whether the robot is able to handle the workpieces or the tool pieces. After assembly, the work piece kit and tool piece kit are stored back in the ASRS structure 101.

CCS131 receives production or work orders and assigns one or more manufacturing units 106 and 107 to manufacturing processes using order prioritization. The RSRV306 routes one or more of the workpiece kit boxes and the tool kit boxes out and to a receiving station at a designated manufacturing cell 106. The RSRV306 routes the workpiece supports or fixtures out and to the fixture access of the designated manufacturing unit 106. The first robot worker is, for example, a robot picker at a designated manufacturing cell 106, which takes a workpiece out of the workpiece kit box and places the taken workpiece in a workpiece support or precisely positions the workpiece to assemble the workpiece to another workpiece already positioned on the workpiece support. The second robot is, for example, a robot handler at a designated manufacturing cell, which performs processing on the workpiece. The robot worker repeats the actions for all of the workpieces in the workpiece kit box to create assemblies and/or subassemblies. If another process is required, the RSRV306 is configured to transport the workpiece holder including the partially completed subassembly to another preconfigured manual manufacturing unit 106 or robotic manufacturing unit 107; and/or, if there is no manufacturing capacity, the workpiece holder including the partially completed subassembly is returned to the ASRS structure 101 for later processing. If so, the RSRV306 is configured to return the workpiece holder including the completed assembly/subassembly to the ASRS structure 101.

In one embodiment, the RSRV306 travels on the manufacturing system 100 as follows: an RSRV306 extracts the required workpiece kit box from the ASRS structure 101. The RSRV306 transports the required workpiece kit boxes to designated empty storage locations at one of the manufacturing cells 106. The RSRV306 travels to the designated manufacturing unit 106 and picks up the unneeded workpiece set bin and transports the unneeded workpiece set bin to the ASRS structure 101 for storage. Another RSRV306 transports the required kit boxes to designated empty storage locations at the manufacturing unit 106. The other RSRV306 travels to the designated manufacturing unit 106 and picks up the unneeded kit and transports the unneeded kit to the ASRS structure 101 for storage. In another embodiment, the same RSRV306 that delivers the required workpiece kit boxes to the designated manufacturing units 106 removes the unneeded workpiece kit boxes from the designated manufacturing units 106. Similarly, the same RSRV306 that delivers the required kit of tool pieces to the designated manufacturing unit 106 removes the unneeded kit of tool pieces from the designated manufacturing unit 106.

Fig. 3 is a top isometric view of a three-dimensional (3D) grid storage structure 300 according to an embodiment herein, the 3D grid storage structure 300 defining an automated warehouse system (ASRS) structure 101 of the manufacturing system 100 shown in fig. 1-2. In one embodiment, the 3D grid storage structure 300 defining the ASRS structure 101 and the associated robotic storage/retrieval vehicles (RSRVs)306 and storage units 303 of the manufacturing system 100 are of the type disclosed in applicant's U.S. patent application nos. 15/568,646, 16/374,123, 16/374,143 and 16/354,539, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. A small scale example of a 3D mesh storage structure 300 is shown in fig. 3. As shown in fig. 3, the grid storage structure 300 includes two-dimensional (2D) grid track layouts 301 and 302, the 2D grid track layouts 301 and 302 being located at the highest or top level of the assembly track and at the lowest or bottom level of the assembly track, respectively. That is, the grid storage structure 300 includes a grid upper track layout 301 and a grid lower track layout 302, wherein the grid upper track layout 301 is located in a higher horizontal plane, the grid lower track layout 302 is located in a lower horizontal plane closer to the ground, and the grid upper track layout 301 is located above the matching and aligned grid lower track layout 302. Between these aligned grid upper track layout 301 and grid lower track layout 302 is a 3D array of storage locations occupying a plurality of intermediate storage layers between a highest top layer and a lowest bottom layer. Each storage location in the 3D array can receive a respective storage unit 303 therein. In one embodiment, the storage unit 303 is of the type shown in FIG. 3. In other embodiments, the storage units 303 are configured as different kinds of racks or containers capable of supporting items thereon or therein, the storage units 303 including boxes, trays, totes, pallets, and the like. The memory locations are arranged in a vertical memory column 304, wherein memory locations having equal square footprints are aligned with one another. Each of the vertical storage columns 304 is adjacent to a vertical upright axis 305 through which the storage locations of the vertical storage columns 304 are accessible. A fleet of RSRVs 306 are configured to travel horizontally in two dimensions in each of the grid track layouts 301, 302 and vertically in a third dimension between the two grid track layouts 301, 302 through open upright shafts 305.

Each of the grid track layouts 301, 302 comprises: a set of X-direction rails 307 located in the X-direction of the corresponding horizontal plane; and a set of Y-direction rails 308 located in the Y-direction on the same horizontal plane and perpendicularly intersecting the X-direction rails 307. The intersecting X-direction tracks 307 and Y-direction tracks 308 define a horizontal reference grid of the 3D grid storage structure 300, each horizontal grid row of the horizontal reference grid being defined between a pair of adjacent X-direction tracks 307, and each horizontal grid column of the horizontal reference grid being defined between a pair of adjacent Y-direction tracks 308. Each intersection between one of the horizontal grid columns and one of the horizontal grid rows represents the position of the corresponding vertical storage column 304 or the corresponding upright axis 305. That is, each vertical storage column 304 and each upright axis 305 are located at respective rectangular coordinate points of a horizontal reference grid of a respective area defined between two X-direction tracks 307 and two Y-direction tracks 308. Each such region defined between the four tracks 307 and 308 in the grid track layout 301 or 302 is also referred to herein as a respective "tile" of the grid track layout 301 or 302. The 3D addressing of each storage location in the 3D grid storage structure 300 is done by a given vertical storage column layer in which a given storage location within the corresponding vertical storage column 304 is located. That is, the 3D address of each storage location is bounded by a horizontal grid row, a horizontal grid column, and a vertical storage column layer of storage locations in the 3D grid storage structure 300.

At each intersection between the X-direction track 307 and the Y-direction track 308, a respective upright frame member 309 spans vertically between the grid upper track layout 301 and the grid lower track layout 302, cooperating with the tracks 307 and 308 to define a frame of the 3D grid storage structure 300 for receiving and organizing the 3D array of storage cells 303 within this frame. Thus, each upright axis 305 of the 3D mesh storage structure 300 includes four vertical frame members 309, the four vertical frame members 309 spanning the entire height of the upright axis 305 at the four corners of the upright axis 305. Each frame member 309 includes respective sets of rack teeth on both sides of the vertical frame member 309 that are arranged in series along the vertical Z-direction of the 3D grid storage structure 300. Thus, each upright shaft 305 comprises eight sets of rack teeth in total, wherein each corner of the upright shaft 305 has two sets of rack teeth which cooperate with eight pinions 311a, 311B on each RSRV306 shown in fig. 4A-4B, enabling the RSRV306 to travel in both an ascending and descending direction between the grid upper track layout 301 and the grid lower track layout 302 by the upright shaft 305 of the 3D grid storage structure 300.

Fig. 4A is a robotic storage/retrieval vehicle (RSRV)306 and compatible storage unit 303 employed in an automated warehouse system (ASRS) architecture 101 of the manufacturing system 100 shown in fig. 1-2, according to an embodiment herein. Each RSRV306 comprises a wheeled frame or chassis 310, which wheeled frame or chassis 310 comprises a circular transfer wheel 311a and a toothed pinion 311 b. The transfer wheels 311a are configured to transfer RSRV306 on grid upper track layout 301 and grid lower track layout 302 in a track travel mode. The toothed pinion 311b is located inside the transfer wheel 311a to cause the RSRV306 to travel through the gear-equipped upright shaft 305 of the three-dimensional (3D) grid storage structure 300 shown in fig. 3 in a shaft travel mode. Each of the toothed pinions 311b and the respective transfer wheel 311a are part of a combined single wheel unit which is wholly or at least transfer wheel 311a extendable horizontally from the RSRV306 in an outboard direction for use of the transfer wheel 311a in an orbital mode on the grid track layout 301 or 302, and which is wholly or at least transfer wheel 311a retractable horizontally from the RSRV306 in an inboard direction for use of the toothed pinion 311b in an axle travel mode with the toothed pinion 311b engaged with the rack teeth of the vertical frame member 309 of the upright axle 305.

A set of four X-direction wheel units are arranged in pairs on two opposite sides of the RSRV306 to drive the RSRV306 on the X-direction tracks 307 of the grid track layout 301 or 302 of the 3D grid storage structure 300. A set of four Y-direction wheel units are arranged in pairs on the other two opposite sides of the RSRV306 to drive the RSRV306 on the Y-direction track 308 of the grid track layout 301 or 302. One set of wheel units may be raised/lowered relative to the other set of wheel units to switch the RSRV306 between an X-direction travel mode and a Y-direction travel mode. When the raised set of wheel units is in the outboard position on the grid upper track layout 301, it is also operable to lower the other set of wheel units into engagement with the rack teeth of the upright shaft 305, after which the raised wheel units are then moved inboard as well to fit within the upright shaft 305, thereby completing the transition of the RSRV306 from the track-running mode to the axle-travel mode to allow the RSRV306 to be lowered through the upright shaft 305 by the driving action of the toothed pinion 311 b. Similarly, when the lowered set of wheel units is located at an outboard position on the grid lower track layout 302, it is also operable to raise the other set of wheel units to engage the other set of wheel units with the rack teeth of the upright shaft 305, after which the lowered wheel units are then also moved inboard, thereby completing the transition of the RSRV306 from the track-running mode to the shaft-travel mode to allow the RSRV306 to be raised by the driving action of the toothed pinion 311b through the upright shaft 305. In an embodiment, external lifting means (not shown) located in the grid lower track layout 302 are additionally or alternatively used to assist or perform lifting of the RSRV306 from the grid lower track layout 302 into the upright axis 305 above.

Each RSRV306 includes an upper support platform 312, and any storage unit 303 may be received on the upper support platform 312 to be carried by the RSRV 306. The upper support platform 312 comprises a rotatable turntable 313, the rotatable turntable 313 being surrounded by a fixed outer deck surface 314. The rotatable turntable 313 includes an extendable/retractable arm 315, referred to herein as a "turntable arm," mounted in a diametrical slot of the rotatable turntable 313 and movably supported in the diametrical slot for linear movement into and out of a deployed position extending outwardly from an outer circumference of the rotatable turntable 313.

Fig. 4B illustrates the robotic storage/retrieval vehicle (RSRV)306 and compatible storage unit 303 of fig. 4A showing the turret arm 315 of the RSRV306 extended to engage with the storage unit 303 to push or pull the storage unit 303 off of or onto the RSRV306, according to an embodiment herein. The turret arm 315 carries a snap-fit member 316 thereon, for example, on a shuttle that moves back and forth along the turret arm 315 to engage a mating snap-fit feature on the underside of the storage unit 303. The turntable arm 315 with the snap members 316, together with the rotatable function of the turntable 313, allows for pulling the storage units 303 onto the upper support platform 312 on all four sides of the RSRV306 and pushing the storage units 303 off the upper support platform 312, thereby allowing each RSRV306 to enter a storage unit 303 on either side of any upright axis 305 in the three-dimensional (3D) grid storage structure 300 shown in fig. 3, the 3D grid storage structure 300 comprising an upright axis 305 that is completely surrounded, each upright axis 305 being surrounded by vertical storage columns 304 on all four sides of the upright axis 305, to maximize storage density in the 3D grid storage structure 300. That is, each RSRV306 is operable in four different working positions inside any upright shaft 305 to enter any storage location on any of the four different sides of the upright shaft 305 to deposit a respective storage cell 303 in a selected storage location or to retrieve a respective storage cell 303 from a selected storage location. In one embodiment, an alternative mechanism that enables four-sided loading and unloading of the storage unit 303 in the four different operating positions is employed instead of a combination of a turntable and an arm.

In an embodiment, the frame of the 3D grid storage structure 300 comprises a set of rack holders at each storage location to cooperatively form a rack for storage units 303 currently stored at the storage location, whereby any given storage unit 303 can be removed from its storage location by one RSRV306 without affecting storage units 303 above and below the given storage unit 303 in the same storage column 304. Similarly, in any storage tier in the 3D array of storage locations in the 3D grid storage structure 300, the stacks defined by the set of stack holders allow for the return of the storage units 303 to the specified storage locations. Thus, each RSRV306 can navigate horizontally in two dimensions through the grid track layout 301, 302 into any upright axis 305 and can travel vertically in a third dimension in either a rising or falling direction to enter any storage location and deposit or remove storage units 303 to or from the storage location. In an embodiment, as shown in fig. 2, the 3D grid storage structure 300 is externally wrapped around its periphery, wherein selected portions of the grid lower track layout 302 of the 3D grid storage structure 300 are visible through uncoated inlets/outlets, such as 127 and 128 shown in fig. 9A-9F, through which the RSRV306 is transferred between the grid track structure 108 of the manufacturing center 105 and the grid lower track layout 302 of the 3D grid storage structure 300 shown in fig. 1-2.

Fig. 4C is a bottom plan view of the memory cell 303 shown in fig. 4A according to an embodiment herein. As shown in FIG. 4C, the primary engagement groove 317 is located on the underside of the box-type storage unit 303. The primary snap groove 317 is an annular open-bottomed groove that follows a 360-degree annular path around the center point 318 of the bottom plate 321 of the storage unit 303 shown in fig. 4D, at an intermediate radial distance between the center point 318 and the periphery of the bottom plate 321. Fig. 4D is a partial cross-sectional view of the storage unit 303 shown in fig. 4A, illustrating interface features on the underside of the storage unit 303 configured to be compatible with the robotic storage/retrieval vehicle (RSRV)306 shown in fig. 4A-4B, according to an embodiment herein. As shown in fig. 4D, the primary snap groove 317 is recessed upwardly from the lowermost plane of the storage unit 303 to form a continuous annular slot in which the snap member 316 of the turntable arm 315 of the RSRV306 shown in fig. 4A-4B can be received to allow loading and unloading of the storage unit 303 to and from the RSRV 306. Just inside the periphery of each of the four sides of the base plate 321, the bottom side of the storage unit 303 includes a respective secondary snap groove 319, the secondary snap groove 319 being recessed upwardly from the lowest plane of the storage unit 303, for selectively engaging the secondary snap groove 319 with the snap member 316 of the turret arm 315 of the RSRV306, for example during an attempt to engage the storage unit 303 with the elongate turret arm 315 of the RSRV306, but the snap member 316 of the turret arm 315 fails to engage the primary snap groove 317. Each secondary snap-in recess 319 is a relatively small rectangular slot or cavity located midway along a respective peripheral side of the bottom panel 321 of the storage unit 303. Thus, at the very inner side of the periphery of the storage unit 303, four secondary snap recesses 319 are provided at ninety degree intervals from each other around the center point 318 of the bottom plate 321 of the storage unit 303.

As shown in fig. 4A-4B, the rotatable turntable 313 of the upper support platform 312 of the RSRV306 and the surrounding outer deck surface 314 together define a square landing zone on top of which the storage unit 303 sits when the storage unit 303 is carried on the upper support platform 312 of the RSRV 306. The size and shape of this landing area is equal or nearly equal to the size and shape of the bottom surface of each memory cell 303. Thus, in a position where the storage unit 303 is fully and properly seated on the upper support platform 312 of the RSRV306, the storage unit 303 occupies all or almost all of the landing zone without protruding from the periphery of the upper support platform 312 of the RSRV 306. Thus, in a position where the storage unit 303 is properly seated on the landing zone, the entire footprint of the storage unit 303 is located within the upper support platform 312 of the RSRV306 or the periphery of the landing zone.

To ensure that the storage units 303 are fully received and properly aligned on the landing zones of the RSRV306, as shown in fig. 4A-4B, in one embodiment the upper support platform 312 includes a set of load state sensors 401, the load state sensors 401 being located proximate the periphery of the upper support platform 312 at locations spaced along the periphery of the upper support platform 312. In the example shown, the load status sensors 401 are optical sensors that are recessed in the outer deck surface 314 of the landing zone and are arranged in a number of four. Each load condition sensor 401 is located near a respective one of the four outer corners of the landing zone. As part of the loading routine, the memory cells 303 are pulled from storage locations in the three-dimensional (3D) grid storage structure 300 shown in fig. 3 onto the RSRV306 using the retraction of the turret arm 315, a computer processor, such as a local processor on the RSRV306, is communicatively connected to the load status sensors 401, and the status of the four load status sensors 401 is checked to detect the presence of the bottom side of the memory cells 303 above the load status sensors 401. Thus, the positive detection signals from the four load status sensors 401 confirm the presence of the storage units 303 at the four corners of the landing zone, thereby confirming that the storage units 303 are completely accommodated on the landing zone and properly square-aligned on the landing zone. This confirmation confirms that the primary snap-in groove 317 in the storage unit 303 is properly engaged by the snap member 316 of the RSRV 306. Failure to obtain a positive detection signal from all four load condition sensors 401 indicates a failure to engage the primary snap groove 317, resulting in failure to properly load a storage unit 303 onto the RSRV306, in response to which the turret arm 315 of the RSRV306 is re-extended to push the failed or improperly loaded storage unit 303 back to its respective storage location, and then re-attempt to retrieve the storage unit 303. When the storage unit 303 is properly loaded onto the RSRV306, the primary snap-in groove 317 allows the rotatable turntable 313 to rotate relative to the storage unit 303 below the storage unit 303 while the storage unit 303 rests stationary on the upper support platform 312 of the RSRV 306. In one embodiment, this relative rotation allows the storage unit 303 to be later unloaded to a different side of the RSRV306 than when the storage unit 303 was loaded onto the RSRV306, depending on the target destination to which the storage unit 303 is to be unloaded from the RSRV 306.

In one embodiment, a reflective optical sensor is employed in the RSRV306 for load state detection, wherein when a memory cell 303 is present above the reflective optical sensor, light emitted by the light beam emitter of the reflective optical sensor can be reflected from the bottom side of the memory cell 303 back to the light receiver of the reflective optical sensor, thereby successfully determining the presence of the memory cell 303. In an embodiment, the time of flight calculation, i.e. the time difference between the emitted light pulse and the detected reflected light pulse, is used to distinguish between a reflection from the bottom side of the storage unit 303 on the landing zone of the RSRV306 and a reflection from another surface further away from the reflective optical sensor. In other embodiments, different types of sensors other than optical sensors are employed for load state detection. For example, load state detection is performed using a limit switch that is mechanically actuated by contact with the bottom side of the memory unit 303 or a magnetic sensor that is actuated due to the presence of a cooperating magnetic element that emits a detectable magnetic field at the bottom side of the memory unit 303. The use of an optical sensor eliminates the need for magnetic integration or other special configurations of the moving parts or the storage unit 303.

In addition to the primary snap grooves 317 and secondary snap grooves 319, the bottom side of the storage unit 303 shown in FIG. 4C also includes four protruding elements or bosses 320, the protruding elements or bosses 320 being disposed within the periphery of the base plate 321 at the four corners of the base plate 321. Due to the perforated skeleton or mesh structure of the base 321, the bottom ends of the bosses 320 form an enlarged solid surface area at the lowest plane of the storage unit 303, which otherwise is primarily unoccupied open space. When the storage unit 303 is properly loaded into an aligned position on the RSRV306, these enlarged solid surface areas of the bottom end of the boss 320 are positioned to align with and be detected by the load status sensors 401 at the corners of the upper support platform 312 of the RSRV 306. In the embodiment where the bottom plate 321 is solid or has a less perforated structure, the bottom side of the bottom plate 321, except for the annular primary engaging groove 317 and the four secondary engaging grooves 319, is a continuous solid surface that spans from the primary engaging groove 317 to the outer corners of the bottom plate 321 without interruption, so that the ribs or web-like structured bosses 320 of the bottom plate 321 shown in fig. 4C are not required.

The storage configuration of the manufacturing system 100 shown in fig. 1-2 further includes a batch of workpieces stored within the storage locations of the 3D grid storage structure 300 shown in fig. 3 for use in manufacturing articles from the workpieces. The storage unit 303 is used in the 3D grid storage structure 300 to store workpieces, such as raw materials, pre-fabricated components, pre-assembled subassemblies, etc., required for various manufacturing processes performed by the manufacturing units 106, 107 of the manufacturing system 100 shown in fig. 1-2. In one embodiment, the storage unit 303 is also used in the 3D mesh storage structure 300 to store the tooling required for the various manufacturing processes performed by the robotic or human workers at the manufacturing units 106 and 107. Storage units that include workpieces are referred to herein as "workpiece storage units," while storage units that include tool pieces are referred to herein as "tool piece storage units. In one embodiment, the workpiece storage unit and the tool piece storage unit are identical to each other. In another embodiment, the workpiece storage unit and the tool piece storage unit are different from each other, but share some or all of the same interface features, such as the primary snap grooves 317, secondary snap grooves 319, and/or sensor-detectable land surfaces 320 shown in fig. 4C-4D, by which the storage unit 303 has a function compatible with the RSRV306 to load and unload the storage unit 303 to and from the RSRV 306. In another embodiment, the 3D grid storage structure 300 also stores a batch of workpiece supports, one workpiece support being shown in fig. 5A-5C.

Fig. 5A is a top perspective view of a workpiece holder 501 according to an embodiment herein, the workpiece holder 501 being storable in an automated warehouse system (ASRS) structure 101 including a three-dimensional (3D) grid storage structure 300 shown in fig. 1-3. The workpiece support 501 is configured to provide repeatability, accuracy, and interchangeability in the manufacturing process of an item or product. Each workpiece support 501 is a jig or fixture configured to receive one or more workpieces thereon that are processed through the manufacturing process shown in fig. 1-2 at one or more of the manufacturing cells 106 of the manufacturing center 105. Each workpiece support 501 is configured to receive and hold one or more workpieces in a particular predetermined or fixed position to allow one or more processing steps of a manufacturing process to be performed on the workpiece. Each work piece holder 501 is configured to guide a tool piece during the manufacturing process. Fig. 5B is a top plan view of the workpiece support 501 shown in fig. 5A according to an embodiment herein. Fig. 5C is a side view of the workpiece support 501 shown in fig. 5A according to an embodiment herein. Similar to the storage unit 303, the workpiece supports 501 are stored on the stack track of the ASRS structure 101 and therefore have the same bottom interface as the storage unit 303.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 5A to 5C, each workpiece holder 501 comprises a standardized base plate 502, the structure of the base plate 502 being the same for all workpiece holders and having a footprint matching the base plate 321 of the storage unit 303 shown in fig. 4C to 4D and a matching or similar bottom side configuration. Each workpiece holder 501 shares a matching footprint with the storage unit 303 to allow each workpiece holder 501 and storage unit 303 to be stored in any storage location of the ASRS structure 101. Thus, the bottom side of the base plate 502 of each workpiece holder 501 includes a primary snap-in groove around the center point of the base plate 502, similar to the primary snap-in groove 317 on the bottom side of the storage unit 303 shown in fig. 4C-4D. In another embodiment, the bottom side of the base plate 502 of each workpiece support 501 further comprises a secondary snap-in groove near the periphery of the base plate 502, similar to the secondary snap-in groove 319 on the bottom side of the storage unit 303 shown in fig. 4C-4D. In another embodiment, the bottom side of the base plate 502 of each workpiece support 501 further comprises sensor detectable surfaces near the corners of the base plate 502, similar to the bottom ends of the skeletal structured bosses 320 on the bottom side of the base plate 321 shown in fig. 4C-4D or smooth continuous bottom side surface areas thereof, for reading by the load status sensors 401 of the robotic storage/retrieval vehicle (RSRV)306 shown in fig. 4A-4B. The footprint of the base plate 502 of the workpiece support 501 has the same or substantially similar area and shape as the storage unit 303 and is configured to fit within each storage location on the stacks of the ASRS structure 101 and similarly to fit on top of the upper support platform 312 within the designated landing zone of each RSRV306 shown in fig. 4A-4B. The interface features of the bottom side of the workpiece holder 501 are similar to the interface features of the bottom side of the storage unit 303 and allow the workpiece holder 501 to be compatible with the RSRV 306. Since each workpiece support 501 shares the same RSRV interface features with the storage unit 303, each workpiece support 501 is also configured to be loaded into and unloaded from each RSRV306 in the same manner as the storage unit 303. It will be appreciated that the base plate 502 of the workpiece holder 501 and each storage unit 303 share the use of matching RSRV interface features, which allows the workpiece holders 501 and storage units 303 to be stored to and retrieved from the same 3D grid storage structure 300 using the same fleet of RSRVs 306, whether the RSRV interface features are features specifically disclosed herein for turret-based RSRVs 306, or some other configuration compatible with variations of RSRVs 306.

Fig. 6A is a top perspective view of the workpiece holder 501 shown in fig. 5A, showing a workpiece 601 accommodated within the workpiece holder 501. The workpieces 601 required for the various manufacturing processes performed by the manufacturing units 106, 107 of the manufacturing system 100 shown in fig. 1-2 include, for example, pre-fabricated components, pre-assembled subassemblies, and the like. Fig. 6B is a top plan view of the workpiece holder 501 with a workpiece 601 received in the workpiece holder 501 according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the stock preparation area 102 of the manufacturing system 100 shown in fig. 1-2, according to an embodiment herein. New workpieces arriving at the fabrication facility in full lots may be unloaded and introduced into the three-dimensional (3D) grid storage structure 300 defining an automated warehouse system (ASRS) structure 101 shown in fig. 3 as general inventory, wherein a plurality of workpieces 701 of the same type are transferred to a shared workpiece storage unit, referred to herein as an "inventory storage unit," from which a smaller number of workpieces are subsequently pulled as required by a fabrication process performed at one of the fabrication units 106, 107 of the fabrication center 105 shown in fig. 1-2 to compile a storage unit 303b comprising a single type of workpiece or a kit of different workpieces. A set of different workpieces compiled from different inventory storage units 303a is placed into another storage unit, referred to herein as a "set storage unit," to distinguish this storage unit 303c from an inventory storage unit 303a that includes generic inventory workpieces 701 and a workpiece storage unit 303b that contains a single type of workpiece. The preparation process of transferring a general stock workpiece 701 from the plurality of stock storage units 303a to the workpiece storage unit 303b or the suite storage unit 303c is performed in the preparation area 102 equipped with one or more preparation workstations 103, 104. The number of stock preparation workstations 103, 104 may vary in various embodiments. In one embodiment, these stock preparation stations 103, 104 are of the same or similar type to the picking station disclosed by the applicant in PCT patent application No. PCT/IB2020/054380, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 7, each of the stock preparation stations 103 and 104 is configured with an L-shaped configuration comprising a first side 103a, 104a protruding outwardly from the peripheral side 101a of the ASRS structure 101 and a second side 103b, 104b extending parallel to the peripheral side 101a of the ASRS structure 101. The interior of each preparation station 103, 104 is closed, and therefore each preparation station 103, 104 comprises a vertical outer wall, as shown in fig. 2, by which the respective preparation station 103, 104 is closed on its side except on the inside where it opens into the 3D grid storage structure 300 at the grid lower track layout 302. Each preparation station 103, 104 further comprises a top cover plate 110, the bottom side of the top cover plate 110 defining an internal ceiling of each preparation station 103, 104, and the opposite top side of the top cover plate 110 defining a working surface of an external work table.

Inside the first edges 103a, 104a are the lower rails of the respective preparation stations 103, 104. The lower track of each preparation workstation 103, 104 is an extension of the grid lower track layout 302 of the 3D grid storage structure 300. In one embodiment, the lower tracks of the preparation workstations 103, 104 are bidirectional tracks that are two blocks wide of the 3D mesh storage structure 300 and extend perpendicular to the perimeter side of the 3D mesh storage structure 300. Similar to the grid lower track layout 302 of the 3D grid storage structure 300, the lower track of each preparation workstation 103, 104 includes vertical cross tracks defining square blocks of the lower track. The first column of blocks extending along the outside of the first edges 103a, 104a, i.e. along the opposite side of the second edges 103b, 104b, defines an out-of-stock half of the bidirectional lower track of the first edges 103a, 104a, on which a robotic storage/retrieval vehicle (RSRV)306 leaves the 3D grid storage structure 300 at the grid lower track layout 302 and travels away from the 3D grid storage structure 300 within the first edges 103a, 104a of the respective preparation workstations 103, 104. A second column of tiles extending along the opposite inner side of the first edges 103a, 104a defines a binning half of the bidirectional lower track of the first edges 103a, 104a, on which the RSRV306 may travel back to the 3D grid storage structure 300 on the grid lower track layout 302. The cyclical travel of the RSRV306 away from the 3D grid storage structure 300, past the first edges 103a, 104a of the respective preparation workstations 103, 104, and back to the 3D grid storage structure 300 is represented by arrow 702 in fig. 7.

Above the access block on the entry half of the lower track, a pick access opening 111 opens from the working surface of its table through the top cover plate 110 into the interior space of the first side 103a, 104a of the respective preparation station 103, 104. Thus, when the RSRV306 traveling through the first side 103a, 104a of the respective preparation station 103, 104 is parked at an access block of the warehousing half it travels through, a human worker 703 or robotic worker 704 of the respective preparation station 103, 104 standing or mounted near a corner of the L-shaped station 103, 104 may interact with the inventory storage unit 303a carried on top of the RSRV306 to pick one or more inventory workpieces 701 therefrom. The inventory storage unit 303a then proceeds forward from the access block of the lower track of the respective preparation workstation 103, 104 back into the 3D grid storage structure 300 on the grid lower track layout 302.

The second side 103b, 104b of the respective preparation station 103, 104 similarly comprises a placement access opening 112, the placement access opening 112 passing from the work surface of its table through the top cover plate 110 of the respective preparation station 103, 104 at a location above the other access block that receives the initially empty workpiece storage unit or the initially empty kit storage unit. Thus, this placement access 112 allows access to empty workpiece storage units or empty kit storage units for placing in the empty storage units stock workpieces 701 picked from one or more stock storage units 303a circulating through the pick access 111. The long static parking of the RSRV306 at the placement access 112 may be considered a waste of resources, preventing allocation of that particular RSRV306 to other tasks during this period, and therefore, in an embodiment, the second side 103b, 104b of the respective preparation workstation 103, 104 does not include a vehicle track for the storage units to travel by the vehicle through the second side 103b, 104b of the respective preparation workstation 103, 104. Instead of a vehicle track, the second side 103b, 104b comprises an internal conveyor 114a, which internal conveyor 114a runs along the second side 103b, 104b from the far end furthest from the first side 103a, 104a to an access block located below the placement access opening 112. At the periphery of the grid lower track layout 302 of the 3D grid storage structure 300, the RSRV306 unloads empty workpiece storage units or empty kit storage units from the unloading/picking block 113 onto the internal conveyor 114a, and the internal conveyor 114a of the preparation workstation 103, 104 advances the empty workpiece storage units or empty kit storage units to the placement access 112, where the inventory workpieces 701 picked from the inventory storage unit 303a are placed into the workpiece storage unit 303b or kit storage unit 303 c. Once the workpiece storage unit 303b or the kit storage unit 303c is programmed, the filled workpiece storage unit 303b or the filled kit storage unit 303c is moved out of the preparation station 103, 104 onto a return conveyor 114b, the return conveyor 114b running in the opposite direction to the inner conveyor 114a of the preparation station 103, 104 to transfer the filled workpiece storage unit 303b or the filled kit storage unit 303c back to the unloading/picking block 113 for picking by another RSRV306 at the unloading/picking block 113. This RSRV306 then carries the filled workpiece storage units 303b or filled kit storage units 303c into the 3D grid storage structure 300 and places the filled kit storage units 303c in available storage locations for subsequent retrieval therefrom as required by the manufacturing units 106 or 107 shown in fig. 1-2.

Each preparation station 103, 104 thus comprises two travel paths on which the stock storage unit 303a and the workpiece storage unit 303b or the kit storage unit 303c, respectively, can be transferred by the preparation station 103, 104 through the respective access opening 111, 112, where the storage unit 303a, 303b, 303c is accessible for picking up a workpiece 701 from the respective storage unit 303a, 303b, 303c transferred by the preparation station 103, 104 and placing the workpiece 701 into the respective storage unit 303a, 303b, 303 c. One travel path through the preparation workstations 103, 104 involves the onboard travel of the respective storage unit 303a, 303b, 303c on an extended track of the 3D grid storage structure 300, while the other travel path is a conveyor-based short path on which the unloading and picking of the respective storage unit 303a, 303b, 303c is also performed by the fleet of RSRVs 306.

Fig. 8A-8D are partial top plan views of the manufacturing center 105 of the manufacturing system 100 shown in fig. 1-2, illustrating a fully automated manufacturing unit 106 and an adjacent human participating manufacturing unit 107, wherein different storage units 303b, 303c, and 303D are employed in the manufacturing workflow, according to various embodiments herein. Fig. 8A and 8C illustrate a workpiece storage unit 303b and a tool piece storage unit 303d employed in the manufacturing workflow. Fig. 8B and 8D show a kit storage unit 303c and a tool storage unit 303D employed in the manufacturing workflow.

As shown in fig. 8A-8D, the grid track structure 108 of the manufacturing center 105 includes multiple sets of intersecting tracks on which the RSRV306 shown in fig. 3 and 4A-4B can navigate in two dimensions. Of the two sets of crossing tracks, one set of crossing tracks is an extension of the corresponding tracks of the grid lower track layout 302 of the three-dimensional (3D) grid storage structure 300 defining the ASRS structure 101 shown in fig. 1-3. In the embodiment illustrated in fig. 8A to 8D, the extension tracks 115 extend in the X direction of a two-dimensional (2D) reference plane, which 2D reference plane is shared by the grid lower track layout 302 of the 3D grid storage structure 300 and the grid track structure 108 of the manufacturing center 105, and therefore the extension tracks 115 connect in a straight line with the X-direction tracks 307 of the grid lower track layout 302 of the 3D grid storage structure 300. The extension track 115 of the grid track structure 108 perpendicularly intersects the transverse track 116, which transverse track 116 extends in the Y-direction of the shared 2D reference plane in the illustrated example. Thus, at locations spaced outwardly from the perimeter of the 3D mesh storage structure 300, the transverse tracks 116 are parallel to the Y-direction tracks 308 of the mesh lower track layout 302 of the 3D mesh storage structure 300. The grid track structure 108 comprises square sectors 117, each square sector 117 being defined between a pair of adjacent parallel extending tracks 115 and a pair of adjacent transverse tracks 116.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 8A-8B, the sectors 117 in the grid track structure 108 are all square. In another embodiment illustrated in fig. 8C-8D, the tiles 117 in the grid track structure 108 are not all square in shape because not every X-direction track 307 in the grid lower track layout 302 of the 3D grid storage structure 300 has a corresponding extended track 115 connected thereto. In this embodiment, although the transverse rails 116 are positioned at regular, consistent intervals, the extension rails 115 are omitted at locations where the extension rails 115 would otherwise pass through the automated manufacturing unit 106. Thus, in the present embodiment, the term column is used to represent a strip-shaped area across the grid track structure 108 in the X-direction, the inner width of the strip-shaped area having a dimension between two adjacent extension tracks 115, the grid track structure 108 comprising: wider columns occupied by the automated manufacturing unit 106 and consisting of wider rectangular blocks 119; and narrower columns arranged in pairs and adjacent to the wider columns on opposite sides of each wider column. As shown in fig. 8A-8D, the term row is used to represent a stripe-shaped area across the grid track structure 108 in the Y-direction, the internal width of the stripe-shaped area having a dimension across two adjacent transverse tracks 116, the grid track structure 108 comprising rows of uniform width.

In the embodiment illustrated in fig. 8A-8B, the grid track structure 108 includes a full set of extended tracks 115 positioned at regular, consistent intervals throughout the grid track structure 108, wherein all of the tiles in the grid track structure 108 are arranged in squares and all of the columns and rows have uniform, equal widths. Each square sector 117 represents a reference cell of the grid track structure 108 from which the dimensions of the manufacturing cell 106 and its modular components are measured. As exemplarily shown in fig. 8A-8D, each of the automated manufacturing units 106 occupies a square cell space having an area equal to the area of the nine square blocks 117 of the grid track structure 108. Thus, in one embodiment, the square cell space is divided into a set of nine square subspaces. The area of each of the nine square spaces is equal to the area of one square sector 117 of the grid track structure 108.

As exemplarily shown in fig. 8A to 8D, each of the automated manufacturing units 106 includes: four modular receiving stations 118a, 118b, 118c and 118 d; a first robot worker module 120 a; and a second robot worker module 120 b. The four modular receiving stations 118a, 118b, 118c, and 118d occupy the four corner subspaces of the manufacturing unit 106. The first robot worker module 120a occupies a first intermediate peripheral subspace located between two corner subspaces of a first side around the square of the manufacturing cell 106. The second robot worker module 120b occupies a second intermediate peripheral subspace located between the other two corner subspaces of the opposing second side around the square of the manufacturing cell 106. In an embodiment, each of the accommodation station modules 118 a-118 d and the robotic worker modules 120a, 120b is a square footprint module having a footprint generally equal to the footprint of a single square sub-space of the manufacturing unit 106. Accordingly, the width of each of the accommodation station modules 118a to 118d and the robot worker modules 120a, 120b in the X direction and the Y direction does not exceed the width of the square block 117 in the same direction as described above, the width in the same direction having a size between two parallel rails on opposite sides of the square block 117. In the embodiment shown in fig. 8A-8D, each of the accommodation station modules 118A-118D and the robotic worker modules 120a, 120b is a single cell 1 x 1 module that occupies only a single reference cell or one square block 117 of the grid track structure 108. In other embodiments, multi-cell or multi-block modules are additionally or alternatively employed, wherein each of the multi-cell or multi-block modules occupies a respective number of whole cells or blocks in the grid track structure 108. For example, a two-cell 2x 1 module is two cells wide in one dimension and one cell wide in the other dimension and occupies two cells of the grid track structure 108. In any case, the width of each of the receiving station modules 118 a-118 d and the robotic worker modules 120a, 120b in either direction is generally equal to an integer multiple of the width of any square sector 117, the width of the square sector 117 also referred to herein as the "cell width". For illustration, fig. 8A to 8D show a 3 × 3 square block in which two robot workers 123a and 123b constitute a single manufacturing unit 106; however, the scope of the manufacturing center 105 disclosed herein is not limited to having each manufacturing cell 106 include a 3X 3 square block with two robotic workers 123a and 123b, but may be extended to include an expandable manufacturing cell with additional square blocks and robotic workers in the X or Y direction. For example, the manufacturing center 105 is configured with scalable manufacturing units 106, each scalable manufacturing unit 106 comprising a 3x 5 square block with four robots and six storage units.

In an embodiment, each of the modular receiving stations 118a, 118b, 118c, 118d is a rack assembly sized to place one of the storage units 303b, 303c, 303d thereon. As shown in fig. 9A, the rack assembly includes a pair of parallel rack rails 129, the rack rails 129 being supported by a set of four structural supports or uprights 121. Each upright post 121 is mounted at the intersection of two perpendicular rails 115, 116 of the grid rail structure 108 at a respective corner of the square subspace of the manufacturing cell 106. Each stack track 129 extends along a respective side of the square subspace, and the distance between two stack tracks 129 is less than the width of each of the square-bottomed storage units 303b, 303c or 303 d. The open space between the two stack rails 129 allows the turret arm 315 of the RSRV306 shown in fig. 4A-4B to be inserted between the two stack rails 129 to push the storage unit 303B, 303c, or 303d off of the RSRV306 onto the stack rails 129 during unloading of the storage unit 303B, 303c, or 303d to the manufacturing unit 106. Similarly, once the storage unit 303B, 303c or 303d is positioned on the stack track 129 and the turret arm 315 of the RSRV306 is lowered to disengage downwardly from the underside of the storage unit 303B, 303c or 303d by lowering the upper support platform 312 of the RSRV306 shown in fig. 4A-4B, the space between the stack tracks 129 allows the turret arm 315 of the RSRV306 to retract, thereby placing the storage unit 303B, 303c or 303d at the manufacturing unit 106 and freeing the RSRV306 to freely perform other retrieval and transfer tasks of other manufacturing units 106. During later pick up of a storage unit 303b, 303c or 303d, a reverse process is performed, which comprises: a turret arm 315 that extends an RSRV306 between the stack rails 129; an upper support platform 312 to raise the RSRV306 to raise the elongate turntable arm 315 into engagement with the underside of the storage unit 303b, 303c or 303 d; the turret arm 315 is then retracted to pull the storage unit 303b, 303c or 303d onto the upper support platform 312 of the RSRV 306. Since the spacing of the rack holders in the vertical storage column 304 of the 3D grid storage structure 300 is equal to the spacing of the rack tracks 129 of the receiving stations 118a to 118D, the unloading and picking of the storage units 303b, 303c, and 303D at the receiving stations 118a to 118D is the same as the storage and picking of the storage units 303b, 303c, and 303D at the storage locations where the racks are mounted in the 3D grid storage structure 300.

In the embodiment exemplarily shown in fig. 8A and 8C, the two modular receiving stations 118A, 118b on opposite sides of the first robot worker module 120a are designated as a first and a second workpiece receiving area to which the workpiece storage unit 303b is transferred by the RSRV306 to provide the manufacturing unit 106 with the two types of workpieces 701a, 701b required in the manufacturing process of the manufacturing unit 106. In another embodiment illustratively shown in fig. 8B and 8D, two modular receiving stations 118a, 118B on opposite sides of first robotic worker module 120a are designated as first and second workpiece receiving areas to which kit storage unit 303c is transferred by RSRV306 to provide to manufacturing unit 106 the specific combination of two types of workpieces required by the manufacturing process of manufacturing unit 106. Designating the other two modular receiving stations 118c, 118d on opposite sides of the second robotic worker module 120b as first and second tool receiving areas, the tool piece storage unit 303d is transferred by RSRV306 to the first and second tool receiving areas to provide the manufacturing unit 106 with a specific set of tool pieces 801 required for the manufacturing process at the manufacturing unit 106. The first workpiece receiving area and the first tool receiving area are designated as a first set of paired receiving areas for supplying the workpieces 701a, 701b and the tool pieces 801 to a first manufacturing process to be performed at the manufacturing unit 106, and the second workpiece receiving area and the second tool receiving area are designated as a second set of paired receiving areas for supplying the workpieces 701a, 701b and the tool pieces 801 to a different second manufacturing process to be performed at the manufacturing unit 106.

Each of the robotic worker modules 120a, 120b includes a mounting base 122 that is square or rectangular defining a single or multi-block footprint of the respective robotic worker module 120a, 120b that does not exceed the boundaries of the designated sub-space of the manufacturing cell 106 in which the respective robotic worker module 120a, 120b is mounted. In one embodiment, the mounting base 122 is suspended between a set of four upright posts 121 at the four corners of the designated subspace or subspaces. In the embodiment illustrated in fig. 8A-8D, each of the robotic worker modules 120a, 120b is adjacent to two receiving stations 118A, 118b or two receiving stations 118c, 118D at an immediately adjacent subspace of the manufacturing unit 106, each of the robotic worker modules 120a, 120b sharing two upright posts 121 with each of the two adjacent receiving stations 118A, 118b or each of the two adjacent receiving stations 118c, 118D. A robotic worker 123a, 123b in the form of a multi-axis articulated arm, for example, is located on top of the mounting base 122. In an embodiment, the robot worker 123a of the first robot worker module 120a functions as a robot picker to pick up workpieces 701a, 701b from the receiving stations 118a, 118b located at two workpiece receiving areas adjacent to the robot worker module 120 a. The robot worker 123b of the second robot worker module 120b functions as a robot handling worker to perform a manufacturing process step on the workpieces 701a, 701b picked up by the robot picker 123 a. The robotic process worker 123b is of a type whose tool support includes an automated tool exchange interface that can be selectively coupled with different tool pieces 801 to allow different manufacturing process steps to be performed using the different tool pieces 801. Thus, the robotic work piece storage unit 303d may select and attach the necessary tool pieces 801 from any of the two sets of tool pieces 801 received in the tool piece storage unit 303d for performing a specific processing step on one or more workpieces 701a, 701b, wherein the tool piece storage unit 303d is placed on top of the modular receiving stations 118c, 118d of the two tool receiving areas adjacent to the robotic worker module 120 b.

As shown in fig. 8A-8D, the receiving stations 118A-118D and the robotic worker modules 120a and 120b occupy six of the nine subspaces of the manufacturing cell 106 on opposite sides of the manufacturing cell 106. The remaining three subspaces between the two sets of occupied subspaces remain unoccupied. Of these three unoccupied subspaces, the central subspace between the two robotic worker modules 120a and 120b defines a work area of the manufacturing unit 106 in which the RSRV306 carrying the workpiece support 501 may be parked to place the workpiece support 501 in a work position between the two robotic workers 123a, 123b for entry by the robotic workers 123a, 123 b. This working position of the workpiece support 501 allows one or more workpieces 701a, 701b from any workpiece receiving area to be placed on the workpiece support 501 by the robot picker 123a in accordance with one or more manufacturing process steps in a specified position and orientation, and then the one or more manufacturing process steps to be performed on the workpieces on the support by the robot handling worker 123b using appropriate tooling members 801, wherein the appropriate tooling members 801 are automatically selected and attached by the robot handling worker 123b from the sets of tooling members received at the tool receiving stations 118c, 118 d. The other two unoccupied subspaces of the manufacturing cell 106 are intermediate peripheral subspaces 124a, 124b, each of the intermediate peripheral subspaces 124a, 124b remaining open between one workpiece receiving area and one tool receiving area on a respective side of the manufacturing cell 106. The three unoccupied subspaces form a through path by which the RSRV306 carrying the workpiece support 501 travels through the manufacturing unit 106 from one side of the manufacturing unit 106 to the other, pausing midway in the central subspace, to accommodate the placement and processing of workpieces 701a, 701b on the workpiece support 501. Fig. 8A and 8C illustrate the fabrication cell 106 when two workpiece storage cells 303b including two types of workpieces 701a and 701b are used in the fabrication process, according to an embodiment herein. In the present embodiment, a plurality of workpiece storage units 303b are stored, taken out, and transferred to the manufacturing unit 106. Further, in the manufacturing unit 106, there is one tool piece storage unit 303d for each of the workpiece storage units 303 b. The workpiece storage unit 303b is taken out of the 3D mesh storage structure 300, transferred, and used in a series of assembly steps of the manufacturing unit 106. Fig. 8B and 8D illustrate the manufacturing unit 106 when two kit storage units 303c comprising specific combinations of different types of workpieces are used in a manufacturing process, according to an embodiment herein. In one example, the right side kit memory unit 303c shown in fig. 8B and 8D is the memory unit currently being used for assembly, while the left side kit memory unit 303c is the memory unit used in subsequent manufacturing processes.

Fig. 9A is a perspective view of one fully automated manufacturing unit 106 of the manufacturing center 105 shown in fig. 1-2 showing the robotic picker 123a loading a first workpiece 701a of a first type from the first workpiece storage unit 303b onto the workpiece support 501 carried by the RSRV, according to an embodiment herein. As shown in fig. 9A, the RSRV306 carrying the workpiece support 501 may exit the ASRS structure 101 comprising the three-dimensional (3D) grid storage structure 300 at the unclad exit 127, the RSRV306 travels from the grid lower track layout 302 of the 3D grid storage structure 300 through the exit 127 onto the grid track structure 108 of the manufacturing center 105, and may then travel along the grid track structure 108 to the destination manufacturing unit 106 of the workpiece support 501. The RSRV306 enters the through path of the manufacturing cell 106 at the intermediate peripheral subspace 124a on one side of the manufacturing cell 106, parks at the central subspace of the manufacturing cell 106 until the workpieces 701a, 701b have been placed and processed on the workpiece supports 501, and then exits the manufacturing cell 106 through the intermediate peripheral subspace 124b on the opposite side of the manufacturing cell 106. The RSRV306 transports the workpiece supports 501 and processed workpieces thereon back into the 3D grid storage structure 300 through the uncoated return entrance 128 for storage in their 3D storage positions, wherein the RSRV306 travels from the grid track structure 108 of the manufacturing center 105 at the return entrance 128 onto the grid lower track layout 302 of the storage structure 300.

In the embodiment illustrated in fig. 10, upon exiting from the current manufacturing unit 106, the RSRV306 may advance to another manufacturing unit 106 where additional workpieces may be added to the workpiece support 501 and previously processed workpieces thereon. In one embodiment, this routing of RSRV306 through the plurality of manufacturing units 106 is repeated through a series of manufacturing processes performed at the plurality of manufacturing units 106 until a finished product, such as a finished product or a finished subassembly, is manufactured, at which point the finished product or finished subassembly is returned to the 3D mesh storage structure 300 and stored in a corresponding storage location therein.

The particular dimensions of the manufacturing unit 106 disclosed herein, as well as the number, type, and layout of the modular assemblies shown in fig. 9A-9F and the unoccupied space therein, are provided as examples and may vary. The modularity of the components of the manufacturing units 106 relative to the grid track structure 108 of square cells allows a great degree of flexibility to customize and reconfigure any manufacturing unit 106 according to new or changing requirements of the manufacturing facility. In one embodiment, two workpiece receiving areas are provided in each manufacturing cell 106 to minimize non-production time in the manufacturing cell 106, as disclosed in the following exemplary manufacturing scenario.

As shown in fig. 9A, a first workpiece receiving station 118a receives a plurality of workpieces 701a of a first type, such as type a, and a second workpiece receiving station 118B receives a plurality of workpieces 701B of a second, different type, such as type B. As shown in fig. 9A, the robotic picker 123a has placed a type a workpiece 701a and a type B workpiece 701B from the respective workpiece storage unit 303B onto a workpiece support 501 carried by RSRV, which is parked in the central subspace of the manufacturing unit 106, and shows the placement of another workpiece 701a of type a from the first group onto the workpiece support 501. In the example shown in fig. 9A, the workpiece holder 501 is configured to receive a plurality of workpieces 701a of type a in a specified direction suitable for joining a workpiece 701B of type B to a corresponding workpiece 701a of type a. As shown in fig. 9B, once the desired number of type a workpieces 701a are placed on the workpiece support 501, the empty RSRV306 may travel from the 3D grid storage structure 300 to the manufacturing unit 106 through the exit 127, pick up presently unneeded workpiece storage units 303B from the first receiving station 118a, and return the workpiece storage units 303B to the 3D grid storage structure 300 through the return entry 128.

Fig. 9B is a perspective view of the manufacturing cell 106 showing the robot picker 123a loading a second workpiece 701B of type B from the second workpiece storage unit 303B onto the workpiece support 501 carried by RSRV to attach the second workpiece 701B of type B to the first workpiece 701a of type a by the robot handler 123B on the workpiece support 501 carried by RSRV and the RSRV306 removing the first workpiece storage unit 303B including the remaining workpieces 701a of type a to prepare the manufacturing cell 106 for a subsequent different manufacturing process, in accordance with an embodiment herein. During the picking of the presently unneeded workpiece storage unit 303B from the first workpiece receiving station 118a, the robot picker 123a picks the type B workpiece 701B from the second workpiece receiving station 118B, transfers the type B workpiece 701B to the workpiece support 501 placed in the central subspace of the manufacturing cell 106, and places or receives the type B workpiece 701B in a specified position and orientation onto one of the placed type a workpieces 701a for joining. Meanwhile, the robot handling worker 123b selects and attaches a designated tool piece 801 by itself from the tool piece storage unit 303d placed on the tool accommodating station 118d of one tool accommodating area.

Fig. 9C is a perspective view of the manufacturing cell 106 showing the RSRV306 transferring a third workpiece storage unit 303B containing a third type of workpiece 701C, such as type C, to the manufacturing cell 106 in place of the removed workpiece storage unit 303B while the robotic handling worker 123B is picking up the automatically selected tool piece 801 from the tool piece storage unit 303d to join the second workpiece 701B of type B to the first workpiece 701a of type a on the workpiece support 501 carried by the RSRV, according to an embodiment herein. The robot handling worker 123B uses the attached tool piece 801 to join a workpiece 701B of type B held by the robot picker 123a to one workpiece 701a of type a that has previously been placed on the workpiece support 501, while another RSRV306 transfers a third workpiece storage unit 303B containing a workpiece 701C of type C to the first workpiece receiving station 118a that was previously occupied by the workpiece storage unit 303B but now has removed the workpiece storage unit 303B. In one embodiment, the kit storage units are assembled at the stock area 102 of the manufacturing system 100 shown in fig. 1-2 and 7 by stock operations and are configured to contain specific combinations of various types of workpieces as required by a particular manufacturing process to eliminate the operation of retrieving and transferring multiple workpiece storage units 303b to the manufacturing unit 106 for a single manufacturing process.

Fig. 9D is a perspective view of the manufacturing unit 106 according to an embodiment herein, showing: a completed subassembly of the joined first and second workpieces 701a, 701b that exits the manufacturing cell 106 on the workpiece support 501 carried by the RSRV; and a new workpiece support 501 carrying a fourth type of workpiece 701D, such as type D, said new workpiece support 501 being transported on another RSRV306 to assemble type D workpiece 701D with type C workpiece 701C during a subsequent manufacturing process. Fig. 9D shows the workpiece holder 501 now accommodating subassemblies each comprising a type B workpiece 701B that has been joined to a respective type a workpiece 701a by cooperation of the two robotic workers 123a, 123B disclosed above. The workpiece support 501 and the subassembly thereon are transported away from the manufacturing unit 106 by the RSRV306 on which the workpiece support 501 is carried, while another RSRV306 carrying a plurality of workpieces 701D of type D from the 3D grid storage structure 300 arrives at the manufacturing unit 106 from which the subassembly leaves. In one embodiment, the exiting workpiece supports 501 and subassemblies thereon are carried by the RSRV306 into the 3D grid storage structure 300 for storage. In another embodiment, the exiting workpiece support 501 and subassemblies thereon are carried by the RSRV306 to another manufacturing unit 106 for further processing. Then, the workpiece 701C of the type C from the third workpiece storage unit 303b is placed at the first workpiece accommodation station 118a, and the workpiece 701C of the type C is appropriately placed or accommodated with respect to the workpiece 701D of the type D by the robot picker 123a, while the robot handling worker 123b replaces the tool at the tool accommodation station 118D as necessary, and then performs a joining process to join the workpiece 701D of the type D to the workpiece 701C of the type C.

Fig. 9E is a perspective view of the manufacturing cell 106 showing the robotic handling worker 123b picking the automatically selected tooling 801 from the tooling storage unit 303D to join the third workpiece 701C of type C to the fourth workpiece 701D of type D on a new RSRV-carried workpiece support 501 while the robotic picker 123a loads the third workpiece 701C of type C from the third workpiece storage unit 303b onto the new RSRV-carried workpiece support 501, according to an embodiment herein.

Fig. 9F is a perspective view of the manufacturing cell 106 showing cooperation between the robotic picker 123a and the robotic handler 123b to join a third workpiece 701C of type C to a fourth workpiece 701D of type D on a new workpiece support 501 carried by RSRV, according to an embodiment herein. The robot picker 123a accommodates the third workpiece 701c and the fourth workpiece 701d on the workpiece support 501 in a predetermined direction, and at the same time, the robot handling worker 123b joins the third workpiece 701c to the fourth workpiece 701d using the selected tool piece 801.

The foregoing example illustrates how the workpiece storage units 303b in one of the two workpiece receiving areas are swapped out when the manufacturing unit 106 is performing placement and processing of workpieces from the other workpiece receiving area, whether when preparing a manufacturing unit 106 for a different manufacturing process as contemplated by the foregoing example, or when replacing an empty workpiece storage unit 303b with a full storage unit 303b or 303c of workpieces of the same type or set to replenish a manufacturing unit 106 for repeating the same manufacturing process. Similarly, the foregoing examples illustrate how the RSRVs 306 carrying the second workpiece supports 501 are queued at the manufacturing unit 106 prior to completion of the manufacturing process for the workpiece contents of the first workpiece supports 501. In this manner, once the first workpiece support 501 leaves the manufacturing cell 106 on its RSRV306, the second workpiece support 501 advances into a working position between the robotic workers 123a, 123b in the center of the manufacturing cell 106. The foregoing examples also illustrate how the workpiece supports 501 delivered to the manufacturing cell 106 may be empty workpiece supports or occupied workpiece supports, whether such pre-processing or assembly was performed earlier in the same manufacturing cell 106 or in a different manufacturing cell, where the occupied workpiece supports refer to workpiece supports on which processed workpieces or assembled subassemblies have been pre-processed or assembled. In the case where the arriving workpiece supports 501 are occupied workpiece supports, the workpiece supports 501 may arrive directly from another manufacturing unit, or from storage locations in the 3D grid storage structure 300 where the workpiece supports 501 are temporarily stored or temporarily buffered between manufacturing processes.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the manufacturing center 105 shown in fig. 1-2 illustrating an RSRV306 traveling on a multi-station path to move the workpiece supports 501 shown in fig. 9A-9B through multiple manufacturing stages of respective manufacturing cells 106 in the manufacturing center 105, according to an embodiment herein. In one embodiment, a plurality of manufacturing units 106 are daisy-chained together to sequentially perform a number of manufacturing processes using any manufacturing unit order on the grid track structure 108. In another embodiment, individual manufacturing processes are assigned to each manufacturing unit 106 and completed as availability permits. For example, steps 1, 2, 3, and 4 shown in FIG. 10 may be performed in any combination, depending on the priority and availability of the manufacturing units 106. As shown in fig. 10, the RSRV306 carrying the workpiece supports 501 with workpieces thereon travels on a path having a plurality of stations, for example, four stations of four different manufacturing units 106, before returning the completed subassembly to the ASRS structure 101. The workpieces on the workpiece supports 501 undergo one or more process steps of a manufacturing process at each manufacturing unit 106 to produce a finished product, such as a finished product or a finished subassembly. The same RSRV306 then conveys the finished product to ASRS structure 101 for storage therein.

In one embodiment, a Computer Control System (CCS)131 randomly allocates a receiving station for each manufacturing unit 106 to receive a storage unit. For example, CCS131 assigns one receiving station to the workpiece kit box of the current process, another receiving station to the tool kit box of the current process, yet another receiving station to the workpiece kit box of the subsequent process, and yet another receiving station to the tool kit box of the subsequent process. CCS131 further distributes the other blocks in manufacturing unit 106 as follows: a block configured as a passage for a workpiece support 501 carried by RSRV; and a block for accommodating a robot worker such as a robot picker for gripping a workpiece to be processed on the workpiece support 501, and a robot processing worker for processing the workpiece on the workpiece support 501 using a tool. If the manufacturing process is too complex for robotic handling, or if the process handles workpieces that are larger than the storage unit, then a manually engaged manufacturing unit 107 is used. At the human participating manufacturing unit 107, the workpiece kit box and the tool kit box are delivered to a human worker. CCS131 displays instructions on a Human Machine Interface (HMI) located at a human participating manufacturing unit 107. Instructions displayed according to the type of storage unit are presented at the port of the human participating manufacturing unit 107.

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the manufacturing center 105 shown in fig. 1-2 illustrating an example of a pair of RSRVs 306 traveling on a multi-station path to transport workpieces and tooling between the ASRS structure 101 and the manufacturing units 106 of the manufacturing center 105, according to an embodiment herein. The exchange of one tool piece storage unit 303d for another at one of the two tool receiving stations 118c, 118d shown in fig. 9A-9F, while using one or more tool pieces from the other tool receiving station in the manufacturing unit 106, is useful for switching the manufacturing unit 106 from one manufacturing process to another without loss of production time. Fig. 11 illustrates the use of two workpiece receiving areas and two tool receiving areas, wherein the RSRV306 delivered from the 3D grid storage structure 300 transfers workpiece storage units 303b or set storage units 303c to the workpiece receiving area of one manufacturing unit 106, and the RSRV306 may be used to pick up empty or unwanted workpiece storage units 303b, or empty or unwanted set storage units 303c, from another manufacturing unit 106, and then return the empty or unwanted workpiece storage units 303b or empty or unwanted set storage units 303c to the 3D grid storage structure 300 for storage therein. Similarly, the RSRV306 delivered from the 3D grid storage structure 300 transfers the tool storage unit 303D to the tool receiving area of one manufacturing unit 106, and the RSRV306 may be used to pick up an unneeded tool storage unit 303D from another manufacturing unit 106 and return the empty or unneeded tool storage unit 303D to the 3D grid storage structure 300 for storage therein. Meanwhile, in the case where each manufacturing unit 106 has two workpiece accommodating sections and two tool accommodating sections, by continuing the manufacturing in the accommodating section still occupied while emptying and replenishing the other accommodating section, it is possible to avoid non-production time at the manufacturing unit 106. In one embodiment, the same RSRV306 is configured to pick up empty or unneeded tool piece storage units 303d after unloading the required workpiece storage units 303b, and vice versa. That is, the same RSRV306 used to unload the required workpiece storage units 303b or the kit storage units 303c to the manufacturing unit 106 may be configured to pick empty or unneeded tool storage units 303d from the manufacturing unit 106. Similarly, the same RSRV306 used to unload the required tool storage unit 303d to the manufacturing unit 106 may be configured to pick empty or unwanted workpiece storage units 303b or kit storage units 303c from the manufacturing unit 106. The single trip of RSRV306 to unload required storage units and pick up empty or unneeded storage units out of 3D grid storage structure 300 increases the efficiency of the manufacturing process when assigning dual tasks, i.e., a single task route of RSRV306 may also be employed.

The fully automated manufacturing units 106 are distributed throughout a major interior region of the grid track structure 108, and at least one row or column of the grid track structure 108 between any two adjacent manufacturing units 106 remains open to allow the RSRV306 to travel therebetween. In the illustrated embodiment of fig. 10-11, two rows or columns between each pair of adjacent manufacturing units 106 remain open to prevent the interaction of one RSRV306 with one manufacturing unit 106 from impeding the interaction of another RSRV306 with an adjacent manufacturing unit 106.

In one embodiment, each manually engaged manufacturing unit 107 has the same structure as the workstations disclosed in applicant's U.S. patent application nos. 16/374,123 and 16/374,143, wherein each manually engaged manufacturing unit 107 includes a lower track on which RSRV306 may travel to transfer storage units to an access block on the lower track where human workers of the manually engaged manufacturing units 107 may access the storage units through access openings 125 in a table 126 located on the lower track. In the embodiment illustrated in fig. 1-2 and 10-12B, a plurality of artificially involved manufacturing units 107 are arranged in series with one another such that their lower tracks collectively occupy a single row or column of the grid track structure 108 of the manufacturing center 105 on a respective side adjacent to the periphery 108a of the grid track structure 108. In the example shown, four human-participated manufacturing units 107 occupy the outermost row of the grid track structure 108 on the far side of the manufacturing center 105. In an embodiment, the artificially involved manufacturing units 107 are additionally or alternatively located in respective columns of the grid track structure 108 at one or both of the lateral sides 108b and 108c of the grid track structure 108. The lower track of the human managed manufacturing unit 107 occupies a row or a column of the same grid track structure 108 where the fully automated manufacturing unit 106 is located, and is therefore a part of the same extension of the grid lower track layout 302 of the 3D grid storage structure 300, through which the fully automated manufacturing unit 106 is provided to operate by the RSRV 306. Accordingly, the RSRV306 is operable to transfer the workpiece storage unit 303b or the kit storage unit 303c to the human participating manufacturing unit 107, wherein the contents of the workpiece storage unit 303b or kit storage unit 303c are compiled from the inventory storage unit 303a of the stock preparation area 102 shown in fig. 1-2 and 7. In one embodiment, the RSRV306 also conveys a tooling storage unit 303d, the tooling storage unit 303d including tooling required at the human-participated manufacturing unit 107 to perform the processing steps currently assigned to the manufacturing process at those human-participated manufacturing units 107, whether those tooling are required and used by a human worker, a robotic worker, another automated manufacturing device such as a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine, or any combination thereof at the human-participated manufacturing unit 107.

Similar to the human-participated manufacturing units 107, which include CNC machines or other automated manufacturing equipment, in one embodiment, one or more fully automated manufacturing units 106 include such equipment. For example, instead of the robotic picker placing workpieces from one or more workpiece receiving areas of the automated manufacturing unit 106 onto the workpiece support 501 carried by the RSRV, the robotic picker places the workpieces in a CNC machine, such as a milling machine, a drill press, a lathe, a laser cutter, a plasma cutter, a water knife cutter, or the like, or in other automated manufacturing equipment for processing therein, and then the robotic picker optionally transfers the processed workpieces from the CNC machine or other automated manufacturing equipment back onto the RSRV306, for example into a workpiece storage unit carried on the RSRV306 to be returned to the ASRS structure 101, or onto a workpiece support 501 carried by the RSRV306 to be advanced into the ASRS structure 101, or onward to another automated manufacturing unit 106. The RSRV306 is used to provide work to one or more of the manufacturing units 106 and 107 from the extension of the grid track structure 108 or other defined tracks of the ASRS structure 101, regardless of the particular equipment and layout used in the manufacturing units 106 and 107. Similarly, while the illustrated embodiment uses fully automated manufacturing units 106 in the primary interior region of the grid structure 108 and positions the human-engaged manufacturing units 107 at the peripheral region 108a of the grid track structure 108, in one embodiment, the human-engaged manufacturing units 107 may instead be disposed within the interior region of the grid track structure 108, provided that a safe passage for a human to and from such human-engaged manufacturing units 107 is established in a manner that avoids potential collisions between the human and RSRVs 306 traveling in the grid track structure 108.

Fig. 12A is a side perspective view of manufacturing system 100 showing manufacturing center 105 including a plurality of manufacturing units 106, with manufacturing units 106 configured as a multi-layer structure, according to an embodiment herein. In the multilayer structure, the manufacturing center 105 includes a plurality of layers of manufacturing units 106. That is, the manufacturing center 105 includes a plurality of track navigation manufacturing layers, for example, two track navigation manufacturing layers 130a and 130B shown in fig. 12A and 12B. Fig. 12B is an enlarged partial perspective view of the manufacturing center 105 shown in fig. 12A according to an embodiment herein. Each of the track navigation fabrication layers 130a and 130b includes a two-dimensional (2D) grid track structure 108 of the type disclosed in the detailed description of fig. 8A-8C. As shown in fig. 8A-8C, the 2D grid track structure 108 includes multiple sets of intersecting tracks 115, 116, and the RSRV306 can navigate in two dimensions on the intersecting tracks 115. The 2D mesh track structure 108 of each of the track navigation manufacturing layers 130a and 130b includes a respective set of manufacturing units 106, the manufacturing units 106 being mounted on the mesh track structure 108 of each of the manufacturing layers 130a and 130 b. As shown in fig. 12A-12B, the lowest-level grid track structure 108 of the track navigation manufacturing level 130a in the two-level example is the same as the ground-level track structure disclosed in the detailed description of fig. 8A-8C, and is therefore connected to the grid lower track layout 302 of the three-dimensional (3D) grid storage structure 300 bounding the ASRS structure 101 shown in fig. 3. Each higher layer, such as the second track navigation manufacturing layer 130b, subsequently disposed above the ground level track structure lacks a direct connection to the corresponding grid track layout 302 of the 3D grid storage structure 300.

In one embodiment, the multi-layered structure further comprises upright frame members 309. Upright frame members 309 interconnect the cross rails 115, 116 of the multiple levels 130a, 130 b. In an embodiment, one or more upright frame members 309 are configured to cause the RSRV306 to travel in an ascending and/or descending direction on the upright frame members 309 to transition between the plurality of tiers 130a, 130 b. In an embodiment, the 2D grid track structure 108 at one of the plurality of layers of the multi-layer structure is connected to a respective one of the storage layers in the ASRS structure 101, the RSRV306 being configured at the respective one storage layer to transfer between the ASRS structure 101 and the multi-layer structure. In order to allow RSRV from the ground level track structure to enter each subsequent higher level track structure, the same type of rack toothed upright frame members 309 used in the 3D grid storage structure 300 shown in fig. 3 are used to interconnect the tracks 115, 116 at the different levels to allow the RSRV306 to travel up and down between the different levels in the same manner as the RSRV306 is caused to travel up and down through the upright shaft 305 of the 3D grid storage structure 300. In an embodiment, rack and pinion frame members 309 are used to raise and lower RSRV306 to travel at the four corners of any unoccupied square block of the grid track structure 108 that is not occupied by a unit assembly, such as a containment station of any manufacturing unit, a robotic worker, and the like. In one embodiment, the rack and pinion frame members are used throughout a multi-level structure such that the vertical space between any unoccupied square block on one level and a matching unoccupied square block on the next level can be used as a vertical axis of travel by which RSRV306 can be raised and lowered between the levels. This maintains flexibility to ensure that even if the manufacturing cell layout or equipment at one or more levels is reconfigured in a manner that obstructs previously available travel axes, other travel axes are still available for inter-level travel of the RSRV 306. In another embodiment, the multi-layered structure incorporates or replaces the rack tooth frame member 309 in addition to or in place of a lifting mechanism of the type disclosed in co-pending PCT application No. PCT/CA2019/050815 filed on day 10/6/2019 by the applicant, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In an embodiment, at each grid track layout from which RSRV306 must climb up to a higher level in the multi-level structure, the lifting mechanism is located in the starting block of the grid track layout below the respective axis through which RSRV306 ascends to the higher level above.

In the exemplary illustrated embodiment of fig. 12A-12B, the multi-layer structure of the manufacturing center 105 is a two-layer structure having a height lower than the height of the ASRS structure 101, whereby the highest layer 130B of the multi-layer structure is at a lower height than the grid upper track layout 301 of the 3D grid storage structure 300 defining the ASRS structure 101 shown in fig. 3. In other embodiments, the height of the multi-layer structure of manufacturing center 105 is equal to or higher than the height of ASRS structure 101, in which case the highest or middle layer of the multi-layer structure may have its grid track structure 108 connected to the grid upper track layout 301 of 3D grid storage structure 300, in which case RSRV306 may be transferred between ASRS structure 101 and manufacturing center 105 at multiple layers of ASRS structure 101 and manufacturing center 105. In another embodiment, the 3D mesh storage structure 300 is at an intermediate level between its mesh upper track layout 301 and mesh lower track layout 302, optionally equipped with outlet and return ports that open towards the mesh track structure 108 at one or more respective levels of the multi-layer structure of the manufacturing center 105. This middle layer of the 3D grid storage structure 300 is equipped with a complete grid track layout, similar to the grid track layout at the top and bottom of the 3D grid storage structure 300. In another embodiment, to avoid reducing storage density, the 3D grid storage structure 300 is equipped with outlets at intermediate levels between its grid upper track layout 301 and grid lower track layout 302, optionally at the outer axes of the 3D grid track structure 300, so that RSRVs 306 climbing or descending through the outer axes can be transferred into the multi-layer structure of the manufacturing center 105. To this end, in an embodiment, the outer shaft comprises a pair of transfer rails suspended between frame members 309 of the outer shaft and aligned with a respective pair of rails of the grid rail structure 108 of a respective layer in the multi-layer structure of the manufacturing center 105. In this embodiment, the transfer between the 3D mesh storage structure 300 and the manufacturing center 105 need not be performed at the layer of the 3D mesh storage structure 300 that defines the layout of the mesh tracks.

Furthermore, in other embodiments, the RSRV306 from the ASRS structure 101 is used to provide work directly to one or more manufacturing units 106 to avoid the need for intermediate conveyors or other equipment between the ASRS structure 101 and the manufacturing units 106, which need not necessarily be achieved by the 2D grid track structure 108 connected to the ASRS structure 101. In an embodiment, a network of rails extending outward and back from the grid track layout of the ASRS structure 101 is used to allow the RSRV306 to exit the ASRS structure 101 and travel to one or more manufacturing units 106 distributed along the network of rails. As shown in fig. 1-2, in an embodiment, the track network includes one or more 2D mesh track structures 108, the 2D mesh track structures 108 having an array of manufacturing units 106 distributed therein, however, each such 2D mesh track structure 108 is discretely located at a distance from the ASRS structure 101 and connected to the ASRS structure 101 by other tracks of the network. In one embodiment, the other tracks of the network include: at least one transfer track dedicated to the outbound travel of RSRV306 from ASRS structure 101 to grid track structure 108; and at least one return track dedicated to inbound travel of RSRV306 from grid track structure 108 back to ASRS structure 101.

Although in the illustrated embodiment RSRV306 exits 3D grid storage structure 300 bounding ASRS structure 101 via an extension of grid lower track layout 302, other embodiments may alternatively employ an extension of upper grid track layout 301 of 3D grid storage structure 300 to exit RSRV306 from 3D upper grid track layout 301 to external manufacturing unit 106. In an embodiment, the track network includes one or more overhead tracks connected to a grid upper track layout 301 of the 3D grid storage structure 300, or to an intermediate level of the 3D grid storage structure 300 between the grid upper track layout 301 and a grid lower track layout 302, and extending outwardly therefrom to one or more manufacturing units 106 located in other areas of the manufacturing facility at locations remote from the 3D grid storage structure 300. In one embodiment, if the manufacturing unit 106 is located on the ground floor or at any height below the grid upper track layout 301 on the elevated track, the manufacturing unit 106 is provided with service by a drop shaft connected to the elevated track, wherein the drop shaft is comprised of rack and pinion frame members 309 identical to the 3D grid storage structure 300 and is mounted at appropriate intervals along the elevated track to allow the RSRV306 to drop from the elevated track and unload the RSRV-carried storage units at the manufacturing unit 106. In one embodiment, each descent axis provides for operation of a single manufacturing unit, or a plurality of manufacturing units distributed at lower elevations within a 2D grid track structure or along a one-dimensional track. The manufacturing capacity of the manufacturing center 105 is increased by extending the 2D grid track structure or adding more layers in the structure of the manufacturing center 105.

FIG. 13 is a flow diagram of a method for performing a workflow in a manufacturing system according to an embodiment herein. As disclosed in the detailed description of fig. 1-12B, the manufacturing system disclosed herein includes: a storage arrangement having an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) architecture and a fleet of robotic storage/retrieval vehicles (RSRVs); and a plurality of manufacturing units located outside of the ASRS structure. In one embodiment, the storage configuration includes a batch of workpieces. The batch of workpieces is stored within a storage location of an ASRS structure for fabrication of articles from the workpieces. The same fleet of RSRVs, navigable along three dimensions within the ASRS structure, is operable to transfer workpieces to a manufacturing cell. In one embodiment, the workpieces may be transported between each manufacturing cell in any order. The manufacturing system disclosed herein allows for transporting work pieces in any order and sequence between each manufacturing cell, rather than linearly with a conveyor. In another embodiment, a first one of the manufacturing cells receives a workpiece to perform one or more of the plurality of processing steps of the manufacturing process, then stores the workpiece in the storage location of the ASRS structure, and then retrieves the workpiece from the storage location of the ASRS structure to transfer the workpiece to a second one of the manufacturing cells. In another embodiment, each manufacturing cell is configured to receive a workpiece multiple times to perform one or more processing steps of a manufacturing process.

In one embodiment, the storage arrangement of a manufacturing system disclosed herein further comprises a batch of tooling for manufacturing the article. The tool pieces are stored in the same ASRS structure as the workpiece. The tool pieces may be removed from the same ASRS structure by the same fleet RSRV and transferred to the manufacturing unit.

In one embodiment, the storage configuration of the manufacturing system disclosed herein further comprises a batch of size and shape compatible storage cells for storage in the storage locations of the ASRS structure. The memory cells are configured to be carried by the RSRV to transfer the memory cells to and from a storage location, and to and from a manufacturing unit. The manufacturing system disclosed herein allows for buffering of memory cells in an ASRS structure between each process performed by different manufacturing units. In an embodiment, the storage unit comprises a workpiece storage unit or a tool piece storage unit or any combination thereof. Each workpiece storage unit is configured to hold one or more workpieces. Each tool storage unit is configured to receive one or more tools. In one embodiment, the manufacturing units are arranged in a continuous array on the outside of the ASRS structure. In one embodiment, the memory cells are configured to be transferred to and from the storage locations of the ASRS structure, and to and from the manufacturing cells, due to the continuous arrangement of the manufacturing cells, without the need to identify the memory cells. The continuity between the ASRS structure and each of the different manufacturing units outside the ASRS structure allows for direct physical transfer of the memory cells without the need to identify or scan the memory cells.

In one embodiment, the workpiece storage unit includes an inventory storage unit and a kit storage unit. Each inventory storage unit is configured to include a collection of inventory workpieces. Each kit storage unit is configured to include a kit of hybrid workpieces, wherein the hybrid workpieces are picked from one or more inventory storage units according to a manufacturing process to be performed on the hybrid workpieces once delivered to one manufacturing unit. As disclosed in the detailed description of fig. 7, in another embodiment, the manufacturing system disclosed herein further includes at least one stock preparation workstation configured to receive the inventory storage unit transmitted by RSRV from ASRS to allow picking of the inventory workpieces from the inventory storage unit at the stock preparation workstation. In an embodiment, the preparation workstation is configured to receive unloading of the workpiece storage units by the same fleet of RSRVs, and/or travel of the workpiece storage units through the preparation workstation.

As disclosed in the detailed description of fig. 5A-5C and 6A-6B, in one embodiment, the storage arrangement of the manufacturing system disclosed herein further comprises a batch of workpiece supports. Each workpiece support is configured to receive one or more workpieces in a predetermined position during fabrication of the article. The workpiece supports are stored in the same ASRS structure as the workpiece. The workpiece supports may be removed from the same ASRS structure by the same fleet of RSRVs and transferred to the manufacturing unit. In an embodiment, each workpiece support has a universal footprint of standardized size and shape, the same size and shape as compatible sizes and shapes of each of the array of storage units, configured to fit within a storage location of the ASRS structure. Each workpiece support includes a base having a standardized shape and size configured to fit within a storage location of the ASRS structure. In an embodiment, each workpiece support and each storage unit are configured with a matching arrangement of interface features by which the RSRV interacts with the workpiece supports and storage units to allow loading and unloading of the workpiece supports and storage units to and from the RSRV.

In one embodiment, the storage arrangement comprises a batch of tool pieces or a batch of workpiece holders stored in the ASRS structure in addition to the batch of workpieces stored in the storage location of the ASRS structure. Each tool piece is useful for performing one or more processing steps of a manufacturing process on one or more workpieces during the manufacture of an article. Each workpiece support is configured to receive one or more workpieces in a predetermined position during fabrication of the article. In this embodiment, the fleet of RSRVs are operable to retrieve the workpieces and at least one of the tool pieces and the workpiece supports from the storage location. The same fleet of RSRVs, navigable in three dimensions within the ASRS structure, is operable to convey supplies or components, such as workpieces and tool pieces and/or workpiece supports, between manufacturing units. In one embodiment, the components may be shipped between each manufacturing unit in any order. In another embodiment, each manufacturing unit is configured to receive the assembly multiple times to perform one or more process steps of the manufacturing process.

In one embodiment, each manufacturing cell includes at least one workpiece receiving area configured to receive a workpiece to be processed at the corresponding manufacturing cell. The workpiece receiving area is configured to receive a workpiece storage unit disposed thereon. In one embodiment, the workpiece receiving area includes two workpiece receiving areas. Each of the two workpiece receiving areas is configured to receive a respective desired set of workpieces at a corresponding manufacturing cell.

In an embodiment, at least a subset of the manufacturing units are located in the track structure or in an area of the track structure. As disclosed in the detailed description of fig. 8A-8C and 9A-9F, in one embodiment, the track structure is a grid track structure comprising a plurality of sets of intersecting tracks on which RSRV can navigate along two dimensions. In one embodiment, the width of the workpiece receiving area in each of the two dimensions is generally equal to an integer multiple of the distance between two adjacent parallel rails of the grid rail structure. In another embodiment, the width of the workpiece receiving area in each of the two dimensions does not exceed the distance between two adjacent parallel rails of the grid rail structure.

In one embodiment, the grid track structure comprises square blocks. Each square block is defined by a first pair of parallel rails located in a first direction and a second pair of parallel rails located in a second direction, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. Each of the manufacturing units occupies a cell space having an area equal to an area of a predetermined number of square blocks. In one embodiment, at least one of the cell spaces is a square space, and the area of the square space can be divided into nine square subspaces. The area of each of the nine square subspaces is equal to the area of one square block of the grid track structure. Four corner subspaces in the nine square subspaces are configured as accommodation areas for accommodating materials required by corresponding manufacturing units. In an embodiment, a first pair of intermediate peripheral subspaces located between the four corner drop subspaces of a first pair of opposing peripheral sides of the cell space is occupied by a robotic robot. In an embodiment, a central subspace located between the robot workers is configured as a working area, to which workpieces are transferred and in which workpieces are processed by the robot workers. In one embodiment, a second pair of intermediate perimeter subspaces located between the four corner subspace of a second pair of opposing perimeter sides of the cellular space is adjacent the workspace. In an embodiment, at least one of the second pair of intermediate peripheral subspaces is an unoccupied open area through which the RSRV is configured to enter and exit the workspace. In another embodiment, each of the second pair of intermediate peripheral subspaces is an unoccupied open area, whereby the RSRV is configured to travel completely through the respective manufacturing unit.

In an embodiment, each manufacturing cell includes at least one robotic picker operable to pick workpieces from the workpiece receiving areas. In another embodiment, each manufacturing cell further comprises a work area to which the picked workpiece is transferred from the workpiece receiving area by the robotic picker.

In one embodiment, each manufacturing unit in the subset includes at least one tool receiving area configured to receive tool pieces required at the respective manufacturing unit. In one embodiment, the width of the tool receiving area in each of the two dimensions is generally equal to the distance between two adjacent parallel rails of the grid rail structure. In another embodiment, the width of the tool receiving area in each of the two dimensions does not exceed the distance between two adjacent parallel rails of the grid rail structure. In an embodiment, each manufacturing unit in the subset comprises at least one robot worker mounted on top of a mounting base mounted on or within the grid rail structure. In an embodiment, the width of the mounting base in each of the two dimensions is generally equal to an integer multiple of the distance between two adjacent parallel rails of the grid rail structure. In another embodiment, the mounting base has a width in each of two dimensions that does not exceed a distance between two adjacent parallel rails of the grid rail structure.

In the method disclosed herein illustrated in fig. 13, the workpiece and workpiece support are stored 1301 in respective storage locations of an ASRS structure. The work is stored in a work storage unit of the storage location. In one embodiment, each workpiece storage unit is filled with a kit of different workpieces as required by the manufacturing process. In one embodiment, each workpiece storage unit is filled at a preparation workstation coupled to the ASRS structure. At a stock preparation workstation, the fleet of RSRV configured to convey inventory storage units taken from respective storage locations in an ASRS structure, the inventory storage units comprising inventory workpieces; picking up different workpieces of the kit from the stock workpieces in the stock storage unit and compiling the workpieces into the workpiece storage unit; and, one RSRV for each workpiece storage unit is carried away from the preparation workstation and stored in a storage location of a respective one of the ASRS structures for subsequent removal from the ASRS structure.

In one embodiment, a tooling storage unit configured to hold tooling used in a manufacturing process is stored in the ASRS structure. In the method disclosed herein, the fleet of RSRVs navigable within the ASRS structure is used to extract 1302 one or more workpiece storage units and selected workpiece supports from the ASRS structure and to transmit 1303, respectively, to the manufacturing unit as required by the manufacturing process to be performed by the manufacturing unit outside the ASRS structure. In an embodiment, the same type of RSRV is configured to perform the extraction and transfer of the workpiece storage unit and selected workpiece supports from the ASRS structure to the manufacturing unit individually. At the manufacturing cell, the selected workpiece support is positioned 1304 at a work location accessible to one or more workers of the manufacturing cell. At the fabrication cell, with the selected workpiece support secured in the work position 1305, (i) transferring 1305a one or more workpieces from the workpiece storage unit onto the selected workpiece support; and (ii) performing 1305b a processing step of the manufacturing process on the workpiece held on the selected workpiece support. In one embodiment, a subset of the tool storage units is extracted from the ASRS structure using one RSRV and transferred to the manufacturing unit before performing the processing steps of the manufacturing process. In an embodiment, one of the tool pieces selected from the subset of the tool piece storage unit is attached to the robot worker of the manufacturing cell before performing the processing step of the manufacturing process, in accordance with requirements of the manufacturing process to be performed on the workpiece by the robot worker.

In one embodiment, the workpiece storage unit includes two workpiece storage units. In one embodiment, the two workpiece storage units are transferred to two corresponding receiving areas of the manufacturing unit. And transferring the two workpieces from the two workpiece storage units respectively placed in the two corresponding accommodation areas to the selected workpiece supports.

In one embodiment, after transferring the workpieces from the workpiece storage unit to the selected workpiece support, an unneeded or empty workpiece storage unit is removed from the manufacturing unit, wherein the selected workpieces have been removed from the unneeded or empty workpiece storage unit and no more workpieces are needed during the manufacturing process of the manufacturing unit. In this embodiment, an RSRV is used to transfer additional workpiece storage units to the manufacturing unit, including one or more additional workpieces required at the manufacturing unit. In an embodiment, the additional workpieces are used for different manufacturing processes to be performed in the same manufacturing cell. In one embodiment, an RSRV different from the RSRV used to transfer additional workpiece storage units to the manufacturing unit is used to remove unneeded or empty workpiece storage units. In an embodiment, the different RSRV configuration is configured to remove the unwanted or empty workpiece storage unit after a different workpiece storage unit has been unloaded at a different manufacturing unit to supply the contents of the different workpiece storage unit to the different manufacturing unit. Removing the selected workpiece support and the workpiece thereon from the manufacturing cell after performing a processing step of the manufacturing process on the workpiece secured on the selected workpiece support; transferring another workpiece support to the manufacturing cell using one RSRV for a different manufacturing process; supporting the workpiece support in a working position; transferring the additional workpiece from the additional workpiece storage unit to the workpiece support; and performing one or more processing steps of the different manufacturing process on the additional workpiece.

In the method disclosed herein, after the finished product is completed by processing the workpieces at one or more manufacturing units, the finished product is introduced into the ASRS structure on the one RSRV. In one embodiment, one or more final processing steps are performed on the final workpiece support to complete the finished article, and the finished article on the final support is introduced into the ASRS structure. In one embodiment, the final workpiece support is the same as the selected workpiece support to which the workpiece is transferred.

Fig. 14 is a flow diagram of a method for performing stock preparation operations for a workflow in a manufacturing system according to an embodiment herein. Consider an example in which a work order is received for a kit storage unit, referred to herein as a "kit box". At step 1401, a stock preparation operation begins when a work order is received. At step 1402, a Computer Control System (CCS) of a manufacturing system receives a work order for a desired kit box. At step 1403, the CCS instructs the first robot to store/retrieve a vehicle (RSRV) to retrieve an empty storage unit, referred to herein as an "empty box". At step 1404, the first RSRV retrieves an empty bin from an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) structure and provides the empty bin to a placement portal or placement access portal of a preparation workstation in a preparation area of a manufacturing system. At step 1405, the CCS instructs the second RSRV to retrieve a desired work-piece storage unit, such as a desired single Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) bin. At step 1406, the second RSRV retrieves the single SKU bin from the ASRS structure and provides the single SKU bin to a pick-up port or pick-up access port of the stock preparation workstation. At step 1407, a worker, either a human worker or a robotic worker, picks a desired number of workpieces from the single SKU bin and places the picked workpieces in the empty bin that is being packed at the placement port of the stock preparation workstation. At step 1408, the CCS instructs the second RSRV to store the single SKU bin. At step 1409, the second RSRV stores the single SKU box in an ASRS structure. At step 1410, the CCS determines whether more workpieces are needed in the kit bin based on the work order. If more workpieces are needed in the kit, steps 1405 through 1409 of the method disclosed herein are repeated until no more workpieces are needed in the kit. If no more workpieces are needed in the kit bin, then the CCS instructs the first RSRV to store the kit SKU bin at step 1411. At step 1412, the first RSRV stores the set SKU box in an ASRS structure. When the set SKU boxes have been processed and stored, the stock preparation operation ends 1413. In one embodiment, the above-described preparation operations are also performed on the tooling to create a tooling kit bin or tooling kit storage unit.

15A-15C are flow diagrams of methods of performing manufacturing operations using workpiece storage units in a manufacturing system to fulfill a work order according to an embodiment herein. At step 1501, the manufacturing operation begins when the manufacturing system receives an assembled work order. At step 1502, a Computer Control System (CCS) of a manufacturing system receives a work order for a desired assembly with software instructions. At step 1503, upon execution of the software instructions, the CCS instructs the first robotic storage/retrieval vehicle (RSRV) to retrieve a work rack associated with the manufacturing operation to be performed. At step 1504, the first RSRV retrieves the associated workpiece support from an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) structure and provides the workpiece support to a designated fully automated manufacturing unit or robotic manufacturing unit at a manufacturing center of a manufacturing system. At step 1505, the CCS instructs the second RSRV to retrieve the desired workpiece storage units. At step 1506, the second RSRV retrieves the required workpiece storage unit from the ASRS structure and places the workpiece storage bin on the workpiece receiving station of the designated robot manufacturing unit. At step 1507, the CCS instructs the third RSRV to fetch the required tool storage units. At step 1508, the third RSRV retrieves the required tool piece storage unit from the ASRS structure and places the tool piece storage unit on the tool piece receiving station of the designated robotic manufacturing unit.

At step 1509, the CCS instructs the robot worker, i.e., the robot picker operatively coupled to another mounting base at the designated robot manufacturing cell, to pick up the designated workpiece. At step 1510, the robot picker picks a designated workpiece from the workpiece storage unit. At step 1511, the CCS instructs the robotic picker to place the designated workpiece in the work position. At step 1512, the CCS determines whether to fasten the designated workpiece to a subassembly located on the workpiece support based on the work order. If fastening is not required, the manufacturing operation proceeds to step 1516 disclosed below. If the designated workpiece is to be secured to the subassembly located on the workpiece support, the CCS directs another robotic worker, i.e., a robotic process worker operatively coupled to the mounting base at the designated robotic manufacturing unit, to retrieve or pick the designated tool piece from the tool piece storage unit, at step 1513. At step 1514, the robotic handling worker retrieves the designated tooling from the tooling storage unit. At step 1515, the CCS instructs the robotic handler to secure the workpiece to the subassembly using the retrieved tooling piece. At step 1516, the CCS determines if more workpieces are needed in the subassembly. If more workpieces are needed in the subassembly, steps 1509 to 1515 of the method disclosed herein are repeated until no more workpieces are needed. If no more workpieces are needed in the subassembly, the CCS indicates a second RSRV or a fourth RSRV to store the workpiece storage unit at step 1517. In one embodiment, the CCS directs the same second RSRV used to transfer the workpiece storage units to the manufacturing unit to store the workpiece storage units. In another embodiment, the CCS indicates another RSRV, a fourth RSRV, to store the workpiece storage units. At step 1518, the second RSRV or the fourth RSRV stores the workpiece storage unit in an ASRS structure. At step 1519, the CCS indicates a third RSRV or a fifth RSRV to store the tool storage unit. In one embodiment, the CCS indicates the same third RSRV to transfer the tool storage units to the manufacturing unit to store the tool storage units. In another embodiment, the CCS indicates another RSRV, a fifth RSRV, to store the tool storage unit. At step 1520, the third RSRV or the fifth RSRV stores the tool piece storage unit in the ASRS structure. At step 1521, the CCS determines whether a different workpiece is needed in the subassembly. If a different workpiece is required in the subassembly, steps 1505 through 1520 of the method disclosed herein are repeated until the different workpiece is no longer required in the subassembly. At step 1522, the CCS determines whether a workpiece support is needed for another manufacturing unit at the manufacturing center. If a workpiece support is needed at another manufacturing cell, the CCS instructs the first RSRV to transport the workpiece support with subassembly to the next manufacturing cell at step 1523. At step 1524, the first RSRV transports the workpiece holder with subassembly to the next manufacturing unit, where similar steps as steps 1505 through 1522 are performed. If no workpiece supports are needed at another manufacturing unit, the CCS instructs the first RSRV to store the workpiece supports with completed subassemblies at step 1525. At step 1526, the first RSRV stores the workpiece supports with completed subassemblies for the work order in an ASRS structure. When the work order is complete, the manufacturing operation ends 1527.

16A-16C are flow diagrams of methods of performing manufacturing operations using a kit storage unit in a manufacturing system to fulfill a work order according to an embodiment herein. At step 1601, a manufacturing operation begins when the manufacturing system receives a work order for an assembly. At step 1602, a Computer Control System (CCS) of a manufacturing system receives a work order for a desired assembly with software instructions. At step 1603, upon execution of the software instructions, the CCS instructs a first robotic storage/retrieval vehicle (RSRV) to retrieve a work support associated with the manufacturing operation to be performed. At step 1604, the first RSRV retrieves the associated workpiece support from an automated warehouse system (ASRS) structure and provides the workpiece support to a designated fully automated manufacturing unit or robotic manufacturing unit at a manufacturing center of a manufacturing system. At step 1605, the CCS instructs the second RSRV to retrieve the required work set storage units, also referred to as "work set boxes". At step 1606, the second RSRV retrieves the required workpiece set bin from the ASRS structure and places the workpiece set bin on the workpiece receiving station of the designated robotic manufacturing unit. At step 1607, the CCS instructs a third RSRV to retrieve the required tool kit storage unit, also referred to as a "tool kit box". At step 1608, the third RSRV retrieves the required kit of tools from the ASRS structure and places the kit of tools on the tool receiving station of the designated robotic manufacturing unit.

At step 1609, the CCS instructs the robot picker, i.e., the robot picker operatively coupled to another mounting base at the designated robot manufacturing cell, to pick up the designated workpiece. At step 1610, the robotic picker picks a designated workpiece from the workpiece kit bin. At step 1611, the CCS instructs the robotic picker to place the designated workpiece in the work position. At step 1612, the CCS determines whether to fasten the specified workpiece to the subassembly located on the workpiece support based on the work order. If fastening is not required, the manufacturing operation proceeds to step 1616, disclosed below. If the designated workpiece is to be secured to a subassembly located on the workpiece support, the CCS directs another robotic worker, i.e., a robotic process worker operatively coupled to the mounting base at the designated robotic manufacturing cell, to retrieve or pick the designated tool piece from the tool piece kit bin at step 1613. At step 1614, the robotic handling worker obtains the designated toolkit from the toolkit magazine. At step 1615, the CCS instructs the robotic handler to secure the workpiece to the subassembly using the retrieved tooling piece. At step 1616, the CCS determines whether more workpieces are needed in the subassembly. If more workpieces are needed in the subassembly, steps 1609-1615 of the method disclosed herein are repeated until no more workpieces are needed. If no more workpieces are needed in the subassembly, the CCS indicates a second RSRV or a fourth RSRV to store the workpiece kit box at step 1617. In one embodiment, the CCS directs the same second RSRV that transfers the workpiece kit boxes to the manufacturing unit to store the workpiece kit boxes. In another embodiment, the CCS indicates another RSRV, a fourth RSRV, to store the work set boxes. At step 1618, the second RSRV or the fourth RSRV stores the workpiece kit box in an ASRS structure. At step 1619, the CCS indicates a third RSRV or fifth RSRV storage kit box. In one embodiment, the CCS indicates the same third RSRV to transfer the kit of tools to the manufacturing unit to store the kit of tools. In another embodiment, the CCS indicates another RSRV, a fifth RSRV, to store the kit of tools. At step 1620, the third RSRV or the fifth RSRV stores the kit of tools in an ASRS structure. At step 1621, the CCS determines whether another manufacturing unit at the manufacturing center requires a workpiece support. If a workpiece carrier is needed at another manufacturing cell, the CCS instructs the first RSRV to transport the workpiece carrier with subassembly to the next manufacturing cell at step 1622. At step 1623, the first RSRV transports the workpiece support with subassembly to the next manufacturing cell where similar steps are performed as steps 1605-1621. If a workpiece carrier is not needed at another manufacturing unit, the CCS indicates that the first RSRV stores the workpiece carrier with the completed subassembly at step 1624. At step 1625, the first RSRV stores the workpiece support with completed subassembly for the work order in an ASRS structure. When the work order is complete, the manufacturing operation ends 1626.

FIG. 17 is a flow diagram of a method of manufacturing a product in a manufacturing system according to an embodiment herein. Consider an example in which a manufacturing system receives 1701 a purchase order for a predetermined number of products, product _ X, and then proceeds to purchase 1702 the raw materials needed to manufacture the predetermined number of product _ X. When raw materials for manufacturing product _ X are received at the manufacturing system, the raw materials are introduced into a workpiece storage unit in an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) configuration at step 1703. At step 1704, as disclosed in the detailed description of FIG. 14, a Computer Control System (CCS) of the manufacturing system triggers a stock preparation operation at a stock preparation area of the manufacturing system to establish a kit or kit storage unit containing one or more types of workpieces for manufacturing each of a number of multiple subassemblies that make up product _ X. At step 1705, the CCS determines whether the manufacturing center has available capacity to manufacture each of a number of subassemblies of product _ X. If there is capacity available, then at step 1706 the CCS configures one of the fully automated manufacturing units or robotic manufacturing units of the manufacturing center to manufacture each of the subassemblies of the quantity of product _ X. At step 1707, the CCS instructs the robotic manufacturing unit to manufacture each of the subassemblies of a number of product _ X. The robotic manufacturing unit manufactures each of the subassemblies of a number of products _ X by performing the manufacturing operations disclosed in the detailed description of fig. 16A-16C. After each of the subassemblies of product _ X is manufactured, the CCS determines whether more subassemblies of product _ X need to be manufactured to reach the desired quantity at step 1708. If more subassemblies need to be manufactured to achieve the desired number, steps 1705-1707 are repeated until the desired number is achieved. If the desired number has been reached, the CCS determines whether the manufacturing center has available capacity to manufacture a predetermined number of product _ X at step 1709. If there is capacity available, the CCS configures one of the fully automated manufacturing units or robotic manufacturing units of the manufacturing center to manufacture a final assembly of a predetermined number of product _ X, at step 1710. At step 1711, the CCS instructs the robotic manufacturing unit to manufacture a predetermined number of final assemblies of product _ X using the subassemblies of product _ X. When a certain number of product _ X is manufactured, the manufacturing operation ends 1712. The manufacturing system disclosed herein allows for a large number of variations and models of products to be manufactured in varying quantities.

FIG. 18 is an architectural block diagram of a manufacturing system 100 illustrating communication between a Computer Control System (CCS)131 and components of the manufacturing system 100, according to an embodiment herein. As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the manufacturing system 100 includes: an automated storage system (ASRS) architecture 101; a fleet of robotic storage/retrieval vehicles (RSRVs) 306; stock preparation workstations 103, 104; and manufacturing units 106, 107 of the manufacturing center 105. The CCS131 is in operable communication with the fleet of RSRVs 306, Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs) 138 and light guidance systems 139 of the stock preparation workstations 103, 104, robotic workers 123a, 123b at the fully automated manufacturing unit 106 or robotic manufacturing unit 106, and HMIs 140 at the manually engaged manufacturing unit 107. As shown in fig. 1-2 and 7, the HMI 138 of the preparation workstation 103, 104 includes a display screen for displaying instructions to human workers 703 for performing preparation operations in the preparation area 102 of the manufacturing system 100.The light guidance system 139 includes, for example, a per-lamp placement guidance system and a per-lamp pickup guidance system. CCS131 includes: a network interface 134 coupled to a communication network, and at least one processor 132 coupled to the network interface 134. "communication network" as used herein refers to, for example, the internet, wireless networks, implementing the bluetooth allianceCommunication network implementing Wi-Fi allianceNetwork, Ultra Wideband (UWB) communication network, wireless Universal Serial Bus (USB) communication network, implementing ZigBee allianceA communication network such as a global system for mobile communications (GSM) communication network, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, a third generation (3G) mobile communication network, a fourth generation (4G) mobile communication network, a fifth generation (5G) mobile communication network, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile communication network, a public telephone network, etc., a local area network, a wide area network, an internet connection network, an infrared communication network, etc., or a network formed by any combination of these networks. Network interface 134 enables CCS131 to connect to a communications network. In one embodiment, the network interfaces 134 are provided as interface cards, also referred to as line cards. Network interface 134 is, for example, an infrared interface, implementing Wi-Fi allianceInterface of general serial bus, apple IncInterface, Ethernet interface, frame relay interface, cable interface, digital subscriber line interface, token Ring interface, peripheral controller interconnect interface, local area network interface, Wide area network interface, interface using a Serial protocol, interface using a parallel protocolOne or more of an interface, an ethernet communication interface, an asynchronous transfer mode interface, a high speed serial interface, a fiber distributed data interface, a transmission control protocol/internet protocol based interface, a wireless communication technology based interface, etc., wherein the wireless communication technology is satellite technology, radio frequency technology, near field communication.

In one embodiment, CCS131 is a programmable computer system using a high-level computer programming language. CCS131 is implemented using programmed and dedicated hardware. In the manufacturing system 100 disclosed herein, the CCS131 interfaces with the ASRS structure 101, RSRV306, stock preparation workstations 103, 104, and manufacturing units 106, 107, and thus, more than one specially programmed computing system is used to perform the workflow in the manufacturing system 100. CCS131 further includes a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, such as memory unit 137, communicatively coupled to processor 132. "non-transitory computer-readable storage medium" as used herein refers to all computer-readable media that include and store computer programs and data. Examples of a computer-readable medium include a hard disk drive, a solid state drive, an optical or magnetic disk, a memory chip, a Read Only Memory (ROM), a scratchpad memory, a processor cache, a Random Access Memory (RAM), and so forth. Processor 132 refers to any one or more or any combination of microprocessors, Central Processing Unit (CPU) devices, finite state machines, computers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, logic devices, Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), chips, or the like, capable of executing a computer program or series of commands, instructions, or state transitions. In one embodiment, processor 132 is implemented as a processor assembly including, for example, a programmed microprocessor and a math or graphics coprocessor. CCS131 is not limited to use with processor 132. In one embodiment, CCS131 employs a controller or microcontroller. The processor 132 executes the modules of the CCS131, e.g., 137a through 137 d.

Memory unit 137 is used to store program instructions, applications, and data. Memory unit 137 stores computer program instructions defined by modules of CCS131, such as 137 a-137 d. Memory unit 137 is operatively and communicatively connected to processor 132 to execute computer program instructions defined by modules, e.g., 137 a-137 d, of CCS131 to perform a workflow in manufacturing system 100. Memory unit 137 is, for example, a Random Access Memory (RAM) or another type of dynamic storage device that stores information and instructions for execution by processor 132. Memory unit 137 also stores temporary variables and other intermediate information used during execution of instructions by processor 132. In one embodiment, CCS131 further includes a Read Only Memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device that stores static information and instructions for execution by processor 132. In one embodiment, modules such as 137 a-137 e of CCS131 are stored in memory unit 137.

The memory unit 137 is configured to store computer program instructions that, when executed by the processor 132, cause the processor 132 to initiate one or more RSRVs 306 to perform one or more of: (a) navigation within the ASRS structure 101 and/or through the manufacturing units 106, 107; (b) retrieving one or more workpieces contained in one or more storage cells from a storage location of ASRS structure 101; (c) transferring one or more workpieces contained in one or more storage units to at least one preparation station 103, 104 for preparing workpiece packages into one or more kit storage units; (d) picking up one or more kit storage units from the preparation workstations 103, 104; returning and storing one or more suite storage units to a storage location of ASRS structure 101; (f) taken from the same ASRS structure 101: at least one of one or more kit storage units and one or more workpieces contained in another one or more storage units, one or more tools contained in yet another one or more storage units, and one or more workpiece supports; (g) transferring at least one of the one or more kit storage units and the one or more workpieces contained in the one or more storage units, the one or more tooling contained in the one or more storage units, and the one or more workpiece supports to a manufacturing unit 106, 107 to manufacture an article; and (h) introducing the article on the final workpiece holder into the ASRS structure 101.

As shown in fig. 18, CCS131 further includes data bus 136, display unit 133, and general purpose module 135. The data bus 136 allows communication between modules, e.g., 132, 133, 134, 135, and 137, of the CCS 131. The display unit 133 displays information, display interfaces, user interface elements such as check boxes, text entry fields, etc., via a Graphical User Interface (GUI)133a, for example, to allow a user of a system administrator or the like to trigger updates to the numerical records of the work order, enter inventory information, update database tables, etc., to execute a workflow in the manufacturing system 100. CCS131 presents GUI133a on display unit 133 to receive input from a system administrator. GUI133a includes, for example: an online network interface, a network-based downloadable application interface, a mobile device-based downloadable application interface, and the like. The display unit 133 displays a GUI133 a. The generic modules 135 of the CCS131 include, for example: an input/output (I/O) controller, an input device, an output device, a fixed media drive such as a hard disk drive, a removable media drive for receiving removable media, and the like. Computer applications and programs are used to operate CCS 131. The program is loaded onto the fixed media drive via the removable media drive and into the memory unit 137. In one embodiment, computer applications and programs are loaded into memory unit 137 directly via a communication network.

In the illustrative embodiment shown in fig. 18, CCS131 includes an order management module 137a, a stock management module 137b, a storage unit assignment module 137c, a robot activation module 137d, and a facilities database 137 e. The order management module 137a defines computer program instructions for receiving a work order with software instructions for executing a workflow in the manufacturing system 100. The order management module 137a is configured to update the digital record of the work order in the facilities database 137 e. Stock management module 137b defines computer program instructions for performing stock operations in stock area 102 of manufacturing system 100 based on the work order and the manufacturing requirements. The stock management module 137b sends instructions and notifications to the HMI 138 of the stock preparation area 102 for viewing by human workers 703 participating in the at least one stock preparation workstation 103. In one embodiment, stock management module 137b also controls light guide system 139, and light guide system 139 guides pick and place operations at stock area 102. The storage unit assignment module 137c defines computer program instructions for assigning storage units for storing workpieces, specific combinations of workpieces, workpiece supports, toolware, specific combinations of toolware, etc. in addressed storage locations in the ASRS structure 101. The robot activation module 137d activates one or more RSRVs 306 to perform various storage, retrieval, transfer and return operations during the stock preparation operations of the stock preparation area 102 and during the manufacturing workflow of the manufacturing units 106 and 107 of the manufacturing center 105 as disclosed above.

The processor 132 of the CCS131 obtains instructions defined by the order management module 137a, stock management module 137b, storage unit assignment module 137c, and robot activation module 137d to perform the various functions disclosed above. Processor 132 retrieves instructions from memory unit 137 for executing modules such as 137 a-137 d. Instructions fetched by the processor 132 from the memory unit 137 are processed and decoded. After being processed and decoded, processor 132 executes its respective instructions to thereby perform one or more processes defined by those instructions. The operating system of CCS131 executes a number of routines to perform the various tasks required to specify input devices, output devices, and memory units 137 for executing modules such as 137a through 137 e. Tasks performed by the operating system include, for example: allocating memory to modules such as 137a to 137e and data used by CCS 131; moving data between the memory unit 137 and the disk unit; and processing input/output operations. The operating system executes the task in accordance with the request for operation, and after executing the task, the operating system passes execution control back to the processor 132. Processor 132 continues to execute to obtain one or more outputs.

For purposes of illustration, the detailed description refers to modules such as 137a through 137e running locally on a single computer system; however, the scope of the manufacturing system 100 and methods disclosed herein is not limited to modules such as 137 a-137 e running locally on a single computer system through the operating system and processor 132, but may be extended to run remotely over a communications network through the use of a web browser and a remote server, cell phone, or other electronic device. In one embodiment, one or more computing portions of the manufacturing system 100 disclosed herein are distributed across one or more computer systems (not shown) connected to a communications network.

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium disclosed herein stores computer program instructions executable by the processor 132 to perform a workflow in the manufacturing system 100. The computer program instructions implement the processes of the various embodiments disclosed above and perform additional steps that may be required and desired in the workflow in the manufacturing system 100. The computer program instructions, when executed by the processor 132, cause the processor 132 to perform the steps of the above disclosed method for performing a workflow in the manufacturing system 100. In one embodiment, a single piece of computer program code containing computer program instructions performs one or more steps of the above disclosed method. Processor 132 fetches and executes these computer program instructions.

A module, tool, or unit as used herein refers to any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware. As an example, the module, means or unit may comprise hardware such as a microcontroller associated with a non-transitory computer readable storage medium to store computer program code adapted to be executed by the microcontroller. Accordingly, a module, tool, or element referred to in one embodiment is directed to hardware specially configured to identify and/or execute computer program code to be stored on a non-transitory computer readable memory. The computer program code includes computer readable and executable instructions and may be implemented in any programming language, such as C, C + +, C #, or,Fortran、Ruby、 hypertext preprocessor(PHP)、NET、And the like. Other object-oriented, functional, scripting, and/or logic programming languages may also be used. In one embodiment, computer program code or software programs are stored as object code on or in one or more media. In another embodiment, the term "module" or "tool" or "unit" refers to a combination of a microcontroller and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. Typically, the boundaries shown as separate modules or tools or cells will typically vary and may overlap. For example, a module or tool or unit may share hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof, while perhaps retaining some separate hardware, software, or firmware. In various embodiments, a module or tool or unit includes any suitable logic.

In the manufacturing system 100 disclosed herein, connecting scalable manufacturing units distributed on a grid track structure to a two-dimensional (2D) grid lower track layout of the ASRS structure 101 allows each manufacturing unit to access a large number of workpieces and workpiece suites and associated toolpieces, toolpiece suites, and workpiece supports. This allows each manufacturing unit to be instantly configured for a wide variety of on-demand manufacturing processes using only the CCS software. The on-time transfer of the workpiece, tool piece, and workpiece support to the manufacturing cell by RSRV306 allows the subassembly to be manufactured on-time at any stage of the manufacturing process. The ability to store each sub-assembly in the ASRS structure 101 between manufacturing processes allows for maximum flexibility, as any manufacturing steps can be completed as capacity becomes available.

Further, in the manufacturing system 100 disclosed herein, all components or parts delivered to a manufacturing unit use a standardized memory cell footprint. The use of standardized storage unit footprints in a single automated solution for all manufacturing workflows allows for the intensive storage and predictable management of all items and materials for all manufacturing processes by a single entity that is a single collaborative system with any number of manufacturing processes. The manufacturing system 100 disclosed herein allows all manufacturing processes, including receiving, preparing, assembling subassemblies and final assembly, to be completed by one automated material handling system that does not require conveyors or ground transportation, and the manufacturing units can be software configured as needed. The disclosed invention allows all manufacturing processes to be completed by one automated material handling system that does not require conveyors or ground transportation, and the manufacturing units can be software configured as needed.

Because the lower 2D grid interconnects all of the manufacturing units, the manufacturing system 100 disclosed herein allows for configuring the on-demand manufacturing operations and transporting items between all of the manufacturing units in any order. This allows any number of processes to be completed in any order and multiple times if desired, e.g., reworking the subassembly to a new specification, etc. This, coupled with the ability to configure the manufacturing unit with software commands, allows for easy and flexible addition of new manufacturing processes as factory manufacturing requirements change. As customer expectations for customized products have increased rapidly, manufacturers have aimed to stand out by focusing on customer experience. The manufacturing system 100 disclosed herein is adapted to easily and flexibly change conditions and product types without waiting time and without loss of production or manufacturing time.

Furthermore, in the manufacturing system 100 disclosed herein, the same storage medium, i.e., the ASRS structure 101, may be used by all interconnected processes at the stock area 102 and all manufacturing units 106 to buffer any differences in the process flow. This provides maximum flexibility for the manufacturer, as the material can be stored indefinitely, and minimizes operational sensitivity to the external environment. Furthermore, since all manufacturing units 106 are interconnected and managed by the same fleet of RSRVs 306, and are also connected to ASRS structures 101 navigated by the same fleet of RSRVs 306, system logic is simplified without the need to transfer components from one workspace entity to another. Thus, the logical transfer of custody between entities, i.e., ASRS structures 101, stock preparation area 102, and manufacturing units 106 of manufacturing center 105, does not have to be received and identified by each process, e.g., using bar code scanning, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) scanning, etc.

Furthermore, by integrating vertical storage above the lower 2D grid for transport between workspaces, the manufacturing system 100 disclosed herein solves the problem of traditional automated solutions setting a relatively large footprint, which maximizes storage density and greatly reduces wasted vertical space. Thus, the size of the end-to-end manufacturing solution is only a small fraction of the traditional solution and the actual space required to achieve the same transport effect is greatly reduced. This allows manufacturers to integrate storage in their existing facilities to expand their traffic.

The above disclosed embodiments of the manufacturing system 100 and method form a large transition in the manner in which manufacturing is accomplished and provide the "virtual conveyor" and sorting capabilities of an automated system. The 2D grid track structure of the described technology allows the RSRV306 to transport items between any manufacturing units connected to the 2D grid track structure. Movement of RSRV306 over the 2D grid track structure is coordinated by CCS131, which allows storage units to be provided on time, grouped by work orders, and even delivered to manufacturing units in a particular order. Without this capability, it would be impossible to solve complex processes using a single integrated automation solution, since conventional ASRS devices rely on downstream sorting solutions to deliver items to the work area at the correct time and in the correct order. Subsequently, CCS131 configures the manufacturing unit and performs the manufacturing operation using the software commands. The manufacturing system 100 disclosed herein increases scalability of the overall capacity, wherein the size of the manufacturing system 100 may be modularly enlarged. The manufacturing system 100 disclosed herein provides flexibility in supporting the transfer of standardized manufacturing equipment and components in a repeatable manner.

Embodiments disclosed herein are not limited to a particular computer system platform, processor, operating system, or communication network. One or more embodiments disclosed herein are distributed among one or more computer systems, such as a server, configured to provide one or more services to one or more client computers, or to perform a complete task in the distributed system. For example, one or more embodiments disclosed herein are performed on a client-server system that includes components distributed among one or more server systems that perform multiple functions in accordance with various embodiments. These components include, for example, executable code, intermediate code, or interpreted code that communicates over a network using a communication protocol. Embodiments disclosed herein are not limited to being executable on any particular system or group of systems and are not limited to any particular distributed architecture, network, or communication protocol.

The foregoing examples and illustrative embodiments of various embodiments are provided for the purpose of explanation only and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the embodiments disclosed herein. While embodiments have been described with reference to various illustrative implementations, drawings, and techniques, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Furthermore, although embodiments have been described herein with reference to particular means, materials, techniques, and implementations, the embodiments herein are not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the described embodiments extend to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art, having benefit of the teachings of this specification, will appreciate that modifications can be made to the embodiments disclosed herein, and that other embodiments can be made and changed, without departing from the scope and spirit of the embodiments disclosed herein.