Manufacturing system and transport assembly

Claim 1

A method of achieving and maintaining a desired predetermined manufacturing system rate utilizing first and second generally parallel conveyors adapted to transport pallets containing workpieces thereon in the same direction, with workpiece acting stations disposed between the conveyors, such system capable of accommodating variations in pallet availability and station cycle interruption and rate, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a plurality of workpiece acting stations in sets, all stations in each set for performing a given task on workpieces transported into operative relationship therewith, the number of stations being provided for each set being proportional to the relative amount of time that it takes to do that particular task; (b) disposing the workpieces on the pallet; (c) feeding pallets containing workpieces thereon on the first conveyor toward a first set of stations; (d) selectively moving each pallet, depending upon station availability, into operative association with a station of the first set by moving the respective pallet off of the first conveyor toward the station; (e) after completion of the desired activity upon each workpiece at a station in the first set, upon each workpiece at a station in the moving the pallet from the station onto the second conveyor; (f) transporting each pallet on the second conveyor toward a second station set; (g) selectively moving each pallet, depending upon station availability, into operative association with a station of the second set by moving the respective pallet off of the second conveyor toward the station; (h) after completion of the desired activity upon the workpiece at a station in the second set, moving the respective pallet from the station onto the first conveyor; (i) repeating steps (b)-(g) for each station set until all desired operations have been completed for a given pallet mounted workpiece.

Claim 2

A method of achieving and maintaining a desired predetermined manufacturing system rate utilizing first and second generally parallel conveyors adapted to transport pallets containing workpieces thereon in the same direction, with workpiece acting stations disposed between the conveyors, such system capable of accommodating variations in pallet availability and station cycle interruption and rate, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a plurality of workpiece acting stations in sets, all stations in each set for performing a given task on workpieces transported into operative relationship therewith, the number of stations being provided for each set being proportional to the relative amount of time that it takes to do that particular task; (b) disposing the workpieces on the pallet; (c) feeding pallets containing workpieces thereon on the first conveyor toward a first set of stations; (d) selectively moving each pallet, depending upon station availability, into operative association with a station of the first set by moving the respective pallet off of the first conveyor toward the station; (e) after completion of the desired activity upon each workpiece at a station in the first set, upon each workpiece at a station in the moving the pallet from the station onto the second conveyor; (f) transporting each pallet on the second conveyor toward a second station set; (g) selectively moving each pallet, depending upon station availability, into operative association with a station of the second set by moving the respective pallet off of the second conveyor toward the station; (h) after completion of the desired activity upon the workpiece at a station in the second set, moving the respective pallet from the station onto the first conveyor; (i) repeating steps (b)-(g) for each station set until all desired operations have been completed for a given pallet mounted workpiece.