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EP-4741970-A2 - CONTINUOUS-LINE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED MACHINE ALLOCATION

EP4741970A2EP 4741970 A2EP4741970 A2EP 4741970A2EP-4741970-A2

Abstract

A process (400) for distributing automated machines (240) between a plurality of tools (225, 235, 265, 295) located in a plurality of respective stations (220, 230, 260) on a production line (210) for the continuous flow manufacturing of large workpieces (217), such as spars, fuselage sections, wing structures, and other aircraft structures, and/or composite parts by identifying and accurately locating non-fixed-base tooling throughout the continuous manufacturing process is provided. The process (400) comprises: defining (410) automated machines (240) dedicated to a specific station (220, 230, 260), based on a minimum number of automated machines (240) or workload requirements (254); defining (420) automated machines (240a) among a plurality of automated machines (240) configured to travel between stations (220, 230, 260) while workpieces (217) are moving from one station (220, 230) to another (220, 230) in a single sequential flow along the production line (210) to complete the workload requirements (254) based on a maximum difference in workload requirements (254) between two or more adjacent stations (220, 230, 260); assigning each of the said automated machines (240a) to a particular zone location (280) on a workpiece (217); measuring (430) statistics (432) of each station (220, 230, 260) and tool (225, 235, 265), including measuring total required time (434), time completed (436), time remaining (438), and zone location (280); communicating (440) the statistics (432) to a controller (250); measuring (450) variables (455) from a numerical control program (258) in each automated machine (240); compiling data (460) measured of a total machine capacity (252) and total workload requirements (254) across each station (220, 230, 260); and reallocating (470) and moving one or more automated machines (240a) of the plurality of automated machines (240) to a new zone location (280) on the same workpiece (217) or on a different workpiece (217) located in a different station (220, 230) that has unmet workload requirements (254) once an efficiency threshold (256) is met, to balance out the workload requirements (254) of the plurality of automated machines (240).

Inventors

  • LOUIE, MICHAEL K.
  • ERICKSON, JORDAN S.
  • SMITH, DANIEL R.

Assignees

  • The Boeing Company

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20211004

Claims (15)

  1. A process (400) for distributing automated machines (240) between a plurality of tools (225, 235, 265, 295) located in a plurality of respective stations (220, 230, 260) on a production line (210) for the continuous flow manufacturing of large workpieces (217), such as spars, fuselage sections, wing structures, and other aircraft structures, and/or composite parts by identifying and accurately locating non-fixed-base tooling throughout the continuous manufacturing process, the process (400) comprising: defining (410) automated machines (240) dedicated to a specific station (220, 230, 260), based on a minimum number of automated machines (240) or workload requirements (254); defining (420) automated machines (240a) among a plurality of automated machines (240) configured to travel between stations (220, 230, 260) while workpieces (217) are moving from one station (220, 230) to another (220, 230) in a single sequential flow along the production line (210) to complete the workload requirements (254) based on a maximum difference in workload requirements (254) between two or more adjacent stations (220, 230, 260); assigning each of the said automated machines (240a) to a particular zone location (280) on a workpiece (217); measuring (430) statistics (432) of each station (220, 230, 260) and tool (225, 235, 265), including measuring total required time (434), time completed (436), time remaining (438), and zone location (280); communicating (440) the statistics (432) to a controller (250); measuring (450) variables (455) from a numerical control program (258) in each automated machine (240); compiling data (460) measured of a total machine capacity (252) and total workload requirements (254) across each station (220, 230, 260); and reallocating (470) and moving one or more automated machines (240a) of the plurality of automated machines (240) to a new zone location (280) on the same workpiece (217) or on a different workpiece (217) located in a different station (220, 230) that has unmet workload requirements (254) once an efficiency threshold (256) is met, to balance out the workload requirements (254) of the plurality of automated machines (240).
  2. The process (400) of Claim 1 wherein the automated machines (240) are automated fiber placement machines.
  3. The process (400) according to any one of Claims 1 and 2 wherein workload requirements (254) are based upon several factors including the particular workpieces (217), one or more numerical control programs (258), and instructions manually entered from an operator (500).
  4. The process (400) according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the plurality of stations (215) include a first station (220), a second station (230), a third station (260), and optionally and fourth station (270).
  5. The process (400) according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the number of automated machines (240a) of the plurality of automated machines (240) configured to travel between the plurality of stations (215) is based upon the number of automated machines (240a) needed to complete the workload requirements (254), which may be based upon the maximum difference in workload requirements (254) between two or more adjacent stations.
  6. The process (400) according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein measuring (430) statistics (432) is accomplished by use of one or more sensors (290), GPS (510), laser (520), barcode (530), or any other means of collecting data.
  7. The process (400) according to Claim 6 wherein the controller (250) is in communication with the one or more sensors (290), GPS (510), laser (520), or barcode (530), or any other means of collecting data such that the controller (250) is configured to collect and analyze any data collected.
  8. The process (400) according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein communicating (440) the statistics (432) to a controller (250) is done wirelessly, and/or is done manually via an operator (500).
  9. The process (400) according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the measuring (450) the variables (455) comprises measuring: the number of automated machines (240) that are dedicated to a specific station (220, 230, 260); the number of automated machines (240) that move between stations (220, 230, 260); the zone location (280) of each automated machine (240); the number of automated machines (240) that are active and inactive; and/or the percent of workload requirements (254) completed.
  10. The process (400) according to Claim 9 wherein workload requirements (254) are determined based upon one or more numerical control program (258), instructions from an operator (500), data collected from one or more sensors (290), data collected from a laser (520), data collected from a GPS (510), data collected from a barcode (530), or any combination thereof.
  11. The process (400) according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein controller (250) determines the efficiency threshold (256) based upon the data collected.
  12. The process (400) according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the controller (250) utilizes one or more global positioning systems (510), sensors (290), lasers (520), numerical control programs (258), or barcode (530) for determining (120) the efficiency threshold (256) of optimal allocation of the plurality of automated machines (240).
  13. The process (400) according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein, once the efficiency threshold (256) is satisfied, the controller (250) transmits a command (255) to initiate reallocating (470) the one or more automated machines (240a).
  14. The process (400) according to any one of the preceding Claims, further comprising performing at least one manufacturing operation (245).
  15. The process (400) according to Claim 14 wherein the manufacturing operation (245) includes laying down a plurality of composite plies of composite material (247) at various orientations as determined by one or more numerical control programs (258).

Description

FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to manufacturing and, more particularly, to continuous flow manufacturing systems and associated methods and processes for controlling automated machine sharing along a continuous flow production line. BACKGROUND Conventional manufacturing techniques for large parts, such as spars, fuselage sections, wing structures, and other aircraft structures, utilize large fixed-base machines and model-specific, fixed-base tooling. Conventional manufacturing techniques for composite parts utilize fixed-base tooling and batch processing, in which the composite part does not move from one location to another location until full lamination of the part is complete and further in which machines are stationary. Neither of these manufacturing techniques lend themselves to continuous flow manufacturing or efficient allocations of machines. Accordingly, those skilled in the art continue with research and development efforts in the field of continuous flow manufacturing, particularly in the manufacture of large parts and/or composite parts, and, as such, systems, processes, and methods intended to address the above-identified concerns would find utility. SUMMARY Disclosed is a method for employing a plurality of automated machines on a production line. In one example, the disclosed method for employing a plurality of automated machines to deposit composite material includes a first tool located in a first station and a second tool located in a second station. The first station and the second station are located on a production line. The first station includes at least one automated machine of the plurality of automated machines and the second station includes at least two automated machines of the plurality of automated machines. At least one of the automated machines is movable from the second station to the first station. The method includes monitoring machine capacity and workload requirements of the plurality of automated machines. The method further includes determining an efficiency threshold based upon the machine capacity and workload requirements. The method further includes reallocating at least one of the automated machines from the second station to the first station once the efficiency threshold is met. Also disclosed is a manufacturing system for depositing composite material onto two or more tools using two or more automated machines. In one example, the manufacturing system includes a production line, a first station located on the production line, a first tool located in the first station, a second station located on the production line, a second tool located in the second station, a plurality of automated machines distributed between the first station and the second station, at least one of the plurality of automated machines being movable between the first station and the second station, and a controller configured to monitor machine capacity and workload requirements of the plurality of machines. The controller may be configured to reallocate one or more of the plurality of automated machines between the first station and the second station. Also disclosed is a process for distributing automated machines between a plurality of tools. In one example, the process includes defining automated machines dedicated to a specific station, based on the minimum number of automated machines or minimum workload requirements. The process further includes defining automated machines configured to travel between stations to complete the workload requirements based on the maximum difference in workload requirements between two or more adjacent stations. In an example, the process further includes measuring statistics of each station and tool, communicating the statistics to a controller, measuring variables from a numerical control program in each automated machine, compiling data measured of total machine capacity and total workload requirements, and reallocating automated machines to areas that have unmet workload requirements. Also disclosed is a system for fabrication using multiple stations. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a method for employing a plurality of automated machines to deposit composite material onto a first tool located in a first station and a second tool located in a second station, the first station and the second station being on a production line, wherein at least one automated machine of the plurality of automated machines is movable between the second station and the first station, the method comprises: monitoring machine capacity and workload requirements of the plurality of automated machines;determining an efficiency threshold based upon the machine capacity and workload requirements; andreallocating at least one automated machine of the plurality of automated machines once the efficiency threshold is met. Advantageously, the method is one wherein the first station comprises at least one automated machine of the plurality of automate