APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR MAINTAINING PART ORIENTATION DURING MANUFACTURING

摘要

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for maintaining orientation of a manufactured part during a manufacturing process. The invention includes feeding a carrier from at least one supply apparatus. The carrier includes a flexible material and the supply apparatus stores the carrier such that the carrier may be fed from the supply apparatus. The invention includes feeding the carrier into a part forming module used by a manufacturing process to form a manufactured part and forming a plurality of manufactured parts onto the carrier as the carrier is fed into the part forming module. The carrier is of sufficient length such that a plurality of manufactured parts may be formed onto the carrier in a plurality of part forming steps and each manufactured part is formed onto the carrier such that each manufactured part maintains orientation with respect to the portion of the carrier where the manufactured part is formed and each manufactured part maintains the orientation during an operation subsequent to forming the manufactured part.