AUTOMATED WORK IN PROCESS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD

摘要

A transport network control and method for a Work In Process (WIP) distribution system, such as a conveyer (52) or vehicle network(11). Carriers (50) are destined for logical process steps, rather than physical locations. Tools or tool operators broadcast active pulls or requests to the WIP distribution system, indicating which process steps each tool is currently able to process. Carriers (50) circulating in the transport network (25) are distributed to tools currently broadcasting the appropriate process step (6). An automated Work In Process distribution system is implemented through a distributed control architecture either physically distributed or distributed within a centralized computer (40, 24) such that each WIP object (26) in the system is autonomous and able to execute an independent software program. Each WIP object has the freedom to make decisions, based upon real time system status, contingent upon internal program conditions, buffer or tool status etc., will determine the travel path (54), storage, and delivery location. Inlcuded is a statistical distribution of independent decisions with recursive WIP flow.