Methods, systems, and computer program products for managing movement of work-in-process materials in an automated manufacturing environment

US7480538B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Richard P. Volant · New Fairfield, US
• Bradley P. Jones · Wappingers Falls, US
• Sameer T. Shikalgar · Wappingers Falls, US
• Michael J. Toner · Hopewell Junction, US
• Yutong Wu · Longbeilingcun, CN

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 14, 2007
• Grant date: Jan 20, 2009
• Expiry date: Nov 14, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P90/80
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for managing movement of work-in-process materials between processing units in an automated manufacturing environment are provided. A system includes a host system in communication with a work-in-process (WIP) material lot. The system also includes an application executing on the host. The application implements a method that includes tracking a position of the WIP material lot, receiving a list of the processing units designated to be inoperative during a down time, and receiving a start time and a duration of the down time. The method also includes determining a maximum dwell time for each of the designated processing units and scheduling movement of the WIP material lot during an interim between a current time and the start time of the down time based on current position of the work-in-process material lot, the current time, the start time and duration of the down time, and the maximum dwell time.