Methods and system for manufacturing castings utilizing an automated flexible manufacturing system

Abstract

A method and system for generating a production sequence for the control of resources and production for metal castings of a manufacturing plant. The system employs a transport system to transfer the castings between a series of processing stations, which could include heat treatment, quenching, decoring, demolding, cleaning, machining, inspection, storage, etc., served by the transport system. A series of guided vehicles moving along the transport carry the castings between the processing stations. Each guided vehicle includes an identifier monitored by a controller to direct the castings to the next required processing station according to a predetermined production sequence for the castings thereon.

1 . A system for processing castings, comprising: 
 a pouring station for pouring molten metal into a mold to form the castings;    a series of processing stations downstream from said pouring station, including at least one of a heat treatment station, quench station, aging station, and a cleaning station; and    a transport system adapted to receive the castings from said pouring station and direct the castings to one or more of said processing stations according to a programmed processing sequence for the castings, said transport system comprising: 
 a conveying mechanism;  
 a series of guided vehicles, each including an identifier referencing said processing sequence for at least one casting received thereon.  
   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  and wherein said identifier of each of said guided vehicles comprises a wireless communication device.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2  and wherein said wireless communication device comprises an RF transmitter.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  and wherein each guided vehicle comprises a carrier having at least one rack for receiving at least one casting therein.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  and wherein said conveying mechanism of said transport system comprises an overhead monorail conveyor adapted to receive said guided vehicles thereon.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5  and wherein said monorail conveyor further comprises a guide track along which said guided vehicles are moved and extending between said processing stations, said guide track having a series of junction points at which said guided vehicles can be redirected to selected ones of said processing stations according to said processing sequence for the at least one casting within each of said guided vehicles.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1  and wherein said transport system comprises a guide track having a series of track segments extending through each of said processing stations adapted to receive and direct selected ones of said guided vehicles through said processing stations.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1  and further comprising a system control adapted to monitor said identifiers of said guided vehicles and direct said guided vehicles between each of said processing stations according to said processing sequence for the at least one casting within each of said guided vehicles.  
   
   
       9 . A method of manufacturing a series of metal castings, comprising: 
 pouring a molten metal into a series of molds;    solidifying the molten metal sufficiently to form the castings;    loading the castings on a series of guided vehicles of a transport system;    monitoring and identifying at least one set of castings on each of the guided vehicles, and directing each guided vehicle through one or more processing stations according to a predetermined processing sequence for the castings loaded on each guided vehicle.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  and further comprising directing a series of guided vehicles through a heat treatment station and heat treating the castings.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  and further comprising moving the guided vehicles through a trimming station prior to heat treating the castings.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9  and further comprising placing the guided vehicles on a conveying mechanism for conveying the guided vehicles with the castings thereon to selected processing stations according to the predetermined processing sequence for the castings.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9  and wherein monitoring and identifying at least one set of castings on each of the guided vehicles comprises monitoring an identifier of each guided vehicle with a system control, and in response, directing each guided vehicle along a transport system through one or more selected ones of the processing stations according to the predetermined processing sequence for the castings on the guide vehicle associated with the monitored identifier.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 9  and wherein monitoring and identifying at least one set of castings on each of the guided vehicles comprises detecting an identifier for the set of castings, and in response, transferring the set of castings into a selected processing station according to the processing sequence for the castings associated with the monitored identifier.