A system and method for controlling movement of transporting devices arranged to transport containers stored in stacks arranged in a facility having pathways arranged in a grid-like structure above the stacks, the transporting devices being configured to operate on the grid-like structure. A movement optimisation unit is configured to determine a route of a transporting device from one location on a grid-like structure to another location on the grid-like structure for each transporting device. A reservation unit is configured to reserve a path on the grid-like structure for each transporting device based on the determined route. A clearance unit is configured to provide clearance for each transporting device to traverse a portion of the reserved path.

A mobile robot is provided having a support surface for supporting a plurality of articles and securing material secured to and positioned for operable communication with the robot for securing the plurality of articles on the support surface. A robotic arm member also is provided that is secured to the robot and configured to autonomously gather the articles from a location remote from the mobile robot, place the articles in desired positions on the support surface and autonomously secure, via the securing material, the plurality of articles on the support surface to substantially restrict movement of the articles on the support surface and without requiring any outside intervention or human input to secure the articles.

An embodiment includes a plurality of transport modules forming a transport path on which a carriage that transports a workpiece travels, and a control unit that controls a position of the carriage on the plurality of transport modules based on a drive instruction, and the control unit corrects the drive instruction during carriage motion that is based on the drive instruction and stops the carriage.

Various embodiments described herein relate to controlling an accumulation conveyor that comprises at least a first zone that is upstream of a second zone and the second zone that is upstream of a third zone. A second control module associated with the second zone receives a third feedback signal, indicating that a third sensor is blocked, from a third control module associated with the third zone. The second control module sets a second drive assembly associated with the second zone to a disengaged state, and receives a first signal from a first control module associated with the first zone. The first signal indicates that one of a first article having an irregular boundary or a second article having a regular boundary exits from the first zone. The second control module controls the second drive assembly and a second brake assembly based on the indication by the first signal.

There is provided a transport control system assigning multiple jobs to an overhead hoist transport (OHT) based on the availability of linkage transporting and the likelihood of transport congestion. The transport control system includes: a plurality of transports, each of the plurality of transports transporting a carrier with a wafer loaded thereon; and a transport control apparatus controlling the plurality of transports and determining one of the plurality of transports as a target transport to which multiple jobs are to be assigned. The transport control apparatus determines one of the plurality of transports as the target transport based on a first element, which is the availability of linkage transporting, and a second element, which is the likelihood of transport congestion.

A handling system for a filling system for filling containers and circuits of vehicles with different operating materials on assembly lines of the automobile industry is disclosed. The filling system has a base unit, a controller, a console, and an adapter. The adapter is operatively connected to a hose packet for supplying the respective operating materials which is movably supported on the console. The handling system handles the hose packets which are operated with a medium other than a pneumatic system. The drive of the movable hose packets and the drive system of a lifting unit equipped with a tray for the adapter are each designed as an electromotive drive. The disclosure further provides the sequences of movement of the adapter and lifting unit.

The present invention provides an automated modular system and method for production of biopolymers including DNA and RNA. The system and method automates the complete production process for biopolymers. Modular equipment is provided for performing production steps with the individual modules arrange in a linear array. Each module includes a control system and can be rack mounted. One side of the array of modules provides connections for power, gas, vacuum and reagents and is accessible to technicians. On the other side of the array of modules a robotic transport system is provided for transporting materials between module interfaces. The elimination of the requirement for human intervention at multiple steps in the production process significantly decreases the costs of biopolymer production and reduces unnecessary complexity and sources of quality variation.

A system and method relating to determining, by a processing device, a first number of parts waiting to be processed in a subsequent step by a plurality of machines housed in a plurality of buildings interconnected by rails, determining a second number of parts that the plurality of machines housed in the plurality of buildings is capable of processing in the subsequent step of the manufacture process over a determined period of time, calculating a capability occupancy ratio based on the first number and the second number for each one of the plurality of buildings, determining a target building of the plurality of buildings based on the capability occupancy ratio, and causing to dispatch the part to the target building via the rails.

The invention relates to a method for producing a support structure in the form of a hybrid component with a base structure and with at least one reinforcement structure, having the following steps: producing the at least one reinforcement structure for each base structure, wherein the at least one reinforcement structure, in particular all of the reinforcement structures, is/are made of a composite material comprising fibers and a matrix using a pultrusion and/or extrusion process, and connecting the at least one reinforcement structure to the base structure such that the at least one reinforcement structure is connected to the base structure in a connection position, and the base structure together with the at least one reinforcement structure forms the support structure.

In a first step of a method for bundling conveyed streams on a material handling element including a number of incoming conveyor segments, at least one coupling to an outgoing conveyor segment, on which the incoming conveyor segments converge, and a number of holding devices for holding a conveyed stream on the incoming conveyor segments, the conveyed objects are vectorially combined in in ascending/descending order according to a desired sorting sequence. When a conveyed object passes the material handling element a vector corresponding to the actual sequence is entered in the vector combination. Conveyed objects are released if a ring with a constant direction is avoided in the vector combination. A material handling element carries out the method.