A method of processing objects is disclosed using a programmable motion device. The method includes the steps of acquiring an object from a plurality of mixed objects at an input area, perceiving identifying indicia in connection with the object, assigning an intermediate station to a destination location for the object responsive to the identifying indicia in connection with the object, and moving the acquired object toward the intermediate station.

A portion position calculator calculates positions of first to fifth portions of a substrate on a hand based on detection signals of first to fifth detectors. An imaginary circle calculator calculates four different imaginary circles based on the positions of the first to fourth portions, respectively, to calculate a center position of each imaginary circle. A substrate position determiner calculates a plurality of amounts of deviation among the plurality of center positions. When all of the plurality of amounts of deviation are not more than a threshold value, the substrate position determiner determines a position of the substrate on the hand based on any or all of the four imaginary circles. When at least one of the plurality of amounts of deviation exceeds the threshold value, the substrate position determiner selects an imaginary circle of the four imaginary circles, which passes through the position of the fifth portion, and determines the position of the substrate on the hand based on the selected imaginary circle. A substrate transport operation is controlled based on a result of the determination.

Methods for simultaneously producing different products on a single production line are disclosed. The method may be used to produce different fluent products and other types of products including assembled products. In some cases, the method includes providing a plurality of articles which are components of the products to be produced. The method further involves providing a track system and a plurality of vehicles for the articles. At least some of the vehicles may be independently routable around the track system. The method further includes simultaneously sending one article-loaded vehicle to a unit operation station where a step in the production of a product is performed and another article-loaded vehicle to a unit operation station where a step in the production of a different product is performed.

A transport system is provided. The transport system includes a stocker configured to store an assigned wafer carrier and having a gate port. The transport system also includes a semiconductor apparatus configured to transmit a request signal including a processed time according to a processing wafer carrier loaded on the semiconductor apparatus. The transport system further includes a vehicle configured to transport the assigned wafer carrier from the gate port to the semiconductor apparatus and a control system configured to control the vehicle. When the control system receives the request signal, the control system controls the stocker to transport the assigned wafer carrier inside of the stocker to the gate port at a start time, which is earlier than the processed time, and the control system controls the vehicle to transport the assigned wafer carrier from the gate port to the semiconductor apparatus.

A working system includes multiple modules constituting a work line, a moving body that moves along the work line in which the multiple modules are arranged to supply necessary members to each module, and a line constituent member constituting a part of the work line. The line constituent member can be installed on the moving path of the moving body and has a light projecting section that projects light toward the moving body along the moving path of the moving body. The moving body has a sensor configured to detect the presence of an interfering object; a light receiving section configured to receive light from the light projecting section, and a control section configured to monitor for the presence of the interfering object within a detection range of the sensor.

A cart having a wheel, a drive motor coupled to the wheel such that an output of the drive motor causes the wheel to rotate and propel the cart, a cart-computing device communicatively coupled to the drive motor; and one or more sensors communicatively coupled to the cart-computing device, the one or more sensors generating one or more signals in response to a detected event. The cart-computing device receives a communication signal and electrical power via the wheel. The communication signal corresponds to one or more instructions for controlling an operation of the cart. The cart-computing device receives the one or more signals from the one or more sensors. The cart-computing device generates and transmits a control signal to the drive motor to cause the drive motor to operate based on at least one of the one or more signals generated by the one or more sensors or the communication signal.

A two-phase liquid immersion cooling system is described in which heat generating computer components cause a dielectric fluid in its liquid phase to vaporize. The dielectric vapor is then condensed back into a liquid phase and used to cool the computer components. Using a pressure controlled vessel and pressure controller, the disclosed system may be operated at less than ambient pressure. By controlling the pressure at which the system operates, the user may influence the temperature at which the dielectric fluid vaporizes and thereby achieve increased performance from a given computer component. Utilizing robotic arms and slot-in computing components, a self-healing computing system may be created.

A work management device includes an operator information memory section, a work item memory section, an operator detection sections, and a work instruction section. The operator detection sections are installed at a plurality of spots of the electronic component mounting line and detect the operators near the spots. In a case in which the operator detection section detects the operator, when operator information regarding the operator is identical to operator information in the operator information memory section and the work item group of the work item memory section includes one work item or a plurality of work items which are able to be performed by the operator detected by the operator detection section, the work instruction section instructs the operator detected by the operator detection section in one work item or a plurality of work items selected from the one work item or the plurality of work items.

Apparatuses and methods for operating at least two tools in a first and at least a second processing area, wherein in each processing area a number of machining locations is assigned to the tool by which first components carried by a component web are conveyed along a track through the first and the at least second processing area, wherein the total number of tools in the apparatus is less than the number of machining locations in each processing area, wherein the track comprises a number of partial paths corresponding to the number of machining locations, wherein the tool of each processing area is adapted such as to couple respective second components to respective first components at each associated machining location in its processing area, and wherein the apparatus comprises a control unit adapted to operate in response to a conveying movement of the component web along the track.

There is provided a conveyor assembly for sorting merchandise items. In one form, the conveyor assembly includes: a merchandise identification module; sortation modules each comprising a multi-directional sorting portion with two sets of rollers, a first wing including a third set of rollers, a second wing including a fourth set of rollers, and a controller configured to receive an IP address; a first, disassembled state of the sortation modules; a second, assembled state of the sortation modules; a merchandise database; and a control circuit configured to receive identifying information about an unsorted merchandise item, assign a unique IP address to each sortation module corresponding to the position of the sortation module, determine a sortation destination for the unsorted merchandise item, determine the sortation module corresponding to the sortation destination; and instruct the controller of the corresponding sortation module to divert the unsorted merchandise item to the sortation destination.