A computer-implemented method includes obtaining an amount of a resource and/or capability of a process module, and dividing this amount by the maximum amount of the respective resource and/or capability to obtain a theoretical utilization of the resource and/or capability as the theoretical utilization of the process module. A pool of available process modules is searched to identify candidate process modules to replace the process module. The theoretical utilization for each candidate module is determined and an optimized topology of the plant is generated by replacing the process module with a candidate process module that has a same or a higher theoretical utilization than process module.

An automated manufacturing system and method is provided. The system includes a software system and a production system. The software system includes a design module, an engineering module, and a manufacturing module for the design, engineering, and subsequent production of a prefabricated building product. The production system includes a matrix of cells and a plurality of robotic production units configurable with a plurality of production tools. The matrix includes a number of columns and a number of rows, each column representing a product to be worked on and each row representing a type of work to be performed on each product. The system processes a building model and configures each cell to perform specific work with one or more robotic production units and one or more production tools. A prefabricated building product is built in stages as it moves from cell to cell.

Provided is a cell controller for controlling an operation of a machining cell including two or more machines and one or more robots as work resources, the cell controller being configured to control the operation of the machining cell based on a production program recorded with one or more processes to be executed at the time of producing only one article of a corresponding item in the machining cell among production programs prepared corresponding to one or more items produced in the machining cell.

An automated manufacturing system and method is provided. The system includes a software system and a production system. The software system includes a design module, an engineering module, and a manufacturing module for the design, engineering, and subsequent production of a prefabricated building product. The production system includes a matrix of cells and a plurality of robotic production units configurable with a plurality of production tools. The matrix includes a number of columns and a number of rows, each column representing a product to be worked on and each row representing a type of work to be performed on each product. The system processes a building model and configures each cell to perform specific work with one or more robotic production units and one or more production tools. A prefabricated building product is built in stages as it moves from cell to cell.

An automated manufacturing system and method is provided. The system includes a software system and a production system. The software system includes a design module, an engineering module, and a manufacturing module for the design, engineering, and subsequent production of a prefabricated building product. The production system includes a matrix of cells and a plurality of robotic production units configurable with a plurality of production tools. The matrix includes a number of columns and a number of rows, each column representing a product to be worked on and each row representing a type of work to be performed on each product. The system processes a building model and configures each cell to perform specific work with one or more robotic production units and one or more production tools. A prefabricated building product is built in stages as it moves from cell to cell.

A manufacturing management apparatus includes an operation information acquisition unit, a trace information acquisition unit, a storage unit, a manufacturing device determination unit, and a transfer destination indication unit. The storage unit stores inspection information on each article in association with the trace information. The manufacturing device determination unit creates combinations of the manufacturing devices that can perform manufacturing processes in consideration of operation information and trace information, determines a quality index from the inspection information for each of the created combinations, and determines, based on the quality index determined for each of the combinations, a combination of the manufacturing devices to be used. A transfer destination indication unit indicates a transfer destination of a part to a transfer device based on the determined combination of the manufacturing devices.

A manufacturing management apparatus includes an operation information acquisition unit, a trace information acquisition unit, a storage unit, a manufacturing device determination unit, and a transfer destination indication unit. The storage unit stores inspection information on each article in association with the trace information. The manufacturing device determination unit creates combinations of the manufacturing devices that can perform manufacturing processes in consideration of operation information and trace information, determines a quality index from the inspection information for each of the created combinations, and determines, based on the quality index determined for each of the combinations, a combination of the manufacturing devices to be used. A transfer destination indication unit indicates a transfer destination of a part to a transfer device based on the determined combination of the manufacturing devices.

Provided is a cell controller for controlling an operation of a machining cell including two or more machines and one or more robots as work resources, the cell controller being configured to control the operation of the machining cell based on a production program recorded with one or more processes to be executed at the time of producing only one article of a corresponding item in the machining cell among production programs prepared corresponding to one or more items produced in the machining cell.