Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g. – Directive – Including a satellite
Patent
1999-01-12
2000-06-27
Tarcza, Thomas H.
Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g.,
Directive
Including a satellite
34235703, 34235706, 342457, 701213, 701215, G01S 502, H04B 7185
Patent
active
060812311
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to the tracking of batches of articles undergoing successive processing steps in an overall manufacturing process at a manufacturing installation. While the invention is capable of use in a wide variety of contexts, it is seen to good use in the tracking of steel slabs, blooms, billets and the like between the caster and successive rolling mills of a steel mill. For convenience, these pieces will be called by the single word "slabs" herein.
Following the casting of a batch of slabs of steel, metal or other alloy, it is imperative that the steel maker knows exactly what each slab is: what alloying elements it contains; when it was cast; its position within the steel mill, the intended end use or customer; and the like. This information is required for every slab produced and therefore each slab is allocated an identity, usually in the form of a number. The steel maker may want to carry out a number of operations on certain slabs between the caster and the rolling mill, e.g. subdivide or slit them, diffuse hydrogen out of the slab, quality test them, send them straight for export or stock them etc. Therefore each slab must be tracked and the identity must be maintained so as not to lose them or confuse them with other slabs. Due to the high volume of production and the short lead times for steel slabs, a paper record system of logging the position of each slab is not sufficient to allow effective control of the mill. It must of course be appreciated that a steelmill is a large area and that the slabs are stored in yards open to the environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,017 discloses an automated storage retrieval system for use at a pipe manufacturing facility wherein containers for the pipes are provided with transponders which are interrogated by transmitter/receiver arrangements located on cranes which transport the containers containing the pipes. The results of the interrogation are stored in a computer which also monitors the loading and unloading operations of the cranes and monitors and controls the positions of the cranes on a gantry, such an arrangement requires that identifiable containers are required for the batches of articles to be moved. Furthermore the identities of the batches of articles are not stored.
WO-A-91/10202 (Asyst Technologies Inc.) discloses a manufacturing installation comprising a plurality of processing stations each arranged to perform a processing step on a batch of articles to be manufactured, the installation also having storage stations made up of storage regions, and a vehicle for moving the batches between the processing stations and the storage regions, the installation having a CPU provided with a database and arranged to track the moving of the batches by the vehicle, the installation having identifying code means and reading means arranged to read the identifying code means, the reading means and identifying code means being coupled to the CPU and arranged to automatically update the CPU with the positions of the batches.
Further background prior art is disclosed in GB -A-1377966, U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,777, JP-A52/007018, EP-A-428160, JP-A-60/214009, GB-A-2143395, GB-A-1278929 and GB-A-1070176.
In an earlier patent application PCT/GB95/00640, publication WO95/26522, an arrangement and method for tracking batches of articles (e.g. steel slabs) is disclosed wherein the locations of the batches are stored in a database and the locations are updated by a CPU arranged to receive position signals from a vehicle which transfers the batches between sites at the installation. The position signals are relative position signals obtained by sensing proximity to transponders located at each site and elsewhere on the routes to the sites.
It is one object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement and method which does not require transponders or other local markers which indicate relative position.
In one aspect the invention provides an arrangement for tracking articles between sites at an installation, said the arrangement comprising: said vehicle bei
REFERENCES:
patent: 4642017 (1987-02-01), Fenn
patent: 4956777 (1990-09-01), Cearley et al.
patent: 4974166 (1990-11-01), Maney et al.
patent: 5317515 (1994-05-01), Matsuzaki
patent: 5512902 (1996-04-01), Guthrie et al.
patent: 5610815 (1997-03-01), Gudat et al.
Evans Darrel
Kirkwood Alexander Clyde
Heckett Multiserv plc
Jenkins David C.
Phan Dao L.
Tarcza Thomas H.
LandOfFree
Manufacturing installation and processing operations does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Manufacturing installation and processing operations, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Manufacturing installation and processing operations will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1788065