Method for manufacturing an item

Abstract

A method for notifying installers 14 - 22 of the existence, type, and location of a portion 26 of an item within an assembly line 10 . The notification allows the installers 14 - 22 to respectively ensure that the components 40 which are needed to be placed upon the portion 26 are available for use by the installer 14 - 22 in a timely manner.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A method for use with an assembly line of the type having a plurality of installers and an item which is to receive at least one component from each of said plurality of installers, said method comprising the step of: 
 notifying each of said plurality of installers of said existence of said item and said type of said item when said item enters said assembly line.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said item comprises a portion of a vehicle.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of: 
 remotely locating some of said components from said assembly line; and  
 retrieving at least a portion of said remotely located components in response to said notification.  
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of notifying said installers comprises the step of visually notifying said installers.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said step of visually notifying said installers comprises the steps of: 
 creating a visual representation of said assembly line; and  
 displaying an icon upon said visual representation.  
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said visual representation comprises a computer screen.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said member traverses various locations upon said assembly line and wherein said icon is displayed upon said computer screen at a position corresponding to a current location of said item.