Methods, systems, and computer program products for managing movement of work-in-process materials in an automated manufacturing environment

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for managing movement of work-in-process materials (WIPs) between processing units are provided. A system includes a host system and an application executing thereon. The application implements a method that includes receiving a list of WIP lots, and indexing a list of routes with raw process time by process steps and with safe holding points. The method also includes indexing a scheduled start time of shutdown for the process units and calculating transport time for moving each of the lots to the next nearest safe holding point in the route. For each lot, the method includes determining whether the lot is at a safe holding point, and assigning a dispatch priority to the lot if it is not at the safe holding point. The method further includes sending a list of assigned dispatch priorities to a dispatcher for transporting the lots to corresponding safe holding points prior to initiating the shutdown.

1 . A system for managing movement of work-in-process (WIP) materials between processing units in an automated manufacturing environment, comprising:
 a host system in communication with a work-in-process material lot, the work-in-process material lot including production materials; and   an automated safe parking application executing on the host system, the automated safe parking application implementing a method, comprising:   receiving a list of work-in-process material lots;   indexing a list of routes with raw process time by process steps and with safe holding points, each of the routes defining process steps that the work-in-process materials lots will receive;   indexing a scheduled start time of shutdown defined for the process units;   calculating the transport time for moving each of the work-in-process material lots to the next nearest safe holding point in the route;   for each of the work-in-process material lots in the list:
 determining whether the work-in-process material lot is at a safe holding point using the current time, the scheduled start time of shutdown and duration of shutdown, a current position of the work-in-process material lot in its route, and an XFACTOR, the XFACTOR defined as a calculation that divides the total cycle time for the work-in-process material lot by the raw process time to determine a ratio of active processing and wait time to the active process time only; and 
 assigning a dispatch priority to the work-in-process material lot upon determining the work-in-process material lot is not at the safe holding point; and 
   sending a list of assigned dispatch priorities to a dispatcher for transporting the work-in-process material lots with the assigned dispatch priorities to corresponding safe holding points prior to initiating the shutdown of the processing units.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the automated safe parking application further performs:
 calculating the transport time to the next nearest safe holding point when it is determined that the work-in-process material lots is at the safe holding point, the method further comprising:   processing the work-in-process material lots according the processing instructions in the route when it is determined that the transport time to the nearest safe holding point is greater than the scheduled start time of shutdown; and   assigning the dispatch priority to the work-in-process material lots when it is determined that the time to the nearest safe holding point is less than or equal to the scheduled start time of shutdown.   
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein indexing the list of routes includes reading information in each of the routes, and accessing and storing the information as it is to be used in each of the process steps. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the information includes the raw process time and the safe holding points. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the safe holding points include locations in the automated manufacturing environment that are deemed safe for storing the work-in-process material lots, wherein determining whether the locations are safe is made by identifying locations that do not pose a threat to the integrity of the work-in-process materials when they are located or temporarily stored at the locations. 
   
   
       6 . A method for managing movement of work-in-process (WIP) materials between processing units in an automated manufacturing environment, comprising:
 receiving a list of work-in-process material lots;   indexing a list of routes with raw process time by process steps and with safe holding points, each of the routes defining process steps that the work-in-process materials lots will receive;   indexing a scheduled start time of shutdown defined for the process units;   calculating the transport time for moving each of the work-in-process material lots to the next nearest safe holding point in the route;   for each of the work-in-process material lots in the list:
 determining whether the work-in-process material lot is at a safe holding point using the current time, the scheduled start time of shutdown and duration of shutdown, a current position of the work-in-process material lot in its route, and an XFACTOR, the XFACTOR defined as a calculation that divides the total cycle time for the work-in-process material lot by the raw process time to determine a ratio of active processing and wait time to the active process time only; and 
 assigning a dispatch priority to the work-in-process material lot upon determining the work-in-process material lot is not at the safe holding point; and 
   sending a list of assigned dispatch priorities to a dispatcher for transporting the work-in-process material lots with the assigned dispatch priorities to corresponding safe holding points prior to initiating the shutdown of the processing units.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 calculating the transport time to the next nearest safe holding point when it is determined that the work-in-process material lots is at the safe holding point, the method further comprising:   processing the work-in-process material lots according the processing instructions in the route when it is determined that the transport time to the nearest safe holding point is greater than the scheduled start time of shutdown; and   assigning the dispatch priority to the work-in-process material lots when it is determined that the time to the nearest safe holding point is less than or equal to the scheduled start time of shutdown.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein indexing the list of routes includes reading information in each of the routes, and accessing and storing the information as it is to be used in each of the process steps. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the information includes the raw process time and the safe holding points. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the safe holding points include locations in the automated manufacturing environment that are deemed safe for storing the work-in-process material lots, wherein determining whether the locations are safe is made by identifying locations that do not pose a threat to the integrity of the work-in-process materials when they are located or temporarily stored at the locations. 
   
   
       11 . A computer program product for managing movement of work-in-process (WIP) materials between processing units in an automated manufacturing environment, the computer program product including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method, comprising:
 receiving a list of work-in-process material lots;   indexing a list of routes with raw process time by process steps and with safe holding points, each of the routes defining process steps that the work-in-process materials lots will receive;   indexing a scheduled start time of shutdown defined for the process units;   calculating the transport time for moving each of the work-in-process material lots to the next nearest safe holding point in the route;   for each of the work-in-process material lots in the list:
 determining whether the work-in-process material lot is at a safe holding point using the current time, the scheduled start time of shutdown and duration of shutdown, a current position of the work-in-process material lot in its route, and an XFACTOR, the XFACTOR defined as a calculation that divides the total cycle time for the work-in-process material lot by the raw process time to determine a ratio of active processing and wait time to the active process time only; and 
 assigning a dispatch priority to the work-in-process material lot upon determining the work-in-process material lot is not at the safe holding point; and 
   sending a list of assigned dispatch priorities to a dispatcher for transporting the work-in-process material lots with the assigned dispatch priorities to corresponding safe holding points prior to initiating the shutdown of the processing units.   
   
   
       12 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , further comprising instructions for implementing:
 calculating the transport time to the next nearest safe holding point when it is determined that the work-in-process material lots is at the safe holding point, the method further comprising:   processing the work-in-process material lots according the processing instructions in the route when it is determined that the transport time to the nearest safe holding point is greater than the scheduled start time of shutdown; and   assigning the dispatch priority to the work-in-process material lots when it is determined that the time to the nearest safe holding point is less than or equal to the scheduled start time of shutdown.   
   
   
       13 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein indexing the list of routes includes reading information in each of the routes, and accessing and storing the information as it is to be used in each of the process steps. 
   
   
       14 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the information includes the raw process time and the safe holding points. 
   
   
       15 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the safe holding points include locations in the automated manufacturing environment that are deemed safe for storing the work-in-process material lots, wherein determining whether the locations are safe is made by identifying locations that do not pose a threat to the integrity of the work-in-process materials when they are located or temporarily stored at the locations.