Modular paint line and method of operation therefor

Abstract

A paint line includes a plurality of modular manufacturing stations positioned in series and defining a forward transport direction. Each modular manufacturing station includes an article transportation device for moving at least one carrier through the modular manufacturing station. At least one of the modular manufacturing stations includes a piece of paint application equipment. A control system is in communication with each article transportation device and configured to independently move the carrier of each modular manufacturing station according to a unique operation pattern. The control system is also configured to index the carrier of each modular manufacturing station as the carrier traverses to a contiguous modular manufacturing station.

1 . A method for operating a paint line having a plurality of modular manufacturing stations, comprising:
 advancing at least one carrier from a beginning of the paint line to an end of the paint line along a transportation path in a forward transport direction; and   wherein the advancing step includes independently moving a first carrier of a first modular manufacturing station according to a first unique operation pattern relative to a piece of paint application equipment and a second carrier of a second modular manufacturing station according to a second unique operation pattern, and indexing the first and second carriers as each of the first and second carriers traverses to a contiguous modular manufacturing station.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of independently moving the first carrier includes moving the first carrier in the forward transport direction and moving the first carrier in a reverse transport direction that is opposite the forward transport direction. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of independently moving the first carrier includes moving the first carrier in a vertical direction relative to the transportation path. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indexing step includes detecting a position of the first carrier and detecting a position of the second carrier. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the indexing step further includes simultaneously transferring the first carrier to the second modular manufacturing station, and transferring the second carrier to a third modular manufacturing station. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the advancing step includes detecting a position of the first carrier and initiating movement of the first carrier according to the first unique operation pattern responsive to the detected position. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of independently moving the first carrier includes transmitting a control signal from a main control system to a station control system of the first modular manufacturing station, and transmitting the control signal from the station control system to an article transportation device of the first modular manufacturing station. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of independently moving the first carrier further includes moving the first carrier using an independent drive system of the article transportation device in response to the control signal. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of independently moving the first carrier further includes supporting the first carrier on a trolley, and supporting the trolley on an independent carrier track of the article transportation device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of independently moving the first carrier further includes frictionally engaging the trolley with a spinning drive tube of the article transportation device, and rotating the spinning drive tube with the independent drive system.