Abstract: A method for manually configuring an order-picking warehouse by using a guidance system comprises equipping at least some of the storage locations with respective storage-location displays; connecting the associated storage-location displays to a master computer via a controller, and allocating to each controller a dedicated controller address; and configuring the order-picking warehouse by assigning respectively dedicated storage-location addresses to the equipped storage locations. All of the displays, which have not yet been assigned a dedicated storage-location address, are visually activated. At least one visually activated display is selected, thereby selecting the associated storage location and causing visual deactivation of the selected storage-location display. Each of the selected storage locations is assigned one dedicated storage-location address.

Abstract: A method for fulfilling requests in an inventory system includes receiving a request indicating an activity to be completed. The method also includes selecting a holder to fulfill the request and an inventory station at which to fulfill the request. The inventory station is associated with a queue that includes a plurality of queue spaces. The method further includes moving the selected holder from a first location to a second location remote from the selected inventory station. Additionally, the method also includes determining that a trigger event has occurred and, in response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, moving the selected holder from the second location to a queue space of a queue associated with the selected inventory station.

Abstract: A method and computer program product for distinguishing and sort seeds containing a genetic element of interest from a bulk sample. In various embodiments, the present invention comprises associating a marker with at least some of the seeds containing a genetic element of interest of the bulk sample, exciting the seeds using an electromagnetic energy emitting device, evaluating at least some of the seeds of the bulk sample for the presence or absence of the marker using an evaluating device configured to excite a majority of the surface area of the seeds, and sorting the seeds containing a genetic element of interest based on the presence or absence of the marker.

Abstract: Order allocation techniques pertaining to stops that a container makes in the process of fulfilling a customer order is disclosed. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by first identifying a pod that stocks the largest number of different items in a customer order. Then, a second pod is identified that stocks the largest number of remaining items in the customer order. The collection of pods defines a container path through the distribution center.

Abstract: Intelligent product feed systems and product transport methods are presented in which an array of variable speed transport modules is positioned between an input transport mechanism and an output mechanism, with the individual module speeds being controlled by a model-based planner to transport products delivered in an uncertain fashion by the input transport mechanism to the output mechanism synchronized and oriented according to a specified product configuration.

Abstract: A robot includes an arm member, a rotary actuator that swings the arm member, a hand member provided at an end of the arm member, a joint member that connects the arm member and the hand member to each other such that the arm member and the hand member are rotatable with respect to each other, a linear actuator that supports and linearly moves the rotary actuator, and a controller that operates the rotary actuator and the linear actuator in association with each other to linearly move the hand member in a forward-backward direction.

Abstract: Techniques for construction and operation of a programmable product picking apparatus are described herein. Such an apparatus picks up product according to a first spacing (e.g., from a conveyor) and releases the product according to a second spacing (e.g., into a carton). In one possible configuration, a fixed matrix plate defines at least first and second rows of slots. Two movable matrix plates, one that moves right-then-left and one that moves left-then-right, move in opposite directions parallel to the fixed matrix plate according to strokes of pneumatic cylinders. Each of a plurality of product pickers is driven by one of the two movable matrix plates. As that plate moves, the product picker is also moved according to a slot defined in the movable matrix plate. Each product picker comes to a stop when it reaches an end of a slot defined in the fixed matrix plate.

Abstract: A mailpiece feed device designed to be mounted upstream from a franking machine, and comprising at least a mailpiece feed zone for receiving a stack of mailpieces of various formats supported by a first plurality of drive rollers and a separation zone for individually selecting the mailpieces and having a second plurality of drive rollers, at least first clutch means E3 being provided for actuating said first plurality of drive rollers, said mailpiece feed device further comprising at least one sensor CN for detecting passage of said mailpieces as they enter said separation zone, and control means for subjecting said first clutch means to forced deactivation followed by an activation/deactivation series so long as the sensor CN is not activated, so as to cause a rapid succession of horizontal movements generating jerky motion on said stack, conducive to facilitating mutual separation of said mailpieces.

Abstract: In a method for palletizing packages using an automated manipulator, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with programming instructions for implementing the method, a sequence of grip positions is designated for accepting packages with the automated manipulator, and a supply of provided packages is automatically checked with regard to the grip positions of the packages in the supply. The supplied packages are palletized according to a predetermined initial palletizing pattern as long as the packages are supplied in the grip positions in the sequence. The packages are palletized by the manipulator according to an alternate palletizing pattern, different from the initial palletizing pattern, in the event that a package is not supplied to the manipulator in a grip position in the sequence.

Abstract: A method and device for handling flat objects, in particular flat folded diapers (10), which are fed to a conveyor with receptacles for each object or for each diaper (10) by way of a feeder (13, 14), in particular to a compartment conveyor (17) comprising separation struts (22) which are arranged so as to protrude radially from a continuous conveyor (21) in order to form compartments (23) for each object. Provision is made for the speed (v) at which the objects are transported on the feeder (13, 14) to be reduced for handover of the objects to the conveyor. The device includes a database in which respective data records containing transport speeds (vx) for a control unit (34) being filed for different objects and/or objects of different size, the speed of the feeders (13, 14) being regulated by the control unit (34) in accordance with the transport speed (v) pertaining to the respective object.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for optimizing pick-to-tote operations. Each pick location for items in an inventory picking area is assigned a sequence number representing a relative position along a pick path through the inventory picking area. A number of tote pick lists are selected from a set of pending pick lists for the pick-to-tote operation, such that the range of sequence numbers across all the pick locations identified in the selected pick list is minimized. In this way, the required distance inventory personnel must travel along the pick path while picking the specified items and placing them into totes is reduced.

Abstract: A substrate transfer apparatus that reduces the quantity of sensors used to detect the position of a substrate so as to simplify the structure and lower costs. The substrate transfer apparatus transfers a substrate (S) between a core chamber (11) and a peripheral chamber (12 or 13). A transfer robot (15) is arranged in the core chamber. The transfer robot includes a hand (17) for carrying the substrate and is capable of extending/drawing and pivoting the hand. A sensor (19) detects an edge surface of the substrate. The sensor is arranged at a position that the edge surface of the substrate passes by when the hand is extended/drawn between the core chamber and the peripheral chamber and that the edge surface of the substrate passes by when the hand is pivoted in the core chamber.

Abstract: A processing system includes process modules, load lock modules, an equipment controller, and a machine controller. The equipment controller controls transfer and processing of wafers in the processing system. A transfer destination determining portion determines the transfer destination of each wafer such that each wafer is sequentially transferred to a normally operating process module. When an abnormality occurs in a process module, an evacuation portion temporarily evacuates to a cassette stage the wafer determined to be transferred to the abnormal process module and that has not yet been transferred to the abnormal process module. When an error of the abnormal process module is dealt with, a transfer destination change portion changes the transfer destination of a wafer scheduled to be first transferred from the cassette case, to the transfer inhibition-released process module. When the error of the transfer-inhibited processing chamber is released, the transfer route is optimized.

Abstract: A pick and place system including at least one input conveyor, at least one output conveyor, at least one pick and place robot and control circuitry. Available picking positions on an input conveyor at which a respective item can be picked are determined as well as available placing positions on an output conveyor at which a respective item can be placed. For the available picking positions and the available placing positions, a respective picking time and placing time is calculated, and the at least one robot is instructed to pick items at the picking positions and place the items at the placing positions in an order determined by the respective picking times and placing times.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for tracking the location of one or more assets, comprising an integrated system that identifies an asset, determines the time the asset is acquired by a conveying vehicle, determines the position, elevation and orientation of the asset at the moment it is acquired, determines the time the asset is deposited by the conveying vehicle, and determines the position, elevation and orientation of the asset at the time the asset is deposited, each position, elevation and orientation being relative to a reference plane. Mobile subsystems, each on a conveying vehicle, identify the location and orientation of that conveying vehicle using an optical position sensor unit viewing an array of optical position markers, determine the identity of the asset from a label, confirm acquisition of the asset, determine the elevation of the asset relative to the reference plane and communicate the tracking information to a fixed-base subsystem.

Abstract: In a method and system for depalletizing tires using a robot, wherein the tires are randomly located on a carrier, the position and orientation of outer tires on the carrier are detected using a sensor, and a processor, using a signal from the sensor, determines a tire that can be gripped by a gripping tool of an industrial robot, and calculates a movement path for the gripping tool for that tire. If the calculated path is not collision-free, another tire from among the outer tires is selected, and a movement path for depalletizing that tire is determined. The procedure is repeated until a collision-free movement path for a tire from among the outer tires is established. The gripping tool is then guided according to this collision-free movement path to depalletize the tire having the collision-free path associated therewith.

Abstract: Methods, software and apparatus (FIG. 5) disclosed to maintain and update an association database (650) that enables relating updated address information to affected mailpieces (FIG. 7), and providing the benefits of that information to mailers, especially business or corporate mailers (600, 630, 632), and in the case of co-mingled mail, enabling a pre-sort house (610) to provide the updated information to their customers, or to update mailing lists maintained by or for their customers.

Abstract: An automatic store and a method for storing plates of electronic circuits comprising a feed belt that feeds the plates of electronic circuits along a first plane (F); collection boxes positioned along at least one side of the feed belt and in which the plates of electronic circuits fed by the feed belt are grouped together according to quality classes; and one or more clearing stations disposed in cooperation with the feed belt in order to position the plates of electronic circuits in the respective collection boxes. The store comprises at least two rows of collection boxes disposed along at least one side of the feed belt, and a movement unit associated with the collection boxes to discharge the filled collection boxes and to position new collection boxes to be filled.

Abstract: A sort pattern creating method, for a banknote handling apparatus, comprises a step of selecting a denomination of banknote (S501), a step of selecting a print version of banknote (S502), a step of selecting a direction of banknote (S503), a step of selecting a fitness of banknote (S504), a step of creating the sort pattern by combining the contents selected in the step of selecting a denomination of banknote, a print version of banknote, a direction of banknote and a fitness of banknote (S505). The sort pattern creating method comprises a step of checking a validity of the combination of the contents, wherein the combination is valid when a type of banknote is defined to be sorted into one stacking unit, and the combination is not valid when the type of banknote is not defined to be sorted into one stacking unit.

Abstract: A method of sorting mailpieces amongst N logical sorting destinations with a sorting machine including a mailpiece conveyor that serves M sorting outlets, each of which is provided with a removable mailpiece storage tray that is handled by a tray conveyor, where M is less than N, consists in detecting that a current mailpiece to be sorted has a certain logical destination that is said to be “overbooked” and that is not associated with a sorting outlet, and in dynamically allocating to said overbooked logical destination a certain sorting outlet of the machine that is occupied by another logical destination. In said certain sorting outlet, a tray change is made and the tray extracted from said certain sorting outlet is put on standby on a loop of the tray conveyor.