Abstract: A computerized method includes sorting mail that comprises a multiple pass mail sort operation, wherein the multiple pass mail sort operation for a mail piece that is undeliverable as addressed comprises performing a first pass of the multiple pass mail sort operation, wherein performing the first pass comprises capturing data to identify a feature of the mail piece. The multiple pass mail sort operation also includes generating a first fingerprint for the mail piece between performing the first pass and performing a second pass of the multiple pass mail sort operation. The multiple pass mail sort operation also includes performing the second pass of the multiple pass mail sort operation. Performing the second pass includes determining a final disposition of the mail piece that is undeliverable as addressed.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and a system for inserting documents (32) in an automated manner into load supports, in particular into containers (30), which are transported by means of a conveyor (26) in an order-picking system (10), comprising: a document guiding device (40) for storing one, preferably single, document (32), and for mechanically guiding same to an assigned load support, which passes the document insertion apparatus (12;12?) by means of the conveyor (26) in an automated manner such that the document (32) can be moved actively into the assigned load support, wherein the document guiding device (40) comprises receiving members (42, 44; 90) which are arranged substantially oppositely horizontal and are mounted movably relative to each other, wherein in a receiving position (FIG. 6A) the receiving members (42, 44; 90) receive the document (32) in a space therebetween.

Abstract: Disclosed are a transport apparatus that holds and transports an object on a predetermined transport track using a transport portion provided at the leading end of an arm and is capable of acquiring the teaching information of a transport position using a normal transport operation, a position teaching method, and a sensor jig. A transmissive sensor (32) is provided in a sensor jig (30) such that the projection segments of an optical axis (41) and an optical axis (42) on a projection plane intersect with each other and neither the project segment of the optical axis (41) nor the projection segment of the optical axis (42) is aligned with the X-direction and the Y-direction. During a position teaching operation, the sensor jig (30) is provided so as to be held by a wafer transport portion (24), thereby detecting target members (51, 52).

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for the order picking of items in an order-picking installation (30) with an automatic order-picking device (31) and an associated dynamic-storage rack (1) as a store for replenishing the automatic order-picking device with items. The items are automatically transported, preferably separately according to type, in containers or boxes (2) to the dynamic-storage rack (1) on a driven conveying line (4). After reading and identifying the boxes (2), they are introduced automatically by an activated stationary lift (5) and activated level serving devices (6) of the dynamic-storage rack (1) into selected dynamic-storage channels (3) of the dynamic-storage rack. The channels have exits (A) that can be manually reached by an operator (17).

Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for managing reassignment of units among shipments in a materials handling facility are described. Embodiments may include a system configured to identify a first unit of a particular item that has been picked from inventory of a materials handling facility and assigned to a first shipment. The system may also, from multiple candidate shipments, identify a second shipment that requires a given unit of the particular item in order to become a complete shipment. For each candidate shipment, at least one unit of that shipment may be stored within a defined storage area of a materials handling facility. The system may, in response to identifying both shipments, generate an instruction to reassign the first unit of the particular item from the first shipment to the second shipment in order to transform the second shipment from an incomplete shipment to a complete shipment.

Abstract: A process for prioritizing urgent test tubes in a test tubes (50) transport installation is disclosed, the test tubes (50) being loaded on transport devices (4) of single test tubes (50) in an automated analysis laboratory, comprising the loading of test tubes (50) classified as urgent and non urgent on transport devices (4) for transporting single test tubes (50), moving said loaded transport devices (4) on a conveyor belt until they interact with an identification device (5) identifying the test tube upstream of processing modules (6) of the test tubes (50), removal of the test tubes (50) that are recognized to be non-urgent from the respective transport device (4) and discharging of the non-urgent test tubes (50) onto a wait bench (10) for non-urgent test tubes (50), moving transport devices (4) for transporting single urgent test tubes (50) towards the processing modules (6), the recall by a control unit (7) of the non-urgent test tubes (50) at the moment in which the availability of the processing module

Abstract: During a carrying operation, the position, transportation origin, and transportation destination of a carrier or a boat can be easily checked. A carrying system is configured to carry a substrate, a manipulation unit is configured to display an operation state of the carrying system on a manipulation screen, and a control unit is configured to control an operation of the carrying system. The manipulation unit displays a carrying system icon indicating the carrying system which is a carrying target object and a carrying-out icon at predetermined positions of the manipulation screen corresponding to a transportation origin of the carrying system, and a carrying-in icon at a predetermined position of the manipulation screen corresponding to the transportation destination of the carrying system.

Abstract: A storage library is described that includes a tape magazine that possesses at least one spare slot and a number of other addressable slots that each contains a tape cartridge. Each addressable slot is mapped and made known to a host when the host is linked to the storage library. One of the addressable slots contains a tape cartridge that prior to being mapped as an addressable slot was formerly a spare slot unmapped to the host and the current spare slot was formerly mapped as an addressable slot.

Abstract: In a transfer system, a storage data and a specific equipment data indicating a specific equipment are generated. When a transfer command indicates the specific equipment as one of a previous location and a subsequent location, a priority level of the transfer command is increased. A transfer command having a highest priority level is selected. When an available carrier that is not assigned with a transfer command is not accessible within a previous area in which the previous location of the transfer command selected belongs to, when the priority level of the transfer command selected has been increased, and when an alternative carrier that is assigned with the transfer command and is transferring without carrying the cassette is accessible within the previous area, the transfer command selected is assigned to the alternative carrier.

Abstract: An arrangement (1) and to a method is for detecting and controlling piece goods (2), having a code, in a commissioning system. The piece goods are fed on a conveyor line (3) through a scanning device (15), and are identified as actual data and are compared or captured to target data of the piece goods quantity stored in a central computer. The piece goods are separated out if the target data do not match the actual data. The invention proposes that a plurality of ejection devices (13) are provided. Each of the ejection devices (13) fills a positioned order container (25) of a particular commissioning order with piece goods, and piece goods that are not detected or sorted out are discharged to the longitudinal end of the conveyor line (3). The piece goods of various commissioning orders are randomly distributed on the central belt (27) of an automated commissioning machine and fed to the arrangement (1).

Abstract: The working support robot system of the present invention includes: a robot arm (11); a measuring unit (12) for measuring the worker's position; a work progress estimation unit (13) for estimating the work progress based on data input from the measuring unit (12) while referring to data on work procedure, and for selecting objects necessary for the next task when the work is found to have advanced to the next procedure; and an arm motion planning unit (14) for planning the trajectory of the robot arm (11) to control the robot arm (11) based on the work progress estimated by the work progress estimation unit (13) and selected objects. The working support robot system can deliver objects such as tools and parts to the worker according to the work to be performed by the worker.

Abstract: A system and method of operation for proactively grouping disparate mail items that are queued to be produced in a processing facility, wherein the system and method utilize a manufacturing completion schedule for virtually grouping the mail items before physical production occurs and the system and method maximizes profitability by discounting the mail items by applying appropriate discount mailing regulations for virtually grouping the mail items before physical production occurs.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus handle a plurality of articles in an order, particularly flat mail items. This involves the use of an apparatus having a sorting installation, a temporary store and a handling position. Each temporary store has a feeder station and an outward transfer station. Each article passes through the sorting installation. The sorting installation measures what value a prescribed sorting feature assumes for the article. The article is fed into the temporary store. The article is either transported past the outward transfer station and remains on a conveyor track or it is transferred out of the temporary store and is transported to a handling position. The sorting installation sorts the articles and produces an order among the articles. The articles are transported to the feeder station which feeds the articles into the temporary store such that at any time all the articles are arranged in the order.

Abstract: Each load-carrier of a system is always controlled by one of a series of MCUs (monitoring and control units) that are assigned to contiguous regions along guideways. Each carrier is slowed down to maintain a safe distance behind a carrier ahead, or to avoid collision with another carrier when approaching a merge point of a convergent Y-junction or when otherwise desirable. Distance measurements take into account the lengths of carriers and of assigned regions and the counts of speed pulses sent to MCUs since entry of carriers into their respective regions. For merge control, arrival data are developed that include the times and speeds to and at arrival of two carriers at a merge point. Through repeated comparisons of arrival data developed from one carrier with arrival data previously developed and stored as to the other carrier, the one carrier is gradually slowed down as necessary to avoid a collision.

Abstract: An automated destacking device is used to remove a single flat item or sheet from the top of a stack, and to then transport the item from the stack so that it may be used in an assembly line, manufacturing process, or the like. The stacked items are placed into a hopper, and an elevator drives the hopper upwardly until the top item in the stack contacts the underside of a horizontally movable carriage. The underside of the carriage includes an adhesive element, which engages the top item, and then the carriage moves in a horizontal direction away from the stack, carrying the top item from the stack to a position separately from the stack.

Abstract: In a method for automated palletizing of packages, in particular by means of a manipulator, packages are arranged on the edge of a loading area and, if possible, a virtual initial layer of multiple packages is initially generated and this layer is then centered relative to the loading area.

Abstract: When the load factor of a loading/unloading apparatus reaches a second reference value that is smaller in load factor than the first reference value, the operation speed of the loading/unloading apparatus becomes a reduction state. It is possible to make load vibration difficult to be generated in a load. Further, fine adjustment of the manipulation becomes easy, such that it is possible to prevent the load factor from reaching the first reference value due to careless manipulation of the operator. Even if the load factor reaches the first reference value, the operation speed of the loading/unloading apparatus has been reduced, such that it is possible to prevent load vibration of the load W when stopping.

Abstract: A method for qualifying an automated process for inspecting and sorting particles through the production and use of seed particles is disclosed. In one embodiment, seed particles are produced by forming a conformal surface layer on a plurality of particles, thereby imparting them with at least one property whose value or range of values is the same as or about the same as a value or range of values of a corresponding property of undesirable particles. By introducing a predetermined quantity of seed particles, their detection and removal by the automated sorting system can be used to periodically calibrate and qualify the sorting system without interrupting the manufacturing operations or introducing actual undesirable particles into the process stream. The production and use of seed particles to qualify an automated sorting system is particularly well-suited for use with Ti sponge sorting operations.

Abstract: A warehouse storage and retrieval system including an array of multilevel storage racks having at least one transfer deck, picking isles and storage areas disposed along picking isles, the storage areas being configured to hold differing loads, and a controller including a management module configured to variably size the storage areas of the array of multilevel storage rack modules and assign each of the variably sized storage areas to a corresponding one of the differing loads, wherein the storage and retrieval system is arranged to transport the differing loads for placement in the variably sized storage areas assigned by the controller.

Abstract: Transportation control in a vacuum processing device with high transportation efficiency without lowering throughput is provided. A control unit is configured to update in real time and holds device state information showing an action state of each of a process chamber, a transportation mechanism unit, a buffer room, and a holding mechanism unit, the presence of a process subject member, and a process state thereof; select a transport algorithm from among transport algorithm judgment rules that are obtained by simulating in advance a plurality of transport algorithms for controlling transportation of a process subject member for each condition of a combination of the number and arrangement of the process chambers and process time of a process subject member based on the device state information and process time of the process subject member; and compute a transport destination of the process subject member based on the selected transport algorithm.