Abstract: A control for robots wherein a plurality of control units are connected in a hierarchical structure including a plurality of ranks including the lowest rank, and the robots subordinate to the control units belonging to the lowest rank.

Abstract: A flexible manufacturing system for assembling various types of vehicle bodies is disclosed. The system includes a work supply means by which corresponding works for the various types of vehicle bodies are supplied, a main body assembling device which includes a plurality of locating and welding robots of numerical control type and control means for controlling operation of the robots in a programmed manner so that the various types of vehicle bodies are continuously assembled in order. A method for controlling the system comprises (a) sensing a trouble which would occur in any of the robots, (b) stopping the robot in trouble, and (c) controlling operation of the other robots in such a manner that at least one of the types of vehicle bodies is assembled by the remaining robots.

Abstract: A bar-code label has a combination of a plurality of narrower slots and a plurality of wider slots encoded to represent specific binary data containing information and/or instructions. The slotted bar-code is encoded on a rigid label member, such as a metal sheet. A bar-code encoding device used to encode the slotted bar-code has a pair of punches, one of which is adapted to form the narrower slots and the other of which is adapted to form the wider slots. Both of the punches are operated simultaneously whenever one of the narrower or wider slots is formed. The blank label is fed past one of the punches to form all of the narrower or wider slots before forming the rest of the wider or narrower slots with the other punch. The encoded label thus formed in suitable for use in painting or coating processes which would obscure a conventionally printed bar-code label.

Abstract: A bar-code label has a combination of a plurality of narrower slots and a plurality of wider slots encoded to represent specific binary data containing information and/or instructions. The slotted bar-code is encoded on a rigid label member, such as a metal sheet. A bar-code encoding device used to encode the slotted bar-code has a pair of punches, one of which is adapted to form the narrower slots and the other of which is adapted to form the wider slots. Both of the punches are operated simultaneously whenever one of the narrower or wider slots is formed. The blank label is fed past one of the punches to form all of the narrower or wider slots before forming the rest of the wider or narrower slots with the other punch. The encoded label thus formed is suitable for use in painting or coating processes which would obscure a conventionally printed bar-code label.

Abstract: A bar-code control for a manufacturing process employs a bar-code label with a combination of narrow and wide slots constituting a bar code in combination. The bar-code label is attached to a base component to which various other components are to be assembled in an assembly process and a painting process. In the assembly process, information and instructions represented by the bar code are optically read to identify the components to be assembled to the base component and to control the assembly operations. In the painting process, the bar code is read to identify the required color to be painted and to control the painting operation.