Abstract: A fuel cell in a fuel cell stack is provided with a gas seal projection and a coolant seal projection projecting from at least one of two separators toward a membrane electrode assembly. The gas seal projection and the coolant seal projection are provided with recesses serving as coolant passages on the side opposite to the membrane electrode assembly. At least one of the gas seal projection and the coolant seal projection is provided with a resistance portion for suppressing a flow of a coolant out of a power generation portion cooling portion.

Abstract: A fuel cell in a fuel cell stack is provided with a gas seal projection and a coolant seal projection projecting from at least one of two separators toward a membrane electrode assembly. The gas seal projection and the coolant seal projection are provided with recesses serving as coolant passages on the side opposite to the membrane electrode assembly. At least one of the gas seal projection and the coolant seal projection is provided with a resistance portion for suppressing a flow of a coolant out of a power generation portion cooling portion.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to minimize the number of in-process items. To this end, in an inter-process buffer controlling apparatus according to the invention, the size of a buffer to be used for storage of work subjects of predetermined work is increased if a difference or a ratio between a variance of first intervals at which the work subjects are delivered to the buffer and a variance of duration that is taken for the preceding process exceeds a prescribed first threshold value, and the size of the buffer is decreased if a difference or a ratio between an average of second intervals at which work subjects generated by the work are delivered to the following buffer and an average of the first intervals exceeds a prescribed second threshold value.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to minimize the number of in-process items. To this end, in an inter-process buffer controlling apparatus according to the invention, the size of a buffer to be used for storage of work subjects of predetermined work is increased if a difference or a ratio between a variance of first intervals at which the work subjects are delivered to the buffer and a variance of duration that is taken for the preceding process exceeds a prescribed first threshold value, and the size of the buffer is decreased if a difference or a ratio between an average of second intervals at which work subjects generated by the work are delivered to the following buffer and an average of the first intervals exceeds a prescribed second threshold value.

Abstract: A production control system is disclosed which comprises a plurality of processing apparatuses each thereof including a single cell or a plurality of identical cells, a storage for temporarily storing objects to be processed, a transportation facility for transporting the objects to be processed between the cells or between the cell and the storage, a plurality of cell controllers each thereof controlling each cell, a physical distribution control system for controlling the transportation facility, and a charge control system for issuing a transportation command to the physical distribution system in response to a request for sending in and a request for taking out from the cell controllers as well as a notice of completion of transportation from the physical distribution control system.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pallet arranging system for use in a multiple-item small-lot production setup. The system uses a plurality of pallet groups each comprising a plurality of pallets, each of the pallets including a plurality of cartridges, each of the cartridges containing a large number of parts of the same type. The system creates channel setting data for use by a part assembler fed with parts and printed circuit boards. The parts are assembled by the part assembler onto predetermined positions on the printed circuit boards in accordance with the channel setting data that designate which cartridge is to be assigned to which of the channels constituting the pallet groups.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for controlling transport of racks in a manufacturing line which includes a series of processes and has buffers associated with the respective processes for temporarily keeping racks carrying semimanufactured articles to be transported to the respective processes. The apparatus includes a host computer having a memory and being in communication with the processes and with the buffers, and a carry-out request table stored in the memory for recording rack carry-out requests from the processes. The host computer includes request monitoring means for monitoring the carry-out request table. The request monitoring means operates in response to detection of a carry-out request to output a transport command to transport a rack corresponding to the carry-out request to a next process only when the number of racks kept in a buffer associated with a second next process of the rack is smaller than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A system for manufacturing printed circuit board units having facilities for automatically performing a component replacement work or component replenishment work which may take place during the changeover of products and ensuring an effective flexible manufacture of the printed wiring board units includes a plurality of the processing cells. Conveyance passages, on which automatic conveying vehicles travel, extend across the processing cells. Along the conveyances passages, there are provided storages opposite to the processing cells. Predetermined electronic components are arranged in advance onto a pallet in a predetermined sequence by an automatic on-pallet arranging unit provided separately from the processing cells, and the pallet is supplied into the processing cells.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a production control system for dealing with the demand of producing many kinds of products in small quantities within a short delivery period by improving productivity of production lines and unmanned operation of the lines. The production control system has a plurality of facilities (1) including parts mounters (14) for processing products through processes, cell controllers (2) for controlling the facilities, a line control system (3) for centrally controlling all the cell controllers, and a transporting unit (4) controlled by the line control system to transport the products between the facilities. The line control system (3) comprises a unit (401) for preparing a detailed execution schedule by considering, in real time, a schedule of a relatively short period extracted from a schedule of a relatively long period, half-finished conditions of the products in a line, and actual events.