Agile manufacturing platform and system
Published in USPTO, 2019
📌 Overview
This patent application, published on March 7, 2019, describes an agile manufacturing platform and system that enables flexible, mobile manufacturing operations through collaborative robotic platforms. The system comprises mobile manufacturing robots with articulated arms, machine tools, and cloud-connected task management capabilities for distributed manufacturing operations (Google Patents).
Why It Matters
Traditional manufacturing systems are often fixed in location and lack flexibility for dynamic production needs. This patent addresses the need for agile, mobile manufacturing solutions that can adapt to changing production requirements, enable on-site manufacturing, and provide scalable distributed manufacturing capabilities without the constraints of static installations.
Core Innovations
Mobile manufacturing platform Planar mobile base with articulated legs or wheels, supporting a robotic arm with at least three degrees of freedom and integrated machine tools for on-site manufacturing tasks (Google Patents).
Hybrid mobility system Combines legs and wheels for versatile terrain traversal, with optional suspension and rollers on legs for enhanced mobility across various surfaces (Google Patents).
Integrated manufacturing capabilities Robotic arm carries specialized tools such as additive manufacturing extruders, welding torches, or other machine tools for diverse manufacturing operations (Google Patents).
Cloud-connected collaborative operation Each platform communicates with a distributed database, receiving CAD/CAM/CAX tasks and transmitting real-time status updates for coordinated manufacturing operations (Google Patents).
Dynamic task redistribution Automatic task reassignment when platforms go offline, ensuring continuous manufacturing operations and improved system resilience (Google Patents).
Technical Details
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Mobile Base | Planar platform with articulated legs or wheels for terrain traversal |
| Robotic Arm | At least three degrees of freedom, mounted on mobile base |
| Machine Tools | Additive manufacturing extruders, welding torches, or other manufacturing tools |
| Communication System | Cloud-connected distributed database for task management and status updates |
| Control Architecture | CAD/CAM/CAX task processing, real-time status monitoring, dynamic task redistribution |
Core Value
This agile manufacturing platform democratizes flexible manufacturing by removing location constraints that limit traditional manufacturing systems. It enables mobile, distributed manufacturing where production can be dynamically deployed based on manufacturing needs, location requirements, and operational efficiency, making agile manufacturing accessible across various industries and applications.
Benefits & Applications
- Flexible field deployment: Robots can navigate variable terrain or factory layouts to build parts on-site
- Scalable, distributed manufacturing: Multiple autonomous platforms can share workloads, increasing production coverage
- Reduced downtime and redundancy: Dynamic task reallocation improves system resilience and operational continuity
- Remote or large-scale operations: Useful in infrastructure construction, large parts assembly, or repair operations
- Adaptive manufacturing: Platforms can be reconfigured for different manufacturing tasks and locations
🔍 TL;DP Summary
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Patent | US 20190072931 A1 |
| Publication Date | March 7, 2019 |
| Inventors / Assignee | Hasan Sinan Bank & Livio Dalloro, assigned to Siemens AG |
| Goal | Enable mobile, agile manufacturing through collaborative robotic platforms |
| Mechanism | Mobile platforms with articulated arms and machine tools, cloud-connected for task management |
| User Control | CAD/CAM/CAX task assignment, real-time monitoring, dynamic task redistribution |
| Outcome | Flexible, scalable, distributed manufacturing system |
BibTeX Citation:
@misc {bank2019agile, title= {Agile manufacturing platform and system} , author= {Bank, Hasan Sinan and Dalloro, Livio} , year= {2019} , month=mar # "~7", publisher= {Google Patents} , note= {US Patent App. 16/079,633} }