WO2017072351A2

WO2017072351A2 - System and method for carrying out a processing operation

Info

Publication number: WO2017072351A2
Application number: PCT/EP2016/076181
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rolf Gueller
Original assignee: Chemspeed Technologies Ag
Priority date: 2015-10-29
Filing date: 2016-10-29
Publication date: 2017-05-04
Also published as: WO2017072351A3; CH711717B1; CH711717A2

Abstract

A system for carrying out a processing operation, in particular for producing and/or testing chemical products, comprises at least two processing stations (1-11) and at least one self-propelled transport vehicle (W) for transporting an object to be treated to the processing stations, each of said processing stations subjecting the object to at least one processing step. The system has a main control computer (C) designed to communicate with the processing stations and the transport vehicles. The transport vehicles (W) are designed to store individual identification information provided by the main control computer (C). Process control information (I) is made available by the main control computer (C), said information describing: to which steps an object is to be subjected, under which conditions and in which order; and to which processing stations the object is to be transported by the transport vehicles in order to be subjected to these steps. The main control computer (C) assigns individual process control information (I) to the identification information of a transport vehicle. The processing stations (1-11) detect the identification information of an oncoming transport vehicle and carry out the processing of the object provided on the transport vehicle on the basis of the process control information assigned to said identification information.

Description

Plant and method for carrying out a machining process

The invention relates to a system for carrying out a machining process according to the preamble of independent claim 1. The invention also relates to a corresponding method.

In many areas of manufacturing technology, for example in the manufacture of electronic components or food or even in the

Automotive industry, it is known fully automatic production or

Use production lines. The production or production takes place step by step in a number of processing stations, which after a

to go through a predetermined workflow. The transport to and between the processing stations takes place by means of a suitable transport system. A usually computer-based control controls and coordinates the in the

Processing stations carried out manufacturing or production steps and transport.

The previously known production or production lines work strictly sequential and are each designed specifically for the production of a particular product.

Also in chemical research and development, there is often a need for facilities with which a chemical product can be produced fully automatically. For smaller product series and especially if, as in research and

Development is common, each manufactured product is manufactured individually, i.

At least one step or component is different, however, a specific production facility designed for a single workflow is often too time-consuming to be converted in this cadence, or the automation would be limited in respect of e.g. Time savings are not worthwhile. In addition, sequential production facilities, as they are known, are not for everyone

Workflow optimal or the system would have to be converted in extreme cases for each new product or even rebuilt. Usually, such work For this reason, production plants are processed in parallel, whereby the same fundamental work steps (usually with small differences between individual product containers, eg with regard to registered substance quantities, physical conditions, etc.) are processed simultaneously or staggered over a large number of product containers in order to obtain a large number of products.

By the present invention, a plant and a method for performing a machining process to be made available, the more universal use of the system under a simple adaptation

enable a wide variety of workflows. Another object of the invention is the optimization of the system in the sense that individual processing steps not only in the fixed processing stations, but also on the

Processing stations arriving transport vehicles, especially during their movement can take place.

This object underlying the invention is achieved by the inventive system defined in the independent claim and by the method according to the invention defined in independent claim 28. Particularly advantageous developments and refinements of the inventive system and the corresponding method will become apparent from the respective dependent claims.

With regard to the plant, the essence of the invention consists in the following: A plant for carrying out a machining process comprises at least two

Processing stations and at least one self-propelled transport vehicle for transporting an object to be processed to the processing stations. The

Processing stations are designed to that of the transport vehicle

provided object to undergo at least one processing step. The system has a main control computer designed for communication with the processing stations and the transport vehicles. The transport vehicles are for storing a provided by the main control computer

formed individual identification information. The main control computer provides process control information describing which processing steps an object under which conditions in which order to undergo and to which processing stations the object is to be transported from the transport vehicles. The main control computer is designed to associate the identification information of a transport vehicle with individual process control information. The processing stations are designed to recognize the identification information of a transporting vehicle approaching them and individually based on this identification information

associated process control information editing the on the

Make transport vehicle provided object. Through this design of the system, the processing steps to which an object is to be subjected, individually programmable and it can thus be the same or different processed on the same system different object. The system is highly flexible in this way.

Advantageously, the processing stations have local control computers, which are designed to control the treatment steps to be carried out in the treatment stations and to the main control computer

communicate. As a result, a modular design of the system is possible.

Advantageously, the processing stations or their local are

Control computer designed to update the process control information associated with an identification information by the status and / or the result of each performed processing steps, in which case the updated process control information determines all possibly subsequent processing steps. In this way, the machining process can be automatically adjusted dynamically on an ongoing basis.

Expediently, the system has a rail system connecting the processing stations and the transport vehicles are designed as rail-bound, forward and backward traveling carriages.

In an advantageous manner, the rail system has at least one closed path (endless loop) so that the carriages can travel virtually in a circle along this path and thus can approach the same processing stations again and again. In particular, this can drive a transport vehicle as long as in a circle until all the proposed processing steps are completed. Also, the

Transport vehicle to approach each workstation in any order.

The rail system advantageously has at least one

has different treatment stations leading turnout. This makes it easy to implement branches of the editing process. Advantageously, the car for storing a from the

Furthermore, the switch is adapted to recognize the decision code of an approaching car and to steer the car in the direction determined by the recognized decision code direction decision codes provided on the direction to be taken by the car at a switch. As a result, the wagons can control the path to be driven themselves and data generated on the road or during the processing of previous processing steps can influence this path.

Advantageously, the rail system comprises points, by means of which it is subdivided into two or more adjacent sections and these sections can be brought together again. This allows one

Parallelization of individual machining operations.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the system, the transport vehicles in two-dimensional space are free moving carriages and adapted to

Processing stations automatically start according to their assigned, optionally updated process control information. This makes the system particularly flexible. Expediently, the system has two or more transport planes with processing stations arranged thereon and at least one lifting device for moving the transport vehicle between the transport planes. As a result, the system can be constructed relatively compact. According to a further advantageous embodiment of the system are the

Transport vehicle itself flying in three-dimensional space moving aircraft and trained to automatically approach the processing stations in accordance with their assigned, optionally updated process control information. This training can be dispensed with transport paths.

Particularly advantageously, at least one of the processing stations is designed for the sequential, staggered or simultaneous execution of one or more identical or different processing steps on its objects supplied via the transport vehicle. As a result, several objects can be processed in the approached processing stations.

Advantageously, at least one of the processing stations is designed for batchwise or parallel or staggered execution of at least one processing step. This measure increases the throughput of the concerned

Processing station. This is particularly important or advantageous when e.g. Most processing steps (e.g., dosages) only take a relatively short time, and one or a few processing steps (e.g., a temperature treatment) require relatively much more time.

According to an advantageous development of the system, the transport vehicles are designed to be independent of a group of identical or different ones

Processing stations to approach a selected processing station. In this way bottlenecks in the processing sequence can be avoided.

Advantageously, the system is designed so that different

Transport vehicle in different processing stations at the same time, possibly offset, can be edited. This measure increases the throughput of the system.

Particularly advantageously, the system is designed so that on average comparable processing times per processing station can be achieved. bottlenecks (Bottlenecks) can be parallelized as in road traffic, whereby the throughput of the system can be continuously increased. As above

described at very long cycle times such. Heat-curing is then carried out in parallel by placing the samples in a long time in this case

Tempering be placed and at the programmed time then put back on the shuttle.

According to a particularly advantageous development of the system according to the invention, the transport vehicles are provided with treatment means in order to carry out a physical and / or chemical treatment of the objects located on the transport vehicles. In this way, machining steps can be carried out not only in the stationary processing stations, but also directly on the transport vehicles, especially during their movement. This makes the system even more universal and flexible.

Advantageously, the provided by the main control computer, the transport vehicles individually assigned

Process control information also concerning information on the

Transport vehicles, especially during their movement, to be performed treatment steps and the treatment means are adapted to carry out the steps to be carried out by them in accordance with the process control information associated with the transport vehicles.

Conveniently, the transport vehicles are designed to receive two or more product containers and / or samples, and the treatment agents are designed to physically and / or chemically treat the contents of all the product containers and / or samples present on the transport vehicles. In this way, several products and / or samples can be transported and treated on a transport vehicle. Thus, e.g. Samples are summarized, which in principle have the same / similar workflows - ie approach substantially the same processing stations, but z.T. on these different ones

Experienced treatments. Advantageously, the transport vehicles for receiving at least one reactor are formed, in which a chemical or biological reaction

can be carried out. As a result, the plant can be used for the production of a chemical product.

Advantageously, the system is designed for producing and / or applying and / or testing a chemical product, wherein the processing stations are designed to carry out production steps and / or application steps and / or test steps.

Particularly advantageously, the plant comprises a number of mobile reactor or formulation units which can approach different processing stations and are equipped with their own means for the chemical and / or physical treatment of the contents of entrained reaction or formulation containers. This further increases the efficiency and flexible usability of the system.

Advantageously, at least one processing station of the system is designed for the manual triggering or execution of one or more processing steps / s. This possibility of personnel-occupied processing stations increases the flexibility of the system enormously.

With regard to the method, the essence of the invention consists in the following: In a method for carrying out a machining process, objects to be machined by means of self-propelled transport vehicles pass between two or more machining stations in which the objects are subjected to machining steps, wherein:

- The transport vehicle individual process control information regarding to be operated and already done processing steps of the transported objects received from a main control computer resp. to send back to them;

- The transport vehicle due to their assigned

Process control information independently the next processing station start in which the next processing step necessary for the current machining process is carried out; and

- the different processing steps in the different

Processing stations are processed sequentially one after the other and / or parallel / simultaneously and / or staggered in time. This approach achieves universal usability and maximum flexibility.

Advantageously, if necessary, process control information is adapted during a processing cycle as a function of data originally present and / or incurred during the already completed processing steps and / or due to external inputs in order to change the processing cycle during its execution. This measure also increases the flexibility.

Preference is given to the processing steps in the different

Processing stations are defined and controlled by local processing station controllers, each implemented in local control computers associated with one or more processing stations. The can

Processing steps are defined in particular from one or more processing steps. The local processing station controllers are hierarchically superior to a workflow management controller, which is preferably located on the

Main control computer is implemented. Through this workflow management control is - in particular by selecting from the local

Processing station programs - defined or controlled, which processing stations to be approached by the transport vehicle in which order and which processing steps to be performed under which conditions in the approached processing stations. The local processing station controllers and the workflow management controller are preferably implemented as local processing control software or programs, or as workflow management software or program, respectively running on the host computer or on an associated local control computer.

Advantageously, the various processing steps in the different processing stations are handled by the local processing station. Controllers are controlled using parameters that are in the

Process control information of each in the corresponding

Are assigned processing station retracted Transportvehikels. In addition, the process control information may be from the respective local

Processing station controls are updated by the status and / or the result of each performed processing steps, the updated process control information determines all possibly following processing steps. In this way, the machining process can be automatically adjusted dynamically on an ongoing basis. Information about the order of the processing steps to be processed during the processing process is preferred directly in the

Product control information stored. It is advantageous to have information about the order of processing during the machining process

Processing steps by the higher-level workflow management control and / or from the local processing station controllers into the respective one

Product control information stored when a new machining process is started.

It is also conceivable that parallel to each other several plants or processes are operated or carried out according to the present invention. In this case, it may be provided that the system of the several plants or

Process is controlled by a system control or system control software that is hierarchically superior to the individual systems or methods, in particular the respective workflow management controls or software. A further aspect of the invention relates to a method for carrying out a machining process, in which objects to be machined are subjected to different processing steps at two or more machining stations.

It is envisaged that the respective processing steps in the

Processing stations are defined and controlled by local processing station programs, which are respectively implemented in local, one or more processing stations associated control computers. The can

Processing steps are defined in particular from one or more processing steps. Furthermore, it is provided that via a the local Processing station control programs hierarchically superior and independent of this workflow management program on one

Main control computer is implemented, by selecting from the processing steps defined by the local processing station programs at least one workflow is defined, which specifies which processing steps an object under which conditions, in which order and at which processing station is subjected. Finally, according to the at least one workflow, the objects are subjected to the processing steps controlled by the local processing station programs, wherein the local processing programs are started, stopped and monitored by the higher-level workflow management program.

In particular, it may be provided that at least one processing step is defined by at least one local processing station program having at least one parameter variable, and that via the workflow management program by selecting desired processing steps and selecting one or more values for the at least one parameter variable several workflows are defined, which determine which processing steps an object under which conditions, in which order, on which

Processing station with which or which values for the fewest to undergo a parameter variable. By providing at least one

Parameter variables and the selection of one or more values for the at least one parameter variable can advantageously be defined and executed without additional effort, such as multiple workflows. In particular, it is conceivable that via the workflow management program lists of values for the

Parameter variables are defined. In the case of several parameter variables, matrices of workflows can be defined and executed. The least one

Parameter variable may be a physical parameter variable (e.g., temperature), a chemical parameter variable, or a substance-specific parameter variable (dosing amount, dosing accuracy, name, storage location of the substance, etc.).

In addition, it can be provided that the at least one workflow in case of need during a processing process depending on original existing and / or incurred during the already completed processing steps data and / or due to external inputs, preferably iteratively adjusted to modify the processing process during its execution or abort. In particular, customizing the workflow may include generating at least one subsequent workflow. The follow-up workflow preferably has a fixed value for at least one parameter variable, the fixed value for the at least one parameter variable corresponding to an optimum value from a list of values which may have resulted from the processing processes of the workflows preceding the subsequent workflow, which were based on lists of values.

Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a system for performing a machining process with at least two processing stations, wherein the processing stations are adapted to subject one or more provided objects in each case at least one processing step. The system has local control computers assigned to one or more processing stations, on which local processing station programs are implemented, which are designed to define and control the treatment steps to be carried out in the associated treatment stations. The can

Processing steps are defined in particular from one or more processing steps. The system also has one for communication with the

Control computer trained on which a local management station control programs hierarchically superior and independent of this workflow management program is designed to define at least one workflow by selecting from the processing steps defined by the local processing station programs. The workflow defines which processing steps an object should take, under which conditions, in which order and on which

Processing station is subject. The higher-level workflow management program is also designed to start, stop and monitor the treatment steps to be carried out in the assigned treatment stations in accordance with the workflow. A further aspect of the invention relates to a computer program system for execution on a computer system of a processing plant, which is used for

Performing a machining process is used, are subjected to the objects to be processed at two or more processing stations different processing steps. The computer program system comprises, on the one hand, a plurality of processing station programs for execution in corresponding local control stations of the system assigned to one or more processing stations, wherein the processing station programs are designed to define and control the respective processing steps in the processing stations. In this case, the processing steps can be defined in particular from one or more processing sub-steps. The computer program system, on the other hand, comprises a workflow management program hierarchically superior to and independent of the local processing station control programs for execution on a main control computer, the workflow management program being designed by selecting from among the local processing station programs defined processing steps at least define a workflow that determines which

Processing steps an object under which conditions, in which order and at which processing station to undergo. The workflow management program is also designed to start, stop and monitor the treatment steps to be carried out in the assigned treatment stations in accordance with the workflow.

Analogous to the above method, it may in the system and / or the

Computer program system be provided that at least one local

Processing station program defines at least one processing step with at least one parameter variables, and that the workflow management program by selecting desired processing steps and selecting one or more values for the at least one parameter variable one or more

Defines workflows that define which processing steps an object under which conditions, in which order, on which

Processing station with which or which values for the fewest to undergo a parameter variable. The least one parameter variable can be one physical parameter variable (eg temperature), a chemical

Parameter variable or a substance-specific parameter variable (dosing quantity, dosing accuracy, name, storage location of the substance, etc.).

In addition, it can be provided in the system and / or the computer program system that the workflow management program is designed for this purpose. at least one workflow in case of need during a processing process depending on originally present and / or incurred during the already completed processing steps data and / or external inputs, preferably iteratively adapt to modify the processing during its execution or abort. In particular, customizing the workflow may include generating at least one subsequent workflow.

Preferably, the follow-up workflow has a fixed value for at least one parameter variable, wherein the fixed value for the at least one

Parameter variable corresponds to an optimal value from a list of values resulting from the processing processes of previous workflows based on lists of values.

In the following the invention will be described in more detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1-8 - schematic overviews of various embodiments of the inventive system; Fig. 9-11 - three basic training variants of the transport vehicle of

Investment;

Fig. 12-20 different equipment variants of the transport vehicle of the system; 21-22 two flow charts to explain essential functional sequences of the system and

Fig. 23 shows an example of process control information in list form. Fig. 24a-24c an example of a hierarchical structure of local

Processing station controls and a parent

Workflow management control

The following definition applies to the following description: If reference signs have been given in a figure for the purpose of clarity of drawing, but are not mentioned in the directly related part of the description, reference will be made to them

Explanation referenced in the preceding or following parts of description. Conversely, less relevant reference numerals are not included in all figures to avoid overcharging graphic for the immediate understanding. For this purpose, reference is made to the other figures.

In the context of this invention, the term machining process of an object is understood as the entirety of all chemical and / or physical processing steps to which an object is to be subjected. Under machining processes are within the scope of the invention in particular also manufacturing processes,

Understand application processes and test processes for a chemical product.

Under a manufacturing process for a chemical product is in the context of this invention, the totality of all chemical and / or physical

Understood manufacturing steps that ultimately yield the desired chemical product. In particular, but not exclusively, this also means mixture and formulation processes. Accordingly, a chemical product is understood in the broadest sense to mean any product obtained by chemical reaction and / or addition and / or mixing of components, the mentioned components including substances, reagents, compounds, catalysts, but also auxiliaries for physical processes (eg Glass beads for grinding a product). The manufacturing steps can be both chemical and physical. Chemical manufacturing steps are usually chemical reactions involving the modification of at least one chemical parameter or the production of a new chemical molecule or complex, etc. Physical production steps are typically Addition of chemical substances, for example educts of chemical reactions, reaction-relevant auxiliary substances such as catalysts, stabilizers, emulsifiers, etc., which are to react later, or other solid, liquid or gaseous ingredients and stirring, heating, cooling, pressurization, etc., this list does not is final. Manufacturing steps are also purely mechanical working steps such as the provision of empty product containers, the opening and closing of the same, exposure to inert or reactive gases, the removal of product containers and the removal of samples but also the application of samples or test substances (eg by spraying, Doctoring, spin-coating, etc.) on, for example, test substrates or test containers understood, and this list is not exhaustive. Examples of such mainly physically embossed production or working steps can be, for example, the spraying of test plates made of glass, metal or cardboard, the filling of microtiter plates (MTP) with predosed enzymes, the introduction of grinding beads into a mixture of colors to be homogenized Be pigments etc. Under applications sprayed or otherwise coated sample plates, such as glass or metal plates, microtiter plates with predosed enzymes, which have been added to a drug, battery assemblies, in which, for example, the

Kathodenpastenformulierung during application was introduced as a variable part, a Petri dish, which was introduced with a fungus to challenge the resistance of the formulation (list not conclusive) understood. Test processes are the chemical or physical analysis of a manufactured product as well as the taking of product samples. The terms manufacturing step, processing step and

Treatment step are to be understood synonymously in the general sense explained above. A processing station is understood to be a plant part in or on which at least one of the aforementioned chemical and / or physical or

mechanical processing steps takes place. Analogously, processing means or processing tools are understood to mean a functional arrangement which can carry out at least one of the abovementioned chemical and / or physical processing steps. Under sequential processing is the sequential execution of different processing steps in different

Processing stations understood, but may additionally include several steps in a processing station. From the perspective of a product or a sample, the sequence results as a sequence of processing steps, which are processed one after the other. From the point of view of a processing station is a

Operation sequentially when several products or samples or generally objects are processed or processed sequentially in the station.

Parallel or batchwise processing or processing is to be understood in the sense that two or more product containers or their contents or generally objects are subjected to the same processing steps substantially simultaneously. This can be done in a processing station and / or - as explained below - also on transport vehicles and in particular during their movement or else by e.g. the simultaneous processing of several objects in parallel, functionally identical processing stations done. This can e.g. the parallel shaking and tempering but also the parallel curing of applied samples e.g. by means of UV or heat-curing devices and much more.

Staggered processing is a process in which samples / products or generally objects arrive in succession in a processing station where they are subjected to some treatment, usually over a defined period of time, and then after completion of each individual sample / step Product or each object again be led away from the processing station. A large number of samples / products or objects is thus simultaneously (quasi-parallel) in progress, but undergoes time-staggered processing. Usually, the different samples / products or objects finish their respective processing step in the same order as it started, but it is also possible that the input and output orders are different (example: samples come in staggered time in a drying oven, and depending on how long an individual sample needed for drying, it will sooner or later outsourced and transported to the next processing station.)

Under the term transport vehicle used here is any type of

To understand transport vehicle, which is able, an object (e.g.

in particular a product container) to transport. In particular, you can

Transport vehicle as a rail-bound car or on one or more transport surface (s) free-moving car or as a three-dimensional in space freely moving aircraft may be formed.

The embodiment of the system according to the invention shown in FIG. 1 is designed as a coating formulation application and test system on which lacquers are prepared from their starting substances in a first step sequence, the lacquers are applied in a second step sequence by means of different methods (eg doctoring, spray, etc.). be applied to test substrates and in a third step sequence on the

Test substrates applied paints using various chemical and

physical methods can be tested. It comprises a number of processing stations, which are interconnected by a transport device, and a controller for the transport device and the processing stations. An analogous structure may e.g. also for the production of

Cathode materials for batteries or many other R & D workflows are used.

The transportation device, designated T as a whole, here comprises a double-track rail system S, essentially in the form of an eight, on which a number of transport vehicles in the form of rail-bound wagons W move autonomously independently of one another. A distributor switch V allows a carriage W traveling on the rail system S to travel in one or the other direction of the rail system as required. The decision in which direction the carriage W is traveling is so-called hard-coded and follows an if-logic ("if condition X satisfies, drive in one direction if condition Y satisfies, drive in the other direction). Another variant of a switch, one

Merge switch Z, it allows wagons W, that of different Sections of the plant come to drive again on a common rail section.

In general, the processing stations are usually designed to have one or more functions and thus one or more Herstellungsbzw. Can process production steps. These functions may include manufacturing, application (application, application, ...) and testing (testing, measuring, analyzing). To this end, they include, as needed, one or more different or identical tools from a wide range of possibilities. For example, dosing tools for liquids, solids or gases, mixing tools (stirrers, SpeedMixers, ...), storage units for samples and products / product containers, tools for labeling samples / sample containers resp. Reading out labeled samples / sample containers, robots for the manipulation of samples / sample containers and tools, measuring and testing tools, as well as countless other tools and functions.

In an advantageous embodiment, certain tools (as described above) may also perform their function (s) for a plurality of them

Meet processing stations. For example, it is possible for a robot to manipulate samples / sample containers in multiple processing stations

(Example: A single multi-axis robot can transport empty sample cups from a warehouse to a cart for a first processing station, then take a finished test substrate from another cart for a second processing station and transport it to an analysis device, and then produce a finished one in a third processing station. Remove product container from a third cart, move it to a processing station with a printer where the bin is labeled, and then place it in an exit bin.) In the embodiment of Figure 1, the processing stations are along the

Rail system S arranged. The processing stations here specifically include a storage station 1 for empty product containers P, three dosing 2-4, a

Closing station 5, a transfer robot 6, a stirring station 7, a Opening station 8, a storage station 10 for finished product containing

Product container P, an application station 9 and another transfer robot 11.

The installation has one (or more) main control computer C on which one or more databases are installed containing the entirety of all relevant process control information I. The arrows of the

Hauptsteuerungsrechner C in Fig. 1, 2 and 3 symbolically representing box indicate the functional connection of the main control computer to the

Processing stations 1-11 and the transport device T with the car W on. The main control computer can also be implemented as a server.

Usually, but not necessarily, the main control computer C is also connected to a network N which, for example, comprises a company-wide network, as is often used to plan, coordinate and evaluate the totality of all the experiments, trials and production of a company. The data or information available in the network is denoted by Γ.

The processing stations themselves are each equipped with their own or with a shared with other processing stations local control computer (in Fig. 1, for example, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R8 and Rl 1) on which run the control programs, the control the functions or processes of the corresponding processing station (s). It should be noted here that in this example, for example, the storage station 1, the stirring station 7 and the storage station 10 are operated / manipulated by the transfer robot 6, which is controlled by the local control computer R6 and each does not need and contain its own local control computer. The application station 9 is also controlled by the local control computer RH of the second robot and therefore does not have its own local control computer.

The system has so-called workflow management software or control to program the local processing station controllers or the software of the various local control computers. The workflow management software or control is hierarchically superior to the local processing station controls. The workflow management software can also serve to start the individual control software programs of the plant, monitor and edit the generated data and results. The

Workflow management software may e.g. be installed on the main control computer C. The control of the attached processing stations takes place in that the workflow management software influences (or starts) the control software programs running on the processing stations

Parameters (eg dosing parameters, etc.) supplied and results (eg actually metered amounts) and any error messages and system messages received and the plant operator available and / or feeds this information in the process control information I on the main control computer C, where they can be used , In particular, it can be controlled or determined by the workflow management software or control which processing stations are to be approached by the transport vehicle in which order and which processing steps are to be carried out under which conditions in the approached processing stations. Since all processing stations and their local control computers and the main control computer are networked with each other and can communicate constantly and exchange data, the workflow management software can be started from any local control computer or the main control computer and used to the entirety of the plant monitor and control. The main control calculator can also be physically located in one of the local

Be implemented control computer.

Fig. 24a shows a possible embodiment of the hierarchical structure of local processing station controls or software / programs 401 and a higher-level, cross-plant workflow management control or software 400. In the workflow management control or software determines which processing stations are approached by the transport vehicle in which order and which processing steps 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, 418 under which conditions (defined, for example, by decision steps 430, 431) in the approached processing stations to be performed , FIG. 24 b shows details of the workflow management control or software 400, which is preferably executed or implemented on the main computer C. Accordingly, FIG. 24c shows details of a local, processing station-specific controller 401. In the or with the aid of the workflow management controller 400, the user can, in the exemplary embodiment shown here, individual

Processing steps 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, 418 and

Decision steps 430 and 431, for example from a library 410. B available processing steps, and select to a processing process 420 or

Compile workflow. Preferably, the selection and compilation, in particular the determination of the order of the processing steps to be processed during the machining process 420, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, 418 and decision steps 430 and 431 via drag and drop via a corresponding

User interface, done. Similarly, in the or by means of the local processing station controller 401, a corresponding processing step 413 of the processing process 420 according to workflow, in the present Ausführungsbespiel according to FIG. 24c of the processing step 413 "substance dosing", from individual processing sub-steps 413.1, 413.2, 413.3, 413.4, 413.5, 413.6 The individual processing sub-steps 413.1, 413.2, 413.3, 413.4, 413.5 can be selected from a library 413.B, for example

Order to be processed during the processing step 413

Processing sub-steps 413.1, 413.2, 413.3, 413.4, 413.5, 413.6, via drag and drop via an appropriate user interface, done. The processing step 413 running on the correspondingly assigned processing station or the corresponding processing sub-steps 413.1, 413.2, 413.3, 413.4, 413.5, 413.6 are then processed by the local processor according to the compiled sequence

Processing station controller 401 controlled.

In addition, the workflow management software 400 is used to control (eg, start / stop) its hierarchically subordinate workstations and their controllers (eg, to monitor error conditions or other pertinent information and reporting such information to the user). The process control information I may be stored on the main control computer (advantageously in a database) and during a

Machining process associated with an individual car or general transport vehicle. Alternatively, the process control information may be e.g. At the beginning of a machining process also be stored directly on the respective car or general transport vehicles. The process control information I may include variables and parameters due to which

Editing process can each be decided which actions

or in which direction (that is to say to which processing subsections) the transport vehicles have to travel, and to be able to process the next required process steps. The process workflow of each individual transport vehicle can thus be processed beforehand depending on the results

Machining steps can be adjusted directly during the workflow on the basis of parameters so that the objects on the transport vehicles are processed according to the targets.

The wagons W or generally transport vehicles are designed to autonomously approach the required processing stations on the basis of their individually assigned process control information I and the respective ones

To process processing steps (to be processed). The self-propelled wagons W or general transport vehicle are thus on the

Process control information I programmable.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the carriages W are general

Transport vehicle formed as a transport platform, which along the

Rail system S can be moved. Depending on current needs, the cars can either travel forwards or backwards. In the example shown, a product container P is placed on the cart W. In addition, the cars are provided with a holder on which the lid D of the product container can be stored and transported. The carriages W are associated with a (not shown) motor drive and a (also not shown)

Control electronics provided with the local control computer of each approached processing station and the main control computer C. cooperates. The car W also each have a unique (active or passive) identification information ID, the car W or generally Transportvehikeln at the beginning of a machining process from

Main control computer C is assigned. In this case, the main control computer C also makes an individual assignment of this identification information ID to one of the process control information I stored in it, thereby determining which processing process is to be carried out by means of the carriages or transport vehicles. The identification information ID of the wagon or general transport vehicle is recognized by recognition devices 30 provided in the processing stations and allow the local control computer R of the processing stations to be assigned to the process control information I stored on the main control computer C and to the individual wagons

Accessing process control information. The car logs on their identification information ID so to speak when entering a processing station there and get the information what to do there. Based on this information, the processing station works off the car. Subsequently, after updating (e.g., storing) the results of the processing step, the carriage logs off the processing station again and proceeds.

The carriages W also also carry a decision code GID, by means of which the carriage can be connected to branches of the rail system, e.g. at a switch V of the car in one or the other direction is steerable. The switch V is for this purpose equipped with a sensor, not shown, which recognizes the decision code of a approaching her car and reads and sets the switch accordingly. The decision code is derived from the car assigned

Process control information I and results of previous processing steps. Further details are explained below in connection with FIGS. 22 and 23.

On the main control computer C is, as already mentioned, for each

Transport vehicle or transported on it objects, here eg product container and / or samples, an individual process control information I stored, which determines which processing stations by the transport vehicle in which Approached sequence and which processing steps to be performed under which conditions in the approached processing stations. The

Process control information I thus provide for each on a car or

In general, the transport vehicle object in a sense

Processing recipe, in the case of a manufacturing process so that is a manufacturing recipe. The process control information of all planned, ongoing and completed experiments are stored in on the main control computer C installed databases. During operation of the plant, the currently provided processing recipes or process control information are respectively displayed

processed in succession staggered, that is, a "fresh" recipe is assigned to a car or general transport vehicle and this sent to the editing process, what the required for this car / for this recipe

Processing steps are processed on the system. After completion of the processing process, the carriage or generally the transport vehicle reaches the starting point again, the associated process control information on the main control computer C is supplemented with the data generated during the processing process (eg metering results, measurement results, etc.), stored and the car or generally the Transport vehicle is then available for another, new recipe.

In the embodiment of Fig. 1, according to which the plant a

Manufacturing plant for a chemical product, the product container P are preferably as reactors, e.g. with one on the cart or one

Unscrewing station or reveal cover, feeding means

(Dosing systems, pumps, ...), heating and cooling means, ... are formed, in which chemical and / or biological reactions (eg enzymatic reactions or derivatizations, parallel incubation of different cell cultures, ...) and / or physical processes and / or formulations can be carried out, the products then in dedicated processing stations

(eg spray coating, drug exposure to an enzyme, UV treatment, etc.) can be used. Of course, these subsequent processing stations can also process the product containers sequentially, staggered or in parallel (within a cart). The objects transported on the carriage W or in general transport vehicles may also be samples, for example test substrates of different types

Materials (in contrast to, for example, the color industry are contrasting cardboard, metal, glass, plastic or wooden plates) and in different forms (rectangular plates, but also round discs, differently shaped bodies, textile pieces,

Hair samples, ...) but also vascularized samples (petri dishes, e.g., for cell cultures) or whole vascular groups (e.g., multi-well micro titre plates) or whole devices (e.g., batteries to be tested).

In addition to product containers and samples, it is of course also possible, certain

To transport aids on the car, which are required for certain processing steps, in particular manufacturing steps. Examples of this can be draw-down bars (squeegees), lids, dispensing tips, etc., which are only required for processing the products or samples on the wagon. This may be advantageous especially in such cases when such an aid is used in more than one processing station or between individual processing stations. For example, a lid is carried along, which in each case closes the product container during movement of the carriage and thus protects its contents, but is temporarily removed from the product container for the production steps in the processing stations. In another example, a disposable dispensing tool (e.g., disposable syringe) is included to transfer part of the sample to multiple processing stations without the need for a new syringe for the same sample each time.

Within a processing station, the processing of a transport vehicle / a sample / a product takes place as follows: When a transport vehicle arrives in a processing station, it is identified on the basis of its identification information ID and stopped, if the process control information I assigned to it stops. Thereupon are under the control of the local

Control computer in the relevant processing station in the

Process control information I recorded work steps (or possibly only a single step) performed. Subsequently, during the Work step generated data (eg dosing results, measurement results, ...) in the corresponding process control information on the main control computer C supplemented, and the carriage W is moved on to the next processing station. FIG. 21 shows the basic processes and decisions that take place in a processing station and by the associated local

Control computer to be controlled. On the control computer the

Processing station runs a program in which all steps are processed as sub-steps as shown:

The processing station waits in a first program step. As soon as a car enters and stops automatically, a sensor 30 detects its presence and reports it to the control computer, respectively. the program running on it. In a second program step, this sensor 30 of the station reads the

Identification information 20 of the car W and reports this the

Control computer.

As a third program step, the control computer checks which recipe, resp. which process control information I from the database belongs to this car (or the product / sample on it).

As a fourth step, the program checks in recipe I whether this processing station has to complete an editing step of the car at this time. If not, the car is simply sent in a further program step without editing and it is - again at program step 1 - waiting for a next car.

But if a processing step is necessary (for example, a metered addition of any substances), these processing steps are under the control of the local control computer of the processing station in a fifth

Program step completed. After completion of the processing steps, the results of this processing (in the example of substance dosing about the actually dosed

Substance quantities) in the recipe (in the process control information I) and this updated recipe version is stored in the database (overwriting the old version).

If no further processing steps are necessary, the carriage is sent on in a last, sixth program step and the process cycle of the processing station starts again at program step 1, waiting for a next carriage.

The carriages W in the exemplary embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 of the system according to the invention are designed to be linear on the

Rail system S to move. Fig. 10 shows a carriage W ', which can move freely without rails in two dimensions, as indicated by the arrow 40. This car W 'can approach the processing stations in any order without relying on any switches of the rail system. It is of course also possible to form transport vehicles for a free three-dimensional movement, as shown for example in FIG. In this case, the transport vehicle W "is designed as a so-called drone with which the product containers P can be moved in three dimensions (illustrated by arrows 41) In the present example, these drones are designed as" quadrocopters "with four impeller rotors, but it are also a variety of different trained autonomous aircraft possible. Of the

Main control computer C must of course be designed to control the free-moving or flying transport vehicle W 'or W ".

The exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention shown in FIG. 1 is intended for example for formulating color samples and their subsequent application to test substrates (wherein the test of the substrates in this example is not performed on the system itself - see the comparison below) The system according to Fig. 1 functions as follows: The carriage W is carried out autonomously, ie each carriage moves independently through the system and processes the processing steps provided for this carriage on the basis of the process control information I assigned to it. Each processing station is dependent on its local

Control computer controlled by the central control computer C by means of the process control information only the required information (e.g.

Tool parameters, etc.), but otherwise controls the processes in the processing station independently. In the case of a dosing station, the main control computer C may e.g. only specify from which storage containers which quantities must be added, the actual dosing leads the dosing under control of the local control computer then independently.

In the storage station 1 empty product container P are kept in stock. Of the

Robot arm of the transfer robot 6 respectively places a product container P on the empty carriage W standing by at a stop position H. Then the carriage W moves to the opening station 8 in which the product containers P are opened. The screwed-off in this process cover D is placed on the holder provided for this purpose on the car and thus carried on the car during the following steps.

When reaching a distribution point V is based on in the

Process control information I decided in which direction (or in which of the partial machining processes embodied in this appendix) the carriage W travels. This happens after hard-coded if decisions of the sort: "If the

Product container P on the cart W is still empty, drive to the right in direction

Formulation process. If the product container P contains a ready-made product, move to the left in the direction of the application process. "In this phase, the carriage W will move to the right in the direction of the dosing station 2.

In this subsequent first dosing station 2, a predetermined amount of a base colorant is introduced into the product container P. In the subsequent second dosing station 3, depending on the process control information I, one or more additional colorants added. In the subsequent third dosing station 4, a smaller amount is added by a Gamme held there further colorant, again according to the process control information assigned to the car I.

After the dosing steps, the carriage W drives over the merge point Z, which can bring together the arriving from different directions car back to a common rail section, to a

Closing station 5, where the sample container P is closed again with the lid D and then moved to the holding position H. The transfer robot 6 removes the product container P there from the carriage W and places it in the stirring station 7, where its contents are intimately mixed in a centrifuge mixer. After mixing, the product container P is placed again on the same or a subsequent carriage W and transported to the opening station 8, where the lid D is removed again.

Thereafter, the carriage W is moved to the stop position H, where the product container P with the finished product - the paint formulation - removed by the robot arm of the transfer robot 6 from the car W and transferred to the storage station 10. The empty car W still standing at the stop position H is now ready for a new process cycle and a new empty product container P can be placed on it.

Instead of transferring the product container P with the finished paint formulation in the storage station 10, the product container P after mixing in station 7 and return to the car W by the transfer robot 6 in the

Opening station 8 is opened a second time and again transported via the distribution switch V in the direction of application process cycle with the application station 9, which is again decided on the basis of the process control information I that the car should strike the appropriate direction. There can be removed by means of transfer robot 11, a subset of the product container and for direct system-internal (not shown here) or later external analysis of the smears on a suitable, stored in the application station 9 substrate F, For example, a piece of foil, a metal or glass plate, etc., be spread (scrape). Subsequently, the car is sent on and after re-passing the merge point Z of the car W, the product container P in the Verschliessstation 5 closed again and finally, when the car W arrived again on the holding position H, by transfer robot 6 in the storage station 10th outsourced.

In addition, the product containers P containing the finished paint formulation can also be supplied to the analysis station 10 and the paint formulations there subjected to an analysis. The transfer robot 11 provides for the transfer of

Product container P in the analysis station 10 and possibly back to the car W.

As is clear from Fig. 1, the described inventive plant realizes a sequence of purely sequentially carried out manufacturing steps. As an extension thereof, the system shown in Fig. 2 can be understood, in which the individual processing stations are approached sequentially, in each

Processing station but in each case two or more product containers - depending on

Manufacturing step - be subjected to the same manufacturing steps sequentially or in parallel.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, in contrast to the system in FIG. 1, product containers P are used, which can be processed in a constantly open state, which is why the opening and closing stations 5 and 8 can be dispensed with. In addition, the cars are designed so that a plurality of

Product containers can be transported simultaneously.

In the machining process shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of containers are initially deposited on the carriage standing on the holding position H, and the carriage is subsequently transported via the distribution switch V to the first processing station 2. There, a predetermined amount of a base colorant is sequentially filled into the product container P sequentially into one product container P after another. In the subsequent second dosing station 3 are depending on

Process control information I one or more additional colorants added to the various located on the cart W product container P. In the subsequent third metering station 4, a metered addition of small amounts of a Gamme held there available further colorant, also again in accordance with the carriage associated process control information I.

Once again arrived at the stop position H, the sample container P of the carriage W are transported by transfer robot 6 in a shaker 12, where they all simultaneously shaken (parallel processing step) and so in the

Product container P submitted substances are mixed. After this parallel processing step, the product container P are removed again and then either stored in the warehouse 10, or the product containers are again stored on the car W and transported to the application branch of the rail system S, where - analogous to the system shown in Fig. 1 - Each taken a sample and applied to test substrates F. Finally, the carriage is again transported to the holding position H, where the transfer robot 6 stores all the sample containers successively in the warehouse 10.

An example of a further system according to the invention which is used to prepare color mixtures and their subsequent application to test substrates and finally measuring these test substrates is shown in FIG. Of the

For the sake of simplicity, the explicit representation of the individual control computers is dispensed with in this representation, but their use is to be understood analogously to the examples in FIGS. 1 and 2.

According to this embodiment, as in the system shown in FIG. 2, the product containers P are always open, which are stored in a product container store 1 at the beginning of the workflow. Another camp 9 is empty

Sample substrates F (eg in the form of foils, metal, glass or wooden plates, etc.) equipped. An empty car W arrived at the stop position H is loaded by a transfer robot 6 with both an empty product container P from stock 1 and a fresh test substrate from stock 9 and sent on the rail system S. At a first diverter switch VI, it is decided (again after hard-coded if conditions) that the car W is empty Product container P should move to the right in the formulation and application process cycle.

In a first metering station 2, a predetermined amount of a base colorant agent is filled into the product container P and the carriage W is forwarded. In a subsequent distribution switch V2 is decided in which of two identical metering stations 3a and 3b, the next processing step should be performed. In this example, it is assumed that the metering process of the metering stations 3a and 3b takes much longer than other processing steps of the system. If now each individual car W would have to be processed by a single available dosing, this would have a damming not yet finished car before dosing and thus a reduction in the cycle time of the system result. Due to the fact that, in this embodiment, the dosing station is in duplicate, approaching carriages W can each approach the next free dosing station 3a or 3b, while another dipper W is still being processed in the other dosing station 3b or 3a. Thus, incoming cars are guided by means of distribution diverter V2 to one of two metering stations 3a and 3b, in the sum of two samples quasi-parallel (staggered) are processed. About one on the two

Dosing stations 3a and 3b following merging switch ZI then each of the first completed the dosing process car W has led to another common rail section and transported there to a dosing station 4, in turn, further substances are dosed into the product container.

After completion of all metering steps, the product container P is transported in a mixing station 7 by means of a separate transfer robot 18 in a mixing tool (for example SpeedMixer), mixed there and again on the carriage W

transported back, which is subsequently forwarded.

In another distribution divider V3 is now based on the

Process control information I decided whether the product by means of a

Application station 13 (eg spray application) or an application station 14 (eg doctor applicator / DrawDown) should be applied to the test substrate F (hard-coded if-function: "If spray is needed, drive to the right, if doctoring is required, drive left".) In the correspondingly selected application station 13 resp 14, a sample is then taken from the product container P by means of the transfer robots 19 and 20 belonging to the stations and applied to the test substrate F also carried on the carriage W.

After the application, the carriage W is returned to the stop position H via two further merge points Z2 (leading car from station 13 or 14 coming together) and Z3 (merging carriage from formulation s / application cycle or test cycle) guided. There, the finished product container P is returned to the storage station 1, and the test substrate F is placed in the store 9 where the test substrate is stored for a defined time (e.g., to allow the applied paint to dry / cure).

The carriage W is now again ready for a new process cycle and can now - depending on the current need - again be equipped with an empty product container P and fresh test substrate F, or it is stored in the meantime a dried test substrate F on the car W, which is then forwarded via the previously explained distribution divider VI in the direction of the test cycle.

The storage station 9 is thus an example of a processing station, in which products or samples are processed staggered: test substrates are stored one after the other and processed for a defined time (here: allowed to dry), and successively after completion of each test substrate individual

Processing time staggered fed back into the process cycle.

In the application part cycle of the system, the carriage W with the test substrate F transported thereon successively (sequentially) passes several test stations 15, 16 and 17, in each of which one or more physical or chemical

Measurements (in the example presented here from the paint industry eg color and gloss measurement, layer thickness measurement, measurement of chemical and physical resistance, etc.) are carried out on the test substrate. Subsequently, the moves Carriage W in turn via the merge point Z3 to the stop position H, where the transfer robot 6, the test substrate F resumes and in the

Storage station 9 stores, whereupon the empty car W is again available for a further formulation / application cycle or a test cycle.

FIG. 4 shows a greatly simplified schematic diagram of another

Embodiment of the inventive system, with only the essential parts for understanding the invention are shown.

The plant comprises four processing stations 21-24 which run along the

Transport rail system S a transport device T are arranged. On the rail system turn wagon W, each carrying a product container P here. As far as there is a fundamental agreement with the

Embodiments of Figures 1, 2 and 3. In contrast, however, the processing stations 21 and 23 for processing each a single product container P and the processing stations 22 and 24 for batchwise processing of a plurality of product containers P are designed. For which processing steps the individual processing stations 21-24 are specifically designed, is for the

Understanding not relevant and therefore not explained in detail.

This embodiment illustrates in an illustrative manner

Inventive principle of free combinability of sequential and batchwise processing operations.

With the system according to the invention, as the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 1-4 show, freely combinable sequential and / or batchwise / parallel and / or staged working operations are unlimited as required

combined.

Fig. 5 shows - greatly simplified - how a plant according to the invention can look spatially. In this example, the plant consists of a plurality of juxtaposed processing stations in the form of internally with a

Rail system connected modules 101 to 109. The arrows indicate schematically the way that a car (not shown here, moving inside the system) drives off during the process cycle. Here, too, a processing station (104) is executed several times, which in turn indicates, for example, a long-lasting and therefore parallelized processing step.

As can be seen from the preceding embodiments, the system is designed to include a rail system comprising the individual ones

Connecting stations with each other and along which the car can move on defined paths. This rail system usually forms a closed path (endless loop), so that the car constantly drive along these rails, so to speak in a circle, and thus the same processing stations can start again and again. In a simplest embodiment, the system consists of a circle (annular arrangement of the transport system, simple loop). It is important that the wagons moving in the plant can be freely loaded or unloaded with samples / sample containers as needed, and thus, after a process cycle with a sample / product has been completed, remove it from the wagon and a fresh sample fresh sample container can be loaded and a new process cycle can be started. A car is thus usually loaded at the beginning of a product cycle with a sample / sample vessel, and transported during the process cycle, the corresponding load of

Processing station to processing station until the car at the end of

Process cycle is discharged again and thus for a new sample / a new sample container and thus a new process cycle is available.

Advantageously, the rail system may include branches / switches that allow it to move into different loops or processing stations of a process cycle, depending on the individual needs of each individual car (or the sample / sample container transported thereon), or conversely the carriages approaching from several different loops to merge a common section of the rail system. The decision whether and in what direction / loop a car drives, takes place here due to the car respectively. from the samples / sample containers transported thereon, or generally due to the respective ones associated with the car Process control information. The decision in which direction the switch is placed is hard-coded, which means that fulfilling certain criteria always automatically results in switching in a clearly defined direction. For example, a first sample at a switch may be diverted into a first loop, if a first condition is satisfied, and a subsequent second sample, for which a second condition is met, is branched into a second loop. After passing through and processing the corresponding loops, the two samples at a merging switch back to a

traced back common path, and the subsequent processing stations all through each other.

To control the points, the cars can with a from the

Main control computer C (at the beginning of a process) provided

Decision code GID, which determines the direction that the cars are to turn at a switch. The switches V are designed to recognize or read the decision code GID of an approaching car W and the car W in by the recognized

Decision code GID to direct particular direction. FIG. 6 shows a further advantageous embodiment of the system according to the invention. In contrast to the examples shown in FIGS. 1, 2 or 3, the splitting of the rail system into different sections takes place here but not in the horizontal but in the vertical: Here is the workflow is divided into two spatially divided levels, which are connected by a lift. Here, the processing stations 101, 102, 103 and 104 are arranged on a lower level 115 and connected to each other circularly via a rail system Sa. A second group of processing stations 101, 105, 106 and 107 are arranged on a higher level 116 and in turn are connected to each other in a circular manner by means of a rail system Sb. The processing station 101 connecting both planes 115 and 116 includes the lift Sc, via which cars can be moved from the rail system Sa to the rail system Sb and vice versa. The lift Sc of the station 101 thus represents, so to speak, a vertical splitting switch. Of course, thanks to its modularity, the system can be designed according to requirements in such a way that the different methods of division, resp.

Merging of sections of the transport system (switch or lift) can be combined.

With switches as well as with lifts or lifting / lowering units, fast lanes are thus also possible over which e.g. High-priority cars can pass other less-favored cars without being obstructed by them.

The inventive system may have one or more processing stations double or multiple, so that they can serve two or more cars in parallel. This allows a workflow to easily handle long processes with parallel functions as well as short and frequent processes

Multiplication of workstations / functionalities can be achieved. In principle, all functions listed here (processing steps) can be carried out sequentially, in parallel or staggered. The workflow required by the researcher and most (but not exclusively) the duration of the processing determines whether the workflow is performed sequentially in one part or in parallel in one part or staggered in part of the system.

Particularly advantageously, the system is designed so that on average comparable processing times per processing station can be achieved. Bottlenecks (bottlenecks) can be parallelized as in road traffic, whereby the throughput of the system can be continuously increased. For example, processing steps with relatively long processing times (eg heat curing) can be carried out in parallel by means of two or more processing stations by depositing the samples in the processing stations for a certain period of time and then returning them to a transport vehicle at a programmed time. These mentioned combination options and a correspondingly simple programming option for the system operator (usually a

Researcher / Developer) allows to achieve complex workflows with high throughput rates. Combined with the ability to make decisions about path branches (switches, conditional branching), almost unlimited flexibility is possible, which is especially important in research and development.

Even with a system designed as a simple circle such conditional branches are possible, especially since the moving on the circular transport system cars each successive start each processing station, but there are only processed if this is required for the car at the time. If not, the car would be sent on, in the following stations

further processed and then when re-running through the corresponding

Processing station to complete the appropriate processing s step, if the conditions are met. The whole circle is run through until the conditions are fulfilled and all working steps have been completed. It is important to note that a work step can of course occur several times in a process cycle, which can also be done easily in a simple circle. If, for example, a work instruction comprises in succession the metering of a powder, then a liquid, then the addition of another powder followed by mixing of all three components, this can be done in a three-station circuit (1x powder dosage, 1x liquid dosage, 1x

Mixing) are met, since the car yes can leave the circle twice. In the first run, the powder and liquid are dosed, but not mixed, in the second pass the last powder is dosed, but no further liquid is added, and finally mixed.

Advantageously, points / loops / lifts can also be used if certain working steps take a long time, and a jam would arise if all cars would have to be processed by the same processing station. It could then be several identical processing stations in parallel and by means of points / lifts with a common feeding and wegführenden transport system- Be connected from section. An approaching car would then always select a "free" workstation and start, if the other (s)

Processing station (s) are still busy with other cars (so-called hard-coded criterion). This parallelization of individual subsections of the actually sequential process cycle thus makes it possible to use particularly time-intensive processes

Process steps efficiently staggered.

In addition, such a parallelization of sections of the plant may also be advantageous if a sample / product is divided into several sub-samples /

Subproducts are split, which are then processed in parallel by the following process steps (Example: In a first processing station, a first sample is divided into two sub-samples, which then run on two different paths of the process cycle to two identical or different stations as needed, and be processed in the respective stations at the same time.) Again, of course, is the reverse way, say one

Merging of several samples on a common sample possible.

Fig. 7 shows a further embodiment of the inventive system, are operated in the free-standing processing stations 201-205 of free-moving car W01-W09. It should be noted that here the processing station 205 is in triplicate. In this example, the representation of the local control computer and the main control computer etc. has been omitted. The solid arrows show the next immediate routes of the car - so to speak, a momentary recording of the system to a certain

Timing, the dashed arrows indicate the lanes of a next step at a short time later.

A first processing station 201 is formed in this example as a storage facility (analog parking garage) for free car: It is shown how just a car W01 breaks up to leave the camp, and then later

Processing station 202 to drive to complete there a first processing step. The bearing is advantageous in this case, for example, when working in regular operation, a certain low number of cars at the same time, while other wagons that are not needed wait without hampering the operation of the operating wagons, but in operation with increased throughput rates, all wagons can be accessed.

In the processing stations 202 and 203 are two cars W02 resp. W03 presented, which will come from somewhere in the appropriate stations to be processed there. In processing station 204, a carriage W04 is currently visible, which is currently being processed by the station at the time of the instantaneous image which images FIG. 6. It will, as the dashed arrow indicates, have completed the processing in the next step and then leave the station.

A carriage W05 is shown as it - immediately after a processing step in processing station 203, this leaves: This car will go in the next phase in the direction of a triple executed in this example processing station 205a, 205b, 205c, and there drive the station just getting free. Said station 205a or 205b or 205c could in this example be a station whose processing step takes an especially long time, and a parallelization of the station is advantageous in order to increase the overall throughput of the plant. Cart W05 will therefore decide in the next phase due to the then prevailing conditions, which station 205a or 205b or 205c he will start.

The processing station 205a shows in this snapshot of Fig. 6 a car W06, which is being processed and (note absence of a dashed arrow) is still in work in the next phase. This station 205a is thus still occupied and could not be approached by car W05 yet. The processing station 205b shows a carriage W07 whose production step is just completed in this phase and which in the next phase will leave this station in the direction of the processing station 206. The

Processing station 205c just shows exactly one carriage W08, which is about to leave the station to be processed in a processing station 206 in the next phase. Both the processing station 205b and the Processing station 205c will therefore be free in the next phase and can be selected as the destination by the car W05.

Finally, a carriage W09 is shown as it - e.g. after completing all tasks / processing steps required by the process control information - enters the storage station 201, where it waits for a new order.

FIG. 8 shows a three-dimensional representation of a further embodiment of the installation according to the invention, which is equipped with flying drones instead of with rail-bound or other terrestrial vehicles as a transport vehicle. The plant room is divided into a lower working zone 114, in which the individual processing stations are located and also the workers / researchers can move that equip the system, operate and maintain, and in an upper flight zone 113, in which the drones Wl to W3 itself can move freely. The two rooms are separated by a partition ceiling 112, in each of which exactly above the individual processing stations an opening 110 is located, through which the drones Wl to W3 can control or serve the underlying processing stations. Wl represents a drone, which is just moved down over such an opening to a processing station 101 to there one of the stock

Product container P record. A drone W2 is shown as it - equipped with a product container P, which has just been processed in a processing station 102, rises above the opening 102 lying above the station 102 in the flight space 113, there moves to the opening via a station 103, there sinks to step the product container P in the station 103 to a next manufacturing step. W3 represents a currently inactive drone waiting to receive a new mission.

In many manufacturing processes for chemical products, it may be expedient or even necessary for the contents of the product containers P to also be subjected to a certain degree of treatment between the individual processing stations. Such a treatment may e.g. stirring, heating or cooling, addition of solid, liquid or gaseous substances or the production or

Maintaining a certain pressure, this list is not is final. The combination of two or more of the mentioned and not explicitly mentioned forms of treatment may also be advantageous.

For such production processes, the transport vehicles or wagons of the plant are equipped, according to an important development of the invention, with treatment agents for physically and / or chemically treating the contents of the product containers P located on the transport vehicles or carriages or their contents on the transport vehicles themselves especially during the movement of the transport vehicle. Figures 12-20 show schematically carriages W equipped with various such treatment means. All versions apply to both rail-bound and free-moving or flying transport vehicle.

In Fig. 12, a carriage W is shown, which receives a single product container P. The carriage contains a treatment agent in the form of a stirring means 50, for example a conventional magnetic stirrer, with its actual stirrer being inside the product container P. It can also be provided another type of stirrer. The required electrical energy, the car W, for example, by a built-in power source available. Alternatively, the power can also be supplied via electrical contacts on the rail. The communication with the treatment agent (eg for controlling and / or monitoring a value) may also be via electrical contacts (sliding contacts) via the rail system and / or via wireless methods (radio, Bluetooth, infrared transmitter / receiver, laser, etc.) respectively. Wireless methods are especially needed in applications that do not work on a rail system (2-dimensional wagons, 3-dimensional flying drones), helpful or even mandatory. The processing means (eg, stirring means) 50 can operate autonomously or possibly also under the control of the central main control computer C and / or the local control computers of the individual processing stations. Instead of a stirring means, a shaking device or other means for mixing substances as a treatment agent may be provided. FIGS. 13 and 14 show a similar carriage W as in FIG. 12, but with two or six stirring means 50 for two or six product containers P, respectively.

Fig. 15 shows a carriage W equipped with treatment means in the form of two heating or cooling cuffs 60 for two product containers P. The car W can also have a temperature control, which can possibly also cooperate with the central main control computer C and / or the local control computer of the individual processing stations. The heating or Kühlbzw. Tempering function can e.g. be realized by means of heating cartridges, thermocouples, Peltier elements, etc. The car W in turn provides the necessary energy or takes this as described above on the

Rail system.

In Fig. 16, a carriage W is shown, which is provided in addition to two stirring means 50 for two product container P with a further treatment agent in the form of a gas tank 70, from which a gas in the two product container P can be initiated. The gas can also be used for pressure control in the product containers P with a suitable design of the gas tank. The gas tank 70 thus forms a supply means for gas and possibly also a pressurizing agent.

Fig. 17 shows a carriage W, in addition to two stirring means 50 for two

Product container P is still equipped with a further treatment agent in the form of two liquid reservoirs 80 with associated pumps 81. The pumps 81, if necessary under the control of the central main control computer C, convey liquid into the two product containers P. The liquid reservoirs 80 constitute a supply medium for a liquid medium. Analogously, supply means for solid substances can also be provided. The liquid reservoirs (or elsewhere gas reservoirs) can either be constantly stored on the car W or be fueled at specially trained processing stations in the corresponding reservoirs.

Fig. 18 shows a carriage W with two product containers P, wherein on the carriage W treatment agent in the form of two stirring means 50, two heating or Cooling cuffs 60 and two liquid reservoirs 80 with two of these

associated pumps 81 are present. An installation with trolleys equipped with such a combination of treatment agents is practically suitable for every conceivable application and the corresponding processing means can be used in any combination.

Fig. 19 shows a carriage W which, as an additional treatment means, includes its own robot arm 90, with which, directly during travel of the carriage W thereon, e.g. can be manipulated by means of a gripper 91 attached to the robot arm 90. Also, this robot arm (or a plurality of them) may be suitably combined with one or more other processing means and / or one or a plurality of sample containers, etc.

Finally, Fig. 20 shows a carriage W, both with a

Product container P as well as with an associated test substrate F is fitted.

By the inventive equipment of the car with treatment agents for the product container arranged on them or their contents to some extent a system with moving reactors (so to speak, a mobile processing station) is realized, which is very flexible and adaptable to a variety of manufacturing workflows.

The processing of the processing steps in the individual processing stations is usually carried out at a standstill of the transport vehicle. However, it is in principle also possible, depending on the type of processing, not to stop the transport vehicle or to carry out the processing during the passage or passage of the Tarnsportvehikels by or at a treatment station.

The stored in the main control computer, the car assigned

Process control information also includes information regarding the treatment steps to be performed on the car during its movement, which again may include if functions as described above, which enormously and often significantly increases flexibility. The process control information It works like a "recipe" that makes or processes a desired product / sample with desired parameters. (Example: The recipe of a target product contains the target amounts of all substances to be dosed during the process workflow of this product).

According to an advantageous embodiment, the system according to the invention is designed such that the elements described in detail above

(Transport system, processing stations, ...) are also modular in hardware, with a hardware module each one or more functions of the

Machining cycle can edit. These modules are built in such a way that they can be freely combined with each other, and can also be exchanged if necessary. For this purpose, for example, in rail-based systems, the

Rail sections of a module / a processing station arranged so that they connect directly to the rail sections of adjacent modules and thus connect them. A system for the mixing of color samples could thus for example contain a storage module, can be removed from the fresh product container and placed on the trolley of the system, attached to it would be another module in which the lid of the product container can be unscrewed on it followed by a module in which the product container can be filled with different liquids, etc. The construction of a system of such modules is thus very flexible and optimally adaptable to customer requirements, and allows easy replacement of individual modules or later extensions with new modules, if desired or required.

Due to the unlimited combinability of sequential and / or batchwise or parallel and / or staggered procedures, one of the

Main problems of process automation, the so-called scheduling, are largely countered.

The transport vehicles form independent mobile units, the various

Can approach processing stations and preferably also have one or more own functionalities (treatment means) on board. The transport vehicles, since they form independent mobile units, can be arbitrarily removed from the workflow or introduced into this.

With the system according to the invention, each product container can be transported from processing station to processing station by means of a multiplicity of self-propelled carriages and processed in each processing station (the carriage logs on at the station and is operated accordingly). In doing so, the path of each individual sample or product is automatically selected by the plant stations relevant to that sample / product or a processing step is simply skipped if it is not necessary for the corresponding sample or product.

It is possible that more than just a product container is transported on a single of the many cars of the system, which product containers are then processed (based on this product vessel group or this car) in parallel, while the different cars in turn sequentially through the whole

Processing or production plant are moved and processed.

The trolley can be loaded with a workflow with fully automatic branching options, which allow to bring enormous flexibility into fully automatic research and development systems.

The system according to the invention makes it possible to "outsource" individual processing steps, which take a great deal of time, from the actual workflow, for example, by diverting sample / products or the carriages transporting them to a station in which time-consuming process steps can be executed without subsequent carriages With samples / products that do not (yet) need this time-consuming step, the time-intensive step hinders the outsourced sample In the system, a large number of samples / products can process these time-intensive processes simultaneously or at least staggered in parallel Warehouse / processing station from which they can then be incorporated back into the actual sequential workflow after completion of the time-consuming process step At high load, processing stations can be doubled or increased in number, so that the system is able to handle both relatively long-lasting and parallel processes as well as relatively short but very frequently required processes equally efficiently and flexibly.

With the system according to the invention, it is also possible that the samples /

Products on a cart in a later step on two or more

Samples / products / wagons are split, which then each go their own, different process path. For example, a first sub-sample is applied and tested, a second sub-sample sample is paged for a rest / aging phase to be later re-introduced into the process cycle and processed like the first sub-sample, but with a time difference. In another example, a first sample is sprayed onto a substrate for later testing and a second sample is doctored onto another substrate for another test.

Conversely, the system also allows two or more products / samples that come from possibly different sub-workflows to merge and then continue in a common process path. For example, a first sample from a first process cycle is combined with a second sample from a second process cycle, the two samples are mixed and then further processed as a third sample in a third process cycle.

The inventive system also makes it possible to send transport vehicles with high priority on the way or introduce between different processing stations resp. later to divert / remove from the cycle. In this case, the process control information of the priority cars can influence their path and workflow to be traveled in such a way that the priority cars are not hindered, or at least restrictedly, by the regular normal priority cars.

In the following, it will be explained with reference to FIGS. 22 and 23, for example, how the process control information (recipes) I are used in the system according to the invention and can also be adapted during the machining process. In addition, it will be explained how a new, adapted recipe / experiment can be generated from a completed (completed) recipe (or a completed experiment). This is based on an example, shown in Fig. 22 as a flowchart processing process (example workflow) in which a plurality of substances are mixed together, the viscosity of the mixture is checked and possibly corrected, the mixture is applied to a substrate and finally tested. Purpose of this example wise

Processing process is to check in which mixing ratio substances such. Color pastes must be mixed together to obtain a desired color by the customer.

FIG. 23 shows a list 300 of recipes, as a part of the database containing the process control information I, so to speak. The header of the list describes the content of the data columns, the lower lines show individual recipes and thus individual processing processes or experiments. These prescriptions contain all the important information needed to perform the experiment, but also contain results that allow the evaluation of the experiment.

Of the six example recipes listed, two (A-123-1 and A-124-1) are already completed, the others are still in progress (A-125-1 and A-126-1) or not even started (A- 127-1 and A-124-2). The first column of the list contains a unique identification of the recipe (recipe ID), the second column the status of a recipe ("Completed", "In progress", ...). Further columns show the substances that are to be added during the process, as well as their target weights and actually added amounts. One last column

"Measurement results" shows the final result of the measurement and thus of the experiment. Empty fields show that the corresponding processing step has not yet been completed and therefore no result is yet available.

FIG. 22 shows very schematically and simplified a corresponding system with eight processing stations 301-308, which are interconnected by a transport system 320 symbolized by arrows. Circles 321-324 set the course Due to the nature of the system, the scheme of Fig. 22 can also be understood as a flowchart, which describes the possible paths of a transport vehicle or wagon through the system and the associated

Represents decisions.

Here are some examples explaining the interaction between the recipe and the system:

A typical process cycle begins at station 301: An empty cart (not shown) arrives and is identified by its identification information and assigned a new recipe from the database by the station's control computer. The information about the assignment can also be stored on a database which temporarily stores the allocations of all the wagons currently in the installation and makes them available to all wards (eg "wagon 1: recipe A-125-1", "wagon 2: empty",...). In addition, a blank

Products container placed on the car and then sent the car.

Once the car arrives at station 302, it is identified by the local control computer of station 302, and it is checked which recipe is assigned to the car and whether it is based on the recipe assigned to the car

Processing step is necessary (here: dosage of substances Sl and / or S2). The required processing steps are carried out and their results (here: actually dosed amounts of substances S1 or S2 respectively) are stored in the recipe. Station 302 then transmits the car.

Once arrived at station 303, the car is again identified, processed and forwarded analogously to the operations at station 302. At station 304, the substances added at stations 302 and 303 are mixed together in the product container.

In the following station 305, the viscosity of the mixture is measured (viscosity is an important parameter in this context, indicating whether the mixture can be successfully applied to a test substrate). Here decided station 5 now checks whether the measured viscosity matches predefined tolerances and stores this information in the recipe (Status column: "Viscosity OK", "Viscosity bad but correctable", "Viscosity poor and uncorrectable") , This information is also stored as a decision code directly on the car (analogous to the

Identification information of the carriage, e.g. 1 for "OK", 2 for "correctable", 3 for "uncorrectable"). Afterwards the car will be sent on.

The car now drives to a switch 322, where a sensor, not shown, reads out the decision code stored on the carriage and switches the switch automatically, depending on which information is stored: At code = 1 ("viscosity OK"), the Divert 322 the cart to the next processing station 306 where the mixture is applied for the later test. If Code = 2 ("Viscosity bad but correctable") or Code = 3 ("Viscosity bad and uncorrectable"), the switch will move the cart to another section of the

Transport system. There, the car arrives at another switch 323, at which, analogously to the previous switch 322, it is decided on the basis of the decision code whether the carriage is to be sent to station 302 (code = 2), where additional substances are added due to the now adapted recipe , and thus the viscosity can be adjusted, or if the carriage is to be sent to station 301 (code = 3), where the unsuccessful, uncorrectable recipe is discarded, the product container is removed and a new fresh recipe can be assigned to the cart. In the case that the viscosity is ok and the car was sent to station 306, he will be processed there again (application of the mixture to a

Test substrate and depositing the test substrate on the carriage), sent to a station 307 where the test substrate is dried until it is finally used for

Test station 308 comes in which the product applied to the test substrate and dried is tested (eg, measurement of color). Based on the test result, the local control computer of the station 308 decides whether the blending meets the required criteria or not. This information is also stored in the recipe ("measurement result" column). If the product is classified as OK, then the car simply forwarded and unloaded again in station 301 and is then available there for a new recipe. However, if the measurement result is poor (measured color does not meet expectations), the software of the local control computer can create a new recipe with slightly changed compositions (industrial standard, requires no further explanation for the specialist) and this in the Feed database in the main control computer C. This new recipe will then be processed as well. In the list 300 shown in FIG. 23, the recipes A-124-1 and A-124-2 show just such an example: On the basis of Recipe A-124-1, a color mixture of substances S1, S3 and S5 was prepared, applied and tested. It was judged to be bad and a new recipe A-124-2 (note new index last) with slightly adjusted amounts of substances Sl, S3 and S5 was prepared and fed. This recipe is then later blended, applied, tested and evaluated - and depending on the new result again either either OK now or further adapted and fed as a third recipe.

In the exemplary embodiments of the system according to the invention described above, the various processing stations are implicitly assumed to operate independently or automatically. Of course, and even more advantageously, the plant according to the invention may also be equipped with one or more "manual" processing stations, for example, a processing station in front of which a transport vehicle waits until a person presses a button

Transport vehicle then enters the station, and then the person e.g. performs a manual inspection and e.g. enters a value into the process computer which is assigned to the sample or samples on the transport vehicle or simply enriches existing data. The value can, depending on the program analogous to the comments above, the further course (the further workflow) of the Transportvehikels resp. determine the sample. This possibility of personnel-occupied processing stations enormously increases the flexibility of the plant because e.g. so workflows can be largely automated, which one

Processing step, which either can not be automated or not, or such step, e.g. rarely used.

Claims

claims

1. Plant for carrying out a machining process with at least two processing stations (1-11, 1-12, 1-20, 21-24, 201-206), with at least one self-propelled transport vehicle (W, W, W ") for transporting one to

processing object (P; F) to the processing stations (1-11; 1-12; 1-20; 21-24; 201-206), the processing stations (1-11; 1-12; 1-20; 21 -24; 201-206) are adapted to subject the object (P; F) provided by the transport vehicle (W; W; W) to at least one processing step in each case

characterized in that the plant has one for communication with the

Processing stations (1-11, 1-12, 1-20, 21-24, 201-206) and the transport vehicle (W; W; W ") formed main control computer (C), that the

Transport vehicle (W; W; W ") are designed for storing an individual identification information (ID) provided by the main control computer (C), that the main control computer (C) provides process control information (I) describing which processing steps an object (P; F) under which conditions in which order to undergo and to which processing stations the object (P; F) is to be transported from the transport vehicles (W; W; W "), that the main control computer (C) is adapted to provide the identification information ( ID) of a transport vehicle (W; W; W ") to assign individual process control information (I), and that the

Processing stations (1-11, 1-12, 1-20, 21-24, 201-206) are adapted to recognize the identification information (ID) of a transporting vehicle (W; W; W ") approaching them and based on this identification information (ID) individually assigned process control information (I) the processing of the on the

Transport vehicle (W; W; W ") provided object (P; F) make.

2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the processing stations (1-11, 1-12, 1-20, 21-24, 201-206) have local control computers (R2-R12), which are adapted to the in to control the treatment steps to be performed by the treatment stations and to communicate with the main control computer (C).

3. Plant according to claim 2, characterized in that the processing stations (1-11, 1-12, 1-20, 21-24, 201-206) or their local control computer (R2-R12) are adapted to the one Associated identification information (ID)

Process control information (I) by the status and / or the result of each performed processing steps to update, in which case the updated process control information determines any subsequent processing steps.

A plant according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it includes a processing stations (1-11; 1-12; 1-20; 21-24)

Rail system (S) and that the transport vehicle as a rail-bound, forward and backward moving carriage (W) are formed.

5. Plant according to claim 4, characterized in that the rail system (S) has at least one leading to different treatment stations switch (V).

6. Plant according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the

Rail system (S) has at least one closed path.

7. Installation according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the carriage (W) for storing a of the main control computer (C) provided

Decision codes (GID) are formed concerning the direction to be taken by the carriages at a switch and that the switch (V) is adapted to recognize the decision code (GID) of an approaching carriage (W) and the carriage (W ) in the direction determined by the recognized decision code (GID).

8. Installation according to one of claims 4-7, characterized in that the rail system (S) points (V, Z) comprises, by means of which it is subdivided into two or more adjacent sections extending and these sections can be brought together again.

9. Plant according to one of claims 1-4, characterized in that the

Transport vehicle in two-dimensional space freely moving car (W) and are adapted to the processing stations (201-206) automatically start according to their assigned, optionally updated process control information (I).

10. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has two or more transport planes (115, 116) arranged thereon

Processing stations (101-107) and at least one lifting device (Sc) for moving the transport vehicle (W) between the transport planes (115, 116).

11. Plant according to one of claims 1-4, characterized in that the

Transport vehicles are freely moving in three-dimensional space moving aircraft (W ") and trained, the processing stations (1-11, 1-12, 1-20, 21-24, 201-206) automatically according to their assigned, possibly updated Process control information (I) to fly.

12. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the processing stations (1-11, 1-12, 1-20, 21-24, 201-205) for the sequential, staggered or simultaneous execution of one or more 13. Plant according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the processing stations (12-15) for batchwise or parallel or staggered implementation of at least one processing step is formed.

14. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport vehicles (W; W; W ") are designed to be autonomous from a group of identical or different processing stations (1-11; 1-12; 1-20; 21-24; 201-206) to approach a selected processing station.

15. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is designed so that different transport vehicle (W; W; W ") in different processing stations (1-11; 1-12; 1-20; 21-24; 201-206) can be processed simultaneously.

16. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is designed so that on average comparable processing times per processing station (1-11, 1-12, 1-20, 21-24, 201-206) can be achieved.

17. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport vehicle (W; W; W ") with

Treatment means (50-91) are provided to perform a physical and / or chemical treatment of the on the transport vehicle (W) located objects (P; F).

18. Plant according to claim 17, characterized in that the from

Main control computer (C), the transport vehicles (W; W; W ") individually assigned process control information (I) also

Information concerning the transport vehicles (W; W; W "), in particular during their movement, and that the treatment means (50-91) are adapted to carry out the treatment steps to be carried out in accordance with the transport vehicles (W; W; W ") associated process control information (I) make.

19. Plant according to one of claims 17-18, characterized in that the treatment means comprise stirring means (50).

20. Plant according to one of claims 17-19, characterized in that the treatment means comprise heating or cooling means (60).

21. Installation according to one of claims 17-20, characterized in that the treatment means supply means (70, 80) for adding solid, liquid or gaseous substances in a product container (P). - se il. Installation according to one of claims 17-21, characterized in that the treatment means comprise pressurizing means (70) for a product container (P).

A plant according to any one of claims 17-22, characterized in that the treatment means comprise one or more robotic arms for manipulating objects on the transport vehicles (W; W ") .An installation according to any one of claims 17-23, characterized in that the transport vehicles (W; W; W ") accommodate two or more

Product containers (P) and / or samples (F) are formed and that the

Treatment means (50-91) for the physical and / or chemical treatment of the contents of all on the Transportvehikeln (W; W; W ") located product container (P) and / or samples (F) are formed.

25. Plant according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport vehicles (W; W; W ") for receiving at least one reactor (P) are formed, in which a chemical reaction or a formulation or a biological reaction can be carried out.

26. Plant according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is designed for producing and / or for applying and / or for testing a chemical product, wherein the processing stations (1-11; 1-12; 1-20; 21- 24, 201-206) for the implementation of manufacturing steps and / or application steps and / or test steps are formed.

Plant according to claim 26, characterized in that it comprises a number of mobile reactor or formulation units (W; W; W ", P) containing different processing stations (1-11; 1-12; 1-20; 21 24) and equipped with own means (50-91) for the chemical and / or physical treatment of the contents of entrained reaction or formulation containers (P).

28. Plant according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one processing station for manual triggering or execution of one or more processing steps / s is formed. 29. Method for carrying out a machining process, wherein objects (P, F) to be processed by means of self-propelled transport vehicles (W; W ") are arranged between two or more machining stations (1-11; 1-12; 1-20; 21-24; 201-206) in which the objects undergo processing steps, wherein:

- The transport vehicle (W; W; W ") individual process control information (I) with respect to to be operated and already done processing steps of the transported objects from a main control computer (C) received or at this

return;

- The transport vehicle (W; W; W ") due to their assigned

Process control information (I) independently the next one

Approach the processing station (1-11; 1-12; 1-20; 21-24; 201-206), in which the next processing step necessary for the current machining process is carried out; and

- the different processing steps in the different

Processing stations (1-11, 1-12, 1-20, 21-24, 201-206) are processed in sequence sequentially and / or parallel / simultaneously and / or staggered in time.

30. The method according to claim 29, characterized in that

If necessary, process control information (I) during a processing cycle in dependence of originally present and / or incurred during the already completed processing steps data and / or adjusted based on external inputs to change the processing cycle during its execution. A method according to claim 29 or 30, characterized in that the various processing steps in the different processing stations (1-11; 1-12; 1-20; 21-24; 201-206) are defined and controlled by local processing station controllers with the workstation controllers each are implemented in local, one or more processing stations (1-11; 1-12; 1-20; 21-24; 201-206) associated control computers (R2-R12), and that via a workflow management control, the Hierarchically superior to the local processing station controls and preferred on the

Main control computer (C) is implemented, in particular by selecting from those defined by the local editing station programs

Processing steps is defined and controlled, which processing stations by the transport vehicle (W; W '; W ") approached in what order and which processing steps under which conditions in the approached processing stations (1-11; 1-12; 1-20; 21- 24; 201-206), and the local processing controls are started, stopped, and monitored by the parent workflow management control.

32. The method according to claim 31, characterized in that the different processing steps in the different processing stations (1-11; 1-12; 1-

20; 21-24; 201-206) are controlled by the local processing station controllers using parameters included in the

Process control information (I), each in the corresponding

And the process control information (I) from the respective local processing station controllers and / or through the workflow management control by the status and / or the result the respectively performed processing steps are updated, wherein the updated process control information determines all possibly following processing steps.

33. The method according to claim 31 or 32, characterized in that

Information about the order of the processing steps to be processed during the processing process, preferably from the workflow management controller and / or from the local processing station controllers, are stored directly in the product control information (I), in particular when a new processing process is started.

34. Method for carrying out a machining process, in which objects to be machined (P, F) are subjected to different processing steps at two or more processing stations (1-11, 1-12, 1-20, 21-24, 201-206), in which

the respective processing steps in the processing stations (1-11; 1-12; 1-20; 21-24; 201-206) are defined and controlled by local processing station programs, each in local, one or more processing stations (1-11 1-12; 1-20; 21-24; 201-206) are assigned to associated control computers (R2-R12),

via a hierarchically superior and independently of the local processing station control programs workflow management program, which is implemented on a main control computer (C), by selecting from the local

At least one workflow is defined at processing station programs defined processing steps, which determines which

Processing steps an object (P; F) under which conditions, in which order and at which processing station to undergo, and

the objects (P; F) are subjected to the processing steps controlled by the local processing station programs according to the at least one workflow, wherein the local processing programs are started, stopped and monitored by the higher-level workflow management program.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein at least one processing step is defined by at least one local processing station program having at least one parameter variable, and via the workflow management program, selecting one of desired processing steps and selecting one or more values for the at least one parameter variable or several workflows are defined, which determine which processing steps an object (P; F) under what conditions, in which order, on which Processing station with which or which values for the fewest to undergo a parameter variable.

36. The method according to claim 34, wherein the at least one workflow, if necessary, is adjusted during a processing process as a function of data initially present and / or incurred during the already completed processing steps and / or due to external inputs, preferably iteratively, to the processing process during to change its execution.

37. Plant for carrying out a machining process with at least two processing stations (1-11, 1-12, 1-20, 21-24, 201-206), the

Processing stations (1-11, 1-12, 1-20, 21-24, 201-206) are adapted to at least one or more provided objects (P; F)

Processing step, characterized in that the system has local, one or more processing stations (1-11; 1-12; 1-20; 21-24; 201-206) associated control computer (R2-R12) on which local

Processing station programs are implemented, which are adapted to define and control the treatment steps to be performed in the associated treatment stations, and wherein the system further comprises a main control computer (C), designed for communication with the control computers (R2-R12), on which the hierarchical parent and independent of this workflow management program is designed to at least one workflow through the local processing station control programs

Select to define from the editing steps defined by the local editing station programs, where the workflow determines which one

Processing steps to start an object (P; F) under which conditions, in which order and at which processing station, and wherein the higher-level workflow management program is also designed to start the treatment steps to be carried out in the assigned treatment stations according to the workflow, stop and monitor.

38. A computer program system for executing on a computer system of a machining facility, which is for performing a machining process, wherein the objects to be processed (P, F) at two or more processing stations (1- 11; 1-12; 1-20; 21-24; 201-206) are subjected to various processing steps, the computer program system comprising:

a plurality of processing station programs for execution in respective local control stations (R1-R12) of the system associated with one or more processing stations (1-11; 1-12; 1-20; 21-24; 201-206), the processing station programs are adapted to the respective processing steps in the processing stations (1-11, 1-12, 1-20, 21-24;

201-206) to define and control

a workflow management program hierarchically superior to and independent of the local processing station control programs is implemented for execution on a main control computer (C) of the system, the workflow management program being adapted to select one of the local

Editing station programs at least defined a workflow, which determines which

Processing steps an object (P; F) under what conditions, in which order and at which processing station to undergo, and wherein the workflow management program is further adapted to be carried out in the associated treatment stations

Start, stop and monitor treatment steps according to the workflow.