System and method for manufacturing customized products with mass-produced products

摘要

A system and method for manufacturing a customized product with a mass-produced product is disclosed. The system and method utilize an automated truck system and a plurality of vehicles that are independently routable along the automated truck system. The truck system has a primary transport path and at least one secondary transport path. At least a portion of the vehicle is independently routable to route the first and second vehicles respectively loaded with the first and second articles to at least one of the at least two unit operating stations. A first article may be routed to form a customized product, and a second article may be formed independently of the first article to form a second article to form part of a series of mass-produced products. The first article and the second article are routable so that they can be routed.