US Patent 7490710 Flexible manufacturing system having modular work stations

A flexible manufacturing system utilizing modular work stations configured to provide asynchronous operations on a plurality of work pieces mounted on fixtures or pallets that are transported through the system by means of a conveyor or rail arrangement. The pallets are diverted from the track on which they are transported linearly to a desired machining module adjacent to, but removed from, the track, such that the machining is performed in a chamber isolated from the track. Each machining module may be utilized in more than one location on the track and the modules may be interchanged depending on the desired operation sequence and the tools available in each of the machining station modules.