US Patent 8235000 Modular paint line and method of operation therefor

A paint line includes a plurality of modular manufacturing stations positioned in series and defining a forward transport direction. Each modular manufacturing station includes an article transportation device for moving at least one carrier through the modular manufacturing station. At least one of the modular manufacturing stations includes a piece of paint application equipment. A control system is in communication with each article transportation device and configured to independently move the carrier of each modular manufacturing station according to a unique operation pattern. The control system is also configured to index the carrier of each modular manufacturing station as the carrier traverses to a contiguous modular manufacturing station.