U.S. patent application number 10/832745 was filed with the patent office on 2005-10-27 for system for production of standard size dwellings using a satellite manufacturing facility.
This patent application is currently assigned to Intellectual Property, LLC. Invention is credited to Cohen, David L., Cohen, Roger B..
Application Number | 20050235581 10/832745 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34961083 |
Filed Date | 2005-10-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050235581 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cohen, David L. ; et
al. |
October 27, 2005 |
System for production of standard size dwellings using a satellite
manufacturing facility
Abstract
The system for manufacturing standard size dwellings comprises a
network of facilities, sited to maximize the efficiency of the
product and materials flows. In particular, one or more
manufacturing facilities are used to manufacture subassemblies and
supply materials for use in assembling a standard size dwelling in
a factory environment. These manufactured subassemblies and
materials are transported to one or more satellite manufacturing
facilities, each of which are located proximate to a location where
a large number of dwellings are to be built. The satellite
manufacturing facilities function to integrate the received
subassemblies and materials together to create a standard size
dwelling, which is then transported to the foundation where the
dwelling is to be sited. The satellite manufacturing facilities can
optionally manufacture subassemblies, such as a roof subassembly,
where appropriate as part of the dwelling assembly process.
Inventors: |
Cohen, David L.; (Englewood,
CO) ; Cohen, Roger B.; (Lakewood, CO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PATTON BOGGS
1660 LINCOLN ST
SUITE 2050
DENVER
CO
80264
US
|
Assignee: |
Intellectual Property, LLC
Denver
CO
|
Family ID: |
34961083 |
Appl. No.: |
10/832745 |
Filed: |
April 26, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/79.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 1/35 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/079.1 |
International
Class: |
E04H 001/00; E04H
003/00; E04H 005/00; E04H 006/00; E04H 009/00; E04H 014/00; E04H
001/12; E04B 001/34 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A system for constructing standard size dwellings substantially
in their entirety in a factory environment in at least one
satellite manufacturing facility that is located remotely from at
least one master production facility, said satellite manufacturing
facility comprising: at least two subassembly staging areas for
receiving said constructed predetermined subassemblies from said at
least one master production facility; hoisting means operational in
at least one of said subassembly staging areas for transporting
said constructed predetermined subassemblies for incorporation into
a standard size dwelling being assembled in said satellite
manufacturing facility; and wherein said standard size dwelling is
transported through said satellite manufacturing facility to
assemble said standard size dwelling, using said predetermined
subassemblies from said at least two subassembly staging areas.
2. The system for constructing standard size dwellings of claim 1
wherein said hoisting means comprises: at least one crane that
traverses said at least one subassembly staging area and a section
of a dwelling assembly site for transporting said constructed
predetermined subassemblies from said at least one subassembly
staging area into said dwelling assembly site for incorporation
into a standard size dwelling being assembled in said satellite
manufacturing facility.
3. The system for constructing standard size dwellings of claim 1
wherein a first of said subassembly staging areas comprises: means
for constructing a floor subassembly comprising an integral base
frame for placement on a transport element located in a dwelling
assembly site.
4. The system for constructing standard size dwellings of claim 3
wherein a second of said subassembly staging areas receives said
constructed predetermined subassemblies from said at least one
master production facility comprising a plurality of panelized wall
assemblies for assembly on to said floor subassembly located on a
transport element located in said dwelling assembly site to create
a partially assembled standard size dwelling.
5. The system for constructing standard size dwellings of claim 4
wherein a third of said subassembly staging areas receives said
constructed predetermined subassemblies from said at least one
master production facility comprising a plurality of panelized wall
assemblies for installation in the partially completed standard
size dwelling located on a transport element located in said
dwelling assembly site.
6. The system for constructing standard size dwellings of claim 5
wherein a fourth of said subassembly staging areas is used to
construct a roof subassembly for assembly on to said partially
completed standard size dwelling located on a transport element
located in said dwelling assembly site.
7. The system for constructing standard size dwellings of claim 4
wherein a third of said subassembly staging areas is used to
construct a roof subassembly for assembly on to said partially
completed standard size dwelling located on a transport element
located in said dwelling assembly site.
8. The system for constructing standard size dwellings of claim 3
wherein said hoisting means, located in said second subassembly
staging area, transports finish elements to be installed in a first
floor of said standard size dwelling.
9. The system for constructing standard size dwellings of claim 1
wherein said hoisting means comprises: at least one crane that
traverses said at least one subassembly staging area and a section
of a dwelling assembly site and a subassembly production area that
are adjacent said subassembly staging area for transporting said
constructed predetermined subassemblies from said at least one
subassembly staging area into said dwelling assembly site for
incorporation into a standard size dwelling being assembled in said
satellite manufacturing facility and into said subassembly
production area.
10. The system for constructing standard size dwellings of claim 1
wherein said satellite manufacturing facility further comprises: a
roofing subassembly staging area, for constructing a roof
subassembly for assembly on to said partially completed standard
size dwelling located on a transport element in said satellite
manufacturing facility.
11. The system for constructing standard size dwellings of claim 1
wherein said satellite manufacturing facility further comprises: a
roofing subassembly staging area, for constructing a roof
subassembly for assembly on to said partially completed standard
size dwelling located on a transport element external to said
satellite manufacturing facility.
12. The system for constructing standard size dwellings of claim 1
further comprising: at least one master production facility located
remotely from said satellite manufacturing facility for
constructing predetermined subassemblies for said standard size
dwelling.
13. A method of constructing standard size dwellings substantially
in their entirety in a factory environment in at least one
satellite manufacturing facility that is located remotely from at
least one master production facility, said satellite manufacturing
facility comprising: receiving in at least two subassembly staging
areas said constructed predetermined subassemblies from said at
least one master production facility; transporting, using hoisting
apparatus operational in at least one of said subassembly staging
areas, said constructed predetermined subassemblies for
incorporation into a standard size dwelling being assembled in said
satellite manufacturing facility; and transporting said standard
size dwelling through said satellite manufacturing facility to
assemble said standard size dwelling, using said predetermined
subassemblies from said at least two subassembly staging areas.
14. The method of constructing standard size dwellings of claim 13
wherein said step of transporting, using hoisting apparatus,
comprises: transporting, using at least one crane that traverses
said subassembly staging area and a section of a dwelling assembly
site, said constructed predetermined subassemblies from said
subassembly staging area into said dwelling assembly site for
incorporation into a standard size dwelling being assembled in said
satellite manufacturing facility.
15. The method of constructing standard size dwellings of claim 13
further comprising: constructing, in a first of said subassembly
staging areas, a floor subassembly comprising an integral base
frame for placement on a transport element located in a dwelling
assembly site.
16. The method of constructing standard size dwellings of claim 15
further comprising: receiving, in a second of said subassembly
staging areas, said constructed predetermined subassemblies from
said at least one master production facility comprising a plurality
of panelized wall assemblies for assembly on to said floor
subassembly located on a transport element located in said dwelling
assembly site to create a partially assembled standard size
dwelling.
17. The method of constructing standard size dwellings of claim 16
further comprising: receiving, in a third of said subassembly
staging areas, said constructed predetermined subassemblies from
said at least one master production facility comprising a plurality
of panelized wall assemblies for installation in the partially
completed standard size dwelling located on a transport element
located in said dwelling assembly site.
18. The method of constructing standard size dwellings of claim 17
further comprising: constructing, in a fourth of said subassembly
staging areas, a roof subassembly for assembly on to said partially
completed standard size dwelling located on a transport element
located in said dwelling assembly site.
19. The method of constructing standard size dwellings of claim 16
further comprising: constructing, in a third of said subassembly
staging areas, a roof subassembly for assembly on to said partially
completed standard size dwelling located on a transport element
located in said dwelling assembly site.
20. The method of constructing standard size dwellings of claim 15
further comprising: transporting, using said hoisting means located
in said second subassembly staging area, finish elements to be
installed in a first floor of said standard size dwelling.
21. The method of constructing standard size dwellings of claim 13
further comprising: transporting, using said hoisting apparatus
that traverses said at least one subassembly staging area and a
section of a dwelling assembly site and a subassembly production
area that are adjacent said subassembly staging area for
transporting said constructed predetermined subassemblies from said
at least one subassembly staging area into said dwelling assembly
site for incorporation into a standard size dwelling being
assembled in said satellite manufacturing facility and into said
subassembly production area.
22. The method of constructing standard size dwellings of claim 13
further comprising: constructing a roof subassembly for assembly on
to said partially completed standard size dwelling located on a
transport element located in said dwelling assembly site.
23. The method of constructing standard size dwellings of claim 13
further comprising: constructing a roof subassembly for assembly on
to said partially completed standard size dwelling located on a
transport element external to said satellite manufacturing
facility.
24. The method of constructing standard size dwellings of claim 13
further comprising: constructing, in at least one master production
facility located remotely from said satellite manufacturing
facility, predetermined subassemblies for said standard size
dwelling.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a system for manufacturing
standard size dwellings using a satellite manufacturing facility
that can be erected on or near a large housing development to
efficiently manufacture standard size dwellings, substantially in
their entirety, in a factory environment using subassemblies
manufactured at one or more other facilities and/or materials
supplied from one or more other sources, prior to transporting and
placing these completed dwellings on pre-constructed permanent
foundations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION--THE HOUSING INDUSTRY TODAY
[0002] The present residential construction industry can be divided
into segments based on the three basic methods which are utilized
to produce dwellings: manufactured or modular (manufactured),
panelized or component (panelized)--with elements fabricated both
on and off site, and individually built (stick-built)--with
dwelling construction in-place at a specific building site. Each of
these three methods has distinct advantages and disadvantages. In
addition, each method is suited to produce a particular type of
dwelling. A common goal of the residential construction industry is
to produce quality dwellings that have broad market appeal in a
cost efficient manner.
[0003] The manufactured home is built in a factory which is
geographically remote from a housing development or a particular
building site. The factory produced modules must be transported
over public highways and roadways to a dealership or pre-determined
building site. The earliest of this class of homes were called
mobile homes. They were, and still are, equipped with axles
attached to an undercarriage framework. The typical manufactured
home is built in a factory which serves a broad geographic region,
ranging in size from tens or hundreds of miles in radius to several
states. Because of the cost efficiencies inherent in factory
production, the manufactured (and some panelized) method is
successful in producing lower cost new housing typically for small
size homes which are often in a rural setting. A manufactured home
is produced for direct sale to a customer and installation at a
particular building site or it may be sold to a dealer and held in
inventory for a subsequent sale and installation.
[0004] The present-day manufactured home offers significant
improvements over the former mobile home. A plurality of
manufactured modular segments may comprise the finished home and
the modules are transported from a remote factory to a dealership
or destination building site. Once delivered to the final building
location, the modules are joined together to form a resultant
dwelling that is significantly larger than a typical 12'.times.70'
single module manufactured home.
[0005] The major advantage of manufactured homes is the use of a
factory environment. Within a factory setting, a controlled
environment exists where complete, roadable dwellings are built.
Factories represent a significant advantage in mass production
efficiency. The advantages of a factory environment are:
[0006] Dwellings can be produced very quickly from order to
finished product.
[0007] Time savings is a marketing advantage and a source of cost
savings in terms of the financing costs associated with the
resources tied up in the dwelling.
[0008] Foul weather has negligible impact on production.
[0009] Construction tolerances are more precise and more
controllable, resulting in better overall product quality.
[0010] Increased production through multiple shifts is readily
achievable because the critical conditions of lighting,
ventilation, and air temperatures are controlled 24 hours a
day.
[0011] Non-sequential construction techniques are possible.
[0012] A Federal (HUD) Building Code can be utilized which offers a
streamlined regulatory environment since it is focused on
performance standards rather than implementation standards. In
addition, homes built to the HUD Building Code are less expensive
to produce than stick-built homes which are built to the Uniform
Building Code (UBC) or other local building codes.
[0013] Major cost efficiencies are realized in both the quantity of
labor hours necessary to build homes, and the unit cost for labor
because of the use of repetitive production tasks. The ability to
bulk purchase and handle materials at a fixed manufacturing
location also produces major cost efficiencies.
[0014] A method of dwelling construction which has similarities to
the manufactured dwelling technology is the panelized method of
construction. Panelized construction consists of a system for
prefabricating walls, floors, and roof components into units or
sections. This method of construction is most efficient where there
is a repetition of the panel types and dimensions. Panels are
manufactured using a jig, into which the framing members are placed
and then interconnected via nails, screws, or welds. The interior
and/or exterior sheathing, or even the complete interior or
exterior finish, may be applied to the wall panel prior to the
finished panel being hoisted onto the structure. Shop panelization
offers numerous advantages. The panel shop provides a controlled
environment where work proceeds regardless of weather conditions.
The application of sheathing and finish work is easier and faster
with the panels placed in a horizontal position instead of a
vertical position.
[0015] With panelized construction, major components of homes are
either prefabricated in a remote factory environment or at the site
where, unfortunately, panel installation is exposed to local
weather conditions. If components or panels are built in a factory,
they are subsequently transported over public highways and roadways
to the building site where they are hoisted into place and
interconnected to form the basic dwelling structure using
conventional building techniques. The panelized construction
technique requires the use of hoisting equipment at the building
site to handle the preassembled components and also requires that
significant amounts of finish work be performed at the site to
assemble components and finish construction joints between panels
and then to apply all finishes that were not included in the panels
or components.
[0016] The major advantages of panelized construction are the
following:
[0017] Cost and production efficiencies of off-site factory panel
fabrication.
[0018] Cost reductions from mass producing panels at a project
location can also be realized.
[0019] Assembly of panels or components is reasonably fast and
accelerates the production schedule for homebuilding.
[0020] Pre-fabricated panels for production of homes in remote
regions can be accomplished.
[0021] The remaining category of residential housing is the
stick-built house that is either custom built according to an
owner's individual specifications, or as a builder's spec home, or
constructed as one of a plurality of pre-existing models in a
housing development. These dwellings are built in the traditional
manner of using framing members (typically dimensional lumber) to
fabricate the dwelling on a foundation at the building site
according to a set of architectural plans. Stick-built home design
differs greatly from manufactured home design. There are no
architectural, structural, or dimensional limitations with
stick-built housing like those imposed on manufactured design by
virtue of the roadway transportation limitations. Transportation
over public roads involves height, width, length, and weight
restrictions. In stick-built construction, height, width, depth,
roof pitch, roof overhang, gabled, dormered, etc., are all
completely open to individual tastes limited only by the governing
building code restrictions. The ability to produce standard size
homes with substantial design flexibility is the reason that the
majority of homes built today are stick-built homes.
[0022] Stick-built construction requires a sequenced building
format, where item A must be completed before item B can begin, and
in turn, item B must then be completed before item C can begin and
so on. For example, the ground level walls must be completed before
the second level floor can begin, and the second level walls must
be completed before the second level ceiling can begin. The
stick-built home industry is primarily based on homebuilding
companies which subcontract labor and material packages to a series
of independent companies who supply and install their portion of
the work. While this method of residential home construction has
worked for many years, there are inherent inefficiencies in this
method that result in significant cost penalties to the
homebuyer.
[0023] Stick-built dwellings can be built to any size or layout
that is desired within the limitations of the structural
capabilities of the framing material. Multi-story homes can easily
be built with the architectural features, room size, and layout
being determined by the architect, homebuilder, and/or owner. There
are no overriding constraints imposed by a need to transport the
structure over the existing public highway or roadway system.
[0024] Other advantages of stick-built construction techniques
are:
[0025] Ability to build a wide diversity of standard size dwellings
(including single and multi-story).
[0026] Individual customization is easy.
[0027] Well-known and widely-accepted method of construction.
[0028] Skilled subcontractors are generally available.
[0029] Available debt and equity financing sources for homes and
projects.
[0030] Thus, it is evident that each of the above-noted methods of
residential dwelling construction has certain distinct advantages,
which advantages are typically intimately coupled with the type of
dwelling produced by the selected method of construction.
Problem--Manufactured Construction Methods
[0031] While manufactured, panelized and stick-built homes have
many advantages in their respective market applications, each of
them also has distinct disadvantages. These disadvantages form the
core problems which face the housing industry today and, in
particular, for the manufactured method:
[0032] Dimensional and design constraints have confined
manufactured homes to a limited market segment.
[0033] The manufactured method cannot be used to build standard
size homes without segmentation of the home into modules of
relatively small dimensions which results in design and floor plan
compromises.
[0034] The manufactured modules must be transported a significant
distance from the factory to the building site, often via a
dealership.
[0035] Manufactured home segments are subject to significant
architectural and floor plan constraints because of the need to
transport the completed modules over public highways and
roadways.
[0036] There are significant size limitations in manufactured
homes: typically single-story, 10-14 ft. wide by 50-70 ft. long
with box-like architecture.
[0037] The cost of shipping modules from the factory to the
destination, placing the modules on to the foundation, field mating
the modules together on non-repetitive site conditions in sites
often 50 miles from each other, distributing manufactured homes
through expensive dealer merchandising organizations, installing
final finishes on individual homes with 10% of the work being
applied at the remote site, and providing support service over a
wide geographic area all aggregate to a significant cost component
in these products.
[0038] There is a possibility for damage to manufactured home
modules during extended transport over the public highway
system.
[0039] Manufactured home factories are operationally constrained
from serving the stick-built new community home market because
these communities often require significant production rates of 4
to 15 homes per month over 2 to 5 years, which would displace
production available to the dealer network serving the factory
resulting in unacceptable distribution system disruptions.
Problem--Panelized Construction Methods
[0040] There are also problems with panelized constructed
homes:
[0041] Field labor is required for field assembly of panels.
[0042] Less than complete dwelling units are produced, since it is
a method to produce only segments of homes, which thereby limits
the incremental manufacturing efficiency to only that small portion
of the home that is actually constructed in the factory.
[0043] The panelized method of construction cannot build standard
size homes without segmentation of the home into modules of
relatively small dimensions which results in many compromises.
[0044] The finish components and work in a home represent a much
higher profit margin component of the job for construction
subcontractors. Therefore, finish work remains a subcontractor
activity in the field of panelized construction, thereby limiting
the cost savings that can be realized by the panelized construction
builder with regard to the comparable cost of a stick-built
home.
[0045] The panels or components that are manufactured require major
field assembly which takes a significant amount of time and are
therefore exposed to local weather conditions.
[0046] The panels built in a remote plant have size limitations
because of the necessity to transport these panels over public
highways and roadways.
[0047] The panelized method of construction only accelerates the
framing segment of the construction, which represents only an
incremental time savings on what presently is a several week
portion of a 3 to 8 month project.
[0048] The panels must be assembled at the project site, and
construction joints between the panels must be repaired and
finished at the project site.
[0049] There is a possibility for damage to panels and components
during extended transport and handling.
Problem--Stick-Built Construction Methods
[0050] There are also problems in the stick-built method of
dwelling construction:
[0051] Stick-built construction is inherently a sequential home
building process--floor are built before walls, walls before
ceilings, and the roof after all the other framing is completed.
This is a lengthy process and therefore results in construction
activity of extended duration.
[0052] Much of the work done in stick-building a dwelling is at the
mercy of local weather conditions which can delay schedules and
cause water-related damage to materials, including mold damage.
[0053] Bulk material delivery and handling are not possible because
the materials need to be segregated for each individual home.
[0054] The materials and supplies are mostly hand carried,
piece-by-piece, into and within the house during construction.
[0055] It is common to have 3 to 8 month construction schedules in
stick-built construction of a dwelling, which result in the
additional cost of capital and financing for this period of
time.
[0056] Homes must conform to the local building codes, such as the
Uniform Building Code (UBC), without any ability to build to the
Federal (HUD) Building Code which would be faster, less expensive,
and provide an easier regulatory environment.
[0057] The cost of labor in stick-building is high to thereby
attract the necessary skill levels to widely scattered job sites.
In addition, there is a hidden cost of the workers having to travel
to various and changing job sites for short durations, with the
field handling of materials representing another inefficiency and a
source of additional defects, which must be corrected at an
additional cost.
[0058] Supervision and quality control in stick-building is
non-uniform.
[0059] A significant disadvantage of the stick-built dwelling
construction technique is that, regardless of the size and/or
complexity of the dwelling, these homes are built according to a
process that is determined by both building codes and the need for
efficiency of the various independent subcontractors that are
engaged to construct the dwelling. In particular, each
subcontractor wishes to minimize the number of times that he must
visit the building site and often prefers unobstructed access to
the majority of the structure with limited interference or
coordination with other subcontractors. This construction process,
especially early on, is highly dependent on weather conditions and
can only occur during daylight hours. An interruption in the flow
of construction caused by one of the subcontractors has a ripple
effect in that the other subcontractors must await the completion
of a particular task before they can begin their work. Therefore,
while each individual subcontractor task does not necessarily take
a lot of time in constructing a stick-built residential dwelling,
the time intervals between the arrival of the various
subcontractors and delays occasioned by weather and other
subcontractor work significantly lengthens the amount of time
required to complete each dwelling.
[0060] Furthermore, operating in a field environment is detrimental
to maintaining the quality of the construction since it is
difficult using portable hand tools to precisely cut and assemble
framing material into walls and various finish elements with
precise tolerances. It is often difficult in stick-built home
construction to find a sufficient number of skilled workmen who can
craft a residential structure of high quality at very reasonable
costs. The quality suffers and there is also a significant amount
of waste, since the materials must be handled at least 2 to 3 times
between shipment from the factory or mill to being delivered to the
individual job site. There is excess labor and significant breakage
as a result of this repetitive handling of materials. In addition,
typically there aren't people at individual job sites all day to
receive materials, so materials and supplies are exposed to the
possibility of delivery damage, theft, and bad weather. Surplus
materials, unless they represent a significant quantity, are
discarded since the value of salvaged materials does not offset the
cost involved to salvage these materials.
[0061] While the stick-built residential structure is the most
desirable residence for consumers because of the design
flexibility, the cost benefits obtained by the factory
manufacturing environment are unavailable to this type of
construction method due to the size and more often than not
multi-story nature of these structures.
Solution
[0062] The above-described problems are solved, and a technical
advance is achieved, by the system for manufacturing standard size
dwellings which uses a satellite manufacturing facility that is
capable of efficiently producing standard size dwellings in a
factory environment. This manufacturing system uses a network of
manufacturing facilities to respond to the fundamental desire to
maximize home building efficiency by implementing both a factory
for and a method of standard size dwelling construction that is of
novel design.
[0063] The system for manufacturing standard size dwellings
comprises a network of facilities, sited to maximize the efficiency
of the product and materials flows. In particular, one or more
manufacturing facilities are used to manufacture subassemblies and
supply materials for use in assembling a standard size dwelling in
a factory environment. These manufactured subassemblies and
materials are transported to one or more satellite manufacturing
facilities, each of which are located proximate to a location where
a large number of dwellings are to be built. The satellite
manufacturing facilities function to integrate the received
subassemblies and materials together to create a standard size
dwelling, which is then transported to the foundation where the
dwelling is to be sited. The satellite manufacturing facilities can
optionally manufacture subassemblies, such as a roof subassembly,
where appropriate as part of the dwelling assembly process.
[0064] The satellite manufacturing facility is thereby capable of
producing standard size dwellings and supplying them to a new
community in a cost effective and time efficient manner unlike any
construction method of the prior art. The satellite manufacturing
facility not only overcomes the problems inherent in the
construction methods of the prior art, but also combines the
advantages of the three methods of dwelling construction identified
previously. Dwellings produced within the satellite manufacturing
facility appear to the consumer to be identical to stick-built
standard size dwellings. These dwellings have substantial design
and architectural flexibility, high volume rooms, modern floor
plans, and significant overall living space. The dwellings that can
be produced utilizing the satellite manufacturing facility are
unlike any manufactured dwellings produced today. These dwellings
may include a wide diversity of standard size one- and two-story
single family dwellings or various forms of multi-family
dwellings.
[0065] A major attribute of the satellite manufacturing facility is
its ability to build a huge diversity of dwelling products. The
only thing required is a community of sufficient size to amortize
the cost of the satellite manufacturing facility. This flexibility
is essential for international applications because housing design
and requirements are vastly different from one region to the next.
A common ingredient is that most often in bulk housing
requirements, high-quality, low-cost dwellings that can be built in
a timely fashion are in demand. In addition, the use of a satellite
facility to perform the subassembly integration process removes the
constraint of a limited number of dwelling designs from the
assembly process, since subassemblies from a number of master
production facilities can feed the satellite manufacturing
facility, thereby adding to the diversity of dwelling choices
available to the consumer.
[0066] The satellite manufacturing facility is a specialized
manufacturing facility erected proximate to a location where a
large number of dwellings are to be built. The satellite
manufacturing facility may be linked to this community via a
controlled access roadway, where public access can be limited and
where width and height impediments may be much less restrictive
than public streets and where distances from the satellite
manufacturing facilities to the locations at which the assembled
dwellings are to be sited are short. As a direct result, the
primary problem involving the constraints of the public roadway
infrastructure that lie between the factory and the building site
for shipment of manufactured or panelized products is overcome. The
satellite manufacturing facility brings the factory to the building
site. This opens the door to a whole new world of design and
construction methodologies for factory-produced dwellings. The
overwhelming constraints imposed on dwelling design, size,
transportation concerns, etc., due to public roadway transport
limitations between a remote factory and the final dwelling site
are eliminated.
[0067] The dwellings to be produced using the satellite
manufacturing facility have special design characteristics. One
example is an integral base frame comprising a structural base
element located at the perimeter of each dwelling, and at the base
of load bearing interior walls, which strengthens and stabilizes
these standard size dwellings for manufacturing, transportation,
placement on foundations, and long-term durability. One important
feature of the satellite manufacturing facility is that the
sequential building process necessary with the prior art of
stick-built methods for producing standard size dwellings is now
obsolete.
[0068] Subassembly hoisting equipment, such as clear span bridge
cranes, are the key to material handling and transportation in the
staging areas in the satellite manufacturing facility. Semi-trucks
with loaded trailers may enter the main structure of the satellite
manufacturing facility to promote highly efficient unloading and
subsequent material handling directly from bulk truck shipments to
the staging areas or storage areas via the subassembly hoisting
equipment. The hoisting equipment can also place large rolls of
carpeting, appliances, cabinets and the like directly inside the
partially manufactured dwelling to eliminate excess labor. Large
single- or multiple-story wall panels, floor assemblies, large roof
assemblies, etc., can be handled in a production setting. Finished
components from the staging areas can also be lifted and set
directly at each component's final destination in the partially
completed house with the hoisting equipment.
[0069] The satellite manufacturing facility represents a radical
new approach to building standard size dwellings on a large scale
basis. The satellite manufacturing facility not only overcomes the
problems inherent in the construction methods of the prior art, but
also combines the advantages of the three methods of dwelling
construction identified previously. The result is that standard
size dwellings can be built substantially faster, with higher
quality, less cost, and more efficiently than comparable homes
built on-site by use of prior art construction methods.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0070] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a prior art
integrated standard size dwelling manufacturing facility sited at a
residential housing development;
[0071] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the prior art
integrated standard size dwelling manufacturing facility of FIG. 1
with the roof removed therefrom;
[0072] FIG. 3 illustrates a typical network of manufacturing
facilities used to implement the present system for manufacturing
standard size dwellings;
[0073] FIGS. 4-6 illustrate typical implementations of the various
staging areas contained in a typical embodiment of the satellite
manufacturing facility of the present system for manufacturing
standard size dwellings;
[0074] FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of the architecture of
a typical transport element used in this manufacturing process and
its actual use to transport a standard size dwelling; and
[0075] FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of a typical integral
base frame used in the manufacturing process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Glossary
[0076] The terms used in this description are defined below to
ensure that the proper import is ascribed to these terms and the
usage of these terms is therefore unambiguous.
[0077] Master Production Facility--the facility that builds
subassemblies and/or receives materials for processing and/or
distribution to Satellite Manufacturing Facilities. The master
production facility may or may not be located proximate to a
community where the dwellings produced are to be located.
[0078] Satellite Manufacturing Facility--the facility described
herein which is used to produce standard size dwellings in a
hoisting supported production environment, which can comprise one
or more enclosed structures or other work areas.
[0079] Dwelling--a structure(s), typically comprising either a
single family or multi-family home, which is used to house
individuals.
[0080] Standard size dwelling--a dwelling which constitutes a
"normal" or full size dwelling, presently produced on-site by means
of stick-building technology. This dwelling has an extensive range
of design and floor plan flexibility and includes both one- and
two-story single or multi-family structures. The average size, new,
normal dwelling built in the United States is about 2,000 square
feet in size.
[0081] Integral base frame--that structural element which is
integral to the base of a satellite manufacturing facility produced
standard size dwelling, and provides the foundation upon which the
floor and wall framing elements for the dwelling are attached. The
integral base frame provides the structural integrity which allows
a standard size dwelling to be created in its entirety and moved
prior to being located on a permanent foundation. The integral base
frame is typically provided at the base of the outside bearing
perimeter walls, at interior load bearing walls, at selected other
locations, and may be contained within a floor subassembly.
[0082] Manufactured home--a home built in a factory environment and
transportable over public highways to a building site. These homes
include trailer homes, modular homes, and dwellings comprising a
plurality of limited size segments that are transported to the
building site and which may be joined together.
[0083] Panelized home--a dwelling wherein a significant number of
components representing a portion of the dwelling are fabricated in
a factory environment, then transported over public highways or
within the project to the building site where they are assembled to
form the basic structure.
[0084] Stick-built home--a dwelling built in the traditional manner
of using dimensional lumber or steel as framing members to
fabricate the dwelling on a foundation at the building site
according to a set of architectural plans which have available an
extensive range of design and floor plan flexibility and includes
both one- and two-story structures.
[0085] Manufacturing Facility Network Philosophy
[0086] U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,192 titled "Method of Production of
Standard Size Dwellings" and U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,504 titled
"Manufacturing Facility for Production of Standard Size Dwellings"
both disclose an integrated manufacturing facility for
manufacturing standard size dwellings in a factory environment. The
manufacturing facilities disclosed in these patents manufacture the
entirety of the standard size dwelling within the factory and
deliver the completed dwelling to the building site, which is
located proximate to the manufacturing facility. A problem with
this integrated architecture is that the entirety of the
manufacturing process is implemented at a single site and the
manufacturing facility must be replicated in its entirety at each
community where dwellings are to be manufactured.
[0087] The present system for manufacturing standard size dwellings
comprises a network of facilities, as shown in FIG. 3, sited to
maximize the efficiency of the product and materials flows. In
particular, one or more master manufacturing facilities are used to
manufacture subassemblies for use in assembling a standard size
dwelling in a factory environment and/or process and distribute
materials. These manufactured subassemblies and materials are
transported to one or more satellite manufacturing facilities, each
of which are located proximate to a location where a large number
of dwellings are to be built. The satellite manufacturing
facilities function to integrate the received subassemblies and
materials together to create a standard size dwelling, which is
then transported to the foundation where the dwelling is to be
sited. The satellite manufacturing facilities can optionally
manufacture subassemblies, such as a roof subassembly, where
appropriate as part of the dwelling assembly process. In this
manner, a plurality of less costly satellite manufacturing
facilities can be used in conjunction with one or more master
production facilities to maximize home building efficiency and
economy.
[0088] Prior Art Manufacturing Facility for Production of Standard
Size Dwellings
[0089] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the prior art
manufacturing facility described in the above-noted patents, which
is sited at a residential housing development, and FIG. 2
illustrates a perspective view of the prior art manufacturing
facility of FIG. 1 with the roof removed therefrom. The
manufacturing facility 100 disclosed therein comprises a building
of sufficient size to encompass the dwelling production operation
and of height to provide sufficient clearance for the constructed
dwelling, which is typically 30 feet to 40 feet in height. The
manufacturing facility has two large doorways in the end thereof
101, 102, with a first doorway 101 as shown in FIG. 1 being on the
leftmost side of the building and used to provide transport element
ingress to the manufacturing facility 100. A second large exterior
door 102 is located on the opposite side of the end wall of the
building and is used to provide ingress to delivery vehicles which
are providing the raw materials to a delivery alley, located within
the manufacturing facility, for the assembly of the residential
structures that takes place within the manufacturing facility
100.
[0090] By collapsing the linear structure of traditional
residential housing production into a substantially volumetric
process, and relocating the partially completed structure from one
subassembly production line of the manufacturing facility 100 to
another, a significant amount of flexibility in the scheduling of
the work can be attained by intermixing finished, roughed-in, and
feature work into concurrently extant operations within the same
structure.
[0091] A completed standard size dwelling D can be seen in FIG. 1
departing from the manufacturing facility 100 through an exit door
105 (FIG. 2) located on the far side of the manufacturing facility
100. The exit door 105 is sized to enable the movement of the
completed standard size dwelling D, mounted on the transport
element to be moved from the manufacturing facility. FIG. 1 also
illustrates a completed standard size dwelling D traversing a path
through the community to a building site B that has a foundation in
place and at which building site B a crane C awaits the arrival of
the standard size dwelling D. When the standard size dwelling D
reaches the building site B, the crane C is used to lift the
completed standard size dwelling D off the transport element T and
to place the structure D on the pre-existing foundation where it is
secured in place. Alternatively, the pre-existing foundation can be
a three-sided structure and the transport element can enter the
basement area of the foundation where the transport element can be
removed from under the completed dwelling as the dwelling is set on
the foundation.
[0092] The transport elements T shown in FIG. 1 typically comprise
a "trailer" or "frame" that is equipped with a roadable apparatus,
such as sufficient number of axles and wheels to support the weight
of the completed standard size dwelling D. The bed of the trailer T
is of extent great enough to securely support the completed
standard size dwelling D, which is built in stages on the transport
element T as the transport element T is moved from the ingress
doorway 101 of the manufacturing facility 100 to the egress
doorway. A tow vehicle, such as a tractor, is used to move the
transport element T and the completed standard size dwelling D from
the egress doorway of the manufacturing facility 100 to the
building site B and thence to return the transport element T to a
parking area adjacent the manufacturing facility 100 for use in a
subsequent residential structure assembly.
[0093] The community can be occupied in stages as the standard size
dwellings are manufactured and sited. Public access to the
community is typically selected at a location distant from the
manufacturing facility 100, such that dwellings are sited from this
juncture incrementally to the manufacturing facility 100. The
manufacturing facility 100 makes use of temporary roadways R, which
are restricted from public use and are available to transport the
completed standard size dwellings D from the manufacturing facility
100 to the building site B. As sections of the roadways R are
filled with completed dwellings, these sections can be converted
from restricted/controlled access construction use to public
use.
[0094] The siting of the manufacturing facility 100 is such in the
particular environment illustrated in FIG. 1 that the completed
standard size dwellings D traverse roads R internal to the
development and therefore do not have to contend with existing
public roadways with their size and weight limitations, power
lines, bridges, and existing traffic. It is also possible to erect
the manufacturing facility 100 at a site that requires the use of
existing public roads, which is feasible as long as the portions of
the existing roadway that are used are free of obstructions and can
be monopolized during the movement of a completed standard size
dwelling D.
[0095] Prior Art Manufacturing Facility Architecture
[0096] The economic viability of the prior art manufacturing
facility 100 is a function of the efficiency with which it can
produce the residential structures, since the efficiency must
offset the cost of erecting the manufacturing facility 100 at a
particular housing development site. It is obvious that the benefit
afforded by this manufacturing facility 100 is a function of the
number of building sites B, the incremental cost savings associated
with each unit manufactured, and the speed with which these sites
can be populated with residential structures. The manufacturing
facility 100 achieves its efficiency by collapsing the linear,
mutually exclusive building trades operation of the prior art into
an intensive volumetric focus in the residential structure assembly
process. This difference in assembly philosophy as well as the use
of hoisting elements that are used in the manufacturing facility
100 provides the efficiencies and "automation" that assist in
making this project cost-effective. Furthermore, the unique
integral base frame that is used as the underpinnings of each
standard size dwelling D that is assembled not only enables the
completed structure to be constructed, transported, and placed on
an irregular field poured concrete foundation but also provides a
base for the standard size dwelling D that is of greater stability
and rigidity than existing methods of manufacture.
[0097] The manufacturing facility 100 is oriented as shown in FIG.
2 which is a perspective view of the manufacturing facility 100
with the roof removed therefrom. In this regard, the first
subassembly production line P1 produces an integral base frame
which is positioned on a transport element T. The second P2 and
third P3 subassembly production lines build and subsequently
relocate the preassembled panel subassemblies, including two-story
high wall panels, onto the floor subassembly. The fourth
subassembly production line P4 produces and places a full size roof
subassembly onto the partitions previously produced and installed
in the partially completed standard size dwelling D.
[0098] With reference to FIG. 2, the manufacturing facility 100
shows the use of a plurality of parallel oriented juxtaposed
subassembly production lines P1-P5, each of which is used to create
subassemblies and/or to provide warehousing of materials that are
used in the construction process. Orthogonal to and aligned at one
end of this plurality of subassembly production lines is a
"delivery alley" DA through which the delivery vehicles pass to
deliver the raw materials that are used in the standard size
dwelling assembly process. The delivery alley DA typically extends
the full length of the manufacturing facility 100 and is of
sufficient dimensions that delivery vehicles can drive through the
manufacturing facility 100 to park adjacent the subassembly
production line which is the destination for the materials provided
by the delivery vehicle. A hoisting element H* integral to that
subassembly production line P* is then able to quickly offload the
raw materials from the delivery vehicle and the delivery vehicle
then exits the manufacturing facility 100 at an egress door 106
distal from the ingress door 102 through which it entered the
manufacturing facility 100.
[0099] Juxtaposed to and orthogonal to the plurality of subassembly
production lines P1-P5 and at the end thereof opposite the delivery
alley DA is a dwelling assembly alley HA wherein the raw materials
and subassemblies produced in each subassembly production line P*
are assembled in an integrated manner into the standard size
dwelling D. Each subassembly production line P* takes raw materials
and either produces subassemblies that are lifted by the hoisting
elements H* onto the standard size dwelling D that is being
assembled or provides a warehousing capability for the various raw
materials that are used to create the standard size dwelling D.
[0100] The specific details of each subassembly production line P*
are a matter of design choice and somewhat dictated by the
architecture of the standard size dwellings D that are being
assembled in the manufacturing facility 100. Suffice it to say that
each subassembly production line P* is responsible for the complete
construction of a volumetric section of the standard size dwelling
D or is used to complete the finished work within the standard size
dwelling D that has been largely completed at the prior stages of
the construction process.
[0101] In the first subassembly production line P1, a floor
subassembly is produced and loaded on the transport element T. The
floor subassembly includes an integral base frame which strengthens
the floor subassembly to allow for the construction, transportation
and setting of the standard size dwelling D on its foundation. In
the second P2 and third P3 subassembly production lines, continuing
to the right from the first subassembly production line P1, large
wall panels are framed, sheet rocked, finished, painted and
inventoried on racks prior to installation on the appropriate floor
subassembly. Windows and doors are installed in the panelized wall
subassemblies in the second P2 and third P3 subassembly production
line. In the fourth subassembly production line P4, full size roof
subassemblies are fabricated on the floor of the manufacturing
facility 100 and then hoisted and placed on the framed partially
completed standard size dwelling D by the bridge crane H4. Finish
work, including panel joint finishing, cabinets, floor covering,
fixtures, etc., begins in the second subassembly production line
P2, continues through the fourth subassembly production line P4 and
is the primary activity implemented in the fifth subassembly
production line P5.
[0102] A strategic accomplishment of the manufacturing facility 100
is to provide a large scale factory in which multiple subassembly
production lines P* exist and which can be utilized to produce
incremental aspects of a standard size dwelling D. Some fundamental
considerations are that the manufacturing facility 100 makes bulk
materials available to all of the subassembly production lines P*,
which capability is provided in the embodiment shown herein by the
delivery alley DA, which serves all the subassembly production
lines P*. A second consideration is that a plurality of subassembly
production lines P* are used, each of which produces a distinct
increment of the standard size dwelling D. A dwelling assembly
alley HA is used to relocate the partially completed standard size
dwelling D from one subassembly production line P* to the next
sequential subassembly production line P* typically via the
transport element T on which the standard size dwelling is
constructed. A third consideration is the use of high capacity
hoisting elements H* in the subassembly production lines P* to
allow for the unloading and movement of bulk materials and for the
construction and handling of large subassemblies, including the
installation of the subassemblies in a partially completed standard
size dwelling D.
[0103] Hoisting Elements
[0104] Efficiency of operation of the manufacturing facility 100 is
in part achieved through the use of hoisting elements H* that
enable the movement of large volumes of materials or large
subassemblies that are efficiently produced within the
manufacturing facility 100. The hoisting elements H* minimize the
hand labor since they are used to pick and place raw materials,
individual subassemblies, and to pre-stock materials, such as
cabinets, flooring, plumbing fixtures, in the partially completed
standard size dwellings.
[0105] As can be seen from the perspective view of FIG. 2, the
manufacturing facility 100 is housed within a steel frame building
that uses a plurality of steel bents to support the roof as well as
the hoisting elements H* that are part of the manufacturing
facility 100. The bents are aligned with the boundaries of each
subassembly production line P* and are of sufficient structural
integrity to also support the hoisting elements H* and the loads
which they service. The bents are typically supported by a
plurality of columns, located at regular intervals along the length
of the bent, with a free span being provided across the width of
the dwelling assembly alley HA as well as the delivery alley DA.
For example, the dwelling assembly alley HA must be dimensioned to
accommodate the full extent of the completely assembled standard
size dwelling D. These dimensions would typically be a 30-40 foot
floor to bent clearance and a support column to support column free
span of approximately 60 feet. The steel bent construction
specifics of such a building are well known and are not discussed
in detail herein. The rails that support the hoisting elements H*
are attached to the columns and can also be hung from the bents in
the clear span area to provide support for the rails where the span
between columns is greater than otherwise would be allowable for
the load bearing capacity of the rails.
[0106] There can be multiple hoisting elements H* in each
subassembly production line P*, with the hoisting capacity of these
hoisting elements H* being individually sized to the task being
performed in the associated subassembly production line P*. The
area of coverage by the hoisting elements H* within a subassembly
production line P* can overlap so that each hoisting element H* has
a sufficient range of travel to provide the greatest flexibility in
use in that subassembly production line P*, thereby enabling tasks
to be performed by one hoisting element when the other hoisting
element is occupied performing another task.
[0107] Architecture of the Satellite Manufacturing Facility
[0108] The integrated production of standard size dwellings in a
single manufacturing facility that is illustrated in FIGS. 1 &
2 is segmented in the present system for manufacturing standard
size dwellings, which comprises a network of facilities, as shown
in FIG. 3, sited to maximize the efficiency of the product and
materials flows. A portion of the manufacturing and assembly
processes is implemented in the satellite manufacturing facilities
300-303, each of which is sited at a respective residential housing
development, and some or all of the subassembly manufacturing
processes and materials preparation/handling are implemented in the
one or more master production facilities 311-312. A description of
typical subassembly production processes are contained in the
above-noted U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,192 titled "Method of Production of
Standard Size Dwellings" and U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,504 titled
"Manufacturing Facility for Production of Standard Size Dwellings,"
and will not be reproduced herein for simplicity of description.
What is described herein are the various architectures and
implementations of the satellite manufacturing facility 300 that
can be used to utilize the subassemblies and materials produced at
the master production facilities 311-312. The satellite
manufacturing facilities 300-302 use hoisting apparatus to
efficiently handle subassemblies and materials to assemble a
dwelling at the satellite location, which is proximate to the
location at which the assembled dwelling will be installed.
[0109] The master production facilities 311-312 function to
manufacture subassemblies and prepare materials for use in the
plurality of satellite manufacturing facilities 300-302. A master
production facility 311 can supply all of the subassemblies and
materials used by a satellite manufacturing facility 301 or can
provide a subset of the subassemblies and materials used by a
satellite manufacturing facility 300, 302. In addition, the
plurality of satellite manufacturing facilities 300-302 may receive
materials and/or subassemblies from other sources for use in the
dwelling manufacturing process. Each of the implementations of the
satellite manufacturing facility 300 comprise one or more staging
areas, into which are transported the subassemblies produced by the
master production facilities 311-312 and/or which are used to
create subassemblies, and/or which are used to stage finish
materials. The staging areas disclosed in FIGS. 4-6 are shown as
examples of the geometries that can be used to implement the
production process, but these are simply examples and other
configurations can be used to implement the present system for
manufacturing standard size dwellings, as defined by the attached
claims.
[0110] Each satellite manufacturing facility 300-302 is typically
located as shown in FIG. 1, which depicts a variety of the
dwellings which can be constructed, including single family
detached homes S as well as three-story multi-family units M, to
illustrate the flexibility of the production capabilities of the
satellite manufacturing facilities. The multi-story dwellings M can
be produced as a combination of a two-story component with an
overall floor area of a standard size dwelling, with a similarly
sized single story component produced for the third floor and
placed on top of the two-story component by a crane. As shown in
FIG. 1, each manufacturing facility is erected in close proximity
to a large number of building sites B, some of which are shown in
FIG. 1 as having residences sited thereon, others having
foundations pre-constructed in place and others outlined as lots
with no construction work having taken place.
[0111] FIGS. 4-6 illustrate typical implementations of the various
staging areas contained in a typical embodiment of the satellite
manufacturing facility 300 of the present system for manufacturing
standard size dwellings. In these Figures, a plurality of staging
areas are disclosed and the functions implemented in these staging
areas may be combined, modified, eliminated as the needs of the
dwelling being produced and the economies of the process may
dictate. The number and nature of the process steps disclosed
herein are mapped to those disclosed in the above-noted patents for
simplicity of understanding of the architectures disclosed herein,
since the detailed descriptions contained in these patents may be
used for illustration. It is envisioned that the staging areas
P1-P5 and the locations L1-L5 simply represent a sensible
allocation of the space of the satellite manufacturing facility 300
for the purposes required to handle materials and subassemblies and
to assemble the dwelling.
[0112] Transport Element
[0113] FIG. 7 illustrates in perspective view a typical transport
element T that is used to support the standard size dwelling D as
it is assembled in the satellite manufacturing facility 300 and
transported from this facility to a permanent site. The transport
element T, as shown in a typical embodiment in FIG. 7, comprises a
rectangular frame formed of a plurality of rigid interconnected
supporting members T1-T5. A number of the supporting members T1-T4
form the substantially rectangular exterior frame and the remaining
supporting member T5 forms an interior supporting member. A
standard size dwelling is shown in dotted line outline form placed
on the transport element T to illustrate the size and extent of the
transport element T with respect to a standard size dwelling. The
typical supporting members T1-T5 are shown as steel I-beams of
sufficient capacity to support the standard size dwelling. Three of
the supporting members T1, T3, T5 are shown equipped with wheel
assemblies W to thereby enable the transport element T to be
repositioned within the satellite manufacturing facility 300 and
thence to the building site with the standard size dwelling placed
on the transport element. FIG. 7 also illustrates a towing hitch PH
affixed to one end of the substantially rectangular frame formed of
supporting members T1-T5 to thereby enable a tow vehicle to connect
to the transport element T and perform the transportation
function.
[0114] It is obvious that a number of alternative embodiments of
the transport element T can be devised, such as having axles span
the entire width of the transport element, as a function of the
performance characteristics required for the specific
implementation of the satellite manufacturing facility 300 as well
as the nature of the path that the transport element may take to
the building site. It is also envisioned that the wheel assemblies
W can be made removable from the frame formed of supporting members
T1-T5. Thus, it is possible that the transport element can comprise
the integral base frame FF of the structure itself, with the wheel
assemblies W initially installed thereto to facilitate the movement
of the standard size dwelling through the manufacturing process and
delivery to the building site. Once installed at the building site,
the standard size dwelling no longer requires the wheel assemblies
W, and these can be removed for reuse in the manufacturing of
another standard size dwelling. Also, the wheel assemblies W can be
interchanged so that a separate set is used to move the standard
size dwelling D to the building site. The wheel assemblies W may
also be dispensed with in the factory if the foundation frame is
used as part of a rail system.
[0115] Integral Base Frame Architecture
[0116] The integral base frame is that structural element which is
integral to the base of a satellite manufacturing facility produced
standard size dwelling, and provides the foundation upon which the
floors and vertical framing elements for the dwelling are attached.
The integral base frame allows a standard size dwelling to be
created in its entirety and moved prior to being located on a
permanent foundation. The integral base frame is typically provided
at the base of the outside bearing perimeter walls, at interior
load bearing walls, at selected other locations and may be
contained within a floor subassembly.
[0117] In the satellite manufacturing facility, the standard size
dwelling is built with an integral base frame to enable the simple
relocation of the partially built dwelling within the satellite
manufacturing facility and eventually to a permanent foundation at
the dwelling site. The dwelling can also be later moved without
significant complexity, since the structure incorporates the
integral base frame and can be relocated to another permanent
foundation.
[0118] Thus, the standard size dwelling built in the satellite
manufacturing facility is substantially built "in space" rather
than "in place". For this to be possible, the initial step in the
manufacturing process requires the use of the integral base frame
which establishes a solid point of beginning and provides a
dimensionally stable foundation. The integral base frame thereby
provides structural integrity to the base of the satellite
manufacturing facility manufactured dwelling, which enables the
dwelling to exist in space without continuous additional support to
enable the standard size dwelling to be manufactured, transported
and placed on a permanent foundation as an integral,
self-supporting and rigidized structure. The integral base frame
distributes vertical loads downward from the wall sections to the
transport element and upward from the transport element to the load
bearing walls. The integral base frame also provides a
dimensionally stable flat surface on which the floor and wall
elements can be added and can be manufactured from light gauge
steel, standard steel sections, wood, concrete, plastic, or other
suitable materials.
[0119] FIG. 8 illustrates in perspective view a typical
architecture of the integral base frame assembly FF that is used in
the standard size dwelling manufacturing process. In particular,
the integral base frame FF is the element that circumscribes the
entirety of the standard size dwelling D and provides the support
and stability to enable the entire completed structure to be
relocated by a crane C or by beams and rollers from a transport
element T to the preassembled foundation at the building lot B. In
order to accomplish this function, the integral base frame FF
comprises a set of steel beams, such as I-beams or steel tubes,
which are assembled into a framework that conforms to the
foundation. The I-beams or steel tubes, as shown in FIG. 8, are
assembled by welding together or bolting to form a framework onto
which a floor joist assembly FJ can be fabricated. Additional
precut I-beams or steel tubes are positioned to cap the open ends
of the partially assembled integral base frame FF and complete an
entire section of the floor subassembly. The joists FJ are secured
to the integral base frame FF via welds, bolts, screws, shot pins
and the like, at points where one of the steel joists FJ meet a
corresponding point of the integral base frame FF. The dimensions
of the integral base frame FF and the joists FJ are preferably
selected so that the joists snugly fit within the "pocket" created
by the cross-section of the integral base frame elements and the
capped integral base frame FF creates a resultant dimensionally
stable and rigid floor subassembly. The floor sheathing FS, as
shown in FIG. 8, is placed to expose a length of the joists FJ
sufficient to fit within the pocket provided by the integral base
frame FF, so the assembled floor subassembly does not include any
voids between the floor sheathing FS and the integral base frame
FF. Alternatively, the steel tubes may be used to create an
integral frame on top of which the floor joists are placed, where
they are easy to install and articulate into flexible forms.
[0120] Satellite Facility Configurations
[0121] FIGS. 4-6 represent several configurations of the satellite
manufacturing facility 300. By collapsing the linear structure of
traditional residential housing production into a substantially
volumetric process, and relocating the partially completed
structure within the satellite manufacturing facility 300 from one
location to another, a significant amount of flexibility in the
scheduling of the work can be attained by intermixing finished,
roughed-in and feature work into concurrently extant operations
within the same structure.
[0122] FIG. 4 illustrates a typical linear flow of the
manufacturing process where the dwelling is assembled in a
plurality of stages, with each location L1-L5 in the satellite
manufacturing facility 300 being served by an associated staging
area P-P5, or in some cases a single staging area P5 can serve
several locations L4A, L5 as shown in FIG. 4. In this process, the
roof subassembly is shown as being manufactured on site at the
satellite manufacturing facility 300, rather than being delivered
as a complete subassembly, due to the typical size of a roof
subassembly. In order to illustrate this capability, the roof
subassembly is implemented in a plurality of stages in locations
L4A, L4B, which feed the final roof install location L4 where the
completed roof subassembly is placed on the framed partially
constructed dwelling that has been moved from location L3 to
location L4. The dwelling is assembled in stages, at each of
locations L1-L5, and the collection of these locations L1-L5 is
termed an assembly alley HA herein for convenience herein. There
need not be a dedicated assembly alley, and the location of the
dwellings in their various stages of completion can be determined
by the availability and implementation of the various hoisting
apparatus used to move, lift and place the base frame, floor
subassemblies, wall subassemblies, prefabricated kitchen/bathroom
modules, roof subassembly, and any other components or materials.
Thus, the use of a dwelling assembly alley HA is simply an
illustration to demonstrate a typical configuration and is not a
limitation on the implementation of the satellite manufacturing
facility.
[0123] The sequence of process steps (described below) and the
siting of the various functions illustrated in FIG. 4 are for
illustration and not intended to limit the concepts disclosed
herein. In particular, for a single story dwelling, there would not
be the need for a second floor assembly process at location L3, and
much of the finish work may be implemented at location L3 instead
of and/or in addition to location L5. Furthermore, the roof
subassembly construction may be implemented external to the
building that houses other portions of the dwelling assembly, with
the roof being installed on the partially assembled dwelling either
within or external to the building that houses other portions of
the dwelling assembly, with the external installation reducing the
height requirement of the building. Similarly, the finish work
shown as being implemented at location L5 can be done within
another building, external to a building, and possibly at a site
distant from the building that houses other portions of the
dwelling assembly.
[0124] The linear flow of the process shown in FIG. 4 can be
implemented in the configuration shown in FIG. 5, where
multi-purpose staging areas P1-P2 serve dwelling assembly L1, L2
and roof subassembly fabrication L4B, L4A locations. Staging areas
P3 and P5 serve locations L3 and L5, respectively to provide
subassemblies and materials for the process steps implemented
therein. The dwelling assembly takes place at various locations
within the satellite manufacturing facility 300 and this
configuration can even be used to support two dwelling assembly
processes, where locations L4B, L4A, L4 are used for the functions
designated for locations L1-L3, while location L5 comprises a
location where the roof subassembly is fabricated. In this
instance, the roof install can take place at locations L3, L4 and
the dwelling can exit the satellite manufacturing facility 300 for
finish work and installation at the dwelling's permanent
location.
[0125] FIG. 6 illustrates a single linear flow of the dwelling
assembly process, where the roof subassembly can take place in
staging area P4, for installation at location L4. Alternatively,
the staging areas P1-P5 can each be used for the complete assembly
of a dwelling in the associated locations L1-L5, rather than
relocating a partially assembled dwelling between locations L1-L5.
Thus, in the configuration shown in FIG. 6, five dwellings can be
simultaneously assembled.
[0126] In all of these configurations, and others naturally derived
from these configurations, hoisting apparatus are used to move,
lift and place the base frame, floor subassemblies, wall
subassemblies, prefabricated kitchen/bathroom modules, roof
subassembly, and any other components or materials. The centralized
fabrication of subassemblies and/or the processing of materials
into "cut lengths" and/or the staging of components and materials
at the master manufacturing facilities 311, 312 provides economic
and efficiency advantages, where the master manufacturing
facilities 311, 312 can feed numerous satellite manufacturing
facilities 300-302, where the assembly of the dwelling takes place,
using hoisting apparatus to implement this process. The following
description of the various staging areas refers to the specific
configuration illustrated in FIG. 4, although the concepts
articulated therein are applicable to other configurations.
[0127] First Staging Area
[0128] The first staging area P1 of the satellite manufacturing
facility 300 is primarily used to create the floor subassembly,
which as a minimum includes the residential integral base frame
described above, and can also include the floor joist assembly and
sub-flooring as described above. The floor platform subassemblies
are then typically placed on to beams and rollers of the transport
element T that is positioned in the dwelling assembly alley HA of
the satellite manufacturing facility 300. An integral base frame
assembly staging area may be included in the first staging area P1
and the partially assembled integral base frames are used to create
a subassembly of floor joists, with insulation, wiring, plumbing
installed therein and the overlay of floor sheathing installed
thereon. The floor joist subassemblies are transported and placed
on the transport element T in a predetermined position and
interconnected with other (if any) frames produced to create a
complete floor subassembly.
[0129] Second Staging Area
[0130] The second staging area P2 of the satellite manufacturing
facility 300 is primarily used to fabricate the exterior walls and
first floor interior walls of the standard size dwelling D. A wall
panel assembly staging area is included in the second staging area
P2 to store subassemblies of an exterior or interior wall, with
insulation, wiring, plumbing, windows, doors installed therein as
desired. Workers can tape drywall seams, finish the drywall, and
paint the wall subassembly, if not already done. The finished wall
subassembly is then relocated to storage racks located in the
second staging area P2 or directly placed in position and secured
in the dwelling D being assembled in the dwelling assembly alley HA
in a predetermined position and interconnected with other wall
subassemblies to create a complete framed and subfloored structure
assembly.
[0131] The exterior finish may not be present on the exterior walls
to thereby enable the workers to access the various utilities that
are run through the walls. As wall segments are joined, the
utilities pre-installed therein must be interconnected, and this
can be done via access from the exterior (or top) of the wall,
rather than the interior as is presently done. The multitude of
subsystems that comprise a dwelling are treated as an integrated
system with the progression of construction of each subsystem
coordinated with the various other systems to ensure coherent
construction of the dwelling in an efficient manner.
[0132] At this juncture, to increase the speed of manufacture,
reduce the handling of materials, cabinet assemblies, doors,
windows, floor coverings etc. can be pre-stocked in the shell of
the standard size dwelling D. The pre-stocking enables the workers
at later stages of assembly to have the necessary materials already
situated within the standard size dwelling D, via hoisting element
H2, to enable the workers to perform finish work concurrently with
the second story and the roof being assembled and installed on the
standard size dwelling D. The materials, such as drywall, can be of
dimensions greater than typically used since the hoisting element
H2 can be used to transport these materials, rather than depending
on the workers to handle each piece individually, with the size of
the materials being dictated by the physical limitations of the
workers.
[0133] Third Staging Area
[0134] The third staging area P3 is predicated on the presumption
that the standard size dwelling being manufactured is a two story
dwelling. Obviously, if one story dwellings are being manufactured,
the third staging area P3 as described herein may be deemed to be
unnecessary. The equipment (such as hoisting apparatus H3) and work
areas of the third staging area P3 are similar to those of the
second staging area P2.
[0135] Fourth Staging Area
[0136] The fourth staging area P4 of the satellite manufacturing
facility 300 is primarily used to fabricate, relocate and install
the roof subassembly of the standard size dwelling D. This staging
area, if used to manufacture a roof subassembly may comprise a
series of areas P4A-P4C, each of which is used to fabricate a
portion of the roof subassembly or a plurality of roof
subassemblies. The roof fabrication can be implemented external to
the building that houses the satellite manufacturing facility. The
equipment and work areas of the fourth staging area P4 typically
comprise at least one raw material processing stage. In particular,
standard lengths of framing members and roof truss members are
delivered to the fourth staging area P4.
[0137] A roof subassembly staging area is included in the fourth
staging area P4. The roof subassembly is then hoisted into place on
top of the framed shell of the two story structure and thus must be
constructed somewhat differently from existing roof designs. In
particular, since a crane H4 (such as an overhead crane) "picks and
places" the entire roof subassembly, the trusses used to fabricate
the roof subassembly must be designed to support both dynamic and
static traditional roof loads, supported by the frame of the house,
as well as to be capable of supporting the weight of the assembled
roof when it is being hoisted. Therefore, the roof trusses must be
designed to account for compression and tension loads in all
conditions. The overhead crane H4 transports the completed roof
subassembly from the roof subassembly fabrication areas L4B, L4A to
the dwelling assembly alley HA where it is placed on the framed
structure, which was installed on the transport element T at the
first P1 through third P3 staging areas of the satellite
manufacturing facility 300, in a predetermined position and
interconnected with the interior and exterior wall staging areas to
create a complete enclosed standard size dwelling D.
[0138] The fabrication of the roof subassembly on the roof
subassembly fabrication areas results in a reduced assembly time,
since working on ground level is easier, safer and more efficient
than constructing the roof in place on the framed two story
dwelling as is presently done in the stick building technology.
[0139] Fifth Staging Area
[0140] The fifth staging area P5 of the satellite manufacturing
facility 300 is used to perform all remaining finish work that was
not completed in the previous manufacturing stages. In this regard,
the fifth staging area P5 may not strictly be termed a staging area
since no subassembly is produced therein, but instead, in the
preferred embodiment of the satellite manufacturing facility 300,
it is used as a storage and staging area where the pre-stocking
materials, such as floor covering, are stored and cut to size for
transportation to the appropriate staging area for insertion into
the partially competed dwelling located in the dwelling assembly
alley HA, as described above. Therefore, the finish work includes
any remaining painting, installation of plumbing fixtures,
electrical outlets, trim work, appliance installation, etc.
Additional exterior work that was not previously completed is now
done, such as gutters, roofing, flashing, exterior trim painting,
etc. The materials for these activities can be stored in a
plurality of rows of high bay storage racks. The materials handled
in the fifth staging area P5 of the satellite manufacturing
facility 300 may be more adapted to processing using a forklift
truck rather than an overhead crane. In addition, the dwelling
assembly alley HA may not be contiguous with the fifth staging area
P5, since there is not necessarily any relocation of large bundles
of materials to the dwelling at this stage of production.
Therefore, the dwelling can even be moved at this juncture to a
section of the building remote from the staging areas P1-P4, or
"off-site" external to the building to another enclosed structure,
or even in an open area outside.
SUMMARY
[0141] The benefits of the satellite manufacturing facility are
that the standard size dwellings produced in the satellite
manufacturing facility represent significant advances from what is
produced by the housing industry today. It is achieved by
collapsing the traditional sequential building process into a small
finite number of steps, each of which is implemented in a
predetermined staging area of the facility somewhat independent of,
yet in close coordination with, the building activity that takes
place in the other staging areas of the facility.
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