WO2005001213A1

WO2005001213A1 - Method for the manufacture of houses

Info

Publication number: WO2005001213A1
Application number: PCT/CA2004/000818
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paul Kerr
Original assignee: The Mattamy Corporation
Priority date: 2003-06-30
Filing date: 2004-06-03
Publication date: 2005-01-06

Abstract

A method for the manufacture of buildings and particularly a method for the manufacture of houses. The method of manufacturing utilizes building material which has been prepared for delivery to the building manufacturing area, and transported to the building manufacturing area in kit form, the delivery of the kits of building material occurring in a sequence which reduces inefficiencies in traditional building material handling and building material flow during the construction of a building or house.

Description

METHOD FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HOUSES

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for the manufacture of buildings and particularly to a method for the manufacture of houses.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The manufacturing of completed or partially completed houses (both of which are referred to herein as "houses") within a factory for subsequent transport to the installation location of the house, for example in a subdivision, is well-known. When compared to outdoor stick building, manufacturing houses within a factory provides numerous advantages, including the improved ability to work at all hours of the day and without concern for weather, and providing greater worker safety and comfort and improved efficiency in use of material, energy and equipment.

The prior art provides two distinct methods for manufacturing houses within a factory and includes those which utilize an assembly line on which the house is constructed and those which utilize a stick building approach characterized in that the house is manufactured or constructed within the factory in a fashion substantially similar to that used in traditional outdoor stick building.

The assembly line method depends for its success on several factors, including a precisely ordered sequence of actions or steps, some of which actions or steps require the precise and timely supply of material and/or skilled labour to a particular point in the assembly line, and also including the production of large numbers of houses having a significant number of common components, structures or elements. Disadvantageously, however, a failure of a precise and timely supply of material and/or skilled labour to a particular point in the assembly line may have a significant negative effect on production resulting in a significant bottleneck in production until the failure has been remedied. Furthermore, the requirement that the factory produce a significant number of identical or substantially identical or common components, structures or elements significantly undermines the ability of the factory to produce, in sequence and/or economically, houses of significantly different sizes, designs and/or customizations.

The indoor stick building approach of the prior art is typically more flexible, but does not benefit from the efficiency gains that may be available using the assembly line approach referenced above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and device for the manufacturing of houses in a factory which may be located within or in close proximity to a subdivision which is being built, which method overcomes, alleviates, or reduces the impact of the above-referenced deficiencies or limitations in the prior art.

Accordingly, in one embodiment, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a completed or substantially completed house within a factory, comprising, receiving house building materials at the factory, converting at least some of the house building materials into kittable form, delivering at least some of the house building materials in kittable form to a building manufacturing area within the factory and constructing a completed or substantially completed house in the building manufacturing area within the factory utilizing such building materials.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a completed or substantially completed house within a factory, comprising receiving house building materials at the factory; delivering the house building materials to a kitting area; converting at least some of the house building materials into kittable form at the kitting area; delivering at least some of the house building materials converted into the kittable form to a building manufacturing area within the factory; and constructing a completed or substantially completed house in the building manufacturing area within the factory utilizing the house building materials converted into the kittable form.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a completed or substantially completed house within a factory, comprising receiving house building materials at the factory; placing the house building materials on a transporter; delivering the house building materials on the transporter to a pre-kitting area; removing the house building materials from the transporter; effecting pre-kitting preparation of the house building materials at the pre- kitting area; placing the house building materials on the transporter; delivering the house building materials on the transporter to a kitting area; removing the house building materials from the transporter; converting the house building materials into kittable form at the kitting area; placing the house building materials on the transporter; delivering the house building materials converted into the kittable form to a marshaling area, and temporarily storing the house building materials converted into the kittable form until required; delivering the house building materials converted into the kittable form to a building manufacturing area within the factory; and constructing a completed or substantially completed house in the building manufacturing area within the factory utilizing the house building materials converted into the kittable form.

The advantage of the present invention is that it provides a responsive and flexible method for the timely delivery of building material, in a precisely ordered sequence, with a high degree of quality control and material standardization and pre-preparation, to a house during its manufacture.

It is a further advantage of the present invention that it permits improved efficiency in purchasing building material for the houses, permits improved pre-inspection of building material for quality and quantity, allows for the correction of quality and/or quantity deficiencies before the building material is inserted into the manufacturing process, and increases the efficiency of the personnel engaged in constructing the house.

It is a further advantage of the present invention that when used in association with an assembly line, such as those of the prior art, it will permit the assembly line to have improved efficiency, reliability and flexibility, or when used in association with a stick building process, will provide amongst other things, increased efficiency and timeliness of material handling and delivery.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA TNGS

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a graphical representation of a factory which has implemented therein an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a graphical representation of the same factory which has implemented therein an embodiment of the present invention, the factory being shown adjacent to the subdivision being built.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Having regard to Figure 1 and Figure 2 set forth herein, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described herein.

With reference to Figure 2, in the preferred embodiment, a house manufacturing factory 1 is established within, or in close proximity to a subdivision 2 which is being built. The proximity of the factory 1 to the subdivision 2 beneficially allows for the manufacture of complete or substantially complete houses within a factory land for the subsequent delivery of the house to the subdivision 2, with reduced or entirely eliminated likelihood of interference during the delivery of the house from the factory 1 to its foundation in the subdivision 2 as a result of bridges, wires, narrow roads or other impediments and with reduced or entirely eliminated need to utilize public access roads and highways (that is, roads and highways to which the public generally has access) during such transport of the house.

With reference to Figure 1, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, building material is ordered from one or more suppliers, and received at a receiving area 3 on a "just-in-time" basis, or alternatively "in advance", for on-site storage or stockpiling (the expression "building material" or "building materials" is to be construed herein in the widest sense and may include all such items as may be required for the completion of a completed or substantially completed house, including raw construction materials, processed materials, prefabricated components and/or such other material as would be understood by a person skilled in the art to be required for the construction of a house or like structure, and may also include, for example, household appliances, heating and air conditioning equipment, and items of decoration). It is understood that while price, purchasing and handling efficiencies may be achieved by buying in bulk and stockpiling in an indoor storage area 4 or in an outdoor storage area 5, it is also understood that in some circumstances, the utilization of just-in-time delivery may result in decreased capital and other costs, particularly those costs associated with having to repeatedly handle and/or store building material for a period of time before utilization.

In the preferred embodiment, the building material will be received, typically from a truck 17, at the receiving area 3 at the factory 1 (or at a site located conveniently near the factory 1), and thereafter inspected for quantity and quality (and, in the preferred embodiment, any deficiencies in either quantity or quality corrected at that time, it being understood that, where appropriate, those portions of the building material which do not comply with the quality requirements being remedied at that time).

After the building material has been inspected, in the event that such building material is not required for immediate use, the building material is sent for storage in an indoor storage area 4 or in an outdoor storage area 5 or at a site located conveniently proximate to the factory 1.

In the preferred embodiment, if the received building material is required for immediate use, and was received in"kittable form" (as that term is more fully described herein) and therefore ready in its received form and configuration for delivery to the building manufacturing area 11 , it is forwarded to the kitting area 7, where this building material which is in "kittable form" is placed on a kitting transporter 9 for subsequent delivery to the building manufacturing area 11 ("kittable form" means that condition of the building material in which it can be readily integrated into the house during its manufacture without significant additional preparation of the building material, and, by way of example only, may include lumber which has been pre-cut to its correct size for ready installation into the house, or lumber which has been cut and constructed into building elements such as trusses, or any other building material which is ready for installation or which may be pre-prepared or pre- constructed into a more readily usable form prior to it being delivered to the building manufacturing area 11, it being understood that some additional preparation of the building material may be required after tiϊe kit is delivered to the building manufacturing area 11 , it also being understood that the precise balance between the tasks to be preformed on the building material prior to the building material being delivered to the building manufacturing area 11, and those to be performed after it has arrived at the building manufacturing area 11 being determined having regard to, amongst other things, efficiencies of time, cost, labour, safety and such other factors a person skilled in the art would consider).

When building material is received which is not in kittable form it may either be immediately stored in a storage areas 4 or 5 until needed or in the alternative may be sent to a pre-kitting area 6 for pre- kitting preparation (it being understood that while in the preferred embodiment, the pre-kitting area is proximate the kitting area, the factory layout may vary considerably, and the specific location of the pre-kitting area may be determined on a factory by factory basis). In the preferred embodiment, pre-kitting preparation includes any step in which the building material is converted from non- kittable form into kittable form by, for example, removing any remaining packaging/shipping material, a final inspection of the building material to ensure satisfactory building material quality, and where appropriate, any cutting, shaping, coating, assembly, pre-assembly or other such procedure in which the building material is prepared and converted into kittable form. It is understood that some building material may arrive at the factory requiring no further preparation, having been delivered to the factory already in kittable form.

In the preferred embodiment some of the pre-kitting preparation may occur on fabrication tables 18, where, by way of example, a prefabricated wall section 19 in kittable form may be assembled.

Once in kittable form, the building material, in kittable form, may thereafter be transported directly to the kitting area 7 or stored in a storage areas 4 or 5 for later delivery to the kitting area 7 as required.

In the preferred embodiment, marking or coding may be added to any piece of building material at an appropriate stage, such marking or coding being human or machine readable, or both. Such marking or coding may facilitate control over movement and inventory of the building material, both before and after inclusion in a kit, and may also facilitate the preparation of the building material or the incorporation of the building material into the house, for example by pre-printing of nailing or cutting patterns on the building material. It is understood that such marking and coding may also facilitate automation.

In the preferred embodiment, once the building material is in kittable form, and has been delivered to the kitting area 7, the building material in kittable form is placed on a kitting transporter 9. It is understood that the kitting transporter 9 may take one of many different configurations including one or more carts, wagons, trailers, or other suitable transport devices known to persons skilled in the art, provided that they are suitably adapted for transporting the finished kit from the kitting area 7 to the building manufacturing area 11, and is generally capable of efficiently handling and transporting the building material to its destination, it being understood that the kitting transporter 9 may be self-propelled or may be propelled by some other means, for example a truck or tractor or similar device 8 or (where available) an overhead crane. In the preferred embodiment, where appropriate, two or more kitting transporters 9, may be linked together for improved efficiency of delivery of the building material to the building manufacturing area 11.

In the preferred embodiment, once the building material in kittable form has been placed on the kitting transporter 9, they are available for delivery to the building manufacturing area 11. In the preferred embodiment, one or more kitting transporters 9 may be used to transfer the building material(now in kittable form) from the kitting area 7 to the building manufacturing area 11. It is understood that the kitting area 7 may be used for the purpose of receiving building material in kittable form, placing the building material on the kitting transporter 9, and where appropriate, arranging the kitting transporters 9 in a sequence which is related to the expected demands of the constructing of the house and in response to the requirements of the crew leaders and co-ordinators as set out below.

In the preferred embodiment the building material in kittable form may now be delivered to the building manufacturing area 11 when it is required at the building manufacturing area 11 for incorporation into a particular house, it being understood that while it is generally preferred that the building material in kittable form should be delivered very shortly before it is needed at the building manufacturing area 11 , to avoid unnecessary congestion in the building manufacturing area 11 , it is also understood that improved efficiency may be achieved in some circumstances when multiple kitting transporters 9 with a variety of different building material in kittable form are delivered simultaneously to the building manufacturing area 11. It is also understood that in some circumstances it may be advantageous to deliver the kits to the building manufacturing area 11 in advance, for example, so that the building material may be available immediately at the beginning of a work shift, or immediately after a work break.

It is understood that the kitting area 7 may be used both as a marshaling location for the building material that is in kittable form and which has been placed on kitting transporters 9, and also may be used as a temporary storage or buffer area, to allow for the temporary accumulation of building material in kittable form, the kitting area 7 thereby acting as a buffer in relation to the delivery to it of building material in kittable form, and the delivery from it of such building material to the building manufacturing area 11. In the preferred embodiment, a marshaling area 11 may he used integrally with, or independently of the kitting area 7 to act as a buffer to allow for the temporary accumulation of building material in kittable form, the marshaling area 11 thereby acting as a buffer in relation to the delivery to it of building material in kittable form, and the delivery from it of such material to the building manufacturing area 11 (it being understood that while in the preferred embodiment, the marshaling area 11 is proximate the kitting area 7, the factory layout may vary considerably, and the specific location of the marshaling area 11 may be determined on a factory by factory basis).

In the preferred embodiment, the marshaling area 11 is provided at an intermediate location between the kitting area and the building manufacturing area 11 in order to insert flexibility and resiliency into the supply of building material from the kitting area 7 and the house 12. In the preferred embodiment the marshaling area 11 is designed and constructed such that the kitting transporters 9 may be positioned relative to one another and where appropriate, linked to one another, so that the movement of building material from the marshaling area 11 to the house 12 is orderly and efficient, and in particular so that the positioning or movement of any particular kitting transporter 9 will not interfere with the orderly and efficient movement of any other kitting transporter or equipment. In another embodiment, the marshaling area and kitting area may be substantially or completely combined. In the preferred embodiment, the person who is responsible for me constructing of a particular house, (referred to herein as a "crew leader"), is responsible for the requisitioning of and the timing of each of the deliveries of building materials to the building manufacturing area 11 from the kitting area 7 or marshaling area 11 , as appropriate. In accordance with the requisition from the crew leader, the building material is delivered, in kittable form by means of a kitting transporter 9, to the building manufacturing area 11.

In the preferred embodiment, in close coordination with the crew leaders for each of the different houses being manufactured in the building manufacturing area 11 at any given time, a second individual (referred to herein as a "co-ordinator") who is responsible for co-ordinating the delivery of building material to each of the different houses being manufactured in the building manufacturing area 11 at any given time, is advised sufficiently in advance of the expected needs of the crew leaders so that the kittable building material is assembled into a kit and available for delivery to the crew leaders as needed.

When the building material in kittable form arrives at a particular house 12 being constructed in the building manufacturing area 11 , the building material will be moved from the kitting transporter and thereafter incorporated into the house 12 being constructed in the building manufacturing area 11.

While it is understood that all or substantially all of the said final preparation of the building material will have already occurred when the building material was pre-prepared while being put into kittable form, once the building material has arrived at the building manufacturing area 11, further preparation of the building material may be necessary, such as, for example, specific modifications to the building material may be required which were not contemplated at the time of putting the building material into kittable form, or any necessary on-site adjustments or alterations to the building material during the installation process.

It is understood that in the building manufacturing area 11 , the building material may be incorporated into the house in a stick-built fashion as illustrated in Figure 1, which illustrates 4 separate stick building sites 13, 14, 15 and 16 within the building manufacturing area 11 , or where the kit includes a subassembly of the house being constructed, the building material may be incorporated into the house as one or more subassemblies of the house, or where T-E-e factory building area utilizes an assembly line for the assembly of the house, the kits may be delivered to the appropriate location on the assembly line for incorporation into the house being constructed thereon.

In the preferred embodiment, the factory 1 will contain more than one building sites within a building manufacturing area 11 (Figure 1 illustrates 4 separate stick building sites 13, 14, 15 and 16 within the building manufacturing area 11), it being understood that in other embodiments the factory may contain only one building site within a building manufacturing area 11, while in other embodiments the building manufacturing area may be remote from the factory 1, for example in a second factory, or, where appropriate, within a temporary structure, or outdoors.

A house which is completed or substantially completed using the method described herein may then be moved from the factory to the subdivision for installation on footings or a foundation located therein.

In an alternative embodiment, a significant volumetric segment, section or portion of a house can constructed in a factory utilizing the method of the present invention, which significant volumetric segment, section or portion of a house can thereafter be combined with one or more other similarly constructed significant volumetric segments, sections or portions of a house at the installation location to form a complete or substantially complete house, the segments, sections or portions each representing a significant volumetric aspect of the completed house, and typically greater than 10% of the volume of the completed house.

It is also understood that the method of the present invention may be utilized to construct dwellings in various formats, including, but not limited to, high-rise and low-rise apartments, duplexes, triplexes, townhouses, row houses, semi-detached houses and singles, and may be utilized in the construction of office, retail and other commercial buildings.

The present invention has been described herein with regard to its preferred embodiment. However, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The invention provides an improved method and device for the manufacturing of houses in a factory which may be located within or in close proximity to a subdivision which is being built, which comprises receiving house building materials at the factory, converting at least some of the house building materials into kittable form, delivering at least some of the house building materials in kittable form to a building manufacturing area within the factory and constructing a completed or substantially completed house in the building manufacturing area within the factory utilizing such building materials. In utilizing the method and device of the present invention, a responsive and flexible method for the timely delivery of building material is provided, in a precisely ordered sequence, with a high degree of quality control and material standardization and pre-preparation, to a house during its manufacture.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:We claim:

1. A method for manufacturing a completed or substantially completed house within a factory, comprising: a. receiving house building materials at the factory; b. converting at least some of the house building materials into kittable form; c. delivering at least some of the house building materials in the kittable form to a building manufacturing area within the factory; and d. constructing a completed or substantially completed house in the building manufacturing area within the factory utilizing the building materials.

2. A method for manufacturing a completed or substantially completed house within a factory, comprising: a receiving house building materials at the factory; b. delivering the house building materials to a kitting area; c. converting at least some of the house building materials into kittable form at the kitting area; d. delivering at least some of the house building materials converted into the kittable form to a building manufacturing area within the factory; and e. constructing a completed or substantially completed house in the building manufacturing area within the factory utilizing the house building materials converted into the kittable form.

3. The method of claim 2, characterized in that the kitting area is adaptable to convert the house building materials of significantly different sizes, designs and customizations into the kittable form.

4. The method of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the step of delivering the at least some of the house building materials in the kittable form to the building manufacturing area within the factory further comprises placing the house building materials converted into the kittable form on a transporter to transport the house building materials converted into the kittable form to the building manufacturing area.

5. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the step of receiving the house building materials at the factory further comprises, when the house building materials are not immediately required, storing the house building materials in a storage area in the factoiy.

6. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the step of receiving the house building materials at the factory further comprises, when the house building materials are not immediately required, storing the house building materials at a storage area proximate to the factory.

7. The method of claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, when the house building materials are required, the house building materials are transferred from the storage area for use, whereby the at least some of the house building materials can be converted into the kittable form.

8. The method of any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the house building materials can be stored in a plurality of storage areas in the factory.

9. The method of any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that, prior to the step of delivering the house building materials to the kitting area, the house building materials are forwarded first to a pre-kitting area for effecting pre-kitting preparation of the house building materials before delivery of the house building materials to the kitting area.

10. The method of claim 9, characterized in that the pre-kitting area is located proximate to the kitting area.

11. The method of claim 10, characterized in that the pre-kitting area is located within the factory.

12. The method of claim 9, characterized in that the step of effecting the pre-kitting preparation of the house building materials further comprises removing packaging material, inspection of the house building material, and refinement of the house building material.

13. The method of claim 12, characterized in that the step of effecting the pre-kitting preparation of the house building materials at the pre-kitting area further comprises using fabrication tables whereon the pre-kitting preparation of the house building materials can occur.

14. The method of any one of claims 9 to 13 , characterized in that, after the step of effecting the pre-kitting preparation of the house building materials at the pre-kitting area has occurred, the house building materials are delivered to the kitting area.

15. The method of claim 14, characterized in that the step of delivering the house building materials from the pre-kitting area further comprises placing the house building materials on a transporter to transport the house building materials to the kitting area.

16. The method of any one of claims 9 to 13 , characterized in that, after the step of effecting the pre-kitting preparation of the house building materials at the pre-kitting area has occurred, the house building materials are removed from the pre-kitting area by a transporter and stored for later delivery to the kitting area.

17. The method of any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the step of receiving the house building materials at the factory further comprises marking or coding any of the house building materials.

18. The method of claim 17, characterized in that the step of marking or coding the any of the house building materials further comprises utilizing an automated process to effect the marking or coding of the any of the house building materials.

19. The metnod of claim 17, characterized in that the martαng or coding of the any of the house building materials is human readable.

20. The method of claim 17, characterized in that the marking or coding of the any of the house building materials is machine readable.

21. The method of any one of claims 4 to 20, characterized in that the step of delivering the at least some of the house building materials in the kittable form to the building manufacturing area within the factory further comprises placing the house building materials converted into the kittable form on at least two transporters to transport the house building materials converted into the kittable form to the building manufacturing area.

22. The method of claim 21 , characterized in that, when the house building materials converted into the kittable form are not yet required at the building manufacturing area, the house building materials converted into the kittable form are delivered to a marshaling area, whereby the house building materials converted into the kittable form can be temporarily stored at the marshaling area until required at the building manufacturing area.

23. The method of claim 22, characterized in that the marshaling area is used integrally with the kitting area.

24. The method of claim 22, characterized in that the marshaling area is independent from the kitting area.

25. The method of any one of claims 22 to 24, characterized in that the marshaling area is proximate to the kitting area.

26. The method of any one of claims 22 to 24, characterized in that the marshaling area is located within the factory.

27. The method of any one of claims 22 to 24, characterized in that the marshaling area is provided at an intermediate location between the kitting area and the building manufacturing area.

28. The method of claim 22, characterized in that the marshaling area and the kitting area are substantially or completely combined.

29. A method for manufacturing a completed or substantially completed house within a factory, comprising: receiving house building materials at the factory; placing the house building materials on a transporter; delivering the house building materials on the transporter to a pre-kitting area; removing the house building materials from the transporter; effecting pre-kitting preparation of the house building materials at the pre-kitting area; placing the house building materials on the transporter; delivering the house building materials on the transporter to a kitting area; removing the house building materials from the transporter; converting the house building materials into kittable form at the kitting area; placing the house building materials on the transporter; delivering the house building materials converted into the kittable form to a marshaling area, and temporarily storing the house building materials converted into the kittable form until required; delivering the house building materials converted into the kittable form to a building manufacturing area within the factory; and constructing a completed or substantially completed house in the building manufacturing area within the factory utilizing the house building materials converted into the kittable form.

30. The method of any one of claims 4 to 29, characterized in that, when the house building materials converted into the kittable form are delivered to the building manufacturing area, the house building materials converted into the kittable form are removed from the transporter and incorporated into the completed or substantially completed house.

31. The method of claim 1,2 or 29, characterized in that the house building materials are converted into kittable form at the building manufacturing area.

32. The method of claim 1,2 or 29, characterized in that the house building materials, once received at the factory, are incorporated into the completed or substantially completed house at the building manufacturing area.

33. The method of any one of claims 1 to 32, characterized in that the building manufacturing area is at a location remote from the factory.

34. The method of any one of claims 1 to 33, characterized in that the building manufacturing area further comprises more than one building site characterized in that which more than one completed or substantially completed houses are being constructed.