Patent ID: 8005561

Claim:
A method of self-synchronization of a modular production system, including: selecting at least one work unit path through the modular production system; identifying a configuration of components associated with each selected work unit path, wherein each configuration of components includes at least one transport highway, at least one machine module, and at least two moving components associated with each machine module, each transport highway including a plurality of highway segments arranged to transfer work units along the corresponding selected work unit path; determining a component duration time for each machine module and moving component associated with each selected work unit path; determining a segment duration time for each highway segment associated with each selected work unit path; determining a default self-synchronization time for each selected work unit path, wherein each default self-synchronization time includes a sum of component and segment duration times associated with the corresponding selected work unit path; and determining an adjusted self-synchronization time for each default self-synchronization time by increasing at least one component or segment duration time associated with the corresponding selected work unit path, wherein each adjusted self-synchronization time is an integer multiple of the component duration time for a select machine module associated with the corresponding selected work unit path.