Patent ID: 6950714

Claim:
A method of managing resources in a build-to-order manufacturing facility, the method comprising: automatically maintaining a work-in-process (WIP) profile for an area in a manufacturing facility, based on scans of each product unit entering the area and each product unit leaving the area; maintaining order management information for the product in the area; determining a total amount of product in the area by aggregating information on individual product units; automatically updating a display device in a control center for the manufacturing facility to depict the total amount of product in the area in substantially real time, based on the WIP profile; after updating the display device in the control center to depict the total amount of product in the area, receiving user input that specifies a desired dynamic reallocation of resources for the manufacturing facility based upon the WIP profile and the order management information; in response to receiving the user input, automatically communicating with the area in the manufacturing facility to implement the desired reallocation of resources; monitoring pieces of equipment in the manufacturing facility for equipment errors; updating the display device in the control center to depict graphical illustrations of the pieces of equipment; in response to detecting an equipment error, automatically updating the display device in the control center to depict the detected error in substantially real time; after updating the display device in the control center to depict the detected error, receiving user input that specifies a second reallocation of resources for the manufacturing facility; and in response to receiving the user input, automatically communicating with one or more areas in the manufacturing facility to implement the second reallocation of resources.