Manufacturing systems that employ intelligent sensing and methods for processing workpieces using such manufacturing systems, including methods of batch processing workpieces. The manufacturing systems may include a holding device to receive work order documents, where each work order document includes an identification tag, and each work order document corresponds with a specific manufacturing step. A scanner may be proximate to the holding device and associated with a workstation, where the scanner is configured to detect the identification tag of the work order documents held by the holding device. A control system may interpret the detected identification tag, identify the work order document associated with the interpreted identification tag, identify the specific manufacturing step corresponding with the identified work order document, and generate an output that includes an instruction for carrying out the manufacturing step at the workstation.