JP2010191769A - Process management system and ic tag - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To promote distribution of information on production activity by effectively using an identification medium such as an IC tag, on which a processing means is mounted. <P>SOLUTION: PCs 4 to 9 and IC tag reader/writers 10 to 15 are installed in each process. A memory for storing quality information including a quality condition of measuring a vehicle in each process transmitted from the PC 4 in the process and a CPU are mounted in an IC tag 2. When the process is carried in the vehicle, the IC tag 2 provides the PCs 5 to 8 in the process with measurement results obtained in the process. When a measurement work result in the process is transmitted in, the IC tag 2 compares received work result information with the stored quality information to perform quality determination, stores the result inside and also transmits the result to the PCs 5 to 8 in the process. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a process management system, and more particularly, to an advanced use of an identification medium with advanced functions in process management.

  In an assembly line such as a vehicle factory, a paper medium (instruction leaflet) on which a production instruction is written is pasted on a vehicle that is a product, and the product is flowed on the line. An operator of each process on the assembly line has performed operations such as assembly and inspection of the corresponding parts while referring to the work instructions written in the instruction leaflets.

  In recent years, there are many cases in which IC tags are used for work instructions, quality control, etc. in production processes, such as reading and writing processing commands and processing results on IC tags attached to products (for example, Patent Documents 1 to 6). .

JP 2005-283755 A JP-A-5-42456 JP 2006-48469 A JP 2007-328677 A JP 2007-213132 A JP 2006-243794 A

  However, conventionally, the IC tag has only been used as a storage medium for providing information such as work instructions to each process and collecting information such as work results in each process.

  It is an object of the present invention to create a process with high production efficiency by promoting information distribution related to more advanced production activities by effectively using an identification medium with high functionality such as an IC tag equipped with a processing means. And

  The process management system according to the present invention is a readable / writable identification medium that is attached to a product to be worked on a production line or an accessory thereof, and in which internal storage means, processing means, and wireless communication means are mounted, and a production line The in-process computer installed in each of the above processes and the quality information used to determine the quality of the product that has been worked in each process before the product is put into the production line to the identification medium A quality information transmission means for transmitting, and each in-process computer transmits from the identification medium means for wirelessly transmitting work result information representing a result of work performed in the process to the identification medium. Means for wirelessly receiving the received information, and means for storing or displaying the determination result information, wherein the identification medium is the quality information transmitting means. Means for receiving the transmitted quality information, quality information storage means for storing the received quality information, and wirelessly receiving work result information transmitted from the in-process computer installed in the process where the product is located Means for comparing the received work result information with the quality information corresponding to the process, and wirelessly transmitting determination result information including the result of the quality determination to the in-process computer. Means for transmitting according to the above.

  The identification medium wirelessly transmits work result information storage means for storing the received work result information and work result information read from the work result information storage means acquired in another process to the in-process computer. Means for providing work result information acquired in another process to the process of installing the in-process computer.

  The identification medium includes work result information storage means for storing received work result information, and information stored in each storage means after the attached product or its accessory passes through a production line. It has a means for collectively generating process management information, and an external transmission means for transmitting the generated process management information to the outside.

  The process management system according to the present invention is a readable / writable identification medium that is attached to a product to be worked on a production line or an accessory thereof, and in which internal storage means, processing means, and wireless communication means are mounted, and a production line The in-process computer installed in each of the above processes and work instruction information including at least image data of parts to be assembled to the product in each process before being put into the production line are transmitted to the identification medium. Working instruction information transmitting means for performing, and each in-process computer displays means for wirelessly receiving work instruction information corresponding to the process and image data included in the received work instruction information. Means, photographing means for photographing a part prepared for assembly to the product, and imaging data obtained by photographing by the photographing means Means for obtaining a comparison result with the image data of the part included in the received work instruction information; means for generating determination result information including the comparison result and the imaging data; and Means for wirelessly transmitting to the identification medium, the identification medium receiving means for receiving the work instruction information transmitted by the work instruction information transmitting means, and a work instruction information storage for storing the received work instruction information Means for wirelessly transmitting work instruction information including image data of parts to be assembled to the product in the process to the in-process computer installed in the process in which the product is located, and the process in which the product is located Means for wirelessly receiving determination result information transmitted from the in-process computer installed in the apparatus, and determination result for storing the received determination result information And having a distribution storing means.

  In addition, the identification medium includes means for generating process management information by collecting information stored in the respective storage means, and external transmission means for transmitting the generated process management information to the outside. .

  Further, the identification medium has means for erasing information stored in each storage means after the process management information is transmitted by the external transmission means.

  The identification medium is an IC tag.

  The IC tag includes at least an IC chip, a battery, and an antenna.

  The IC tag according to the present invention is an IC tag attached to a product to be worked in each process on the production line or an accessory thereof, and the work is performed in each process before the product is put into the production line. Transmitted from the in-process computer installed in the process where the product is located, the quality information storage means for storing the received quality information, the quality information storage means for storing the received quality information Means for wirelessly receiving work result information representing work result information indicating the result of work performed in the process, and comparing the received work result information with quality information corresponding to the process. And a means for wirelessly transmitting determination result information including the result of the quality determination to the in-process computer. To.

  The IC tag according to the present invention is an IC tag attached to a product to be worked in each process on the production line or an accessory thereof, and each process on the production line before the product is introduced into the production line. Means for receiving work instruction information including at least image data of parts to be assembled to the product, work instruction information storage means for storing the received work instruction information, and an in-process computer installed in the process where the product is located And means for wirelessly transmitting work instruction information including image data of parts to be assembled in the product in the process, and determination result information transmitted from the in-process computer, by an operator in the in-process computer. Imaging data of parts prepared for assembly and the parts included in the work instruction information And having means for receiving the determination result information including the comparison result and the imaging data of the image data by wireless, the determination result information storage means for storing a determination result information received, the.

  The process management system according to the present invention is a readable / writable identification medium that is attached to a product to be worked on a production line or an accessory thereof, and in which internal storage means, processing means, and wireless communication means are mounted, and a production line The in-process computer installed in each of the above processes, and work instruction information relating to the operation check of the electronic control unit mounted on the product in each of the processes before the product is introduced into the production line, the identification medium Work instruction information transmitting means for transmitting to the computer, wherein each in-process computer wirelessly receives work instruction information corresponding to the process from the identification medium, and the identification medium according to the received work instruction information. Means for confirming the operation of the electronic control unit directly or indirectly connected to the electronic control unit, and the identification medium is the electronic control unit. A means for connecting a cable by wire or wireless, a means for obtaining work result information representing the result of operation confirmation from the in-process computer, and transmitting the obtained work result information to the electronic control unit. And means for memorizing.

  According to the present invention, by making effective use of an identification medium such as an IC tag equipped with processing means, both the prediction determination before the work is performed and the quality determination of the product quality after the work are performed in each process. The result can be provided on the spot to the process, the pre-process and the post-process.

  Also, work result information collected in a certain process can be referred to in a downstream process, fed back to an upstream process, or used for revision of quality information.

  Further, according to the present invention, since the imaging data obtained by photographing the part to be assembled in the product in the process is recorded on the identification medium, whether the correct part has been assembled or the part has an abnormality such as a scratch. Inspections such as whether or not there was can be easily performed in the process or later by referring to the imaging data. In particular, it is possible to inspect even parts that cannot be confirmed from the outside of the product by being assembled.

  Further, according to the present invention, the information obtained in each process can be stored in the electronic control unit mounted on the product, so that not only at the time of production of the product, but also the maintenance after the sale, etc. Can do.

1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a process management system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of a computer in the first embodiment. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of an IC tag in Embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a functional block configuration diagram of a process management system according to Embodiment 1. FIG. In Embodiment 1, it is the sequence diagram which showed the process when flowing a vehicle on a production line. FIG. 5 is an overall configuration diagram showing a process management system in a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a functional block configuration diagram of a process management system in a second embodiment. In Embodiment 2, it is the sequence diagram which showed the process when flowing a vehicle on a production line. FIG. 5 is an overall configuration diagram showing a process management system in a third embodiment. FIG. 10 is a functional block configuration diagram of a process management system in a third embodiment. In Embodiment 3, it is the sequence diagram which showed the process when flowing a vehicle on a production line.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a production line for producing a vehicle which is an example of a product will be described as an example.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a process management system according to the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a vehicle production line including each work process (process) 1 to 4 for measurement before building correction, rework, measurement after building correction, and building inspection measurement. Further, this production line includes a pre-process for mounting the IC tag 2 on the vehicle before the vehicle is put on the production line, and a post-process for mounting the IC tag 2 from the vehicle that has passed through the production line. It is. The IC tag 2 used in the present embodiment is an identification medium equipped with a memory (internal storage means) in which data is recorded, a CPU (processing means), and a communication IF (wireless communication means). Computers 4 to 9 are installed in each work process (hereinafter simply referred to as “process”), and IC tag reader / writers 10 to 15 for reading and writing the IC tag 2 are connected to each computer 4 to 9. . The computers 4 to 9 are connected to the network 17 and exchange information between the process management server 16 or the computers 4 to 9. The IC tag reader / writers 10 to 15 are installed at positions where they can be read and written wirelessly with the on-board IC tag 2 in each step.

  The process management server 16 provides information to be written in the IC tag to a computer (hereinafter referred to as “pre-process PC”) 4 installed in the previous process, and information written in the IC tag 2 is installed in a computer ( Hereinafter, “post-process PC”) 9 is obtained. The process management server 16 is connected to a design subsystem 18 provided as analysis means via a network. In the present embodiment, a quality evaluation standard is set in order to improve the quality of the construction work on the production line and is written in the IC tag 2 mounted on the vehicle, but the design subsystem 18 includes the process management server 16. It is a means to reset the quality evaluation standard by analyzing the information sent from.

  FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the computers 4 to 9 in the present embodiment. The computers 4 to 9 can be realized by a hardware configuration such as a general-purpose personal computer that has existed in the past. That is, the computers 4 to 9 include a CPU 21, a ROM 22, a RAM 23, an HDD controller 25 connected to a hard disk drive (HDD) 24, a mouse 26 and a keyboard 27 provided as input means, a display 28 provided as a display device, and an IC tag reader. An input / output controller 29 for connecting each writer 10 and a network controller 30 provided as communication means are connected to an internal bus 31.

  The computers constituting the process management server 16 and the design subsystem 18 may differ from the computers 4 to 9 in terms of performance, but the hardware configuration is the same as that in FIG. 2 except that the IC tag reader / writer is not connected. It can be illustrated as follows.

  FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of the IC tag 2 in the present embodiment. The IC tag 2 according to the present embodiment includes a ROM 32 that stores a program for executing processing to be described later, a non-volatile memory 33 that stores information transmitted from the outside, a CPU 34 that executes the program, a RAM 37, and a battery 38. The communication interface (IF) 35 for performing wireless communication with the IC tag reader / writers 10 to 15 via the antenna 39 is connected to the internal bus 36. In this embodiment, by mounting the CPU 34, the IC tag 2 is used as a portable small server.

  FIG. 4 is a functional block configuration diagram of the process management system in the present embodiment. In FIG. 4, the process management server 16 edits the quality information received from the design subsystem 18 or the quality information receiving unit 81 for receiving the revision information, and editing the data structure of the received quality information or revision information. A quality information generation unit 82 that generates quality information to be written in the IC tag 2, a quality information transmission unit 83 that transmits the generated quality information to the previous process PC 4, and a process that receives process management information sent from the subsequent process PC 9 A management information receiving unit 84; a process management information transmitting unit 85 that transmits process management information to the design subsystem 18; a quality information storage unit 86 that stores quality information; and a process management information storage unit 87 that stores process management information. ing. Each component 81 to 85 in the process management server 16 is realized by a cooperative operation of a computer forming the process management server 16 and a program operating on the CPU 21 mounted on the computer. The storage units 86 and 87 are realized by the HDD 24.

  The pre-process PC 4 includes a quality information receiving unit 61 that receives the quality information transmitted from the process management server 16 and a quality information transmitting unit 62 that transmits the received quality information to the IC tag 2 by radio. Each component 61-62 in the pre-process PC4 is realized by a cooperative operation of a computer that forms the pre-process PC4 and a program that operates on the CPU 21 mounted on the computer.

  The post-process PC 9 has a process management information receiving unit 71 that receives process management information transmitted from the IC tag 2 by radio and a process management information transmitting unit 72 that transmits the received process management information to the process management server 16. ing. The respective components 71 to 72 in the post-process PC9 are realized by a cooperative operation of a computer that forms the post-process PC9 and a program that operates on the CPU 21 mounted on the computer.

  Computers (hereinafter referred to as “PCs in the process”) 5 to 8 installed in the processes 1 to 4 perform the previous process information receiving unit 51 that receives the previous process information transmitted wirelessly from the IC tag 2, and is implemented in the process. The work result information receiving unit 52 that receives the work result, the work result information transmitting unit 53 that wirelessly transmits the work result information including the identification information and the work result of the process to the IC tag 2, and the wireless communication is transmitted from the IC tag 2. A determination result information receiving unit 54 for receiving the determination result information, a display unit 55 for displaying the determination result and the like on the display 28, and a storage unit 56 for storing information such as the work result information and the determination result. The constituent elements 51 to 55 in the in-process PCs 5 to 8 are realized by a cooperative operation of each computer forming the in-process PCs 5 to 8 and a program operating on the CPU 21 mounted in each computer. The storage unit 56 is realized by the HDD 24.

  The IC tag 2 includes a quality information receiving unit 41 that receives quality information transmitted from the previous process PC 4, work result information and determination result information obtained in a process located before the own process, that is, upstream, as necessary. The quality information of the previous process is read from the storage unit 49, the previous process information including the information is generated and transmitted to the in-process PC 5, and the work result information transmitted from the in-process PC 5 The work result information receiving unit 43 to receive, a determination processing unit that performs quality determination of the quality of the vehicle by comparing the quality determination criteria (standard value) in the process with the work result information for the vehicle on which the work has been performed in the process. 44, a process result information including a determination result information transmitting unit 45 that transmits the determination result information to the in-process PC 5, quality information, and work result information of each process 1-4. A process management information generating unit 46 to be formed, a process management information transmitting unit 47 for transmitting the generated process management information to the post-process PC 9, an information erasing unit 48 for erasing information stored in the storage unit 49 of the IC tag 2, and The storage unit 49 stores various information such as quality information, work result information, and determination results. Each of the components 41 to 48 in the IC tag 2 is realized by a cooperative operation of the CPU 34 mounted on the IC tag 2 and the program operating on the CPU 34 and stored in the ROM 32 or installed in the nonvolatile memory 33. The The storage unit 49 is realized by the nonvolatile memory 33.

  In addition, the programs used in the computers 4 to 9 and 16 in the present embodiment can be provided by being stored in a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM as well as provided by communication means. Is possible. The program provided from the communication means or the recording medium is installed in the computer, and various processes are realized by the CPU of the computer sequentially executing the installation program. In the case of the IC tag 2, it can be provided by writing in the ROM 22 in advance or using an IC tag reader / writer.

  Next, in the present embodiment, the process when the vehicle flows through the production line with the pre-process, steps 1-4, and post-process will be described with reference to the sequence diagram shown in FIG. If process management is defined as a management technique that is implemented in order to efficiently and mass-produce the same high-quality product at the production plant, this embodiment is intended to improve the quality of the vehicle, which is an element of process management. Is provided.

  In the process management server 16, the quality information receiving unit 81 first acquires quality information from the design subsystem 18 (step 101). In the present embodiment, the steps related to measurement before building correction, rework, measurement after building correction and building inspection measurement and quality improvement are illustrated, so the quality information is processed in each step. Information used to determine whether the quality of the vehicle is good or bad is included. Specifically, it includes non-defective conditions that serve as a basis for quality determination processing in each process, such as a production number, quality characteristics, quality evaluation criteria, standard values, etc., of vehicles traveling through the production line. The quality information generation unit 82 edits the quality information in the data structure to be written in the IC tag 2 (step 102) and registers it in the quality information storage unit 86 (step 103). And the quality information transmission part 83 transmits the quality information to pre-process PC4.

  In the preprocess PC4, when the quality information receiving unit 61 receives the quality information, the quality information transmitting unit 62 writes the quality information to the IC tag 2 by transmitting the received quality information to the IC tag 2 by radio. In general, the PC side mainly reads / writes data from / to the IC tag. However, in this embodiment, the IC tag 2 with a CPU is used as a portable small server. The communication procedure is not limited to this, and the IC tag 2 may lead wireless communication.

  In the IC tag 2, when quality information is transmitted from the previous process PC 4, the quality information receiving unit 41 receives the information and registers it in the storage unit 49 (step 104). Then, the worker attaches the IC tag 2 in which the quality information is written to the corresponding vehicle. The production number of the vehicle to which the IC tag 2 is attached and the production number written on the IC tag 2 naturally match. Then, the vehicle is put into the first process 1 of the production line.

  When the vehicle is thrown into the process, the worker in process 1 performs a predetermined work, that is, a measurement work before installation correction. In this embodiment, it is not necessary to issue a work instruction to each process, and thus the description thereof is omitted. However, the in-process PC in the process requiring the work instruction is the work in the process written in the IC tag 2. The instruction information is displayed on the display 28 and the instruction is presented to the operator. The transmission / reception and display (step 105) of the preprocess information will be described later.

  When the operator performs a predetermined measurement work and inputs the measurement result using an input means such as the keyboard 27 of the in-process PC 5, the work result information receiving unit 52 receives it. When the measuring device is a device that can be connected to the in-process PC 5 such as a digital caliper, the work result information receiving unit 52 may directly receive a data signal transmitted from the measuring device as a measurement result. In this way, when the work result receiving unit 52 acquires the result of the measurement work (step 106), the work result information transmitting unit 53 stores the work result information including the identification information of the process such as the process name and the work result. The work result is reported by being stored in the unit 56 and transmitted to the IC tag 2.

  In the IC tag 2, when work result information is transmitted from the in-process PC 5, the work result information receiving unit 43 receives the information and registers it in the storage unit 49 (step 107). Subsequently, the determination processing unit 44 extracts the quality determination criterion (standard value) in the process for the vehicle on which the work has been performed in the process from the storage unit 49 and checks the quality of the vehicle by collating with the received work result information. A pass / fail determination is made (step 108), and the determination result is registered in the storage unit 49 (step 109). Subsequently, the determination result information transmission unit 45 notifies the determination result by transmitting the determination result information to the in-process PC 5.

  In the in-process PC 5, when the determination result information receiving unit 54 receives the determination result information transmitted from the IC tag 2, the display unit 55 stores the determination result in the storage unit 56 and displays it on the display 28 (step 28). 110).

  As described above, in one process, in the above description, the operation in the measurement process before building correction is completed. In FIG. 5, the process (steps 105 to 110) in this one process is shown surrounded by a broken line A.

  Subsequently, processing in the subsequent repairing step 2 will be described, but description of the same processing as that described above will be omitted as appropriate.

  In the case of the process 2 of reworking, the process 1 of the measurement before a building correction exists before that. In such a case, when a vehicle is introduced into the reworking process, the previous process information transmission unit 42 of the IC tag 2 stores the work result information of the pre-building correction measurement process located in the previous process from the storage unit 49 and Judgment result information and, if necessary, quality information of the previous process are extracted, and such information is transmitted to the in-process PC 6 as previous process information.

  In the in-process PC 6, when the previous process information receiving unit 51 receives the previous process information transmitted from the IC tag 2, the display unit 55 displays the previous process information on the display 28 (step 105). As a result, the worker in the reworking process can check the work result in the measurement process before building correction in the previous process, so if there is a part that has not passed, know that part as a part to be reworked Can do. It should be noted that steps 106 to 110 can be omitted in the case of a process that does not output the work result in the work including the rework process. In the present embodiment, only the information related to the immediately preceding process is provided to a certain process, but the information related to one or more processes located upstream is not necessarily limited to the immediately preceding process. It may be.

  Subsequently, the processing in the measurement process 3 after the post-correction correction will be described. The process in this process 3 may be basically the same as the process 1 in the measurement before the correction correction. However, unlike the pre-building-correction measurement process 1, the upstream processes 1 and 2 exist upstream, so information on these processes may be acquired and displayed on the display 28. When the measurement result in step 3 of this post-correction measurement is input to the in-process PC 7, work result information including the measurement result is transmitted to the IC tag 2 by the work result information transmission unit 53 and stored in the storage unit 49. It is registered (steps 106 and 107). Then, the judgment processing unit 44 extracts the quality judgment standard (standard value) in the step 4 for the vehicle on which the work has been performed in the step 4 from the storage unit 49 and collates it with the received work result information to judge whether the quality of the vehicle is good or bad. The determination is made, and the determination result is registered in the storage unit 49 (steps 108 and 109). Subsequently, the determination result information transmission unit 45 notifies the determination result by transmitting the determination result information to the in-process PC 7. Thereby, the in-process PC 7 displays the determination result information (step 110). The in-process PC 7 may feed back the work result in the reworking process by transmitting the work result information in the post-correction measuring process to the in-process PC 6 in the reworking process via the network 17.

  Finally, in the process 4 of the building inspection measurement, the purpose of the work is to monitor the consistency of the data collected in the processes from the previous processes 1 to 3. Therefore, the confirmation items by this monitoring are written in the IC tag 2 as work result information of the process.

  After the vehicle passes through steps 1 to 4 on the above production line, the IC tag 2 is removed by an operator in the subsequent step. Then, the process management information generation unit 46 in the IC tag 2 stores the information written in the storage unit 49 while the vehicle passes through the production line, that is, the quality information and the work result information of each process 1 to 4. The process management information is generated by collecting the information and collecting the information (step 111). The process management information transmission unit 47 transmits the generated process management information to the post-process PC9.

  In the post-process PC 9, when the process management information receiving unit 71 receives the process management information, the process management information transmitting unit 72 transmits the received process management information to the process management server 16.

  In the process management server 16, when receiving the process management information, the process management information receiving unit 84 stores the process management information in the process management information storage unit 87 (step 112).

  According to the present embodiment, as described above, the IC tag 2 performs the quality determination of the work content based on the work result information in the process and instantaneously feeds back the determination result to the process on the spot. it can. In addition, work results and determination results can be provided to the next step. Or the work result in the said process can be provided also to a previous process. In this way, quality improvement can be performed effectively.

  By the way, although it is possible to improve the quality at the production site as described above, there is a possibility that a problem that cannot be solved by the management cycle at the production site described above may occur. That is, it may be necessary to review from the design stage to improve the quality. Therefore, the process management server 16 in the present embodiment is obtained from the actual production activity by transmitting the performance information collected from the production site by the process management information transmission unit 85, that is, the process management information to the design subsystem 18. By providing performance information to each department of production technology and design, request review of quality conditions such as process, product structure, standard values, etc. In addition, since the provision destination of process management information may be a subcontractor, in this case, the process management information may be provided offline. The design subsystem 18 is revised by recalculating information on quality based on the information sent from the process management server 16 so as to prevent the recurrence and prevention of defects at the production site. As described above, the process management server 16 performs the revision process of the quality information by analyzing the process management information while cooperating with the design subsystem 18 as necessary (step 113).

  When the quality information is revised by analyzing the process management information in the design subsystem 18, the quality information receiving unit 81 in the process management server 16 receives the revision information transmitted from the design subsystem 18 (step) 101). Subsequently, the quality information generation unit 82 updates the quality information stored in the quality information storage unit 86 with the received revision information (step 102). The quality information updated in this way is registered in the quality information storage unit 86 (step 103). The quality information transmission unit 83 transmits the revised quality information to the previous process PC 4 so that the revised quality information is written in the IC tag 2 and used in each process in the production line. As a result, the vehicle quality and work quality can be improved. In this way, the process shown in FIG. 5 is repeatedly executed.

  The information erasure unit 48 in the IC tag 2 erases the information stored in the storage unit 49 after the IC tag 2 is removed from the vehicle and the process management information is transmitted to the post-process PC 9 (step 114). ). Thereby, the IC tag 2 can be reused.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
FIG. 6 is an overall configuration diagram of the process management system in the present embodiment. Note that the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those in the first embodiment with respect to the components shown in the drawings used for the description of the present embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

  FIG. 6 shows a vehicle production line including two assembling steps and inspection work steps (processes) 1 to 3 located downstream thereof. Further, this production line includes a pre-process and a post-process as in the first embodiment. While the process management system according to the present invention is adapted to quality control in the first embodiment, this embodiment is mainly adapted to work instructions. In the present embodiment, three steps are shown as work steps in the production line, but in each of steps 1 to 3, computers 5 to 7 are respectively installed as in the first embodiment. However, in this embodiment, since it is necessary to obtain image data of parts to be assembled to the vehicle, the computer 5 and 6 installed in the part assembling process further includes image data of parts to be assembled to the vehicle in the process. Cameras 19 and 20 are connected as means for obtaining the above. Other configurations are basically the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted. The hardware configurations of the computers 4 to 7, 9, 16, and 18 may be the same as those in the first embodiment. The same applies to the IC tag 2.

  FIG. 7 is a functional block configuration diagram of the process management system in the present embodiment. The process management server 16 edits the work instruction information receiving unit 281 that receives the work instruction information sent from the design subsystem 18 or the revision information thereof, and edits the data structure of the received work instruction information or the revision information. A work instruction information generation unit 282 that generates work instruction information to be written in the tag 2, a work instruction information transmission unit 283 that transmits the generated work instruction information to the previous process PC 4, and a work instruction information storage unit 286 that stores the work instruction information. have. The process management information receiving unit 84, the process management information transmitting unit 85, and the process management information storage unit 87 may be the same as those in the first embodiment. The above-described components 281 to 283 and 286 may have the same basic operations and functions as the components 81 to 83 and 86 of the first embodiment, except that the information to be handled is different.

  The pre-process PC 4 includes a work instruction information receiving unit 261 that receives work instruction information sent from the process management server 16 and a work instruction information transmitting unit 262 that wirelessly transmits the received work instruction information to the IC tag 2. ing. The constituent elements 261 to 262 may have the same basic operations and functions as the constituent elements 61 to 62 of the first embodiment, except that the information to be handled is different.

  The post-process PC 9 includes a process management information receiving unit 71 and a process management information transmitting unit 72 as in the first embodiment.

  The in-process PCs 5 to 7 installed in the processes 1 to 3 receive a work instruction information receiving unit 251 that receives work instruction information transmitted from the IC tag 2 by radio, and accepts image data of parts acquired in the process. The imaging data receiving unit 252, the image comparison unit 253 that compares the image data of the components included in the work instruction information and the imaging data, and the storage unit 256 that stores the imaging data. The work result information transmission unit 53 and the display unit 55 may be the same as those in the first embodiment.

  The IC tag 2 has a work instruction information receiving unit 241 for receiving work instruction information transmitted from the previous process PC 4 and a work instruction information transmitting unit for storing the received work instruction information in the storage unit 249 and transmitting it to the in-process PC 5. 242. The storage unit 249 stores work instruction information instead of quality information. The work result information receiving unit 43, the process management information generating unit 46, the process management information transmitting unit 47, and the information erasing unit 48 for generating process management information including the work instruction information and the work result information of each of the processes 1 to 3, It may be the same as Form 1.

  Next, in the present embodiment, processing when the vehicle flows through the production line with the pre-process, steps 1-3, and post-process will be described with reference to the sequence diagram shown in FIG. The present embodiment provides a configuration for a work instruction that is an element of process management.

  In the process management server 16, the work instruction information receiving unit 281 first obtains work instruction information from the design subsystem 18 (step 201). In the present embodiment, assembling 1 and assembling 2 and processes related to inspection and production activities are illustrated, so the work instruction information includes information related to work instructions for vehicles to be worked in each process. include. Specifically, it includes the manufacturing number of the vehicle flowing through the production line, the manufacturing number (type number) of each part to be assembled in the vehicle in each process, image data, and the like. The work instruction information generation unit 282 edits the work instruction information in the data structure to be written to the IC tag 2 (step 202) and registers it in the work instruction information storage unit 286 (step 203). Then, the work instruction information transmission unit 283 transmits the work instruction information to the preprocess PC4.

  In the pre-process PC4, when the work instruction information receiving unit 261 receives the work instruction information, the work instruction information transmitting unit 262 wirelessly transmits the received work instruction information to the IC tag 2 so that the work instruction information is transmitted to the IC tag 2. Write to. Note that the writing process to the IC tag 2 may be performed with either the pre-process PC 4 or the IC tag 2 as the main action, as in the first embodiment.

  In the IC tag 2, when work instruction information is transmitted from the previous process PC 4, the work instruction information receiving unit 241 receives the information and registers it in the storage unit 249 (step 204). Then, the worker attaches the IC tag 2 in which the work instruction information is written to the corresponding vehicle. The production number of the vehicle to which the IC tag 2 is attached and the production number written on the IC tag 2 naturally match. Then, the vehicle is put into the first process 1 of the production line.

  When the vehicle is put into the process and the IC tag 2 and the IC tag reader / writer 11 arrive at a position where wireless communication is possible, the work instruction information transmission unit 242 of the IC tag 2 and the work instruction information reception unit 251 of the in-process PC 5 Thus, wireless communication is started, and the work instruction information stored in the IC tag 2 is registered in the storage unit 256 of the in-process PC 5. Note that only the corresponding work instruction information may be transferred to the in-process PC 5 by referring to the process identification information stored in the storage unit 249 in association with the component type symbol. As described above, when the work instruction information receiving unit 251 of the in-process PC 5 receives the work instruction information, the display unit 55 displays the work instruction information in the process on the display 28 and presents the instruction to the worker. Become. Specifically, information on the parts to be assembled to the vehicle in the process, that is, the part type number and image data are displayed (step 205).

  The worker in step 1 confirms a part to be assembled to the vehicle by referring to the displayed image data and the like, then takes out the part from a predetermined storage location, puts the part in a predetermined position, and uses the camera 19 to Shoot.

  When the part to be assembled is photographed, the imaging data receiving unit 252 acquires imaging data of the part obtained by photographing (step 206). Subsequently, when the image comparison unit 253 detects the acquisition of the imaging data, the image comparison unit 253 performs a comparison process between the image data displayed on the screen and the acquired imaging data, and obtains the comparison result (step 207). As the comparison process, a comparison process by an operator and an automatic comparison process can be considered. In the comparison process by the operator, the image data and the imaging data of the regular part written in the IC tag 2 are displayed on the display 28, and the result of the comparison by the visual recognition of the operator is the mouse 26. Using the keyboard 27 or the keyboard 27, the operator is allowed to input. In this case, the image comparison unit 253 receives a screen display of imaging data and an input of a comparison determination result. On the other hand, the automatic comparison processing compares the image data and imaging data of the comparison target parts after performing predetermined image processing, such as pre-processing such as alignment and part image size matching, and whether or not they are the same part. Automatically determine about. In this case, the image comparison unit 253 is realized by image comparison software.

  When the image comparison is performed in this way, the work result information transmission unit 53 generates work result information including the compared imaging data and image data, and a determination result based on the image comparison, and wirelessly transmits the result to the IC tag 2. Send by. Since the IC tag 2 stores image data of parts, information for identifying the image data, for example, process identification information may be included in the work result information instead of the image data.

  In the IC tag 2, when work result information is transmitted from the in-process PC 5, the work result information receiving unit 43 receives the information and registers it in the storage unit 249 (step 208).

  As described above, the operation in one process, that is, the process of assembly 1 in the above description is completed. In FIG. 8, the process (steps 205 to 208) in this one process is shown surrounded by a broken line B.

  Since the contents of the process are the same in the subsequent step 2 of assembly 2 as well, description thereof will be omitted. Subsequently, the inspection process 3 will be described, but the description of the same processing as that described above will be omitted as appropriate.

  When the vehicle is carried into the process 3 and the IC tag 2 and the IC tag reader / writer 13 arrive at a position where wireless communication is possible, between the work instruction information transmitting unit 242 of the IC tag 2 and the work instruction information receiving unit 251 of the in-process PC 7 Thus, wireless communication is started, and the work instruction information stored in the IC tag 2 is registered in the storage unit 256 of the in-process PC 7. Since the process 3 is an inspection process, the work instruction information sent to the in-process PC 7 is work result information obtained in the assembly process performed in all processes located upstream.

  First, the imaging data and the determination result included in the work result information obtained in the process 1 of the first assembly 1 are displayed on the display 28 using a predetermined operation of the worker or reception of work instruction information as a trigger. Then, the worker makes a final pass / fail judgment with reference to the display content. Alternatively, it may be automated using image comparison software. In the case of the inspection process 3, instead of the display unit 55, the imaging data reception unit 252 and the image comparison unit 253, the inspection unit receives the determination result input by the operator, or automatic determination processing based on the image comparison software. Accept the result.

  Normally, the parts can only be inspected on the surface of the part or the part assembled in a position that cannot be seen from the outside, but in this embodiment, the state of the part such as the shape, scratch, and deformation of the part Can be confirmed from the imaging data of the component. In the assembly steps 1 and 2, it is sufficient that at least an image capable of determining the identity with the regular part can be taken. However, in order to perform such inspection more strictly, only the purpose of determining the identity in the assembly step. In addition, it is preferable to photograph the part from a plurality of angles for inspection purposes.

  The work result information transmission unit 53 generates the final pass / fail determination result based on the above comparison as work result information in step 3 and transmits the result to the IC tag 2 by radio. Note that the work result information transmission unit 53 may feed back the final inspection result of the parts assembled in the process to the upstream process by transmitting to the upstream process via the network 17.

  After the vehicle passes through steps 1 to 3 on the production line, the IC tag 2 is removed by an operator in the subsequent step. Then, the process management information generation unit 46 in the IC tag 2 stores the information written in the storage unit 249 while the vehicle passes through the production line, that is, the work instruction information and the work result information of each process 1 to 3. The process management information is generated by extracting the information from H.249 and combining these pieces of information (step 211). The process management information transmission unit 47 transmits the generated process management information to the post-process PC9.

  In the post-process PC 9, when the process management information receiving unit 71 receives the process management information, the process management information transmitting unit 72 transmits the received process management information to the process management server 16.

  In the process management server 16, when receiving the process management information, the process management information receiving unit 84 stores the process management information in the process management information storage unit 87 (step 212).

  According to the present embodiment, since the imaging data of the parts to be assembled to the vehicle in each process is recorded in the IC tag 2 as described above, the parts that cannot be confirmed from the outside in the downstream inspection process or of the parts A partial pass / fail judgment can be made.

  By the way, although it is possible to determine the quality of a part at a production site with high accuracy, it may be necessary to review the part from the design stage and improve the part from the shape, material, and the like. Therefore, the process management server 16 in the present embodiment is obtained from the actual production activity by transmitting the performance information collected from the production site by the process management information transmission unit 85, that is, the process management information to the design subsystem 18. Providing performance information and requesting improvement of parts. In addition, since the provision destination of process management information may be a subcontractor, in this case, the process management information may be provided offline. As described above, the process management server 16 performs the process of revising the work instruction information related to the assembled part by analyzing the process management information while cooperating with the design subsystem 18 if necessary (step 213).

  When the work instruction information is revised by analyzing the process management information in the design subsystem 18, the work instruction information receiving unit 281 in the process management server 16 receives the revision information transmitted from the design subsystem 18. (Step 201). Subsequently, the work instruction information generation unit 282 updates the work instruction information stored in the work instruction information storage unit 286 with the received revision information (step 202). The work instruction information updated in this way is registered in the work instruction information storage unit 286 (step 203). Then, the work instruction information transmitting unit 283 transmits the revised work instruction information to the pre-process PC4. The revised work instruction information is written in the IC tag 2 and used in each process in the production line. As a result, the work instruction of the vehicle can be improved. In this way, the process shown in FIG. 8 is repeatedly executed.

  The information erasure unit 48 in the IC tag 2 is stored in the storage unit 249 after the IC tag 2 is removed from the vehicle and the process management information is transmitted to the post-process PC 9 as in the first embodiment. Information is erased (step 214). Thereby, the IC tag 2 can be reused.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
FIG. 9 is an overall configuration diagram of the process management system in the present embodiment. Note that the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those in the second embodiment with respect to the components shown in the drawings used for the description of the present embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate. In the present embodiment, the IC tag 2 is connected to an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 91 mounted on the vehicle by wire or wirelessly, so that information can be exchanged between the IC tag 2 and the ECU 91. It is said. 9 differs from FIG. 6 in that the ECU 91 and the state where the ECU 91 and the IC tag 2 are connected by wire are illustrated.

  FIG. 10 is a functional block configuration diagram of the process management system in the present embodiment. 10 includes, in the configuration of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 7, an ECU 91, a work result information receiving unit 391 that receives work result information sent from the IC tag 2 in the ECU 91, and an ECU 91 in the IC tag 2. The operation result information transmitting unit 341 for transmitting the work result information to and the ECU operation confirmation unit 311 for confirming the operation of the ECU 91 according to the work instruction information in the in-process PCs 5 to 7 are added.

  Next, in the present embodiment, processing when the vehicle flows through the production line with the pre-process, steps 1-3, and post-process will be described with reference to the sequence diagram shown in FIG. The same processes as those in the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the sequence and description are omitted as appropriate.

  First, the processes in the process management server 16 and the previous process PC 4 are the same as those in the second embodiment, and work instruction information is transmitted and stored in the IC tag 2 (steps 201 to 204). However, the work instruction information here includes contents related to the confirmation work performed on the electronic circuit built in the ECU 91.

  When the IC tag 2 attached to the vehicle is put into the production line process, the operator wire-connects the IC tag 2 to the ECU 91 mounted on the vehicle. When the work instruction information is transmitted from the IC tag 2, the following process is performed separately from the process described in the second embodiment according to the work instruction information. That is, the ECU operation confirmation unit 311 confirms connection with the electronic circuit built in the ECU 91 (step 301). Subsequently, the ECU operation confirmation unit 311 confirms continuity with the electronic circuit (step 302) and confirms the operation of the function incorporated in the electronic circuit (step 303). When the above processing for the ECU 91 is completed, the work result information is sent to the IC tag 2.

  When the work result information is acquired, the work result information transmitting unit 341 in the IC tag 2 transmits the acquired work result information to the ECU 91. When the work result information receiving unit 391 in the ECU 91 receives the work result information sent from the IC tag 2, the work result information receiving unit 391 stores the work result information in a built-in nonvolatile storage unit (step 304). Thereafter, the worker separates the IC tag 2 from the ECU 91 to make the vehicle movable to the next process. In FIG. 11, the process (steps 301 to 304, 207, 208) in this one process is shown surrounded by a broken line C. Subsequent processing may be the same as that of the second embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  As described above, since communication is performed between the IC tag 2 and the ECU 91, the ECU 91 is directly or indirectly wired or wirelessly connected to the outside (the IC tag 2 in the present embodiment) on the vehicle side. Requires a communication interface for communication.

  According to the present embodiment, the information obtained in each step can be stored in the ECU 91 and stored in the vehicle main body. As a result, it is possible not only at the time of production but also for convenience such as maintenance after sales.

  In the above description, the case where the work result information is transmitted to the ECU 91 has been described as an example, but the use of the present embodiment is not limited to this. For example, work instruction information may be transmitted to the ECU 91 and stored in place of the work result information or together with the work result information. Further, a program for control in the ECU 91 may be transmitted to the ECU 91 via the IC tag 2. Further, the ECU program stored in the IC tag 2 and the program stored in the ECU 91 are collated by executing a collation program in the ECU 91 or the IC tag 2, and the collation result is written in the IC tag 2. You may make it transmit to the process management server 16 with management information. Furthermore, you may memorize | store in ECU91. In this embodiment, the configuration combined with Embodiment 2 is described. However, it may be combined with Embodiment 1 or used alone.

  In the present embodiment, the exchange of various types of information is thus realized between the ECU 91 and the IC tag 2.

  In each of the above embodiments, the vehicle has been described as an example of a product, but the same applies to other products. Further, the number of steps constituting the production line is not limited to the above example.

  2 IC tag, 4 pre-process PC, 5-8 PC in process, 9 post-process PC, 10-15 IC tag reader / writer, 16 process management server, 17 network, 18 design subsystem, 19, 20 camera, 21, 34 CPU , 22, 32 ROM, 23, 37 RAM, 24 hard disk drive (HDD), 25 HDD controller, 26 mouse, 27 keyboard, 28 display, 29 I / O controller, 30 network controller, 31, 36 internal bus, 33 non-volatile memory , 35 Communication interface (IF), 38 Battery, 39 Antenna, 41, 61, 81 Quality information receiving unit, 42 Pre-process information transmitting unit, 43, 391 Work result information receiving unit, 44 Determination processing unit, 45 Determination result information transmission Department, 46 Process management information Formation unit, 47, 72, 85 Process management information transmission unit, 48 Information deletion unit, 49, 56, 249, 256 Storage unit, 51 Previous process information reception unit, 52 Work result information reception unit, 53, 341 Work result information transmission 54, determination result information receiving unit, 55 display unit, 62, 83 quality information transmitting unit, 71, 84 process management information receiving unit, 82 quality information generating unit, 86 quality information storing unit, 87 process management information storing unit, 91 ECU, 241, 251, 261, 281 Work instruction information reception unit, 242 Work instruction information transmission unit, 252 Imaging data reception unit, 253 Image comparison unit, 262, 283 Work instruction information transmission unit, 282 Work instruction information generation unit, 286 Work instruction information storage unit, 311 ECU operation confirmation unit.

Claims (11)

A readable / writable identification medium that is attached to a product to be worked on the production line or an accessory thereof, and in which internal storage means, processing means, and wireless communication means are mounted,
In-process computers installed at each process on the production line;
Quality information transmitting means for transmitting to the identification medium quality information used for quality determination of the product that has been subjected to work in each step before the product is put into a production line;
Have
The computer in each process is
Means for wirelessly transmitting work result information representing a result of work performed in the process to the identification medium;
Means for wirelessly receiving information transmitted from the identification medium;
Means for storing or displaying the determination result information;
Have
The identification medium is
Means for receiving quality information transmitted by the quality information transmitting means;
Quality information storage means for storing the received quality information;
Means for wirelessly receiving work result information transmitted from the in-process computer installed in the process where the product is located;
Means for determining the quality of the product by comparing the received work result information with the quality information corresponding to the process;
Means for wirelessly transmitting determination result information including a result of pass / fail determination to the in-process computer;
A process management system comprising: In the process management system according to claim 1,
The identification medium is
Work result information storage means for storing received work result information;
Means for wirelessly transmitting work result information read from the work result information storage means obtained in another process to the in-process computer;
And providing the work result information acquired in another process to the process of installing the in-process computer. In the process management system according to claim 1,
The identification medium is
Work result information storage means for storing received work result information;
Means for combining the information stored in the storage means and generating process management information after the attached product or its accessory passes through the production line;
An external transmission means for transmitting the generated process management information to the outside;
A process management system comprising: A readable / writable identification medium that is attached to a product to be worked on the production line or an accessory thereof, and in which internal storage means, processing means, and wireless communication means are mounted,
In-process computers installed at each process on the production line;
Work instruction information transmitting means for transmitting, to the identification medium, work instruction information including at least image data of parts to be assembled to the product in each step before the product is put into a production line;
Have
The computer in each process is
Means for wirelessly receiving work instruction information corresponding to the process;
Means for displaying the image data included in the received work instruction information;
Photographing means for photographing a part prepared for assembly to the product;
Means for obtaining a comparison result between imaging data obtained by photographing by the photographing means and image data of the part included in the received work instruction information;
Means for generating determination result information including the comparison result and the imaging data;
Means for wirelessly transmitting the generated determination result information to the identification medium;
Have
The identification medium is
Means for receiving work instruction information transmitted by the work instruction information transmitting means;
Work instruction information storage means for storing the received work instruction information;
Means for wirelessly transmitting work instruction information including image data of parts to be assembled to the product in the process to the in-process computer installed in the process where the product is located;
Means for wirelessly receiving determination result information transmitted from the in-process computer installed in the process where the product is located;
Determination result information storage means for storing received determination result information;
A process management system comprising: In the process management system according to claim 4,
The identification medium is
Means for collecting the information stored in each storage means to generate process management information;
An external transmission means for transmitting the generated process management information to the outside;
A process management system comprising: In the process management system according to claim 1 or claim 4,
The process management system according to claim 1, wherein the identification medium has means for deleting information stored in the storage means after the process management information is transmitted by the external transmission means. In the process management system according to claim 1 or claim 4,
The process management system, wherein the identification medium is an IC tag. In the process management system according to claim 7,
The IC tag includes at least an IC chip, a battery, and an antenna. In an IC tag attached to a product that is a target of work in each process on the production line or an accessory thereof,
Means for receiving quality information used for quality determination of the product that has been worked in each step before the product is put into a production line;
Quality information storage means for storing the received quality information;
Means for wirelessly receiving work result information indicating work result information transmitted from an in-process computer installed in the process in which the product is located;
Means for determining the quality of the product by comparing the received work result information with the quality information corresponding to the process;
Means for wirelessly transmitting determination result information including a result of pass / fail determination to the in-process computer;
An IC tag characterized by comprising: In an IC tag attached to a product that is a target of work in each process on the production line or an accessory thereof,
Means for receiving work instruction information including at least image data of parts to be assembled in the product in each step on the production line before the product is introduced into the production line;
Work instruction information storage means for storing the received work instruction information;
Means for wirelessly transmitting work instruction information including image data of parts to be assembled to the product in the process to the in-process computer installed in the process where the product is located;
Determination result information transmitted from the in-process computer, imaging data of a part prepared for assembly by an operator in the in-process computer, and the part included in the work instruction information Means for wirelessly receiving a comparison result with image data and determination result information including the imaging data;
Determination result information storage means for storing received determination result information;
An IC tag characterized by comprising: A readable / writable identification medium that is attached to a product to be worked on the production line or an accessory thereof, and in which internal storage means, processing means, and wireless communication means are mounted,
In-process computers installed at each process on the production line;
Work instruction information transmitting means for transmitting work instruction information related to operation confirmation of an electronic control unit mounted on the product in each step before the product is put into a production line;
Have
The computer in each process is
Means for wirelessly receiving work instruction information corresponding to the process from the identification medium;
Means for confirming the operation of the electronic control unit connected directly or indirectly to the identification medium according to the received work instruction information;
Have
The identification medium is
Means for connecting the electronic control unit by wire or wirelessly;
Means for obtaining work result information representing the result of operation confirmation from the in-process computer;
Means for storing the acquired work result information in the electronic control unit by transmitting to the electronic control unit;
A process management system comprising:

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