JPH0288153A - Control system for production - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To quickly fulfil a specified assembly work, etc., according to the work of different kind by communicating the information of the kind incorporated according to a production program to a specified work station prior to actual working. CONSTITUTION:When a truck 14c arrives at the work position of a work station Sb, a proximity switch 29b is actuated and the kind data for processing, etc., a work are read from the RAM 40c of the IC card fitted to the truck 14c and stored in a memory 26b. In case of a work existing on the truck 14b, the above kind data are recorded on a memory 26c from the memory 26b and the specified work is fulfilled for the work by an automatic machine Rb. Then, the kind data recorded in the memory 26c are written into the RAM 40b of the IC card inside. Consequently, the kind, etc., of an arriving work can be known in advance at the time when the truck 14c is led to the succeeding work station Sc.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a production management system, and more particularly, to an automatic machine that performs assembly work on workpieces transported by a self-propelled conveyance means. The present invention relates to a production management system that makes it possible to distribute work information, etc. for the work in advance of actual work.

[Background of the Invention] Recently, in automobile production lines, workpieces are placed on transport means and moved between workstations.
A production management system has been adopted in which machine type information is distributed to each workstation in synchronization with the movement of a transport means, and workpiece assembly operations are performed by automatic machines or the like disposed at the workstations.

In such a production management system, it is an essential condition that accurate model information corresponding to the type of workpiece loaded on the transport means that has arrived at the workstation is distributed to the automatic machine.

An example of a device having a conveying means for distributing this type of model information is a conveying device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-99160. This conveyance device has a storage means attached to a conveyance means that moves between work stations, which can read and write information necessary for processing the workpieces placed on the conveyance means, and the conveyance means is When the workstation reaches the workstation, the storage means and the workpiece processing device are connected, the information stored in advance in the storage means is sent to the workpiece processing device, and the workpiece is processed by the workpiece processing device. This is what I did.

However, when the transport means arrives at the workstation, this transport device first transmits information about parts, etc. necessary for assembly work of the workpieces placed on the transport means to the workpiece processing device.
For example, if an automatic machine receives the information, the time required for preparation such as setup work becomes waiting time, resulting in a reduction in production efficiency.

In order to avoid this inconvenience, the automatic machines constituting each workstation are connected to a predetermined control device, and the workpieces placed on multiple transport means that are expected to arrive at the predetermined workstation from the control device are connected. A system is conceivable in which machine type information is distributed before the transport means on which the work is placed arrives.

However, according to this system, if a workpiece assembly defect occurs at any of the workstations arranged in the preceding process of the predetermined workstation, the transport means on which the defective workpiece is placed is transferred to the The work of correcting the information distributed to the automatic machine when it is extracted from the production line becomes an extremely complicated work, and as a result, it has not been possible to avoid the inconvenience of lowering production efficiency.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made in order to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages, and provides a production line having a plurality of work stations for performing assembly work, etc. on workpieces placed on a self-propelled conveyance means. In a production management system applied to a workpiece, machine type information set according to a production plan is distributed from a storage medium attached to the self-propelled transport means to a predetermined workstation in advance of the actual work. It becomes possible to finish setup work etc. in advance at the station, and then promptly perform predetermined assembly work etc. depending on the different types of workpieces transported by the self-propelled transport means arriving at the work station. The purpose is to provide a production management system that makes it possible to

[Means for Achieving the Object] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a production control system applied to a production line having at least a self-propelled transport means, a stop detection means, and a control means. What is the transportation method? The self-propelled transport means is provided with a self-storage medium and moves between a plurality of workstations along a predetermined traveling path, and the stop detection means detects that the self-propelled transport means has stopped at a predetermined work station and The control means reads data from a storage medium provided in the self-propelled conveyance means when receiving data indicating that the self-propelled conveyance means has stopped from the stop detection means. , characterized in that the read data is written in a storage medium provided in a self-propelled conveying means preceding the self-propelled conveying means.

[Embodiments] Next, preferred embodiments of the production management system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 indicates a production line to which the production management system according to the present embodiment is applied. This production line IO has a running path 12 configured in a straight line or a loop shape, and on the running path 12, carts 14a to 14n, which are self-propelled conveyance means, are disposed so as to be movable in the direction of arrow Z. The travel path 12 is a work station S equipped with automatic machines R1 to R6 for work. 86 to 86. The workstation S. From S to S, the trolley 14a
Automatic machines R1 to R1 perform predetermined assembly or processing operations on the workpieces conveyed by 14n to 14n.

On the other hand, the carts 14a to 14n have drive units 18a to 18n for self-propelling along the running path 12, and drive units 18a to 18n.
It has control units 20a to 2On that control the devices a to 18n, communication interfaces 22a to 22T1, and IC card drives [24a to 24n]. In this case, the communication interfaces 22a to 22n communicate with a main controller 30 that controls the entire production line 10 via workstation controllers 28a to 28d that configure each workstation S1 to Sd and have memories 26a to 26g. It is composed of The workstation control devices 28a to 28d include proximity switches 29a to 29g for detecting the carts 14a to 14n and photoelectric switches 31a to 31 for detecting workpieces placed on the carts 14a to 14n.
g is arranged.

Throat-shaped IC cards 32a to 32n are attached as recording media to the front eight IC card drives B24a to 24n. These IC cards 32a to 32n are commercially available, and are configured as shown in FIG. 2, for example.

That is, ICs, which are chip components, are mounted on the printed circuit boards 34a to 34n.

Active elements such as transistors, passive elements such as resistors and capacitors, and thin plate batteries are mounted using surface mount technology, and these parts are surrounded by a plastic film to form a sheet body.

The electric circuits of the IC cards 32a to 32n are basically as follows.
Serial parallel interface 36a to 36n
microcomputers 38a to 38n with built-in
RA M2Oa to 40n as storage media and the RA
Backup batteries 42a to 42n such as lithium batteries for storing data recorded in M2Oa to 40n, first coils 44a to 44n for power supply and clock generation formed by a printed pattern, and the first coil 44a. The high frequency pulses outputted from 44n to 44n are shaped into waveforms and multiplied by a predetermined value, and then sent to the microcomputer 38.
Clock generation circuits 46a to 46n that send clock pulses to a to 38n and RAM M2Oa to 4Qn
and DC power generation circuits 48a to 48n that rectify the high-frequency pulses and generate DC power to be supplied to the components mounted on the printed circuit boards 34a to 34n, and the IC card drive units 24a to 24n, which have poor magnetic coupling. Lead coils 50a to 50n, which are sheet coils that send data introduced through the serial/parallel interface,
1 write coils 52a to 52n1 and read/write switch coils 54a to 54n, and each component is connected by a printed pattern.

The production line to which the production management system according to the present invention is applied is basically configured as described above, and the operation and effects thereof will be explained below! This will be explained based on J3 and FIG. In this case, FIG. 4 shows the main processing flow in the workstation controllers 28b to 28n and the main controller ff130.

Therefore, the trolley 14a moves along the traveling path 12 in the direction of arrow Z, and as shown in FIG. 3a, the workstation S
, the proximity switch 29a is activated and the trolley 14a connects to the communication interfaces 22a and 28a.
A truck arrival signal is output to the automatic machine R4 and the main control device 30 via. In this case, the automatic machine R1 is the workpiece W,
For example, a predetermined workpiece WA is placed on the cart 14a.

Then, the main controller 30 sends the machine type data DA to the workstation controller 28a for processing the workpiece WA at the workstations S to S, which are subsequent processes.
, IC card drive R via the communication interface 22a
24a. Note that the workstation S is a workstation placed in a subsequent process of the workstation S. The IC card drive unit 24a supplies a high frequency pulse to a first coil 44a constituting the IC card 32a to put the IC card 32a into an operating state, and also supplies a predetermined pulse to a read/write switch coil 54a to switch between serial and parallel ink faces. 36a is electrically connected to the light coil 52a side. Then, the model data DA is recorded in the RA R40a through the write coil 52a1 and the serial parallel interface 36a under the action of the microcombiner 2-H.
(See Figure 3).

Next, as shown in FIG. 3C, the workstation S when the trolley 14a reaches the working position of the workstation Sc, and the trolley 14C and the trolley 14d arrive at the working positions of the workstations Sb and S-, respectively. Control will be explained based on the processing flow shown in FIG. 4 and the enlarged view of the workstation S shown in FIG. 5.

When the trolley 14c arrives at the working position of the workstation S, the proximity switch 29b is activated (STPI). Next, the IC card 32 attached to the trolley 14c
In this case, for example, the model data D for processing the workpiece Wc is read out and stored in the memory 26b that constitutes the workstation control bag W128b. (See Figure 5, 5TP2). Next, it is checked whether or not the photoelectric switch 31b for detecting the workpiece is operating (SrF2). Work W.

When the photoelectric switch 31b is not placed and the photoelectric switch 31b is not activated, the workstation control device 28b informs that the workpiece Wc does not exist in RAM4Qb of the IC card 32b attached to the cart 14b preceding the cart 14C. Write the data. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the workpiece Wc exists, and the determination in step 3 is established, and the process proceeds to step 4, where the proximity switch 29c determines whether or not the previous cart exists in the work station S where the cart 14c exists. Confirmed by operation (SrF4).

If it does not exist, the machine type data Dc is sent from the memo 1J26b constituting the workstation control bag ff128b to the automatic machine R5, and the automatic machine R5 performs the specified data on the workpiece Wc placed on the table IE14c. work is carried out. In this case, since the trolley 14b is present, this determination is established and the process proceeds to step 5. Step 5
At , it is confirmed whether or not the workpiece W is placed on the front cart 14b by operating the photoelectric switch 31c.
If the workpiece W does not exist, the trolley 1 is
A predetermined operation is performed on the workpiece Wc placed on the workpiece 4c (SrF5). In this case, since the workpiece W is present on the cart 14b, the process proceeds to the sixth step. In the sixth step, the model data Dc is transferred from the memory 26b to the memory 2.
6c (see Figure 5C, 5TP6).

When the process of step 6 is completed, as described above, the machine type data Dc is sent from the memory 26b to the automatic machine R1, and the workpiece W placed on the trolley 14C by the automatic machine R1.
A predetermined operation is performed on c (SrF7). Next, in step 8, the model data Dc recorded in the memo 'J26C is the workstation control! 2[28
b.

It is written to the RAR 40b in the IC card 32b via the communication interface 22b and the IC card drive section 24b (see FIG. 3d, 5TP8). As a result, the model data DC for the workpiece mounted on the next cart 14c is recorded in the RAM2Ob of the IC card 32b of the previous cart 14b, and the cart 14b is transferred to the next workstation Sc. When introduced, the type of workpiece that will arrive at the workstation Se next will be known in advance, and the worker Me in charge of the workstation Sc will be able to perform preparatory work such as setting up the next workpiece in advance. As a result, the takt time can be shortened.

When this data writing work is completed, a transmission command for the trolleys 14b and 14C is output from the main control device 30, and the command is introduced into the control unit 20b12DC via the workstation control device 28b1 communication interface 22C, and the operation of the drive units 18b and 18c is carried out. The carts 14b and 14c move downward in the direction of arrow Z (SrF2).

Next, as shown in FIG. 3e, a work defect occurs at the work station Sc, such as a bolt or the like not being screwed into the workpiece W placed on the trolley 14b, and the workpiece W is The loaded trolley 14b is the workstation S.
Consider the case where the vehicle is pulled out from the running path 12 in c. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 3f and 3g, the workstation control device 2 constituting the workstation Sd
8d and the main controller 30, the IC card 32c attached to the trolley 14c is stored in the RAM 40a of the IC card 32a attached to the trolley 14a in the same manner as step 8 of the processing flow shown in FIG. The model data (DC, D, , D, ) in RAM M2Oc is transferred, and at that time the RA
Model data (DA, DC,
D, , Di) can be updated to correct data by writing them to RAM2Oa. In other words, the model data of RAM2Oa (D
A, Da, Dc), data other than the model data DA is updated.

Next, the repair of the workpiece Wb placed on the cart 14b in the state shown in the third diagram is completed by the worker Me, and the cart 14b on which the workpiece W is placed is moved away from the position where the workstation Sc is located. Correction of data in the RAMs 40b and 40d when the vehicle is returned to the travel path 12 will be described. In this case, as shown in FIG.
The model data of RAM2Ob that constitutes the IC card 32b of the trolley 14b in the workstation Sc is obtained from data (Di, Dc, DD) to (Dm, D).
D, DF), and the model data of the previous cart 14d that precedes the corresponding cart 14b at the next workstation Sd is updated from the data (Do SD*, Dp) to (Do.

Da, De, Dr) are updated correctly. In this case, the RAM 40a of the carts 14a and 14b
, 40C data has not been updated to the correct data yet, but the unit! [When 14c catches up with trolley 14a and is located at the same work station, RAM 2 of trolley 14C
The OC data has been updated to the correct data, and this trolley 14
Needless to say, when C catches up with IE 14a and is located at the same workstation, the data in RAM2Oa of IE 14a will be updated to the correct data. In this way, the carts 14a to 14 existing on the running path 12
i lThe attached IC cards 32a to 321
All data in the RAMs 40a to 401 become correct. Therefore, according to the present invention, the model data can be corrected in a very short period of time due to the reinsertion of the truck, etc.
And it can be done reliably.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, a storage medium added to a self-propelled transport means stores information for processing a workpiece placed on the transport means, and information for processing a workpiece placed on a subsequent transport means. It also records information on how to process the work that has been done. Therefore, it is possible to perform preparation work in advance for the workpieces placed on the conveyance means that will arrive next at a given workstation, which has the effect of shortening the takt time of the production line and improving production efficiency. .

Furthermore, even if a workpiece is defective and the cart carrying the workpiece is pulled out from the main running path of the production line, the data in the storage medium of the cart preceding the cart carrying the defective workpiece can be saved in a short period of time. It is possible to make corrections during

Furthermore, the workpiece in which the defective work has occurred is repaired,
When the trolley carrying the repaired work is returned to the main traveling path, the data in the storage medium of the trolley and the data in the storage media of all the trolleys located in front of the trolley will be corrected in a short time. This gives you the advantage of

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.
Of course, various improvements and changes in design are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a production line to which the production management system according to the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a storage medium attached to a conveyance means running on a travel path in the production line shown in FIG. 1. An explanatory diagram of the configuration; Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the transfer of data stored in the storage medium in response to the travel of the conveying means; Fig. 4 shows the processing when data is stored in the storage medium. Flowchart FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating processing within the workstation control device in the production line shown in FIG. 1. lO...Production line 12...Travel path 14
a~14n...Truck 18a~18Tl...
Drive units 20a to 2On...Control units 228 to 22n...Communication interfaces 24a to 24
T1... IC card drive section 26a-26g... Memory 28a-28d... Workstation control device 30
...Main controllers 29a-29g...Proximity switches 318-31g...Photoelectric switches 32a-32n, IC cards 38a-38n...Microcomputer 40a-
40n-RAM 46a-46n...Clock generation circuit 48a-48n
...DC power generation circuit R1~R1...Automatic machine S, ~S,...Workstation

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) In a production management system applied to a production line having at least a self-propelled conveyance means, a stop detection means, and a control means, the self-propelled conveyance means includes a storage medium and a plurality of self-propelled conveyance means along a predetermined running path. The stop detection means detects when the self-propelled transport means has stopped at a predetermined work station and transmits the detected information to the control means, and the control means detects when the self-propelled transport means has stopped at a predetermined work station. When data indicating that the self-propelled conveyance means has stopped is received from the detection means, data is read from a storage medium provided in the self-propelled conveyance means, and the read data is preceded by the self-propelled conveyance means. A production management system characterized by being configured to write on a storage medium provided in a self-propelled conveyance means. (2) In the system according to claim 1, the timing at which the control means writes to the storage medium provided in the self-propelled transport means preceding the self-propelled transport means is within the same workstation. and a preceding self-propelled conveyance means are simultaneously stopped. (3) In the system according to claim 1 or 2, when the control means writes to the storage medium provided in the self-propelled conveying means preceding the self-propelled conveying means, A production management system characterized by being configured to update data other than data necessary to process workpieces placed therein. (4) A production management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the storage medium provided in the self-propelled transport means is configured to have a non-contact data input/output means.