Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q10/00—Administration; Management
  • G06Q10/08—Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
  • G06Q10/083—Shipping
  • G06Q10/0835—Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers
  • G06Q10/08355—Routing methods
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
  • G05B19/00—Programme-control systems
  • G05B19/02—Programme-control systems electric
  • G05B19/418—Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM]
  • G05B19/4189—Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM] characterised by the transport system
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q10/00—Administration; Management
  • G06Q10/04—Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem"
  • G06Q10/047—Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
  • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
  • G05B2219/30—Nc systems
  • G05B2219/31—From computer integrated manufacturing till monitoring
  • G05B2219/31269—Convey tool and workpiece to workcenter

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method for handling a workpiece and a system.
• a method or system is used, for example, in the woodworking industry, especially the furniture and component industry.
• processing stations or processing machines can be linked or linked together.
• the said workpieces may be, in particular plate-shaped, workpieces made of wood, wood-based materials and / or composite materials.
• Examples of the processed in the invention workpieces are kitchen countertops, furniture parts such as cabinet components, floor panels, doors or the like.
• the inventors have set themselves the task to provide a method and a system for handling workpieces, which allow increased flexibility in manufacturing.
• Claim 1 provides a corresponding method. Further preferred embodiments are listed in the dependent claims.
• An idea of the invention is to provide a method and a system in which the transport of workpieces is carried out by means of a driverless transport vehicle, with which one or more workpieces can be picked up, transported and stored or can.
• the driverless transport vehicle may have a workpiece carrier, which allows a random access to one or more workpieces.
• Storage / buffering of the workpiece carrier allows random access to the workpiece carriers with the driverless transport vehicle.
• the driverless transport vehicle can transport one or more workpieces. In the case of several workpieces these can be transported as a horizontal stack of plates, vertically stacked plate stack, individual plates, molded parts in a common position (nesting), pre-assembled furniture parts or the like.
• the driverless transport vehicle also attachments or mounting hardware, such as screws or the like, supplies, packaging material, adhesives, coating material such as edge bands, hinges, etc. be transported.
• the inventive method is directed to the fact that the workpiece or workpieces, or a workpiece carrier, is stored at a storage location of a storage area.
• the storage bin should allow a random access.
• An optional access means that the workpiece or workpieces, or the workpiece carrier, can be removed from the storage space or can, whereby the accessibility of the storage space is guaranteed.
• the accessibility is ensured by a driverless transport vehicle.
• the driverless transport vehicle in the area of a storage space under one or more, possibly stacked, workpieces drive and record this or this.
• the driverless transport vehicle can accommodate one or more workpieces.
• the transport vehicle is set up to receive a workpiece carrier which, for example, can receive or pick up one or more workpiece pieces.
• the driverless transport vehicle may be the one that has deposited the one or more workpieces, or the workpiece carrier, at the storage location, or it may be another driverless transport vehicle.
• a method for handling a workpiece, in particular a plate-shaped workpiece comprises the steps of: creating a transfer order and selecting a first driverless transport vehicle from a plurality of driverless transport vehicles, and picking up and transporting the workpiece or the plurality of workpieces with the first driverless transport vehicle, wherein the workpiece or workpieces are stored at a storage location of a storage area, which storage space allows random access.
• the use of the driverless transport vehicle has the advantage that even in secured processing stations a transport of the workpieces or is possible without stopping a processing within the corresponding cell. Furthermore, there is an advantage in that the failure of a driverless transport vehicle does not lead to a standstill of the entire system. Furthermore, there is an advantage in that the storage or buffer area is no longer completely secured by, for example, safety fence installations and is blocked for other uses.
• the dimension of the storage area is variable. Since the storage or buffer area can be changed dynamically, it can also be temporarily changed or otherwise used for other purposes in production.
• the storage area has one or more buffer zones, wherein the one or more buffer zones each comprise one or more storage locations, wherein it is preferred that the dimension of the buffer zone or the buffer zones is variable.
• processing station or the processing stations comprise or comprise a panel splitter, a woodworking machine, a sorting cell, an assembly machine or a workpiece transport.
• a transport request can be made by means of a cell controller which communicates with a fleet control system.
• a transport path and / or a transport speed can be determined based on a prioritization of the transfer order and / or on a loading weight of the first driverless transport vehicle.
• the workpiece at least partially wood, wood material and / or composite material has.
• a flexible system is advantageous in order to be able to react to varying orders.
• the method may be carried out such that the driverless transport vehicle travels under the workpiece or the, optionally stacked, workpieces for picking up one or more workpieces from the stacking station, and picks up the workpiece or the workpieces.
• the workpiece or the workpieces is received in a workpiece carrier.
• the invention relates to a system (or a plant or production plant) comprising a plurality of driverless transport vehicles, the system is set up a Create a transport order and select a first driverless transport vehicle from the plurality of driverless transport vehicles, and wherein the system comprises a storage area with one or more storage bins, which storage bin allows random access.
• the system comprises a controller having a cell controller and a subordinate fleet control system, wherein the cell controller is configured to determine a transport request based on a state of the system and / or based on an order of a parent resource planning system.
• the driverless transport vehicles are autonomously driving units, which are in particular electrically operated. In this way, a high degree of flexibility is achieved. In addition, errors in the handling and transport of workpieces can be avoided. Thus, such a system can work extremely efficiently.
• the system may have at least one processing station for processing workpieces, preferably a plurality of processing stations, wherein it is preferred for the processing station to comprise a panel dividing installation, a woodworking machine, a sorting cell, an assembly machine or a workpiece transport device.
• the system may be configured to determine a transport path and / or a transport speed of the driverless transport vehicle based on a prioritization of the transfer order and / or on a loading weight of the transport order driverless transport vehicle.
• the driverless transport vehicle may be arranged to drive under one or more, possibly stacked, workpieces and to receive this or this.
• the workpiece or the workpieces are provided in a workpiece carrier.
• the invention relates to an arrangement of several, in particular different, woodworking machines and one or more driverless transport vehicles.
• the above-mentioned aspects of the process or system may be used individually or in combination.
• Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a system for
• FIG. 2 shows the system implemented according to FIG
• Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a system 1, in which workpieces can be processed and buffered, the type and number of stations are to be understood by way of example.
• the illustrated system 1 is intended in particular for the processing and processing of plate-shaped workpieces which are produced in the field of furniture and component industry. In particular, these are wood workpieces, workpieces made of wood-based materials, workpieces made of composite materials or the like.
• the system 1 is defined, for example, by the enclosure of a production hall, but may also include portions of such a production hall.
• processing stations B1-B3 are provided in the system 1, which are spaced apart in the region of the system 1.
• the processing stations B1-B3 can be secured by a fencing against unauthorized access. Alternatively, it is possible to mark a region of a processing station by a corresponding mark on the ground.
• a processing machine Bl-1, B2-1 and B3-1 is arranged in each case. If the processing station is not provided with a fencing according to a modification, then the respective processing station can also be defined by the processing machine itself.
• a storage or buffer area 2 is also provided in the system 1, which is provided as a "free area" in the system 1.
• the storage area 2 is not defined by a specific dimension but is variably adjustable Systems 1 can define and change the storage area 2 according to requirements.
• a plurality of buffer zones 2 a are provided, which according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 form longitudinally formed sections in the storage area 2.
• three buffer zones are shown, wherein the number and dimension of the buffer zones is variable.
• the storage bins are positions in the storage area 2 of the system 1, where one or more workpieces are stored and stored with or without a carrier.
• the system controller determines the storage or buffer area 2, buffer zones 2a, and bins 2b, and can dynamically change them as needed during operation of the system. If, for example, due to the current production and the smaller request for a buffering of workpieces, a smaller dimensioned storage area 2 is required, then for example a buffer zone 2 a can be released or reduced in order to adapt the dimension of the storage area 2.
• the storage area / buffer area may have lanes between the buffer paths 2b, in which a driverless transport vehicle can move in order to access all stacks in the area 2b directly randomly.
• a driverless transport vehicle can move in order to access all stacks in the area 2b directly randomly.
• random access to stacks by the driverless transport vehicle can take place in that the driverless transport vehicle picks up the stacks in the buffer section 2b at the end of the route and delivers them at a suitable position.
• the described embodiment of the system 1 further comprises a packaging station V comprising a packaging machine Vl.
• the packing station V defines, so to speak, a final processing step in which the workpieces machined with one or more of the aforementioned processing machines are possibly combined and packaged.
• the system can also be designed without a packaging station.
• driverless transport vehicles 10-12 In the production plant a plurality of driverless transport vehicles 10-12 are provided, the driverless transport vehicles 10-12 are electrically operated.
• the driverless transport vehicles are designed such that they can receive one or more workpieces and unload, for example, at one of the storage bins 2 b.
• the driverless transport vehicles can drive under a stack of workpieces and lift this when several stacked workpieces are kept at one of the storage bins.
• the illustrated in the embodiment number of three driverless transport vehicles is purely exemplary. The number of transport vehicles can be varied according to requirements.
• the driverless transport vehicles 10-12 are set up to transport one or more workpieces on a workpiece carrier. Furthermore, the driverless transport vehicles 10-12 are set up to pick up the workpieces from a specific processing machine and to transfer the transported workpieces according to a transfer order. Here, the driverless transport vehicles 10-12 in the system 1 are freely movable.
• the workpiece processed by the processing station B1 can be buffered / temporarily stored in the storage area 2.
• the workpiece to be stored temporarily by means of a driverless Transport vehicle moves to one of the bins 2b and dropped off.
• the storage bins 2b are arranged to be accessible, it is not necessary, as in the case of conventional stacking roller conveyors, to observe a specific removal order or to perform bale-taking operations. Rather, a driverless transport vehicle can access a specific storage space 2b, so that the processing sequence between stations of the system 1 can be changed in a flexible manner.
• the controller 30 comprises a resource planning system 31, which assumes a higher-level production planning.
• a cell controller 32 which receives production orders for various processing machines from the resource planning system 31, which converts individual transport orders for the processing machines, and processes the transport orders with one or more driverless transport vehicles and possibly in combination with optional conventional transport mechanisms .
• the cell controller 32 is equipped with a database system, a user interface with visualization, suitable interfaces to the resource planning system 31, interfaces to cloud services and mobile terminals.
• the task of the cell controller 32 is to assign one or more driverless transport vehicles 10-12 from different production areas as a function of the utilization of the individual production areas, and to dynamically relocate the driverless transport vehicles to other production areas. Furthermore, the driverless transport vehicles 10-12 in the system can be assigned a transfer order depending on the prioritization, and the transport path and / or the transport speed can be set according to the prioritization.
• Prioritization in this context means that a lower or higher prioritization is assigned to a specific transport request within the system. In this way, it is possible to compensate production fluctuations of the processing machines by appropriate supply and removal of workpieces taking into account the prioritization.
• the driverless transport vehicles are equipped with sensors to detect workpiece parameters and possible traffic jams in the transport path and to transmit this information to the cell controller.
• the cell controller 32 is connected by means of a coupling system 33 with a fleet control system 34, which selects a specific driverless transport vehicle and transmits the specific control commands to the driverless transport vehicles 10-12. Further, the fleet control system 34 monitors the equipment such that there are no blockages when multiple AGVs would interfere.
• the driverless transport vehicles 10-12 can detect loaded or unloaded workpiece carriers with the corresponding sensor system, and also determine which workpiece carrier is involved. If, for example, larger workpiece carriers are received, it may be necessary to increase a safety area around the driverless transport vehicle.
• the driverless transport vehicles 10-12 may each be equipped with a detection device to identify individual workpieces.
• the detection device can be designed, for example, as a barcode scanner or RFID scanner with which a barcode or RFID chip attached to a workpiece is detected.
• the driverless transport vehicles from the processing machines Bl-1, B2-1 and B3-1 or optionally available transport machines workpieces or stacks of workpieces can be taken.
• the workpieces or stacks of workpieces can be picked up flexibly and transferred to a further processing station, a storage space 2b of the storage area 2 or an optionally present transport machine.
• speed profiles of the driverless transport vehicles can be adjusted.
• speed profiles of the driverless transport vehicles can be adjusted.
• the driverless transport vehicles have the advantage that even in secured processing stations a transport of the workpieces or is possible without stopping a processing within the corresponding cell.
• a lock can be provided in the housing / protective fence of the corresponding processing cell. By interaction with a corresponding sensor system of the driverless transport vehicle, the lock can be opened and closed.
• an advantage over the prior art is that the failure of a driverless transport vehicle does not lead to a standstill of the entire system.
• the storage or buffer area 2 is no longer completely secured by, for example, safety fence installations and is blocked for other uses. Since the storage or buffer area 2 can be changed dynamically, it can also be temporarily changed for other purposes in production. Furthermore, the storage or buffer area 2 is no longer fenced and the area or the routes can also be used for example by forklifts. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

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Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=65802082

Family Applications (1)

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• 2018
  • 2018-03-14 DE DE102018203880.5A patent/DE102018203880A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2019
  • 2019-03-13 US US16/980,830 patent/US20210373539A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2019-03-13 WO PCT/EP2019/056278 patent/WO2019175239A1/de unknown
  • 2019-03-13 EP EP19711316.0A patent/EP3766024A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2019-03-13 CN CN201980019039.9A patent/CN111886614A/zh active Pending

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