JP2002278616A - Delivery time predicting and replying system and its method and its program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To highly precisely calculate the delivery time of a product before receiving an order, and to make a reply. SOLUTION: A control part 7 of a delivery time replying and predicting device 2 obtains the production procedure of a product to be calculated from a component constitution master 10 and a production process master 11, and obtains the actual inventory situation of supply components from an inventory master 12, a time required for acquiring the supply components from a component acquisition master 13, and the free schedule of a producing facility from a production planning master 14. The control part 7 obtains a time when the supply components can be supplied from the inventory situation of the supply components and the time required for acquiring the supply components, and calculates a virtual production schedule following the production procedure based on the time when the supply components can be supplied and the free schedule of the producing facility, and obtains the delivery time from the virtual production schedule, and replies to an information input and output terminal 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for predicting a delivery date of a product before actually receiving an order, and for responding.
In particular, it relates to a technique for more accurately predicting a delivery date.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For a product manufactured by a so-called order-made production method in which production is started after receiving an order, it is determined beforehand (for example, at negotiations) whether or not delivery by a customer's required deadline is possible. May need to be presented. Further, even when there is no particular specification of the delivery date from the customer, if the delivery date when the product is actually ordered can be presented in advance, it can be one of the services for the customer.

In view of the above, a delivery date answering device 15 as shown in FIG. 5 has been conventionally proposed and is already known. The delivery date reply device 15 includes a standard delivery date master 16 that stores a standard delivery date for each product. Delivery date answering device 1
5 acquires from the standard delivery date master 16 the standard delivery date for the product attribute information inputted from the terminal 17 and
7 is output. According to this device 15, it is possible to answer the delivery date of the product before receiving an order.

[0004]

However, in actuality, the delivery date of a product varies according to the production status of the product. For this reason, when the load of equipment for producing a product increases, or when there is no stock of original parts or raw materials used for the production of the product, the production may be delayed and may not be able to be delivered in time. . Conversely, if the actual product is completed earlier than the standard delivery date, there may be a problem that a place for storing the product must be secured.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems, a delivery date prediction answering system according to the present invention is a delivery date prediction answering system for calculating and answering a delivery date for a virtual order of a product, and comprising: Means for acquiring a procedure, means for acquiring a possible point in time of input parts for a virtual order based on an actual stock status and / or required acquisition time of the input parts to be input in the production procedure, and Means for obtaining an actual vacant schedule of the used production equipment, means for calculating a virtual production schedule according to the production procedure based on the inputtable time and the vacant schedule, and means for obtaining a delivery date from the virtual production schedule, Is provided.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a delivery date response prediction system 1 according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing information stored in the delivery date response prediction system 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, a delivery date answer prediction device 2 has a plurality of information input / output terminals (eg, a computer terminal or a mobile phone terminal) via a telecommunication line (eg, the Internet or a public telephone network) 3. The information input / output terminal 4 receives information indicating a request and a condition for calculating a delivery date. The information indicating the calculation conditions corresponds to the information indicating the content of the virtual order for calculating the delivery date, includes at least the attributes of the product (eg, product ID, product name, and the like), and further includes the number of products, the desired delivery date, the assumed delivery date, and the like. It may include the time of receiving an order or the assumed start of production. When receiving this request via the telecommunication line 3, the delivery date response prediction device 2 calculates a predicted delivery date based on the calculation conditions received in the same manner and sends it to the information input / output terminal 4 via the telecommunication line 3 as a response. Transmit.

Further, a production management device 6 provided in a production factory or the like is connected to the delivery date response prediction device 2 via a telecommunication line (for example, WAN, etc.) 5. 2, information on the production equipment (for example, information indicating the vacancy schedule of the production equipment, etc.), information on the parts inventory, information on the parts acquisition, and the like are changed at a predetermined timing (for example, the values of the information are changed). Transmitted in real time).

A delivery date answer prediction device 2 according to the present embodiment
Calculates the delivery date when it is assumed that the order has been received from the actual operation status and the operation schedule of the production factory without receiving the formal order. This assumed order (condition) for calculating the delivery date is referred to as a virtual order in this specification.

A delivery date answer prediction device 2 for calculating a delivery date for a virtual order receives a control unit 7 (for example, a CPU) that performs arithmetic processing relating to delivery date calculation and controls each unit of the delivery date prediction device 2.
And a computer-readable recording medium (eg, CD
ROM, floppy (registered trademark) disk, etc.) or a removable device 8 for writing information to the information. The control unit 7 reads out the program stored in the storage medium via the removable device 8, installs it in a program holding unit (for example, a hard disk or a memory, etc.) (not shown), and performs an operation for calculating a delivery date according to the program. Do. The calculation process for calculating the delivery date will be described later in detail. This program may be downloaded via a telecommunication line (3, 5).

The delivery date answer prediction device 2 includes a storage unit 9 (for example, a hard disk device) for storing various information used in the arithmetic processing. In the present embodiment, the storage unit 9 includes a component configuration master 10 for storing information indicating a component configuration of each product, and a production process master 1 for storing information on production equipment used in each production process of each product and semi-finished product.
1. Inventory master 12 storing information indicating the stock status of parts (particularly input parts), parts acquisition master 13 storing information indicating the time required to obtain parts (particularly input parts), actual operation of each production facility A production plan master 14 for storing information indicating the scheduled status is provided. FIG. 2 shows an example of information stored in each master.

The component configuration master 10 stores information indicating the component configuration of each product in a tree-like manner for each production process. For example, the example of FIG. 2 shows that the product O is assembled from the semi-finished products A and B in a predetermined production process, and that the semi-finished product A is assembled from the input parts aa and the semi-finished products AA in a predetermined production process. . Further, the number of parts (semi-finished products, input parts) used in each production process is also stored here. Note that a semi-finished product means a part that has been sub-assembled in the middle of assembling the product. This semi-finished product is set for each production process or each production facility used in the production process. Also, the input parts are original parts or raw materials to be input into the production process of each product or semi-finished product, and are not produced at a production factory or production equipment managed by the production management device 6, but are externally produced (for example, an original part manufacturer). Or parts obtained from a raw material maker).

The production process master 11 stores information indicating production equipment used in the production process of each product and semi-finished product, and the use time (AT) of the production equipment required for production of the product and semi-finished product. You. The example of FIG. 2 shows that the assembly of the product O takes two days using the production facility M1, and the assembly of the semifinished product A takes one day using the production facility M2.

From the information stored in the component configuration master 10 and the production process master 11, a product production procedure can be obtained. That is, from these information, production equipment and parts (input parts, semi-finished products) used in each step can be obtained, and products can be produced from original parts or raw materials through semi-finished products. Can be inevitably obtained from the component configuration. Further, the number of components used in each step and the time required in each step can be obtained.

The inventory master 12 stores the inventory status (for example, the number of inventory or the presence or absence of inventory) for each component (for example, input component).
Is stored. Further, the component acquisition master 13 stores information indicating a supplier for each component (for example, input component), a time required for acquisition, an acquisition cost, and the like. Then, the production plan master 14 stores information indicating the number of products that can be produced (a production margin) for each predetermined time section (for example, one day) for each production facility.

The inventory master 12 and the parts acquisition master 1
3, and the information stored in the production plan master 14 are desirably updated in real time. This is realized, for example, by configuring the production management device 6 to transmit the updated value to the delivery date response prediction device 2 each time the value of the information changes.

Next, the delivery date calculation in the delivery date answer prediction system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a delivery date calculation procedure, and FIG. 4 is an example of a calculated virtual production schedule.

First, the control unit 7 acquires a delivery date calculation condition (delivery date calculation condition acquisition step S1). More specifically, the control unit 7 acquires the delivery date calculation condition input by the information input / output terminal 4.

Next, the control unit 7 acquires the component configuration of the product whose delivery date is to be calculated from the component configuration master 10 (acquisition process S2 of the component configuration of the product to be calculated). As described above, since the production procedure can be known from the component configuration of the product, this step S2 corresponds to a step of acquiring the production procedure. In step S2, the control unit 7 also acquires the number of components (semi-finished products, input components) used in each process for the production of the calculation target product.

Next, the control unit 7 sends the
For the input parts of the component parts of the calculation target product, the stock quantity is obtained (input part stock quantity obtaining step S3),
The number of used parts obtained in step S2 is compared with the number of stocks, and it is determined whether or not there is a necessary number of stocks for the production of products corresponding to the number of virtual orders (in-stock presence determination step S2).
4).

If it is determined in step S4 that the stock is insufficient, the control unit 7 obtains, from the parts acquisition master 13, the time required from ordering the insufficient input parts to delivery. Acquisition time required acquisition step S5). If the presence or absence of the stock and the time required until the parts are acquired are acquired, it is inevitable to acquire the time at which the parts can be introduced with respect to the production start time. That is, the steps S4 and S5 correspond to a step of acquiring a time at which a part can be charged.

Further, the control unit 7 acquires, from the production process master 11, the use time (AT) of the production equipment in the production process for each product to be calculated and its semi-finished products (production equipment use time acquisition step S6). .

The control unit 7 acquires, from the production plan master 14, an empty schedule for a predetermined period of the production equipment used in the production process of the product to be calculated (empty schedule acquiring step S7). More specifically, in step S7, the control unit 7 compares the number of producible parts of the production equipment with the number of producible parts necessary for the production of the calculation target product, and determines that the number of producible parts is If it is the above, it is determined that "there is a vacancy (indicated by a circle in FIG. 4)". Note that the control unit 7 may previously acquire an empty schedule for a predetermined period from the production start date, or, when calculating a virtual production schedule later, a predetermined period from the time when the parts to be used for production are collected. A minute schedule may be obtained.

The control unit 7 calculates a virtual production schedule based on the information obtained in the above steps (S1 to S7) (virtual production schedule calculation step S8). An example will be described with reference to FIG. In the example of FIG. 4, a virtual production schedule is created in units of one day (time division), and the first day indicates a production start date. The time required for production (AT) of products and semi-finished products is described next to the product name.

The semi-finished product B includes input parts b1, b2 and b
3, the input parts b1 and b3 are not in stock enough to produce a predetermined number of the semi-finished products B, and the shortage required time (LT) to obtain the input parts b1
Is 3 days and the input part b3 is 2 days. For this reason, the production of the semi-finished product B can be started after all the parts have been collected, that is, after the time required for obtaining the input part b1 has elapsed (in this case, the fourth day). However, on the fourth day, the production equipment for producing the semi-finished product B was “No vacancy (×
Mark) ”. For this reason, the production of the semi-finished product B starts on the fifth day in the state of “there is a vacancy (indicated by a circle)”, and after three days of the required production time (AT),
Production is completed. Similarly, since the semi-finished product A is already completed by the fifth day, the production of the product O produced from the semi-finished products A and B can be started from the eighth day. However, the production equipment used for the production of the product O is in the state of “no vacancy (x mark)” on the eighth and ninth days, so that the production is started on the tenth day, and the time required for production of the product O Since (AT) is two days, the completion of the product O is finally the eleventh day.

The control unit 7 acquires the delivery date from the virtual production schedule calculated in this way, and answers the delivery date calculation request source (the information input / output terminal 4) (delivery date acquisition and answering step S9).

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the component configuration master 10
And the production process master 11 is provided, and the production procedure is obtained from the information stored therein. Alternatively, a production procedure master integrating them may be provided. More specifically, in the production procedure master, information indicating the component configuration of a product in a tree-like manner is stored, and information (e.g., production equipment What is necessary is just to store the attribute information and the required production time AT in the process.

The calculation of the delivery date calculation (steps S1 to S9) in the above embodiment can be performed in consideration of the order quantity, or can be performed at an arbitrary production start time. Also, when calculating the delivery date,
The information indicating the actual situation of the production site (the information stored in the inventory master 12, the parts acquisition master 13, and the production plan master 14) includes the virtual order that has already been subjected to the calculation process related to the delivery date calculation in the delivery date response prediction system 1. This arithmetic processing may be performed based on information obtained by adding data of the minute (hereinafter simply referred to as the already calculated amount). More specifically, the storage unit 9
The calculated virtual production schedule and parameters related to the calculation are stored in the storage unit 7, and the control unit 7 stores the virtual production schedule based on the information from the masters (12, 13, 14) and the calculated information. The vacant schedule that takes into account the calculated production, the parts inventory status that takes into account the use of parts in the calculated production, and the required acquisition time that takes into account the availability of parts in the calculated production are acquired based on these. The delivery date may be calculated. For this purpose, after executing the arithmetic processing for the virtual order, it is selected whether or not to reflect the data of the virtual order in the calculation of the delivery date for the subsequent virtual order, and only the amount to be reflected is calculated as the already calculated amount. May be stored.

When there are a plurality of different suppliers for one input part, the required acquisition time and the acquisition cost for each of the plurality of suppliers are stored in the parts acquisition master 13, and the time is saved. It is possible to calculate virtual production schedules corresponding to the case where priority is given and the case where cost is given priority. When a plurality of different production facilities can be used for one production process, the production process master 11 stores the required production time and production cost for each of the plurality of production facilities and gives priority to the time. It is possible to calculate virtual production schedules corresponding to the case where the priority is given and the case where the cost is given priority. In these cases, as the delivery date calculation condition, information indicating which of the time and the cost is prioritized may be obtained, or the delivery date is calculated for both the time priority and the cost priority cases, and both of them are calculated. You may answer.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The delivery date for the virtual order will be calculated based on the actual production
It is calculated based on the actual stock status of parts and the time required to obtain them, and the delivery date can be answered with a high degree of accuracy because the actual production situation can be reflected. Also, it is possible to suppress orders that exceed the load on the production equipment.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a delivery date prediction answering system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in a delivery date prediction answering system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a delivery date calculation process in the delivery date prediction answering system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a virtual production schedule calculated by the delivery date prediction answering system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional delivery date reply device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 delivery date answer prediction system, 2 delivery date answer prediction device,
3, 5 telecommunication line, 4 information input / output terminal, 6 production management device, 7 control unit, 8 removable device, 9
Storage unit, 10 parts configuration master, 11 production process master, 12 inventory master, 13 parts acquisition master, 14
Production planning master.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A delivery date prediction answering system for calculating and answering a delivery date for a virtual order for a product, comprising: means for acquiring a production procedure of the product; Means for acquiring a possible input point of the input parts for the virtual order based on the stock status and / or the required acquisition time; means for acquiring an actual vacancy schedule of the production equipment used in the production procedure; And a means for calculating a virtual production schedule based on the production procedure based on the available schedule and an availability schedule; and a means for acquiring a delivery date from the virtual production schedule. 2. A delivery date prediction answering method for predicting a delivery date and responding to a virtual order for a product, comprising: a step of acquiring a production procedure of the product; and an actual input part input in the production procedure. A step of obtaining a possible point in time of input parts for the virtual order based on the stock status and / or a required acquisition time; a step of obtaining an actual vacancy schedule of production equipment used in the production procedure; A delivery date prediction answering method, comprising: calculating a virtual production schedule based on the production procedure based on the availability schedule and a vacant schedule; and acquiring a delivery date from the virtual production schedule. 3. A means for acquiring a production procedure of a product in the delivery date prediction answering system according to claim 1, wherein the computer stores information on an actual stock status and / or a required acquisition time of input parts input in the production procedure. Means for acquiring a possible input time of the input part with respect to the virtual order, means for acquiring an actual vacant schedule of the production equipment used in the production procedure, based on the imaginable time and the vacant schedule. A program for functioning as a means for calculating a production schedule and a means for acquiring a delivery date from the virtual production schedule.