JP2004310210A - Work support system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a work support system 1 for displaying the work contents which an operator wants most to view at first. <P>SOLUTION: This work support system 1 for instructing the work contents to an operator is provided with a parts instructing device 3 for storing a plurality of work processes and a plurality of work contents included in the work processes, a server 2 for storing work history information in regard to the works performed in the past by the operator, and for predicting the work contents necessary for an operator from among the plurality of the work contents for each work process based on the work history information and a work supporting monitor 4 for displaying the predicted work contents among the plurality of work contents at first, and for displaying the plurality of work contents in the predetermined work order. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a work support system that instructs a worker on work contents to improve work efficiency.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, for example, in the production of vehicles, a method of producing many types of vehicles one by one, that is, a so-called multi-vehicle small-quantity production method, has been adopted in order to meet various needs of customers.
[0003]
Since many types of vehicles are produced, a plurality of different types of products and parts are supplied to the production line. These products and parts have different assembling specifications and the like, and workers need to assemble according to the specifications. However, it is difficult for an operator to grasp the assembly specifications and the like of all products and parts, it takes time to learn the work, and there is a possibility that a work error may occur.
[0004]
Therefore, a work support device has been developed as a measure for shortening the work learning time and avoiding work mistakes.
[0005]
This work support device displays work steps and work contents at predetermined time intervals according to a standard work book on a computer screen, and gives an appropriate instruction regarding assembly of a product to an operator. Thus, the worker does not need to remember the assembly specifications and the like, and can shorten the work learning time by that much, and can avoid a work error (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2002-108437 A (see paragraphs “0018”, “0026”, “0027”, etc. in the detailed description of the invention)
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the work support device displays the work content according to the standard work book. In this case, the work content that the operator wants to see most, for example, the work content that the user wants to check first is not immediately displayed, and the work efficiency is deteriorated.
[0008]
Further, the work support device displays the work contents at predetermined work display times according to a work time determined in advance according to a standard work book. However, the proficiency level differs for each worker, and the work time is not constant. Therefore, if the work content is displayed for each predetermined work display time regardless of the worker, a time difference occurs between the work display time and the actual work time. In this case, there is a problem that the operation display time and the actual operation time cannot be synchronized.
[0009]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a work support system that displays work contents that a worker wants to see most, enables synchronization of work display time and actual work time, and improves work efficiency. With the goal.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A work support system according to the present invention is a work support system for instructing a worker on work contents, comprising: a plurality of work steps; a first storage means for storing the plurality of work contents included in the work steps; A second storage unit for storing work history information relating to work performed by a worker in the past, and for each work process, estimating work contents required for the worker among a plurality of work contents based on the work history information. Prediction means, and display means for displaying the predicted work contents first among the plurality of work contents, and subsequently displaying the plurality of work contents in a predetermined work order.
[0011]
Another work support system of the present invention is a work support system for instructing a worker on work contents, and a first storage for storing a plurality of work steps and a plurality of the work contents included in the work steps. Means, second storage means for storing work history information on work performed by the worker in the past, display means for displaying a plurality of work contents in a predetermined work order, and each work content displayed by the display means And a correcting unit for correcting the display time of the above based on the work history information.
[0012]
【The invention's effect】
According to the work support system of the present invention, the work contents required for the worker among the work contents are predicted based on the work history information, and the predicted work contents are displayed first. Therefore, the worker can confirm the expected work content at the beginning of the work process, and can remember it at the start of the work process. Thereafter, the work can be performed with the expected work content in mind, and as a result, work efficiency can be improved. For example, when there is a task where the skill of the worker is low and there is a task that is relatively difficult, the work content of the poor task is displayed first, which is effective in that it can be remembered at the beginning of the work process.
[0013]
According to the other work support system of the present invention, the display time for each work content is corrected based on the work history information. Therefore, the error between the actual work time and the display time can be corrected, and the actual work time and the display time can be synchronized. Therefore, work efficiency can be improved. For example, it is effective in that the display time can be increased for the work contents that the worker is not good at, since the work takes time, and the display time can be shortened for the work contents that the worker is good at.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0015]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the work support system.
[0016]
The work support system 1 is applied to a small-volume production line of other models, and provides a worker arranged at each work point of the production line with a work content such as a part type to be assembled to a work flowing through the production line, an assembling method, and an order. Instruct.
[0017]
The work support system 1 is mainly connected to a server 2, to which a component pointing device 3, a work support monitor 4, and an inspection monitor 5 are connected. Each configuration will be described.
[0018]
The component pointing device 3 plays a role of a first storage unit that stores a plurality of work processes (tact) and a plurality of work contents included in the work process. Here, the component pointing device 3 stores a work process and work contents for each work point on the production line. The component indicating device 3 responds to a request from the server 2 that monitors the progress of the work process at each work point, and instructs the server 2 on the next work process. The work process includes a plurality of specific work contents.
[0019]
The work support monitor 4 is provided for each work point where the worker is arranged. In other words, the work support monitors 4 are arranged at least as many as the number of workers. The worker can input the identification number assigned to himself to the work support monitor 4 before starting the work. The input identification number (hereinafter, referred to as worker identification information) is transmitted from the work support monitor 4 to the server 2.
[0020]
At the time of work, the work support monitor 4 displays the contents of work to be performed by the worker this time. The worker confirms the work content and performs work such as assembling appropriate parts to the product. The work contents instructed to the worker are sequentially transmitted from the server 2. The work support monitor 4 can be operated from the worker side. Thus, when the work is delayed, the worker can review the contents of the previous work by operating the work support monitor 4. In addition, it is possible to confirm the contents of the next and subsequent work in advance. Here, information on the history of the operation of the work support monitor 4 by the worker by checking the work content (hereinafter, referred to as operation history information) is transmitted from the work support monitor 4 to the server 2 and stored in the server 2.
[0021]
The inspection monitor 5 is installed near the work point. If a trouble occurs during the work, the worker can go to the inspection monitor 5 after the work is completed or the like, and input the work contents having the trouble and the contents of the trouble. Alternatively, there may be an inspector of the production line other than the worker, and the inspector may input a defect found by looking around the production line. The input defect information is transmitted from the inspection monitor 5 to the server 2 and stored in the server 2.
[0022]
As described above, the server 2 receives and stores the work content instruction from the component pointing device 3, the worker identification information and the operation history information from the work support monitor 4, and the defect information from the inspection monitor 5. The server 2 also stores work number information indicating the number of times the worker has performed work. These pieces of information are stored and managed as work history information for each worker (second storage unit). As will be described in detail later, the server 2 is displayed by a predicting unit for predicting the work contents required for the worker among a plurality of work contents, based on the work history information, and a display unit. It also functions as a correction unit that corrects the display time of the work content to be corrected based on the work history information. The server 2 is the center of the system, and its operation is most important, and will be described in detail below.
[0023]
(Operation of server 2)
Next, the operation of the server 2 will be described in detail.
[0024]
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of the operation of the server 2. The server 2 controls the display of the plurality of work support monitors 4 and gives a work instruction to a plurality of workers. In the following, for ease of explanation, the work instruction is given to one of the plurality of workers. Will be described.
[0025]
First, the server 2 receives the worker identification information (Step S1). Here, the worker identification information is input to the work support monitor 4 by the worker at the start of the work. The server 2 reads out the work history information of the worker based on the received worker identification information (Step S2). Here, the work history information includes worker identification information, work number information, operation history information, and fault information.
[0026]
Subsequently, the server 2 requests the component instruction device 3 to issue an instruction for the next work process (first work process in the case immediately after the start of work) assigned to the worker (step S3). Since the instruction of the work process is transmitted from the parts instruction device 3 in response to the request, the server 2 receives the instruction (step S4).
The server 2 selects a specific work content having the highest work level among the specific work contents included in the received work process (step S5), transmits the work content to the work support monitor 4, and firstly transmits the work content for a predetermined time. For example, it instructs to display for one second (step S6). This work level will be described later.
[0027]
Subsequently, the server 2 sequentially transmits the received work contents included in the work process to the work support monitor 4 in the work order, and instructs them to be displayed (step S7). Here, each work content including the work content first displayed in step S6 is displayed for a predetermined work time.
[0028]
When the instruction to display the work content is completed, the server 2 increases the number of times the execution of the work content has been instructed, that is, the number of work performed by the worker by one, and stores it as work number information (step S8).
[0029]
The server 2 corrects the work level to be compared next time in step S5 based on the work frequency information, the defect information and the operation history information (step S9), and further, the work support monitor 4 next time in step S7. Then, the display time of each work content at the time of the display is corrected (step S10). Details of the correction of the work level and the correction of the display time will be described later.
[0030]
The server 2 checks whether or not there is a next operation step, that is, whether or not the production has ended (step S11). If the production has not ended (step S11: NO), the process returns to step S3 and proceeds to the next work process. If the production has ended (step S11: YES), the operation ends.
[0031]
(Work level)
Next, the work level in step S5 and the work level correction in step S9 will be described.
[0032]
The work level is an index indicating that the higher the work level, the more difficult the work is for the worker.
[0033]
The work level is set for each work content based on the work history information. As described above, the work history information includes the defect information and the operation history information, and further includes the work count information stored in step S8. The work level is set based on the following criteria. It should be noted that, of course, the strengths and weaknesses of the work differ depending on the worker, and therefore, a work level for each work content is set for each worker based on the worker identification information.
[0034]
(1) For work contents in which a trouble is pointed out based on the trouble information, for example, assembling of parts does not work as described in the specification, a long working time is required, so the work level is raised. For example, each time a malfunction is pointed out for a certain work content, the work level of the work content is increased by +5.
[0035]
(2) From the operation history information, for example, when the same work content is reviewed many times by the operation of the work support monitor 4, it can be estimated that the work content is difficult and it took much time to complete the work. So raise the work level. For example, for each operation of the work support monitor 4, the work level is set to +2.
[0036]
(3) According to the work frequency information, for example, if the work frequency is large, the work has been performed many times, and it can be said that the proficiency of the worker has been improved, so the work level is lowered. For example, the work level is decremented by 1 for each work so far.
[0037]
(4) The work level does not fall below 1.
[0038]
By varying the work level based on the specific criteria as described above, the difficulty of work for each objective work content can be quantified.
[0039]
Based on the work level thus set, the server 2 first displays the work with the lowest work level on the work support monitor 4 as described in step S6. This will be specifically described as follows.
[0040]
FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the order in which the work contents are displayed on the work support monitor 4. Time elapses from left to right in the drawing.
[0041]
FIG. 3 illustrates a case where four work contents A1 to A4 are included in one work process. The work is performed in the order of the work contents A1 to A4, and the display time of the work contents is T1, T2, T3, and T4 in the order of the work contents A1 to A4. Further, with respect to the work level set based on the above criteria, the work content A3 is the highest.
[0042]
The server 2 confirms that the work level of the work content A3 is the highest, and predicts that the work content A3 having the high work level is the work content that needs to be confirmed first. Then, the server 2 displays the predicted work content A3 on the work support monitor 4 for a predetermined time T5 at the beginning of the work process.
[0043]
Thereafter, the work contents are displayed in the order of the work contents A1 to A4 in a predetermined work order. The display time is T1 to T4 which are determined in advance for each work content. Here, it is preferable that the display time T5 of the work content A3 to be displayed first is shorter than the normal display time T3.
[0044]
(Display time correction)
Next, the correction of the display time of each work content in step S10 will be described.
[0045]
Here again, reference is made to the example shown in FIG. First, a description will be given of variables and constants used in a mathematical expression for correcting the display time of each work content.
[0046]
The display times T1 to T4 indicate the times allocated to the display of the work contents A1 to A4.
[0047]
The display time T5 is the display time of the work content A3 displayed first in step S6.
[0048]
The total time T indicates a total time for executing the work contents A1 to A4.
[0049]
The work levels L1 to L4 indicate the work levels currently set for the work contents A1 to A4.
[0050]
The basic operation times S1 to S4 indicate standard times required for operations of the operation contents A1 to A4 defined in the standard operation manual. Immediately after the start of the work process, that is, immediately after the start of the operation of the production line, the work contents A1 to A4 are displayed according to the basic work times S1 to S4. That is, the basic operation times S1 to S4 are the display times of the operation contents.
[0051]
Variables R1 to R4 are variables for calculating display times T1 to T4.
[0052]
The calculation formulas (1) to (4) for the display times T1 to T4 are shown below.
[0053]
Formula (1) T1 = (T−T5) × R1 / (R1 + R2 + R3 + R4)
Here, R1 = S1 × A1
Formula (2) T2 = (T−T5) × R2 / (R1 + R2 + R3 + R4)
Here, R2 = S2 × A2
Formula (3) T3 = (T−T5) × R1 / (R1 + R2 + R3 + R4)
Here, R3 = S3 × A3
Formula (4) T4 = (T−T5) × R1 / (R1 + R2 + R3 + R4)
Here, R4 = S4 × A4
As shown in the equations (1) to (4), the variables R1 to R4 are values obtained by weighting the basic work times S1 to S4 by the work levels L1 to L4 in consideration of the current state. Then, for example, focusing on the variable R1 in the equation (1), the basic work time S1 is added to the current state by raising the ratio of the variable R1 to the sum of the variables R1 to R4 to (T-T5). It is corrected to the display time T1. The reason why the above ratio is multiplied by (T−T5) is that in the work support system 1 of the present embodiment, before displaying each work content, the work content that is most needed by the worker is displayed. This is to secure the time T5.
[0054]
As described above, in the work support system 1 according to the present embodiment, the server 2 predicts that the work having a high work level is the work required by the worker, and slightly changes the predicted work content A3 at first. Is displayed only for Therefore, the worker can confirm the expected work content A3 at the beginning of the work process, and can remember it at the start of the work process. Thereafter, the work can be performed with the expected work content in mind, and as a result, work efficiency can be improved. For example, since the worker's skill level is low and the poor work content A3 is displayed first, it is effective in that it can be remembered at the beginning of the work process.
[0055]
Further, in the work support system 1 of the present embodiment, the basic work time in the standard work book is corrected for each work content based on the work level obtained from the work history information. The work level is a numerical value of the difficulty of the actual work.By taking this into account, even if there is an error between the actual work time and the basic work time in the standard work book, the actual work time It can be synchronized with the display time. Therefore, work efficiency can be improved. For example, it is effective in that the work content that the worker is not good at takes a long time, so that the work level is increased, the display time is lengthened, and the display time is shortened for the work content that the user is good at. .
[0056]
In the above-described embodiment, the failure of the work content is input from the inspection monitor 5, but may be input from each work support monitor 4.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a work support system.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of an operation of a server.
FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the order in which work contents are displayed on a work support monitor 4;
[Explanation of symbols]
1. Work support system,
2 ... server,
3 ... part indicating device,
4: Work support monitor,
5. Inspection monitor.

Claims (6)

A work support system for instructing a worker on work contents,
A plurality of work steps, a first storage means for storing a plurality of work contents included in the work steps,
Second storage means for storing work history information on work performed by the worker in the past;
Based on the work history information, for each work process, a prediction means for predicting the work required for the worker among the plurality of work contents,
Display means for displaying the expected work content first among the plurality of work contents, and subsequently displaying the plurality of work contents in a predetermined work order;
Work support system having A work support system for instructing a worker on work contents,
A plurality of work steps, a first storage means for storing a plurality of work contents included in the work steps,
Second storage means for storing work history information on work performed by the worker in the past;
Display means for displaying a plurality of the work contents in a predetermined work order,
Correction means for correcting the display time of each work content displayed by the display means based on the work history information,
Work support system having The work support system according to claim 1, wherein the work history information includes malfunction information related to a malfunction during the work. The display means can operate the display content from the worker side,
The work support system according to claim 1, wherein the work history information includes operation history information regarding a history of a worker operating the display unit in the past. The work support system according to claim 1, wherein the work history information includes work number information regarding the number of work performed by a worker in the past for the same work. The work support system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the second storage unit stores the work history information for each worker.

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