JP2010079632A - System and method for controlling conveyance of optical member - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system and a method for controlling conveyance, which are capable of properly setting the number of optical members sent out from a normal processing route to a sampling process route on a process line where a plurality of kinds of optical members are conveyed in a mixed fashion. <P>SOLUTION: The system and the method for controlling conveyance are characterized in that the number (required number) of optical members acceptable in the sampling process route is preset for each kind, the number (remaining number) of optical members present in the sampling process route is counted by a counting means to compare both numbers, and the optical members are sent out to the sampling process route by a branching device only if the remaining number is smaller than the required number. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical member transport control system and a transport control method in an optical member processing line in which a plurality of types of optical members (color filters, etc.) having different processing states are produced while being mixed on the same equipment. In particular, the present invention relates to a transport control system and a transport control method for transporting a processing target member to a processing facility installed on a route branched from a normal processing route.

  For example, in the manufacture of a color filter, various processing is performed on a glass substrate that does not have any pattern at first, and a predetermined pattern of black matrix (BM), red (R), green (G), and blue (B). The product is manufactured through various processes such as forming a layer and forming another layer if necessary. In order to satisfy a predetermined specification, all the substrates must pass through a predetermined manufacturing process. In the processing line, a route through which all the substrates must pass is hereinafter referred to as a normal processing route.

  On the other hand, there is a process in which a part of the substrate may pass, such as a sampling inspection process. In the processing line, such a route through which a part of the substrate may pass is hereinafter referred to as a sampling processing route. In a large-scale machining line in recent years, a sampling processing route is provided by branching from a predetermined portion of a normal processing route, and a branching device installed at the branch point is a substrate that passes through the normal processing route. Is taken out and sent to the extraction route.

  Here, if the number of substrates sent out to the sampling processing route is too small, the operating rate of the sampling processing device is lowered, and for example, in the case of a sampling inspection device, there is a possibility of overlooking a generated defect. On the other hand, if the number of substrates sent out to the sampling processing route is too large, there is a possibility that problems such as the processing speed of the sampling processing device not being in time can occur. Therefore, the number of substrates sent to the sampling processing route by the branching device must be set to an appropriate value in consideration of the processing speed of the normal processing route, the processing speed of the sampling processing route, and the like.

  Furthermore, in the processing line for manufacturing the color filter, color filter substrates having different processing states (for example, the substrate in the R process and the substrate in the B process) are mixed on the same processing line, and each processing state The number of substrates sent to the extraction processing route must be set appropriately.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, when a plurality of types of sampling inspections are performed in a machining process in which a plurality of types of workpieces flow together, inspection items are set in advance for each of the plurality of types of workpieces, and each of the plurality of types of inspection items is set. A sampling cycle is set for each inspection item, and a sampling cycle counter provided for each inspection item is incremented according to the type of the workpiece that has passed there, and the sampling cycle counter sets the sampling cycle corresponding to the inspection item. Then, a technique has been proposed in which the inspection item is inspected for the passed workpiece.

  A transfer control method for setting the number of substrates to be sent to the sampling processing route in the same manner has been used in the color filter processing line as well, and will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 1, the optical member 2 in the R process and the optical member 3 in the B process are conveyed on the normal processing route 1. The branching device 4 is on the normal processing route 1 and receives the optical member that has been transported through the normal processing route 1. The branching device 4 detects which process the received optical member is in, and refers to the corresponding column of the sampling table 5.

  The sampling table 5 has a column for recording the input period and the count number for each process, and a predetermined value is set or recorded. The input period is a set value indicating how many substrates in the process are sent to the extraction processing route, and should be set in advance before the processing line is started. The count number is a value obtained by counting by the counter (not shown) how many substrates in the same process have passed since the substrate in the process was previously sent out to the extraction processing route.

  First, a sensor (not shown) is arranged in front of or on the branching device 4 on the normal processing route 1 to identify which process each substrate is in. A counter (not shown) is configured to receive information on the substrate that is next on the branching device 4 from the sensor. When the counter receives information from the sensor, the counter increments the count of the corresponding process in the sampling table 5 by one.

  For example, in the case of FIG. 1, since there is an optical member of the B process on the branching device 4, the row of the B process in the sampling table 5 is referred to. In this case, since the insertion period and the count value are equal, the branching device 4 sends the currently held optical member to the extraction processing route 6. At this time, the count number is updated. However, since the count number is returned to 1 when the input period is exceeded, the count number 3 is rewritten to 1 in this case. The optical member sent to the sampling processing route 6 is subjected to sampling processing by the sampling processing equipment 7. Next, when the optical members of the R process and the B process arrive at the branching device 4, the R process and the B process in the sampling table 5 pass through the normal machining route because the input period and the count are not equal. As a result, the count number of the R process is 2, and the count number of the B process is 2. If the optical member of the R process further comes to the branching device, the branching device 4 sends out the optical member currently held to the sampling processing route 6 because the R process input period and the count number in the sampling table 5 are equal. .

  The sampling table 5 is capable of holding information on the input period and the number of counts, and is created on a medium on which such information can be disclosed and rewritten. The input period in the sampling table 5 is set in advance. In the case of the sampling table 5 in FIG. 1, the setting is such that the optical member in the R process is extracted at a cycle of one in two, and the optical member in the B process is extracted at a cycle of one in three. Yes.

  As described above, in the conventional transport control method, the number of sampling processes to be performed is determined in advance as a set value, and the optical members passing on the processing line are counted by the counter, and determined strictly by the set value. The sampling process is performed at a specified cycle.

JP-A-7-21433

  However, the above conventional method has the following two problems. First, the first problem is that it is difficult to make a setting corresponding to the processing capacity of the sampling processing facility in the setting method in which the number of sheets input to the sampling processing route is set at a fixed number.

  When the number of optical members sent to the sampling processing route is less than the processing capacity of the sampling processing facility, idle time is generated in the sampling processing facility, and the operating rate decreases. On the contrary, if the processing capacity of the sampling processing facility is exceeded, an optical member that cannot enter the sampling processing route is generated, and the optical member stays on the upstream side of the branching device of the normal processing route, and the optical member on the normal processing route. The transport itself stops. Therefore, it is necessary to set the number of optical members sent out to the sampling processing route to an appropriate value.

  However, the processing speed of the normal processing route and the sampling processing route varies depending on each product type, and in the situation where a plurality of product types are mixed and manufactured, a plurality of product types are also mixed in the sampling process route. Therefore, it is necessary to set a combination of multiple varieties. For this reason, it takes time and effort to adjust to an appropriate set value for each product type and each product type combination. Furthermore, even with the same product type, the processing speed of the normal processing route and the sampling processing route are slightly different depending on the quality of the product lot, and readjustment may be necessary, which also takes time.

  The second problem is that the setting method in which the number of sheets inserted into the sampling processing route is set at regular intervals cannot flexibly cope with a change in the state of the sampling processing equipment.

  In other words, when a failure or a decrease in processing speed occurs in the sampling processing facility, an optical member that cannot enter the sampling processing route is generated, and the optical member stays on the upstream side of the branching device of the normal processing route, and is on the normal processing route. The optical member conveyance itself stops. Conversely, when the sampling processing facility returns from a failure or when an increase in processing speed occurs, the set value needs to be corrected accordingly.

  This is because the optical member is sent to the sampling processing route every predetermined number of sheets regardless of the state of the sampling processing equipment.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and allows the number of optical members to be sent to a sampling processing route to be set without taking time, and allows for flexible changes in the status of sampling processing equipment. It is an object of the present invention to provide a transport control method that can cope with this. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the optical member from staying on the normal processing route and the operating rate of the sampling processing facility from being lowered.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, in claim 1 of the present invention, in a processing line in which a plurality of types of optical members having different processing states are mixed and conveyed,
The processing line is conveyed on the normal processing route through which all optical members must pass, a sampling processing route through which only some optical members pass and processing is performed by the sampling processing device, and the normal processing route. Branching means capable of sending a part of the optical member to the extraction processing route, at least,
Discriminating means arranged on the branching means or upstream of the branching means and capable of discriminating the type of the optical member being conveyed,
Counting means capable of counting the number of optical members present in the sampling processing route (hereinafter referred to as the number of stays) for each type;
The number of optical members (hereinafter referred to as necessary number) that can be accepted in the sampling processing route can be preset for each type and for each sampling processing apparatus, and for each type counted by the counting means. Recording means for recording the number of stays of the optical member;
The information on the type of the optical member currently on the branching unit is received from the discriminating unit, and the number of stays is compared with the required number by comparing the required number of the optical members of the type recorded in the recording unit with the number of stays. Instructing the branching means to send the optical member to the extraction processing route if the number is small, otherwise instructing the branching means to send the optical member to the normal processing route,
The conveyance control system of the optical member characterized by comprising.

Moreover, in claim 2 of the present invention, in a processing line in which a plurality of types of optical members having different processing states are mixed and conveyed,
The processing line is conveyed on the normal processing route through which all optical members must pass, a sampling processing route through which only some optical members pass and processing is performed by the sampling processing device, and the normal processing route. Branching means capable of sending a part of the optical member to the extraction processing route, at least,
A determination step of determining the type of the optical member being conveyed on the upstream of the branching unit or upstream of the branching unit,
A counting step of counting the number of optical members existing in the sampling processing route (hereinafter referred to as the number of stays) for each type;
For each type acceptable in the sampling processing route set in advance and the number of optical members for each sampling processing device (hereinafter referred to as necessary number), and the optical for each type counted in the counting step. A recording stage for recording the number of stays of the member;
Compare the information on the type of the optical member currently on the branching means obtained in the determination step with the required number of stays and the number of stays of the optical member of the type recorded in the recording step, and the number of stays than the required number If there is a small amount, the branching unit is instructed to send the optical member to the sampling processing route;
It is set as the conveyance control method of the optical member characterized by comprising.

  The optical member transport control system and transport control method of the present invention makes it possible to easily perform an operation of appropriately setting the number of optical members to be sent to the sampling processing route. In addition, even when there is a change in the processing speed of the sampling processing facility, it is possible to respond flexibly. Thereby, it is possible to eliminate idle time of the sampling processing facility and prevent the optical member from staying on the normal processing route.

  Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows the first embodiment of the present invention, and shows a portion where the normal processing route 1 and the sampling processing route 10 are present in a part of the processing line of the optical member.

  In FIG. 2, it is assumed that the optical member 2 in the R process and the optical member 3 in the B process are conveyed on the normal processing route 1. The branching device 41 is on the normal processing route 1 and receives the optical member that has been transported through the normal processing route 1. The branching device 41 determines which process the received optical member is in by a determining unit (not shown), and refers to the corresponding column of the sampling table 8.

As the discriminating means, a means for directly observing the pattern formed on the optical member and discriminating whether there is a pattern to be formed in the R process or the B process can be used. For example, a predetermined position on the optical member may be observed with an image processing sensor or a color determination sensor to determine whether there is a pattern or color to be formed in the R process or the B process.
Alternatively, a unique ID number formed on each optical member is read and an upper system that manages the entire processing line is inquired as to which process the substrate of that number is currently in use as a discrimination means. Is possible. For example, a pattern representing a unique ID number is formed on each optical member in a predetermined format (OCR numerals, barcode, two-dimensional code, etc.), and corresponding reading equipment (OCR reader, barcode reader, two-dimensional code) A method may be used in which a unique ID number is read by a reader or the like, and the information is sent to the host system, and information on the process to which the optical member belongs is given to the branching device 41 from the host system.

  The sampling table 8 includes the number of optical members required for the sampling processing area 9 set within the number acceptable for the sampling processing area 9 (described later) for each process (hereinafter referred to as the required number) and the current sampling. There is a column for recording the number of optical members (hereinafter referred to as the number of stays) present in the processing area 9, and a predetermined value is set or recorded.

  Here, the operation when the optical member flowing through the normal processing route 1 is extracted will be described with reference to FIGS. When the optical member reaches the branching device 41, if the number of stays in the sampling table 8 is less than the required number as shown in FIG. 4, the branching device 41 sends the optical member to the sampling processing region 9. At this time, the number of stays is updated. Conversely, when the required number of stays in the sampling table 8 is sufficient as shown in FIG. 5, the branching device 41 sends the optical member to the normal processing route 1.

  In the case of FIG. 2, since there is an optical member of the B process on the branching device 41, the necessary number and the stay number in the column of the B process in the sampling table 8 are referred to and compared. Since the current stay number = 2 is smaller than the required number = 3, the branching device 41 sends out the optical member to the extraction processing route 10 side.

  The optical members sent to the sampling processing route 10 are sequentially subjected to sampling processing by the sampling processing equipment 7, and then returned to the normal processing route 1 by the joining device 42.

  Here, a region on the sampling processing route 10 from the downstream side of the branching device 41 to the outlet of the sampling processing equipment 7 is referred to as a sampling processing region 9. The counting means (not shown) counts the optical members present in the sampling processing area 9 for each process and fills in the number of stays column in the sampling table 8. That is, the number of stays is incremented by 1 when the optical member is sent from the branching device 41 to the sampling processing route 10, and the number of stays when the optical member exits the sampling processing equipment 7 exit, that is, when it exits the sampling processing region 9. Is decremented by 1.

  The counting means may be one capable of monitoring the entire sampling processing area 9 and counting the number of stays, or obtaining the number of stays based on the difference between the number received from the branch device 41 and the number sent from the junction device 42. But it ’s okay.

  The sampling table 8 is capable of holding information on the necessary number and the number of stays, and is created on a medium on which the information can be disclosed and rewritten. The required number in the sampling table 8 should be set in advance, and is set so that the total of all the required numbers is equal to or less than the maximum number that can be accepted in the sampling processing area 9. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the optical member that does not completely enter the sampling processing region 9 from overflowing the normal processing line. Also, it is not always necessary to set the required number for each process to the same value, and the setting value of the process that wants to increase the sampling frequency more frequently than other processes is set large, and the setting value of the process that is not so small is set to be small Is possible.

  In order to maximize the operating rate of the sampling processing facility 7, a means for supplying the optical member as soon as it becomes possible to receive the optical member into the sampling processing facility is necessary as a conveying means of the sampling processing route 10. It is. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a pre-packed type conveyor is used as the conveying means of the sampling processing route 10.

  A front-packing type conveyor is a conveyor in which subsequent members accumulate in a pre-packed state when the delivery of members from the end of the conveyor is blocked. In the case of FIG. 2, an appropriate number of optical members waiting for extraction processing are always on standby before the entrance of the extraction processing facility, which is the end of the conveyor, and can be input as soon as the extraction processing facility is acceptable.

  Since each optical member in each step passes the same time from being extracted to exiting the extraction processing area 9, it periodically exits the extraction processing area. In the present invention, when the number of stays in the sampling process area is less than the required number, the operation is performed from the normal processing route to the sampling process route, so that sampling can be performed periodically.

  FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. Since only the configuration of the sampling processing region 9 portion is different from that of the first embodiment, the difference will be mainly described.

  This embodiment is a configuration suitable when there are two or more sampling processing facilities. First, the optical member sent out from the branching device 41 is received by the robot 11. The robot 11 first places the optical member received from the branching device 41 once on the buffer 12. The buffer 12 is provided with a place where at least a necessary number of optical members can be placed.

  When any of the plurality of sampling processing facilities can accept the next optical member, the robot 11 can quickly put the optical member waiting in the buffer 12 into the sampling processing facility. At this time, the robot 11 puts the optical member waiting in the buffer 12 into the sampling processing equipment first from the optical member that has entered the sampling processing area 9 first. Although FIG. 3 shows a case where there are two sampling processing facilities, there may be two or more sampling processing facilities.

  In FIG. 3, the optical member processed by the sampling processing facility A returns to the normal processing route 1 through the joining device 42, but the optical member processed by the sampling processing facility B is sent to the discharge route 15 and is normally The case where it does not return to the processing route 1 is shown. When the sampling processing area 9 has such a configuration, the counting means (not shown) can monitor the entire sampling processing area 9 and count the number of stays, or the number received from the branching device 41 and the joining device 42. The number of stays may be obtained by calculating from the number sent from the outlet and the number sent from the discharge route 15.

In addition, the sampling table of this embodiment can have the same configuration as that of the first embodiment. However, when it is desired to adjust the number of processes for each of a plurality of sampling processing facilities, the sampling table 8 'in FIG. What is necessary is just to make it a proper structure. In other words, a required number may be set for each process and each sampling processing facility, and a sampling table that enables recording of the measured number of stays may be used.

In the color filter production line (hereinafter referred to as a CF production line), an example in which a sampling inspection is performed when substrates in the R process, the G process, and the B process are simultaneously conveyed is shown.
A sampling region is arranged with respect to the normal processing route via a branching device and a joining device. In the sampling process area, a pre-inspection conveyor (prepared mold) that is a sampling process route and an inspection machine (one unit) that is a sampling process facility are arranged. The total required number that can be accepted in the sampling area was 10. The processing time of the inspection machine varies depending on the type of process of the optical member.

  The data of the sampling table was stored in a storage medium provided in the computer. The computer receives information on the number of substrates for each process currently held by these apparatuses from the pre-inspection conveyor and the inspection machine in the sampling processing area, and records the information in the number of stays column in the sampling table.

  The branching device obtains information on which process the substrate currently held belongs to from the discrimination means, refers to the corresponding column of the sampling table, and receives the comparison result between the required number of this process and the number of stays.

  In this embodiment, since the R step is to perform sampling inspection twice as many as the G step and the B step, the ratio of the required numbers in the sampling table is R step: G step: B step = 2: 1: 1. Decided to do. Since the number of substrates that can be accepted in the sampling region is 10, the required number of R processes is set to 4 and the required number of G processes and B processes is set to 2 so that the total required number is 10 or less. In this way, it was possible to set without particularly worrying about the processing time and processing capacity of the inspection machine.

  Sampling inspection of the CF production line was realized by using the above apparatus configuration and sampling table. As a result, the idle time of the inspection machine was eliminated, and the operating rate could be 100%.

In addition, the inspection machine broke down and stopped for a long time, and the required number of eight substrates stayed in the sampling processing area, but no further sampling was performed. There was no such thing as overflowing and affecting the normal processing route. Moreover, it was possible to operate without any special operation or setting change when a failure occurred and when it recovered from a failure.

The schematic diagram which shows schematic structure of the conventional conveyance control system. The schematic diagram which shows schematic structure of the conveyance control system which is the 1st Embodiment of this invention. The schematic diagram which shows schematic structure of the conveyance control system which is the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. Operation of the branch device when the number of stays is less than the required number Operation of the branching device when the number of stays is sufficient

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Normal processing route 2 Optical member 3 of R process Optical member 4, 41 of B process Branching device 42 Junction device 5 Sampling table 6 Sampling processing route 7 Sampling processing equipment 8 Sampling table 9 Sampling processing area 10 Pre-packed conveyor 11 Robot 12 Buffer 15 Discharge route A, B Multiple sampling facilities

Claims (2)

In a processing line in which multiple types of optical members with different processing states are mixed and conveyed,
The processing line is conveyed on the normal processing route through which all optical members must pass, a sampling processing route through which only some optical members pass and processing is performed by the sampling processing device, and the normal processing route. Branching means capable of sending a part of the optical member to the extraction processing route, at least,
Discriminating means arranged on the branching means or upstream of the branching means and capable of discriminating the type of the optical member being conveyed,
Counting means capable of counting the number of optical members present in the sampling processing route (hereinafter referred to as the number of stays) for each type;
The number of optical members (hereinafter referred to as necessary number) that can be accepted in the sampling processing route can be preset for each type and for each sampling processing apparatus, and for each type counted by the counting means. Recording means for recording the number of stays of the optical member;
The information on the type of the optical member currently on the branching unit is received from the discriminating unit, and the number of stays is compared with the required number by comparing the required number of the optical members of the type recorded in the recording unit with the number of stays. Instructing the branching means to send the optical member to the extraction processing route if the number is small, otherwise instructing the branching means to send the optical member to the normal processing route,
An optical member conveyance control system comprising: In a processing line in which multiple types of optical members with different processing states are mixed and conveyed,
The processing line is conveyed on the normal processing route through which all optical members must pass, a sampling processing route through which only some optical members pass and processing is performed by the sampling processing device, and the normal processing route. Branching means capable of sending a part of the optical member to the extraction processing route, at least,
A determination step of determining the type of the optical member being conveyed on the upstream of the branching unit or upstream of the branching unit,
A counting step of counting the number of optical members existing in the sampling processing route (hereinafter referred to as the number of stays) for each type;
For each type acceptable in the sampling processing route set in advance and the number of optical members for each sampling processing device (hereinafter referred to as necessary number), and the optical for each type counted in the counting step. A recording stage for recording the number of stays of the member;
Compare the information on the type of the optical member currently on the branching means obtained in the determination step with the required number of stays and the number of stays of the optical member of the type recorded in the recording step, and the number of stays than the required number If there is a small amount, the branching unit is instructed to send the optical member to the sampling processing route;
An optical member conveyance control method comprising:

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