JP2829218B2 - Tool management system with simulation function - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tool management system for collecting tools required for executing a given production plan.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a factory for processing parts using a machine tool, it is extremely important to supply tools required for processing in a timely manner. The tools required by this machine tool are assembled tools that can be used by assembling element tools such as cutting tools and holders and immediately attaching them to the main shaft, etc., but they are stored in various states in the factory. Normal. These storage tools can be broadly classified into those that are stored individually as elementary tools, those that are stored as assembled tools but the tool life has expired, and those that are stored as assembled tools and have a sufficient life remaining. In these stored tool data, new information is always stored. On the other hand, data of unnecessary tools that are not used in the tools stored in the magazines of other systems are also stored, and the operator of the tool center manually checks these data or the actual data as necessary. Necessary tools are prepared.

[0002] The tool sorting operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step S101, when the operator of the tool center receives a new required tool list, in step S102 it is checked against the stored tool data or the actual tool, and in step S103, it is first checked whether there is a tool corresponding to the assembled tool. In the case of YES, in step S104, it is further confirmed whether there is a lack of the cutting tool of the assembled tool, the lack of the life, and the like. In the case of YES, the tool is used as it is as a level 1 tool. In the case of NO, in step S105, the tool is a level 2 tool that can be stocked only by replacing the cutting tool.

Further, if NO in step S103, it is confirmed in step S106 whether or not there is a component tool, and if YES, in step S107,
Level 3 tools that can be stocked by tool assembly. In the case of NO, in step S108, it is compared with the tool data in the magazine of another processing system, and in step S109, it is confirmed whether or not there is an unnecessary tool in another system. In the case of YES, step S110
, A level 4 tool that can be obtained by moving the tool. In the case of NO, the tool is a level 5 tool that cannot be stocked at the tool center and must be purchased. Next, in step S112, it is finally confirmed whether all the tools in the tool request list have been completed. If NO, the process returns to step S102, and if YES, the process ends.

[0004]

The search and stocking of tools by hand described in the prior art involves a wide variety of conditions such as tool life and storage location, and efficient and accurate judgment when the number of tools increases. Is difficult to perform artificially, and the frequency of mistakes increases. For example, when the tool life is extended in the middle of machining, an unexpected tool preparation work flow as shown in FIG. 10 occurs, which results in stopping the expensive machine for a long time. Intervening causes problems such as a decrease in work efficiency. The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the related art, and has as its object to provide a tool center operator with the most easy and efficient work instruction list when arranging tools. It is intended to provide a tool management system that can supply automatically.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a tool management system having a tool sorting simulation function according to the present invention is provided with a tool newly required in a processing plant to execute a given production plan. In a tool management system having a function of creating prediction result data, a means for determining each tool that needs to be newly stocked from the tool prediction result data and the magazine storage tool data of the processing machine, and each tool newly required A means for searching the tool center and the inventory tool data held in a magazine of another processing system etc. in each level in an easy-to-sort order, and a means for automatically creating a work instruction list of each tool selected by the search. .

[0006]

[Function] From the tool prediction result data that predicts the tools required in accordance with the production plan and the magazine storage tool data of the machine used for machining, find the newly required stocking tools that need to be stocked first, Level 1 that can be used immediately by searching the tools included in this required tool from the data
The tool of level 2 which can be used only by replacing the tool and the cutting tool is allocated. Next, a level 3 tool that can be used for assembly is allocated from the element tool data, and a level 4 tool that can be used for transfer is allocated from unnecessary tool data stored in a magazine of another system machine. Next, a work instruction list for a tool center operator is automatically created by assigning to a tool of level 5 which does not correspond to any of them and is not available.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS This embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a construction management system in a parts processing factory, which includes a factory management computer 1 for managing production plans and results, and machines such as processing machines 3A and 3B and tool magazines 3a and 3b in accordance with a production plan given from an upper level. It comprises a machining system management device 2 for managing and controlling, a tool center management device 4 for centrally managing tools in a factory, and a local area network 5 for transmitting information between them.

The processing system management device 2 has a function of predicting a tool newly required for a processing machine in the processing system in accordance with the execution of a production plan given from a host, and outputting the result. . As shown in FIG. 3, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, when a work to be processed is assigned to each machine in the system based on the production plan data, two processing processes A are processed as the work to be processed by the first machine. When two pieces of B are allocated, the tools required for the machining and the use time are stored as tool layout data, and the scheduled tool use time of the first machine is calculated based on the tool layout data. Next, the first-unit tool prediction result is obtained by comparing the first-unit ATC data representing the tools already stored in the first-unit magazine and the remaining life thereof with the first-unit tool use scheduled time.

[0009] The tool prediction results are classified into a spare tool which is included in the magazine but has a short tool life, an insufficient tool which is not included in the magazine, and an unnecessary tool which is included in the magazine but is not necessary for this production plan. Classified. The local area network 5 is a part that transfers the tool prediction result to the tool center management device 4. As shown in FIG. 4, the tool used in the machine tool is, for example, assembled with the pull stud Ta of (a), the holder Tb of (b), and the cutting tool Ta of (c), and as shown in FIG. The tool T has predetermined functions and dimensions, and a tool request based on a tool prediction result from the machining system management device 2 is performed using a tool code assigned to each tool. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a tool management system according to the present invention.
The required tool prediction data creation storage unit 6 in the table checks the status of the production plan according to the tool prediction request of the tool center management device 4, specifies a production plan range for which the tool prediction is to be executed, A part that creates and stores the required tool prediction result data, including unnecessary tools. The processing machine magazine data storage unit 7 is a part that stores the latest data of the magazines of all the processing machines.

[0010] The stocked tool calculation unit 8 in the tool center management device 4 stores a scheduled use time value, a remaining life value, and a production life schedule of each tool code of the magazine data of the processing machine from the processing machine magazine data storage unit. A tool that is not included in the machine tool magazine (insufficient tool) and a tool that is included in the magazine but has a short tool life (spare tool) by comparing the expected use time value with the required tool prediction data
For calculating the required number of Request tool data storage 9
Is a part for storing the data of the calculated assortment request tool. The assembling tool stock data storage unit 10 stores stock data of assembling tools in the tool center, and FIG. 7 shows an example of the contents of this data. Element tool stock data storage unit 1
Reference numeral 1 denotes a part for storing inventory data of element tools, and FIG. 8 shows an example of data contents. The magazine-unnecessary tool data storage unit 12 is a part for storing unused tool data stored in a magazine of a processing system machine other than the corresponding machine.

The level 1 search section 13 compares the required tool data with the stock tool stock data to search for a tool set that can be used immediately. The level 2 search unit 14 searches for spare tools with insufficient tool life from the tool inventory data.
The level 3 search unit 15 is a part that compares the required tool data with the element tool stock data to search for an element tool that can be used if assembled. The level 4 search unit 16 is a unit that searches for unnecessary tools that can be used by moving by comparing requested tool data with magazine unnecessary data. The level 5 extraction unit 17 is a part for extracting tools that cannot be obtained in the range of stock tools because there is no corresponding tool even if the level 1 to level 4 are sequentially searched. The work instruction list creation unit 18 is configured to execute the above-described search units 1
This is a part for creating a work instruction list for tool collection based on each information output from 3 to 16 and the extraction unit 17. The sequential selection of tools that meet the conditions in the search for stock tools in this manner is called a tool sorting simulation.

The tool stocking simulation operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step S1, a stocked tool calculation unit 8 of the tool center management device 4
Receives the tool prediction result data from the necessary tool prediction data creation storage unit 6, in step S2, the tool center management device 4 requests the processing system management device 2 for the processing machine magazine data, and the processing machine magazine data storage unit 7 The corresponding machining machine magazine data is transferred, and the data is collected and received by the tool calculator 8. The magazine data includes the estimated use time (A value), the remaining life time (B value), and the estimated use time (C value) in the production schedule for each tool code. Next, in step S3, the required tool data is created by calculating the required number of missing tools and spare tools included in the tool prediction result data from the tool prediction result data and the processing machine magazine data in the sorted tool calculation unit 8, This is stored in the required tool data storage unit 9.

After the necessary number of tools for each tool has been clarified, the simulation is started.
First, a set tool corresponding to the requested tool is searched from the data stored in the set tool stock data storage unit 10. And step S5
In step 2, it is checked whether there is a tool that can be used immediately with the B value larger than the C value. If YES, the tool is registered as a level 1 tool. In the case of NO, in step S6,
It is confirmed whether there is a usable tool set if only the cutting tool is replaced, and if YES, it is registered as a level 2 tool.
Next, in step S7, a corresponding tool is searched from the data of the element tool stock data storage unit 11, and in step S8, it is confirmed whether there is a tool that can be used in assembling the element tool. If YES, the tool is registered as a level 3 tool. .

Next, in step S9, a relevant tool is searched from the magazine unnecessary tool data storage unit 12, and in step S10, it is confirmed whether or not the tool is stored as an unnecessary tool in a magazine of another machining system. Register as a tool. Next, step S1
In step 1, unregistered tools are extracted from the requested tool data and registered as level 5 tools that cannot be stocked.
Then, in step S12, it is finally confirmed whether or not all the required tools have been registered. If NO, the process returns to step S4, and if YES, the process ends. The result of the above-mentioned simulation is stored in the work instruction list creating unit 18.
And print it out in a tool center work list.
An operator of the tool center performs a tool assortment operation according to the list.

[0015]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the following effects can be obtained. When performing part machining based on a production plan, the required tool that needs to be newly stocked is determined from the predicted result data of the necessary tools and the tool data stored in the magazine of the machine that performs the machining, Inventory data, element tool inventory data, and unnecessary tool data stored in magazines of other systems are automatically searched in this order, and inventory tools are allocated in the order of ease of stocking, so inventory tools can be executed and the most efficient It is possible to automatically create a good work list,
The operator can perform efficient tool collection work without waste.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a tool management system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating details of a tool management system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a tool prediction function of the processing system management device.

FIGS. 4A to 4D are diagrams illustrating examples of element tools.

FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of a set tool.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of assembling tool stock data.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of element tool stock data.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of this embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a conventional tool arrangement operation.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a tool assembling operation when an unexpected defective tool of the related art occurs during machining.

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Factory management computer 2 Processing system management device 4 Tool center management device 9 Required tool data storage unit 10 Tool inventory data storage unit 11 Element tool inventory data storage unit 12 Magazine unnecessary tool data storage unit 13 Level 1 search unit 14 Level 2 search Part 15 Level 3 search part 16 Level 4 search part 17 Level 5 extraction part 18 Work instruction list creation part

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A tool management system having a function of creating tool prediction result data newly required in a processing plant in order to execute a given production plan, said tool prediction result data and a magazine of a processing machine. Means for finding each tool that needs to be newly stocked from stored tool data,
Means for retrieving newly required tools into various levels in the order of ease of stock and searching from stock tool data held in tool centers and magazines of other machining systems, etc., and work instructions for each tool selected by the search And a means for automatically creating a list. A tool management system having a tool assortment simulation function.