JP2856953B2 - Flexible production system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for allocating processed parts in a flexible production system (hereinafter, referred to as FMS).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an FMS including a numerically controlled machine tool, an automatic warehouse, an unmanned transfer device, a setup station, and a computer for supervising and managing the same, conventionally, an FMS is operated at a setup station in accordance with production plan data previously input to a computer. A method has been adopted in which a component input operation is performed, a component input at a setup station is registered in a computer as processing schedule data, a processing component and a processing machine are assigned based on the processing schedule data, and processing is performed sequentially. Hereinafter, the related art will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram for explaining a method of allocating a work part in a conventional FMS. In the figure, in the conventional assignment method, first, the production plan data registration unit 3 registers production plan data via the CRT 1 and the keyboard 2. Here, the production plan data is, as shown in FIG. 8, a list of parts to be processed by the system, and includes a processed part name, a processed number, and a priority number according to the numbers. In particular, the priority numbers are represented by numerical values, and the smaller the number, the higher the priority, which indicates that the parts input at the setup station and the processing in the system have priority over the higher numbers. Next, the work determination instructing section 4 arranges jigs and pallets in the order of priority numbers, and determines and instructs a component input operation at the setup station from components that can be immediately input to the system. When parts are input at the setup station in accordance with the work determination instructing section 4, processing schedule data is generated by the processing schedule data generating section 5. Here, the processing schedule data includes parts input at the setup station as shown in FIG.
In other words, in the list of parts waiting for processing in the automatic warehouse,
The data is rearranged in order of priority number every time there is a part to be inserted. Then, when there is a processing component allocation request from the processing machine, the processing component allocation unit 6 searches for the allocation component from the processing schedule data, and conveys the component allocated by the operation control unit 7 to the numerically controlled machine tool for processing. Is performed. The parts are processed by the FMS according to the above procedure.

Next, the operation of the work part allocating section 6 will be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG. 7 showing a work part allocation method in the conventional FMS. First, when there is a processing component allocation request from the processing machine, the first record of the processing schedule data is read (step S1). Here, it is determined whether there is data to be read (step S2). If there is no data, it is determined that there is no processed part (step S3), and the process ends. If there is data in step S2, that is, if there is a part to be machined, the part is assigned as a machined part of the requested machine (step S4), and it is determined that there is a machined part (step S5). The process ends. When it is determined that there is a processed part, the processing of the part assigned by the operation control unit 7 is started. Further, since the processing schedule data is arranged in the order of the priority number, priority processing allocation in the system is realized by reading the first record in step S1.

[0005]

In the FMS, an operator needs to be involved in machining. Therefore, a part to be machined during a manned time period (for example, a trial cutting in which an operator must confirm the machining with a machining machine). Parts, parts for which the operator needs to supplement or replace tools with the automatic tool changer of the numerically controlled machine tool) and parts that need to be machined during unmanned hours because no workers are needed. Put it in the belt at the setup station. However, in the above-mentioned conventional method of allocating processed parts in the FMS, the processing order in the system of the parts input at the setup station is determined at the stage when the parts are input into the system. When a part to be processed is put into the system, the part to be processed during the unmanned time is processed during the manned time, and the part to be processed during the manned time is shifted to the unmanned time and input to the processing machine. And the operation rate of the system is reduced. On the other hand, in order to prevent the processing machine from stopping and increase the operation rate of the system, it is necessary to have the operator wait in the system during unmanned time, thereby causing a problem that the work plan of the FMS is disturbed. .

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for allocating a part to be machined in an FMS, and an object of the present invention is to previously process a part to be machined by an FMS in a manned time zone and to process a part in an unmanned time zone. This is achieved by selecting a group that matches the processing group notified in each time slot and instructing the processing to be performed when the processing group is divided into groups to be processed and processing parts are allocated. That is, the object of the present invention is a numerically controlled machine tool, an automatic warehouse, an unmanned transfer device,
In a flexible production system composed of a setup station and a computer for managing these, etc., means for designating a processing group indicating a time zone to be processed in the production plan data, and adding a processing group according to the production plan data.
For parts of the processing groups on of coated portion products is specified in a time zone to be the processing after being made, the production plan and means for assigning a component to the numerically controlled machine tool according to the data, the to be processed time For the parts of the processing group other than the belt, after the parts are put into the flexible production system, the parts are put on standby in the automatic warehouse until the specified time zone to be processed comes, and the specified time zone to be processed Means for allocating parts to the numerically controlled machine tool at the point in time, and selecting a part based on the machining group specified in the production plan data and allocating the selected part to the numerically controlled machine tool. .

[0007]

According to the FMS of the present invention, a part scheduled to be processed in a manned time zone is accurately started to be machined in a manned time zone, and a shift of a part processing requiring an operator to an unmanned time zone is reduced. This makes it easier to comply with the work plan in the FMS.

That is, in the FMS of the present invention, a production plan data registration unit for registering production plan data, and a setup station in accordance with the production plan data registered in the production plan data registration unit, a jig in the system, and a pallet. A work determination instructing unit for determining parts and instructing work, a processing schedule data creating unit for creating processing schedule data in which input parts, that is, parts waiting to be processed in the automatic warehouse, are registered in the processing order; A processing part allocating unit that searches and allocates a part to be processed from processing schedule data when a processing part allocation request is received from the machine;
When the assignment of the processing components is completed, the operation is realized by the operation control unit that performs actual processing control. Thus, when a production plan is created, a part scheduled to be machined during the manned time zone can be accurately started to be machined during the manned time zone, thereby facilitating compliance with the FMS work plan. Further , according to the present invention , in the unmanned time zone, machining of parts that do not require a worker takes precedence over machining of parts that require a worker, thereby eliminating unnecessary stopping of the machine. Thus, the operation rate of the system can be improved.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for realizing a method for allocating a work part in the FMS according to the present invention. In the figure, the method of the present invention uses a production plan data registration unit 3
The production plan data is registered via the CRT 1 and the keyboard 2. Here, the production plan data for realizing the present invention is composed of a processed part name, a processed number, a priority number, and a processed group in a list of parts to be processed by the system as shown in FIG. The priority number is represented by a numerical value, and the smaller the number, the higher the priority, which indicates that the input of parts at the setup station and the processing in the system have priority over the higher number. The machining group designates the time zone in which each part is to be machined. In the figure, "1" is assigned to a part to be machined in a manned time zone, and "1" is assigned to other parts, that is, to parts that can be machined unattended. 2 ”is set to perform grouping. Next, the work determination instructing section 4 arranges the jigs and pallets in the order of priority numbers, and determines and instructs the work of component input at the setup station from components that can be immediately input to the system. When parts are input at the setup station in accordance with the instruction of the work determination instruction unit 4,
Processing schedule data is generated by the processing schedule data generating unit 5. Here, the processing schedule data for realizing the present invention is a list of parts input at the setup station, that is, parts waiting for processing in the automatic warehouse as shown in FIG. Each time, data is rearranged in the order of priority numbers. The processing groups described above are added to the respective data. Then, when there is a processing part allocation request from the processing machine, the processing group allocation unit 6 notifies the processing group by the keyboard 2 or the timer 8 (“1” indicates a manned time zone notification, “2” indicates an unmanned time zone notification, "0" indicates that the processing group is not to be allocated.) If a value other than "0" is notified, the processing group is allocated to the processed part. Then, a part to be processed is searched for and assigned, and parts other than the notified processing group are made to stand by in the automatic warehouse until the time when the processing is desired. If "0" is notified, parts are allocated in the order of registration of the processing schedule data as before, and the operation control unit 7 conveys the allocated parts to the numerically controlled machine tool for processing. Here, the timer 8 has a time zone as shown in FIG.
The operation is performed according to the processing group notification data for comparing the processing group notification, and the set processing group is notified to the processing component allocating unit 6 by a signal line or the like in each time zone.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the machined part allocating unit 6 of the present invention. This is shown in correspondence with the flowchart of FIG. The procedure of the method of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

First, when there is a processing part request from the processing machine, a record pointer for reading processing schedule data is set (step S6) (here, "1" is set). Next, a record of the pointer designated in step S6 is read from the processing schedule data (step S7). Here, it is determined whether or not there is data to be read (step S2). If there is data, the processing group notified by the keyboard 2 or the timer 8 (for the keyboard 2, the processing group is notified by numerical input from a key). If the processing group and the timer 8 are the same, the processing group notified by a signal line or the like is determined according to a preset processing group notification table (step S8). Is not performed, the part in the first record is allocated as a machined part of the requested machine. That is, processing for allocating the processed component is performed as in the related art. Notification is "0"
Otherwise, the processing group of the record read in step S7 is compared with the notified processing group (step S9), and if they do not match, the record pointer to be read is counted up (step S10). ,
Returning to step S7, the processing schedule data is read again, and the above processing is repeated until a match is found or no processing schedule data is read. If the two processing groups match in step S9, the part of the read record is assigned as the processing part of the requested machine (step S4), and it is determined that there is a processing part (step S5). finish.
By the processing in step S9, parts other than the notified processing group can be made to wait until the processing time zone comes. If it is determined in step S2 that there is no data, it is determined whether the read pointer at that time is "1" (step S11). If the pointer is "1", it is determined that there is no machining schedule data. It is determined that there is no processed part (step S3), and the process ends.
If the pointer is not "1", it is determined that there is no processing schedule data but that there is no matching processing group, and the first record of the processing schedule data is read again (step S1), and the part is processed. And determine that there is a machined part (step S
Perform 5) and end the process. If no match is found in the machining group by the determination in step S11, for example, even if the machined parts scheduled for manned time have run out during manned hours, the assignment of machined parts for unmanned time zones is performed. And the machine will not stop.

[0012] Here, while the processing of the processed part can be made standby by the processing of step S9, if the processing of the part scheduled in each time zone is not completed within the time zone,
Parts that have not been processed are kept waiting until the next processing time period. For example, if a part scheduled for the manned time zone is not completed in the manned time zone, the remaining parts are processed until the next manned time zone. in this case,
Since the notification of the processing group is performed from an external device such as the keyboard 2 and the timer 8, if it is desired to observe the production plan and the processing schedule scheduled in each time zone, the processing group notification is notified by “0”. By the determination in step S8, the processing parts are allocated according to the conventional production plan and processing schedule.

Taking FIG. 4 as an example, when the machining group is notified of "1", that is, the manned time zone, the first part name "BPART" is assigned according to the conventional method. According to the processing group is "1",
The part name “APART” registered at the top is assigned.

[0014]

As described above, according to the FMS of the present invention,
Of the various types of parts that are processed by FMS, parts that will stop the processing machine if processing is not performed during manned hours, such as prototype parts that require workers to confirm processing with the processing machine, , The operator can use the automatic tool changer to add tools and start machining parts that need to be changed exactly during manned hours, so that workers wait in the system during unmanned times And the FMS can easily comply with the work plan. Also, in the unmanned time zone, unless all the processing parts scheduled in the unmanned time zone are input to the processing machine, the parts to be processed in the manned time zone are not input, so that the processing machine does not need to be stopped unnecessarily. Thus, the operating rate of the system can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for realizing a method for allocating a work part in an FMS according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a method of allocating a work part in the FMS according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing production plan data for realizing the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing schedule data for realizing the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining setting of a timer (processing group notification table) used in the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an apparatus for realizing a conventional method for allocating a work part.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method of allocating a work part in a conventional FMS.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing conventional production plan data.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing conventional processing schedule data.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 CRT 2 Keyboard 3 Production plan data registration part 4 Work determination instruction part 5 Processing schedule data creation part 6 Processing part allocation part 7 Operation control part 8 Timer

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B23Q 41/08 G05B 15/02 G06F 17/60

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] In a flexible production system including a numerically controlled machine tool, an automatic warehouse, an unmanned transfer device, a setup station, and a computer for managing these components, a processing group indicating a time zone to be processed into production plan data is defined. and means for specifying, according to the production plan data
Means for allocating parts to the numerically controlled machine tool in accordance with the production plan data, for the parts of the processing group specified in the time zone to be processed after the input of the processed parts, For the parts of the processing group other than the belt, after the parts are put into the flexible production system, the parts are put on standby in the automatic warehouse until the specified time zone to be processed comes, and the specified time zone to be processed Means for allocating parts to the numerically controlled machine tool at the point in time, wherein a part is selected based on the machining group specified in the production plan data and assigned to the numerically controlled machine tool. A flexible production system .