JP3022590B2 - production management system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial applications]

The present invention relates to a production management system which is applied to an automatic production line such as an automatic assembly line of an automobile or the like, and ensures data transmission / reception relating to the work content of each process, and speeds up processing.

[Prior art]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in an automobile assembly line, various types of automobiles having different types, derivative types, and optional specifications are produced on the same line. In such an assembly line, it is necessary to perform an appropriate type of processing corresponding to an automobile (workpiece) in each of the processes for performing various kinds of processing. Attachment of an ID plate to a transfer means such as an automatic transfer trolley for transferring a workpiece along the line has been performed. That is, the ID plate records information (number) for identifying the workpiece and data (operation factor data) relating to the processing content according to the vehicle type, derivative form, optional specification, and the like. Is read from the ID plate in each processing step, and according to the read data,
An operation based on an operation program corresponding to the automatic machine of the process is performed.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

By the way, in the above control, since the operation content of the automatic machine for the workpiece is determined only after the ID plate is read in each step, after the processing for one workpiece is completed, Until the next workpiece arrives at the working position, the process has to be in a pause state. Considering the operation of the robot as one of the automatic machines, the operation is performed along a predetermined trajectory according to the operation program corresponding to the operation factor code. The end points are different. Therefore, after reading the operation factor data, it is necessary to move the automatic machine from the end point of the previous process or from a specific standby position to the start point of the current operation prior to the start of the work, and these pause states are set. There has been a demand to reduce the time and the dead time, which is the time required for moving the automatic machine. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to reduce a dead time in a production line of a method of controlling an automatic machine using data recorded on an ID plate as much as possible. .

[Means for Solving the Problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as shown in FIG. Each of the plurality of workpieces A flowing through the production line is provided and moves integrally therewith.
Information storage means B in which the contents of the processing to be performed are recorded;
A reading means C for reading information from an information storage means B of a workpiece A present at a specific position on the production line; and an automatic machine D controlled by the information read by the reading means C to control the processing at the specific position. The information storage means B includes information on one workpiece to which the workpiece A is attached, and the one workpiece A on the production line. And a plurality of storage areas respectively storing information on the workpiece A on the upstream side following the above. The control means E stores information on the plurality of workpieces read by the reading means C. And a control data storage unit F having a plurality of storage areas for storing data up to a plurality of workpieces to be executed by the automatic machine D. A data storage unit G; a determination unit H configured to determine whether at least a part of each information stored in the read data storage unit F matches the information stored in the control data storage unit G; A rewriting control unit I for updating information stored in the control data storage unit F with information stored in the read data storage unit on condition that the determination unit H determines a match; And an automatic machine control unit J for controlling the automatic machine according to the control data thus obtained.

[Action]

According to the above configuration, since information on the upstream workpiece is recorded in the information storage means B attached to one workpiece, the workpiece is subjected to a predetermined process based on this information. The processing can be started before reaching and being read by the reading means C. Further, the discrimination unit H determines whether the data in the read data storage unit matches the data in the control data storage unit, and the rewrite control unit performs a rewrite process on the condition of the determination of the match, so that each workpiece is sent in a predetermined order. Only after that, the information is rewritten, and the processing for the workpiece is started.

【Example】

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the flow of an automobile as a workpiece in a production line to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a part of an automobile production line to which the present invention is applied. In FIG.
Denotes a body, and reference numerals 2 to 9 denote processing stations for performing predetermined processing, for example, window mounting, bumper mounting, and the like. When the processing in the processing station 9 is completed, the body 1 moves to the next line. Each of the above processing stations 2 to 9
Is provided with an automatic machine 11 for performing a predetermined processing on a body moving along a line. The second
In the drawings, illustration of an automatic machine is partially omitted for simplification. In the line shown in FIG. 2, each body is placed on the automatic transport vehicle 12, and the automatic transport vehicle 12 moves the body along the line. However, when the processing of the processing station 9 in the illustrated line is completed, the automatic transport trolley 12 and the body 1 are separated, and only the automatic transport trolley 12 is placed in the loading section 15.
(Refer to the broken line in FIG. 2). As described above, the automatic transport vehicle 12 circulates in the line shown in FIG. In the input section 15, the body that has been processed in the previous process line is transferred to the empty automatic transport vehicle 12. An ID plate 20 is provided at the center of the side surface of the automatic transport vehicle 12. This ID plate 20
Various information is written by microwaves generated from the ANT, and the written information can be read out via the antenna ANT. The ID plate attached to the automatic carrier has a structure as shown in FIG. That is, the ID plate 20 has a number n of an automobile as an object to be processed mounted on the automatic transport vehicle to which the ID plate 20 is attached, and an operation factor indicating the content of processing to be performed in each process for the number n. There are provided storage areas 20a to 20d for magnetically recording the codes Cn from the above-mentioned number n to the following n + i numbers (i = 3 in the case of the embodiment) mounted on the automatic transport vehicle. ing. Here, the information written on the ID plate 20 will be described. The ID plate 20 includes body information in the following items for identifying a product to be produced. Insertion date with date code: Indicates the date when the body was inserted into the line and the insertion number. Body model: Indicates the model name of the body and whether it is 4-door or 2-door. Derivation: Indicates the destination country, destination (such as cold regions). Option code: indicates whether or not a device (for example, a car stereo) set as an option is incorporated. Frame NO: Indicates an identification number assigned to the frame of the vehicle. Color designation code: A code for designating an exterior color and an interior color. The above-mentioned body information is supplied to the device verification terminal 31, where it is first converted into an operation factor code. The operation factor code is a code by which the automatic machine 11 can directly determine the operation. In this case, the model collation terminal 31 has a conversion table 31a storing the relationship between the body information and the operation factor code, and creates the above-mentioned operation factor code by referring to the conversion table 31a. In addition, a model verification terminal
31 has a binary file 31b, and compresses the operation factor code with reference to this to create a binary code. This is because the number of bits of the operation factor code is extremely large, and it is not efficient to handle the code as it is. Now, the model collation terminal 31 combines the binary code and the body information into one set, and transmits the ID plate 20 via the antenna ANT.
(Hereinafter, this write information is referred to as ID information). This writing is performed at the beginning of the production process. In the case of this embodiment, the production process is divided into a plurality of partial processes (the process shown in FIG. 2 is one of the processes). When the body moves from one process to the next process,
The ID information is also transferred to the next process. This is for the following reason. The ID plate 20 is mounted on an automatic carrier or an automatic carrier, and in each process, these are circulating on a line. Therefore, when the body is moved to the next line, the body and the ID
This is because correspondence with information cannot be planned. For example, in the input section 15 of the step shown in FIG. 2, the ID information at the end of the previous step is transferred by the transfer control section 35 shown in FIG. In this process, first, the transfer control unit 35 transmits the information in the ID plate 20 at the end of the previous process to the antenna AN.
Read through T. Then, in synchronization with the transfer of the body onto the automatic transporting trolley 12 in the loading section 15, the reading was performed.
The ID information is written to the ID plate 20 on the new line via the antenna ANT. In this way, the ID information always moves in synchronization with the body. Next, each of the automatic machines 11 has an antenna ANT in the vicinity thereof, and reads ID information of a body that enters. In this case, not all of the ID information but only a necessary part in the automatic machine is read. That is, the model collation terminal 31 creates a binary code necessary for all automatic machines and writes it on the ID plate 20, but each automatic machine 11 reads only a necessary part (predetermined bit). Further, the whole panel 40 receives data supplied from the plurality of automatic machines 11, and exchanges data for production management with the model collation terminal 31. Further, in this embodiment, the automatic machine 11 can detect the time required for processing, and outputs the detection data to the entire panel 40.
The whole panel 40 transfers this to the office terminal 31 via the data manager 42, and the office terminal 31 displays the detected data on a display device (not shown) so that the processing time can be monitored.
Also, in the entire panel 40, the processing time for a predetermined display device,
Alternatively, the content or the like of the read ID information is displayed. Further, in this embodiment, the data communication network between the model collation terminal 31 and the data manager 42 is constituted by a LAN (local area network).
This network will be described below. In addition to the terminals described above, the network includes a collation backup terminal 43, a file manager 44, and an office terminal.
45 terminals are connected. Verification backup terminal 43
Has exactly the same configuration and function as the model collation terminal 31, and performs the same data communication with the host computer.
It is performed between the terminal 41 and each terminal connected to the network. This is so that when the model collation terminal 31 goes down for some reason, it can be replaced immediately. The file manager 44 reads various types of information (for example, facility operation information) flowing through the network and files them, and periodically monitors whether or not each terminal is operating normally. The office terminal 45 divides the entire line into several blocks, and monitors how each block is operating. Also, a start or stop command is issued for the line. The operating state monitor of the office terminal 45 displays, for example, a line layout on a CRT display device, and displays, by color coding, whether each block corresponds to an automatic operation state, a manual operation state, or an end state. In this case, since the automatic machine 11 can recognize its own operation state, information indicating the operation state is transmitted to the file manager 44 via the whole panel 40 and the data manager 42.
The file manager 44 performs the above-described color-coded display based on the information. File manager 44 and office terminal 45
Has the same function as the data manager 42,
When the data manager 42 goes down, it is an alternative. On the other hand, during normal operation, each terminal extracts and takes in only information necessary for its own operation. If the automatic transport vehicle 12 is empty, that is, if the workpiece comes off from the automatic transport vehicle 12 due to some kind of defect detection or the like, data indicating the fact is written by the writing means possessed by the line worker. The automatic transport vehicle 12
Or the operation factor code Cn for the automatic transport vehicle 12 is deleted. Further, the automatic machines 11 each output data relating to the work status, and this data is supplied to the whole panel 40 provided for each of the plurality of automatic machines, and the work status ( The number of the completed work for the vehicle or the time required for the work is collected by the whole panel 40 and supplied to the model collation terminal 31 to the host computer 41. Next, the operation performed by the control means A of each automatic machine 26 based on the data recorded on the ID plate 24 will be described with reference to FIG. The functions performed by the control unit are denoted by the same reference numerals as those used in FIG. Step SP1 The reading means C reads the data from the n-th data to the (n + 3) -th data written on the ID plate 12 attached to the automatic transport vehicle of the n-th automobile. Step SP2 The read data C _{n to} C _{n + i} (i = 3) are written in the storage areas Fa to Fd in the read data storage unit F, respectively. Step SP3 the control data storage unit storage area Fa of the storage area Gb operation factor data C _n stored in the read data storing unit F of G
Is compared with the operation factor data C _n stored in the area (or simply compares the number data stored in the area Fa with the area Gb),
The process proceeds to the next step SP4 on condition that they match. If they do not match, it is judged as an error and the automatic machine or
Shut down the entire system associated with this. In this step, not only the comparison between the storage areas Gb and Fa,
The storage areas Gc and Fb, and the storage areas Gd and Fc may be compared, and the process may proceed to the next step on condition that they all match. Step SP4 The operation factor data C _{n-1 to} C _{n + 2} stored in the respective storage areas Ga to Gd of the control data storage section G as shown in FIG.
The, as shown in FIG. 8, and updates each of the operation factor data C _n to Cn ₊₄ which have been stored in each storage area of the read data storage unit F. Step SP5 read operation factor data C _n stored in the storage area Ga of updated control data storage unit G, the read data storing unit F and the control data storage unit G and the operation program storage unit provided separately (not From the above)
It reads the automatic machine of the work program corresponding to C _n. Step SP6 It is determined which step of the work program has been executed, and the automatic machine 11 performs a predetermined operation while reproducing a program after the already executed program. Step SP7: Wait until the operation of the entire work program ends, and proceed to the next step. Step SP8: Data indicating that the work has been completed or management data such as work time data is supplied to the entire panel 40, and the current work 1 is sent to the next process, and the next work 1 is processed. The transport means is controlled so as to be accepted in this process, and the next workpiece 1 is fed. One operation is completed by the above processing, and the process returns to the step SP1. However, on the condition that the operation of the entire work program has been completed in the step SP6, the subsequent processing (or the next processing after the step SP1) is performed. While performing, the next operation factor code C _{n + 1} stored in the storage area Gb of the control data storage unit G is read out, and the work program for the next (n + 1) -th workpiece to be processed is actually read out. Actions that can be performed without the presence of a workpiece,
For example, the movement from the end point in the operation factor code C _n of the robot arm to the starting point in the operation factor code C _{n + 1,} or to perform operations such as supply of components to be mounted in said process. It is needless to say that a work program for a succeeding workpiece may be read to supply components and the like. By executing each of the above steps, a part of the processing for the (n + 1) th workpiece is performed during a period from the end of the processing for the nth workpiece to the start of reading data from the (n + 1) th workpiece. Can be done.

【The invention's effect】

As is clear from the above description, the present invention writes information about the workpiece and information about the workpiece upstream from the ID plate that moves with the workpiece, At the time when the operation of the automatic machine for a certain work piece is completed, information on the next work piece that cannot read information from the ID plate is obtained,
Preparing for the processing of the next workpiece can be performed in advance, and by collating with information read from the ID plate of the next workpiece, erroneous processing can be prevented from being performed, Therefore, there is an effect that the waste time of the production system can be saved and the reliability of the processing can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention, FIGS. 2 to 7 show one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a layout diagram of a part of a production line, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the system, FIG. 5 is a flowchart, FIG. 6 is a memory map of the read data storage unit, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are before and after the update of the control data storage unit, respectively. It is a memory map. A: Workpiece, B: Information storage means, C: Read means, D: Automatic machine, E: Control means, F: Read data storage section, G: Control data storage section, H: ... Discriminator, I
... Rewriting control unit, J ... Automatic machine control unit

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B23Q 41/00 G05B 19/417 G06F 15/21 G05B 15/02

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An information storage means provided on each of a plurality of workpieces flowing through a production line and moving integrally with the plurality of workpieces, wherein information of a process to be performed on the workpiece is recorded; Reading means for reading information from the information storage means of one of the workpieces located at the specific position above; and controlling an automatic machine based on the information read by the reading means to perform predetermined processing on the one of the workpieces. The information storage means includes a plurality of pieces of information that respectively store information about one workpiece to which the information processing apparatus is attached and information about a workpiece up to a predetermined range on the upstream side. A production management system, characterized in that a storage area is provided. 2. An information storage means provided on each of a plurality of workpieces flowing through a production line and moving integrally with the plurality of workpieces, wherein information of processing to be performed on the workpieces is recorded; Reading means for reading information from the information storage means of one of the workpieces located at the specific position above; and controlling an automatic machine based on the information read by the reading means to perform predetermined processing on the one of the workpieces. The information storage means includes a plurality of pieces of information that respectively store information about one workpiece to which the information processing apparatus is attached and information about a workpiece up to a predetermined range on the upstream side. The control unit is configured to control information on one workpiece read last time from the information storage unit and one workpiece read this time from the information storage unit. A production management system, wherein the automatic machine is controlled by the information read this time from the information storage means, on condition that the information coincides with each other.