JP3228206B2 - Manufacturing process management method and management device used therefor - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention manages the order of products to be processed based on the required processing time, delivery date, the status of available equipment, and the like, and manages a manufacturing process suitable for manufacturing semiconductor devices and uses the method. In particular, the present invention relates to a management method of a manufacturing process capable of efficiently processing a product and a management device used for the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A semiconductor device is manufactured through a plurality of predetermined processing steps for each product. Then, predetermined processing conditions are set for each processing step.

When a plurality of types of products are processed, it is important to supply which products to which processes and in what order in order to operate the equipment efficiently. As a conventional method of determining the supply order, a method has been adopted in which the supply time is supplied to the target process from the previous end time in the process preceding the target process for which the supply order is determined. However, in this method, since the process proceeds regardless of the delivery date of each product, it is difficult to manage the delivery date of a product that has a short delivery date and needs to be completed in a short period of time.

If there is a product that needs to be manufactured in a short time due to a short delivery time, a process manager monitors the progress of the product one by one, and issues instructions to workers in each process to provide other products. Had to be given priority. However, the range that can be managed by a person is narrow, and it is difficult to give detailed instructions to each process.

Therefore, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-29785 proposes a process management system that calculates the priority of processing and determines a manufacturing process based on the priority. In the conventional process management system described in this publication, the scheduled process end date of the process whose supply order is determined is A, the actual process end date is C, and the scheduled process end date of the final process is B. At this time, the priority D is defined by Expression 1 below.

[0006]

D = 100 × (BC) / (BA)

[0007] Each product is processed by changing the processing order in each step in ascending order of the value of the priority D.

According to this conventional process management system, processes can be managed in consideration of delivery dates of all products.

[0009]

However, when each process is managed using the process management system described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-29785, the order of the objects to be processed is changed. Regardless of the status of post-processing,
Since the processing is performed from the processing object having a small value of the priority D, the processing object is in a state of waiting for the equipment in the post-processing when the post-processing is in a state where the work cannot be performed. As a result, there is a problem in that the work waiting for processing is accumulated in the equipment.

[0010] Further, since the processing is always performed from an object having a small value of the priority D, there is another problem that the processing of an object having a large value of the priority D is hindered.

Further, even when the time from the end of the previous process to the process in the post-process is determined for a certain process, the order of the process in the post-process is determined only by the value of the priority D. Is determined, the object may not be processed in a subsequent process within a predetermined time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and prevents the accumulation of in-process products waiting to be processed, so that a low-priority product can be processed without delay. It is an object of the present invention to provide a management method of a manufacturing process and a management device used for the same, which can surely process a specified workpiece within a specified time.

[0013]

[0014]

According to the present invention, there is provided a method for managing a manufacturing process by a central processing unit, wherein a plurality of types of workpieces are processed by a combination of a plurality of types of processing steps to manufacture a product. In the management method by the processing device, the first
When two or more types of objects to be processed in the equipment are stored in the product information storage device , the processing conditions of the object to be processed, the remaining processing steps, the processing time thereof, and the delivery date The central processing unit determines the priority of processing in the first facility for all of the processing-target objects based on
There a step of calculating, the step of said central processing unit to the highest priority process can be treated with candidate processing, the in
The central processing unit reads, from the processing condition storage device, information indicating the state of the second equipment used later than the first equipment for the processing candidate at that time, and reads the information of the processing candidate in the first equipment. A step of determining whether or not to perform the processing, and if it is determined that the processing of the processing candidate is not to be performed, the central processing unit determines an object to be processed having the next highest priority next to the processing candidate. A step of returning to the step of performing the determination as a processing candidate; and a reservation that the central processing unit performs the processing of the processing candidate with the highest priority in the second facility when it is determined that the processing of the processing candidate is performed. The above
Storing in an article information storage device , and the central processing unit
Said product the reservation at the time but that the step of instructing the transport apparatus to transport the processed candidate to said first equipment, the processing of the processing candidate said central processing unit by the second equipment is started Erasing from the information storage device .

In the present invention, the priority of the object to be processed in the first equipment is calculated, and the highest priority is given to the highest priority based on information indicating the state of the second equipment at that time. Therefore, for example, even when the second facility is in a non-operating state, it is possible to prevent the in-process from accumulating. Further, since the processing is not always performed from the processing object having the higher priority, it is suppressed that the processing object having the higher priority interferes with the processing of the processing object having the lower priority.

[0016]

Further, the step of performing the determination is performed by the central processing unit.
The processing apparatus may include a step of examining information on the object to be processed which is scheduled to be subsequently processed in the second facility.

[0018] The manufacturing process management apparatus according to the present invention is a manufacturing process management apparatus for manufacturing a product by processing a plurality of types of workpieces by a combination of a plurality of types of processing steps. Priority calculating means for calculating the priority of the object to be processed in the first equipment from the remaining processing steps, the processing time thereof, and the delivery date; and second equipment used later than the first equipment. Determining means for determining whether or not to perform the processing of the object in the first facility based on information indicating a state at that time, and processing of the object to be processed.
Processing, the processing of the object is
A reservation person who makes a reservation to make the highest priority in the second facility
The processing of the object to be processed is completed in the step and the second facility
And a reservation erasing unit for erasing the reservation later .

In the present invention, after the priority of the object to be processed in the first facility is calculated, the object to be processed having the highest priority is selected, and the object to be processed is selected from the objects to be processed. Whether the processable object can be processed in the first facility based on information indicating the current state of the second facility used later than the first facility in manufacturing the product. It is determined whether it is not performed. For this reason, even when the second equipment is in the non-operation state, the accumulation of the work in progress is prevented. In addition, a low-priority workpiece may be processed before a high-priority workpiece.

[0020]

[0021] Further, the determination means is provided in the second facility .
In addition, it may have a means for investigating information on an object to be processed which is scheduled to be processed thereafter .

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a method for managing processes according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an apparatus for managing processes used in the method of this embodiment. In this embodiment, an input device 2 for inputting various data to the central processing unit 1 is connected. Further, a product information storage device 5 for storing information and status such as a process flow and a delivery date used for the manufacture for each product, and a process flow storage for storing a process flow and a facility group used for each process flow. Device 3
In addition, a processing condition storage device 4 that stores a processable machine used for each equipment group, a processing time, and the like is connected to the central processing unit 1. Further, the processing order determination module 6 that determines the processing order of the workpiece to be processed based on the data stored in the process flow storage device 3, the processing condition storage device 4, or the product information storage device 5 is included in the central processing unit 1. It is connected to the.

The data stored in the storage device 3, 4 or 5 will be described with reference to the following Tables 1 to 3. Table 1 shows an example of a configuration of data stored in the process flow storage device 3, Table 2 shows an example of a configuration of data stored in the processing condition storage device 4, and Table 3 shows a product information storage. 3 shows an example of a configuration of data stored in the device 5.

[0024]

[Table 1]

[0025]

[Table 2]

[0026]

[Table 3]

As shown in Table 1, in the process flow storage device 3, a data table is set for each process flow name, and the data table stores the process name for each processing stage and the equipment group used for the processing. , Processing conditions and designation flags are stored. The designated flag is a numerical value indicating the number of process destinations to check the equipment state.

As shown in Table 2, in the processing condition storage device 4, a data table is set for each equipment group, and in this data table, processing conditions, processing times, and equipment numbers that can be processed are stored. Is done.

Further, as shown in Table 3, in the product information storage device 5, in each product number, the process flow name used for the production, the name of the in-process process in which the object is being processed, the process waiting or the process The state indicating the inside, the equipment reserved in the post-process, and the delivery date and time are stored.

The central processing unit 1 has a network 7
Are connected, and a network 7 is connected to a production line 8.
Various facilities 9 and the object storage shelf 10 are connected. The processing object storage shelf 10 stores the processing object waiting to be processed. In addition, various equipment 9 and a processing object storage shelf 10
And a transfer device 11 for transferring the object to be processed between the object storage shelves 10. Information such as the processing start, the processing end, and the state of the equipment from the various equipments 9 is transmitted to the network 7.
Is transmitted to the central processing unit 1 via the. The transport of the object by the transport device is controlled by the central processing unit 1 via the network 7.

Next, a processing flow by the processing order determination module 6 will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing processing by the processing order determination module. Production line 8
For example, when a trigger signal of a request for an object to be processed is input to the central processing unit 1 via the network 7 from the facility 9 inside, the processing order determination module 6 is started by the central processing unit 1.

The activated processing order determination module 6 issues a trigger signal for a request for an object to be processed from the data stored in the product information storage device 5 via the central processing unit 1.
(S1). If there is an object to be processed that has been reserved, it instructs the transport device 11 to transport the object to the equipment 9 (S
8).

On the other hand, if there is no reserved object to be processed, the presence / absence of an object to be processed reserved in the subsequent processing equipment is searched by the same method as described above (S2).
Here, if there is an object to be processed that is reserved, it instructs the transport device 11 to transport the object to the facility 9 that has issued the trigger signal (S8).

Here, if there is no object to be reserved, the product information storage device 5 is sent via the central processing unit 1.
Equipment 9 that has issued a trigger signal from data stored in
An object to be processed that can be processed is searched for (S3).

As a result of the search (S4), if there is only one work piece to be processed, the process flow of the product stored in the process flow storage device 3 is searched, and the designation flag of the work-in-process is set to O.
It is checked whether the number is n (S5). When the designation flag is Off, the transfer device 11 is instructed to transfer the object to the equipment 9 that has issued the trigger signal (S8).

On the other hand, when the designated flag is On, a group of equipment capable of responding to the processing conditions of the subsequent process by the numerical value stored in the designated flag is searched from the data stored in the processing condition storage device 4. Then, the status of the facility group is checked via the network 7 (S6). As a result of the check, if there is a unit that can process the object to be processed and there is no reservation for another object to be processed, reserve the equipment group, and until the processing of the object to be processed is completed. Prevent other objects from being processed. The reserved equipment group is stored in the product information storage device 5 (S7). Accordingly, even when the time from the end of the previous process to the processing in the subsequent process is determined, it is possible to cope within that time.

If there are two or more objects that can be processed as a result of the search (S4), the priority α is calculated (S9). The priority α is represented by the following equation (2).

[0038]

Α = (total processing time until the end of the final step) /
((Delivery date and time)-(current date and time))

The total processing time until the end of the final process is calculated as follows. First, the process flow storage device 3
The remaining steps and the processing conditions of each of the steps are read from the data stored in the processing conditions, and the processing time required for the processing conditions is read from the processing condition storage device 4. Then, the processing time required for all remaining steps is calculated as the sum of the processing times until the end of the final step.

From the above equation (2), for example, when the delivery dates and times of the two types of products are equal and the sum of the processing times until the end of the final process of the workpiece is different, the sum of the processing times until the end of the final process is larger Has a higher priority α, and is preferentially processed. In addition, when the sum of the processing times until the end of the final process of the two kinds of workpieces is equal and the delivery dates and times of the products are different, the priority α is set so that the delivery date and time is close and the difference between the delivery date and time and the current date and time is smaller. Is higher and is processed with priority.

After calculating the priority α (S9), the priority α
Check the designation flag of the product with the largest (S1)
0). If the designation flag is OFF, the transport device 11 is instructed to transport the object to be processed to the facility 9 that has issued the trigger signal (S8).

When the designation flag is On, a group of equipment capable of responding to the processing condition of the subsequent process by the numerical value stored in the designation flag is searched from the data stored in the processing condition storage device 4, The status of the facility group is checked via the network 7 (S11). As a result of the check, if there is a unit that can process the object and there is no reservation for another object, reserve the equipment and wait until the processing of the object is completed. Is not processed. The reserved equipment group is stored in the product information storage device 5 (S7). As a result of the check, if it is impossible to reserve the equipment (S12), the designated flag is checked for the processing object having the next highest priority α (S10).

As a result of the search (S4), if there are two or more processable objects, the designation flags are checked in the order of higher priority α (S10), and the processable objects are checked. Is determined, the transfer device 11 is instructed to transfer the object to the equipment 9 that has issued the trigger signal (S8).

Then, when the processing of the reserved object is started in the reserved facility, the data stored in the product information storage device 5 is erased to cancel the reservation.

In the method of this embodiment, first, the priority α
After estimating the processing order of the object to be processed based on the height of the target, check the designated flag to check the status of the post-process, and only if the equipment state of the post-process is processable, Since the object to be processed is processed, the accumulation of work in progress is prevented. Further, since the processing is not always performed from the processing target of the product having the higher priority α, it is suppressed that the product having the higher priority α prevents the processing of the processing target of the product having the lower priority α.

Next, a method according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the method according to the present embodiment, similarly to the method according to the first embodiment, the management apparatus for the process shown in FIG. 1 is used. However, the data stored in each storage device 3, 4 or 5 is the first data.
Is different from that of the embodiment method. Table 4 shows an example of the configuration of data stored in the process flow storage device 3,
Table 5 shows an example of the configuration of data stored in the processing condition storage device 4, and Table 6 shows an example of the configuration of data stored in the product information storage device 5.

[0047]

[Table 4]

[0048]

[Table 5]

[0049]

[Table 6]

As shown in Table 4 above, in the process flow storage device 3, a data table is set for each process flow name, and the data table stores the process name for each processing stage and the equipment group used for the processing. And processing conditions are stored. The difference from the first embodiment is that the designation flag is not stored.

As shown in Table 5 above, in the processing condition storage device 4, a data table is set for each equipment group, and this data table contains the work in process limit value per equipment (unit) and the equipment limit. The processing conditions that can be processed for each (unit), the products that are scheduled to be processed in each facility (unit) <br/> the in-process or planned product numbers , and the scheduled processing quantities of each product in each facility (unit) In- process value and each equipment (unit)
Definitive total widget value is stored. The in-process value is, for example,
Scheduled in the equipment (unit) for the total processing quantity of goods
Expressed as a percentage of the processed quantity.

Further, as shown in Table 6 above, in the product information storage device 5, a process flow name used for each product number, a process name in which an object is being processed, a status indicating that the process is waiting or in process. And the delivery date and time are stored. The difference from the first embodiment is that the equipment reserved in the subsequent process is not stored.

Next, a processing flow by the processing order determination module 6 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing by the processing order determination module. Production line 8
For example, when a trigger signal of a request for an object to be processed is input to the central processing unit 1 via the network 7 from the facility 9 inside, the processing order determination module 6 is started by the central processing unit 1.

The activated processing order determination module 6 searches the information stored in the product information storage device 5 via the central processing unit 1 for an object which can be processed by the equipment 9 which has issued the trigger signal. (S21).

As a result of the search (S22), if there are two or more workpieces that can be processed, the total processing time until the end of the final process of the workpieces and the delivery date of the product are obtained in the same manner as in the first embodiment. The priority α is calculated from the difference between the date and time and the current date and time (S23). After calculating the priority α, an object to be processed having the highest priority α is searched, and a processing facility group used in a subsequent process of the object to be processed is searched from the data stored in the process flow storage unit 3. (S24). Also, as a result of the search (S22), if only one processable object is processed, the processing equipment group used in the subsequent process of the object is stored in the process flow storage process 3 without calculating the priority α. A search is made from the stored data (S24).

Then, a machine which can be processed according to the searched processing condition is searched from the data stored in the processing condition storage device 4, and the operation status of the searched machine is checked via the network 7 (S25). If all the units are out of operation due to failure or maintenance, it is checked whether there is a product with the next highest priority α (S2).
6).

As a result of the check (S24), if there is an operating machine, the total in-process value of each machine is stored in the processing condition storage device 4.
(S27). Then, when the total in-process value of all the units exceeds the in-process limit value, it is checked whether or not there is an object to be processed having the next highest priority α (S26). For example, the total in-process value of the unit 3 in Table 5 exceeds the in-process limit value. On the other hand, when there is an equipment machine whose total work value is equal to or less than the work limit value, the total work value of the machine is changed by the following procedure (S28). If there is only one machine having a work in process limit or less, the work in progress 1.0 is added to the total work in progress of that machine. Product No. in Table 5 2 corresponds to this. Further, when there are two or more units having the in-process limit value or less, the in-process value 1.0 is divided by the number of units having the in-process limit value or less. Then, the value of the calculation result is added to the total work in process of each machine. Product No. in Table 5 5 is an example in which, when there are two units below the in-process limit value, those units are assigned to those units. In either case, the total work in progress is increased by one.

At the same time as changing the total work in process,
Product No. in the processing condition storage device 4 Is stored in the field where the product No. is stored. And the calculated in-process value are additionally stored.

Next, when the product to be processed is determined, the transport device 11 is instructed to transport the object to the target facility 9 that has issued the trigger signal (S29).

In each facility, the product No. in the processing condition storage device 4 is stored. When the processing of the object stored in the field in which is stored is started, the product No. of each unit is started. From the field, enter the product number. Is deleted, and the in-process value of the object is subtracted from the total in-process value of each unit. Remember in the field.

In this embodiment, after setting the order of processing of the object to be processed based on the level of the priority α,
By checking the total work-in-progress, the status of the post-process is checked, and the work-piece is processed only when the work-in-process value does not exceed the upper limit in the post-process, thereby preventing accumulation of the work-in-progress. . Also in the present embodiment, since the processing is not always performed from the processing target of the product having the higher priority α, the product having the higher priority α may prevent the processing of the processing target of the product having the lower priority α. Is suppressed.

[0062]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
The equipment that determines the processing order based on the state of the later equipment determines whether or not to process the workpiece. Accumulation is prevented. In addition, since a low-priority object may be processed before a high-priority object, a low-priority product can be processed without delay. Further, a product in which the time between processes is specified can be surely processed within the specified time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an apparatus for managing processes used in a method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing processing by a processing order determination module in the method of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing by a processing order determination module in the method of the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1; Central processing unit 2; Input device 3; Process flow storage device 4; Processing condition storage device 5; Product information storage device 6; Processing order determination module 7; Network 8; Manufacturing line 9; 11; transport device

Continuation of front page (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 17/60 G06F 19/00 B23Q 41/00 G05B 15/02

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] In a management method by a central processing unit for a manufacturing process of manufacturing a product by processing a plurality of types of workpieces by a combination of a plurality of types of processing steps, the workpieces that can be processed in the first facility are processed. When two or more types are stored in the product information storage device , the processing conditions of the processable object,
A step of remaining processing steps and the central processing unit the priority of processing at the first facilities for all the treatable article to be treated on the basis of the processing time and delivery time is calculated, said central processing unit highest priority and the step of high processable object to be treated a treatment candidate, the second of said central processing unit is used later than the first equipment for the treatment candidate at that point in time <br/> Stores information indicating the state of equipment at processing conditions
If it is determined not to perform the steps of performing a determination of whether non-use processing of the processing candidate in the first equipment reads from the device, the processing of the processing candidate, the central
If the processing device determines to perform the steps of returning to the step of performing said determining next higher priority processable object to be processed in the processing candidate as candidate treatments, the treatment of the treatment candidate, pre
Storing, in the product information storage device, a reservation that the central processing unit performs the processing of the processing candidate in the second facility with the highest priority; and the central processing unit stores the processing candidate in the second facility. first a step of instructing the transport apparatus to transport the facility, the central processing unit the second of said product said reservation when the processing is started in the processing candidate by facilities
Erasing the information from the information storage device . 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining is performed by the central processing unit.
The method according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a step of examining information on an object to be processed later in the second facility. 3. A manufacturing process management apparatus for manufacturing a product by processing a plurality of types of workpieces by a combination of a plurality of types of processing steps, wherein the processing conditions of the workpieces, the remaining processing steps, and the processing time thereof. Priority calculating means for calculating the priority of the object to be processed in the first facility from the delivery date;
Determining means for determining whether or not to process the object to be processed in the first facility based on information indicating the state of the second facility to be used later than the second facility. A reservation means for making a reservation that processing of the object to be processed is given the highest priority in the second facility when it is determined that the processing of the object is to be performed; and And a reservation erasing means for erasing the reservation after the processing of the processed object is completed. 4. The manufacturing apparatus management apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said determining means has an investigating means for examining information on an object to be subsequently processed in said second facility. .