JP5742430B2 - Equipment transfer equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an article transfer facility for performing an article transfer operation .

A conventional article transfer facility is disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example.
In Patent Document 1, a picking facility is disclosed as an article transfer facility, and in this picking facility, a collection shelf (container) assigned with an order from a sorting destination is continuously conveyed by a conveyor, and a storage shelf The goods stored for each type in the frontage are taken out by the worker based on the display on the frontage display (item display) provided for each frontage, and put into the target collection container. We collect goods for each order from.

  In addition, a plurality of work areas (zones) in which the range in which the picking work instruction is performed are different are formed for each of the plurality of frontages, and in each work area, the worker himself / herself is responsible for the processing. Take out the goods according to the indication on the frontage frontage and put them into the target collection container to be transported by the conveyor, and all the target goods in the work area where you are in charge of processing for the target collection container When the loading is completed, the loading completion switch (reset switch) provided in the work area is operated to notify that the picking operation of the article with respect to the target collection container is completed, and the next target collection container is picked. Do work.

Japanese Patent No. 2799445

In the conventional article transfer equipment, the work amount of the article transfer work in the work area is made almost uniform, but the processing capacity of the worker arranged in the work area differs depending on the person, so In some cases, there are work areas where there is a lot of waiting time during which work is not performed, and variations occur between the work areas. If there is a variation between the work areas, it may cause a decrease in the efficiency of transferring the article as a whole. Therefore, it is desirable that the variation between the work areas is properly grasped.
Therefore, the present invention provides an article transfer facility capable of grasping the variation between the respective work areas and a method for calculating the work efficiency in the article transfer facility in order to improve the efficiency of transferring the article as a whole. It is for the purpose.

In order to achieve this object, according to the article transfer facility of the present invention, a plurality of work areas for transferring articles are provided, and a first storage means for storing articles for each of the work areas; The operator can transfer the article from the first storage means to the second storage means to the second storage means to which the articles are transferred from the first storage means and the first storage means. Transfer instruction means for instructing, and transfer completion notification means for the operator to notify the control means that the transfer operation of the article from the first storage means to the second storage means has been completed. In the article transfer facility provided, for each of the work areas, processing work amount calculation means for calculating the amount of work completed transfer processing from the first storage means to the second storage means, For each work area, the first storage means is connected to the second storage means. The work setting time calculating means for calculating the work setting time for performing the transfer work of the article to be transferred, and the transfer work by the transfer completion notifying means after the instruction by the transfer instruction means is started for each work area. Cumulative processing time calculation means for calculating a cumulative processing time, which is a time accumulated for the notification operation by the transfer completion notification means, and the amount of work for each work area. A margin rate calculating means for calculating a margin rate that is a value obtained by subtracting an operation rate that is a value obtained by dividing the work amount by the work setting time from a processing rate that is a value divided by the cumulative processing time; Displaying information prompting improvement of the efficiency of the article transfer work based on a result of comparing the operating rate, the processing rate, the margin rate, and the cumulative processing time for each work area. Features It is intended.
Furthermore, according to the article transfer facility of the present invention, it is preferable that the control means further includes a display means for inputting and displaying the margin ratio for each work area.
Furthermore, according to the article transfer facility of the present invention, it is preferable that the display means displays the margin rate for each work area in a graph .

  Furthermore, according to the calculation method of the work efficiency in the article transfer facility of the present invention, there are provided a plurality of work areas for performing an article transfer work, and a first storage means for storing articles for each of the work areas; An article is transferred from the first storage means to the second storage means by an operator to the second storage means to which the articles are transferred from the first storage means, and the first storage means. Transfer instruction means for instructing work, and transfer completion notification for the operator to notify the control means that the transfer operation of the article from the first storage means to the second storage means has been completed. A method for calculating work efficiency in an article transfer facility comprising means for completing a transfer work process from the first storage means to the second storage means for each work area For each work area, from the first storage means to the second The operation setting time for performing the transfer work of the article to the delivery means is calculated, and the transfer work is completed by the transfer completion notification means after the instruction by the transfer instruction means is started for each work area. The time to be notified is a value obtained by calculating the accumulated processing time that is the time accumulated for the notification operation by the transfer completion notifying means, and dividing the work amount by the accumulated processing time for each work area. A margin rate that is a value obtained by subtracting an operation rate that is a value obtained by dividing the work amount by the work setting time is calculated from a processing rate.

  According to the present invention, for each work area, the amount of work for which the processing of the transfer work from the first storage means to the second storage means has been completed is calculated, and for each work area, the second storage from the first storage means is calculated. The work setting time for transferring the article to the storage means is calculated, and the transfer completion notifying means notifies the completion of the transfer work for each work area after the instruction by the transfer instruction means is started. The accumulated processing time that is the accumulated time for the notification operation of the transfer completion notifying means is calculated, and the work amount is calculated for each work area from the processing rate that is a value obtained by dividing the work amount by the accumulated processing time. The margin ratio, which is a value obtained by subtracting the operation rate, which is a value obtained by dividing the above by the work setting time, is calculated, and the variation between the work areas can be grasped based on the calculated margin ratio.

It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen which shows the work condition of each zone for implementing goods transfer equipment. It is a whole block diagram of the goods transfer equipment. It is a figure regarding control of the calculation method of the work efficiency in the article transfer equipment, (a) is a block diagram of a control apparatus, (b) is a figure which shows the process performed by a margin rate calculating means. It is a flowchart which calculates the margin rate of the goods transfer equipment. It is a figure which shows the list of the messages according to the work condition of the zone in the goods transfer equipment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of a picking facility which is an example of an article transfer facility. This picking facility has an article storage having a plurality of front doors 12 (an example of a first storage means; an example of a partition area) that stores articles to be picked into a collection container 10 to which an order from a sorting destination is assigned. Means A and transport means B arranged along the article storage means A and transporting the plurality of collection containers 10 are provided.

  The article storage means A has a plurality of front doors 12 for storing articles for each type. Each frontage 12 is provided with a frontage display 13 for displaying to the worker H the work of taking out articles to be put into the collection container 10. A zone Z (an example of a work area), which is a range in which a picking work instruction is performed, is formed for each of the plurality of front edges 12. In FIG. 2, for each zone Z, the frontage 12 and the frontage display 13 (one example of transfer instruction means; one example of the partition area display means) are shown. However, in reality, the articles stored in the zone Z are shown. It is installed for each type and is configured to display the quantity of articles to be taken out by numbers. In each zone Z, a worker H who performs picking work is arranged.

  The transport unit B continuously transports a plurality of collection containers 10 (an example of a second storage unit) along the article storage unit A. In the transport unit B, a predetermined range portion of the transport unit B is assigned to each of the zones Z formed for each of the plurality of entrances 12. The conveying means B is preferably composed of an accumulation conveyor capable of conveying and stopping the collection container 10 at an arbitrary position. In addition, the conveyance speed of the collection container 10 in a predetermined range portion of the conveyance means B assigned to the zone Z is set to a predetermined range portion of the conveyance means B assigned to another zone Z or the conveyance means B. It is also possible to provide setting means that can be changed independently of the portion to which the zone Z is not assigned. Each collection container 10 is provided with a data carrier 18 in which a unique identification code assigned with an order from a sorting destination is written. For each collection container 10, for example, a container indicator 14 that is attached to the collection container 10 and moved together with the collection container 10 is provided. The container display unit 14 instructs the collection container 10 to which the taken-out article is to be put. The worker H in the zone Z performs a loading operation (an example of a transfer operation) of the article 11 taken out to the collection container 10 on which the container indicator 14 is displayed. Further, in each zone Z, reading means 17 for reading the unique identification code written on the data carrier 18 of the collection container 10 is arranged. Depending on the position where this reading means 17 is arranged, a predetermined range portion of the conveying means B is determined in each zone Z. Furthermore, in each zone Z, a loading completion switch 15 (an example of a transfer completion notification means) that notifies the control device 19 described later of the loading operation of the article to the target collection container 10 by the operation of the operator H. An example of the input completion notification means) is arranged. As this insertion completion switch 15, for example, a tape switch which is a long touch sensor operated by the hand of the worker H, a foot switch operated by the foot of the worker H, an issuing element and a light receiving element are used. It is possible to use a photoelectric switch or the like that is operated by a person blocking light emitted from the issuing element to the light receiving element with a hand or a foot.

  And the display apparatus 16 (an example of a display means) which displays the information regarding the picking work of each zone Z is arrange | positioned. An administrator M who manages information related to the picking work of each zone Z displayed on the display device 16 is arranged.

A control device 19 for controlling the operation of the picking facility is arranged. As shown in FIG. 3A, the control device 19 includes a control unit 20 that comprehensively controls the entire picking facility, a processing work amount calculating unit 21 that calculates a work amount that has been processed in the zone Z, and a zone Z For each zone Z, work setting time calculation means 22 for calculating the work setting time in the zone Z (for example, the length of time from the start to the stop of the picking equipment operation can be used) The time from when the instruction by the display unit 13 is started until the worker H is notified that the loading operation is completed by operating the loading completion switch 15 is the time accumulated for the notification operation by the loading completion switch 15. The work amount is set from the cumulative processing time calculation means 23 for calculating a certain cumulative processing time and the processing rate which is a value obtained by dividing the work amount by the cumulative processing time. And a margin calculating means 24 for calculating the margin is a value obtained by subtracting the operating ratio is a value obtained by dividing between. Specifically, the control means 20 instructs to take out by the frontage display 13, and when the input completion switch 15 is operated, it is determined that the input of the article into the target collection container 10 is completed. The means 20 is notified, and the display of the frontage display 13 of the frontage 12 and the display of the container display 14 are performed for the next target. Further, the margin rate calculating means 24 calculates the operating rate 26 for each zone Z based on the work amount input from the processing work amount calculating means 21 and the work setting time input from the work setting time calculating means 22, and the accumulated processing time calculating means. The processing rate 27 is calculated from the accumulated processing time input from 23, and the margin rate 28 is calculated by subtracting the processing rate 27 from the operating rate 26, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the process of calculating the margin rate 28 by the control device 19 first calculates the work amount (step-1), calculates the work setting time (step-2), and calculates the accumulated processing time. The calculation (step-3) and the margin ratio are calculated (step-4).
Here, the operation rate 26 can be regarded as the speed of processing required for the zone Z, the processing rate 27 can be regarded as the speed of processing actually performed in the zone Z, and the margin rate 28 is determined as the zone Z. Can be regarded as waiting time occurred.

A picking operation in the zone Z will be described.
First, when the collection container 10 to be picked in the zone Z is carried into the zone Z (when the data carrier 18 of the collection container 10 to be picked in the zone Z is read by the reading means 17 of the zone Z), the zone Of the frontage 12 of Z, the takeout display of the goods is performed on the frontage display 13 of the frontage 12 storing the articles to be put into the target collection container 10, and at the same time, the container display of the target collection container 10 14 is displayed to instruct the operation of loading articles from the zone Z slot 12.

  The worker H in the zone Z takes out an article from the frontage 12 based on the display on the frontage display 13 and puts the taken-out article into the collection container 10 indicated by the container display 14. When all of the target articles in the zone Z are completely loaded into the target collection container 10, the operator H in the zone Z operates the zone Z loading completion switch 15 so that he / she with respect to the target collection container 10 can The control device 19 is notified that the picking operation of the article in the zone Z in charge of processing has been completed. When the control device 19 is notified by the input completion switch 15 of the zone Z that the input operation has been completed, the control device 19 cancels the display by the container indicator 14 of the target collection container 10 and the frontage indicator 13 of the zone Z concerned. Cancel the display.

  Then, when the next target collection container 10 is transported to the zone Z, the frontage display 13 and the container display 14 are displayed in the same manner (for the next target collection container 10). The next picking operation is performed.

  If the target collection container 10 is in an uncompleted state in the zone Z and the target collection container 10 is about to be carried out of a predetermined range of the zone Z of the transport means B (the collection container 10 When the data carrier 18 is read by the reading means 17 of the next zone Z), a work delay has occurred in the zone Z, and a predetermined range portion of the zone Z of the conveying means B is stopped, and the collection container 10 Transport is interrupted. When the work delay occurs as described above, the work of loading the articles in the zone Z opening 12 into the target collection container 10 is completed, and the worker Z in the zone Z operates the zone Z loading completion switch 15. Then, the stop of the portion to which the zone Z is assigned in the transport means B is released, and the transport of the collection container 10 is resumed.

  In each zone Z, the time from when the predetermined range portion of the zone Z of the transport means B is stopped to when the loading completion switch 15 is operated and the stop of the predetermined range portion of the zone Z of the transport means B is released. Is the stop time.

Here, the time from when the display by the frontage display 13 is performed until the insertion completion switch 15 is operated is the work time for the worker H for one collection container 10.
There is no work instruction given to the worker H from the time when the loading completion switch 15 is operated until the next display of the instruction of the removal work by the frontage indicator 13 is performed. It will be a waiting time that has not been done.
A description will be given of displaying information related to the picking work of each zone Z displayed on the display device 16 (detailed screen for each zone Z).

  FIG. 1 is a detailed display screen for each zone Z. As an example, information of the zone Z for 20 units is displayed. In FIG. 1, the left vertical axis represents a value obtained by dividing the work amount by time, the right vertical axis represents the cumulative stop time value, and the lower horizontal axis represents the number of each zone Z. In FIG. 1, the bar graph indicated by diagonal lines indicates the processing rate 27 of each zone Z, the bar graph indicated by white lines indicates the operation rate 26 of each zone Z, and the black circle in the line graph indicates the accumulated stop time 29 of each zone Z. Yes. Here, as the work amount, for example, a sorting destination unit, a collection container unit, an article type unit, a processed article quantity unit, and the like can be selectively switched and displayed.

  In FIG. 1, the processing rate 27 and the operation rate 26 are overlapped for each zone Z, and the margin rate 28 that is a value obtained by subtracting the operation rate 26 from the processing rate 27 can be immediately grasped. . This margin rate 28 can be used as an index of the waiting time occurring in the zone Z. The larger the margin rate 28 is, the more waiting time occurs in the zone Z, and there is room for work. The smaller the value of the rate 28, the smaller the waiting time generated in the zone Z, indicating that there is no room for work. Moreover, in FIG. 1, the average operation rate which is the average value of the operation rates 26 of all the zones Z is shown by the dotted line. Using the average operating rate as an index, it is possible to estimate the amount of work around the operating time of the entire facility. Further, it is possible to estimate whether the operation rate 26 of each zone Z is large or small on the basis of the average operation rate. Moreover, in FIG. 1, the average processing rate which is the average value of the processing rate 27 of all the zones Z is shown with the dashed-dotted line. Using the average processing rate as an index, the processing capacity of the entire facility can be estimated. In addition, it is possible to estimate whether the processing rate 27 of each zone Z is large or small on the basis of the average processing rate.

This detailed display screen for each zone Z is updated at any time according to the progress of the work of the picking equipment, and the manager M can easily grasp the variation of each work area in real time by the margin rate, and the picking work It can be used as a judgment material for improving efficiency. Then, the manager M can collectively grasp the work amount variation, the waiting time variation, and the work delay variation in each zone Z.
The manager M plans to replace the arrangement of the article having a large work load and the article having a low work load between the zone Z having a large margin ratio 28 and the zone Z having a small margin ratio 28, or in a short time. It is possible to plan to distribute the work load on the portion where the work load is concentrated, and to help the overall picking efficiency be maximized based on the variation of the margin value 28 between the zones Z. .

In addition, in order for the manager M to easily obtain the judgment material for improving the efficiency of the picking work, the efficiency of the picking work is set in the display device 16 based on the margin rate for each zone Z. A message serving as prompting information may be displayed.
In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, messages are displayed on the display device 16 according to the following patterns (1) to (8).
(1) When the operation rate 26 is relatively large, the margin rate 28 is relatively large, and the cumulative stop time 29 is relatively large, the worker H arranged in the corresponding zone Z works in another zone Z It is considered that the work speed is relatively fast (the processing capacity is relatively high) compared to the person H, but since there is a possibility that the work load is concentrated, the allocation of articles so that the work load is distributed Can be considered. It is also possible to increase the allocation of articles.
(2) When the operation rate 26 is relatively large, the margin rate 28 is relatively small, and the cumulative stop time 29 is relatively small The worker H arranged in the corresponding zone Z works in another zone Z Compared with the person H, the work speed is considered to be relatively fast (the processing capability is relatively high), and the work load is not concentrated. Therefore, it is possible to increase the allocation of articles.

(3) When the operation rate 26 is relatively large, the margin rate 28 is relatively small, and the cumulative stop time 29 is relatively large, the worker H arranged in the corresponding zone Z works in another zone Z It is considered that the work speed is relatively high compared to the worker H (the processing capability is relatively normal). However, since the work load may be concentrated, the assignment of articles so that the work load is distributed Can be considered.
(4) When the operation rate 26 is relatively large, the margin rate 28 is relatively small, and the cumulative stop time 29 is relatively small, the worker H arranged in the corresponding zone Z works in another zone Z Compared with the person H, the work speed is considered to be relatively fast (the processing capability is relatively high), and the work load is not concentrated. Therefore, it is not necessary to change the assignment of articles.

(5) When the operation rate 26 is relatively small, the margin rate 28 is relatively large, and the cumulative stop time 29 is relatively large, the worker H arranged in the corresponding zone Z works in another zone Z Compared with the person H, the speed of the work speed is unknown, but the work load may be concentrated. Therefore, it is conceivable to change the assignment of articles so as to distribute the work load.
(6) When the operation rate 26 is relatively small, the margin rate 28 is relatively large, and the cumulative stop time 29 is relatively small The worker H arranged in the corresponding zone Z works in another zone Z Compared with the person H, the speed of the work speed is unknown, but the work load is not concentrated. Therefore, it is possible to increase the allocation of articles.

(7) When the operation rate 26 is relatively small, the margin rate 28 is relatively small, and the cumulative stop time 29 is relatively large, the worker H arranged in the corresponding zone Z works in another zone Z It is conceivable that the work speed is relatively slow (the processing capability is relatively low) compared to the worker H. Therefore, it is conceivable to reduce the allocation of articles.
(8) When the operation rate 26 is relatively small, the margin rate 28 is relatively small, and the cumulative stop time 29 is relatively small, the worker H arranged in the corresponding zone Z works in another zone Z It is conceivable that the work speed is relatively slow (the processing capability is relatively low) compared to the worker H. Therefore, it is not necessary to change the assignment of articles.

  Further, for example, when the operation of the picking equipment is finished, the manager M confirms the detailed screen for each zone Z on the display device 16, and the operation rate 26, the processing rate 27, the margin rate 28, and the cumulative stop of each zone Z. Comparing and examining the time 29, the type of articles stored in the frontage 12 between different zones Z, the arrangement of the worker H, etc., etc. It can be prepared that the average operating rate is improved, that is, the efficiency of the picking work is improved. At this time, when the accumulated stop time 29 in each zone Z is large, it is considered that the work load is concentrated in a short time. In addition, the replacement of the arrangement of the articles is, for example, an article that requires time for picking work arranged in the frontage 12 in the zone Z in which the margin ratio 28 is the minimum (poor load handling characteristics) and the margin ratio 28 is the maximum. This can be done by changing the arrangement with the article that does not require time (good load handling characteristics) for the picking time arranged at the opening 12 of the zone Z.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible. For example, the detailed display screen for each zone Z is not limited to being displayed on the display device 16, but can be output to a printer or the like for printing when necessary. Further, for example, instead of the cumulative stop time 29 of the portion to which the zone Z for each zone Z is assigned, the number of times that the portion to which the zone Z for each zone Z is assigned can be displayed. Further, an area provided with a plurality of zones Z can be defined as an area, and a plurality of such areas can be arranged to compete for an average operating rate for each area, thereby improving the overall work efficiency.
Also, for example, an example has been described in which an article to be picked is stored in a collection container 10 to which an order from a classification destination is assigned. However, without using the collection container 10, the sorting destination is simply placed on the transport unit B. It is also possible to set a section for each order from and to transfer articles to each section.
Although the picking facility has been described as an example of the article transfer facility, the present invention can be applied to an assorted facility.
The assortment facility has a plurality of zones Z (an example of a work area) for performing the transfer operation of articles, and carts or the like in which articles included in orders from a plurality of sorting destinations are once collected in each zone Z (Example of first storage means) is carried in, and the articles collected in the cart are transferred to a storage section (example of second storage means) to which an order from a sorting destination is assigned and sorted. . In this case, each zone Z is provided with transfer instruction means for instructing the transfer operation of articles from the cart to each storage compartment, and notifies the completion of the transfer operation from the cart or the like to the storage compartment. Transfer completion notification means is provided. Thereby, for each zone Z, it is possible to calculate the amount of work completed, the work setting time, and the accumulated processing time, and it is possible to calculate the processing rate, the operation rate, and the margin rate. ing.

A article storage means B transport means H worker M manager Z zone 10 collection container 12 frontage 13 frontage display 14 container display 15 loading completion switch 16 display device 17 reading means 18 data carrier 19 control device 20 control means 21 processing Work amount calculating means 22 Work setting time calculating means 23 Cumulative processing time calculating means 24 Margin rate calculating means 26 Operating rate 27 Processing rate 28 Margin rate 29 Cumulative stop time

Claims (3)

Provide multiple work areas for transferring goods,
For each work area,
First storage means for storing articles;
Second storage means for transferring articles from the first storage means;
A transfer instruction means for instructing an operator to transfer an article from the first storage means to the second storage means to the first storage means;
In the article transfer facility provided with transfer completion notification means for the operator to notify the control means that the transfer operation of the article from the first storage means to the second storage means has been completed,
For each work area, a processing work amount calculation means for calculating a work amount for which the transfer work processing from the first storage means to the second storage means has been completed,
For each work area, work setting time calculating means for calculating a work setting time for performing an article transfer operation from the first storage means to the second storage means;
A notification operation by the transfer completion notifying unit for a time period from the start of the instruction by the transfer instructing unit to the notification of the completion of the transfer operation by the transfer completion notifying unit for each work area. Cumulative processing time calculating means for calculating a cumulative processing time that is a cumulative time for
For each work area, a margin rate that is a value obtained by subtracting an operation rate that is a value obtained by dividing the work amount by the work setting time from a processing rate that is a value obtained by dividing the work amount by the accumulated processing time. A margin rate calculating means for
Displaying information prompting improvement of the efficiency of the article transfer work based on a result of comparing the operating rate, the processing rate, the margin rate, and the cumulative processing time for each work area. Characteristic equipment transfer equipment. The article transfer facility according to claim 1, further comprising display means for inputting and displaying the margin rate for each work area from the control means. The article transfer facility according to claim 2, wherein the display unit displays the margin rate for each work area in a graph.

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