JPH02282118A - Loading support method, device thereof, storage medium with calculation program therefor, and loading robot device therewith - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten the calculation time and improve the volumetric efficiency by arranging a load so that the minimum dimension among the length, the width, and the height of a rectangular parallelopiped is in the vertical direction, and hereafter calculating the load as one whose upside-down arrangement is forbidden. CONSTITUTION:Article code numbers and number of articles input from a keyboard 11, or data from a forwarding information source 2 are taken in, and data required for calculation of loading are written by detecting a master table of articles Tm. In the case that upside-down arrangement is not forbidden in an article, three dimensional data of the article are rearranged in order of length > width > height, and stored data in respective tables are rewritten so that the minimum dimension is in the vertical direction. Articles to be loaded are charged to respective containers, and the loading is planned and calculated so as to obtain the minimum loaded space with the condition of only one side up, namely, of only rotation in the horizontal direction. The result is displayed on a display device 14. Further, loading command signals based on the calculation result are output to a robot control device 3 to control the loading movement of the robot 4.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention is applicable to various types of cargo that can be turned upside down (rectangular parallelepiped cargo that can be loaded with any side facing up, top, bottom, left, right, front, back, etc.)
When loading cargo onto the bed of a truck, etc., the direction of placement of each cargo (which side of the cargo should face up), the location of the cargo in the entire cargo, the loading process, etc. The present invention relates to a loading support method and device that calculate through calculations to minimize the space of the entire load, in other words, to minimize gaps between loads, and is particularly suitable for calculating in a short time. Regarding.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to a storage medium storing a calculation program to be calculated by this loading support device, and a loading robot device that is equipped with this loading support device and mixes various shapes of cargo onto a loading platform or the like.

[Conventional technology]

When placing a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped item that can be placed both vertically and vertically, there are six ways to place it, depending on which side of the hexahedron is facing down. For example, when loading a large number of items onto a truck, some items should be placed vertically and others horizontally so that the loading space can be minimized, that is, as many items as possible can be loaded in the same loading space. become.

As related to the conventional stowage method, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-2
There is a technique described in Japanese Patent No. 43731. In this prior art, the loading efficiency is calculated by various combinations of six placement methods, and the placement method that maximizes the loading efficiency is determined.

[Means to solve the problem]

The above-mentioned conventional technology can maximize loading efficiency. However, although this conventional technology is suitable for mass producing and shipping large quantities of the same product, that is, for loading cargo of the same size and shape onto the bed of a truck, etc.
In recent years, the needs of consumers have become more diverse, and the above-mentioned conventional technology is used when loading cargo based on high-mix, low-volume production, that is, cargo whose rectangular parallelepiped shape has a wide variety of dimensions: length, width, width, and height. When applied, calculations are performed while changing all three parameters of each baggage: length, width, and height.

There is a problem that the number of combinations is enormous and the calculation time is too long.

There is a conventional technique related to a support method for loading cargo that cannot be placed upside down, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 197530/1982. This method has a low degree of freedom, which generally results in poor loading efficiency, but it has the advantage of requiring less calculation time. If this prior art is applied to stacking cargo that can be lifted up or down in order to take advantage of this advantage, there is a problem that loading efficiency cannot be improved by simply applying the technique. This is because they cannot take advantage of the fact that heaven and earth are possible.

A first object of the present invention is to provide a loading support method and device that can reduce calculation time and increase loading efficiency.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a storage medium storing a calculation program that enables a normal computer or the like to be used as the loading support device.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a loading robot device that can efficiently load various types of cargo that can be moved up and down.

[Means for Solving the Problem] The first objective is to arrange the baggage so that the smallest dimension of the three dimensions of the rectangular parallelepiped (width, width, and height) is in the vertical direction. It is achieved by calculating it as a burden that cannot be achieved by heaven or earth.

The second purpose is to provide a means for setting in the calculation program stored in the storage medium such that the minimum dimension of the three dimensions of the rectangular parallelepiped cargo, which is the length, width, and height, is the vertical direction. , achieved.

The third objective is achieved by operating a robot that loads various types of cargo onto a loading platform based on the calculation results of the loading support device that achieves the first objective.

[Effect]

Calculating the loading of cargo that cannot be tilted vertically or vertically requires less calculation time because the degree of freedom is small. Therefore, the vertical direction of cargo that can be tilted or tilted is determined in the direction that increases loading efficiency, that is, the highest height when the cargo is loaded. By deciding to lower the load and calculating this load as a load that cannot be turned upside down, calculation time is shortened and loading efficiency is increased. In other words, compare the length, 2 width, and height of a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped bag, and select the height 9 width in order of decreasing value.

The load is placed in the direction of length, and then the width and length of each load are changed to increase loading efficiency by calculating the placement direction and location of each load.

It becomes possible to take advantage of the advantage of being able to do both, and also to achieve the advantage of not being able to do anything (reducing calculation time).

In addition, when the loading calculation reaches the final stage, no matter which direction the vertical direction of the remaining cargo is calculated, the number of the cargo is small, so it is possible to increase the loading efficiency without increasing the calculation time. This makes it possible to achieve

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a loading robot device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the loading robot device has a computer (hereinafter referred to as a loading support device) 1 which is a loading support device, and shipping information such as 9 types and quantities of cargo to be transported to various places. Converts a loading command signal based on a shipping information source 2 given to the loading support device 1 and a loading plan calculated by the loading support device 1 and output from the loading support device 1 into a robot drive signal as described in detail later. It consists of a robot control device 3 and a robot 4 which receives drive signals from the robot control bag W3 and takes out various cargoes stored in a warehouse in the order of commands and loads them onto a loading area such as a truck bed. The stowage area is also referred to as a container below. Baggage is also called goods.

The loading support device 1 includes a computer main body 10, a keyboard 11 and a mouse 12 as input devices, a printer 13 and a display device 14 such as a CRT as an output device, a floppy disk driver 15, and an auxiliary memory 16. ing. The computer main body 10 includes a CPtJ 17 as an arithmetic unit that executes various calculations, and a main memory 18.
, an input/output circuit (Ilo) 19 between the keyboard 11 and the auxiliary memory 16, and a bus 20 connecting these. This loading support device 1 is configured to load a calculation program into the main memory 18 via a floppy disk driver 15 from a floppy disk (not shown), which is a type of storage medium storing a calculation program for supporting a stowage plan. If the data is stored on magnetic tape, the stored data will be read from another reading device. ), further stores data related to various articles inputted from the shipping information source 2, input device, etc. in the main memory 18, executes calculations as described in detail later, and displays the calculation results on the display device 14. , outputs a loading command signal to the robot control device 3. Alternatively, the calculation results can be stored on a floppy disk and transferred to another computer.

In this embodiment, the data regarding the articles include an article mask table Tm, an article table Tt, a developed article table Ta,
Container master table TP, container management table Tc 5
stored in one table.

In the article master table Tm, as shown in FIG.
At least all the data necessary for calculating the stowage plan is stored. That is, data such as the code number of the article, dimensions in each direction (length, width, height), and whether or not the top and bottom can be placed are stored.

The code number is a number indicating the type of article, and the same code number is assigned to one type of article.

Articles with the same code number must have at least the same specifications related to stacking, and items that must be stacked on the top shelf must be designated as stacked, and items that cannot be stacked on top must be designated for stacking. Since conditions such as prohibition of double stacking and designation of lower stacking for items to be stacked on the bottom shelf are required, data specifying these items is also stored in this table Tm.

Furthermore, there is some data that is not necessary for calculating the stowage plan, but should be added as a comment to make it easier for people to understand when the results are output. For example, the name of the item, the destination,
This includes the packaging of goods, etc. This comment is also this table Tm
Make sure that it can be stored in. This table Tm is used to add data while calculating the stowage plan, and is used to store data on articles to be repeatedly stowed.

As shown in FIG. 3, the article table Tt stores data such as code numbers and numbers of articles to be stacked. Data stored in other columns of this article table Tt is automatically transferred from the article master table Tm. Note that for articles whose data is not stored in the article master table Tm, all specifications are newly inputted from the input device and registered in the article table Tt.

As shown in FIG. 5, the container mask table Tp stores data such as a container code number, dimensions in each direction, and weight limit. When the input of the article table Tt is completed and the code number and number of containers to be used are specified, data regarding the specified container is read from the container mask table Tp, and the distribution of each article to each container is performed. Calculated automatically.

Then, an article number is assigned to each distributed article, and an expanded article table Ta is created.

As shown in FIG. 4, the expanded article table Ta first stores article numbers, article code numbers, and container numbers. Each time the stowage plan is calculated, the position of the items in the container, the dimensions of the stowed items (this allows you to know the orientation of the items), and the stowage order for each number of items. A process number indicating the process is entered.

When the developed article table Ta is completed, the calculation results for each container are summarized, and the container management table Tc shown in FIG.
Container number, container code number, number of loaded items, loading efficiency, and loaded weight are stored. Incidentally, the dimensions and weight limit are stored in the container master table Tp, so this table Tc
There is no need to store it in .

This loading support device 1 distributes the articles to be loaded into each container based on the shipping information, and then calculates the two positions in the arrangement direction and the loading order of the articles assigned to each container. If the placement position of a predetermined article is to be manually determined during this calculation, the user directly directs the instructions using the mouse 12 while looking at the screen of the display device 14. The CPU II then takes in this instruction and continues the subsequent calculations.

Next, an example of the main part of the calculation procedure of the stowage plan in the stowage support method will be explained using the flowcharts of FIGS. 7 and 8.

First, in step 101, the article code number and quantity input from the keyboard ti are read. Incidentally, these data may be automatically read from the shipping information source 2. In the first step 102, it is searched whether the article code number read in step 101 exists in the article master table Tm, and it is stored in this table Tm. If so, the data necessary for calculating the stowage plan is read from the table Tm (step 10).
3). If this article code number does not exist in the table Tm, the process proceeds to step 104, waits for data related to the article necessary for calculating the stowage plan to be input from the keyboard 11, and holds the input data in memory. .

In step 105, it is determined whether or not the article can be tilted vertically, and if it is, the three dimensional data of the article are rearranged in the order of length>width>height and the stored data in each table is rewritten. . In other words, the process proceeds to step 107 with the shortest dimension being in the vertical direction. If the top and bottom are impossible, step 105 is skipped and the process proceeds to step 107. In step 107.

After determining whether all the articles to be stowed have been processed in the above step and ensuring that the height of all the articles that can be raised or lowered is the lowest, step 20
1 (FIG. 8), the setting is made so that the highest loading efficiency can be achieved for articles that can be placed upside down. In addition, arranging each vertically adjustable item so that its height is the minimum is equivalent to arranging each item in the direction where it is easiest to form a flat surface with the items placed side by side. It is.

In step 201, articles to be stowed are distributed to each container. First, one container is selected, and a loading plan calculation is performed for each article assigned to this container under conditions that do not allow orientation, and the placement direction, placement location, and loading order of each article are determined. (Step 202), in this case, since the condition is upside down, the arrangement direction of each item is calculated by not changing the vertical direction, but only in the horizontal direction, that is, by rotating the item 90 degrees, and calculating the space between each item. is minimized or minimized, and the entire stowage space is minimized or minimized. Even if the calculation is performed assuming that the items cannot be placed vertically, the height of each item that can be placed vertically is determined to be the minimum height, so that an extreme drop in loading efficiency is avoided.

In the next step 203, it is determined whether the loading condition is good or not. If it is good, the process proceeds to step 206, and if it is bad, step 2 is carried out.
Proceeding to step 04, unload the items stacked on the upper level among the items that can be turned up and down, and the items stacked after that, change the stacking direction, and stack them again (step 205).
). By performing this reloading, the calculation time becomes a little longer, but since it is the final stage of loading, it does not take that much time.

In step 206, it is determined whether there are any containers remaining for which the stowage plan is to be performed. If there are containers remaining, the process returns to step 202, and if there are any containers left, the stowage plan is ended.

In this manner, when the stowage plan is completed, the results are displayed on the display bag [14] or printed out. In addition, when the loading robot 4 is operated based on the calculation result of the loading support device 1 and the articles are mixedly loaded into containers as calculated, a loading command signal based on the calculation result is output to the robot control device 3, and the robot Controls the stowage operation in step 4.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the stowage support method and device of the present invention, it is possible to formulate a stowage plan with high loading efficiency in a short time even when vertically adjustable articles are mixedly loaded.

Further, according to the recording medium of the present invention, it becomes possible to use a normal computer as the above-described loading support device, and it becomes possible to achieve general-purpose use of this device.

Furthermore, according to the loading robot device of the present invention, there is an effect that cargo can be loaded into each container etc. efficiently and in a short time.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a loading robot device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. 5 and 6 are diagrams for explaining the data stored in each table shown in FIG. 1, respectively, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are diagrams illustrating the main calculation procedure of the stowage support method according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Loading support device, 2... Shipping information source, 3... Robot control device, 4... Loading robot, 10... Computer main body, 11... Keyboard, 12... Mouse , 13... Printer, 14... Display device, 1
5...Floppy disk driver, 17...CP
U, 18...Main memory. Figure 7m Figure c Figure a Figure

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a luggage loading support method that calculates the loading direction and loading location of various rectangular parallelepiped luggage in order to minimize the loading space, each luggage to be stowed is Luggage characterized by calculating the loading direction and stowage location of each load to minimize the cargo space by changing only the horizontal direction of the load, assuming that the load is placed in the direction where the load is the lowest. stowage support method. 2. In a loading support method that supports a loading method in which various types of cargo can be stacked with any side of the hexahedron facing up so that the overall cargo space is minimized, the top surface of the hexahedron should be flat between the cargo and the cargo to be placed side by side. Assuming that each baggage is placed with the side that is easy to configure facing up, the loading direction and loading location of each baggage can be minimized by changing only the other direction without changing the vertical direction of each baggage. A baggage loading support method characterized by calculation. 3. In a cargo loading support method that calculates the placement direction and placement position of various types of rectangular parallelepiped cargo to be mixed at the required locations so as to minimize the gaps between each cargo, the length of each cargo, This cargo loading support method is characterized in that each cargo is automatically arranged so that the shortest dimension of three dimensions, width and height, is in the vertical direction, and calculations are made assuming that this vertical direction cannot be changed. 4. An input device that inputs the three dimensional data of length, width, and height of various types of rectangular parallelepiped cargo, and uses this dimensional data to arrange each cargo so that the overall cargo space is minimized. In the cargo loading support device, which includes a calculation device that calculates the direction and placement position, and an output device that outputs the calculation result, the calculation device calculates the shortest dimension of the three dimension data in the vertical direction of the baggage. A cargo loading support device, characterized in that it is provided with a means for calculating by fixing the load and changing only the horizontal direction. 5. An input device that inputs dimensional data of various rectangular parallelepiped shapes to be loaded, and a calculation device that uses the input dimensional data to calculate the direction and location of cargo placement to minimize the overall cargo space. and an output device that outputs the calculation result, wherein the calculation device determines the vertical direction of the cargo to be stowed in a direction in which the top surface is flat with the cargo placed side by side. A cargo loading support device characterized by comprising means for calculating by fixing in the vertical direction and changing only in other directions. 6. An input device that inputs the dimensional data of various types of rectangular parallelepiped packages to be mixed in the required locations, and a calculation device that calculates the placement direction and location of each package to be mixed in such a way that the gaps between each package are minimized. and an output device for outputting calculation results, wherein the calculation device automatically sets the vertical direction of each cargo to be stowed in the direction in which the height of the cargo is the lowest. 1. A cargo loading support device comprising means for performing calculations to minimize gaps between packages by changing only the direction of the cargo. 7. A storage medium that converts the computer into a loading support device according to claim 1 by loading a stored calculation program into the computer, wherein the loading space is minimized in the direction and location of the loading cargo to be loaded. During the calculation program, the length, width,
A storage medium for a loading support device, characterized in that it stores means for fixing the shortest dimension of the three height dimensions in the vertical direction of the cargo and changing only the horizontal direction to execute the calculation. . 8. A storage medium that converts the computer into a loading support device according to claim 2 by loading a stored calculation program into the computer, wherein the loading space is minimized in the direction and location of loading cargo. A means is stored in the calculation program to perform the calculation by fixing the direction in which the top surface is flat with the baggage placed side by side in the vertical direction of the baggage, and changing only the other direction. A storage medium for a loading support device, characterized in that: 9. A storage medium for converting a computer into a loading support device according to claim 3 by reading a stored calculation program into the computer,
During the calculation program that calculates the placement direction and location of cargo to be stacked so that the gaps between the cargo are minimized, the vertical direction of each cargo to be stacked is automatically set in the direction where the height of the cargo is the lowest. A storage medium for a stowage support device, characterized in that a storage medium for a loading support device is stored therein, the means for executing the calculation by setting and changing only other directions. 10. A loading robot that stacks various types of rectangular parallelepiped cargo at a loading location, a loading robot control device that controls the operation of the robot, and the aforementioned device that calculates loading command data to be given to the loading robot control device. Claims 4 to 6
A loading robot device comprising the loading support device according to any one of the above. 11. A loading support device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, a robot for loading cargo onto a loading platform, and the loading assistance device having dimensional data of various rectangular parallelepiped-shaped loads to be loaded on the loading platform. a shipping information source that inputs the dimension data from an input device; and a shipping information source that sends a drive control signal to the robot and mixes various rectangular parallelepiped-shaped packages to be shipped according to the calculation results of the loading support device according to the shape of the loading platform. A loading robot device comprising: a robot control device for controlling the loading robot;