JPH05138510A - Production line system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To produce the products speedily without lowering the production efficiency even if various kinds of works flow, and without stopping a production line even at the time of the trouble of an operation cell. CONSTITUTION:An indication that is according to the transport and operation order of works is issued from a production control means (10) to respective selection means (3-1-3-18), and according to this indication, respective selection means select works to be transported and supply them to operation cells (1-1-1-9). When operation is finished at a work at an operation cell, a selection means delivers the work out to one of transport means (4-1, 4-2) in its transport direction according to the above indication. These works are selected by selection means connected to operation cells where the next operation is conducted, and supplied to these operation cells. Accordingly, operation order at respective operation cells can be changed according to works of various kinds, and at the time of the trouble of an operation cell, change to another cell is made.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a production line system for manufacturing products by performing work such as assembling on various works.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a production line system, a plurality of work cells for performing different operations, for example, processing and assembling of workpieces, are arranged in one line direction, and the arrangement order is in accordance with a predetermined processing and assembling order of workpieces. .. Therefore, the work flows according to the line, and is processed in, for example, the first work cell, another work is performed in the next work cell, and the screw tightening work is performed in the next work cell.

By the way, when various works having different takt times for processing and assembling flow into such a production line, the work cells having a long working time are affected, and the work flows in the work cells upstream of the work cells. Is restricted. Therefore, the production efficiency of the product is extremely reduced.

Further, since the work cells are arranged in accordance with a predetermined processing and assembling order, if one work cell fails, the whole production line is stopped. Therefore, in order to operate the production line, it is necessary to wait until the defective work cell is restored.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]
When various kinds of works having different times flow, the flow of the works is restricted to lower the production efficiency, and when the work cell fails, it is necessary to wait until the work cell returns.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a production line system capable of promptly producing a product without lowering the production efficiency even if various works flow and without stopping the production line even when a work cell fails. ..

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a plurality of work cells for performing a predetermined work on various works and a carrier for carrying the work between the work cells in both directions along a line where the work cells are arranged. Means and a sorting means connected to each work cell to sort the work conveyed to the transport means and supply the work cell to the work cell and to send the work after the work is finished to the transport means, and the work transport and work order According to the above, there is provided a production line system which is intended to achieve the above-mentioned object by including a work to be sorted by each sorting means and a production control means for issuing a command in a conveying direction of the work after the work is finished to each sorting means.

[0008]

With the provision of such means, when the production control means issues a command for the work selection and the work transfer direction according to the work order to each selection means, each command is issued in accordance with this command. The sorting means sorts the work conveyed by the conveying means and supplies the work cell. When an operation such as assembling a work is performed in the work cell, the selecting means sends the work thus performed to the conveying means in the conveying direction according to the instruction in the conveying direction.
As a result, the work is sorted by the sorting means connected to the work cell to be worked next and supplied to the work cell.
Therefore, the work order in each work cell can be changed according to various works, and when the work cell fails, the work order is changed to another work cell.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a production line system. This work line has nine work cells 1-1 to 1-9
Are arranged. These work cells 1-1 to 1-9 are used to assemble various works. For example, work cells 1-1 and 1-2 are screw tightening work, work cell 1-3 is gear supply work, and work. Cells 1-4, 1-5 and 1-6 are screw tightening work, work cell 1-7 is cover supply,
The work cells 1-8 and 1-9 are for performing cover tightening work, respectively. In this case, although there are five work cells for tightening the screws, all of them can perform the screw tightening work for the same or different screws by changing the tool of the handling section. These work cells 1-1 to 1-9
The automatic tool changers 2-1 to 2-9 and the sorting machines 3-1 to 3-9 and 3-10 to 3-18 are connected to the respective.

Conveyors 4-1 and 4-2 are arranged along the line in which the work cells 1-1 to 1-9 are arranged, that is, on both sides of each work cell 1-1 to 1-9. Has been done. Of these, one conveyor 4-1 is the work cell 1-
Flow in the transport direction (1) from 1 to the work cell 1-9,
On the other hand, the other conveyor 4-2 flows in the transport direction (b) from the work cell 1-9 to the work cell 1-1. The work supply device 5 is connected to the work cell 1-1 side of the conveyor 4-1 and the work storage device 6 is connected to the work cell 1-9 side. A work-in-process buffer 7 is connected to the work cell 1-1 side of the conveyor 4-2.

The work supply device 5 supplies various works to the conveyor 4-1. These works W are work transfer and assembly jigs (hereinafter abbreviated as jigs) 8 as shown in FIG.
And placed on the conveyor 4-1. This jig 8
A bar code label 9 is attached to the side surface of the, and a bar code indicating a jig number is written on the bar code label 9. Each of the tool automatic changing devices 2-1 to 2-9 has a function of automatically changing the handling part that holds the work W.

Further, each sorter 3-1 to 3-9, 3-10
3-18 selects the work W conveyed to each conveyor 4-1 and 4-2, supplies it to the work cells 1-1 to 1-9, and finishes the work in each work cell 1-1 to 1-9. It has a function of sending the subsequent work W to each of the conveyors 4-1 and 4-2. Here, each sorter 3-1 to 3-9 is provided in the conveyor 4-1 and each sorter 3-10 to 3-18 is provided in the conveyor 4-2.

On the other hand, a production control device 10 is provided. The production control device 10 is connected to each work cell 1-1 to 1-9 via a communication network 11. In addition, communication network 1
1 is each sorter 3-1 in each work cell 1-1 to 1-9
˜3-9, 3-10 to 3-18. This production control device 10 is prestored with a program for the transportation and work order of various works W, and a jig 8 for sorting by each sorter 3-1 to 3-9, 3-10 to 3-18 according to this program, that is, Commands for the work W and the conveying direction of the work W after completion of the work are sent to the respective sorting machines 3-1 to 3-9, 3-10 to 3.
It has the function of issuing to -18. Next, the work for the works W of the respective types A and B of the production line system configured as described above will be described.

First, the work on the work W of the type A will be described with reference to the flow chart of the transport and work order shown in FIG. The program of the same flow chart is stored in the production control device 10, and the program is executed to execute the work cells 1-1 to 1-1.
Issue a command to 1-9. That is, the production control device 10 selects the work W of the type A from each work W conveyed to the conveyor 4-1 with respect to the work cell 1-1 in step s1, and conveys the work W to which the work has been applied. 4-1, a work W of the product type A is selected from each work W conveyed to the conveyor 4-1 to the work cell 1-3 in step s2, and the work is added. A command to return the work W to the conveyor 4-1 is issued.

As a result, when various works W are loaded from the work feeder 5 to the conveyor 4-1, the sorter 3
-1 reads the bar code of the bar code label 9 attached to each jig 8 flowing on the conveyor 4-1 and reads the type A
The work W is selected. Then, when the work W of the type A is recognized, the sorting machine 3-1 takes in the jig 8 on which the work W is placed from the conveyor 4-1 and supplies it to the work cell 1-1. The work cell 1-1 performs a screw tightening work on the work W. When this work is completed, the sorting machine 3-1 sends the jig 8 on which the work W is placed to the conveyor 4-1.

The conveyor 4-1 conveys the jig 8 in the conveying direction (a). By this conveyance, the jig 8 is sorted by the sorting machine 3-
Although the number reaches 2, the sorting machine 3-2 does not sort the jig 8 on which the work W of the type A is mounted, because the sorting command is not input.

When the jig 8 reaches the sorter 3-3, the sorter 3-3 takes in the jig 8 on which the work W of the type A is placed from the conveyor 4-1 and supplies it to the work cell 1-3. To do. The work cell 1-3 performs a gear supply work on the work W. When this work is completed, the sorting machine 3-3 sends the jig 8 on which the work W is placed to the conveyor 4-1.

Next, in step s3, the production control device 10 selects the work W of the type A conveyed to the conveyor 4-1 to the work cell 1-5, and the work W to which the work has been added is conveyed to the conveyor 4. -1 is sent to the work cell 1-7 and the work cell 1-9.

As a result, the work W of the type A as described above is obtained.
The jig 8 on which is mounted is conveyed by the conveyor 4-1 and the screw tightening work is performed in the work cell 1-5, the cover supplying work is performed in the work cell 1-7, and then the work cell 1-9. The cover tightening work is performed.

Next, the work for the work W of the type B will be described with reference to the flow chart of the transport and work order shown in FIG. The program of the same flow chart is stored in the production control device 10, and the work cells 1-1 to 1 are executed by executing this program.
Issue a command to -9. That is, the production control device 1
0 is the work W of the type B from each work W conveyed to the conveyor 4-1 with respect to the work cell 1-2 in step f1.
And the work W on which the work has been performed is selected on the conveyor 4
-1 is issued, then in step f2, the work W of the product type B is selected from the conveyor 4-1 to the work cell 1-4, and the work W to which the work is added is conveyed to the conveyor 4-2. A command to send out is issued, and then, in step f3, the type B from the conveyor 4-2 to the work cell 1-3.
Work W that has been selected and has been added
Is issued to the conveyor 4-1.

As a result, when various works W flow on the conveyor 4-1, the sorter 3-2 sorts the jigs 8 on which the works W of the product type B are placed and fetches them from the conveyor 4-1 to work cell 1-. Supply to 2. This work cell 1-2 is work W
When the screw tightening work is done for this and this work is finished,
The sorter 3-2 sends the jig 8 on which the work W is placed to the conveyor 4-1.

The conveyer 4-1 conveys the jig 8 in the conveying direction (a), and the conveyer 4-1 moves the jig 8 to the sorting machine 3-4.
And are supplied to the work cells 1-4. The work cell 1-4 performs the screw tightening work on the work W of the type B at another place. When this work is completed, the sorting machine 3-15 sends the jig 8 on which the work W is placed to the conveyor 4-2 in accordance with the above command.

As a result, the jig 8 is conveyed in the conveying direction (b) by the conveyor 4-2, and the sorting machine 3-16 on the upstream side.
Are sorted in. This sorter 3-16 is a conveyor 4
-2, take in the jig 8 on which the product type B is mounted and work cell 1
-3. The work cell 1-3 performs a gear supply work on the work W of the type B. When this work is completed, the sorting machine 3-3 sends the jig 8 on which the work W is placed to the conveyor 4-1 in accordance with the instruction.

Next, the production control device 10 selects the work W of the type B conveyed to the conveyor 4-1 with respect to the work cell 1-6 in the sweep f4, and the work W to which the work is applied is conveyed 4 -1 is sent to the work cell 1-7 and the work cell 1-8 to the work cell 1-8.

As a result, the work W of the type B as described above is obtained.
The jig 8 on which is mounted is conveyed by the conveyor 4-1 and the work cell 1-6 performs the screw tightening work, the work cell 1-7 performs the cover supply work, and the work cell 1-8 next. The cover tightening work is performed.

Next, when the works W of the types A and B are mixed and loaded into the conveyor 4-1, the production control device 10 processes the programs in parallel so that the works W of the types A and B are processed. Control mixed production lines to manufacture products. Next, a case where the work cell 1-5 used for assembling the product type A fails will be described.

In this case, the screw tightening work by the work cell 1-5 is changed to the screw tightening work of the work cell 1-1. Therefore, the production control device 10 uses the step s2.
In the work cell 1-3, a command is issued to select the work W of the type A from the conveyor 4-1 and to send the work W to which the work has been added to the conveyor 4-2. Conveyor 4-2 for 1-1
To select the work W of the type A and to send the work W to which the work has been added to the conveyor 4-1.

As another change method, the screw tightening work of the work cells 1-5 may be changed to the screw tightening work of the work cells 1-1, 1-2, 1-6. In this case, each work cell 1-
The screw tightening work may be carried out evenly on 1, 1-2 and 1-6.

However, the production control apparatus 10 stores both the normal program and the fault occurrence program, and the failure occurrence program is read in place of the normal occurrence program when the failure occurs.

As described above, in the above-described embodiment, the production control device 10 issues a command to the sorting machines 3-1 to 3-18 in accordance with the work transfer and work order, and each sorting machine follows this command. Conveyor 4-by 3-1 to 3-18
Each work cell 1 is selected by selecting the work conveyed to the No. 1 and 4-2.
Since the work is supplied to -1 to 1-9 and the work is sent out to the conveyors 4-1 and 4-2 according to the instruction of the conveying direction, various works are conveyed to the conveyors 4-1 and 4-4.
-2, even if they are mixedly flowed to each other, each work can be performed on each work W in the work order of each work cell 1-1 to 1-9 according to these works, and in this case, works with different tact times flow. Also, by temporarily storing the work in the in-process buffer 7, the production efficiency can be improved without restricting the flow of the work. Further, even if the work cell fails, the work cell can be changed to the same work cell, and the work can be continued without stopping the production line until the defective work cell is restored.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned one embodiment, and may be modified within the scope of the invention. For example, the conveyors 4-1 and 4-2 may be carrier vehicles. Alternatively, the automatic tool changer may be eliminated and a plurality of tools may be attached to the handling section of each work cell. Further, the work cells 1-1 to 1-9 are not limited to the assembling work but may be the working work.

[0033]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to quickly produce a product without lowering the production efficiency even when various works flow, and without stopping the production line even when the work cell fails. We can provide a production line system.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a production line system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a jig used in the system.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the conveyance and work order of a work of type A in the system.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the conveyance and work order of the work of the type B in the system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1-1 to 1-9 ... Work cell, 2-1 to 2-9 ... Automatic tool changer, 3-1 to 3-18 ... Sorting machine, 4-1 and 4-2
… Conveyor, 5… Work supply machine, 6… Work storage machine, 7
… Work-in-progress buffer, 8… Jig, 9… Bar code label,
10 ... Production control device, 11 ... Communication network.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of work cells for performing a predetermined work on various works, a carrying means for carrying the work between the work cells in both directions along a line where the work cells are arranged, and each work. Sorting means connected to each cell and sorting the work conveyed to the transport means, supplying the work cell to the work cell, and sending out the work after the work in the work cell to the transport means, and transporting the work, A production line system, comprising: production control means for issuing a command in the work direction to be sorted by each of the sorting means in accordance with a work order and a conveyance direction of the work after the work is finished to each of the sorting means.