JPH05177517A - Schedule operation method in working production system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily set a work group schedule without considering the load condition of each working machine, even in the case where a large number of work contents of different kinds are allocated to a plurality of work machines that have been formed into a group. CONSTITUTION:An entire work group schedule A of a plurality of grouped laser beam machines A1 to A3 is previously stored in the RAM 14 of a central control unit 8, and in the process in which the working operation is executed in accordance with this group schedule, unexecuted work contents of the group schedule are successively allocated in response to the work requests from the respective laser beam machines A1 to A3 to execute the working operation of the respective work machines A1 to A3. When a specific laser beam machine has come to do improper work during the operation, the working machine side judges that it is improper work and interrupts the working operation, and the remaining work contents are allocated to a normal work machine inside the group that is outputting work request, and the working operation is continued.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a schedule operation method in a processing production system including a plurality of processing machines and work transfer devices, and in particular, managing a plurality of processing machines having the same processing capability as one group. , A schedule operation method for executing one work schedule.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a first conventional example of a schedule operation method for a processing and production system of this type, a plurality of processing machines are not managed as a group, but a work schedule is set in advance for each processing machine, There was a method of making each processing machine perform work independently.

Further, as a second conventional example, there is a method in which each processing machine is group-managed and a work schedule is set, and the work content for each processing machine is determined in advance.

Further, as a third conventional example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-
As disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 22252, when a failure signal indicating that any one of the plurality of processing machines is in a failure state is input to the processing schedule control device, the following processing is performed. A normal processing machine adjacent to the failed processing machine executes the processing program, as well as the unprocessed processing program originally assigned to the failed processing machine, based on the backup processing schedule prepared in advance. There was also a way.

[0005]

However, in the first conventional example, when an operator sets a predetermined schedule for each processing machine, when a large number of work contents having different working times are assigned, There is a problem that the schedule setting work becomes very troublesome because it is necessary to efficiently proceed the entire machining operation in consideration of the load status of each machine.

Further, in the second conventional example of the group management system, since the work contents for each processing machine are determined at the start of the schedule, if the processing machine fails during the execution of the schedule, the assigned work is executed. There was a problem that it could not be carried out completely.

Further, the third conventional example can solve the problems of the second conventional example, but on the other hand, assuming the failure of the processing machine, the unprocessed work contents left by the failed processing machine. Since it is necessary to preset a plurality of backup processing programs for each processing machine in advance so that they can be processed by neighboring normal processing machines, the work is troublesome and There is a problem in that it is necessary to use a large-capacity control device capable of storing a backup program for each time, resulting in an increase in cost.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to the problems existing in such conventional techniques.
The purpose of is to easily set the schedule of the entire machining work without considering the load status of each machine, even when assigning a large number of different types of work, and to create a backup program. It is an object of the present invention to provide a schedule operation method in a processing production system that can reduce the capacity of the control device and reduce the cost by making it unnecessary.

A second object of the present invention is, in addition to the above-mentioned first object, in the case where a working machine fails during working or a working defect of a work occurs and the subsequent work cannot be continued. It is an object of the present invention to provide a schedule operation method in a processing and production system that allows other processing machines to perform unprocessed work contents.

[0010]

The invention according to claim 1 is
In order to achieve the above-mentioned first object, a plurality of processing machines having the same processing capacity, and a work transfer device for carrying in and out a work between the work stocker and each of the processing machines, In a processing and production system including a schedule operation device that causes one of the plurality of processing machines to perform one work schedule having a plurality of work contents, the work schedule is stored in advance by a storage unit of the schedule operation device and the schedule is executed. In the process, the unexecuted work contents of the storage means of the schedule operating device are sequentially assigned to the processing-requested processing machines based on the work requests from the respective processing machines to execute the work. ..

Further, in order to achieve the above-mentioned second object, the invention according to claim 2 is such that, in the case where the processing machine has a processing failure during the work in the claim 1, it is determined that the processing machine has a processing failure. It is determined that the work is interrupted, and the remaining work is allocated to the normal processing machine that outputs the work request so that the work is continued.

[0012]

[Operation] In the invention according to claim 1, a plurality of processing machines having the same processing capability are grouped and a preset work schedule is executed. This work schedule is stored in the storage means of the schedule operation device. When a work request is output from the processing machines of the group, the unprocessed work content in the schedule operation device is allocated according to the request, and the processing operation of the processing machine is performed according to this work content. In this way, the work schedule is carried out until there is no unprocessed work content.

According to the second aspect of the invention, when a failure signal is output from an arbitrary processing machine, the schedule operation device responds to a work request from a processing machine whose interrupted work content is normal. Therefore, it is possible to surely perform the processing work of all the work contents of the schedule.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a laser processing system using a plurality of laser processing machines will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in the plane of FIG. 8, the three-dimensional stocker 1
A movable lifter 2 is attached to the front surface of the stocker 1, and a work supporting pallet housed in the stocker 1 can be loaded into and unloaded from the stocker. A plurality of laser beam machines A1 to A3, B1 to B3, C1 to C3 are provided in front of the three-dimensional stocker 1.
Are installed in series at predetermined intervals. These processing machines A1 to A3, B1 to B3, C1 to C3 are grouped by processing machines having the same processing capacity, and in this embodiment, three laser processing machines A1 to A3 are grouped as follows. , Unlike the laser processing machines A1 to A3,
And three laser processing machines B1 to B3 having the same processing ability are grouped into a group B, and the laser processing machines A1 to A1
Group C includes three laser processing machines C1 to C3 which have different processing capacities from A3 and B1 to B3 and have the same processing capacity.

Further, each processing machine A1 to A3, B1 to B3, C
1 to C3 and the stocker 1 are provided with a transfer station 3, a material station 4 and a temporary placement station 5 for conveying pallets, and the material station 4 and the processing machines A1 to A3 and B1 to B3. , C1 to C3, a loading device 6 for loading and unloading pallets is provided. At the left end of the three-dimensional stocker 1, there is provided a loading / unloading station 7 for loading / unloading pallets to / from the work stocker 1 by the moving lifter 2.

As shown in FIG. 9, each of the processing machines A1 to A
To B3, B1 to B3, and C1 to C3, a central control unit 8 constituting a schedule operation unit P for centrally managing the machining operations is connected. Here, the group A will be described, but the groups B and C have the same configuration. First to first installed on each processing machine A1 to A3
The third control devices 9 to 11 and the central control device 8 are connected by a lead wire. These control devices 9 to 11 detect the occurrence of a failure in the processing machine or the interruption of the processing due to an abnormality in the work being processed, and output a stop signal to the central control device 8. It has a function to do.
Further, the central control unit 8 includes an arithmetic processing circuit CPU 12, a read only memory ROM 13 and a random access memory RAM 14 as storage means, and a hard disk 15 for storing various kinds of information. Further, the central controller 8 has a display (CR
T) 16 is connected, and the operation panel 17 is connected to the CRT 16.
Are connected. The panel 17 enables setting of a work schedule, work contents, processing conditions, etc. of a group, which will be described later. The central control unit 8 has CAD CAD, CAM18
You can also enter information from.

Next, the function of the central control unit 8 described above will be described with reference to FIG. In the RAM 14 and the hard disk 15, a schedule file 21 for storing the work schedule of each group A to C, a work content file 22 for similarly storing the work content of each group, output at laser processing, speed Alternatively, a processing condition file 23 for storing processing conditions such as assist gas pressure, and a single work name for each laser processing machine A1 to A
3, NC program file 24 for storing NC programs to be executed by B1 to B3 and C1 to C3
Is provided. In addition, the stock / occupancy information table 25 for storing the stock / occupancy information in the stocker 1 and the conveyance for storing the conveyance information for supplying the information to the conveyance controller 27 for controlling the movable lifter 2. An information table 26 is provided.

Further, the RAM 14 and the hard disk 15
For example, in the group A, a table 31A for storing schedule progress information of the group A is provided, and the work content information (work name, material information and NC program name) from the work content information table 32A of the group A is stored in the table 31A. It is provided to the table 31A.
Further, the schedule progress information table 31A is connected with control information tables 33A, 34A and 35A for the respective processing machines A1 to A3 corresponding to the respective processing machines A1 to A3. Similarly, in each of the groups B and C, the schedule progress information tables 31B and 31C include the respective processing machines B1.
To B3, C1 to C3, control information tables 33B, 34B, 35B, 33C, 34C, 35 for each processing machine.
C is connected.

Next, the schedule progress information table 31A of the group A on behalf of the groups will be described with reference to FIG. Schedule A is registered as a schedule name in the progress information table 31A, and a status flag of the schedule A (for example, being executed or completed)
Is displayed. In the work order area, NO. 1-NO. 4 ... is recorded, and in the work name area corresponding to these work orders, for example, works 1, 3
It can be set in advance as ~ 5. In addition, the planned number of processing areas can be set in advance such as 3, 3, 4, 2.
Work states such as interruption completion and non-execution are stored. Further, the number of machining of the work is stored in the machining completion number area corresponding to each work order, and A1 to A3 are stored as the machining machine numbers in the target machining machine area, for example. Then, in this embodiment, by using the three processing machines A1 to A3 in the group A, as shown in the work order area, the work name area, and the planned number area, at least four kinds of work names and the planned number of processing operations are performed. Schedule A as a group A as a whole to execute
(Hereinafter, called a group schedule) is set. Further, the schedule of each of the processing machines A1 to A3 is never set. Similarly, with respect to the groups B and C, group schedules B and C are set for the groups B and C, respectively.

Next, the work content information tables 32A to 32C set for the respective groups A to C will be described with reference to FIG. The work content information table 32A is provided with the same areas as the work order area and the work name area described above, and stores the material information (for example, SS1, SS3 to SS5) of the work in association with these work names. Material area is provided, and the NC program name corresponding to the work name (for example, 00001 in No. 1)
Is provided for storing the NC program name area. Then, all the work content information necessary for the group schedule A is preset in each area to. Similarly, the work content information tables 32B and 32C
The work content information required for the group schedules B and C is set in advance.

Next, the control information tables 33A to 35A of the respective processing machines A1 to A3 in the group A will be described with reference to FIG. When a work request is issued to the table 33A by the processing machine A1 or when a processing operation is being executed, the above-described work order area (NO. 1 to NO. 4).
...), a work designation area is provided for storing a state in which work cannot be performed when the processing is performed and when the processing machine A1 is out of order. or,
A work carry-in / carry-out request area is also provided, and a work carry-in request, a carry-out request, or no request is stored. Processing machines B1 to B3 in groups B and C
C1 to C3 control information tables 34B, 34C, 35
Similarly, in B and 35C, a work designation area and a work loading / unloading request area are provided.

Next, the operation of the laser processing system configured as described above will be described. Since the operations of group schedules A, B, and C are performed in the same manner,
Here, the operation of only the group schedule A will be described.

In the stopped state of the processing system, as described above, the group schedule A is preset in each area of the work order, work name and scheduled number of the group schedule progress information table 31A of FIG. The status, the number of completions, and each area of the target processing machine are all cleared. Further, as shown in the work content information table 32A of FIG. 6, information necessary for the group schedule A is preset in the material area and the NC program name area. Further, the processing machine control information table 33
The work designated areas A to 35A and the carry-in / carry-out request area are all cleared.

When the processing operation of the processing system is started in the above-described initial state, all the three processing machines A1 to A3 of the group A are in a no-load state, so that the respective processing machines A1 to A3 are in the unloaded state. A work request is output to the central control unit 8 from the control devices 9 to 11 of the above, and initially, for example, the processing machine A1
Is the group schedule progress information table 31A in FIG.
No. in the work order area. The first machining operation of the work 1 in the work name area 1 is performed. Similarly, processing machine A
No. 2 in the work order area according to A.2 and A3. 2, NO. Three
The first machining operations of the works 3 and 4 in the work name area are performed in parallel.

Therefore, first, the details of the first processing operation of the work 1 in the work name area of the processing machine A1 will be described mainly with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step S1 in FIG. 2, it is determined by the first control device 9 whether or not work is possible. If YES, the first control device 9 causes the work control area of the processing machine information table 33A to change from "clear" to " Work request "is rewritten. Then, in step S3, whether or not to accept the "work request" from the processing machine A1 side is determined by the central controller 8 based on the information in the inventory / occupancy information table 25 and the transport information table 26, and in the initial stage, all Since the group schedule of No. is unprocessed, YES is determined, and a "loading request" of the work required for the processing machine A1 is output. As a result, the transport controller 27 is operated, and the required work is carried out from the stocker 1 by the moving lifter 2 together with the pallet and supplied to the processing machine A1.

If the work is not possible in step S1, the process ends. If the "work request" is not received in step S3, the group schedule A is set in step S5.
Is determined to be completed. If YES, the process ends, and if NO, the process proceeds to step S3.

After the work loading request in step S4, it is determined in step S6 whether the work loading is completed, and YES.
In the case of, the work information content table 43A in step S7
The NC program that is stored in the NC program and that matches the work name is selected from the NC program name area
Is loaded into the control device 9 of. In this case, since the work name is "work 1", "000" in the program name area
01 ”is selected. Also, in this step S7,
A processing condition suitable for the work name “work 1” is called from the processing condition file 23, and the control device 9 of the processing machine A1 is operated based on this processing condition.

Thereafter, in step S8, a machining instruction is output from the central control unit 8 to the machining machine A1, and in step S9, the machining operation of the work by the machining machine A1 is performed based on the information of the work designation area of the control information table 33A. Is completed, and if YES, step S
At 10, the completion number is added (recorded) as “1” to the completion number area of the group schedule progress information table 31A shown in FIG. Further, after that, in step S11, a work carry-out request is made based on the information of the carry-in / carry-out request area of the control information table 33A, and in step S12, whether or not the work carry-out is completed is also recorded in the carry-in / carry-out request area information. If YES in step S11, the group schedule progress information table 31 is determined in step S11.
It is determined whether or not all the work in A has been completed, and YES
In the case of, it returns to step S1, and in the case of NO, it returns to step S4.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S9 that the machining is not completed, a work unloading request is issued in step S14. Then, in step S15, it is determined whether or not the unloading of the work is completed, and if YES, the work is interrupted. (Step S16) The processing operation described above is an operation for the processing machine A1.
With respect to No. 3, as well as the processing operation of the processing machine A1, and they are sequentially performed in parallel with each other.

Next, the central processing unit 8 controls the three processing machines A1 to A of the group A based on the flowchart of FIG.
The processing operation of the schedule No. 3 will be described. In step S1 of FIG. 3, it is determined whether or not the group schedule A shown in the table 31A of FIG. 5 is completed. If YES, the process ends, and if NO, one of the processing machines A1 to Whether or not there is a work request from A3 is determined by each designation information in the work designation area of the processing machine control information tables 33A to 35A, and if NO, a work loading request from any one of the processing machines A1 to A3 in step S3. Whether or not there is also is determined by each request information in the carry-in / out request area, and if NO, step S4
Then, it is judged from each request information in the carry-in / carry-out request area whether or not there is a work carry-out request from any of the processing machines.
If it is O, the process returns to step S1.

On the other hand, in step S2, one of the processing machines A
When there is a work request from 1 to A3, an operation for determining the work content is performed for the processing machine (for example, the processing machine A1) for which the work request has been made in step S5, and then the process returns to step S1. This operation will be described later in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

Further, when a work-carrying-in request is made from one of the processing machines in step S3, the work-carrying-in is carried out to the carry-in-requesting processing machine in step S6, and then the process returns to step S1. Further, if there is a work unloading request from any of the processing machines in step S4, the work is carried out from the processing machine that outputs the unloading request in step S7,
After that, the process returns to step S1.

Next, the operation for determining the work content will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step S1 of FIG. 4, it is determined whether or not there is an unexecuted work based on the information of the areas in which the data in the progress information table 31 of the group schedule A is rewritten. If YES, based on the work name. The corresponding material information is determined from the work content information table 32A.

Next, in step S3, it is determined whether or not the work is in stock based on the information in the inventory / attendance information table 25. If NO, the process returns to step S1 and YES.
In the case of, the processing machine control information table 33 is obtained in step S4.
In the work designation area of A, the work sequence number “for example, NO.
1 ”is set.

On the other hand, if NO in the step S1, it is judged whether or not there is an interrupted work (step S5), and if YES, it corresponds from the work content information table 32A based on the work name. Material information is determined. Further, it is determined whether or not the work is in stock. If NO, the process returns to step S5, and if YES, the work order NO "for example NO. 1" is set in the work designation area of the processing machine information table 33A. After that, the process proceeds to step S1 of FIG.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S5 that there is no interruption completion work, the status flag of the group schedule progress information table 31A is completed, and then the process proceeds to step S1 in FIG.

Next, referring to FIG. 5, group schedule A
Will be described further, the state in which the scheduled number 3 of the work name “work 1” by the processing machine A1 has been completed is shown, and the second sheet of “work 3” by the processing machine A2 indicates that processing is being executed
Further, with the processing machine A3, the number of completions at the planned number of 4 is "1", indicating that the interruption is completed. Further, since the work name “work 5” of work order 4 is in an unexecuted state, “A1” is designated as the target processing machine of “NO. 4” prior to the work order “NO. When processing of one work is completed by the processing machine A1, "1" is recorded in the completion number area. After that, when there are no unexecuted work names,
The unprocessed work (4) of the work name “work 4” of completion of interruption
In the case of −1 = 3), the machining of the three workpieces is allocated to the other machining machines, that is, the machining machines A1 and A2 that have requested the work. In addition, NO. If the target processing machine in the work name “work 4” of No. 3 is “A1 or A2”, then A1 or A2 is recorded.

In the embodiment of the present invention, for example, when a work request is issued from a predetermined processing machine A1 in the same group A, the unexecuted work contents are assigned to the processing machine A1 to perform the processing operation. It can be carried out. Further, in this embodiment, when the work order, the work name, and the planned number of sheets are set in advance, they can be set without considering the load status of the processing machines A1 to A3. Therefore, the schedule setting work can be performed easily and quickly. In addition to being able to carry out, it is possible to reduce the cost by reducing the capacity of the apparatus by eliminating the need for an NC program for backup.

Further, in the above embodiment, when the processing machine fails, the unprocessed work contents can be executed by the normal processing machine. Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In this embodiment, when a plurality of works are placed on one pallet to carry in and out, the number of processing completions in the flowchart of FIG. 2 is added in step S.
It is determined whether the work is completed or there is a work between 10 and step S11 for requesting the work to be carried out. Next, in step S11, a request for carrying out the pallet instead of the work is issued. The operation before and after this is performed similarly to the operation shown in FIG.

Further, in the above embodiment, the central control unit 8
RAM 14 and hard disk 15 of each group A ~
Although each work schedule of C is set, by connecting a determination circuit (not shown) for determining whether or not there is an error in the initially set schedule to the central control unit 8, the actual machining is performed. It is also possible to improve the work efficiency by eliminating the error detection after the work is started.

The present invention is not limited to the configuration of each of the above-described embodiments, and may be embodied in various processing systems other than the laser processing machine, for example, within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It is also possible to arbitrarily change the configuration and embody it.

[0044]

As described above, according to the invention of claim 1, even when a plurality of work contents of different types are assigned to a plurality of processing machines having the same processing capability,
The work schedule can be easily set without considering the load status of each processing machine, and the backup program is not required, so that the capacity of the control device can be reduced and the cost can be reduced. Produce an effect.

Further, in addition to the effect of the invention of claim 1, the invention of claim 2 is a case where the processing machine fails during the operation, or a defective processing of the work occurs, and the subsequent operation cannot be continued. In addition, there is an excellent effect that the unprocessed work content can be performed by another processing machine.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a control circuit diagram showing an embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a laser processing system.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing operation for each processing machine.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a schedule operation for each group.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of determining the work content for the processing machine when a work request is issued from the processing machine.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a schedule progress information table.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a work content information table.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a control information table of each processing machine.

FIG. 8 is a roughly plan view of the processing system.

FIG. 9 is a block circuit diagram showing a control device of the processing system.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 three-dimensional stocker, 2 moving lifters, 8 central control devices, 9-11 first to third control devices, 12 CP
U, 13 ROM, 14 RAM, 21 schedule file, 22 work content file, 23 processing condition file, 24 inventory / occupancy information table, 25 NC program file, 26 transport information table, 31 schedule progress information table, 32 work content information Table, 33 to 35 First to third processing machine control information table, 13 Read only memory RO as storage means
M, 14 random access memory RAM, 15 hard disk, A to C group, A1 to A3 processing machine,
P Schedule operation device.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of processing machines having the same processing capability, a work transfer device for loading and unloading a work between a work stocker and each of the processing machines, and a plurality of processing machines. In a processing and production system including a schedule operation device for performing one work schedule having a plurality of work contents, the work schedule is stored in advance by the storage means of the schedule operation device, and in the process of executing this schedule, Based on a work request from a processing machine, the unscheduled work contents of the storage means of the schedule operation device are sequentially allocated to the processing machines having the work request, and the work is executed. .. 2. The processing machine according to claim 1, when the processing machine has a processing failure during work, the processing machine determines that the processing is defective, interrupts the work, and outputs a work request for the remaining work. Scheduled operation method in a processing and production system characterized by allocating to a normal processing machine and continuing it.