JPH0545376B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a positioning device for a plate material in a manufacturing process.

[Summary of the invention]

During the manufacturing process, the plate material is positioned at the coordinate reference point, and at the same time, dimensions can be measured using a scale along the coordinate axis of the measurement head of each axis linked to the positioning pusher, and the measurement value and the size stored in advance can be measured. The type of plate material can be identified by comparing the data with the data, thereby allowing process operations to be performed according to the type.

[Conventional technology]

In an automated production line, manufactured products flowing down the line are first positioned at predetermined reference positions in each process, and then the required processing, assembly, adjustment, etc. are performed. In a line that mass-produces the same product, each process involves one type of work, but in the case of high-mix, low-volume production, it becomes necessary to perform multiple types of work in each process, depending on the product type. Therefore, group-controlled production is generally carried out in which the work in each process is changed for each small lot of the same item.

In addition, data arrays corresponding to the products flowing through the production line are set up in the memory of the control computer, and the flow of the line is tracked in the computer as a flow of data arrays using the output of passing sensors installed at the entrance of each process. Individual management systems are also being attempted that allow computers to derive product type data, processing data, etc. required for each process.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Group management production cannot handle cases where different products flow down the line without regularity. When manufactured items are placed in forms or transfer frames and flow through the line,
The type code attached to the formwork or transfer frame can be read at the entrance of each process, and the work in that process can be determined (switched) based on the read code.
Such automatic switching of process operations is difficult on a production line that does not use molds or transfer frames.

Furthermore, the same problem arises not only depending on the type of product being manufactured, but also when the line flow direction of the product may change unspecified from horizontal to vertical. It becomes difficult to deal with this in the process.

Furthermore, in the above-described line management system in which the line flow is replaced with the flow of data strings in the memory, a discrepancy between the actual line flow and the data string in the memory of the control computer is likely to occur. For example, the passage sensor installed at the entrance of each process may malfunction,
When defective products generated in each process are removed from the line, the situation grasped by the control computer and the actual flow of the line will differ, and the data will have to be repaired.

The present invention has been developed in view of the above-mentioned problems, particularly in the case of high-mix, low-volume production of plate materials, when different types of plates flow down the line in random order, or when the plate materials as manufactured articles are supplied in an unspecified state. The purpose is to enable each process to perform processing, assembly, etc. in correspondence with each other.

[Means for solving problems]

As shown in FIG. 1, the positioning device of the present invention includes a plurality of positioning rollers arranged along the direction perpendicular to the conveyance line and the flow direction of the conveyance line, in order to position the plate material at the coordinate reference point. 2, 3, and a pusher 4 on each axis that pushes the end surface of the plate in the direction of two orthogonal axes of the coordinate system in order to bias the plate to the coordinate reference point defined by the positioning rollers 2, 3. 5, length-measuring heads 8 and 9 for each axis that move in conjunction with the pushers 4 and 5, and each axis that is provided along two orthogonal axes of the coordinate system corresponding to each length-measuring head. A length measurement scale, the length measurement scale, and the length measurement heads 8, 9.
Data processing means (CPU1
1).

[Effect]

Even if different types of plate materials flow through the processes in random order, each process cooperates with the data processing means to perform processing corresponding to each type.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, a production system for sheet glass, which is a typical example of high-mix, low-volume production, will be described as an example. This production system divides a plurality of different small glass sheets from a large sheet of glass, performs marking, four-circumference polishing, board sampling, etc.

First, a computer multiplies the large glass sheets (determines the cutting pattern) based on the required size (vertical and horizontal dimensions) and number data (round-up ranking table), and then uses an X-Y cutter to cut the glass. Then, the cutting line is drawn. For this reason, the cutting line becomes complicated, for example, in a T-shape or an H-shape, depending on the combination of large and small parts, so that the work of dividing the board after drawing the line must be done manually. Therefore, in the line after the sheet-breaking process, the glass sheets flow in the order in which they were broken, regardless of the size and number round-up ranking table in memory, and the relationship between the flow direction and the vertical and horizontal directions of each glass sheet is becomes completely unspecified.

For this reason, in the mark engraving process after breaking the glass, for example, if the mark has to be in the lower right corner of the glass sheet when it is erect, the glass size is unspecified, and when the sheet glass comes in vertically, it is different from horizontally. It becomes necessary to make the marking position and direction completely different from when the mark is flowing.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the principle of the mark engraving process.
The cut plate glass 1 that has flowed along the line is positioned at a reference position formed by a positioning roller 2 in the arrangement direction perpendicular to the line and a positioning roller 3 in the arrangement direction along the line. Positioning (alignment) is performed by pushing the side end surface of the glass plate 1 with a pusher 4 that moves in a direction perpendicular to the line and a pusher 5 that moves in the flow direction of the line. Digital scales 6 and 7 are arranged in the direction perpendicular to the line and in the flow direction, and sensors 8 and 9 (length measuring heads) mechanically connected to the pushers 4 and 5 measure the amount of movement of the pushers 4 and 5. A corresponding pulse output can be obtained. The outputs of the sensors 8 and 9 are given to a dimension counter 10, and length data of the glass plate 1 in the line width direction and flow direction is obtained when the alignment is completed. These length data are CPU11
The results are compared with the round-up ranking table data input from floppy disk 12,
The vertical dimension (height) and horizontal dimension (width) of the glass plate 1 are specified. This determines whether the line flow direction of the plate glass 1 is vertical or horizontal, so the CPU 11 controls the downstream mark embossing device 1.
3 or the upstream mark embossing device is output. At the same time, a mark selection signal S2 corresponding to the glass size is generated.

The downstream mark engraving device 13 is basically fixed and located below the corner of the positioned glass plate 1. When the plate glass 1 is conveyed in the vertical direction, the output S1 of the CPU 11
This activates the downstream mark engraving device 13, and a predetermined mark is engraved at a regular position in the lower right corner of the glass plate 1 in an erect state by sandblasting.

On the other hand, the upstream mark embossing device 14 is mechanically connected to the pusher 5, and as the pusher 5 moves to position the upstream corner of the glass sheet 1, the upstream mark embossing device 14 corresponds to the length of the glass sheet 1 in the flow direction. positioned at the bottom. When the CPU 11 determines that the plate glass 1 has been conveyed in the lateral direction, the upstream mark engraving device 14 is activated by the output S1 of the CPU 11. This also results in the marking being made at the correct position in the lower right corner of the glass plate 1 (in the upright position).

When the stamping process is completed, the data is sent to the floppy disk 15 and printer 16 to record the work results. Further, the management status of the process by the CPU 11 is displayed on the display monitor 17.

Next, the outline of the mark embossing device of the embodiment will be explained with reference to the plan view of FIG. 2 and the side view of FIG. 3.

The marking line is equipped with a brush conveyor 21 in which a brush-like cushion material is embedded in an endless chain 20, and the plate glass 1 is conveyed in the direction of arrow e in FIG. A positioning roller 2 that can be raised and lowered is placed at a predetermined position on the downstream side of the line, and a fixed positioning roller 3 is placed on one side.
Further, at the upper part on the downstream side, there is provided a pusher 4 having a roller 28 at its tip, which is driven by a feed screw 27 connected to a motor 26 and moves in the directions of arrows a and b perpendicular to the flow. Then, the pusher 4 pushes the side end surface of the glass plate 1 that has been conveyed onto the brush conveyor 21 to position the opposing side end surface on the positioning roller 3, and the amount of movement of the pusher 4 is measured using the digital scale 6 and sensor 8. However, it is configured to measure the dimension of the glass plate 1 in the line width direction.

On the other hand, a guide bar 2 is provided on the positioning roller 3 side.
2a and 22b, and is driven by a feed screw 23 coupled to a motor 24 to move in the directions of arrows c and d. A liftable pusher 5 having a roller 25 at its tip is attached. Then, the rear end surface of the glass sheet 1 is pushed to position the front end surface of the glass sheet 1 to the positioning roller 2, and the amount of movement of the mark stamping device 14 is measured by the digital scale 7 and the sensor 9, thereby adjusting the flow direction of the glass sheet 1. The device is configured to measure dimensions.

Further, a downstream mark engraving device 13 is provided at a predetermined downstream position along the brush conveyor 21. This mark engraving device 13 is normally fixed at the predetermined position, but the guide bar 2
2a and 22b in the sliding direction,
It is constructed so that it can be retracted to the right in FIG. 2 by means of an air cylinder 29' if necessary (when it hits the approaching mark embossing device 14).

Mark stamping devices 13 and 14 on the downstream and upstream sides
are equipped with a sand injection gun 29, 30 and a sand tank 31, 32, respectively. Injection gun 29,3
As shown in the detailed plan view of FIG. 4, a rotary disk 34 holding a mark plate 35 is provided on the top of each of the marks. By rotating the rotary disk 34 every 90 degrees, one of the four types of mark disks 35 is selected, and the slit mark of the mark disk 35 interposed between the tips of the injection guns 29 and 30 and the plate glass 1 is selected. Corresponding inscriptions are made on the glass plate 1 at predetermined positions.

Figures 5 and 6 show the pusher 4 in the line width direction.
In this partial detail view, the pusher 5 in the line flow direction has almost the same configuration. The pusher 4 is equipped with a pressure limiter for positioning the glass plate 1 by pressing the side surface of the glass plate 1 in the direction of the positioning roller 3 with a pressure below a set value. This pressure limiter is a double rod type air cylinder 36 as shown in FIG.
It is mounted on a carriage 38 guided by a guide bar 37 and driven by the feed screw 27 already described. A roller 28 is attached to the tip of the piston rod 39a of the air cylinder 36, and as the carriage 38 moves, the side end surface of the glass plate 1 is pressed for positioning via the piston rod 39a and the roller 28.

A pilot sensor 40 is attached to the further end of the piston rod 39a. The carriage 38 is initially moved at a relatively high speed, and when the pilot sensor 40 detects the edge of the glass plate 1, the output signal changes the rotation of the feed screw 27 to a low speed, and the carriage 38 moves the glass plate 1 at a slow speed. Pressing is performed.

When the other end of the glass plate 1 hits the positioning roller 3, the piston rod 39a contracts against the pressure of the air cylinder 36, as shown in FIG. 6, without stopping the movement of the carriage 38. Therefore, the glass plate 1 is pushed with a force below a certain value in the positioned state. Along with this, the other end side 39b of the piston rod 39a protrudes, and when the amount of protrusion reaches a constant value,
A detection piece 41 attached to the tip of the piston rod 39b and a sensor 42 attached to one end of the carriage 38 face each other as shown in FIG. 6 to obtain detection pulses. Then, at the timing of this detection pulse, the scale of the digital scale 6 fixedly arranged along the moving path of the carriage 38 is read by the sensor 8 attached to the carriage 38.

The reading is instantaneous, and the movement of the carriage 38 by the feed screw 27 is stopped immediately thereafter.
The read data is sent to the CPU 11, and the mechanical constant of the pusher 4, that is, the fixed length from the tip of the roller 28 to the sensor 8, is subtracted from the measured dimensional data to determine the dimension of the glass plate 1 in the line width direction. be done.

Note that a coil spring or the like may be used as the pressure limiter of the pusher 4. In addition, the carriage 38 directly presses the plate glass 1 without using a pressure limiter, detects the torque change point of the motor 26 that drives the feed screw 27 when the glass positioning is completed, and reads the scale data at that time. You can do it like this.

Next, the operation of the mark embossing device of the above-described embodiment will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

Plate glass 1 by pushers 4 and 5 as described above
When the positioning is completed, a dimension input command (output from the sensor 42 in FIG. 5) is generated, and the dimension value measured by the dimension counter 10 is taken into the CPU 11.
In this case, if there is no imported data, an error warning will be issued, and if there is data, the data will be imported again and the match between the first and second times will be confirmed. Next, each of the read line flow direction dimensions and width direction dimensions is compared with all the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the round-up ranking table, with an error of 2 mm.
Matches within this range will confirm the corresponding size in the round-up ranking table. Then, a set output of mark types corresponding to the size is generated.

Furthermore, the read size in the flow direction and the corresponding size in the round-up ranking table are compared, and if they match, a signal to select the downstream mark stamping device 13 is output, and if they do not match, the upstream mark is A signal for selecting the stamping device 14 is output. As a result, a mark selected according to the size is engraved at a regular position on the glass plate 1.

After the engraving process has been completed, the cut edges of the glass plate 1 are polished in the next end face polishing process. The plate glass 1 whose end face has been polished is subjected to cleaning and drying processes, and then led to a plate-cutting process. In this process, sorting work is performed to check dimensions, inspect for defective products, and take out plates. In the plate sampling process, a positioning/length measuring system using an orthogonal coordinate system similar to that in the marking process can be used.

That is, even in the plate sampling process, the glass plate is positioned at the reference position of the orthogonal coordinate system, and at the same time, the X-Y dimensions are measured using a digital scale. The measured values are compared with a cut-up ranking table according to a matching program similar to that shown in FIG. 7, and the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the glass plate 1 are specified. If there is a corresponding size in the cut-up ranking table that matches the measured value, the instruction contents of the corresponding dimension and an OK mark are displayed on the display monitor 17. Instruction contents are ranked
No., dimensions, mark type, etc. This makes sorting work possible. Further, the contents of the instruction are printed out by the printer 16 as a display label for each glass plate 1. Further, if the corresponding size is not included in the ranking table, an error (defective) display is lit.

The sorting worker checks for defective products during the plate-picking process, and when he or she finds a defect through visual inspection, enters the order number of the dimension displayed on the display monitor 17, etc. using an input means such as a keyboard. Input the code for the type of defect (chipped or cracked).
The CPU 11 performs quantity control in the manufacturing process by referring to this defective input.

When the requested number of sheets according to the instructions is satisfied, a performance sheet and a finished slip are printed out from the printer 16. Also, performance data is output to the floppy disk 15. This allows the next production plan to be made.

Although the present invention has been described above based on examples, the present invention can be applied to various production apparatuses other than plate glass manufacturing apparatuses.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the present invention is configured to identify the product type by measuring dimensions at the same time as positioning.
In particular, when producing high-mix, low-volume plate materials, even if different products flow through the production line in random order, it can be quickly dealt with and processed, making it possible to perform highly efficient production.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic system diagram of the marking process when the present invention is applied to the manufacturing process of plate glass, Fig. 2 is a plan view showing details of the mark engraving device, and Fig. 3 is a side view.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the main part showing the details of the mark board, Figure 5
6 and 6 are side views of essential parts showing details of the pusher for positioning plate glass, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the product type matching procedure. In addition, in the symbols used in the drawings, 1... plate glass, 2, 3... positioning roller, 4, 5...
Pushya, 6, 7...Digital scale, 8,
9...Sensor, 10...Dimension counter, 11...
…It is a CPU.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A plurality of positioning rollers arranged along the direction perpendicular to the conveyance line and along the flow direction of the conveyance line in order to position the plate material at the coordinate reference point, defined by the positioning rollers. a pusher on each axis that pushes the end face of the plate in the direction of two orthogonal axes of the coordinate system in order to bias the plate to the coordinate reference point where A length measurement scale for each axis provided along two orthogonal axes of the coordinate system corresponding to each length measurement head, and each length measurement value obtained from the length measurement head and a product list stored in advance. A positioning device for plate materials in a manufacturing process, comprising data processing means for determining the type of the positioned plate material by comparing the size data with the size data.