JPH0592818A - Transport schedule method and control method for transport truck - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the optimal solution in real time by considering also the time limit at the time of scheduling for a job shop type transport work. CONSTITUTION:In the step 104, the float of each transport work is obtained for plural previously obtained schedule plans, in the respective schedule plans. The float is a difference between the completion time limit of each transport work and the predetermined completion time. In the step 106, the minimum value, among the floats of the respective transport works of the respective schedule plans, is obtained as the minimum float of the appropriate schedule plan. In the step 108, the optimum schedule is determined from the minimum float among these of respective schedule plans. Accordingly, at the time of scheduling a job stop type transport work, the optimal solution can be obtained in real time, also taking time limit into account.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transportation schedule method of a transportation vehicle when performing a plurality of transportation operations in parallel while sharing a transportation vehicle, or traveling on an orbit according to a transportation schedule. The present invention relates to a method for controlling a plurality of transport carriages, in which positioning is stopped at a command stop point, loading and unloading of a transport object, and independent transports.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to convey parts, products, etc. in an automated warehouse or a factory, conventionally, a transportation facility using an automatically operated transportation truck has been used.

In such a transportation facility, when the order of the transportation work to be performed and the transportation route are determined, the transported goods of each transportation work are operated according to a predetermined fixed transportation schedule.

Further, in a transfer facility in which the transfer conditions such as a transfer route are not relatively complicated, a relatively small number of transfer operations to be executed in parallel and a transfer schedule processing time with a relatively large margin are restricted. , Select the transfer operation to be performed,
There is a method in which the transfer schedule is performed in the order of the index amount indicating the priority order. Hereinafter, this method will be referred to as a transfer schedule method according to the conventional priority order.

Similarly, when the transport conditions such as the transport route of the transport facility are not complicated, an algorithm including a plurality of predetermined sub-transport schedules including parameters such as predetermined selection criteria ( According to the transfer schedule process which is the program itself), the transfer schedule is automatically selected.

For example, an algorithm (program itself) including sub-transport schedules corresponding to all combinations of transport start points and transport end points in which transport work can occur.
Is calculated in advance, and these sub-transport schedules are sequentially selected when the transport schedule is created.

Hereinafter, such a transportation schedule method is referred to as an algorithm-based transportation schedule method.

On the other hand, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 228710/1990, means for collecting information relating to a conveyance request for an object to be conveyed constructed by a conventional system, means for editing this information, and an inference system for this edited information. Means for converting the data into processable data, an inference means for determining a transportation instruction of the transported object based on the data configured by the expert system, and a means for activating the expert system from the conventional system. By providing the means for activating the means for conveying the conveyed object by the conventional system from the expert system and the transmitting means for transmitting the data of the inference result of the inference means by the expert system to the means, the object is transferred in real time. It relates to a physical distribution control device that collects information on conveyed items and controls them in real time. Techniques have been disclosed.

According to this Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-228710, it is possible to obtain a guideline for performing a schematic design of a physical distribution control device that takes advantage of the advantages of the expert system.

[0010]

However, the above-described conventional transfer schedule method according to the priorities has the following restrictions in order to carry out the transfer schedule in real time.

Element operations constituting the carried work to be executed are independent of each other and there is no restriction on the execution order (flow shop type schedule).

Each time an individual element operation is completed,
In the stepwise case of deciding the next transfer work to be executed.

Therefore, when the execution order is limited between the carrying operations to be executed or between the element operations, or at the time of the carrying schedule of the carrying work composed of the element operations whose execution order is determined, that is, the job shop type In the case of the transportation schedule of No. 1, there was a problem that an appropriate transportation schedule could not be obtained.

Further, as described above, the transfer schedule method using the above-mentioned conventional algorithm is intended for the transfer facility which is not relatively complicated. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to obtain an optimum transfer schedule for the transfer operation that actually occurs in complicated transfer equipment of a certain level or more. Further, it has been completely impossible to obtain the optimum transfer schedule in real time, and to consider the deadlines of the respective transfer operations targeted for the transfer schedule.

For example, in the case of a transport facility having a traveling section in which a plurality of transport carriages that respectively carry out independent transport can interfere with each other, or a transport facility that performs a plurality of transport operations in parallel while sharing the transport carriage, It is extremely difficult to obtain an optimum transfer schedule by the transfer schedule process using the algorithm described above.

In order to determine the optimum transfer schedule for more complicated transfer equipment, the use of an expert system that has received attention in recent years makes it possible to obtain an optimum transfer schedule by taking advantage of the characteristics peculiar to this expert system. It seems that it is possible to realize the transfer schedule processing that can do.

However, the above-mentioned JP-A-2-2287.
In 10 and the like, it cannot be said that the detailed technique is disclosed with respect to the control of the automatic carrier truck.

Therefore, it has been extremely difficult to obtain the optimum transport schedule in the more complicated transport equipment by any of the conventional transport vehicle control methods. Further, it has been completely impossible to obtain the optimum transfer schedule in real time, and to consider the deadlines of the respective transfer operations targeted for the transfer schedule.

Furthermore, in the conventional method of controlling a carrier vehicle, once various abnormal situations occur due to various disturbances,
In the event of a serious failure, the automatic operation was stopped, and there was no choice but to manually implement a release policy based on the judgment of the facility controller.

Such disturbances to the control of the carrier truck include a partial failure or temporary failure of the equipment such as the carrier truck that does not greatly affect the operation of the entire carrier equipment, a delay in the work by an operator, etc. There are various factors.

Further, such an abnormal situation is called equipment interference or deadlock, in which the execution of a plurality of carrying operations interferes in the same portion (equipment) in the carrying equipment. For example, in a transport facility having a plurality of transport vehicles, a situation may occur in which a plurality of transport vehicles must travel on the same track portion.

In addition, in such an abnormal situation, there is a congestion state of the transported object called blocking. For example, there may be a situation in which there is no choice but to place further conveyed objects, even though all the conveyed object holders are full. In addition, there is a situation where uncarried goods are filled up in the transportation equipment part which is a neck which must always pass.

A manual release policy based on the judgment of the facility controller when such an abnormal situation occurs is as follows.
There are the following problems.

It takes time from the occurrence of the abnormal situation to the cancellation.

The judgment of the facility controller is not always correct.

Therefore, there is a problem that such a release policy based on the judgment of the facility controller has a risk of seriously affecting the entire transport facility.

The transfer schedule method of the transfer vehicle according to the present invention is made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems.
In the transport schedule method of the transport vehicle when performing multiple transport operations in parallel while sharing the transport vehicle,
A first object of the present invention is to provide a transfer schedule method for a transfer vehicle capable of obtaining an optimal solution in real time in consideration of a deadline when scheduling a job shop type transfer operation.
To aim.

Further, according to the control method of the carrier truck of the present invention, the carrier is run on the track according to the carrier schedule, the positioning is stopped at the command stop point, the objects are loaded and unloaded, and the carriers are independently carried. In the control method of a plurality of carrier vehicles to be performed respectively, the presence or absence of the occupancy of the traveling section where two or more carrier vehicles may interfere is managed more precisely,
A second object of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling a carrier truck that can effectively carry out a plurality of carrier operations without causing a problem of occurrence of an abnormal situation such as equipment interference or blocking.

[0029]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transport schedule method for a transport vehicle, wherein a plurality of transport operations are performed in parallel while the transport vehicles are shared, and Obtaining a plurality of schedule proposals composed of different combinations of individual element operations constituting the plurality of transfer operations, obtaining each margin time for the deadline of the plurality of transfer operations in each schedule proposal, The minimum of each schedule plan is set as the minimum margin of the corresponding schedule plan, and the optimum schedule is determined according to the minimum margin, thereby achieving the first problem.

Further, the transfer schedule method of the transfer vehicle according to the second invention of the present application is the transfer schedule method of the transfer vehicle when performing a plurality of transfer operations in parallel while sharing the transfer vehicle. Among the individual element actions that make up the work, a set of executable element actions is obtained, and each of the executable element actions is
When the element operation to be executed next in the schedule is performed, the maximum margin time for each deadline of each of the plurality of transfer operations is calculated, and the maximum allowance time of each transfer operation of each element operation to be executed next is calculated. Of these, the smallest one is the lower bound of the corresponding element operation,
Of the lower bounds, the element action in the set corresponding to the lower bound having the larger value is determined as the element action to be executed next, and similarly, the first object is achieved.

Further, the control method of the carrier vehicle according to the third invention of the present application is that the carrier is run on the track according to the carrier schedule, the positioning is stopped at the command stop point, the objects are loaded and unloaded, and they are independent of each other. In a method of controlling a plurality of transport carriages that respectively perform the above-described transport, a travel section in which two or more transport carriages may interfere is divided into a plurality of closed sections, and a transport work or an element operation constituting the transport work is performed. The second problem is achieved by setting the empty condition of the carrier vehicle to be used and the empty condition of each closed section in the carrier route as the preceding conditions.

[0032]

According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, in order to effectively carry out the schedule of the job shop type transfer work while considering the deadline of each transfer work, the margin time (the maximum margin time, etc. (Including) are considered.

The margin time is obtained for each of the schedule-targeted transfer operations, and the deadline for each transfer operation that must be completed,
It is the difference from the scheduled completion time required for the transportation schedule.

That is, when the scheduled completion time is earlier than the deadline, the margin time of the corresponding transfer work becomes a positive value. On the other hand, if the scheduled completion time is later than the deadline, the margin time becomes a negative value.

The scheduled completion time of each transfer work can be obtained by, for example, the sum of the past actual completion times of the element operations constituting the transfer work.

First, the operation of the first invention will be described.

The first invention of the present application is optimal while obtaining such a margin time from a plurality of schedule plans which are obtained in advance by a certain method and which are composed of different combinations of the individual element motions constituting a plurality of transfer operations. The schedule is selected and decided.

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing the outline of the transportation schedule method of the first invention.

In step 102 of the flowchart of FIG. 1, first, a plurality of schedule plans are obtained by some method.

The method of obtaining the plurality of schedule plans is not limited to the first invention.

For example, a plurality of transfer operations to be the transfer schedules are first divided into individual element operations that make up the plurality of transfer operations, and among these element operations, executable operations are randomly selected. It may be possible to obtain a plurality of schedule plans by executing the request for the transport schedule plan by the required number of times.

In step 104, the above-mentioned step 10 is executed.
In each of the plurality of schedule proposals obtained in step 2, the respective allowance times for the deadlines of the respective transfer operations targeted for the transfer schedule are calculated.

For example, if the average operation time of each element operation of these transport operations, that is, the actual completion time which is the average value of the actual values of the element operations executed in the past, is obtained, the schedule plan is constructed. The scheduled completion time of each transfer operation can be calculated. Therefore, each margin time can be obtained from the difference between the completion deadline and the scheduled completion time of each transfer operation that is the transfer schedule target.

In step 106, the above-mentioned step 10 is executed.
From the spare time of each transfer work in each schedule plan obtained in 4, the minimum value of each schedule plan is set as the minimum schedule of the corresponding schedule plan. In other words, this step 106 is to obtain a safety evaluation criterion for keeping the deadline of each transfer operation of the transfer schedule target in each of the plurality of schedule plans.

In step 108, the above-mentioned step 10 is executed.
The transfer schedule to be actually executed is selected from the minimum margins of the respective schedule plans obtained in 6.

The selection criterion of the optimum schedule in this step 108 is not limited to the first invention, and may be selected according to such a minimum margin.

The selection criteria for determining the optimum schedule in step 108 include, for example, the following.

Of a plurality of schedule plans, the plan with the largest minimum margin is determined as the optimum schedule.

When deciding the optimum schedule according to other selection criteria not particularly limited, the size of the minimum margin of each schedule is also taken into consideration, and the schedule having a larger minimum margin is selected.

When determining the optimum schedule according to other selection criteria not particularly limited, a schedule plan having at least a minimum margin larger than zero is determined as the optimum schedule.

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to obtain the optimum solution in real time in consideration of the deadline when scheduling the job shop type transfer work.

The operation of the second invention will be described below.

The second invention of the present application was made by paying attention to the margin time which is the difference between the deadline and the scheduled completion time of the transfer work which is the transfer schedule object, as in the above-mentioned first invention.

Further, the second aspect of the present invention decomposes a plurality of transfer operations which are the transfer schedule objects into individual element operations constituting these transfer operations, and of these element operations, the executable element operation is executed. By selecting the element operation to be executed next from the set according to the selection criterion peculiar to the second invention until all the decomposed element operations are selected, the optimum schedule is finally obtained. To get it.

Further, in the second aspect of the present invention, at each selection point in the transfer schedule, it is not scheduled yet according to a predetermined condition (which element operation is to be executed next, etc.). The approximate value of the margin time of each transfer work, that is, the maximum margin time is obtained.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the smallest one of the maximum allowance times of the respective transfer operations of the respective element operations which are obtained in this way and are to be next executed at the time of the selection is applicable. The lower limit value is set at the time of selecting the element operation.

The lower bounds for each of these corresponding element operations are
At the time when the element operation to be executed next is selected, there is a large correlation in the size of the allowance time for each transfer operation.

Therefore, by selecting the element operation to be executed next according to the lower bound value for each of the corresponding element operations, it is possible to obtain a more appropriate transfer schedule in consideration of the deadline of the transfer operation.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the gist of the method of transport schedule of the transport vehicle of the second invention.

In FIG. 2, first, step 202
Then, a set of executable element operations is obtained from the individual element operations that constitute the transfer work that is the transfer schedule target.

The determination as to whether or not this element operation can be performed includes, for example, determination as to whether or not the transport facility occupied by the element operation currently being executed is used. An element operation that uses a transportation facility that is already in use is an element operation that cannot be executed at this point.

Next, in step 204, in each of the executable element operations obtained in the above-mentioned step 202, when the element operation to be executed next in the schedule is set, a margin for each deadline of each of the plurality of transfer operations is set. Find the predicted value of time.

That is, the maximum margin time for the deadline is obtained.

In the second aspect of the invention, when the element operation to be executed next is selected, the time for executing all the remaining element operations of the transfer work to be transferred is the shortest, that is, It is noted that the scheduled completion time of the corresponding transfer work becomes the earliest when all the element operations that constitute the transfer work and are not incorporated in the schedule are continuously executed without waiting time. Further, the margin time when the scheduled completion time becomes the earliest is set as the maximum margin time of the corresponding transfer work in the element operation selected to be executed next.

In step 206, the element operation having the smallest value among the maximum allowance times of the respective transfer operations of the element operations selected to be executed next obtained in step 204 is selected. Calculate as the lower bound. That is, for each feasible element operation, the maximum margin time of the transfer work that is the most difficult to meet the deadline of the transfer schedules when the transfer operation is selected to be executed next is the lower limit. It becomes a value.

Therefore, in step 208, step 2
The element operation to be executed next is selected from the lower bounds of the executable element operations obtained in 06.

The selection criteria for selecting the element operation to be executed next according to such a lower bound value are, for example, as follows.

Among the element operations that can be executed, the element operation having the largest lower bound value is the element operation to be executed next.

According to other selection criteria not particularly limited, among the executable element operations, the element operation having the larger lower bound value is selected as the element operation to be executed next.

According to other selection criteria not particularly limited, at least the element operation having the positive lower bound value is selected as the element operation to be executed next.

As described above, according to the second aspect of the present invention, the optimal solution can be obtained in real time even when a job shop type transfer work schedule is made by properly considering the deadlines of each transfer work subject to the transfer schedule. It is possible to ask.

The operation of the third invention of the present application will be described below.

According to the third invention of the present application, by more precisely managing the presence or absence of a traveling section in which a plurality of transport carriages carrying independent transports interfere with each other, equipment interference and blocking of transport equipment can be achieved. That is, it is possible to effectively carry out a plurality of transfer operations without causing the problem of the occurrence of the abnormal situation. Therefore, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the traveling section in which two or more transport carriages may interfere is divided into a plurality of closed sections in terms of the transport schedule or operation management of the transport carriage.

Further, in the third invention of the present application, the empty condition of the carrier truck to be used and the empty condition of each closed section in the carrier route are preconditions for the carrier work or the element operation constituting the carrier work.

The preceding condition of the transfer work is a condition for starting the execution of the corresponding transfer work, and is used at the time of transfer schedule or when the prepared transfer schedule is executed. Further, the preceding condition of the element operation constituting the transfer work is a condition for starting execution of each element operation, and is used at the time of transfer schedule or at the time of execution of the created transfer schedule.

FIG. 3 is a model diagram of a method of dividing a block into closed sections according to the third invention.

In FIG. 3, the carriages CAR2 to CAR4 are shown.
According to the transport schedule, while traveling on the track, positioning is stopped at the command stop point to load and unload the transport objects, and transports independent of each other are performed.

In FIG. 3, the three carrier carriages CAR are shown.
2 to 4 show a part of a traveling section (track L3) in which interference may occur.

This running section is divided into closed sections K22 to 33 of the same length in the range shown in FIG.

Further, the occupied block sections of the respective carriages CAR2 to CAR4 are, as an example in FIG. 3, a block section in which the corresponding carriages CAR2 to 4 are traveling and a block section in which they are traveling. There are a total of three closed sections including the front and rear closed sections.

In this way, by grasping the position of each of the transport carriages CAR2 to 4 in units of divided block sections, or in the divided block section of the traveling section occupied by each of the transport vehicles CAR2 to CAR4. By grasping the occupied blocking section, it is possible to more precisely manage the preceding conditions of each transfer work or the operation conditions of each element that constitutes the transfer work, and prevent the occurrence of abnormal situations such as equipment interference and blocking. However, the transport facility can be operated more effectively.

As another feature of the third aspect of the present invention, when transporting a transport object by a transport vehicle, management of occupancy of transport equipment is performed by occupying a transport vehicle used and transporting the transport vehicle used. It is managed by the vacancy of each closed section in the route.

Thus, the control using the preceding conditions is effective when controlling a plurality of carrier vehicles which carry out independent carrier, that is, at the time of creating a carrier schedule or operating the carrier vehicles according to the prepared carrier schedule. I can do it.

As described above, according to the third aspect of the present invention, a plurality of transport carriages that carry independent transports are managed more precisely, and a plurality of transport carriages are prevented from causing an abnormal situation such as equipment interference or blocking. The carrying work can be effectively performed.

[0085]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 is a layout diagram of a cold rolling mill in which the embodiment of the method for controlling a carrier truck according to the first to third inventions of the present application is used.

The cold rolling mill shown in the layout diagram of FIG. 4 mainly includes an annealing pickling skin pass line CAP,
Small-diameter mill line SCM, quality control line RC, and track L1 of a carrier for transferring coils between them
L5 and are included.

The annealing pickling skin pass line CAP is
Annealing treatment and continuous pickling are performed on the metal strip (for example, stainless steel strip) sent from the coil of the payoff reel POR on the right side of the annealing pickling skin pass line CAP,
The skin pass is performed, and the tension reel TR is wound as a coil.

The small-diameter mill line SCM has a left tension roll TR (to the right in FIG. 4) with respect to the metal strip of the coil carried into the payoff reel POR on the left side of the small-diameter mill line SCM. Rolling with a small diameter mill between the right tension roll TR (which is the left side in FIG. 4) is performed by reciprocating the metal strip plate left and right a predetermined number of times.

Further, the quality inspection line RC sends the metal strip of the coil carried in and attached to the payoff reel POR on the right side in FIG. 4 to the tension reel TR on the left side in FIG. First, the surface of the metal strip of the coil is inspected for defects.

The track L3 is laid in parallel with the annealing pickling skin pass line CAP and the quality inspection line RC. In FIG. 4, the coil carried in from the right end is carried out from the left end.

The track L2 is laid in parallel with the small diameter mill line SCM, and the coil carried in from the right end is carried out again from the right end after a predetermined process.

The tracks L4 and L5 are laid so as to be sandwiched between the two line-out skids LS3 and LS4 or the line-out skids LS1 and LS2, respectively, and the coils set in these line-out skids LS1 to LS4 are set. Is transferred to the carrier carriage (child car) CAR2 on the track L4 or L5, and also to the carrier car (parent car) CAR1 traveling on the track L1 described below together with the carrier car (child car) CAR2. It is supposed to be done.

Further, the trajectory L1 is the trajectory L2 described above.
~ L5 are laid orthogonally to each other, and for the transfer of the coil between these tracks L2 to L5, the track L1
Is used.

Along the portion of the track L2 between the track L1 and the small diameter mill line SCM, a turner TN1 that changes the coil winding direction by turning by 180 ° and a loosening prevention band of the wound coil are cut. The band cutter BC1 is provided with a banding machine BM1 for applying a locking band to the wound coil, and a band labeler BL1 for labeling the locking band on the coil with a coil type, a weight, and the like.

Also, along the orbit L3, the turner TN
2, band cutter BC2, banding machine BM
2 and a band labeler BL2 in combination with a weighing machine W2 that measures the weight of the coil.

Tension reel T of quality inspection line RC
A banding machine BM3 is provided between the R and the track L3.

Further, along each of the tracks L1 to L5, line skids LS1 to LS for placing the coils carried into the factory and a sleeve for winding the coils are temporarily placed as a single unit. Sleeve skid SL1
And the CAP storage areas C5 and 6 for temporarily placing the waiting coils for the annealing pickling skin pass line CAP, the small diameter mill areas M4 through M6 for temporarily placing the waiting coils for the small diameter mill line SCM, and the quality inspection line RC. It is provided with RC storage areas R1 to 17 for temporarily placing coils waiting to be loaded into the storage area.

Reference numerals T1 to T6 are relay skids, and how to use the relay skids T1 to T6 will be described later with reference to FIG.

Further, in FIG. 4, reference numerals C1, C2,
M1 and RC1 are loading places for the payoff reels POR of the corresponding lines. Also, the symbols C3 and C
4, M2, M3, and RC2 are storage areas for paying out from the tension reels TR of the corresponding lines.

In the cold rolling mill shown in the layout diagram of FIG. 4, the coils are carried in the line payout skids LS1 to LS4, as indicated by the symbol A. In addition, as indicated by the symbol B, the coil is taken out of the cold rolling factory by the packing place delivery skid P.
It is performed in 1 and 2.

From the loading of the coil indicated by the symbol A,
Annealed pickling skin pass line CAP and small diameter mill line SC
From the processing of the coil on the M and the quality inspection line RC to the unloading of the coil indicated by the reference symbol B, a carrier cart (parent car) CAR1 traveling on the track L1 and a carrier truck (child car) traveling on the tracks L2 to L4. ) CAR2 to 4 are used to carry the coil.

In FIG. 4, a track L10 for the work roll carriage is laid so as to intersect the track L3. This work roll trolley conveys the work rolls used in the annealing pickling skin pass line CAP at the roll shop RS, and thus conveys the work rolls between the annealing pickling skin pass line CAP and the roll shop RS. It is a dolly.

The traveling control of the work locomotive carriage traveling on the track L10 intersecting with the trajectory L3 is performed by a manual operation, and becomes a disturbance factor of the transfer schedule of the transfer vehicle traveling on the track L1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the carrier truck according to the above-described embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 5, symbols CAR1 to L, L
1 to 5 are the same as those having the same reference numerals in FIG. 4 described above.

In FIG. 5, the carrier carriage CAR1 which is the parent carriage traveling on the track L1 can carry the carrier carriages CAR2-4 which are slave carriages traveling on the tracks L2-5. The carriages CAR2 to CAR4 are allowed to move on the track L6 on the carriage CAR1, and the track L6 is arranged to be aligned with the tracks L2, L3, L4 or L5.

Parent car CAR1 of this child car CAR2-4
The loading and unloading to and from is performed when the parent carriage CAR1 is positioned and stopped at the command stop point on the track L1 orthogonal to the tracks L2 to 5.

The child carriages CAR2 to CAR4 each have a track CLC which is orthogonal to the track L6, and the grandchild car CARC.
Is placed on the track CLC, and the CARC of the grandson is track C
By shifting to an orbit LCn (described later) aligned with LC, the coil 1 which is a conveyed object mounted on the grand cart CARC is transferred.

Child carriage CAR using this grandson car CAR
The transfer of the coils 2 to 4 is carried out when the child carriage is LS1 to LS1 in FIG.
4, P1, P2, SL1, C1-6, M1-6, R1-
19, T1-6, RC1, RC2 (orbit LCn
Is performed) while the positioning is stopped at the position of (1).

As shown in FIG. 5, the carriage CA
The vehicle top board 10a is provided in R1, and the carriages CAR2 to CAR4 are
A car top board 10b is provided for each. These vehicle upper boards 10a, 10b incorporate various control electrical components as described later with reference to FIG.

FIG. 6 is an overall block diagram mainly relating to the process computer and the like of this embodiment.

In FIG. 6, a total of seven process computers CPU0 to CPU6 are connected to the data communication network N.
It is connected by ET1.

The process computer CPU0 is used for software development of the other process computers CPU1 to CPU6, and the process computer CPU1 to CPU6 are also used.
It is also used for the backup of 3.

Further, the process computer CPU1 is used for material handling, the production schedule and the transfer work schedule in the cold rolling mill are created, and the state of each coil in the cold rolling mill is also calculated. Is being processed.

The process computer CPU2 is used as a line process computer for the annealing pickling skin pass line CAP and the quality inspection line RC.

The process computer CPU3 is used as a line process computer for the small diameter mill line SCM.

These process computers CPU0 to CPU3
The system consoles ISC0 to 3 for operating the operator are connected to the respective ones.

Further, these process computers CPU0
Between 3 and 2, two line printers LP1 and LP2,
4 hard disk devices HD1-4 and monitor CRT
0 is connected so that it can be shared.

The magnetic tape device MT is connected only to the process computer CPU0.

The process computer CPU4 is mainly for carrying coils in the factory, and the process computer CPU1 and the general DDC computers CPU7A, 7B.
Related to data communication with the computer, display processing of the monitors CRT1 to CRT3 for performing a man-machine interface with the controller of the facility in the factory, printing processing to the teletype TW, two hard copy devices HC1 2 in addition to the hard copy processing, and the parallel input / output device connected to the programmable sequencer SEQ3 that mainly controls the weighing machines W1 to W3, the band labelers BL1 and BL2, and the parent carriage CAR1.

The process computer CPU5, together with the above-mentioned process computer CPU3, assists the processing relating to the small diameter mill line SCM. Further, the process computer CPU6 is the above-mentioned process computer CPU.
Along with 2, the processing assistance for the annealing pickling skin pass line CAP and the quality inspection line RC is performed.

General DDC computer CPU 7A, 7B
Is a modem M3B, M3A and a process computer C
The above-mentioned process computer CP used as a material handling computer via the PU4.
Performs data communication with U1.

On the other hand, this general DDC computer CPU
7A and 7B are connected to the data communication network NET2.

This general DDC computer CPU 7A,
7B is mainly a process computer CPU1 used as a material handling computer.
Related to data communication between the programmable sequencers SEQ1 to 3 and the programmable sequencers SEQ1 to 3 connected to the data communication network NET2 (protocol generation and edit and develop the received protocol into bit map data easily read by the programmable sequencers SEQ1 to SEQ3). Processing etc.)
I do.

FIG. 7 is an overall block diagram mainly relating to the programmable sequencer and the like of this embodiment.

In FIG. 7, reference numerals CPU7A, CP
U7B, M3A, M3B and PIO are the same as those having the same reference numerals in FIG. 6 described above.

In FIG. 7, a total of three programmable sequencers SEQ1 to SEQ3 are connected to the data communication network NET2 together with the above-mentioned general DDC computers CPU7A and 7B. The data communication by the data communication network NET2 is the transmission of information expanded into bit data or byte data so that the data processing can be easily performed by the sequence programs in bit units performed by the programmable sequencers SEQ1 to SEQ3. ing.

It should be noted that each carriage CAR from SEQ2
2 to 4 information of the closed block number during traveling, information of the closed block number of the traveling carriage CAR1 during traveling from the programmable sequencer SEQ3, and the carrier truck (parent carriage) CAR
Carrier vehicle number (CARNO) indicating which carrier vehicle CAR2 to 4 the carrier vehicle (child vehicle) mounted in 1 is
6 is directly input to the parallel input / output device PIO shown in FIG.

In FIG. 7, the programmable sequencer SEQ1 inputs a push button switch or the like from the operation panel to operate the equipment controller in the control room, and also displays the operation panel display lamp or the DDC monitor CRT4. Display output to.

The programmable sequencer SEQ2 is a general DDC computer CPU of the carriages CAR2 to CAR4.
Process computer CPU1 written in 7A, 7B
Performs sequence control according to the commands from.

The pro-crammable sequencer SEQ3 is a general DDC computer CPU7 of the carriage CAR1.
Process computer CPU written by A, 7B
Sequence control is performed according to the command from 1.

The programmable sequencer S
EQ2 and SEQ3 are built in the ground 20 of the carrier.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram relating to data communication between the ground plane of the carrier vehicle and the upper panel of the carrier vehicle.

In FIG. 8, reference numeral 20, SEQ2,
SEQ3 is the same as the one with the same reference numeral in FIG. In addition, in FIG. 8, reference numeral 10 denotes the above-mentioned FIG.
This corresponds to the reference numeral 10a or 10b. That is,
The carrier cart upper board 10 of FIG. 8 has carrier carts CAR1 to CAR1.
4 mounted on each.

In FIG. 8, the on-board programmable sequencer 10SE built in the upper board 10 of the carrier vehicle.
Q performs sequence control on traveling of the carriages CAR1 to CAR4 on which the carriage top board 10 is mounted, positioning stop at a command stop point, loading and unloading of conveyed goods, and the like.

Data communication from the programmable sequencers SEQ2 and SEQ3 built in the carrier bogie ground panel 20 to the on-board programmable sequencer 10SEQ built in the carrier bogie upper boards mounted in the carrier cars CAR1 to CAR4 is carried out. , The programmable sequencer SEQ2 or SEQ3 built in the ground plane 20 of the carriage is sequentially performed through the modem 20M, the transceiver 20T, the transceiver 10T, and the modem 10M.

Data communication from the on-board programmable sequencer 10SEQ built in the carrier bogie upper board 10 to the programmable sequencer SEQ2 or SEQ3 built in the carrier bogie ground board 20 is performed by the carrier bogie upper board 10. The on-board programmable sequencer 10SEQ built into the car, in order from the modem 10M and the transceiver 1
It is performed via 0T, transceiver 20T, and modem 20M.

Further, in FIG. 8, the carrier trolley ground 2
0 built-in transceiver 20T and carrier C
Data communication is performed by spatial light transmission with the transceiver 10T of the carrier vehicle upper panel 10 mounted on the ARs 1 to 4.

The data communication contents between the transport vehicle ground panel 20 and the transport vehicle vehicle upper panel 10 as shown in FIG. 8 are mainly related to the transport on which the transport vehicle vehicle upper panel 10 is mounted. Vehicles CAR1 to CAR4 related to traveling (command stop points, that is, stop points for loading and unloading of conveyed objects, etc.) and those related to loading and unloading of conveyed objects (data related to types of transported objects and loading / unloading locations). Data regarding type), and notification of completion of running and loading / unloading operations.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the track of this embodiment.

That is, FIG. 9 shows the trajectory L1 of FIG.
The closed sections of L5 to L5 are shown.

Further, in FIG. 9, reference numerals CAP and SC
M, RC, POR, TR, C1-C3, M1-M3, R
C1 and RC2 are the same as those having the same reference numerals in FIG. 4 described above.

In FIG. 9, the track L1 of FIG. 4 is a closed section K21. Since the track L1 is a track on which only one carrier car (parent car) CAR1 travels,
No more than one carrier will interfere. For this reason, the track L1 is not divided into a plurality of closed sections, and is only the closed section K21.

The trajectory L2 in FIG. 4 has a total of 12 in FIG.
It is divided into individual closed sections K22 to K33. Further, the track L3 in FIG. 4 is divided into a total of five closed sections K3 to K7 as shown in FIG.

The tracks L4 and L5 shown in FIG. 4 can be operated by the carrier cars CAR2 to CAR4, which are child cars, but are controlled so that only one carrier car CAR2 runs as will be described later. ) Has been. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, the tracks L4 and L5 are the non-divided block section K1 and block section K2, respectively.

Incidentally, the closed sections K1 to K7 and K2 in FIG.
Regarding 1 to 33, the defensive range (traveling range) of the carriages CAR1 to CAR4 is as follows.

Defensive range of the carrier vehicle CAR1 which is the parent cart: a closed section K21 (the defensive range is structurally limited).

Protective range of carrier cart CAR2 which is a child cart: closed sections K1 to K7 and K22 to 25 (defensive range is administratively determined). SCM operation and delivery of coils for delivery and CAP charging.

Protective range of carrier cart CAR3 which is a child cart: closed sections K24 to K32 (the defensive range is administratively determined). The coil is delivered on the CAP delivery side (payment).

Protective range of carrier cart CAR4 which is a child cart: closed sections K25 to K33 (the defensive range is administratively determined). The RC and the coils related to packaging are transported.

The relay areas of the carrier carts CAR2 to CAR4, which are child carts, are as follows.

Relay area between the carriage CAR2 and the carriage CAR3: closed sections K24, 25.

Relay area between the carriages CAR2 and CAR4: closed section K25.

Relay area between the carriage CAR3 and the carriage CAR4: closed sections K25 to K32.

If necessary, relay skids T1 to T6 as shown in FIG. 4 are also used to transfer the coils between the carriages CAR2 to CAR4. These relay skid T
1 to 6 are provided especially for coil transfer between such carrier carts CAR 2 to 4.

Incidentally, such a relay area between the carrier vehicles is a section in which the carrier vehicles can interfere with each other in terms of management of the operation of these carrier vehicles CAR2 to CAR4. Therefore, mainly in such a closed section of the relay area, the transfer schedule processing of the transfer carriages CAR2 to CAR4, which are child carriages, and the operation according to the transfer schedule are performed as shown in FIG.
The third invention described above with reference to is applied in this embodiment.

Therefore, by applying the method for controlling a carrier vehicle according to the preceding condition as in the third aspect of the invention, a carrier schedule that may cause an equipment interference such as deadlock or an abnormal situation such as blocking is created. Or
Such an abnormal situation can be avoided even when various disturbances occur during the operation of the created transportation schedule.

The application of the third invention in this embodiment is as follows.
As will be described later with reference to FIGS. 10 to 17, it is also used in combination with the first invention and the second invention.

In this embodiment, the division of the traveling section in which two or more carriages may interfere into a plurality of closed sections is performed according to the following conditions.

Condition of length of each closed section (fixed length or variable length by upper limit length and lower limit length)

Conditions for dividing position of each closed section The conditions and conditions for dividing the closed section are determined in consideration of the following points.

A traveling situation such as a traveling frequency in a predetermined traveling section regarding a plurality of carrier vehicles.

The position of the command stop point of the carriage for loading and unloading the goods.

Contents of the transfer schedule process or contents of a program for executing the transfer schedule process.

The traveling speed of the carriage and the braking distance.

The detection speed of the closed section in which the carrier vehicle is traveling.

Further, the definition of which closed section, including the closed section in which the transport vehicle is traveling, is the occupied closed section (including the definition of the number of closed sections of the occupied closed section) is defined by the above-mentioned closed section division. It is almost the same as the considerations for determining the condition and.

In addition, in the present embodiment, when the transportation schedule of the transportation vehicle is created or when the transportation is performed in accordance with the transportation schedule created, the adjacency / duplication of each occupied block section of each transportation vehicle is checked. This is done by setting the occupied blocking section of each of the carriages CAR2 to 4 as a total of three blocking sections including the running blocking section and the sections before and after this, and the occupied blocking sections of each of the carriages CAR2 to CAR4. The presence or absence of duplication is checked. Further, the overlapping state of occupied block sections, that is, the blocking state in which the block section between the carriages CAR2 to CAR4 is less than one section except the block section in which each carriage is traveling is an abnormal situation that must be avoided. ing.

In the unlikely event that such a blocking state occurs during the operation of the carrier truck in accordance with the prepared carrier schedule, this embodiment automatically cancels it. That is, when the blocking state occurs, the CAR of one of the carriages
Automatically retract 2-4.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a list of transit devices for each carrying work according to this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 10, a total of 9 types of transfer operations (transfer commands) are applied to the transfer facility of this embodiment.
Is given.

Each of these nine kinds of transport operations in total is composed of subdivided element operations (tasks or elements).

That is, each transfer operation is performed by the turner T
N1-3, band cutters BC1-2, banding machines BM1-2, band labelers BL1-2, weighing machine W2,
3 and, if necessary, through various skids as a temporary relay point.

In FIG. 10, the ∘ mark indicates a device which must be passed through during the carrying work, and the (∘) mark indicates a transit device which can be passed in some cases. In addition, this temporary relay point is a small diameter mill line SCM, an annealing pickling skin pass line CAP, a quality inspection line RC, a temporary placement of coils for waiting for delivery to transit equipment, or a coil from these lines or transit equipment. Various skids that are temporarily used for dispensing.

In the present embodiment, the element operation is not only the operation of transporting the transported object by the transport carriages CAR1 to CAR4, but also the rotation of the coil by the turners TN1 to TN3.
Removal of the coil band by the band cutters BC1-2, banding of the coil by the banding machines BM1-2, labeling of the coil band by the band labelers BL1-2, weighing of the coil by the weighing machines W2, 3, etc. These individual actions are included.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a carrier occupancy table used in this embodiment. Further, FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a closed section occupation presence / absence table used in this embodiment.

Each of the tables shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 is constructed as a data table in the main memory of the process computer CPU1 (for material handling) of FIG. 6 described above.

In the transport vehicle occupancy table in FIG. 11, records (data addresses) are provided for each transport vehicle.
Further, each record for each of these carriages is composed of occupation end time data, occupation work data, and occupation element operation data.

In this embodiment, each of the carriages CAR1 to CAR1.
When the element operation (conveyance operation) is occupied for No. 4, the scheduled end time of the element operation is written in the occupation end time data of the data address corresponding to the conveyance carriage of this table. Further, when there is occupancy, the serial number of the occupying transportation work is written in the corresponding occupied transportation work data. At this time, the serial number of the element operation of the occupation work which is occupied is written in the corresponding occupied element operation data.

In the occupancy table of the carriages shown in FIG. 11, "99:99:99" is written at the occupancy end time of the carriages that are not occupied, and the occupied carriage work data and the occupancy element operation data are stored. "0" is written in each.

The block section occupancy presence / absence table of FIG. 12 shows the block sections K1 to K7 and K21 to K33 shown in FIG.
It is composed of each record. Further, the record of each closed section is composed of occupancy start time data, occupancy end time data, occupancy transfer work data, occupancy element operation data, and occupancy transfer trolley data.

When a certain blocked section is occupied by traveling by any of the carriages CAR1 to CAR4, the occupied start time data and the occupied end time data of the corresponding record in the blocked section occupation presence / absence table are as follows: Each,
The scheduled times of start and end of occupancy due to the traveling of the carrier vehicle are written. Further, in the occupied transport work data and the occupied element operation data, the serial number of the transport work corresponding to the transport of the transport carriage that occupies and the serial number of the corresponding element operation of the transport work are written. The number of the carrier truck to be occupied is written in the dedicated carrier vehicle data.

"99:99:99" is written in the occupancy start time data and occupancy end time data of the unoccupied closed sections in the closed section occupancy presence / absence table, and the occupied transport work data and the occupied elements are written. "0" is written in the operation data and the data of the dedicated carrier vehicle.

Note that the data in the table of FIG. 11 and the table of FIG. 12 are the same as the line payout skid LS3.
This is a state at the time of starting the transfer of the coil set to the small-diameter mill storage area M7 using the transfer carts CAR1 and CAR2.

This transfer is carried out by the line skid LS.
The coil set to 3 is placed on the carrier carriage (child carriage) CAR2 at 13:14:10 (13: 1 for the closed section K1).
The carrier carriage (child car) CAR1 is mounted on the carrier carriage (parent car) CAR1 together with the coil at 13:14:30, occupying from 4:00). Further, after the carrier vehicle (parent vehicle) CAR1 travels on the track L1 to a point orthogonal to the track L2 and stops positioning, the track L2 arrives at 13:15:10.
The carrier cart (child car) CAR2 is unloaded from the carrier cart (parent car) CAR1 with the coil still mounted on the closed section K3 (the 13:15:10 block area K3 and the adjacent block section K4 are occupied). ). The carrier cart (child car) CAR2 runs to the small-diameter mill storage area M7 and stops positioning, and then ends the coil lowering operation to the small-diameter mill storage area M7 by 13:15:50.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a transfer work data memory used in this embodiment.

In FIG. 13, the transfer work data of one transfer work which is the transfer schedule target is shown.

That is, in the entire transfer work data memory of this embodiment, the transfer work data as shown in FIG. 13 is constituted by the number of transfer works which are the transfer schedule targets.

In FIG. 13, the transfer work data is
It is composed of a header part indicated by reference signs a1 to 9 and a plurality of element parts indicated by reference signs e1 to en, and is provided with EOT (end of text) code data indicated by reference sign a13 at the end. ..

The number of the element parts e1 to en corresponds to the number of element operations of the corresponding carrying work.

The header portion includes identification code data a1 and
Coil number data a2, work classification data a3, line code data a4, command serial number data a5, express mark data a6, deadline time data a7 composed of start time data and completion time data, and re-expansion It is composed of required data a8 and transport work preceding condition data a9.

The identification code data a1 relates to the cause of occurrence of the carrying work, etc., and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the coil number data a2, the coil number carried by the carrying work is written. This coil number is different for each individual coil, and is not the same number even for the same type of coil.

Data for identifying the following three patterns is written in the work classification data a3.

Basic pattern: An annealing pickling skin pass line CAP, a small diameter mill line SCM, or a quality inspection line RC, a carrying operation for loading or unloading coils.

Temporary placement pattern: A transfer operation for temporarily placing the coil on a predetermined skid.

Dissimilar material pattern: When an error is found in the data relating to the coil stored in the process computer CPU1 by the weight measurement with the weighing machines W2 to W3,
Carrying work for paying out the corresponding coil.

The line code data a4 is written with data for identifying which of the annealing and pickling skin pass line CAP, the small diameter mill line SCM and the quality inspection line RC the carrying operation is.

In the command serial number data a5, the serial number of the transfer work which is the transfer schedule target is written.

In the express mark data a6, data relating to the execution priority of the carrying work is written.

In the start time data of the deadline time data a7, the startable time of the carrying work is written.
It should be noted that this start time data serves as a preceding condition for the carrying work together with the carrying work preceding condition data a9 described later.

As the completion time data of the deadline time data a7, the deadline time of the carrying work is written. That is, the carrying work must be completed by this completion time.

The re-expansion required data a8 is written with the following data related to expansion (division) into the element operation of the carrying work.

The element operation of the carrying work is determined by the element parts e1 to e and cannot be redeployed.

Although the element operation of the carrying work is required for the element parts e1 to e, it may be re-developed if necessary.

The element operation of the transfer work is not required at all, and it is necessary to redeploy it before the transfer schedule is performed.

The transport operation preceding condition data a9 is written with data relating to the preceding conditions of the transport operation which can be classified as follows.

Preliminary condition of vacancy of transportation equipment such as a transportation vehicle to be used. In this case, data indicating which transportation facility is used is also written.

[0210] An empty leading condition of the closed section in the transport route along which the transport vehicle travels. In this case, the data indicating which closed section is included is also written.

Pre-conditions for completion of other transport work. In this case, the data indicating which of the other transport operations the completion of which is a prerequisite is also written.

The element parts e1 to en, for example, the element part ei, are element data b1 consisting of FROM point data and TO point data, element serial number data b2, equipment / device abbreviation data b3, and actual completion time data b4. And pass permission data b5 and element preceding condition data b6.

The FROM point data and TO point data of the element data b1 are data of the start point and the end point of the conveyance when the element operation corresponding to the element portion ei is related to the traveling of the conveyance carriage. Each is written.

The element serial number data b2 is written with a serial number for identifying the element portion ei or the element operation corresponding to the element portion ei.

The equipment / device abbreviation data b3 is written with data for identifying the transportation equipment used in the element operation corresponding to the element portion ei and data regarding the type of element operation performed in the transportation equipment. ing.

In the actual result completion time data b4, the actual result completion time of the element operation corresponding to the element portion ei is written. This actual completion time data b4
Is written with the value obtained from the element operation record completion time table in which the record completion time is written for each type of element operation. Also, this actual completion time data
b4 is used to consider the deadline of each transfer operation when creating the transfer schedule.

The passability data b5 is written with information as to whether or not the element operation corresponding to the element portion ei can be passed as required. For example, when the corresponding element operation is the rotation of the coil in any of the turners TN1 to TN3, the element operation is allowed to pass, and when this is written in the applicable pass / fail data, the corresponding Turner TN
When 1 to 3 have been occupied, the element operation is passed.

In the element preceding condition data b6, data concerning the preceding condition for executing the element part ei is written. This element preceding condition data b6
Includes, for example, the element part in the carrying work.
Data is written such that the completion of the element operation of the element part e (i -1) of the carrying work prior to the element operation of ei becomes a preceding condition of the element part ei.

The operation of the transfer schedule method for the transfer carriage of this embodiment will be described below.

The transfer schedule method of the transfer cart of this embodiment is such that, in response to a request for a total of 9 types of transfer work as shown in FIG. According to the presence / absence of occupancy of the carriage as shown by 11, the presence / absence of occupancy of the closed section as shown in FIG. 12, and the data of the transport work data memory described above with reference to FIG. The transfer schedule method of the applied carrier or the transfer schedule method of the applied carrier to which the second invention is applied is performed.

For example, when there are already a plurality of schedule proposals, or when a plurality of schedule proposals can be obtained relatively easily, the first invention is applied to carry out the transfer schedule of the carrier truck. Alternatively, if you want to obtain the transport schedule directly without a schedule,
The transportation schedule method of the transportation vehicle of the invention is applied.

In the following, with respect to the transfer work A shown in FIG. 14 and the transfer work B shown in FIG. 15, the transfer schedule of the transfer vehicle to which the first invention is applied and the transfer schedule of the transfer vehicle to which the second invention is applied. And will be described in order.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a transfer work A which is an example of the transfer work of this embodiment.

In the carrying work A shown in FIG. 14, the coil of the line payout skid LS1 is moved to the carrying carriage CAR.
After being conveyed to the band cutter BC2 by 1 and 2, the loosening hand of the coil is removed by the band cutter BC2, the annealing pickling skin pass line CA is conveyed by the carrier CAR2.
The P is carried to the pay-in reel loading place C2. Further, the element sequence numbers A1, A2, and A3 are sequentially assigned to the respective element operations.

On the other hand, FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a transfer work B which is an example of the transfer work of this embodiment.

In the carrying work B of FIG. 15, the coils of the line payout skid LS2 are moved to the carrying carriages CAR1 and CAR2.
Is used to convey the band to the band cutter BC1 and the band cutter BC1 is used to remove the loosening prevention band of the coil.
The transport carriage CAR2 transports the coil to the loading place M1 for the payoff reel of the small diameter mill line SCM. The element operation numbers of B1, B2, and B3 are attached to the respective element operations of the carrying work B.

Hereinafter, the transfer schedule method of the transfer vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the transfer work A described above.
The transfer schedule plans A and B shown in FIG. 16 and FIG. 17 relating to B and B will be described as an example.

FIG. 16 is a time chart of the transfer schedule plan A regarding the transfer work A and the transfer work B. FIG. 17 is a time chart of another transfer schedule plan B for the transfer work A and the transfer work B.

In the transfer schedule plan A of FIG. 16,
First, the element operation A1 is executed by using the carriages CAR1 and CAR2. After that, the element operation B1 and the element operation A2 without facility interference are executed by using the carriages CAR1 and CAR2 and the band cutter BC2, respectively. When the element operation B1 is completed, the element operation B2 is performed on the coil which has been conveyed by using the band cutter BC1. Also, this element operation B1
After the end of, when the carrier CAR2 becomes empty due to the end, the element operation A3 is executed. When the element operation A3 is completed, the element operation B3 is executed by using the carrier cart CAR2 which has become empty.

In the transfer schedule plan A shown in FIG. 16, the transfer operation A ends at time 9 minutes.
On the other hand, the transfer work B ends at 12 minutes.

Therefore, the margin time of the transfer work A whose deadline is 10 minutes is 1 minute, and the transfer work B whose deadline is 15 minutes.
The spare time is 3 minutes.

Therefore, in the transfer schedule plan B, the minimum allowance is 1 minute which is the allowance time of the transfer work A.

On the other hand, in the transport schedule plan B shown in FIG. 17, first, the element operation B1 is executed using the transport carriages CAR1 and CAR2. When the element operation B1 is completed, the element operation A without equipment interference
1 and the element operation B2 are respectively the carriage CA
It is executed using R1 and 2 and the band cutter BC1. When the element operation A1 is completed, the element operation A2 is executed on the conveyed coil. or,
When the element operation A1 is completed, the element operation B3 is executed by using the carriage CAR2 which is in an empty state due to the completion. The element operation B3
When is finished, the element operation A3 is executed by using the empty carriage CAR2.

In the transfer schedule plan B shown in FIG. 17, the transfer work A ends at 12 minutes. In the transfer schedule plan B, the transfer work B ends at time 9 minutes.

Therefore, such a transfer schedule plan B
In, the margin time of the transfer work A whose deadline is 10 minutes is -2 minutes (deadline delay), and the margin time of the transfer work B whose deadline is 15 minutes is 6 minutes.

Therefore, in the transfer schedule plan B, the minimum allowance is −2 minutes which is the allowance time of the transfer work A.

Therefore, in determining the optimum schedule from the transfer schedule plan A and the transfer schedule plan B, the transfer schedule plan A having the minimum margin larger than 0 is adopted. The minimum margin of the transport schedule plan A is also a value larger than the minimum margin of the transport schedule plan B, that is, -2 minutes.

The carrying schedule method of this embodiment to which the second invention is applied will be described below by taking the carrying work A of FIG. 14 and the carrying work B of FIG. 15 as examples.

First, the set St of executable element operations among the individual element operations constituting the transfer operations A and B that are not incorporated in the schedule is obtained according to the following constraint conditions.

Strict adherence to line loading order: In a plurality of carrying operations on the same line such as the annealing pickling skin pass line CAP, the small diameter mill line SCM, the quality inspection line RC, etc., the order in which each carrying operation occurs is strictly followed.

Avoiding deadlock caused by duplicate designation of waypoints: When there are a plurality of element operations for the same waypoint such as various skids, band cutters, banding machines, band labelers, and weighing machines. Only one element operation can be executed.

Avoiding deadlock due to duplicate designation of occupied block: By applying the third invention of the present application, a traveling section in which two or more carriages can interfere is divided into a plurality of closed sections. Further, in a plurality of element operations, when the same closed section overlaps as the occupied closed section in the transport path, only one element operation is set as an executable element operation.

The above-mentioned constraint conditions (1) to (4) are set and determined by setting the advance conditions for each transfer work subject to the transfer schedule or the advance conditions for each element operation constituting the transfer work.

The t in the set St of executable element operations represents the number of transfer operations already incorporated in the schedule for all target transfer operations.

Also, here, the element sequence number of the element operation to be executed next is j, the earliest start time is ej, and the actual record of the element operation of the transport work to which the element operation of this element sequence number j belongs is not scheduled. Let Rj be the total completion time, bj be the scheduled completion time of the transfer work to which the element operation of element sequence number j belongs, and Yj be the margin time to the completion deadline of the transfer work to which the element operation of element sequence number j belongs. Let Tj be the deadline for completion of the transfer work to which the element operation belongs.

Under the above constraints (1) to (3), t = 0, that is, the set S0 of executable element operations at the start of the transfer schedule is as follows.

S0 = {A1, B1} (1)

First, a set S of executable element operations
Of 0, when the element operation A1 is the element operation to be executed next, t is 1 and j is A2 or B.
1 and thus:

S1 = {A2, B1} (2) eA2 = 3 (3) eB1 = 3 (4) RA2 = 5 (5) RB1 = 8 (6) TA2 = 10 (7) TB1 = 15 (8) bA2 = eA2 + RA2 = 8 (9) bB1 = eB1 + RB1 = 11 (10) YA2 = TA2-bA2 = 2 (11) YB1 = TB1-bB1 = 4 (12) BA1 = min (YA2, YB1) = 2 (13)

On the other hand, a set S of executable element operations
From 0, when the element operation to be executed next is the element operation B1, t is 1 and j is A1 or B2.
And therefore:

S1 = {A1, B2} (14) eA1 = 3 (15) eB2 = 3 (16) RA1 = 8 (17) RB2 = 5 (18) TA1 = 10 (19) TB2 = 15 (20) bA1 = eA1 + RA1 = 11 (21) bB2 = eB2 + RB2 = 8 (22) YA1 = TA1-bA1 = -1 (23) YB2 = TB2-bB2 = 7 (24) BB1 = Min (YA1, TB2) =-1 (25)

In this way, when the element operation to be executed next is the element operation A1, the lower bound value BA1 is 2, and the element operation to be executed next is the element operation B.
It is possible to obtain the lower bound value BB1 of -1 and -1.

Therefore, of the lower bounds BA1 and BB1, the emotion operation A1 corresponding to the lower bound BA1 having a larger value.
Is selected as the element operation to be executed next.

Although the above description is an example in which the first element operation of the transfer schedule is obtained, by repeating the same procedure, the transfer work A in FIG. 14 and the transfer work B in FIG. 15 are repeated. A transport schedule for and can be created.

The above-described processing for creating a transfer schedule is performed by the process computer C shown in FIG.
It is performed by PU1. The process computer CPU1 also manages the operation of the transportation facility according to the created transportation schedule. In addition, during this operation, the transport schedule creation process of adding, modifying, or deleting the transport schedule is performed in real time, and the transport vehicle occupancy table shown in FIG. 11 or the closed section occupancy shown in FIG. The table data is being updated.

According to the embodiment of the present invention as described above, it is possible to prepare a transportation schedule without causing an abnormal situation such as equipment interference or blocking even in the case of relatively complicated transportation equipment, and various Even when such an abnormal situation occurs due to the disturbance factor, the abnormal situation can be automatically resolved and the transport facility can be effectively operated continuously.

In the transfer facility of this embodiment, as a disturbance factor of the transfer schedule, there is a work roll truck that suddenly travels on a track L10 intersecting the track L3 as shown in FIG. However, when a disturbance occurs in the transfer schedule due to the traveling of the work roll carriage, it is possible to avoid an abnormal situation due to the disturbance by adding, correcting or deleting the transfer schedule in real time.

In the present embodiment as well, when operating the carrier vehicles in accordance with the created carrier schedule, when the occupied block sections are found to overlap with each other due to the disturbance factors or the like as described above. Is trying to add a transportation schedule for evacuating a transportation vehicle with a low priority in real time.

[0259] The priority order for deciding such a retreating carrier vehicle is determined by the following criteria.

[0260] The priority of the transport carriage on which the transported object is placed is higher than that of the empty transport carriage.

In the case where both of the carrying objects are loaded, the priority is given to the carrying truck having the carrying object of the carrying work of high priority.

[0262] When neither of the items to be conveyed is placed, the priority of the carrier truck that has already moved to the command stop point to place the item to be conveyed is higher.

[0263] When neither of the items to be conveyed is loaded and both are traveling to the command stop point to place the item to be conveyed, the item having a higher priority in the operation of conveying the item to be placed is conveyed. The priority of the truck is high.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram relating to the detection of the closed section in which each transport vehicle is currently traveling in this embodiment.

In FIG. 18, power feeding / driving of the carrier vehicles CAR2-4 traveling on the track L2 or L3 is performed by feeding power to the power feeding trolleys TR0-4 and the carrier vehicles CAR2-4 sliding on the power feeding trolleys TR0-4. The brushes BR1 and BR2 are mainly used.

The power supply trolleys TR1 to TR4 are divided into closed sections K3 to K7 of the track L2 and closed sections K22 of the track L3.
It is divided corresponding to the division into .about.33. Therefore, as the carriages CAR2 to CAR4 travel, the trolleys TR1 to TR4 used for power supply are changed by the brush BR2.

Accordingly, by detecting whether or not the power feeding trolleys TR1 to TR4 are feeding power to the carriages CAR2 to CAR4 by the feed current detectors CT1 to CT4, it is possible to detect the closed section in which the carriage is currently traveling. It is possible.

The feeding current detectors CT1 to CT4 are
It is a current detector using a current measuring transformer,
It is input to the programmable sequencer SEQ2 or SEQ3.

Further, the electromagnetic switch SW which is opened / closed by the output of the programmable sequencer SEQ2 or SEQ3.
1 to 4 are used, for example, to perform an emergency stop of the carriages CAR 2 to 4.

It should be noted that the power feeding trolleys TR1 to TR4 which are divided corresponding to the closed sections and the power feeding trolleys TR1 to TR4.
By using the electromagnetic switches SW1 to SW4 provided for each of the carriages CAR2 to CAR2 traveling in a predetermined closed section.
It is also possible to obtain the secondary effect that only 4 can be brought to an emergency stop.

In FIG. 18, the power supply voltage supplied to the power supply trolleys TR0-4 via the power lines AC1-4 is 400V.

[0272]

As described above, according to the transfer schedule method of the transfer vehicle of the first invention and the second invention, when the job shop type transfer work is scheduled, the optimum solution is considered in real time by taking the deadline into consideration. It is possible to obtain an excellent effect that can be obtained by.

Further, according to the method of controlling a carrier vehicle of the third aspect of the present invention, the presence / absence of occupation of a traveling section where two or more carrier vehicles may interfere with each other is managed more precisely, and an abnormal situation such as equipment interference or blocking occurs. It is possible to obtain an excellent effect that a plurality of transfer operations can be effectively executed without causing the problem of occurrence of

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a summary of a transportation schedule method for a transportation vehicle according to a first aspect of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a summary of a transportation schedule method for a transportation vehicle according to a second invention.

FIG. 3 is a model diagram of a method of dividing into closed sections according to a third invention.

FIG. 4 is a layout diagram of a cold rolling mill in which the embodiments of the first invention to the third invention are used.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the carrier truck of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an overall block diagram mainly relating to a process computer and the like of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an overall block diagram mainly relating to a programmable sequencer and the like in the above embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram relating to data communication between the ground plane of the carrier vehicle and the upper panel of the carrier vehicle of the above embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a track of the carrier truck of the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a list of transit devices for each carrying operation according to the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a carrier occupancy table used in the embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a closed section occupation presence / absence table used in the embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a transfer work data memory used in the embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a transfer work A which is an example of the transfer work in the embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a transfer work B which is an example of the transfer work in the embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a time chart of the transport schedule plan A in the above-described embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a time chart of the transport schedule plan B in the above-described embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram relating to detection of a traveling position of the carrier vehicle in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Transported material (coil etc.), 10, 10a, 10b ... Transport vehicle upper panel, 20 ... Transport vehicle ground panel, 10SEQ ... On-board programmable sequencer, 10M, 20M, M1A-M3A, M1B-M3B ... Modem, 10T , 20T ... Transceiver for spatial light transmission, CAR1 ... Carrier carriage (parent carriage), CAR2-4 ... Carrier carriage (child carriage), L1 ... Parent carriage track, L2-5 ... Child carriage track, LCn ... Grandchild carriage Tracks (each command stop point, etc.), L10 ... work roll carriage track, K1-7, K22-33 ... blocking section (blocking section number), CAP ... annealing pickling skin pass line, SCM ... small diameter mill line, RC ... quality inspection Line, POR ... Payoff reel, TR ... Tension reel, TN1-3 ... Turner, BC1-2 ... Band cutter, BM1-2 ... Banding Shin, BL1-2 ... Band labeler, W2, 3 ... Weighing machine, LS1-4 ... Line payout skid, P1, P2 ... Packing place delivery skid, SL1 ... Sleeve skid, C5-7 ... CAP place, M4-7 ... Small-diameter mill storage area, R1-19 ... RC storage area, T1-6 ... Relay skid, C1-2, M1, RC1 ... Payoff reel loading storage area, C3-4, M2-3, RC2 ... From tension reel Place for dispensing, NET1, 2 ... Data communication network, CPU0-6 ... Process computer, CPU7A, 7B ... General DDC computer, SEQ1-3 ... Programmable sequencer, TR0-4 ... Power feeding trolley, BR1, 2 ... Power feeding brush, CT1. 4 ... Feed current detector, SW1-4 ... Electromagnetic switch, A1-3, B1-3 ... Element serial number

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Junichi Yamamoto 1 Kawasaki-cho, Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture Inside the Kawasaki Steel Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Katsunori Shiraishi 1 Kawasaki-cho, Chiba City Chiba Prefecture Kawasaki Steel Co. Inside the steel mill

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A transport schedule method of a transport vehicle for performing a plurality of transport operations in parallel while sharing a transport vehicle, comprising a plurality of combinations of individual element operations constituting the plurality of transport operations. The schedule time is obtained, and each margin time for the deadline of the plurality of transfer operations in each schedule plan is obtained, and the minimum margin time of each schedule plan is set as the minimum margin of the schedule schedule. A transport schedule method for a transport carriage, comprising determining an optimum schedule according to the minimum margin. 2. A transport schedule method for a transport carriage when performing a plurality of transport jobs in parallel while sharing a transport cart, wherein each of the individual element operations constituting the plurality of transport jobs can be executed. When a set of element operations is obtained, each of the executable element operations is an element operation to be executed next in a schedule, the maximum margin time for each deadline of each of the plurality of transport works is obtained, and when the next execution is performed, Of each element action
The smallest one of the maximum leeway time of each transfer operation is set as the lower bound of the corresponding element operation, and the element operation in the set corresponding to the lower lower bound of these lower bounds is next executed. A transport schedule method for a transport vehicle, characterized by being determined as an operation. 3. A control method for a plurality of carriages, which travels along an orbit according to a carriage schedule, positions and stops at a command stop point, loads and unloads a conveyed object, and independently conveys each other. , A traveling section in which two or more of the above-mentioned carrier vehicles may interfere is divided into a plurality of closed sections, and the empty space of the carrier vehicle to be used and the carrier path to be used for the transport operation or the element operation constituting the transport operation A method of controlling a carrier vehicle, characterized in that the open space of the closed section is set as a preceding condition.