JPH077070Y2 - Production line work instruction device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an improvement of a work instruction device for instructing a work content to be performed by a worker on a display screen in each work station of a production line.

[Prior Art] As is well known, in a production line mainly composed of manual steps by workers, such as an assembly / equipment line for vehicles such as automobiles, it is mounted on a vehicle body at each work station in the line. As a work instruction method for transmitting the content of the assembly work at each work station, such as the type of assembly parts to be performed, to each worker, a display device that is display-controlled by a computer is provided at each work station It has been considered to display work contents based on an instruction from a computer (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 56-82141).

According to this work instruction method, the contents of work to be performed at each station are displayed for each station, so that each worker has a work instruction (broadcast) attached to the car body flowing on the production line. It is possible to easily and accurately grasp the work instruction contents for the own work station as compared with the conventional method in which the column of the own work station displayed on the screen is read to grasp the assembly parts and work contents. . Further, even when the number of types of parts to be assembled at each work station is increased and the display screen cannot be displayed on one display screen, the display screens of the display device can be sequentially switched so that it can be easily dealt with.

By the way, in recent years, along with the diversification of user's tastes, the need for a special specification vehicle in which special parts are optionally attached to a standard specification vehicle equipped with various standard parts is increasing. There is. When assembling such a special specification vehicle and a standard specification vehicle in one production line, normally, only when performing the above-mentioned special component assembly work (so-called pitch work) separately from the worker who assembles the standard parts. A pitch worker is required to participate in the vehicle assembly line.

This pitch worker, when the standard specification vehicle is flowing in the vehicle assembly line, usually leaves the vehicle assembly line,
For example, subassemblies of parts are performed, and only when assembling a special specification vehicle, the vehicle is called to the vehicle assembly line to perform the assembling work of the special parts.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, conventionally, since the pitch worker is called to the vehicle assembly line by the contact of the operator of the vehicle assembly line, It takes time for the operator to call, and depending on the timing of this calling, it is difficult for the pitch operator to smoothly stop normal work (for example, subassembly of parts) when the call is made.
On the contrary, there was a problem in work efficiency such as waiting time.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and can automatically inform the pitch operator that the pitch operation will be performed before a predetermined timing when the pitch operation is required. An object of the present invention is to provide a work instruction device for a production line that can be used.

[Means for Solving the Problem] Therefore, the present invention is directed to a production line in which the work content to be performed by the worker at the work station is displayed on the display screen provided at each work station of the production line. In the work instruction device of, the display screen is provided with a commit number display section that displays commit numbers that represent the identification numbers of individual products in the order in which they are loaded into the production line, and the production support including the commit numbers is provided. Data distribution means for allocating information to each work station, storage means for storing the commit number of a product (pitch work target product) to which special parts are to be assembled based on the production instruction information, and distribution by the data distribution means. The ratio of comparing the commit number in the produced production instruction information with the commit number stored by the storage means. When the commit number in the production instruction information distributed by the comparison determination means and the data distribution means approaches the commit number of the pitch work target product stored by the storage means by a predetermined value, An alarm means for issuing an alarm is provided.

[Advantage of the Invention] According to the present invention, the comparison determination means compares the commit number of the picking target product stored in the storage means with the commit number in the production instruction information distributed by the data distribution means. When the commit number in the production instruction information distributed by the data distribution unit approaches the commit number of the pitch work target product by a predetermined value, the alarm unit automatically alerts the pitch worker. Since the pitch work can be performed, the pitch worker can know that the pitch work will be performed before the predetermined timing when the pitch work is required, and the normal work can be smoothly stopped and a waiting time can be provided. Without this, the pitch work can be started efficiently.

[Embodiment] Hereinafter, a case where the present invention is applied to a work instruction apparatus for an automobile assembly line will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 5 is a system configuration diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of the production instruction information network in the automobile assembly plant according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, in the present embodiment, the production instruction for each vehicle type is given. The information is stored in a large host computer Ch installed outside the assembly factory 1, for example, in the computer center 2, and the production instruction information for each vehicle type is sent from the host computer Ch to the computer of the assembly factory 1. It is input to the main computer Cm of the factory installed in the room 3.

In the above-mentioned assembly factory 1, for example, a subassembly line such as a cabinet assembly line (CB line) L ₁ , a trim assembly line L ₂ , a frame assembly line L ₃ , a door assembly line L _{4 and the} like are assembled in each of these subassembly lines. Final assembly line that completes the assembly of the entire vehicle using the sub-assemblies
L ₅ is provided.

Further, in each of the above assembly lines, a display device Dp (display unit) for displaying the work content at the station Sa is installed for each work station Sa in the line, and these display units Dp ..., Dp are a fixed number. Each of the groups is divided into groups (for example, 6 units), and each group is provided with a workstation Ws that controls the group, and these workstations Ws, ..., Ws are connected to the main computer Cm.

That is, the production instruction information from the host computer Ch is first input to the main computer Cm, distributed to the information for each workstation Ws by the main computer Cm, and then transmitted to each work via the communication line 4 in the factory. It is transmitted to each station Ws. Then, the production instruction information input to each workstation Ws is distributed to the information for each work station Sa by each workstation Ws, and the work content to be performed at each work station Sa is displayed on each display unit Dp. It is supposed to be displayed.

The display units Dp, ..., Dp are, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a display device 11 composed of a cathode ray tube (CRT), and a CRT controller for changing / controlling the display screen of the display device 11. The controller 12 is connected to the workstation Ws, and changes and controls the display screen based on a command signal from the workstation Ws. On the other hand, the workstation Ws includes an input unit 14 to which the production instruction information from the main computer Cm is input, and a control unit 15 mainly composed of, for example, a microcomputer.
And an output section 16 for outputting a command signal from the control unit 15 to each display unit Dp. The control unit 15 includes a conversion table for converting the production instruction information input from the main computer Cm to the input unit 14 into display data, and reads the production instruction information and converts the production instruction information into display data. A control unit 17 that distributes instruction information to each work station Sa and issues a command signal for changing and controlling the display screen for each display unit Dp,
More preferably, a timer circuit 18 for counting the elapsed time after the display screen of the display device 11 of the display unit Dp is projected, and more preferably, the display device.
The previous page screen storage unit 19 stores the previous display screen from which 11 screens can be switched.

In the control unit 15, for each of the work contents (assembly parts) displayed on the display screen of the display unit Dp, a standard required time required to complete the assembly work is input in advance, For each page of the display screen, add up the standard time required for each assembly work displayed on the page, and standard time Ts required to complete all the work displayed on each page Ts ( The standard work time, that is, the work load) is set, and each page of the display screen is switched to the next page only after the standard work time Ts (work load) has passed since the screen was displayed on the display device 11. . That is, the screens can be switched according to the work load instructed on the display screen.

When the display screen is switched as described above, the screen switching signal from the control unit 17 is sent to the previous page screen storage unit 19 as described above.
Also, the previous page screen storage unit 19 which receives the screen switching signal outputs the display screen information before the display screen is switched to the control unit 17, and is provided in the display screen after the switching. The main part of the display screen of the previous page can be reduced and displayed in the displayed previous page screen display field.

Hereinafter, the operation of the work instruction device will be specifically described, for example, in the case of one work station Sa in the trim assembly line L ₂ .

First, at the same time that a vehicle body to be assembled is conveyed from the work station Sa in the previous process to the work station Sa, a display is made from the control unit 17 in the work station Ws based on the production instruction information about the vehicle body. A command signal (screen display signal) indicating that a display screen for instructing the assembly work to the vehicle body should be displayed to the unit Dp is output, and the CRT controller 12 receiving this screen display signal
Causes the display device 11 to display a display screen showing production instruction information such as the types of parts to be assembled to the vehicle body at the work station Sa.

As shown in FIG. 4, on the screen 30 displayed on the display device 11, a part display column 21 for displaying the parts to be assembled at the work station Sa in a divided manner is provided substantially in the center of the screen 30. Above the parts display column 21, in order from the left side in FIG. 4, the commit number display column 22 that displays the commit numbers that represent the identification numbers unique to the vehicle body in the order in which they are loaded into the production line, the vehicle type Vehicle type display column
23, a destination display column 24 indicating a destination (for example, an exporting country) as reference information, and a screen page display column 25 displaying the total number of pages of the display screen for the vehicle body and the page number of the screen 30 are provided. On the other hand, below the component display field 21, a work station display field 26 for displaying the identification number of the work station Sa is provided at the left end of the screen 30, and on the right side of the work station display field 26. A previous page screen display field 27 for reducing and displaying a main part of the display screen of the previous page of the screen 30 is provided.

Therefore, from the display content of the display screen 30, the worker can generate the production instruction information regarding the assembly work to be performed on the vehicle body (commit number 1057, vehicle type symbol A112) at the work station Sa (work station number 1060). It is possible to recognize that the number of screen pages is only one and that there are eight types of parts to be assembled at the work station Sa.

That is, at the work station Sa, the commit number
The brake pedal, instrument panel (instrument panel), instrument panel harness, ash tray, antenna feeder wire, speaker, reserve tank, and reserve hose are attached to the 1057 vehicle body. Of the above parts, the brake pedal, ash tray, and speaker are indicated by the katakana symbols a, i, u, ..., and the instrument panel and reserve tank are indicated by the numbers 1, 2, 3 ,. Regarding the instrument panel harness, antenna feeder wire and reserve hose, the type of each part is identified by the alphabetical symbols A, B, C, D, ...
According to the symbols displayed in the component display section 21, the components of the designated type are sequentially assembled to the vehicle body.

Then, the screen 30 is a timer circuit in the control unit 15 after the elapsed time from being displayed on the display device 11.
The elapsed time is counted by 18, and the standard work time T ₃₀ (screen switching time) of the display screen 30 obtained by adding up the standard assembly required time of each part displayed in the part display column 21 ) Is reached, the timer circuit 18 causes the control unit to
A time lapse signal is output to 17 and the control unit that receives this signal
17 outputs a screen switching signal to the CRT controller 12 of the display unit Dp.

At this time, since the switching of this screen is switched according to the screen switching time T ₃₀ that is equal to the standard work time required to complete all the work instructed on the display screen 30, the work instructed on the display screen 30 is performed. And the screen switching timing can be made to substantially coincide with each other.

As described above, in this embodiment, the previous page screen display field 27 is provided on each screen, and the screen after switching and the screen before switching can be displayed together, so that the display screen Even if the screen is switched to the next page before the work instructed in 30 is completed, the assembly work can be performed while checking the assembly parts by looking at the screen display column 27 on the previous page. Has become.

Then, the vehicle body after the assembling of each of the above parts is carried out toward the work station of the next process, and the vehicle body of the next commit number (1058) is carried into the work station Sa (work station number 1060). At the same time, a screen displaying the assembling work for this commit number (1058) is displayed on the display device 11.

By the way, in the work instruction apparatus according to the present embodiment, a special specification vehicle, in which special parts are added as an option to a standard specification vehicle equipped with various standard parts, is loaded into the work station Sa. In such a case, it is possible to give a warning in advance to the pitch operator who performs the above-mentioned special component assembling work (pitch work) that the pitch work is required.

The alarm system for the pitch worker will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 17 provided in the control unit 15 in the workstation Ws includes an information reading unit 41 for reading the production instruction information input to the input unit 14.
Based on the reading result of the information reading unit 41, the commit number storage unit 42 for storing the commit number of the pitch work target vehicle instructed by the production instruction information, and the production instruction information converted into the display data. , A data distribution unit 43 that distributes to each work station Sa based on the reading result of the information reading unit 41, and the data in the data to be output from the data distribution unit 43 to the CRT controller 12 via the output unit 16. A comparison determination unit 44 that compares the commit number with the commit number of the pitch work target vehicle stored in the commit number storage unit 42 is provided.

Then, as a result of comparing the both commit numbers in the comparison determination unit 44, the commit number in the data output from the data distribution unit 43, that is, the commit number displayed on the display device 11, is the commit of the pitch work target vehicle. When the number is approached by a predetermined value, an alarm buzzer 45 installed in the work area where the pitcher is normally performing work (for example, sub-assembly of parts) will give an alarm to the pitcher. ing.

The operation of the work instruction device will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, when the system starts, in step # 1, the production instruction information from the main computer Cm for the workstation Ws is input to the input unit 14, and step #
In step 2, the information reading unit 41 of the control unit 17 reads the production instruction information. The production instruction information includes
Whether or not pitch work is required is clearly indicated for each commit number, and the pitch work target vehicle that requires pitch work can be identified by the commit number. The production instruction information is converted into display data by the control unit 15 of the workstation Ws (step # 2 ').

Next, based on the reading result in the above step, the commit number of the pitch work target vehicle is stored in the commit number storage unit 42 in step # 3, and step # 4
Then, the data distribution work is performed in which the production instruction information converted into the display data is distributed to each work station Sa. Then, in step # 5, based on the distributed data, the CRT control 12 of each display unit Cp is output from the data distribution unit 43 via the output unit 16.
In response, a screen display signal for calling a predetermined screen and displaying it on the display device 11 is output, and the predetermined screen is displayed on the display device 11. At this time, simultaneously with the output of the screen display signal, a count start signal is output to the timer circuit 18, and the count of the elapsed time t (screen display time) after the predetermined screen is displayed on the display device 11 is counted. It is started (step # 6).

Then, in step # 7, it is determined whether or not the screen display time t has reached the standard work time Ts (screen switching time) set for each screen. If the result of this determination is NO. Continues to count the screen display time t, and if YES, a screen switching signal is output from the control unit 17 to the CRT controller 12 in step # 8, and the process returns to step # 4 to start a new one. Each step for calling the display screen is repeated. When the display screen is switched as described above, the control unit 17
The screen switching signal from is also output to the previous page screen storage unit 19, and the previous page screen storage unit 19 receiving this screen switching signal causes the control unit 17 to display the page before the display screen is switched. Output display screen information (step #
9) The main screen of the previous page can be reduced and displayed in the previous page screen display field 27 provided in the switched display screen.

The commit number N in the data distributed in step # 4 (that is, the commit number to be displayed on the screen)
Is compared with the commit number P of the pitch work target vehicle stored in the commit number storage unit 42 in step # 10, and the commit number N on the screen is the commit number P of the pitch work target vehicle. Whether the commit number N on the screen is immediately before the commit number P of the vehicle subject to pitch work (P
A determination is made as to whether -1) has been reached. If the result of this determination is NO, step # 4
Then, the comparison between the commit number on the new display screen and the commit number P on the pitch work target vehicle is sequentially repeated. Then, if this determination result is YES, in step # 11, the comparison determination unit 44 outputs an alarm signal to the alarm buzzer 45, and the alarm buzzer 45 causes the pitch worker to perform the pitch operation. It is possible to give a warning in advance that is required.

When the work content of the pitch work target vehicle is displayed on the display device 11, for the display symbol of the part that is the pitch work target, for example, blinking or changing the display color with other standard parts, etc. By highlighting, it is possible to prevent work mistakes such as erroneous assembly and forgetting to assemble.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the comparison / determination unit
44, the commit number P of the pitch work target vehicle stored in the commit number storage unit 42 and the commit number N of the screen display
And the commit number N on the screen is the commit number (P-1) immediately before the commit number P of the pitch work target vehicle.
When it reaches, the alarm buzzer 45 can give an alarm to the pitch operator to automatically inform that the pitch operation is required. As a result, the pitch worker can surely know that the pitch work will be performed before the predetermined timing when the pitch work is required. Therefore, the normal work can be smoothly stopped without waiting time. Therefore, the pitch work can be efficiently started.

In the above embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as the first embodiment), the pitch work is required by using the commit number that represents the identification number unique to each vehicle in the order in which they are loaded into the assembly line. Although the pitch work is notified in advance, it is possible to grasp the progress status of the work of another production line whose work areas are separated as the floors are different, by using the commit number.

The second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In the following description, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and further description will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, the vehicle assembly line La is installed on the second floor 2F of the assembly factory 51, for example,
A parts supply line Lp for supplying assembly parts to the above-mentioned assembly line La is provided on the first floor 1F, and the parts supply line Lp
, Each of the work stations Sa of the assembly line La is provided with a component supply station Sp, ..., Sp corresponding to each one-to-one correspondence.

At each of the parts supply stations Sp, the assembly parts to be assembled to the vehicle body at the corresponding work station Sa are arranged for each commit number of the vehicle, and then the same part commit number is provided corresponding to the vehicle commit number. .
Then, a predetermined number of the assembled parts are collected and supplied to the corresponding work station Sa on the second floor by a transportation means such as a truck 54, ..., 54.

By the way, like this, the parts supply line Lp and the assembly line La
When and are separated from each other due to the difference in floors, the operator of each component supply station Sp on the first floor usually cannot know the progress of the assembly work at the corresponding work station Sa of the assembly line La. , It is difficult to know whether the self-part supply work is ahead of or behind the assembly work progress, and it is difficult to properly adjust the self-work progress according to the assembly work progress. Is.

In order to solve this problem, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the corresponding work station Sa of the assembly line La is
Vehicle commit number column 62 for displaying the vehicle commit number displayed on the display device 11 and the component commit number column 63 for displaying the component commit number at the component supply station Sp.
And the standard stock quantity (eg
Standard value display field 64 that displays the standard value including (for 30 cars),
A work progress display field 65 for displaying the work progress at the component supply station Sp by comparing this reference value with the component commit number 65
A display unit 60 for displaying a screen 61 provided with is provided for each supply station Sp.

That is, taking the case of the display screen 61 shown in FIG. 7 as an example, the vehicle commit number at the assembly work station Sa corresponding to the component supply station Sp is 100.
The standard value obtained by adding the standard stock quantity for 30 vehicles to this vehicle commit number is 130, while the component commit number at the relevant component supply station Sp is 128.
Therefore, it is displayed that the progress of the parts supply work is delayed by two units as compared with the reference value.

Then, an arbitrary work station in the assembly line La is defined as the reference work station San, and the component supply station Spn corresponding to this reference work station San
The vehicle commit number of the reference work station San is displayed on the screen 61 of the display unit 60 of the above.
The vehicle commit number is displayed by calculating based on the difference between the station identification numbers of Sa and the reference work station San. At the exit side of the standard work station San, a limit switch 55 for detecting that the vehicle body has been transported to the next station Sa
Is provided, when the assembly work in the standard work station San progresses, the vehicle body is transported to the next station Sa and the vehicle commit number is updated, by the output signal from the limit switch 55, The vehicle commit number displayed on the screen 61 of the display unit 60 of the corresponding component supply station Spn is supposed to be updated.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, according to each component supply station Sp of the component supply line Lp, the component commit number of the component supply station Sp and the vehicle commit of the corresponding work station Sa in the assembly line La. Since the display unit 60 for displaying the progress of the component supply work at the component supply station Sp by comparing with the number is provided, even if the assembly line La and the component supply line Lp are separated, the component supply station The worker of Sp can easily grasp whether or not the progress degree of his / her component supply work is appropriate, and adjust the progress speed according to the assembly work.

[Brief description of drawings]

The drawings are all for explaining the embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a control unit of a workstation according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a work instruction device according to the first embodiment. Flowchart for explaining the operation of the
FIG. 4 is a block configuration diagram of a workstation and a display unit according to the first embodiment, FIG. 4 is a front explanatory view of a display screen displayed on a display device according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a first embodiment. 6 is a system configuration diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of the production instruction information network according to FIG. 6, FIG. 6 is a schematic front view of an assembly factory according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a display unit according to the second embodiment. It is a front explanatory view of the displayed display screen. 11 …… display device, 12 …… CRT controller, 15 …… control unit, 17 …… control section, 22 …… commit number display column, 30 …… display screen, 42 …… commit number storage section,
44 …… Comparison judgment unit, 45 …… Alarm buzzer, Dp… Display unit, L ₁ , L ₂ , L ₃ , L ₄ , L ₅ ,, La …… Assembly line, S
a, San …… work station, Ws …… work station.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A work instruction device of a production line, wherein the contents of work to be performed by a worker at the work station are displayed on the display screen provided at each work station of the production line. A data distribution means for providing a commit number display section for displaying a commit number, which represents the identification number of each product in the order of being carried into the production line, and for distributing the production instruction information including the commit number to each work station. And storage means for storing the commit number of the product to which the special part is to be assembled based on the production instruction information, and the commit number in the production instruction information distributed by the data distribution means by the storage means. In the comparison judgment means for comparing with the commit number and the production instruction information distributed by the data distribution means Of the production line provided with an alarm means for issuing an alarm to an operator who assembles the special part when the commit number of the particular part approaches a commit number stored by the storage means by a predetermined value. Work instruction device.