JPH08175625A - Delivery order controlling method for automatic warehouse - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To smoothly deliver the manufactured parts in the arrival order onto a taking-out conveyer so as to shorten a time required for delivering a single lot by setting the manufactured parts in the same delivery lot to the same order and sequentially delivering the manufactured parts arriving at the taking- out conveyor according the arrival order among the manufactured parts in the same delivery order. CONSTITUTION: In a delivery order controlling method, by which delivery order of parts is controlled on the basis of a delivery instruction when the parts are conveyed to an automatic warehouse provided with plural shelf installations so as to be stored/delivered, in the automatic warehouse, a delivery lot is set according to specification information and the numbers of the parts to be delivered, and a delivery instruction is given to the delivery lot, and then, the delivery parts in the delivery lot are set to the same delivery order. The order of arrival at a taking-out conveyer from plural shelf installations of the delivery parts in the same set delivery order is set as the taking-out order, and according to the set taking-out order, the delivery parts are delivered.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of managing delivery order in an automatic warehouse, which manages entry and exit based on data for instructing the delivery of production parts in a transfer facility of an automatic warehouse in a factory.

[0002] For example, in an automatic warehouse for constant number management, a predetermined number of various kinds of production parts required for assembling a vehicle are stocked at a production factory and immediately supplied to a production line at a necessary time. When arranging various large and small production parts and moving them in and out efficiently, the production parts are automatically conveyed and stored in an appropriate empty shelf, and the desired production parts are automatically taken out and conveyed again. It is important to be able to get out and issue.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view for explaining a general automatic warehouse system that manages the stock status while controlling conventional warehouse equipment. In FIG. 11, the automatic warehouse system is
Warehouse equipment for stocking production parts and stocking them 1.
, ..., and transfer equipment 2a, 2b for transferring production parts to and from the warehouse equipment 1, 1 ,.
, And control equipment 3 for controlling the operation of the transportation equipment 2a, 2b. The transfer facilities 2a and 2b are provided with a storage facility 2a for entering the warehouse on the upper floor and a delivery facility 2b for discharging the warehouse on the lower floor. Each production part is placed on a pallet that is a pedestal, carried in from the storage port 2c of the storage facility 2a, stored in any position of the designated warehouse facility 1, 1, ... And at another designated position. It is designed to be taken out from the container and carried out to the delivery port 2d of the delivery facility 2b. In addition, 4 is a lift facility for connecting the outlet 2d and the inlet 2c.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory view for concretely explaining the warehouse equipment in FIG. In FIG. 12, the warehouse facility 1 is composed of an automatic carrier 11 for transporting production parts and a plurality of shelving facilities 5. The shelving facility 5 has a large number of component shelves 12 for storing the production parts. , 12, ... Are arranged vertically and horizontally to form one shelf row 6. Automatic carrier 11
Guides the pallet 13 from the warehousing and unloading facilities 2a, 2b along the traveling path 15 by the guidance control device 14 for placing the production parts via the pallet 13 and guiding the pallet 13 in the lateral direction. It is configured to be transported and lifted up to the parts shelf 12a instructed by an elevator (not shown) to be stored.

FIG. 13 is a functional block diagram for schematically explaining control of the automatic warehouse in FIG. 13, the automatic warehouse is controlled by a sequence control device 31 that controls the entire sequence relating to loading and unloading, a transfer control device 32 that controls the loading and unloading facilities 2a and 2b, and monitoring the progress of loading and unloading. It is composed of an instruction device 33 for instructing. The sequence control device 31 has an input / output interface 31a that processes input / output, a communication interface 31b that processes communication with a support system (not shown) that supports the automated warehouse system, and an input / output, in addition to a part that controls the sequence itself. And the communication interfaces 31a and 31b are collectively managed, and the management section 31c introduces and recognizes the state of the automatic warehouse, forms control data, and sends the control data. Guidance control device 1 for controlling storage and delivery facilities 2a, 2b
The automatic guided vehicles 11, 11, ... The instruction device 33 is connected to the management unit 31c via the input / output interface 31a, and is operated by automatic warehouse management software for instructing entry / exit while monitoring the sequence control of entry / exit and managing inventory. .

FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing a general procedure for controlling the automatic warehouse in FIG. 14, in the control of the automatic warehouse, the management device 31 classifies various management items by the instruction device 33 and sets the management items in advance in the management unit 31a, and the production device to be put in and out is designated by the instruction device 33. In / out instruction step S2 for instructing entry / exit by a command, control step S3 for sequence in which the management section 31c controls a sequence related to management items according to the entry / exit instruction, and the management section 31c controls the management item based on the result of the sequence control. Update item S for updating management items
It is made up of four parts and manages inventory while operating the mechanical part of the automated warehouse. The management items include information indicating specifications regarding the form of the production parts, and the parts shelves 12, 12, ...
It includes the shelf data indicating the stock status in.

[0007]

By the way, in the conventional method of managing the delivery order, the delivery order of one production component is determined in the order in which the jobs are output from the control device to the automated guided vehicle for the shelves. In the case of a pallet that has a delivery order later and has arrived at the delivery conveyor first (that is, a production part placed on the pallet), if the pallet ahead of the delivery order is not yet delivered, the pallet ahead of the delivery order. It was necessary to wait until the product was delivered to the payout conveyor, and it took time to deliver one lot. In addition, if there is a gap between the actual product and the storage / delivery information on the payout conveyor, or a trouble occurs, it is necessary to correct the storage / delivery information while confirming the delivery order, which requires man-hours.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the production parts of the same delivery lot have the same delivery order, and the production parts of the same delivery lot are delivered in order from the production part that first arrives at the payout conveyor. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of managing the delivery order in an automated warehouse that solves the problem.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and when a component is transferred to and from an automated warehouse equipped with a plurality of shelving facilities, the component is issued in response to a delivery instruction. In the method of managing the shipping order in an automatic warehouse that manages the shipping order, the shipping lot is set by the specification information of the shipping parts to be shipped and the number of the shipping parts, and a shipping instruction is issued to the shipping lot. The delivery parts are set to have the same delivery order, and when the delivery parts having the same delivery order that have been set are delivered, the order of arrival at the delivery conveyor from the plurality of shelf equipments is set as the delivery order, and the set order is set. Based on the payout order, a method of managing the shipping order in an automated warehouse that is carried out on the payout conveyor was adopted. Further, when the parts for the highest-priority shipping lot among the shipping lots are no longer in the shipping area, the shipping order of the automated warehouse is obtained by subtracting the shipping ranks of all the shipping lots of the next-ranked shipping lot at the same time. May be used as a management method.

[0010]

According to the present invention, based on the above-mentioned structure, a delivery lot is set by the specification information of the delivery parts to be delivered and the number of the delivery parts, and when the delivery instruction is issued to the delivery lot, the delivery parts in the delivery lot are identified. The same delivery order is set, and when the delivery parts of the set delivery order are delivered, the order of arrival at the delivery conveyor from the plurality of shelving equipment is set as the delivery order, and the delivery order is set. Based on this, the goods are delivered to the payout conveyor. Further, when the shipping parts of the shipping lot having the highest priority shipping order among the shipping lots disappear from the shipping area, the shipping orders of all shipping lots subsequent to the shipping lot of the next order are subtracted all at once.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the present invention in an automatic warehouse of a factory will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The method of managing the delivery order in the automated warehouse according to the present invention is included in the instruction step S2 of the entry and exit and the control step S3 of the sequence shown in FIG.

First, a method of managing the delivery order in an automatic warehouse according to claim 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the parts delivery procedure is started (step 20)
1) A step of creating a shipping lot by inputting the specification information of the shipping parts to be shipped and the number of products (step 202), and a step of issuing a shipping lot to the created shipping lot (step 20).
3), the stage of setting the delivery order of the delivery parts of the delivery lot (step 204), the stage of setting the delivery order of each delivery part of the delivery lot (step 205), and the delivery of each delivery part of the delivery lot in the delivery order. It comprises steps (step 206).

Then, a method of managing the delivery order in the automated warehouse according to claim 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. When the parts delivery procedure is started (Step 3
01), the delivery order of all delivery parts of the highest priority delivery lot instructed delivery is set to "1" (step 302), and it is determined whether or not there is a delivery part with a delivery order of "1" in the delivery area. (Step 303), it is repeatedly determined in step 303 until the shipping part having the shipping order “1” is not present (NO), and the shipping part having the shipping order “1” is present in the shipping area in step 303. If not (NO), the shipping order of the shipping lots after the highest-priority shipping lot is subtracted (step 304).

Next, referring to FIG. 3, the method of managing the delivery order in the automatic warehouse according to the present invention will be described more specifically.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a method of managing the delivery order in the automated warehouse according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, 11 is an automatic guided vehicle from No. 1 to No. 6, 2b is a delivery conveyor, 18 is a delivery conveyor, 19 is a turn for receiving a pallet from the delivery conveyor 18 and transferring it to the delivery conveyor 2b. Table, A01, A02, B01, B02,
C01, C02, D01, D02, E01, E02, F
Reference numerals 01 and F02 indicate a payout machine area, and 20 indicates a confluence point where the pallets paid out from the payout machine area B01 join the payout conveyor 18. The payout machine areas A01, C01, D01, E01, F0
A merging point is also provided on the payout conveyor 18 in the pallet payout direction of No. 1.

The pallets of the same delivery lot are given the same delivery order, and in the case of the same delivery order, the delivery order (delivery order) is determined according to the order of arrival at the payout machine area. For example, in the payout machine area of 12, the B0 is the first in the pallet with the shipping order “1”.
Assuming that the first pallet 13a arrives and the second C01 pallet 13b arrives, the pallet 13a is first delivered to the confluence point 20 of the payout conveyor 18, and the pallet 13b is secondly joined to the payout conveyor 18. Be paid out to the point. Then, the pallets 13a and 13b delivered to the delivery conveyor 18 are the delivery conveyor 1
8 is conveyed by 8 and is transferred and delivered to the delivery conveyor 2b via the turntable 19. In this way,
If there is no pallet with a delivery order of "1" on all delivery machine areas, delivery conveyors 18 and delivery conveyors 2b, and there is no delivery order "1" in the delivery command to each automatic carrier 11, all The shipping order of the area is "-
1 ”.

The conditions under which the pallet 13a seated at B01 can merge at the merge point 20 will be described below. There is no pallet on the payout conveyor 18. Automatic guided vehicle No.1, automatic guided vehicle No.3, there are no seats in the payout machine areas A01, A02, C01, C02, or the shipping order is all higher (after) than the pallet 13a of B01.
Is. No delivery command is given to the automatic guided vehicle No. 1, or the delivery order is higher (after) than the pallet 13a of B01. No delivery command is given to the automatic guided vehicle No. 3, or the delivery order is higher (after) than the pallet 13a of B01. When all of the above are satisfied, the pallet 13a of B01 can join.

Therefore, the pallets of the same delivery lot are given the same delivery order, and among the pallets having the same delivery order, the pallets arriving first in the delivery machine area are delivered to the delivery conveyor in order. It is not necessary to wait until the pallet that arrives first at the delivery conveyor after the delivery order in units of one unit comes out to the delivery conveyor, and the pallet is placed in the delivery machine area. The items are smoothly delivered to the delivery conveyor in the order of arrival and delivered, and the time required to deliver one lot can be shortened. Further, in the pallets having the same delivery order, the pallets arriving at any one of the 12 delivery machine areas are delivered to the delivery conveyor in order. It is not paid, and it is paid out evenly, so that it is possible to keep the stock evenly in each rack row.

Even if the warehousing and unloading information is lost, if the warehousing order of all pallets on the payout conveyor is set to "1", the warehousing can be carried out smoothly. When the delivery order “1” is no longer present in the delivery conveyor and the automated guided vehicle delivery job command area, the delivery order of all delivery lots after the delivery lot of the next order is set to “−1”, so that the delivery order is always from 1 to 1. It is in the range of 18 and the number is small, it is easy for the operator to see and understand, and because the shipping order is not added, the place to write the shipping order of shipping lot data (memory storage capacity; number of bytes) is small, and overflows. Nothing.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view schematically showing the apparatus of the embodiment according to the method of the present invention. In FIG. 4, the main part of this device is a second sequence control device 35 according to the method of the present invention, and second instruction devices 36a, 3 for instructing this.
6b and 36c, and other points are the same as those of the conventional example in FIG. Second indicating devices 36a, 36b,
36c displays the specifications of the production parts and the figures relating to the control state of the automatic warehouse 1 in a preset format, inputs a specific position in the automatic warehouse 1 and management work to the second sequence control device 35, and The operator confirms the control state, and instructs the operation related to the loading and unloading of the production parts by pressing the graphic.

One of the second indicating devices is arranged at the above-mentioned entrance 2c, the other one is arranged at the exit 2d, and the remaining one is arranged as a comprehensive monitoring and standby machine including stock status. However, the warehousing instruction, the warehousing instruction, and the stock state correction operation can be independently performed. It should be noted that one or two devices may be used as long as each device is used in common, and four or more devices may be added for combined use. Specifically, C
It is realized by a well-known touch panel or touch screen having an RT or LCD display, in which a plurality of screens are initialized to design arbitrary figures,
It is designed to detect that the operator has pressed each divided area assigned to a specific part of this figure, and form and send an instruction command corresponding to this divided area. The operator may touch each part of the body with a part of the body to instruct the automatic warehouse system.

The second sequence control device 35 receives the instruction of the loading / unloading operation from the plurality of second instructing devices 36a, 36b, 36c and notifies the control state of the automatic warehouse.
Input / output interface 35a and a second communication interface 3 that receives a request from a new support system (not shown) that supports the automated warehouse and provides the requested information.
5b and second interfaces 3 for input / output and communication
5a and 35b, and a second management unit 35c that comprehensively manages the first sequence control device 31.
It is also possible to execute the same function as. Specifically, it is realized by a known sequence controller, sequencer or the like, but any other means may be used as long as it has a programmable control unit. The new support system (not shown) has software such as a monitor program developed for use in the second sequence control device 35 and the second instruction devices 36a, 36b, 36c, There is no difference from the conventional support system.

The second input / output interface 35a is
The second instruction devices 36a, 36b, 36 are used as input / output buffers for receiving the operator's instruction while designating the type of display screen.
Each of the input / output buffers is provided to the second management unit 3 via a multiplexer that has a designation for each of these c, distributes these types of designations to each, and collects the acceptance of the instructions from each.
5c is connected. The second management unit 35c includes an application program for managing entry and exit and inventory, and this application program receives entry and exit instructions from the operator and displays entry and exit while managing inventory status. And a state monitoring unit that monitors and manages the operating state, and is connected to the second communication interface 35b via a common memory.
The condition monitoring unit is designed to
In addition to starting the correction of the conveyance deviation and the correction of the inventory abnormality by performing the interruption process in the warehousing / discharging instructing unit, they can be independently executed as required by the instruction of the operator.

Next, referring to the steps of FIGS. 1 and 2,
The method of determining the receiving destination in the automated warehouse according to the present invention will be described with reference to the display screens displayed on the second instruction devices 36a, 36b, 36c in FIG. FIG. 5 shows the outgoing lot registration table screen when the outgoing lot is set from the second instruction device 36a, 36b, 36c. As shown in the figure, 101 parts are scroll keys, and the scroll keys are touched. Then, the issue lot registration table scrolls up and down to check the issue lots already registered.
If you touch the frame of the 02nd batch “Outgoing lot setting screen”,
The screen switches to a new shipping lot setting screen as shown in. The display screen of the second instruction device is a touch panel, and the touch panel detects that each divided area assigned to a figure on the screen has been pressed and sends the instruction content corresponding to this divided area. It is supposed to do.

Then, the contents set last time are displayed in the 103 part shown in FIG. 6, and when the part to be changed is touched,
The screen switches to the screen shown in FIG. Then, when each item of 104 parts which is the selection part of FIG. 7 is selected and touched, the screen is automatically switched in the order of “model”-“destination”-“painting color”-“masking”-“type”. . On the other hand, by touching an arbitrary frame of 105 sets, it is possible to switch to an arbitrary setting screen. Then, after the final item “type” is set or when 106 copies of the “delivery setting” frame are touched, the screen changes to the screen shown in FIG. 8. If the setting contents are OK on the screen shown in FIG. Touching the "checking the shipping settings" frame switches to the shipping number setting screen shown in FIG. 9 (a). In addition, in FIGS. 6 to 9, it is indicated that the shaded portion has already been set.

On the number-of-delivery-units setting screen shown in FIG. 9A, the number of units is entered with the numeric keys and 108 copies are made by touching the "write key".
When the display and setting are performed in the frame, and then the 110-unit “delivery number setting confirmation OK” frame is touched to complete the delivery lot setting, the drawing shown in FIG. 9B is displayed, and the next lot can be set. On the other hand, if the user touches the “setting interruption” frame for copy 111 on the screen shown in FIG. 9A, the number setting is interrupted and the screen returns to the screen in FIG. 8.

On the screen shown in FIG. 9B, 11
When the "Return to Departure Lot Table Screen" frame for 3 copies is touched, the screen switches to the "Outgoing Lot Registration Table" shown in FIG. In addition, FIG.
In (c), when the lot of the 115th part "NO.0" indicates the lot being executed, and when the delivery job is output to each machine of the automatic guided vehicle, the 116th "remaining number" is subtracted, and the "remaining number" When “0” is reached, the lot of “NO.0” is erased and the lots of NO.1 and later are shifted up.

Then, 117 copies "C / V tracking" in the output lot registration table display screen shown in FIG. 9C.
When is touched, the pallet tracking status of the payout conveyor and the delivery conveyor is displayed as shown in FIG. By touching the frame of the illuminated area in each area of 120 sets, the details of the palette data of the area is displayed in the upper right of the screen, and the details of the palette data of the area can be confirmed. Also, FIG.
0 (b) is an enlarged view of the area shown in FIG. 10 (a), in which the area name is displayed in the upper left and the delivery order is displayed in the lower right.
The lit area frame indicates that a pallet is present in the area. Then, when all "1" s disappear in the shipping order display, all shipping orders are "-1".
To be done.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, when the delivery order "1" is exhausted, all delivery orders are "-1" at the same time.
It is not necessarily limited to "1" or "-1",
Of course, subtraction is sufficient. Further, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, for example, the configuration of the graphic on each screen, various modes are allowed based on the actual transport route of the automatic warehouse, each partial screen, The figure of each operation key displayed therein may be slightly reduced and simply displayed on the screen in the correction operation unit. Further, the display of the processing status of each function on the screen may be used in combination, or may be colored, enlarged, or emphasized by a graphic or animation. Of course, various changes can be made in the range.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, the delivery parts of the same delivery lot have the same delivery order, and among the delivery parts of the same delivery order, the delivery parts that first arrive at the payout conveyor are sequentially placed. Since the goods are delivered to the delivery conveyor, as in the conventional case, the delivery order for each delivery part is later, and the delivery parts that arrive earlier at the delivery conveyor are the delivery parts for the delivery order of one delivery part. There is no need to wait until the product comes out to the payout conveyor, and the outgoing parts are smoothly shipped to the payout conveyor in the order in which they arrive, and the time required to take out one lot can be shortened.
Further, among the outgoing parts having the same outgoing order, the outgoing parts that first arrive at the outgoing conveyor are put out to the outgoing conveyor in order, so that the outgoing parts are not shifted from one shelf equipment continuously and evenly. Goods are issued so that each of the shelving equipment can be stocked evenly. Further, even if the shipping / unloading information is corrupted, the shipping can be smoothly carried out by setting the shipping order of all shipping parts on the payout conveyor to the highest priority.

Further, when the delivery parts of the delivery lot having the highest priority delivery order are removed from the delivery area, the delivery orders of all the delivery lots after the delivery lot of the next order are subtracted all at once, so that the delivery order is always a fixed number. It is within the range, the number is small, the operator can instantly recognize and understand it, and the shipping order is not added. Therefore, the place to write the shipping order of shipping lot data (memory storage capacity; number of bytes) is small. , It never overflows.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a method of managing a shipping order in an automated warehouse according to claim 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a method of managing a shipping order in an automated warehouse according to claim 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of managing a shipping order in an automated warehouse according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view schematically showing an apparatus using the method of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a shipping lot registration table screen of a second instruction device.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a shipping lot setting screen when a shipping lot is set from a second instruction device.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a shipping lot setting screen for each item when a shipping lot is set.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a shipping lot setting screen in which each item is already set when a shipping lot is set.

9A is a delivery number setting screen, FIG. 9B is a delivery lot setting screen for setting the next delivery lot, and FIG. 9C is a confirmation screen of set delivery lots.

FIG. 10 (a) is a display screen showing tracking status of pallets on a payout conveyor and a delivery conveyor;
FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of the area portion shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a general automatic warehouse system that manages inventory status while controlling conventional warehouse equipment.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram for specifically explaining the warehouse facility in FIG.

13 is a functional block diagram schematically illustrating control of the automated warehouse in FIG.

FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing a procedure relating to an instruction for warehousing and unloading in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Warehousing Equipment 2a Warehousing Equipment 2b Warehousing Equipment 3 Control Equipment 5 Shelving Equipment 6 Shelf Row 11 Automated Transport Vehicle 13 Pallet 14 Guidance Control Device 15 Traveling Road 18 Discharge Conveyor 19 Turntable 31 Sequence Control Device 32 Transfer Control Device 33 Indication Device 35 No. Second sequence control device 36a, 36b, 36c Second instruction device

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── --- Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kazuhiro Uchida 1907 Hirata-cho, Suzuka-shi, Mie Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Suzuka Works

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A method for managing the order of delivery in an automatic warehouse, which manages the order in which parts are delivered according to a delivery instruction when the parts are transferred to and from an automated warehouse equipped with a plurality of shelving facilities. When a shipping lot is set based on the specification information of the parts and the number of units, and a shipping instruction is issued to the shipping lot, the shipping parts in the shipping lot are set to have the same shipping order, and the shipping parts having the set shipping order are set. When the payout is performed, the order of arrival at the payout conveyor from the plurality of shelving facilities is set as the payout order, and the goods are delivered to the payout conveyor based on the set payout order. How to manage the shipping order. 2. When the shipping parts of the shipping lot having the highest priority shipping order among the shipping lots disappear from the shipping area,
2. The method of managing the shipping order in an automated warehouse according to claim 1, wherein the shipping orders of all shipping lots subsequent to the next shipping batch are subtracted all at once.