JPH09108999A - Transmitting-receiving method for data through utilization of network in production system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remove a check to the execution of task processing in a line hostcomputer by optionally transmitting and receiving data at any time between a production controlling computer and a line hostcomputer. SOLUTION: Line host computer LHC 1 or 2 reads out corresponding indication data from the data base of a data base server DBS according to referred definition content, and to host sequencers HPLC 1-3, the above data are downloaded to equipment sequencers PLC 1-30 having transmitted gateway request link relay, or report data which the equipment sequencer PLC 1-30 hold as information showing the present proceeding state of work are uploaded and transmitted to a data base server DBS. A production control computer PC reads out the report data registered in the data base as occasion demands.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention controls a production facility.
The present invention relates to a managing production system, and relates to a method of transmitting and receiving data using a network in the production system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a general production facility, a work is moved between a plurality of work stations constituting a main production line, and parts processed at a work station of a sub production line are processed by the main production line. The product is completed by supplying it to an appropriate work station and sequentially mounting and processing parts on the work moving on the main production line.

In such a production facility, the system configuration has a hierarchical structure. In other words, a facility sequencer is installed for each work unit at each work station to control the equipment that handles each work, and a host sequencer is provided for each group of related work units. It connects to a sequencer to form a lower layer network. Furthermore, a line host computer provided for each production line and each host sequencer are connected to form a middle-level network, and each line host computer is connected to a production management computer that manages the production of the entire factory. Form an upper layer network.

[0004]

In the above configuration, the line host computer displays the current progress status of the work process performed according to the production schedule on the production line, and the equipment sequencer displays data indicating the work status at each work station. They regularly carry out routine work according to pre-programmed procedures, such as routine collection from Further, communication between the line host computer and the production control computer is carried out in a message format.

As described above, since the line host computer carries out routine work, its processing capacity is short, and communication is performed in a message format on a regular basis. It has been difficult for the service computer to receive data from the line host computer at any time. Further, if the production management computer interrupts the line host computer and causes the line host computer to respond at any time, there is a problem that it becomes a factor that hinders the execution of task processing in the line host computer.

The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, in which the line host computer is allowed to carry out atypical work and at the same time, arbitrary data is transmitted and received between the production management computer and the line host computer. It is an object of the present invention to provide a data transmission / reception method using a network in a production system that can be performed.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, a method of transmitting and receiving data using a network in a production system according to claim 1 of the present invention is a production control for performing production control of the entire production system. Computer for connection to a line host computer provided for each subordinate production line to form an upper layer network, and each line host computer is connected with a host sequencer provided for each work section in the production line. In a multi-layered production system in which a lower layer network is formed by connecting each host sequencer to the equipment sequencer that carries out unit work in the relevant work division, a database is provided in the upper layer network. Connect a server and use the computer for production control to Instruction data, which is information related to industrial control, is sent to the database server and registered in the database. When download / upload is required from the equipment sequencer, a gateway request link relay for request is output, and this gateway request link relay is used as a lower layer network. To the host sequencer via the middle layer network from the host sequencer and received the gateway request link relay at the line host computer, open the gateway definition file stored in itself and open the gateway request link relay. Search the definition contents of download / upload, and according to the searched definition contents,
Read the corresponding instruction data from the database of the database server and download it to the equipment sequencer through the host sequencer, or upload the report data that the equipment sequencer holds as information indicating the progress of the current work and send it to the database server,
The production management computer reads the report data registered in the database when necessary.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data transmission / reception method using a network in a production system, comprising: a production management computer for performing production management of the entire production system; and a line host computer provided for each subordinate production line. To form an upper layer network, connect each line host computer to a host sequencer arranged for each work section in the production line to form a middle layer network, and form each host sequencer and the work section. In a production system with a multi-layer structure in which the equipment sequencer that handles unit work is connected to form a lower layer network, a database server is connected to the upper layer network and the production management computer Information related to production control is used as instruction data. While sending to the base server and registering in the database, download / upload instructions and current progress inquiry instructions are written as a request to the request file defined in the database, and the line host computer periodically updates the database request file. To read the unprocessed request written in the request file, read the corresponding instruction data from the database of the database server according to the content of the read request, and download it to the equipment sequencer via the host sequencer, or the equipment sequencer Upload the report data held as information showing the progress of the current work, send it to the database server, and use the production management computer to request the database. Regularly monitor the strike file, after confirming the completion of the request,
The configuration is such that the report data registered in the database is read out.

With the above configuration, the line host computer can perform atypical work in accordance with the request from the production management computer and the request from the equipment sequencer, and the equipment sequencer downloads or uploads at any time. The production management computer can request and perform processing, and the production management computer can instruct to perform download or upload at any time without interfering with the task processing of the equipment sequencer and perform processing. Arbitrary data can be transmitted / received between the line host computer and the equipment sequencer at any time.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a multi-layered production system in a casting manufacturing facility. The casting production process is roughly divided into a plurality of work sections. This work section is a collection of related unit work performed at each work station. The work section for core production and the pouring of molten metal into the mold. There is a work section for performing casting after that, a work section for performing processing after casting, and the like.

In each work category, equipment sequencers PLC1 to PLC30 for controlling those equipments are assigned to each equipment that carries out each unit work, and host sequencers HPLC1 to HPLC3 are assigned to each work category. , Each host sequencer HPLC 1-3 and the equipment sequencer PLC under each
1 to 30 are connected to form lower layer networks NET1 to NET3 such as a core sequencer network, a casting sequencer network, and a processing sequencer network.

Further, primary and secondary line host computers LHC1 and LHC provided for each production line and each host sequencer HP arranged for each work section in the production line.
Middle layer network NET4 connecting to LC1-3
Is formed. Also, a production management computer PC, which is an OA terminal for performing production management of the entire production system, line host computers LHC1 and LHC2 arranged for each subordinate production line, and a database server DBS are connected to connect to a higher layer network. Forming NET5.

In the above-mentioned structure, the database server DBS is equipped with a database, and the production manager makes a database of instruction data, which is information relating to production management such as a production schedule, from the production management computer PC through the upper layer network NET5. Server DBS
Send to and register in the database. The case where the equipment sequencer PLC makes a request and the case where the production management computer PC makes a request will be separately described below.

1. When the equipment sequencer PLC makes a request Downloading that changes the program or transmits data in the equipment sequencer PLC as the production plan progresses.
When uploading is necessary, the facility requester PLC outputs a request gateway request link relay. This gateway request link relay is assigned four points for each equipment sequencer PLC, and is connected to the host sequencer HP through lower layer networks NET1 to NET3.
Send to LC1-3, host sequencer HPLC1-3
To the line host computer LHC through the middle layer network NET4.

Upon receiving the gateway request link relay, the line host computers LHC1 and LHC2 open the gateway definition file stored therein and retrieve the download / upload definition contents corresponding to the link relay number designated by the gateway request link relay. . The content of the record of this gateway definition file is as shown in FIG. 2, and a record is set for each link relay number transmitted by the gateway request link relay.

The line host computers LHC1 and LHC2 read out the corresponding instruction data from the database of the database server DBS according to the retrieved definition contents and, through the host sequencers HPLC1 to HPLC3, the equipment sequencer PL which issued the gateway request link relay.
The report data is downloaded to the C1 to 30, or the equipment sequencer PLCs 1 to 30 upload the report data held as information indicating the progress of the current work and send it to the database server DBS.

The production management computer PC reads out the report data registered in the database when necessary. 2. When the production management computer makes a request From the production management computer PC to the equipment sequencer PLC
When instructing to download / upload and inquire about the current progress status, write the instruction as a request in the request file defined in the database. This request file is as shown in FIG. 3, and is additionally recorded and registered as a record for each request.

Each line host computer LHC periodically monitors the request file of the database, confirms whether there is a subordinate equipment sequencer PLC, and finds an unprocessed request written in the request file. In this case, processing is performed in the order of records according to the contents of the read request.

If the request is a download,
The line host computer LHC reads the corresponding instruction data from the database of the database server DBS, and downloads it to the designated equipment sequencer PLC 1 to 30 through the host sequencer HPLC 1 to 3.
If the request is an upload, the line host computer LHC sends the specified equipment sequencer PL.
The C1 to 30 upload report data held as information indicating the progress of the current work and send it to the database server DBS. Further, the line host computer LHC advances the processing while updating the value of each flag of the record describing the request according to the progress of the processing.

The production management computer PC periodically monitors the request file in the database and, after confirming the completion of each request, reads the report data registered in the database.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention, the line host computer can perform atypical work according to the request from the production control computer and the request from the equipment sequencer. Can perform processing by requesting download or upload at any time, and the production management computer does not hinder the execution of the task processing of the equipment sequencer.
The processing can be performed by instructing download or upload at any time, and arbitrary data can be transmitted and received between the production management computer, the line host computer, and the equipment sequencer at any time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a record of a gateway definition file in the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a record of a request file in the same embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 PLC Equipment sequencer HPLC host sequencer NET network LHC line host computer PC Production control computer DBS database server

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yukio Fujiwara 1-247 Shikitsu Higashi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture Kubota Corporation

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An upper layer network is formed by connecting a production management computer for controlling production of the entire production system and a line host computer arranged for each subordinate production line, and each line host computer and the production line concerned. In order to form a middle layer network by connecting the host sequencers arranged for each work section in the above, each host sequencer is connected to the equipment sequencer that is responsible for unit work in the work section to form a lower layer network. In the multi-layered production system, the database server is connected to the upper layer network, and the production management computer sends instruction data, which is information related to production management such as production schedule, to the database server and registers it in the database. Download / upload from PLC Outputs the gateway request link relay for requests when needed,
The gateway request link relay is sent to the host sequencer through the lower layer network, is sent from the host sequencer to the line host computer through the middle layer network, and the line host computer that receives the gateway request link relay stores the gateway in itself. Open the definition file and search for the definition of download / upload for the gateway request link relay,
According to the definition contents retrieved, the corresponding instruction data is read from the database of the database server and downloaded to the equipment sequencer via the host sequencer, or the report data that the equipment sequencer holds as information indicating the progress of the current work is uploaded. A method for transmitting and receiving data using a network in a production system, which comprises transmitting the data to a database server and reading out the report data registered in the database by a production management computer when necessary. 2. A production management computer for controlling production of the entire production system and a line host computer arranged for each subordinate production line are connected to form an upper layer network, and each line host computer and the production line concerned. In order to form a middle layer network by connecting the host sequencers arranged for each work section in the above, each host sequencer is connected to the equipment sequencer that is responsible for unit work in the work section to form a lower layer network. In the multi-layered production system, the database server is connected to the upper layer network, and the production management computer sends information related to production management such as production schedule to the database server as instruction data and registers it in the database. Download / upload instructions And the instruction of inquiry of the current progress status is written as a request in the request file defined in the database, the request file of the database is regularly monitored by the line host computer, and the unprocessed request written in the request file is read, According to the content of the read request, the corresponding instruction data is read from the database of the database server and downloaded to the equipment PLC through the host sequencer, or the report data that the equipment PLC holds as information indicating the progress of the current work is uploaded. Sent to the database server, the production management computer regularly monitors the database request file, and after confirming the completion of the request, it was registered in the database. A method of transmitting and receiving data using a network in a production system, which is characterized by reading report data.