KR20020026066A - Development of manufacturing inspection system by using web camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for remotely monitoring manufacturing results of a flexible manufacturing system using a web camera is provided to increase the operation efficiency of an FMS by enabling remote multiple orderers to effectively and rationally share and use manufacturing facilities restricted to a specific company. CONSTITUTION: Digital images in setup and processing-complete state are obtained. A setup agent provides the digital images obtained through the Internet. Information on the setup and processing-complete state inputted from a field worker is provided through the Internet. Therefore, information on manufacturing results is provided to a remote client through the Internet. Digital image information in setup and processing-complete state is provided through the Internet. A setup station of an FMS provides the information in the setup and processing-complete state inputted from the field worker to external clients.

Description

Development of manufacturing monitoring system by using web camera {Development of manufacturing inspection system by using web camera}

The present invention relates to a remote monitoring method of the production performance of the FMS using a web camera, and more particularly to a method that can be used to monitor the production performance of the FMS in a remote distributed environment over the Internet.

Recently, factory automation has introduced a flexible manufacturing system (FMS), which is a production system capable of immediately accommodating and reflecting various consumer demands and market changes. FMS is a production system for small quantity batch production. Such a production system consists of a function that conveys materials, parts, tools, etc. between production machines, emphasizing flexibility, and operating software for operating them unattended. The return function, which is the main function of the FMS, has the function of returning to the FMS system and returning to the outside of the FMS system. Out-of-system transport of the FMS is via a setup station. The setup station includes a crane that allows the field operator to manually move the workpiece and a setup computer to enter the setup information for the workpiece. The setup controller software installed on the setup computer processes the setup information entered by the field worker. Information about the workpiece generated in the above manner is delivered to the system controller software of the FMS, and the system controller collects setup information and other information to perform FMS operation control.

At present, production performance of FMS is required for field workers to record using setup controller. The traditional method of referring to the production performance remotely is to call a field worker through a telephone. However, this method does not allow the remote monitor to visually check the actual machining state of the workpiece, which causes problems such as error and misunderstanding in the conversation with the field worker.

This information delivery and processing system is confined within a single FMS. Therefore, not only do not share information with another heterogeneous FMS, but also cannot remotely monitor the production performance information of the FMS.

Accordingly, the present invention is to provide a method for monitoring production performance through a web camera in a remote distributed environment using the Internet.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for remotely monitoring the production performance of FMS using a web camera.

In order to achieve the above object, a digital camera is installed in an existing FMS set-up station to obtain a digital image of a setup state of a workpiece and a workpiece finished state. Providing to the requesting client. The setup agent operates on the setup controller computer, which handles the console input of the field worker at the setup station. The field operator inputs the setup result of the material and the machining status of the workpiece into the setup controller using the console. Finally, the information input by the field worker is delivered to not only the setup controller but also to the setup agent, and provides the client with a request for setup information service through the Internet.

1 is a view showing a production model according to the Internet-based sharing method of small and medium sized FMS for remote multi-order.

2 is a diagram hierarchically showing a module configuration of a general entry type FMS.

Figure 3 shows a schematic general layout of a general entry type FMS.

4 is a diagram illustrating a wiring system of a general popular type FMS.

5 is a real picture of the setup station portion of a typical entry-level FMS.

6 is a configuration of operational control software of a general entry-level FMS.

7 is a view showing an example of the configuration of the operating software and the monitoring device for showing a preferred embodiment of the invention.

8 illustrates a specific implementation method of the invention.

Hereinafter, described in detail by the accompanying drawings as follows.

In order to achieve the above object, the method of remote monitoring the production performance of the FMS using the web camera according to the present invention comprises the steps of obtaining a digital image of the work setup and the finished state, and providing the digital image obtained as described above through the Internet. And providing, via the internet, the setup and processing status information input by the field worker.

Other objects and features of the present invention in addition to the above object will be apparent from the description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to Figure 1 will be described a preferred use example of the present invention.

FMS's operation control system can be operated at the same time by the manufacturer's manager and Web Agent to provide internet-based sharing function. In particular, the Web Agent provides services that can use the functions of the operational control system to remote multi-orderers as well as remote producers connected to the Internet.

Referring to FIG. 2, a module configuration of a general popular FMS is shown hierarchically. At the top is a system controller, which controls the production process and production schedule. The controllers (Cell Controller, Setup Controller, AGV Controller) located under the control the actual FMS facilities (PLC, MCT, RGVController, RGV, AS / RS, Setup Station, AGV) located below. Here, modules drawn in bold border (System Controller, Setup Controller, Setup Station) should be improved for the present invention, will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

Referring to Fig. 3, there is shown a schematic general arrangement of a general entry type FMS. In general, the FMS has a separate operation control room and a factory. In the operation control room, the hierarchical module configuration of FIG. 2 includes the highest level system control system. In the factory, controllers and FMS production equipment located under the operation control system are arranged. As shown in FIG. 2, modules drawn with a thick border in FIG. 3 should be improved for the present invention. The arrow of FIG. 3 represents a path in which a work requested by an ordering company is returned to an external FMS, and a field worker unmanned the work using a crane at a setup station. The unmanned transport trolley (AGV) is transferred to an external FMS setup station by transferring it to a pallet for an AGV. The field worker uses a setup controller to notify the system controller of the machining results and feed information of the workpiece.

Referring to FIG. 3, a setup station and a setup controller, which are transfer points between a top-level system controller and a unit FMS, are installed on the Internet in order to have an internet-based sharing structure of the FMS. Allow orderers and external producers to access and participate in operations.

5 shows an actual picture of the FMS production facility for accurate delivery of the general layout of FIG.

6 shows the software module configuration and application structure of the FMS operation control system.

Referring to FIG. 7, a configuration example of a web agent, a setup agent, and a surveillance camera for showing a correct operation example of the present invention is shown. The Web Agent establishes the interface indicated by the solid solid bar in FIG. 7 with the System Controller to indirectly operate the System Controller to external manufacturers and remote orderers connected to the Internet. To be accessible. The setup agent establishes an interface with a setup controller and transmits information input by a field worker at a setup station to a web agent. In addition, the setup agent delivers an image of the machining state of the work to the web agent through a camera installed in the setup station. Therefore, external producers and remote orderers can get the technical information and the image information of the workpieces by accessing the machining status of their workpieces from the FMS to the field worker level, so that they can feel the realistic sharing structure. In order to give the processing instruction to the processing machine that constitutes the actual FMS facility, the processing instruction is transmitted to the Programmable Login Controller (PLC) via the Cell Controller in the System Controller. Such a structure prevents the failure of the FMS production facility due to malicious intention and immaturity by preventing external producers or remote orderers from directly processing the FMS production facility in a shared structure via the Internet. The maintenance and security configuration is an example.

Referring to Figure 8, it can be described a specific operating method of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, when looking at the structure of an application, a part corresponding to an existing application is a setup controller, and a communication function uses a service provided by an OS. The setup agent software is installed here to deliver a digital image of the workpiece from the digital camera installed in the setup station to the system controller, which provides the image to remote clients via the Internet. In addition, when a field worker works at a setup station and enters setup information using the setup controller, the setup information is transmitted to the system controller, which provides the setup information to remote clients via the Internet.

As described above, the FMS remote monitoring method using a web camera according to the present invention has the advantage that can be effectively and reasonably share and use a limited number of production facilities limited to a specific company remotely.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the detailed description of the specification but should be defined by the claims.

Claims (3)

Obtaining a digital image of the workpiece set-up and finished state by remote monitoring method of production performance of FMS using a web camera; Providing the digital image obtained as described above by the setup agent through the Internet; A method of providing FMS production performance information to a remote client via the Internet through the step of providing setup and finishing status information input by a field worker via the Internet. The method of claim 1, A method of providing digital image information of a work piece set-up and finished state via the Internet using the above method. A method for providing an external client via the Internet with information on the setup and the finished state of a workpiece input by a field worker at the FMS setup station according to claim 1 or 2.