TWI552937B - Automatic guiding system, control method and automatic guiding apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Automatic guided handling system, control method and automatic guiding and conveying device thereof

The present invention relates to an automatic handling system, and more particularly to a group-controlled automatic guided handling system, control method and automatic guided handling device thereof.

With the rise of global labor costs and rapid industrial changes, the manufacturing industry is facing strong competitive pressures and cost pressures. Customers are increasingly demanding product prices, quality and timeliness, so companies have introduced computer integrated manufacturing (Computer Integrated Manufacturing; CIM) to achieve automated production, reduce labor costs and improve product quality and manufacturing speed. The Manufacturing Execution System (MES) is the most important part of CIM and can be used to collect information directly related to the manufacturing process and to issue relevant manufacturing instructions, such as feeding and handling.

Automatic Guiding Vehicle (AGV) or Automatic Guiding Forklift (AGF) can be used to replace manpower for unmanned handling, feeding, feeding, etc. The MES system will be used by the vehicle control server. The control and task assignment of the automatic guided truck inside. The MES system issues relevant feeding information to the vehicle control server. The vehicle control server will dispatch the vehicle and route according to the feeding information, and then control the automatic guiding truck to carry out the relevant feeding procedure.

Since there is only one vehicle control server, if there are many tasks or the network transmission environment is bad, the system stability will be reduced, and all data transmission, path planning and calculation are handled by the vehicle control server. Ways will reduce system flexibility Degree, but also make the calculation of the car control server too large and affect the system performance, can not immediately transfer data to the automatic guided truck.

The reason is that the present inventors have felt that the above problems can be improved, and that the present invention has been deliberately studied and used in conjunction with the theory, and a present invention which is reasonable in design and effective in improving the above problems has been proposed.

The invention provides an automatic guiding and conveying system, which can control the automatic guiding and conveying device grouping, thereby reducing the calculation amount of the vehicle control server and improving the flexibility and stability of the system.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an automatic guided handling system including a manufacturing execution system, a vehicle control server, and a plurality of automatic guiding handling devices. The vehicle control server is electrically connected to the manufacturing execution system for receiving a feed information from the manufacturing execution system. A plurality of automatic guided transport devices are wirelessly coupled to the vehicle controlled server. Wherein, the vehicle control server divides the automatic guiding and conveying devices into a plurality of groups, wherein a first group of the groups has a plurality of first automatic guiding and conveying devices. One of the first automatic guiding conveyance devices is set as a first servo conveying device, and the other first automatic guiding conveying devices are set as one or a plurality of first terminal conveying devices. The vehicle control server sends the feeding information to the first servo conveying device of the first group, and the first servo conveying device respectively assigns the first terminal conveying device to perform a corresponding feeding program according to the feeding information, wherein the first terminal conveying device is configured according to each Do not plan the path and feed by the corresponding feeding program.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a second group of the groups has a plurality of second automatic guiding and transporting devices, and one of the second automatic guiding and transporting devices is configured as a second servo carrying device. The other second automatic guiding and conveying devices are set as one or more second terminal handling devices, and the vehicle control server sends the feeding information to the second servo handling device of the second group, the second servo handling device The device respectively assigns the second terminal handling devices to perform corresponding feeding according to the feeding information The program, wherein the second terminal handling devices independently plan the path and the feeding according to the respective corresponding feeding programs.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the first servo transport device sets a first identity code of its own, and sets a corresponding one for each of the first terminal transport devices according to the requirements of the first terminal transport devices. The second identity code stores the first identity code and the second identity code in a lookup table.

In an embodiment of the invention, the vehicle control server groups the automatic guided handling devices according to the vehicle category or region to form the groups.

In an embodiment of the invention, when the first servo handling device is disabled in the first group, one of the first terminal handling devices actively replenishes to replace the first servo handling device, and returns the vehicle. Control the server and notify other first terminal handling devices.

In an embodiment of the invention, the first servo handling device collects the states of the first terminal handling devices and reports to the vehicle control server.

From another point of view, the present invention provides a control method for the above-described automatic guided handling system. The automatic guided handling system includes a manufacturing execution system, a vehicle control server and a plurality of automatic guiding handling devices. The control method comprises the following steps: The automatic guiding and conveying devices are divided into a plurality of groups; one of the plurality of first automatic guiding and conveying devices in one of the first group is set as a first servo handling device, and the other is The first automatic guiding and transporting device is configured as one or more first terminal handling devices; and transmitting the feeding information to the first servo handling device of the first group, so that the first servo handling device is based on the feeding information The first terminal handling devices are respectively assigned to perform corresponding feeding programs, wherein the first terminal handling devices independently plan paths and feeds according to respective corresponding feeding programs.

From another point of view, the present invention provides an automatic guided handling device that is wirelessly coupled to the vehicle control server, the automatic guided handling device being located in a group set by the vehicle control server, characterized in that the automatic The guiding handling device will look for whether there is a servo handling device in the group, and if not, the automatic guiding carrier Setting itself as the servo handling device, and setting other automatic guiding handling devices in the group as one or more first terminal handling devices, and then receiving a feeding information from the vehicle control server, and according to the feeding The information respectively assigns the first terminal handling devices in the group to perform corresponding feeding procedures, so that the second terminal handling devices independently plan the path and the feeding according to the respective corresponding feeding programs.

In summary, the present invention groups the automatic guided handling devices and sets the servo handling devices to be used as servers in the group, thereby reducing the amount of calculation of the vehicle controlled server and increasing the flexibility and stability of the system.

In order to further understand the technology, method and effect of the present invention in order to achieve the intended purpose, reference should be made to the detailed description and drawings of the present invention. The drawings and the annexed drawings are intended to be illustrative and not to limit the invention.

100‧‧‧Automatic guided handling system

110‧‧‧ Manufacturing Execution System

120‧‧‧Car Control Server

130, 140‧‧‧ groups

131~134‧‧‧Automatic guided handling device

141~144‧‧‧Automatic guided handling device

S210~S250‧‧‧ Flowchart steps

S310~350‧‧‧ Flowchart steps

S410~440‧‧‧ Flowchart steps

S510~540‧‧‧ Flowchart steps

S610~640‧‧‧ Flowchart steps

1 is a schematic view of an automated guided handling system in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flow chart showing a control method of the automatic guided transport system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a flow chart showing the startup of the automatic guided handling device in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a flow chart showing the setting of the servo handling device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a flow chart showing the setting of the terminal handling device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a flow chart showing a control method of the automatic guide conveying device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[First Embodiment]

Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an automatic guided handling system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The automated guided handling system 100 includes a manufacturing execution system (Manufacturing The execution system 110, the vehicle control server 120, and a plurality of automatic guiding apparatuses 131 to 134 and 141 to 144. The automatic guiding conveyance devices 131 to 134 and 141 to 144 are, for example, an automatic guiding vehicle (AGV) or an automatic guiding forklift (AGF). The vehicle control server 120 can be electrically connected to the manufacturing execution system 110 via a wired network or a wireless network for receiving feed information from the manufacturing execution system 110. The automatic guided transport devices 131-134, 141-144 are wirelessly coupled to the vehicle control server 120, and can be divided into a plurality of groups 130, 140 according to, but not limited to, vehicle type, area, usage requirements, and the like. The division of the groups 130, 140 can be determined by the vehicle control server 120 or manually determined by the administrator, and the embodiment is not limited. In this embodiment, the two groups 130 and 140 are taken as an example for description. In this embodiment, the number of groups can be increased or decreased according to usage requirements, and the number of automatic guiding and transporting devices in each group can be adjusted. This embodiment is not applicable to this embodiment. limit. The vehicle control server 120 may group the automatic guided transport devices 131-134, 141-144 according to the vehicle type or region to form the groups 130, 140. It should be noted that the vehicle control server 120 can set all the automatic guiding and transporting devices 131~134, 141~144 having the same function into the same group or into multiple groups. This embodiment does not limit the group. The way and the number of distinctions.

At the start of the system, one of the groups 130, 140 will have an automatic guided transport device set as a servo transport device for managing other automated guided transport devices in the same group. Taking group 130 as an example, it includes four automatic guiding and transporting devices 131-134, wherein one of the automatic guiding and transporting devices 131-134 is automatically set as the servo carrying device in the group 130, in the same group 130. The other automatic guide conveyance devices 131 to 134 are set as the terminal conveyance device. For example, the automatic guide transport device 131 can be set as a servo transport device, and the automatic guide transport devices 132-134 can be configured as a terminal transport device. The automatic guiding and transporting device 131 can receive the feeding information sent by the vehicle control server 120, and then assign another terminal conveying device to perform a corresponding feeding program according to the feeding information, wherein the terminal conveying device (automatic guiding and conveying device 132-134) will According to the respective corresponding feeding program Line planning path and feeding.

The servo handling device (e.g., the automated steering handling device 131) can dispatch tasks, monitor and collect operational status from the terminal handling devices (automatic steering handling devices 132-134) and then report back to the vehicle control server 120. The vehicle control server 120 can collect all of the feed states in each of the groups 130, 140 and then report back to the manufacturing execution system 110. The automatic guiding and transporting device 131 can play the role of the manager in the group 130, thereby sharing the computing requirements of the vehicle control server 120, and the walking paths of the automatic guiding and transporting devices 131-134 can be calculated and planned by each vehicle. The computing load of the car control server 120 is reduced.

Similarly, the automatic guiding and transporting devices 141 to 144 in the group 140 also set one of the automatic guiding and transporting devices to be the servo carrying device in the group 140, and the other automatic guiding and transporting devices in the same group are set as the terminal. Handling device. For example, the automatic guide transport device 141 is set as the servo transport device, and the automatic guide transport devices 142 to 144 are set as the terminal transport device.

In this embodiment, the vehicle control server 120 can divide the plurality of automatic guiding and transporting devices 131-134, 141-144 into two or more groups, and the automatic guiding and transporting devices in the respective groups are not limited. The number of automatic guided handling devices corresponding to the single vehicle control server 120 is also not limited. In each of the groups 130 and 140, there are one servo transport device (such as the automatic guide transport devices 131, 141) and a terminal transport device attached to the servo transport device (such as the automatic guide transport devices 132-134, 142-144). ). For the difference description, the group 130 may be referred to as a first group, the group 140 may be referred to as a second group, the automatic guiding and transporting device 131 may be referred to as a first servo carrying device, and the automatic guiding and transporting devices 132-134 may be referred to as It is a first terminal transport device; the automatic guide transport device 141 may be referred to as a second servo transport device, and the automatic guide transport devices 142-144 may be referred to as a second terminal transport device.

In the present embodiment, the vehicle control server 120 and the servo transport devices (ie, the automatic guide transport devices 131, 141) and the terminal transport devices (ie, the automatic guide transport devices 132-134, 142-144) in the groups 130, 140 Can work together and share part of Operational requirements. The vehicle control server 120 can dispatch all the feeding tasks and obtain the operating states of all the automatic guiding conveying devices as long as they communicate with the servo conveying devices in each group. The servo handling device in each group is responsible for communicating with the terminal handling device in the group, including assigning an identity code, dispatching a task, establishing a lookup table for the identity code, reporting the working status, and executing the own feeding program. The terminal handling device automatically routes and feeds according to the feeding program assigned by the servo handling device, and then returns the working state to the servo handling device. In each of the groups 130 and 140, the individual automatic guiding and transporting devices 131 to 134 and 141 to 144 can communicate with each other without using the vehicle control server 120, and the system flexibility can be improved in use.

By the arrangement of the above grouping work, it is possible to prevent all computing requirements from being concentrated on the vehicle control server 120, and the calculation amount of the vehicle control server 120 is greatly reduced. The vehicle control server 120 can simultaneously control various AGVs and AGFs, and can increase the number of automatic guided handling devices controlled by the single vehicle controlled server 120. In addition, each group 130, 140 has a servo handling device (such as the automatic guiding handling device 131, 141) as a server, and can perform the feeding assignment work in each group 130, 140 and control and report the in the group. The operational status is given to the vehicle control server 120, thereby increasing the stability of the system.

Next, please refer to FIG. 2 at the same time to further explain the control method of the above-described automatic guided transport system 100, and FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the control method of the automatic guided transport system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. First, the vehicle control server 120 is enabled (step S210), and then the vehicle control server 120 searches for the servo handling device in the group 130, 140. If found, the delivery data MS is sent to each group 130, 140. The servo transport device (such as the automatic guide transport device 131, 141) (step S230); if not found, continues to search (step S220). The servo transport devices in the respective groups 130 and 140 look for the terminal transport devices (such as the automatic guide transport devices 132-134, 142-144) in the respective groups 130 and 140 (step S240). The task is then dispatched by the servo handling device to the terminal handling device for a moving or feeding sequence. The terminal conveying device performs the feeding process of the calculation of the feeding path by itself (step S250).

In the respective groups 130 and 140, when the automatic guiding and transporting devices 131 to 134 and 141 to 144 are activated, a program for finding or setting the servo carrying device is performed, as shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 3 is the first according to the present invention. A startup flow chart of the automatic guided handling device of the embodiment. Taking the group 130 as an example, when the AGV or the AGF is activated (the automatic guiding and transporting device 131 is taken as an example) (step S310), the automatic guiding and transporting device 131 automatically searches for the servo carrying device in the group 130 (step S320). If there is no automatic guided transport device as the servo transport device in the group 130, the automatic guide transport device 131 sets itself as the servo transport device, and then notifies the other automatic guide transport devices 132-134 in the group 130 to automatically guide the transport. The device 131 is a servo transfer device (step S330), and then the handshake process between the automatic guide transfer device 131 and the vehicle control server 120 is completed (step S350). If the automatic guiding and transporting device 132 is started at the beginning and the automatic guiding and transporting device 131 is the preset servoing and transporting device, the automatic guiding and transporting device 132 will send the servo-transferring device to the servo-transporting device after the automatic guiding and transporting device 131 is found. The device 131) requests setting of an identity code (step S340).

The detailed flow of step S330 is further illustrated in Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a flow chart showing the setting of the servo handling device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. First, the automatic guided transport device 131 sets itself as a servo transport device (step S410), and then sets its own identity code (e.g., ID #1) (step S420). Next, the vehicle control server 120 is notified that the automatic guidance transport device 131 is the servo transport device (step S430), and then the other members of the group 130 (automatic guide transport devices 132-134) are notified, which are themselves servo transport devices. The automatic guided transport devices 132-134 are subject to the feeding process and tasks associated with the command execution of the automated guided transport device 131.

The detailed flow of step S340 is further illustrated in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the setting of the terminal handling device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. When the automatic guide transport device 131 is a servo transport device, when the automatic guide transport devices 132 to 134 are activated, the automatic guide transport device 131 is requested to generate an identity code to the automatic guide transport device 131 (step S510). The automatic guiding and transporting device 131 serving as the servo transporting device generates a corresponding identity code (for example, ID#2~ID#4) to the automatic guiding and transporting device 132-134. And the identity code is stored as a lookup table (step S520). The automatic guided transport device 131 transmits the identity code to the corresponding group member (such as the automatic guided transport device 132-134) (step S530), and then performs identity code setting of other members (step S540).

In addition, it is worth noting that when the servo handling device (such as the automatic guiding handling device 131) in the group 130 is disabled or malfunctions, the terminal handling devices (such as the automatic guiding handling devices 132-134) in the group 130 are automatically One of them is set as a servo handling device to refill the position of the automatic guiding handling device 131 and report back to the vehicle control server 120. For example, the replenishment procedure can be performed in the order of the list. For example, the automatic guiding and transporting device 132 will actively replenish the servo transporting device to replace the position of the automatic guiding and transporting device 131, and then notify other automatic guiding and transporting devices 133-134 and the vehicle-controlled servo. The servo 120 has been changed to the automatic guided handling device 132. In addition, in this embodiment, it may be determined according to the found timing, who is to be compensated as the servo transport device. For example, if the automatic guide transport device 133 first finds that the servo transport device has been disabled, the automatic guide transport device 133 The servo handling device is actively replenished, and the other automatic guiding and transporting devices 132, 134 and the vehicle control server 120 are notified.

In other words, the automatic guided transport devices 131-134, 141-144 in the respective groups 130, 140 have the function of automatically setting the servo transport device to maintain the normal operation of the entire group 130, 140. In summary, the automatic guided transport device will find out whether there is a servo transport device in the group. If not, the automatic guide transport device actively sets itself as a servo transport device, and sets other automatic guide transport devices in the group as one. Or a plurality of first terminal handling devices, and then receiving a feeding information from the vehicle control server, and respectively assigning the terminal conveying devices in the group according to the feeding information to perform a corresponding feeding program, so that the terminal conveying device according to the corresponding feeding The program plans its own path and feeds.

In addition, in another embodiment of the present invention, the servo handling device may also be designated by the vehicle control server 120, and the present invention does not limit the setting method of the servo handling device. In the above embodiment, a plurality of vehicle controls may be included in the same automatic guided handling system 100. The server 120 does not limit the number of the vehicle control servers 120 in this embodiment.

[Second embodiment]

From the above description, a control method of the automatic guided transport system can be summarized. Referring to FIG. 6, FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a control method of the automatic guided transport system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The control method is applied to the automatic guided transport system 100 of the first embodiment described above, and the automatic guided transport system 100 includes a manufacturing execution system 110, a vehicle control server 120, and a plurality of automatic guided transport devices 131-134, 141-144. First, the vehicle control server 120 divides the automatic guiding and transporting devices 131-134, 141-144 into a plurality of groups 130, 140 (step S610); then, the group 130 automatically directs a plurality of them to the carrying device 131. One of the ~134 is set as a first servo transport device, and the other automatic guide transport device is set as the first terminal transport device. Similarly, the group 140 will set one of the plurality of automatic guiding and conveying devices 141 to 144 as a second servo conveying device, and set the other automatic guiding and conveying device as the second terminal conveying device (step S620 and steps). S630). Subsequently, the vehicle control server 120 sends the corresponding feeding information to the first servo handling device of the group 130, so that the first servo handling device respectively assigns the first terminal handling device to perform the corresponding feeding program according to the feeding information, wherein the second feeding device The terminal transport device self-plans the route and the feed according to the respective corresponding feeding programs (step S640). Through the description of the first embodiment described above, those skilled in the art should be able to easily infer the details of the operation of the control method of the automatic guiding handling device, which will not be described herein.

In summary, the present invention groups the automatic guided handling devices, and enables each group to individually assign work and perform path planning, thereby dispersing computing requirements and avoiding concentration on the vehicle control server to increase system stability and flexibility. . Although the embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed as above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and those skilled in the art can make some modifications without departing from the scope of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is therefore defined by the scope of the appended claims.

100‧‧‧Automatic guided handling system

110‧‧‧ Manufacturing Execution System

120‧‧‧Car Control Server

130, 140‧‧‧ groups

131~134, 141~144‧‧‧Automatic guided handling device

Claims (14)

An automatic guided handling device is wirelessly coupled to a vehicle control server; wherein the vehicle control server divides the automatic guided handling devices into a plurality of groups, wherein a first group of the groups Having a plurality of first automatic guiding and conveying devices, one of the first automatic guiding and conveying devices is set as a first servo handling device, and the other first automatic guiding and conveying devices are set as one or more first terminals a first terminal handling device controlled by the first servo handling device, the vehicle control server transmitting a feeding information to the first servo handling device of the first group, the first servo handling device being The feeding information respectively assigns the first terminal carrying devices to perform corresponding feeding programs, wherein the first terminal carrying devices independently plan paths and feeds according to respective corresponding feeding programs. The automatic guided handling device of claim 1, wherein a second group of the groups has a plurality of second automatic guiding handling devices, one of the second automatic guiding handling devices being set to one The second servo transport device, the other second automatic guide transport devices are set as one or more second terminal transport devices, and the vehicle control server sends the feed information to the second servo transport device of the second group The second servo handling device respectively assigns the second terminal handling devices to perform corresponding feeding programs according to the feeding information, wherein the second terminal handling devices independently plan the path and the feeding according to the respective corresponding feeding programs. The automatic guided transport device of claim 1, wherein the first servo transport device sets a first identity code of its own, and according to the requirements of the first terminal transport device, is transported for each of the first terminals. The device sets a corresponding second identity code, and stores the first identity code and the second identity codes in a lookup table. The automatic guided handling device of claim 1 or 2 or 3, wherein the vehicle controlled server groups the automatic guided handling devices according to a vehicle type or region to form the groups. The automatic guided handling device of claim 1 or 2 or 3, wherein when the first servo handling device is disabled in the first group, one of the first terminal handling devices is actively replenished to replace the The first servo handling device returns the vehicle control server and notifies the other first terminal handling devices. The automatic guided handling device of claim 4, wherein when the first servo handling device is disabled in the first group, one of the first terminal handling devices actively replenishes to replace the first servo handling And reporting the car control server and notifying the other first terminal handling devices. The automatic guided handling device of claim 1 or 2 or 3, wherein the first servo handling device collects the status of the first terminal handling devices and reports back to the vehicle controlled server. A control method for an automatic guided handling system, comprising: a manufacturing execution system, a vehicle control server, and a plurality of automatic guiding handling devices, the control method comprising: dividing the automatic guiding handling devices into a plurality of groups a group; one of the plurality of first automatic guided transport devices in a first group of the groups is set as a first servo transport device, and the other first automatic guide transport devices are set to one or a plurality of first terminal handling devices, the first terminal handling devices being controlled by the first servo handling device; and transmitting the feeding information to the first servo handling device of the first group to cause the first servo handling device The device respectively assigns the first terminal handling devices to perform corresponding feeding programs according to the feeding information, wherein the first terminal handling devices independently plan the path and the feeding according to the respective corresponding feeding programs. The method for controlling an automatic guided transport system according to claim 8 , wherein the first servo transport device sets a first identity code of its own, and according to the requirements of the first terminal transport devices, the first The terminal handling device sets a corresponding second identity code, and stores the first identity code and the second identity codes in a lookup table. The control method of the automatic guided handling system of claim 8, wherein the vehicle controlled server groups the automatic guided handling devices according to a vehicle type or region to form the groups. The control method of the automatic guided handling system of claim 8 or 9 or 10, wherein one of the first terminal handling devices actively replenishes when the first servo handling device is disabled in the first group To replace the first servo handling device, and to report the vehicle control server and notify other first terminal handling devices. The control method of the automatic guided handling system of claim 8 or 9 or 10, wherein the first servo handling device collects the states of the first terminal handling devices and reports to the vehicle controlled server. The control method of the automatic guided handling system of claim 11, wherein the first servo handling device collects the states of the first terminal handling devices and reports to the vehicle controlled server. An automatic guided handling system comprising: a manufacturing execution system; a vehicle controlled servo system electrically connected to the manufacturing execution system for receiving a feeding information from the manufacturing execution system; and a plurality of automatic guiding handling devices via Wirelessly connected to the vehicle control server, the automatic guiding and transporting device is located in a group set by the vehicle control server, wherein the automatic guiding and transporting device searches for whether there is a servo handling device in the group, if No, the automatic guided transport device sets itself as the servo transport device, and sets other automatic guide transport devices in the group as one or more first terminal transport devices, and the first terminal transport devices are controlled Receiving the feeding information from the first servo handling device, and then assigning the first terminal handling devices in the group to perform corresponding feeding programs according to the feeding information, so that the first The two terminal handling devices independently plan the path and feed according to the respective feeding programs.