JP3259542B2 - Work input control method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a work input control method, and more particularly, when a work is selected from work stored in a storage in accordance with various conditions and sequentially input to a post-process, the work jumps due to a missing part. The present invention relates to a work input control method for avoiding unloading.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a production line such as an automobile, various kinds of vehicles are produced based on a production plan. This multi-mixed production line is composed of a plurality of processes such as painting and assembling. In order to improve the production efficiency of each process, it is necessary to rearrange the order of inputting works such as automobiles to each process. come.

For example, in an assembling process, a vehicle, which is a work carried in from a painting process in a previous process, is temporarily stocked in a storage, and leveling can be performed with good work efficiency from the stocked work. The most suitable vehicles are selected and put on sequentially. Furthermore, after confirming that the parts to be assembled to the vehicle are not missing, by selecting a vehicle having a remaining number of assembled parts, the conveyor for transporting the vehicle due to the missing parts was stopped, and the assembled parts were not completed. Useless work and time reduction of bouncing out the vehicle immediately before putting it into the assembling process, which is a post-process, is aimed at.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a work input control device using a conventional work input control method for confirming the number of remaining components and determining the order of inputting vehicles into an assembly process. As shown in FIG. 5, a conventional work input control device includes a production instruction system 10 for performing a production instruction to an operator in an assembly process and controlling a vehicle to be input into the assembly process, and a painting process as a preceding process. A storage 20 for temporarily stocking vehicles to be loaded and rearranged in an assembling process, which is a post-process; an auto storage system 30 for rearranging vehicles to be input in the storage 20 to an optimal order; It consists of.

[0005] The production instruction system 10 includes an information input unit 11.
A missing part information input unit 12 for inputting missing part information including the remaining number of missing parts indicating the remaining number of parts, a missing part information storage unit 13 for storing the input missing part information, A vehicle information storage unit 14 that stores vehicle information such as assembled parts of the vehicle, an inputtable vehicle selection unit 15 that selects a vehicle that can be input to the assembly process in response to a request from the auto storage system 30; An input vehicle determination processing unit 16 that performs processing after a vehicle to be input next (hereinafter, referred to as input vehicle) is determined, such as a production instruction, update of missing parts information, and the like.
And provides information to the automatic storage system 30 and issues a production instruction to the operator.

[0006] The auto storage system 30 includes an input vehicle selection unit 31 for selecting a vehicle to be input to the assembly process from among vehicles that can be input, a lifting vehicle notification unit 32 for notifying a vehicle immediately before input to the assembly process, Having. Furthermore,
It has a function to control the arrangement of vehicles such as distribution to the stock lane and recognition of the arrangement based on information on vehicles obtained from the antenna 23 installed in the stock lane.

[0007] The storage 20 has a stock lane for stocking a vehicle carried in from the painting process in one of lanes according to an instruction of the auto storage system 30, and a vehicle for transporting a vehicle selected to be put into the assembly process. Conveyor 21 and assembly / conveyor 22
And are respectively arranged. Also, in the entire stock lane and the vehicle lifting input point 24 immediately before the entry into the assembly process, I
Antennas 23 and 25 for reading the D tag are provided respectively. The ID tag stores information about the vehicle such as a body number used as an identification number of the vehicle. The vehicles in the stock lane are selected one by one according to various conditions from among them, are arranged in a loading order on the vehicle moving conveyor 21 and the assembling / conveying conveyor 22, are conveyed, and then are put into the assembling process. The selected work (vehicle) on the vehicle moving conveyor 21 and the assembling / conveying conveyor 22 will be referred to as a selected work group (selected vehicle group).

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are flow charts showing the processing in the input vehicle selection section 31, the inputtable vehicle selection section 15 and the input vehicle determination processing section 16, respectively. The control method will be described. First, processing when the vehicle to be entered is determined will be described.

When the vehicle enters the lifting input point 24 in the input vehicle determination processing section 16, the ID tag is read and a body No. is inputted (step 801), the missing part information is stored in the missing part information storage section 13. A search is performed to determine whether or not there is (step 802). When there is a missing part and the missing part is assembled (step 803), if the missing part does not remain (steps 804 and 80).
5), it is determined that the vehicle cannot be put into the assembling process, and the assembling / feeding conveyor 22 is stopped (step 806). If there are any missing parts and use them, update the missing parts remaining quantity.
The correspondence between the vehicle and the parts to be assembled to each vehicle is as follows:
It is stored in the vehicle information storage unit 14. Then, after the vehicle jumps out, the assembling / conveying conveyor 22 is restarted (step 807). If there are no missing parts, if there are missing parts, do not assemble them, or if there are still missing parts, determine that the vehicle is ready for the assembly process, and issue a production instruction to the terminal of the assembly process. Get out (Step 80
8).

Next, a description will be given of a process for selecting a vehicle to be put next in the assembly process.

First, the input vehicle selection unit 31 sends the vehicle No. of the vehicle to be inquired, in FIG. 5, the vehicles 6 to 19 to the inputtable vehicle selection unit 15 (step 6).
01).

The available vehicle selection section 15 searches for missing part information in the missing part information storage section 13 (step 701). If there is missing part information, it is read (step 702). For each vehicle received, the vehicle information is obtained from the vehicle information storage unit 14 by using the body number of each vehicle as a key to obtain a component to be assembled (step 703).
If the part to be assembled is found in the missing part information (step 704), the number of missing parts is checked (step 70).
5). If there are no missing parts, the vehicle is recognized as being unable to enter the assembling process (step 706). If there is a missing part, it is recognized as a vehicle capable of entering the assembling process (step 707). . This process is repeated until there are no more vehicles to be queried (input body No = space).

When the input vehicle selection unit 31 receives the determination result for each vehicle to be inquired (step 60)
2) It is determined for each inquiry target vehicle whether it is a selectable vehicle or an unselectable vehicle (steps 603 to 605). If there is no missing parts information, all vehicles are determined to be selectable vehicles. One vehicle is selected from the vehicles determined to be selectable (step 606). Even if there are a plurality of selectable vehicles, one vehicle may be selected depending on other conditions such as leveling.
The platform will be selected. This selected vehicle, FIG.
In, the vehicle 6 is placed on the vehicle moving conveyor 21.

As described above, after confirming the remaining number of parts, the most suitable vehicle to be put next into the assembly process is selected.

The antenna 25 may be provided on the vehicle moving conveyor 21 and the work instruction of the assembling process may be given at the time of passing the antenna 25. However, the accuracy of reading the ID tag is not good due to the noise of the motor for the conveyor. The antenna 25 is located at the input point 24 where the vehicle is slightly lifted.
Was provided.

Further, for some reason, the input vehicle selecting section 31
In some cases, the selected vehicle is not loaded into the assembling / conveying conveyor 22 using the return lane. Therefore, the number of missing parts is updated at the lifting input point 24 after the loading sequence is determined.

[0017]

However, even if the automatic storage system selects the most suitable vehicle in the conventional method, there are cases where the assembled parts are lost and the conveyor must be stopped to jump out the input vehicle. sell. Hereinafter, an explanation will be given with an example.

FIG. 9 shows parts A, B,
It is the table | surface figure which showed C. The parts used for the input vehicle are referred to as input vehicle use parts. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing, in chronological order, the flow of a vehicle from being placed on the vehicle moving conveyor 21 or the assembling / conveying conveyor 22 to being introduced into the assembling process. 13 shows a transition from the time of registration to 13 to the time of timing 7. In FIG. 10, “input vehicle (assembled parts)” represents the vehicle input to the lifting input point 24 and the assembled parts of the vehicle.
The “number of missing parts” indicates the number of remaining missing parts registered in the missing part information storage unit 13. “Selected vehicle (assembled part)” represents a vehicle selected from the selectable vehicles in the auto storage system and placed on the vehicle moving conveyor 21 and an assembled part of the vehicle. The “vehicles (assembled parts) up to the input location after the input” are lifted by the input vehicle and input to the input location 24, and the selected vehicle is placed on the vehicle transport conveyor 21, and the vehicle transport conveyor 21 and the assembly input A vehicle mounted on the conveyor 22,
The vehicle and the assembled parts of the vehicle arranged in the order close to the lifting input point 24 are shown. The selected plurality of works (vehicles) placed on the vehicle moving conveyor 21 and the assembling / conveying conveyor 22 are referred to as a selected work group (selected vehicle group). In FIG. 10, the missing parts registered in the missing parts information storage unit 13 are referred to as assembled parts A, and the number of remaining missing parts is four. Also,
As shown at the time of missing part registration in FIG.
Are already selected, and vehicles 1 to 6 are placed on the conveyor up to the lifting input point 24. That is, the selected vehicle group is composed of the vehicles 1 to 6 at this time. Hereinafter, a method of selecting the selected vehicle will be described in chronological order.

First, at timing 1, when the vehicle 1 moves and is input to the lifting input point 24, the vehicle 1 uses the part A, so that the number of missing parts remaining is three. In the auto storage system, since the number of missing parts of the part A is three, the vehicle 7 to which the part A is assembled can be selected. The selected vehicle group is vehicles 2 to 7.

At timing 2, when the vehicle 2 moves and is input into the lifting input point 24, the vehicle 2 uses the part B, so the remaining number of missing parts of the part A is three.
It remains as an individual. Auto Storage System is a part A
Since the remaining number of missing parts is 3, the vehicle 8 to which the part B is to be assembled can be selected. The selected vehicle group is vehicles 3 to 8.

At timing 3, when the vehicle 3 moves and is input to the lifting input point 24, the vehicle 3 uses the part A, and the number of missing parts is two. In the auto storage system, since the number of missing parts of the part A is two, the vehicle 9 to which the part A is to be assembled can be selected.

At timings 4 and 6, timing 3
The processing at timing 5 is the same as the processing at timing 2, so that the description is omitted.

At timing 7, when the vehicle 7 moves and is input to the lifting input point 24, the vehicle 7 attempts to use the part A, but the remaining number of missing parts is zero.
Since the individual parts, ie, the parts used by the input vehicle, have already disappeared, they cannot be mounted. At this point, an error occurs, and the vehicle 7 cannot be put into the assembling process while being a put-in vehicle. In this case, the vehicles 7 to 12 which stopped the conveyor and became vehicles that could not be inserted,
You have to jump back to the lane manually.

As described above, even if a vehicle is selected as having a missing parts remaining number, when the vehicle is input to the lifting input point 24, there may be a case where the used vehicle used parts have been lost. After stopping all the conveyors, there was a problem that the vehicle had to jump out.

That is, there are several vehicles on the vehicle moving conveyor or the assembling / conveying conveyor.
In the related art, since the components used in the selected vehicle group on the conveyor are not considered, the above-described inconvenience occurs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a work input control method capable of avoiding rearrangement of works due to missing parts.

[0027]

In order to achieve the above object, a work input control method according to the present invention is to temporarily stock a work carried in from a previous process and store the stock work later. In the work input control method of selecting the work to be arranged after checking the remaining number of parts to be used in each work when rearranging to the optimal input order to the process, each part used in the selected work group already selected When the number of parts to be used is equal to or larger than the remaining number of the parts, the work using the parts is excluded from the selection of the work to be put into the subsequent process.

[0028]

Therefore, according to the present invention, the number of parts to be used to be used in the selected work group constituted by the works already selected to be put into the post-process is determined, and the remaining number of each part and the use schedule are determined. The number of parts is compared with the number of parts, and if the number of parts to be used for each part is equal to or greater than the remaining number of parts, it is determined that the remaining number of parts will be used up by the selected work group, and that part is used. The work to be performed is excluded from the selection of the work to be input to the subsequent process. As a result, it is possible to prevent the conveyor from being stopped and the input workpiece from being thrown out due to a missing part.

[0029]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a work input control device using a work input control method according to the present invention, in which information regarding missing parts is confirmed, and then vehicles are sequentially input into an assembly process. In FIG. 1, the auto storage system 13
0, a selectable vehicle selection unit 115 for selecting a vehicle that can be input to the assembly process, and an input vehicle selection unit 1 for selecting a vehicle to be input to the assembly process from selectable vehicles.
31 is the same as the conventional component except that the process is different from the conventional process, and the description is omitted.

The feature of the present embodiment is that the number of parts used in the selected vehicle group already selected as the one to be put into the post-process is determined in advance, and the selected vehicle is determined in consideration of this number. Is to decide. That is, in the present embodiment, not only the input vehicle but also the selected vehicle group is checked for missing parts, and each of the parts used in the selected vehicle group is determined from the remaining missing part number included in the missing part information input unit 12. Subtract the number of items and use it as the true remaining missing parts count. As a result, the parts used in each selected vehicle are reserved in advance, so that no shortage occurs when each selected vehicle is input to the lifting input point 24. In addition, when the selected vehicle is selected, the true missing parts remaining number is used. Therefore, even in the newly selected selected vehicle, the parts do not run out before being input to the input location 24. The number of parts used in the selected vehicle group is referred to as the number of parts to be used.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are flowcharts showing the processing in the input vehicle selection section 131 and the inputtable vehicle selection section 115, respectively. The work input control method in this embodiment will be described with reference to these figures. Note that the processing in the input vehicle determination processing unit 16 when the input vehicle is determined is the same as that of the conventional vehicle, and will not be described.

First, the input vehicle selection unit 131 sends the vehicles to be inquired, in this embodiment, the body numbers of the vehicles 1 to 19 including the selected vehicle group to the inputtable vehicle selection unit 115 (step 601). ). At this time, since the vehicles are already selected, a flag for increasing the priority order is given to vehicles 1 to 5 included in the selected vehicle group.

The available vehicle selection unit 115 searches for missing part information in the missing part information storage unit 13 (step 701), and reads it if present (step 702). Here, in this embodiment, the number of remaining missing parts included in the missing parts information is temporarily stored as the number of attached parts that can be provided to the vehicle. The number of attached parts is set as the remaining work number (step 711). The vehicle information is read from the vehicle information storage unit 14 using the body No of each vehicle as a key for each of the vehicles 1 to 19 received from the input vehicle selection unit 131 (step 703). At this time, processing is performed from the one with the highest priority with reference to the flag. If priority levels are set for all vehicles 1 to 19 in the input vehicle selection unit 131, processing is performed in that order. If the part to be assembled is in the missing parts information (step 704), the number of remaining works is checked (step 712). If there is no remaining work, it is recognized that the vehicle cannot be put into the assembly process (step 706). If the vehicle has already been carried out to the vehicle moving conveyor 21 and has become the selected vehicle (step 713), a request for popping out is made (step 714). On the other hand, if there is a remaining work in step 712, it is recognized that the vehicle can be put into the assembly process (step 707), and the remaining work is reduced (step 7).
15). By this subtraction, parts used in the own vehicle are secured. This process is repeated until there are no more vehicles to be recognized (input body No = space).

When the input vehicle selection unit 131 receives the determination result for each vehicle to be inquired (step 60)
2) One vehicle is selected and selected as a vehicle according to the following procedure. First, when the vehicle to be queried is determined to be a non-target vehicle, that is, a vehicle that cannot be assembled and placed in the available vehicle selection unit 115 (step 603), the vehicle is determined to be a vehicle that cannot be selected and is introduced into a subsequent process. The vehicle is excluded from the selection target (step 605). The vehicle to be queried is not a non-target vehicle but can be inserted.
If it is determined in step 5 that the vehicle has been requested to jump out (step 611), the conveyor 21 for moving the vehicle and the conveyor 22 for assembling and loading are stopped and a maintenance call signal is output (step 612). If none of these apply,
It is determined that the vehicle can be selected, and the vehicle to be put into the subsequent process is selected (step 605). One vehicle is selected from the vehicles determined to be selectable (step 606). Even if there are a plurality of selectable vehicles, one vehicle is finally selected according to various conditions such as leveling. As a result, the selected vehicle, in FIG. 1, the vehicle 6 is placed on the vehicle moving conveyor 21.

As described above, in the present embodiment, based on the missing parts information, the most suitable vehicle to be put into the assembling process next is selected as a check target not only for the put-in vehicle but also for a selected vehicle group. In addition, even if there is a remaining number of missing parts, when the remaining number of workpieces is exhausted, vehicles using the missing parts are excluded from selection of vehicles to be put into a subsequent process. This remaining number of workpieces corresponds to the true remaining number of missing parts.

Hereinafter, the processing in this embodiment will be described with a specific example.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing in chronological order the flow of a vehicle from being placed on the vehicle moving conveyor 21 or the assembling / conveying conveyor 22 to being introduced into the assembling process. The transition from the time of registration in the information storage unit 13 to the timing 7 is shown. All items such as “input vehicle (assembled parts)” shown in FIG.
The description is omitted because it is the same as FIG. Parts used in each vehicle are also shown in FIG. 9 as in the conventional example. In the initial state at the time of registration of a missing part, as in the conventional example, the missing part registered in the missing part information storage unit 13 is set to the assembled part A, and the remaining number of the missing parts is four. Vehicles 1 to 19 that are selectable vehicles are selection candidates in the order of numbers.

First, at timing 1, when the vehicle 1 moves and is input to the lifting input point 24, the vehicle 1 uses the missing parts A, so that the remaining number of missing parts is three. This number is temporarily stored as the remaining work number. The input vehicle selection unit 131 requests the input vehicle identification unit 115 to confirm a missing part, as described in the above-described processing. The available vehicle qualifying unit 115 determines whether there is a possibility of introducing the assembly process sequentially from the vehicle 1. Here, since the number of remaining works is three, the missing part A
Up to three vehicles can be selected. Therefore, up to three vehicles 3, 4, and 6 in the selected vehicle group are recognized as selectable vehicles. Since the vehicle 1 has already been selected, it is not selected. Then, the parts A
Is recognized as a vehicle that cannot be assembled. Based on the result report, the input vehicle selection unit 131
Selects the vehicle 8 to which a component other than the component A is assembled.
The selected vehicle group is vehicles 2 to 6 and 8.

At timing 2, when the vehicle 2 moves and is input to the lifting input point 24, the vehicle 2 uses the part B, so the remaining number of missing parts of the part A remains three. This number is temporarily stored as the remaining work number. The input vehicle selection unit 131 requests the input vehicle identification unit 115 to confirm a missing part, as described in the above-described processing. Applicable vehicle certification unit 115
Sequentially determines whether or not there is a possibility that the selected vehicle group can be put into the assembly process. Here, since the number of remaining workpieces is three, up to three vehicles to which the missing parts A are assembled can be selected. Therefore, up to three vehicles 3, 4, and 6 in the selected vehicle group are recognized as selectable vehicles. Then, the vehicle to which the part A is assembled after the vehicle 6 is recognized as a vehicle that cannot be assembled. Based on the result report, the input vehicle selection unit 1
31 selects the vehicle 13 to which a component other than the component A is to be assembled. The selected vehicle group is vehicles 3 to 6, 8, and 13.

At timings 3 and 4, timing 1
The processing at timing 5 is the same as the processing at timing 2, so that the description is omitted. The number of missing parts remaining at the end of the timing 5 is one.

At timing 6, when the vehicle 6 moves and is input to the lifting input point 24, the vehicle 6 uses the missing parts A, and thus the remaining number of missing parts is zero.
Individual. This number is temporarily stored as the remaining work number. As described in the above-described processing, the input vehicle selecting unit 131 requests the inputtable vehicle certifying unit 115 to confirm a missing part. The available vehicle certifying section 115 determines whether or not there is a possibility of introducing the assembling process sequentially from the vehicle 6. Here, since the number of remaining workpieces is 0, a vehicle to which the missing parts A are assembled cannot be selected. Therefore, the vehicle to which the component A is assembled is recognized as a vehicle that cannot be assembled. Based on the result report, the input vehicle selection unit 131 selects the vehicle 17 to which a component other than the component A is to be assembled. The selected vehicle group is the vehicles 8 and 13 to 17.

At timing 7, when the vehicle 8 moves and is input to the lifting input point 24, the vehicle 8 uses the part B and does not use the missing part A. Although the remaining number of missing parts is already 0, as described above, the vehicle using the missing part A as the selected vehicle has not been selected, so the conveyor is stopped due to the missing part and the vehicle jumps out. No work will happen. Note that timing 7
Are the same as the above-described processes, and a description thereof will be omitted.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, not only the input vehicle but also the selected vehicle group are to be checked for the missing parts, and the vehicles using the remaining number of parts of 0 or less are processed in the post-process. Since the vehicle to be put into the vehicle is excluded from the selection target, the parts do not run out before being input to the input point 24 even in the newly selected vehicle. Therefore, since there is no need to stop the conveyor and rearrange the bouncing vehicles due to a shortage of parts, unnecessary work time such as rearranging and the burden of reconstructing production instructions are reduced, and work efficiency is reduced. In addition, the number of vehicles on the vehicle moving conveyor 21 and the assembling / conveying conveyor 22, that is, the amount of buffer is constant and stable, so that vehicles can be introduced into the subsequent process.

In the above embodiment, the missing parts are shown as one type, but a plurality of missing parts can be dealt with.

In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to a production line such as an automobile. However, it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to the field of producing other works.

[0047]

According to the present invention, the selected work group already selected as the one to be put into the post-process is also set as a check target of the remaining number of each part, and as a result of the check, it is determined that there is no remaining number. In this case, the work that uses the part is excluded from the selection of the work to be input to the subsequent process.
It is possible to avoid a situation in which the conveyor that transports the work must be stopped and the work must be popped out and rearranged due to a shortage of parts used for the work to be input into the post-process, resulting in useless work time and the burden of reconstructing production instructions. Can be reduced.

Further, it is possible to stabilize the number of workpieces before entering the post-process and stabilize the input of the workpiece into the post-process.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a work input control device using a work input control method according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process in a vehicle-in-vehicle selection unit according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process in an available vehicle selection unit in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of a vehicle in a time series from being placed on a vehicle moving conveyor or an assembling / conveying conveyor to being introduced into an assembling process in this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a work input control device using a conventional work input control method.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing in a conventional input vehicle selection unit.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing processing in a conventional available vehicle selection unit.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a process in a conventional input vehicle determination processing unit.

FIG. 9 is a table showing parts used in each vehicle.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a flow of a vehicle in a conventional manner from being placed on a vehicle moving conveyor or an assembling / conveying conveyor to being introduced into an assembling process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10, 110 Production instruction system 11 Information input part 12 Missing parts information input part 13 Missing parts information storage part 14 Vehicle information storage part 15, 115 Available vehicle selection part 16 Input vehicle determination processing part 20 Storage 21 Vehicle moving conveyor 22 Conveyor for assembling input 23, 25 Antenna 24 Lifting input point 30, 130 Auto storage system 31, 131 Input vehicle selection unit 32 Vehicle notification unit

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B23P 21/00 303 B23Q 41/08 B62D 65/18

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. When temporarily stocking a work carried in from a previous process and rearranging the stocked work in an optimal order for inputting to a subsequent process, the remaining number of parts used in each work is checked. In the work input control method of selecting the work to be arranged after performing, when the number of parts to be used of each part used in the selected work group already selected is equal to or larger than the remaining number of the part,
A work input control method, wherein a work using the component is excluded from selection targets of a work to be input to a subsequent process.