JP7706072B2 - Worker support system and worker support method - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a worker support system and a worker support method for assisting workers in managing their work.

Patent document 1 discloses a technology that displays work instructions to a worker on a display unit and has the worker perform the work.

Patent No. 6464358

However, workers have different levels of proficiency in their work, with some workers being highly proficient and others being less proficient. For example, the display unit may show a screen with work instructions that can be understood by a less proficient worker, but for a more proficient worker, this may be too much information, taking up extra time and reducing work efficiency. In addition, work mistakes may occur due to skipping over instructions.

Therefore, the present disclosure provides a worker support system that can prevent a decrease in work efficiency while reducing the occurrence of work errors.

A worker support system according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a worker support system for supporting the management of worker tasks, and includes an acquisition unit that acquires identification information indicating the worker to be managed, proficiency information indicating the proficiency of each worker for the task to be managed, and importance information indicating the importance of the task, and a calculation processing unit that determines a work instruction screen to be displayed on a display unit based on the proficiency information corresponding to the worker indicated by the identification information and the importance information.

These comprehensive or specific aspects may be realized by a system, an apparatus, a method, a recording medium, or a computer program, or may be realized by any combination of a system, an apparatus, a method, a recording medium, and a computer program.

The worker support system disclosed herein can prevent a decrease in work efficiency while reducing the occurrence of work errors.

1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of a component mounting system according to an embodiment. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an example of a component mounting apparatus according to an embodiment. 1 is a diagram for explaining an example of a task to be performed in a component mounting system according to an embodiment; 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control system of a component mounting device constituting the component mounting system according to the embodiment. FIG. 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating an example of guide information and work result information in the component mounting system according to the embodiment. 1 is a diagram showing an example of proficiency information in a component mounting system according to an embodiment; 4 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation of the component mounting system according to the embodiment. 11 is a diagram for explaining that the higher the level of proficiency, the smaller the amount of work instruction information displayed on the display unit. FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a first example of a work instruction screen. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a second example of a work instruction screen. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a third example of a work instruction screen. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a third example of a work instruction screen.

The worker support system disclosed herein is a worker support system for supporting the management of worker tasks, and includes an acquisition unit that acquires identification information indicating the worker to be managed, proficiency information indicating the proficiency of each worker for the task to be managed, and importance information indicating the importance of the task, and a calculation processing unit that determines a work instruction screen to be displayed on a display unit based on the proficiency information corresponding to the worker indicated by the identification information and the importance information.

With this, the work instruction screen to be displayed on the display unit is determined based on proficiency information and importance information, so that a screen appropriate to each worker's level of proficiency can be displayed, and it is possible to prevent workers with different levels of proficiency from skipping over work instructions for work with a high level of importance. This makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of work errors while preventing a decrease in work efficiency.

The importance information may also be set for each of a plurality of work contents in the work procedure of the work.

This allows you to set the importance of each of the multiple work tasks that make up a task, and determine the work instruction screen for each of the multiple work tasks.

The importance information may also be set based on the occurrence of defects in the work.

This allows you to increase the importance of tasks that are more likely to cause problems and decrease the importance of tasks that are less likely to cause problems.

The importance information may also be set for each worker based on the occurrence of defects in the work for each worker.

Since different workers may have different tasks that are more likely to cause malfunctions and tasks that are less likely to cause malfunctions, the importance of each worker can be set according to the malfunction occurrence circumstances for each worker.

The worker support system may further include an input unit that accepts input of the importance information.

This allows you to manually set the importance.

The calculation processing unit may determine the screen such that the amount of work instruction information displayed on the display unit decreases as the level of proficiency indicated by the proficiency information increases. For example, the display unit may display at least the work instruction for the work with the highest importance.

This makes it possible to prevent a decline in the work efficiency of highly skilled workers, since the amount of work instruction information displayed on the display unit decreases as the level of proficiency increases. In addition, since work instructions for work with high importance (for example, work instructions for the work with the highest importance) can be displayed, the occurrence of work errors can be reduced.

The calculation processing unit may also determine the screen so that, when the proficiency level indicated by the proficiency level information is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, work instructions for the work of high importance are displayed on the display unit with more emphasis than work instructions for the work of low importance.

With this system, when a worker has a high level of proficiency, work instructions for tasks with high importance are displayed with emphasis, which helps prevent workers from skipping over them and causing mistakes in the work. Also, because workers only need to focus on checking the work instructions that are displayed with emphasis, it takes less time to check the work instructions, which helps prevent a decline in the work efficiency of highly skilled workers.

The calculation processing unit may also determine the screen so that, when the proficiency level indicated by the proficiency level information is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, a button for skipping work instructions for some of the work contents in the work procedure for the work is displayed on the display unit.

According to this, when the proficiency level is high, a button to skip some work instructions is displayed, so that highly skilled workers can skip work instructions that do not require confirmation, preventing a decrease in the work efficiency of highly skilled workers. In addition, by preventing work instructions for highly important work from being skipped, the occurrence of work errors can be reduced.

The calculation processing unit may also set or change the work instructions to be skipped by the button based on the worker's work schedule.

This means that workers may forget the work details or be out of focus after a day off, when changing from day shift to night shift or night shift to day shift, after a lunch break, etc., so the number of work instructions that are skipped at such times can be reduced.

The calculation processing unit may also set or change the work instructions to be skipped by the button based on the occurrence of a malfunction in the work.

This makes it possible to prevent work instructions for tasks that are prone to malfunction from being skipped, and to make it possible to skip work instructions for tasks that are less likely to cause malfunctions.

The calculation processing unit may also set or change the work instructions to be skipped by the button for each worker based on the occurrence of defects in the work for each worker.

Since different workers may have different tasks that are more likely to cause problems and tasks that are less likely to cause problems, this makes it possible to set or change the work instructions to be skipped for each worker depending on the malfunction occurrence situation for each worker.

The worker support system may further include an input unit that accepts input of a work instruction to be skipped by the button.

This allows you to manually set or change the work instructions that are skipped by the skip button.

The worker support system may further include an output unit that outputs an operation history of the display unit by the worker. For example, the operation history may include whether or not the button was operated, or the operation time or operation time of the display unit.

This makes it possible to determine which work instructions are to be skipped and judge the level of proficiency based on whether or not the skip button is operated, or on the operation history such as the duration or time of operation of the display unit.

The worker support method disclosed herein is a worker support method for supporting the management of worker tasks, and includes a process of acquiring identification information indicating the worker to be managed, proficiency information indicating the proficiency of each worker for the task to be managed, and importance information indicating the importance of the task, and determining a work instruction screen to be displayed on a display unit based on the proficiency information corresponding to the worker indicated by the identification information and the importance information.

This provides a worker support method that can prevent a decline in work efficiency while also reducing the occurrence of work errors.

The embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, the arrangement and connection of the components, steps, and order of steps shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

(Embodiment)
Hereinafter, the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 11B.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a component mounting system 1 according to an embodiment. The component mounting system 1 is an example of a worker support system. The worker support system includes at least an acquisition unit and a calculation processing unit, and these components may be distributed and arranged in multiple devices within the worker support system, or may be arranged in one device. Below, an example will be described in which component mounting devices M4 and M5 in the component mounting system 1 include an acquisition unit and a calculation processing unit. Note that the worker support system does not have to be a system consisting of multiple devices, and may be a single device. For example, the worker support system may be the management device 3 or the component mounting devices M4 and M5 in the component mounting system 1.

The component mounting system 1 is a system that has the function of mounting electronic components on a board to produce a mounted board. In this embodiment, a plurality of component mounting lines 4 are connected to a management device 3 via a communication network 2, and workers 5 assigned to each component mounting line 4 perform various tasks for operating the equipment. At this time, the mobile terminal 6 held by each worker 5 is used as necessary. The work on each component mounting line 4 is managed by the management device 3. That is, data required for the operation of each piece of equipment to which the component mounting line 4 belongs is transmitted to each piece of equipment by the management device 3, and the work results of each piece of equipment are transmitted to the management device 3.

The component mounting line 4 is configured by connecting in series a board supply device M1, a board transfer device M2, a solder printing device M3, component mounting devices M4 and M5, a reflow device M6, and a board removal device M7. The board 13 (see FIG. 2) supplied by the board supply device M1 is carried into the solder printing device M3 via the board transfer device M2, where the solder printing work is performed to screen-print solder for joining components onto the board 13.

After solder printing, the board 13 is transferred in sequence to component mounting devices M4 and M5, where component mounting work is performed to mount electronic components on the board 13 after solder printing. The board 13 after component mounting is then carried into reflow device M6, where it is heated according to a specified heating profile to melt and solidify the solder used to join the components. As a result, the electronic components are solder-joined to the board 13, and a mounted board with electronic components mounted on the board 13 is completed, and is then collected by board collection device M7.

Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an example of component mounting devices M4 and M5 according to an embodiment, showing a cross-section of a main part of the component mounting devices M4 and M5. In Figure 2, a board transport mechanism 12 is disposed on a base 11 in the board transport direction (X direction: perpendicular to the paper surface in Figure 2). The board transport mechanism 12 transports the board 13 brought in from the solder printing device M3, and positions and holds it at a mounting work position by the component mounting mechanism 17. The component mounting mechanism 17 is configured to horizontally move a mounting head 19, which has a suction nozzle 20 attached to its lower end, in the X and Y directions by a head moving mechanism 18.

The component supply unit 14 is disposed to the side of the board transport mechanism 12 in the Y direction (horizontally perpendicular to the X direction). A dolly 21 with multiple tape feeders 15 already attached to a feeder base 21a is set in the component supply unit 14. The position of the dolly 21 is fixed in the component supply unit 14 by clamping the feeder base 21a to a fixed base 11a provided on the base 11. The dolly 21 holds supply reels 22 that store carrier tapes 23 holding electronic components in a wound state. The carrier tape 23 pulled out from the supply reel 22 is pitch-fed by the tape feeder 15 to a component pick-up position by the suction nozzle 20.

A component recognition camera 16 is disposed between the component supply unit 14 and the board 13. When the mounting head 19, which has picked up an electronic component from the tape feeder 15 using the suction nozzle 20, moves above the component recognition camera 16, the electronic component being held by suction on the suction nozzle 20 is imaged by the component recognition camera 16.

In the component mounting system 1, various tasks are performed by the worker 5 using the component mounting devices M4 and M5 described above. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining examples of tasks that are performed in the component mounting system 1 according to the embodiment, and shows an example of a tape splicing task that is performed when the component supply unit 14 runs out of components and the supply reel 22 needs to be replaced, among the tasks performed by the worker 5. FIG. 3(a) shows the flow of the tape splicing task, and FIG. 3(b) shows the specific tasks that are performed.

As shown in FIG. 3(a), when the work starts (ST1), the worker 5 first reads the old part ID (ST2). As shown in FIG. 3(b)(a), the barcode 24 (old part ID) affixed to the supply reel 22A, which at that time has the already-installed carrier tape 23A connected to the tape feeder 15 wound and stored and is set on the cart 21, that is, the old part reel, is read using the barcode reading function of the mobile terminal 6. Next, the worker 5 reads the new part ID (ST3). As shown in FIG. 3(b)(b), the barcode 24 (new part ID) affixed to the new supply reel 22B, which has been brought in for part supply, that is, the new part reel, is similarly read using the barcode reading function of the mobile terminal 6.

Then, the new part ID and the old part ID read in (ST2) and (ST3) are compared. If the comparison results are a match, the new supply reel 22B is determined to be the correct supply reel 22 that supplies the specified part to the tape feeder 15, and the splicing operation is carried out (ST4). That is, as shown in FIG. 3(b)(c), the tail end of carrier tape 23A and the head end of carrier tape 23B are butted together, and the two are joined together using splicing tape 25.

At this time, the alignment of the carrier tapes 23A and 23B in the tape length direction is adjusted, and the carrier tapes 23A and 23B are spliced together with the spacing of the component pockets at the butt joint aligned, thus completing the tape splicing operation (ST5). By performing this type of tape splicing operation, it is possible to replenish components without stopping the operation of the device.

In order to create conditions that allow worker 5 to accurately perform the above-mentioned tape splicing work on component mounting devices M4 and M5, it is necessary to prepare a system that appropriately supports the management of the work of worker 5. In this embodiment, the support required for managing such worker work is realized by a worker support system configured as described below.

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control system of the component mounting devices M4, M5 that constitute the component mounting system 1 according to the embodiment, and shows the components related to the above-mentioned worker support system extracted from the configuration of the component mounting devices M4, M5. In Figure 4, the control unit 30 that controls the component mounting devices M4, M5 includes a work control unit 31, a memory unit 32, a calculation processing unit 33, a display unit 34, an input unit 35, an update unit 36, a warning notification unit 37, a reading unit 38, a communication unit 39, and an acquisition unit 50.

The work control unit 31 controls the mechanism elements for performing component mounting work by the component mounting devices M4 and M5, namely the board transport mechanism 12, the component supply unit 14, and the component mounting mechanism 17. The memory unit 32 stores mounting data (not shown) used for control processing by the work control unit 31, as well as various data used to support the work. These data include worker information 40, guide information 45, work result information 47, and warning information 48.

The calculation processing unit 33 performs calculation processing such as determining the screen required for work support for each worker 5 based on the data stored in the memory unit 32. The display unit 34 and the input unit 35 are both connected to the display/input panel 26, and display various screens and input data and instructions by the worker 5 via the display/input panel 26. Here, as the display/input panel 26, any of the mobile terminal 6 held by the worker 5, the component mounting devices M4 and M5, and the touch panel type display/input panel provided on each of the management device 3 is used. Hereinafter, displaying a screen on the display/input panel 26 is also described as displaying a screen on the display unit 34. Details will be described later, but the input unit 35 may accept input of importance information or may accept input of a work instruction to be skipped by a button for skipping the work instruction.

The data to be input includes identification information 41 for identifying the worker 5, and the input unit 35 inputs the identification information 41 for identifying the worker 5. The screen to be displayed includes a screen of work instructions for the worker 5, and the display unit 34 displays the screen of work instructions for the worker 5. The update unit 36 performs processing to update the individual data stored in the memory unit 32 for each worker 5. The data to be updated includes proficiency information 42, which will be described later. That is, the update unit 36 updates the proficiency information 42 for each worker 5.

The warning notification unit 37 is connected to a warning light 27 such as a signal tower, and issues a warning via the warning light 27 when a predetermined event predefined in the warning information 48 occurs. The reading unit 38 performs processing to read an identification code (ID) such as a barcode 24 affixed to the supply reel 22 based on a signal from a barcode reader 28 provided in the mobile terminal 6. The communication unit 39 is a communication interface, and transmits and receives signals and data to and from the management device 3 via the communication network 2. The communication unit 39 may also transmit and receive signals and data to and from the mobile terminal 6. For example, the communication unit 39 is an example of an output unit that outputs an operation history of the display unit 34 (display/input panel 26) by the worker 5.

Next, we will explain the data stored in the memory unit 32.

First, an example of guide information 45 and work result information 47 for providing work instructions to a worker 5 will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

Figure 5 shows an example of guide information and work result information in a component mounting system 1 according to an embodiment, where Figure 5(a) shows an example of guide information 45 and Figure 5(b) shows an example of work result information 47.

In FIG. 5(a), the target work item is "tape splicing" as exemplified in FIG. 3, and multiple work contents 45a corresponding to guide information 45(1) to 45(3) as work procedures for properly executing the work item are described. Here, "reading the old part," "reading the new part," and "splicing" are listed as multiple work contents 45a in the work procedure for the work "tape splicing."

The appropriate time 45b for performing each of the multiple work contents 45a is described in each of the guide information 45(1) to 45(3). The appropriate time 45b indicates the range of time that is acceptable for a normal worker 5 to perform each of the multiple work contents 45a, and each worker 5 performs the work with the appropriate time 45b as a target. By displaying guide information 45 configured in this way, the worker 5 can confirm information for performing the work items to be performed using the correct work procedure when performing the work. Whether or not the work procedure actually performed by the worker 5 is correct is determined by the control unit 30 by referring to the work procedure indicated in the guide information 45.

Guide information 45 also includes importance information that indicates the importance of the task being managed (here, "tape splicing"). For example, importance information may be set for each of multiple task contents in the work procedure of the task. Specifically, importance information may be set for each of "reading the old part," "reading the new part," and "splicing" in the work procedure of "tape splicing."

For example, the importance information may be set based on the occurrence of malfunctions in the work. For example, a high importance may be set for work that is prone to malfunctions, and a low importance may be set for work that is unlikely to cause malfunctions. Note that since the work that is prone to malfunctions and the work that is unlikely to cause malfunctions may differ depending on the worker 5, the importance information may be set for each worker 5 based on the occurrence of malfunctions in the work for each worker 5.

Also, for example, the importance information may be input via the input unit 35. That is, the importance information may be set manually.

Next, an example of work result information 47 will be described with reference to FIG. 5(b). Work result information 47 is a digitalized version of the results of work performed by workers 5 on component mounting devices M4 and M5. The created work result information 47 is sent to management device 3 via communication unit 39, which determines whether the work results are appropriate. Here, an example of "tape splicing" similarly shown in FIG. 3 is shown as work item 47a, and the work performed by five workers 5 with identification information 41 01 to 05 and the determination results are shown in table format.

That is, the results of each worker 5's work performed from step 1 to step 3 in step 47b (corresponding to the multiple work contents 45a in FIG. 5A, "reading the old part", "reading the new part" and "splicing") are displayed in the form of a pass/fail judgment using a circle or a cross. Note that a circle means OK, and a cross means NG. The circle or cross is judged, for example, taking into consideration at least one of the time required and the presence or absence of a defect. Specific examples of defects include a component not being matched because the identification code (ID) cannot be read, a top tape break in which the top tapes are separated from each other, and a suction error or recognition error occurring at a certain tape length (e.g., 300 mm) before and after splicing. A recognition error is an error associated with the work of the worker 5, such as a component being reversed, a chip standing, or a missing component. In the result 47c, the results of a comprehensive evaluation and judgment of the individual work results in steps 1 to 3 are similarly displayed in the form of a comprehensive pass/fail judgment using a circle or a cross. Furthermore, in the operation time 47d, the date and time when the operation was actually performed are recorded as time history data. In addition to or instead of "reading the old part", "reading the new part" and "splicing", the pass/fail judgment may be made taking into account the inspection results of the part mounting position.

The work result information 47 is created based on information input from the display/input panel 26 and the barcode reader 28 provided on the component mounting devices M4 and M5. For work that is not performed through the display/input panel 26 and the barcode reader 28, a work complete button and a work stop button are displayed on the display/input panel 26 during the execution of the work. When the worker 5 completes the work, the worker 5 touches the work complete button on the display/input panel 26, causing the control unit 30 to determine that the work that was not performed through the display/input panel 26 and the barcode reader 28 has been completed. If the worker 5 determines that the work cannot be completed, the worker 5 touches the work stop button, causing the control unit 30 to determine that an interruption (work error) has occurred in the work that was not performed through the display/input panel 26 and the barcode reader 28.

Next, we will explain the worker information 40. The worker information 40 includes identification information 41 and proficiency information 42.

The identification information 41 is information indicating the worker 5 to be managed, and is information for identifying the worker 5 working on the component mounting devices M4 and M5. For example, the worker 5 inputs information for identifying himself/herself via the display/input panel 26 or the like, and the component mounting system 1 can identify the worker 5 to be managed.

Proficiency information 42 is information indicating the proficiency of each worker 5 (identification information 41) for the work to be managed. Proficiency information 42 indicates the skill level of each individual worker 5 in performing the work, and is determined based on, specifically, the number of work mistakes or the time required for the work. For example, a worker 5 who makes a few work mistakes or the time required for the work is determined to have a high level of proficiency, a worker 5 who makes a medium number of work mistakes or the time required for the work is determined to have a medium level of proficiency, and a worker 5 who makes a lot of work mistakes or the time required for the work is determined to have a low level of proficiency. Proficiency information 42 is determined and updated based on work result information 47 shown in FIG. 5(b).

Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of proficiency information 42 in a component mounting system 1 according to an embodiment. Proficiency information 42 as shown in Figure 6 is stored in the storage unit 32. In the proficiency information 42 shown in Figure 6, the proficiency of a worker 5 whose identification information 41 is 01 is 1 (e.g., low), the proficiency of a worker 5 whose identification information 41 is 02 is 2 (e.g., medium), and the proficiency of a worker 5 whose identification information 41 is 03 is 3 (e.g., high).

The acquisition unit 50 acquires the identification information 41, the proficiency information 42, and the importance information (guide information 45). For example, the acquisition unit 50 acquires this information from the storage unit 32. Note that this information may be stored in a location other than the storage unit 32 provided in the component mounting devices M4 and M5, or may be stored in the storage unit of the management device 3 or the cloud, etc. The acquisition unit 50 may acquire this information from the storage unit of the management device 3 or the cloud, etc.

Next, the details of the operation of component mounting system 1 will be described with reference to Figures 7 to 11B.

Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the component mounting system 1 according to the embodiment.

The acquisition unit 50 acquires identification information 41 indicating the worker 5 to be managed, proficiency information 52 indicating the proficiency of each worker 5 for the task to be managed, and importance information indicating the importance of the task (S11).

Next, the calculation processing unit 33 determines the screen of the work instructions to be displayed on the display unit 34 based on the proficiency information 42 corresponding to the worker 5 indicated by the identification information 41 and the importance information (S12). For example, the calculation processing unit 33 determines the display mode of the work instructions to be displayed on the display unit 34 based on the proficiency information 42 and the importance information. The display mode refers to the amount of information of the work instructions to be displayed, the contents of the work instructions to be displayed, etc.

Then, the calculation processing unit 33 outputs the determined screen to the display unit 34 (S13).

For example, the calculation processing unit 33 determines the screen for the work instructions so that the amount of work instruction information displayed on the display unit 34 decreases as the level of proficiency indicated by the proficiency information increases. The amount of work instruction information displayed on the display unit 34 decreases as the level of proficiency increases will be described with reference to FIG. 8.

Figure 8 is a diagram for explaining that the amount of information of the work instructions displayed on the display unit 34 decreases as the level of proficiency increases. In Figure 8, "attaching the old and new tapes with tape," "cutting the ends of the old and new tapes," and "setting in the reel holder" are shown as multiple work contents. In addition, "applying pressure to the tape when attaching" is shown as a tip. In Figure 8, importance information is set for each of the multiple work contents, with "attaching the old and new tapes with tape" being set to high importance, "cutting the ends of the old and new tapes" being set to medium importance, and "setting in the reel holder" being set to low importance. Furthermore, proficiency level 1 means low proficiency, proficiency level 2 means medium proficiency, and proficiency level 3 means high proficiency.

As shown in FIG. 8, the higher the proficiency level, the less information is displayed on the display unit 34 in the work instructions. However, for example, regardless of the proficiency level, the display unit 34 displays at least the work instructions for the most important work (here, the work instructions corresponding to "tape the old and new tapes together with tape"). For example, for a worker 5 with proficiency level 1, a screen of work instructions corresponding to "tape the old and new tapes together with tape" with high importance, "cut the ends of the old and new tapes" with medium importance, and "set in the reel holder" with low importance is displayed. In addition, for a worker 5 with proficiency level 1, a tip of "apply pressure to the tape when taping" is also displayed. For a worker 5 with proficiency level 2, a screen of work instructions corresponding to "tape the old and new tapes together with tape" with high importance and "cut the ends of the old and new tapes" with medium importance is displayed, and a screen of work instructions corresponding to "set in the reel holder" with low importance is not displayed. For worker 5 with proficiency level 3, the screen with the work instructions corresponding to the highly important task of "taping the old and new tapes together" is displayed, but the screen with the work instructions corresponding to the medium importance task of "cutting the ends of the old and new tapes" and the low importance task of "setting the tapes in the reel holder" is not displayed.

Here, we will explain a specific example of the work instruction screen using Figure 9.

Figure 9 is a diagram showing a first example of a work instruction screen. Figure 9 shows an example of a work instruction screen when the calculation processing unit 33 determines the work instruction screen so that the amount of work instruction information displayed on the display unit 34 decreases as the level of proficiency indicated by the proficiency information increases.

9(a), four work instruction screens, screen 101 to screen 104, are displayed for a worker 5 with proficiency level 1; as shown in FIG. 9(b), three work instruction screens, screen 105 to screen 107, are displayed for a worker 5 with proficiency level 2; and as shown in FIG. 9(c), two work instruction screens, screen 108 and screen 109, are displayed for a worker 5 with proficiency level 3. As shown in FIG. 9(a) to FIG. 9(c), the amount of information on the work instructions displayed on the display unit 34 decreases as the proficiency level increases. For example, screen 103 for a worker 5 with proficiency level 1, screen 107 for a worker 5 with proficiency level 2, and screen 109 for a worker 5 with proficiency level 3 include work instructions for the most important work (work instructions for taping the new tape and the old tape together). In addition, tips are also displayed on screen 103 for a worker 5 with proficiency level 1.

In this way, the amount of work instruction information displayed on the display unit 34 decreases as the level of proficiency increases, which makes it possible to prevent a decrease in the work efficiency of highly skilled workers 5. In addition, since work instructions for tasks with high importance (e.g., work instructions for the task with the highest importance) can be displayed, the occurrence of work errors can be reduced.

When the proficiency level indicated by the proficiency level information is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, the calculation processing unit 33 may determine the screen of the work instructions so that the work instructions for the work with higher importance are displayed on the display unit 34 with more emphasis than the work instructions for the work with lower importance. A specific example of this will be described with reference to FIG. 10.

Figure 10 is a diagram showing a second example of a work instruction screen. Figure 10 shows an example of a work instruction screen when the calculation processing unit 33 determines the work instruction screen so that work instructions for work of high importance are displayed on the display unit 34 with more emphasis than work instructions for work of low importance when the proficiency level is a predetermined level or higher.

As shown in FIG. 10(a), screens 201 to 204 are displayed for a worker 5 with proficiency level 1, as shown in FIG. 10(b), screens 205 to 208 are displayed for a worker 5 with proficiency level 2, and as shown in FIG. 10(c), screens 209 to 212 are displayed for a worker 5 with proficiency level 3. For example, assume that the work instructions for cutting the ends of the new tape and the old tape and the work instructions for attaching the new tape and the old tape with tape are more important than the work instructions for other work. As shown in FIG. 10(a) to FIG. 10(c), when the proficiency level is a predetermined level or higher (for example, proficiency level 2 or higher), the work instructions for the work with higher importance are displayed on the display unit 34 with more emphasis than the work instructions for the work with lower importance. For example, on screens 206 and 207 for worker 5 with proficiency level 2, and on screens 210 and 211 for worker 5 with proficiency level 3, the instructions for cutting the ends of the new tape and the old tape and attaching the new tape and the old tape together with tape are highlighted by underlining the text. Furthermore, on screen 211 for worker 5 with proficiency level 3, the size of the underlined text is increased to highlight the instructions for attaching the new tape and the old tape together with tape. Note that the method of highlighting is not limited to these, and may be, for example, by flashing or highlighting.

In this way, when the worker 5 has a high level of proficiency, the work instructions for tasks with a high level of importance are displayed with emphasis, which reduces the occurrence of work mistakes caused by skipping over them. In addition, because the worker 5 only needs to focus on checking the work instructions that are displayed with emphasis, it takes less time to check the work instructions, which reduces the decrease in the work efficiency of the highly proficient worker 5.

The calculation processing unit 33 may also determine the screen so that, when the proficiency level indicated by the proficiency level information is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, a button for skipping work instructions for some of the work contents in the work procedure of the work is displayed on the display unit 34. A specific example of this will be described with reference to Figures 11A and 11B.

11A and 11B are diagrams showing a third example of a work instruction screen. The next screen after screen 304 in FIG. 11A(a) is screen 305 in FIG. 11B(a), the next screen after screen 311 in FIG. 11A(b) is screen 312 in FIG. 11B(b), and the next screen after screen 318 in FIG. 11A(c) is screen 319 in FIG. 11B(c). FIGS. 11A and 11B are examples of work instruction screens when the calculation processing unit 33 determines a screen such that a button for skipping work instructions for some of the work contents in the work procedure of a work is displayed on the display unit 34 when the proficiency level is a predetermined level or higher.

11A(a) and 11B(a), screens 301 to 307 are displayed for a worker 5 with proficiency level 1, and as shown in FIG. 11A(b) and 11B(b), screens 308 to 314 are displayed for a worker 5 with proficiency level 2, and as shown in FIG. 11A(c) and 11B(c), screens 315 to 321 are displayed for a worker 5 with proficiency level 3. As shown in FIG. 11A(a) and 11B(a) to FIG. 11A(c) and FIG. 11B(c), it can be seen that the skip button is displayed when the proficiency level is a predetermined level or higher (for example, proficiency level 2 or higher). For example, the skip button is displayed on screens 308 to 311 for a worker 5 with proficiency level 2, and on screens 315 to 319 for a worker 5 with proficiency level 3. The skip button is a button for skipping work instructions for a part of the multiple work contents. For a worker 5 with proficiency level 2, when any of the skip buttons are operated, the displayed screen is skipped to screen 312. For example, when the skip button is operated on screen 308, screens 309 to 311 are not displayed, and screen 312 is displayed. Also, for a worker 5 with proficiency level 3, when any of the skip buttons are operated, the displayed screen is skipped to screen 320. For example, when the skip button is operated on screen 315, screens 316 to 319 are not displayed, and screen 320 is displayed.

For example, assume that the work instruction for attaching the new tape to the old tape with tape is the most important, and the work instruction for cutting the ends of the new tape and the old tape is the next most important. As shown in screens 306, 313, and 320, the work instruction for attaching the new tape to the old tape with tape, which is the most important, is displayed without being skipped. Also, as shown in screens 312 and 319, the work instruction for cutting the ends of the new tape and the old tape, which is the next most important, is displayed without being skipped for a worker 5 with proficiency level 2, but may be skipped for a worker 5 with proficiency level 3. This is because the work instruction may not be important to a worker 5 with proficiency level 3.

In this way, when the proficiency level is high, a button to skip some work instructions is displayed, so that the highly proficient worker 5 can skip work instructions that do not require confirmation, and it is possible to prevent a decrease in the work efficiency of the highly proficient worker 5. In addition, by preventing work instructions for highly important work from being skipped, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of work errors.

The calculation processing unit 33 may set or change the work instructions to be skipped by the skip button based on the work schedule of the worker 5. For example, the worker 5 may forget the work content or be relaxed after a day off (e.g., Monday if the work schedule includes Saturdays and Sundays as holidays), when changing from a day shift to a night shift or from a night shift to a day shift, after a lunch break, etc., so the number of work instructions to be skipped can be reduced at such times. The calculation processing unit 33 may set or change the work instructions to be skipped based on the physical condition of the worker 5.

The calculation processing unit 33 may also set or change the work instructions to be skipped by the skip button based on the occurrence status of work malfunctions. For example, it is possible to prevent work instructions for work that is prone to malfunctions from being skipped, and to allow work instructions for work that is unlikely to cause malfunctions to be skipped.

The calculation processing unit 33 may also set or change the work instructions to be skipped by the skip button for each worker 5, based on the occurrence status of defects in the work of each worker 5. For example, since tasks that are likely to cause defects and tasks that are unlikely to cause defects may differ depending on the worker 5, the work instructions to be skipped for each worker 5 can be set or changed depending on the occurrence status of defects for each worker 5.

In addition, the work instructions to be skipped by the skip button may be input via the input unit 35. For example, the work instructions to be skipped by the skip button may be set or changed manually. For example, a superior of the worker 5 may manually set or change the work instructions to be skipped by the skip button depending on the type of process, changes in materials, changes in equipment conditions, or maintenance timing, etc.

For example, the communication unit 39 may output the operation history of the display unit 34 by the worker 5, and the worker's superior may refer to the output operation history and set or change the work instructions to be skipped. For example, the operation history may include whether or not the skip button was operated, and if a problem occurs with the work corresponding to a skipped work instruction, the work instruction can be changed so that it is not skipped. For example, the operation history may include the operation time or operation time of the display unit 34, and if the screen for a certain work instruction is paged forward in a short time, it can be determined that the work instruction is not important to the worker 5, and the work instruction can be changed to a work instruction to be skipped.

In addition, the operation history of the display unit 34 by the worker 5 may be used to determine the proficiency level. For example, the worker 5 may perform a task according to a task instruction while looking at the screen of the task instruction, and when the task is completed, may switch to the screen of the next task instruction, and perform the task according to the next task instruction while looking at the screen of the next task instruction. In this case, the task time required for the task can be estimated from the operation time or operation time of the display unit 34. For example, a standard task time may be set for each task according to the task instruction, and the proficiency level may be determined based on the result of comparing the standard task time with the estimated task time. The standard task time may be displayed on the task instruction screen, and the standard task time may be counted down. The current proficiency level of the worker 5 may be displayed on the task instruction screen. A sample of the task may be displayed on the task instruction screen.

As described above, the work instruction screen displayed on the display unit 34 is determined based on the proficiency information and the importance information, so that a screen appropriate to the proficiency level can be displayed to each worker 5 with a different proficiency level, and it is possible to prevent the work instructions for work with a high level of importance from being overlooked. This makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of work errors while preventing a decrease in work efficiency.

Other Embodiments
Although the worker support system (e.g., component mounting system 1) of the present disclosure has been described based on the embodiment, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment. As long as it does not deviate from the gist of the present disclosure, various modifications conceived by a person skilled in the art to the present embodiment and forms constructed by combining components in different embodiments are also included within the scope of the present disclosure.

For example, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which the worker support system includes an input unit that accepts input of importance information, but the worker support system does not need to include such an input unit.

For example, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which the worker support system includes an input unit that accepts input of work instructions to be skipped by using a skip button, but the worker support system does not need to include such an input unit.

For example, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which the worker support system includes an output unit that outputs the operation history of the display unit 34 by the worker 5, but the worker support system does not need to include such an output unit.

For example, the present disclosure can be realized not only as a worker support system, but also as a worker support method including steps (processing) performed by each component that makes up the worker support system.

As shown in FIG. 7, the worker support method is a worker support method for supporting the management of worker work, and includes a process of acquiring identification information indicating the worker to be managed, proficiency information indicating the proficiency of each worker with respect to the work to be managed, and importance information indicating the importance of the work (S11), and determining a work instruction screen to be displayed on the display unit based on the proficiency information corresponding to the worker indicated by the identification information and the importance information (S12).

For example, the steps in the worker assistance method may be executed by a computer (computer system). The present disclosure can be realized as a program for causing a computer to execute the steps included in the worker assistance method. Furthermore, the present disclosure can be realized as a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, such as a CD-ROM, on which the program is recorded.

For example, when the present disclosure is realized as a program (software), each step is performed by executing the program using hardware resources such as a computer's CPU, memory, and input/output circuits. In other words, each step is performed by the CPU acquiring data from memory or input/output circuits, etc., performing calculations, and outputting the results of the calculations to memory or input/output circuits, etc.

Furthermore, each component included in the worker support system of the above embodiment may be realized as a dedicated or general-purpose circuit.

In addition, each component included in the worker support system of the above embodiment may be realized as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), which is an integrated circuit (IC).

In addition, the integrated circuit is not limited to an LSI, and may be realized by a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose processor. A programmable FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or a reconfigurable processor in which the connections and settings of circuit cells inside the LSI can be reconfigured may be used.

Furthermore, if an integrated circuit technology that can replace LSIs emerges due to advances in semiconductor technology or other derived technologies, that technology may naturally be used to integrate the various components included in the worker assistance system.

In addition, this disclosure also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications to the embodiments that a person skilled in the art may conceive, and forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of each embodiment within the scope of the spirit of this disclosure.

This disclosure can be used, for example, to help manage the work of workers in the field of mounting electronic components on circuit boards.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Component mounting system 2 Communication network 3 Management device 4 Component mounting line 5 Worker 6 Mobile terminal 11 Base 11a Fixed base 12 Board transport mechanism 13 Board 14 Component supply section 15 Tape feeder 16 Component recognition camera 17 Component mounting mechanism 18 Head movement mechanism 19 Mounting head 20 Suction nozzle 21 Cart 21a Feeder base 22, 22A, 22B Supply reel 23, 23A, 23B Carrier tape 24 Barcode 25 Splicing tape 26 Display/input panel 27 Notification light 28 Barcode reader 30 Control section 31 Work control section 32 Memory section 33 Arithmetic processing section 34 Display section 35 Input section 36 Update section 37 Warning notification section 38 Reading section 39 Communication section 40 Worker information 41 Identification information 42 Skill level information 45 Guide information 45a Work content 45b Appropriate time 47 Work result information 47a Work item 47b Procedure 47c Result 47d Work time 48 Warning information 50 Acquisition unit 101 to 109, 201 to 212, 301 to 321 Screen M1 Board supply device M2 Board transfer device M3 Solder printing device M4, M5 Component mounting device M6 Reflow device M7 Board recovery device

Claims (14)

A worker support system for supporting management of worker operations, comprising:
an acquisition unit that acquires identification information indicating a worker to be managed, proficiency information indicating the proficiency of each worker for the task to be managed, and importance information indicating the importance of the task;
a calculation processing unit that determines a screen of work instructions to be displayed on a display unit based on the proficiency information corresponding to the worker identified by the identification information and the importance information ,
The arithmetic processing unit is
determining the screen so that, when the proficiency level indicated by the proficiency level information is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, a button for skipping a part of a plurality of work instructions in a work procedure of the work is displayed on the display unit;
Set or change the work instructions to be skipped by the button based on the worker's work schedule
Worker support system. The worker support system according to claim 1 , wherein the importance information is set for each of a plurality of work contents in a work procedure of the work. The worker support system according to claim 1 , wherein the importance information is set based on an occurrence status of a problem in the work. The worker support system according to claim 3 , wherein the importance information is set for each worker based on an occurrence status of the problem in the work for each worker. The worker support system according to claim 1 , further comprising an input unit that receives an input of the importance information. The worker support system according to claim 1 , wherein the calculation processing unit determines the screen such that an amount of work instruction information displayed on the display unit decreases as the level of proficiency indicated by the proficiency information increases. The worker support system according to claim 6 , wherein the display unit displays at least a task instruction for the task with the highest importance. The worker support system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the calculation processing unit determines the screen so that, when the proficiency level indicated by the proficiency information is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, work instructions for the work of higher importance are displayed on the display unit with more emphasis than work instructions for the work of lower importance. The worker support system according to claim 1 , wherein the calculation processing unit sets or changes the work instruction to be skipped by the button based on an occurrence status of a malfunction in the work. The worker support system according to claim 9 , wherein the calculation processing unit sets or changes the work instructions to be skipped by the button for each worker based on an occurrence status of a problem in the work for each worker. The worker support system according to claim 1 , further comprising an input unit that accepts an input of a work instruction to be skipped by pressing the button. The worker support system according to claim 1 , further comprising an output unit that outputs a history of operations performed by the worker on the display unit. The worker support system according to claim 12 , wherein the operation history includes whether or not the button is operated, or the operation time or duration of the display unit. A worker support method for supporting management of a worker's work, comprising:
Acquiring identification information indicating a worker to be managed, proficiency information indicating the proficiency of each worker for the task to be managed, and importance information indicating the importance of the task;
determining a screen of work instructions to be displayed on a display unit based on the proficiency information corresponding to the worker identified by the identification information and the importance information;
In the determination, when the proficiency level indicated by the proficiency level information is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, the screen is determined so that a button for skipping a part of a plurality of work instructions in a work procedure of the work is displayed on the display unit;
Set or change the work instructions to be skipped by the button based on the worker's work schedule
Worker support methods.

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