JPH0577552B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is directed to a system for issuing work commands at each work station for workpieces on an automobile production line based on information transmitted from a mobile communication device attached to the workpiece. related to a manufacturing management system for automobiles.

[Prior Art] The configuration of a typical automobile manufacturing line is as shown in FIG. 5, for example. This consists of a floor main line 1 that assembles the floor main assembly including the front body, front floor, rear floor, side members, etc., and a floor main assembly that assembles the left and right body sides, roof, rear panel, cowl, parcel shelf, etc. to the floor main assembly. There is a body main line 2 for assembly, a special work line 3 that performs work such as drilling required only for special specification cars, and works that pass through this special work line 3, such as front fenders, front doors, rear doors, hoods, trunk lids, etc. Metal line 4 to assemble
Furthermore, there is a painting line 5 where the completed car body is painted in a predetermined color via the metal line 4, and an outfitting line 6 where outfitting parts such as steering wheels, seats, instrument panels, etc. are assembled onto the painted car body. It is configured.

By the way, in a production line configured as described above, in a so-called mixed flow line production system in which a wide variety of automobiles with different specifications, models, standards, etc. are manufactured, each work station handles the workpieces on the production line. Specifications, models, standards, etc. must be identified, and work must be performed based on this identification information. Therefore, in recent years, communication devices have been attached to workpieces on the production line, and the work station receives workpiece-specific information (specifications, model, standards, etc.) transmitted from this communication device, and based on this received information, Systems for issuing work instructions have been proposed.

Conventionally, as a system of this type, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
There are those disclosed in JP-A-209667 and JP-A-57-211437.

Taking the painting line 4 in FIG. 5 as an example, this results in a system as shown in FIG. 6, for example. In the figure, inside a car body 10 to be painted (an object to be painted as a workpiece), unique information for the car body 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as unique information) such as vehicle type information, paint color information, and painting part information of the car body is stored. A communication device 11 that is stored in advance and transmits the stored unique information is installed, and a painting robot 1 is installed at the work station for the painting process.
4 and a color change device 15 for switching the paint supplied to the painting robot, and a receiving device 12 (having a trigger function for the communication device 11) for receiving unique information transmitted from the communication device 11. has been done. Then, when the vehicle body 10 moves to the work station, the unique information from the communication device 11 attached to the vehicle body 10, which is activated by a trigger from the receiving device 12, is sent to the receiving device 12.
2 receives the information, and this received unique information is further transmitted to a control device 13 (computer) for process management, which is a higher-level device. Based on the unique information from the communication device 11 input via the receiving device 12, the control device 13 performs the following operations,
A work command is given to the painting robot 14 in accordance with the vehicle type and the area to be painted on the vehicle body 10, and a work command is given to the slurry change engine 15 to supply paint of a specified color to the painting robot 14. ing. Therefore, the painting robot 14 and color change device 15 operate according to the work command from the control device 13, and the vehicle body 10 is painted in accordance with the unique information stored in the communication device.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional system in which the unique information stored in the communication device 11 attached to the workpiece is fixed, the floor main The workpieces input into line 1 are produced based on the above-mentioned fixed unique information until they are carried out as finished products from outfitting line 6, and specifications cannot be changed within the production line. It was hot. That is, there was a problem in that it was not possible to respond in a timely manner to changes in production plans, etc.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is possible to respond more timely to changes in production plans, etc., and to provide more flexibility in production modes. An object of the present invention is to provide an automobile manufacturing management system that enables the A mobile communication device having a storage means for storing information, and a fixed communication device installed corresponding to each work station and transmitting information between the mobile communication device and the mobile communication device, and transmitting information from the mobile communication device. In an automobile manufacturing management system, the unique information in the storage device is received by a fixed communication device, and work instructions are given to the workpiece at the work station based on the unique information received by the fixed communication device. , read command transmitting means for transmitting a unique information read command to the mobile communication device in the fixed communication device;
A write command transmitting means for transmitting a write command to the mobile communication device and a write information transmitting means for transmitting new unique information to be written are provided, and the storage means in the mobile communication device is constituted by a rewritable RAM. This RAM identifies whether the command transmitted from the fixed communication device is a write command or a read command, and if it is a write command, it allows writing to the RAM, and if it is a read command, it identifies whether the command is a write command or a read command.
A command detection means for prohibiting writing to RAM is attached.

[Operation] At each work station on the production line, a work command is issued based on the information transmitted from the mobile communication device, and work is performed on the workpiece in accordance with the work command. In such a manufacturing process, when changing the production specifications for the workpiece,
The identification means in the mobile communication device identifies whether the signal from the fixed communication device is a signal for reading work command information or a signal for writing new work command information, and if this signal is a command to write work command information, Information corresponding to the new production specifications is written into the storage means installed in the mobile communication device based on the commands from the fixed communication device, and the newly written information is transmitted to subsequent work stations, and this information Work instructions for the work are issued based on the contents.
That is, after the new information is written into the storage means within the mobile communication device, work based on this new information is performed at each work station.

[Embodiments of the Invention] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

The basic configuration of the production line is almost the same as the conventional one, with a mobile communication device (corresponding to the communication device 11 in Fig. 5) attached to the workpiece, and each work station having communication between it and the mobile communication device. A fixed communication device (corresponding to the receiving device 12 in FIG. 5) for mutually transmitting information is installed, and the work station receives information about the workpiece based on the information content from the mobile communication device via this fixed communication device. A control computer is installed as a host device that issues work instructions.

Here, a specific configuration of the fixed communication device is shown in FIG. 3, for example. In the same figure, 20
is the fixed communication device main body, 21 is the receiving antenna, 2
4 is a transmitting antenna, and the fixed communication device main body 2
0 inputs information from a mobile communication device attached to the workpiece via the receiving antenna 21,
Information from the fixed communication device 20 is transmitted to the mobile communication device via the transmission specification antenna 24. Then, the fixed communication device main body 2
0 is an amplifier circuit 22 that amplifies the received signal via the reception antenna 21, a demodulation circuit 23 that demodulates the output signal from the amplifier circuit 22, and a microcomputer 27 that processes the signal from the demodulation circuit 23.
The microcomputer 27 has arithmetic processing results corresponding to information from the mobile communication device, and the results are transmitted to a control computer via an interface 28. Further, the microcomputer 27 in the fixed communication device main body 20 has a function of creating information to be transmitted to the mobile communication device based on operation input from an external keyboard device (not shown). The data created by the microcomputer 27 is transmitted to the mobile communication device via the modulation circuit 26, the amplification circuit 25, and the transmission antenna 24. Here, the modulation circuit 26 converts data from the microcomputer 27 into PCM, for example.
The format of this modulated signal is, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, in which a clock pulse that determines the reading cycle of the modulated signal is placed at the beginning, followed by information corresponding to a read or write command. Furthermore, the original data is arranged after that. For example, if the information corresponding to the above read or write command is a read command,
If the data is 15 bits with all 1s, and it is a write command, 15 bits are 1s and 15 bits are 0s.
The data consists of 30 bits. From this, it can be seen that the fixed communication device is provided with a read command transmitting means, a write command transmitting means, and a write information transmitting means.

On the other hand, the specific configuration of the mobile communication device attached to the workpiece is shown in FIG. 2, for example. In the figure, 41 is a receiving antenna;
2 is an amplification/demodulation circuit that amplifies and demodulates the received signal from the reception antenna 41, and 43 is a waveform shaping circuit that shapes the waveform of the output signal from the amplification/demodulation circuit 42. In addition, 44 is the receiving antenna 4.
1. A clock separation circuit that creates an internal synchronization signal based on the first clock pulse of the received signal inputted through the amplification/demodulation circuit 42 and the waveform shaping circuit 43 and having the format shown in FIG. 4; 45 is a clock separation circuit; 46 is a latch pulse output circuit that outputs a 1-bit width pulse signal of data based on the clock pulse from 44; 47 is a 4-bit counter that counts the output signal Q from FF 46 in synchronization with the pulse signal from clock separation circuit 44; Count the inverted output signal Q of FF46 in synchronization with the same pulse signal 4
It is a bit counter.

49 is a readable and writable memory element (hereinafter referred to as
(referred to as RAM), 50 is the 4-bit counter 4 above.
a write permission command circuit that outputs an erase permission signal (chip erase signal CE) for the stored data to the RAM 49 and also outputs a write signal when each bit of the digits 7 and 48 becomes "1"; 51 is a write command detection circuit that detects a write signal from the write permission command circuit 50 and changes the output state;
When the output state of the gate circuit 52 changes, the gate circuit 52 enters the allowable state, and the clock pulse signal from the clock separation circuit 44 is inputted to the RAM 49 as a write synchronization signal via the gate circuit 52. Then, in synchronization with the relevant clock pulse,
Data (output Q) from the FF 46 is sequentially written into the RAM 49.

Reference numeral 53 designates a read command detection circuit that changes the output state when all the last bits of the 4-bit counter 47 become "1", and 54 and 55 designate oscillation circuits that output unique frequency 1 and 2 signals, respectively.
When the output state of the read command detection circuit 53 changes, the waveform shaping circuit 43 enters the reception cutoff state, while the oscillation circuits 54 and 55 operate. Further, 56 is a frequency dividing circuit that divides the frequency of the oscillation signal from the oscillation circuit 54, and 58 is an address counter, and the RAM 49 is placed in a read permission state by the output signal of the gate circuit 52, which is prohibited when reading data. At the same time, the frequency dividing circuit 56 is connected to the gate circuit 57 which enters the permissible state by the output signal from the gate circuit 52 which enters the prohibited state.
address counter 5 in synchronization with the pulse signal from
8 is activated, and the data stored at the address specified by this address counter 58 is transferred to the RAM.
The signals are sequentially output serially from 49 onwards. Furthermore,
As mentioned above, 59 switches the oscillation output of the oscillation circuit 54 or 55 according to the bit data output from the RAM 49. For example, if the bit is "1", it is the frequency 1 signal of the oscillation circuit 54, and if the bit is "0", it is the frequency 1 signal of the oscillation circuit 54. This is a gate switch that switches to the frequency 2 signal of the oscillation circuit 55, and the signal from the gate switch 59 is amplified by the amplifier circuit 60 and then transmitted from the transmitting antenna 61. That is, in data transmission in the mobile communication device shown in FIG.
Keying) modulation is now being performed.
Note that when the output of the address counter 58, which operates in synchronization with the output pulse signal from the frequency dividing circuit 56, reaches a predetermined address, an end signal (END) is output from the address counter 58, and the end signal is used for reading. The output of the command detection circuit 53 is in a normal state.

Next, the operation will be explained.

RAM in mobile communication device attached to workpiece
49, unique information for the workpiece is stored in advance as in the conventional case. Here, when a workpiece to which a mobile communication device is attached is moved to a work station, a data reading command is issued to the mobile communication device from the fixed communication device installed at the work station. Specifically, the microcomputer 27 shown in FIG. 3 outputs 15 consecutive bits of "1" data corresponding to the read command following the clock pulse data in accordance with the format shown in FIG. The data is then transmitted to the mobile communication device via the modulation circuit 26, the amplification circuit 25, and the transmission antenna 24.

When data is transmitted from the fixed communication device as described above, the mobile receiving device receives the data, and the 4-bit counter 47 in FIG. 2 counts the 15-bit "1" data corresponding to the read command. As a result, the last bits of the 4-bit counter 47 become all "1", and the output state of the read command detection circuit 53 changes. When the output state of the read command detection circuit 53 changes, the waveform shaping circuit 43 enters a prohibited state and cuts off subsequent received signals, and the oscillation circuits 54 and 55 operate. When the oscillation circuits 54 and 55 operate in this way, the address counter 58 operates in synchronization with the pulse signal from the frequency dividing circuit 56 that divides the output signal from the oscillation circuit 54.
The unique information for the work is read from the RAM 49 in the order of addresses specified by 8.
By operating the gate switch 59 corresponding to each bit of the unique information from the RAM 49, the unique information is subjected to FSK modulation based on the f1 and f2 signals from the oscillation circuits 54 and 55. Then, the unique information modulated in this way is transmitted to the amplifier circuit 60 and the transmitting antenna 6.
1 to a fixed communication device installed at the work station.

When the fixed communication device receives the unique information transmitted from the mobile communication device using the reception antenna 21 as described above, the received signal is demodulated by the demodulation circuit 23 and then subjected to arithmetic processing by the microcomputer 27. An information signal corresponding to the unique information is transmitted to the control computer 30 via the interface 28. The control computer 30, which has received this information signal, issues work instructions for the workpiece at the work station based on the information signal. Specifically, assuming a work station on a painting line as shown in FIG. 5, the control computer 30 determines the vehicle type, painting area, paint color, etc. of the workpiece based on information signals corresponding to unique information. Then, based on the determination result, work instructions are given to the painting robot and color change device.

Normally, the unique information in the mobile communication device is transmitted to the fixed communication device as described above, and work instructions are issued at the work station based on the information received by the fixed transmission device. For example, if you want to change the color etc. to be painted on a car body carried out from the metal line 4 from the original specifications, for example, mobile communication based on a command from a fixed communication device installed at the final work station of the metal line 4. The contents of RAM 49 within the device are rewritten with new information.

Specifically, when an operator inputs new unique information of the workpiece including paint color information to be changed and write command information to the fixed communication device from a keyboard device or the like, the microcomputer 27 in the fixed communication device performs arithmetic processing on the input information and creates data with write command information and clock pulse information added before the original data (corresponding to the unique information) so as to have the format shown in FIG. At this time, the write command information is 15
There is a total of 30 bits of data, consisting of 1 bit data and 15 bits 0 data. The data created as described above is then transmitted to the mobile communication device via the modulation circuit 26, the amplification circuit 25, and the transmission antenna 24.

When data is transmitted from the fixed communication device in this way, the mobile communication device receives the data and
The 4-bit counter 47 in the figure counts the first 15 bits of "1" data of the 30-bit data corresponding to the write command, while the 4-bit counter 48 counts the inverted data ("1") of the latter 15 bits of "0" data. ) to count. As a result, the first digit bits of both 4-bit counters 47 and 48 are all "1", so the write permission command circuit 50 is activated.
A write command detection circuit 51 outputs an erase permission signal and a write signal to the RAM 49, and this erase permission signal causes the RAM 49 to enter a write permission state and detects the write signal.
The output status of changes. Then, in synchronization with the clock pulse from the clock separation circuit 44 via the gate circuit 52, which is in the permissible state, the subsequent data from the FF 46, that is, the original data shown in FIG. 4, becomes new unique information. Corresponding data are sequentially written into the RAM 49.

When the unique information in the mobile communication device is rewritten at the final work station of the metal line 4 as described above, each work station on the painting line 5 and the outfitting line 6 will issue work commands according to the new unique information. It will be done.

Note that in this embodiment, the RAM 4 in the mobile communication device
Although information is written to 9 by a fixed communication device installed at each station, the present invention is not limited to this, and a fixed communication device dedicated to writing the information can be installed in the production line. You may also do this.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, a work command is given to a workpiece at a work station based on information transmitted from a mobile communication device attached to a workpiece on an automobile production line. In this automobile manufacturing management system, the information to be transmitted from the mobile communication device to the work station can be rewritten based on a command from the fixed communication device that transmits information with the mobile communication device. An automobile manufacturing management system that allows specifications changes to be made to workpieces on the production line at any time thereafter, and enables more timely response to changes in production plans, providing greater flexibility in production modes. becomes possible.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention, Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention.
The figure is a block diagram showing an example of a specific configuration of a mobile communication device in the automobile manufacturing management system according to the present invention, and FIG. A block diagram showing an example of a specific configuration; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the format of data transmitted from the fixed communication device shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of an automobile manufacturing line; FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a conventional automobile manufacturing management system. 20... Fixed communication device main body, 30... Control computer, 41... Receiving antenna, 43...
Waveform shaping circuit, 44...Clock separation circuit, 45
... Latch pulse output circuit, 46 ... Flip-flop (FF), 47, 48 ... 4-bit counter, 49 ... Memory element (RAM), 50 ... Write permission command circuit, 51 ... Write command detection circuit,
53... Read command detection circuit, 54, 55...
Oscillation circuit, 59...gate switch, 61...transmission antenna.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A mobile communication device that is attached to a workpiece on an automobile production line and has a storage means that stores unique information of the workpiece; and a mobile communication device that is installed corresponding to each work station and that communicates with the mobile communication device. a fixed communication device that transmits information by communication between the fixed communication device, the fixed communication device receives unique information in the storage device transmitted from the mobile communication device, and based on the unique information received by the fixed communication device, In the automobile manufacturing control system, the fixed communication device includes: a read command transmitting means for transmitting a read command of specific information to the mobile communication device; and a mobile communication device. A write command transmitting means for transmitting a write command to the device and a write information transmitting means for transmitting new unique information to be written are provided, and on the other hand, the storage means in the mobile communication device is constituted by a rewritable RAM. , this RAM identifies whether the command transmitted from the fixed communication device is a write command or a read command, and if it is a write command, writing to the RAM is permitted, and if it is a read command, it is sent to the RAM.
1. An automobile manufacturing management system, characterized in that it is equipped with a command detection means for prohibiting writing to. 2. The automobile manufacturing management system according to claim 1, wherein the new unique information from the written information transmitting means is work command information for changing specifications for the work on the production line. .