DE102008040440A1 - Method for assisting construction of production line during manufacture of component of motor vehicle, involves planning processes of units or components, and considering energy consumption of components during construction of line - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves planning machining processes of processing units or components by cycle time planning tools. The processes are optimized during machining with the components with respect to energy consumption. Energy consumption of the components in the course of a clock cycle and/or within a critical path is determined and/or stored, where the critical path represents a sequence of processes and the processes determine cycle time. The energy consumption of the components is considered during construction of a production line. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) an arrangement for assisting construction of a production line (2) a computer program product having a set of instructions to perform a method for assisting construction of a production line.

Description

State of the art

The The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for assistance the construction of a production line with machining units or components, for example in the manufacture of components for motor vehicles with appropriate machinery, according to the Genus of method claim 1 and the arrangement according to claim 6 ff. And a computer program product. Under the construction or the engineering of a production line, in particular the mechanical construction, Understood electrical construction and control programming, the other sub-disciplines such. B. contain the fluid planning can. The invention thus relates to the creation appropriate tools, procedures, and software tools with which a complete planning and construction of the production line can be performed, so for the construction a production line can already create a specification, complete the functionality of the production line describes. On the basis of these specifications, the individual businesses build the production line.

One such production line is in the DE 639 23 848 T2 described having a plurality of machine sections or sections with a plurality of supply, extraction or processing mechanisms, servomotors, electric, pneumatic or hydraulic actuator or control elements, which are controlled by a control unit, which includes a corresponding flow control. Furthermore, it is known that in the control unit there is a library of machine states in which the driven peripheral units operate. Thus, commands can also be executed which control the start and end of machine states and, in addition, times for the start of certain machine states can also be determined and then taken into account in operation.

Furthermore, is still from the DE 2 232 715 A As known in the prior art that means are controlled for controlling work machines for automatic machining of workpieces by means of an electronic data processing system according to a predetermined work program. In the DE 697 32 488 T2 It has already been described that there is a process control network for this, in which corresponding field devices are controlled via a so-called field bus.

Since even in the operation of production lines, in particular for the CO ₂ emission and generally for energy consumption, compliance with certain limits, in a similar manner as they already apply to motor vehicles, are expected to solutions for meaningful energy management, in particular in terms of rising energy costs, also be searched here.

The previously described production lines are not yet systematic planned and constructed with regard to their energy consumption. At On the other hand, you are responsible for planning the sequence of work processes known as cycle time planning tools in a production plant, where the sequence and duration of each work process planned and visualized in a production plant. A such cycle time planning represents the first fundamental engineering step in which defines the basic sequence of the function of the machine becomes. The result is a cycle timing diagram that shows the Course of the individual events over time and describes their dependence on each other. operations are z. B. the method of a pneumatic cylinder, feeding a part or a processing step such as welding a seam.

Appropriate Programming tools are known per se, with which the aforementioned cycle timing diagrams thereby can be visualized that on a screen or Expression in the vertical axis with the individual operations their respective duration over time in the horizontal Axis are displayed and from this it is also apparent whether the Processes are in the critical path, that is, timing-determining are.

The Cycle time planning then serves for the further engineering steps, for example, in the mechanical construction, the electrical construction and the creation of programs for the programmable logic Control as a unified base document, from which did not deviate should be. Furthermore, cycle time planning can also be used to automatically generate parts of the further engineering documents, For example, for the production of program parts for programmable logic Controls.

As a result of this cycle time planning, essentially the cycle time and the critical path, ie the sequence of processes which determine the cycle time, are present. By contrast, no such engineering tools are known for the planning of the above-mentioned energy-efficient production lines, so that it is not yet possible to determine during planning which energy consumption occurs at which time of the processing sequence in the production line and what average energy consumption results. It thus creates peak loads that unnecessarily high Energieiebereitstellungskosten or Versorgungsaggregatekos lead, as these are closely correlated with the connected load.

Furthermore So far, it can not be determined how the variation operations (such as accelerating or decelerating a feed movement or a modification of the process) and the components used (eg the replacement of an engine against another type) on the energy consumption.

Disclosure of the invention

The The invention is based on a method for supporting the Construction of a production line with machining units or Components whose processing operations are performed by means of a Cycle scheduling tools are planned. According to the invention the sequence of processes when processing with the components and by the influence of individual components in terms of Energy consumption, while the energy consumption of the components in the course of a clock cycle, the sequence of operations, which determine the tact time is determined and in the planning and possibly also in a later step in the operation of the Production line is taken into account.

By simply adding up the energy consumption of the components the total energy consumption of the production line at any time and determinable in the time average of a production cycle. The for a process requires energy as a function of the process time shown, in particular, an acceleration or deceleration a component as a drive and / or a heating or cooling a thermal process with regard to energy consumption becomes.

It is also advantageous if an initial state of the drive and / or the thermal process stored in one cycle and is used for planning to initial energy conditions to take into account.

According to one advantageous embodiment of the invention Method can be a variety of different components in terms their energy behavior provided for a same process which are selected with regard to the optimization of energy consumption or it can be operations that are not critical Paths are slowed down or accelerated without the overall cycle time to change.

The Optimization of energy consumption can also be used for start-stop planning for the defined raising and lowering of the components during a startup process and a stop operation of the components or The production line can be optimized, with each process the energy demand in the functions, standby, startup, shutdown and stored in the de-energized state and at the planning is taken into account. When planning the cycle times can also be checked according to the invention whether breaks are sufficiently long to separate components to switch off in the cycle.

at an advantageous arrangement for carrying out a previously described method, the components are designed so that Energy optimization, especially for media, in particular cooling and / or lubricants, and energy, in particular electrical energy, Compressed air and / or hydraulic pressure is feasible. to Control of the media or the energy can be for example conventional shut-off valves and / or electronic, hydraulic and / or pneumatic control assemblies are used.

Farther a computer program product is proposed that is stored on a computer usable medium comprising computer readable Program means, which upon execution of the computer program product on a microprocessor with associated storage means or on a computer this to carry out the previously described Procedure or to operate a corresponding arrangement.

In summary It should be noted that the invention defines an engineering tool is, with which also the energetic interpretation and optimization of a Production line is possible in an advantageous manner.

Short description of the drawing

The Invention will be described below with reference to the figures in the drawing illustrated embodiments explained. there shows:

1 a schematic block diagram of a life cycle of a production line,

2 a more detailed presentation of the functions after the 1 with an additional optimization of cycle times with regard to energy efficiency planning,

3 a diagram of a cycle time without energy efficiency planning and

4 to 7 each a diagram of a cycle time planning with embodiments with energy efficiency planning.

embodiments the invention

In 1 is shown schematically how a construction (block 1 ) or an engineering of an unspecified production line is made here. In particular, this design also relates to the optimization of the production line via the schedule and the use of the components, such as actuators or motors. In operation (block 2 ) can then be a measurement of the cycle time and energy consumption of the components via a feedback 3 the optimization in the block 1 about changes from the expiration or a connection of components still influence. The end of the life cycle of the production line is with block 4 indicated.

The block 1 after 1 is in 2 shown in more detail, in which case the known per se scheduling 5 with energy cycle planning relating to a cycle time planning according to the invention 6 combined. The scheduling 5 then concerns here in detail a mechanical construction 7 and an electrical construction 8th , preferably with CAD tools, as well as a control programming 9 , Once all three components have been completed, commissioning takes place 10 the production line.

Under Energy is understood below to mean all cost-relevant media, which is needed for the operation of a component or machine and provided with centralized or decentralized aggregates can be. These are usually electrical Energy, compressed air, hydraulic pressure, lubricant, cooling air, Cooling water, exhaust vacuum etc.

There for every operation in the production line or components the energy is known and the processes are timed in one predeterminable scheme can be arranged, the required Total energy at any time and on time for A production cycle can be determined by simply adding up.

The energy needed for a process can function as a function the cycle time as a single or operation time of this single operation To be defined. This takes into account that z. B. stronger acceleration of a drive or faster Heating in a thermal process in one of the components leads to a higher energy consumption. there can also be taken into account from which Initial state of the process begins, d. H. whether already a certain Speed or initial temperature is present. This is easy possible, because for each process these sizes must be cached in a cycle scheduling tool. The Detailing of different energy processes can be over Models are made.

In addition, it is possible that different components for the same process with different energy behavior and different timing in a component library for the so extended cycle time planning tool according to energy efficiency planning 6 after 2 be held and retrieved.

about the so-called critical path is now known, which processes determine the cycle time in the components. Operations that not lying in the critical path can now be consciously slowed down without increasing the total cycle time. Thereby can reduce energy consumption for these operations become. Alternatively, you can also look up the component library whether there are more energy-efficient components that are critical Path does not affect, so the previous component through this can be replaced.

It can now also an extension of all not Totally Taktzeitkritischen Processes up to the limit of the critical path or until no energy reduction is possible, done. If no further reduction of a process is possible, that can displayed graphically on a display unit.

Previously, the production line was first trimmed to a cycle time optimum and then possibly to an energy optimum, which did not change the cycle time. With the invention, the total cost of the production line can be optimized so that a cost function results as follows: Cost = kI · cycle time + k2 · energy,

A Optimization of the costs can z. By known decimation methods, such as gradient descent methods, over the Cost function or a Durchspielen of all component alternatives respectively.

Furthermore, with the invention, a start-stop strategy for the production line can be carried out in which a defined startup and shutdown of the production line takes place, which now according to the invention with the cycle time planning tool in energy efficiency planning 6 is feasible, so that a description of an implementation in the control program for the manufacturing plant including the supply technology is possible.

For every process becomes the energy demand in the functions: stand-by, Up, down and in the off (energy-free) state stored. Besides, the time is needed is stored in order to get from one state to the other.

With the clock time chart in tact time pla energy efficiency planning tool 6 It automatically checks whether any breaks are long enough to switch off individual processes in the cycle. Furthermore, it can be checked as of which pause time a complete switch-off is worthwhile (cost = f (energy)) or in which pause times which processes should be switched off.

3 shows as a first planning approach of a first optimized only on cycle time in a conventional manner construction. To the right, the time t is plotted, in the vertical, the components and the individual processes performed with them are listed with their respective single-stroke time. The bright fields each indicate the critical path, which here extracts from operations 11 the component 12 (Cylinder 1 open), 13 (Cylinder 1 off) and 14 (Cylinder 3 (component 15 ) From) is formed. The processes 16 (Belt motor (component 17 ) left) and 18 (Joining motor (component 19 ) right) are not in the critical path, so they are not time-critical and they are hatched in a characteristic way.

For the electrical energy of the processes 16 and 18 is now an example of the electrical energy consumption based on the curves 20 and 21 been planned, from which the total electrical energy in the curve 22 as the sum of the energy of the component 17 and the component 19 results. The two belt motors 17 and 19 For example, each use 100 power units peak load P _max (curves 20 and 21 ) resulting in total electrical energy with a peak load of 200 power units (curve 22 ), as both processes occur simultaneously. The during the operations 16 and 18 consumed total energy E1 is thus E1 = ∫ P · dt = ∫ [P (component 17) + P (component 19)] dt.

fällt dennoch 50% niedriger aus als E1 nach der 3, sodass hiermit eine Energie-Reduktion realisiert wurde. Die Funktion nach der 4 kann sowohl durch langsameres Betreiben derselben Motoren 17 und 19 als auch jeweils durch Ersatz durch einen leistungsschwächeren Motor realisiert werden. 4 shows an embodiment of an energy efficiency in terms of cycle time optimization. This takes advantage of the total available time given by the critical path without lengthening it, ie operation 16 and 18 after 3 is considered a process 16 ' and 18 ' as long as a process 23 (Belt motor (component 17 ) and a process 24 (Joining motor (component 19 ) must start. The for the operations 16 ' and 18 ' deposited function of the energy in the operation time causes the peak load of both engines 17 and 19 From 100 power units to 10 power units, because due to a physical dependency fast acceleration processes otherwise require a higher power. The two processes 16 ' and 18 ' last four times as long (curves 25 . 26 ) the total energy E2 (curve 27 ) With

still falls 50% lower than E1 after the 3 , so that hereby an energy reduction was realized. The function after the 4 can be achieved by slowing down the same engines 17 and 19 and in each case be replaced by a less powerful engine.

Out 5 In a modification of the previously described functions is an optimization of the processes 16 and 18 with regard to the electrical connection performance, a later execution of the process 18 intended. It will be here according to the resulting curve 28 Although no energy reduction is achieved, the connected load of the system can nevertheless be reduced.

6 shows as a further embodiment in a modification of 3 an application of a so-called start-stop strategy. The components 17 and 19 (Band and joining motor) are here each formed as a converter-driven motor, which has a power consumption of, for example, 10 power units, even at a standstill, as it from curves 36 and 29 is apparent. The total energy results in the curve 30 then analogous to the representation after the 3 ,

The embodiment according to 7 now makes use of a so-called start-stop automatic, with the automatic start-stop planning tool that is in the building block 6 (see. 2 ) is integrated to schedule energy efficiency over the cycle time, detects that a shutdown for a period of time (eg 5 seconds) of an engine 17 or 19 , has a positive energy-saving balance and therefore has the cycle time planning (operations 16 '' and 18 '' ) for both engines 17 or 19 a startup process 31 and a stop 32 can be extended. From curves 33 and 34 the resulting energy processes are recognizable. The energy balance according to curve 35 is positive by the energy saved in the resting phase, although the power consumption in the actual start and stop phase may even be slightly higher than in the previous resting phase.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list The documents listed by the applicant have been automated generated and is solely for better information recorded by the reader. The list is not part of the German Patent or utility model application. The DPMA takes over no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• - DE 63923848 T2 [0002]
• - DE 2232715 A [0003]
• - DE 69732488 T2 [0003]

Claims (11)

Method for supporting the construction of a production line with machining units or components ( 12 . 15 . 17 . 19 ) whose processing operations are planned by means of a cycle-time-planning tool, characterized in that operations ( 16 . 18 ; 16 ' . 18 '; 16 '' . 18 '' ) when working with the components ( 12 . 15 . 17 . 19 ) with regard to energy consumption, the energy consumption of the components ( 12 . 15 . 17 . 19 ) during a clock cycle and / or within a critical path that maps, determines and / or stores the sequence of operations that determine the clock time and is taken into account in the design of the production line. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that by summing the energy consumption of the components ( 12 . 15 . 17 . 19 ) the total energy consumption of the production line can be determined at any time and in the time average of a production cycle. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the operations ( 16 . 18 ; 16 ' . 18 '; 16 '' . 18 '' ) that are not located in a critical path are energetically optimized, whereby the required energy (E, E1, E2) is determined and optimized as a function of the sequence and this being performed as a function of different variants of a component ( 12 . 15 . 17 . 19 ) or alternative components is determined and optimized. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that for a process ( 16 . 18 ; 16 ' . 18 '; 16 '' . 18 '' ) required energy (E, E1, E2) is determined and optimized as a function of the process, in particular a movement of a drive, for. B. by slowing down of acceleration phases or heating or cooling of a thermal process in terms of energy consumption is optimized. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that an initial state of the components ( 12 . 15 . 17 . 19 ) and / or the thermal process is stored and used for the planning. Method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized that the cycle time is extended so that a more energy efficient Operation is possible. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that checked in the planning of the cycle times is whether breaks are sufficiently long to individual operations depending on the length of breaks defined turn off and on again. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the optimization of the energy consumption also for a start-stop planning for the defined startup and shutdown of the components ( 12 . 15 . 17 . 19 ) during a boot process ( 31 ) and a stop process ( 32 ) or the production line, whereby for each operation ( 16 . 18 ; 16 ' . 18 '; 16 '' . 18 '' ) the energy requirement in the functions, stand-by, start-up, shutdown and in the de-energized state stored and taken into account in the planning. Arrangement for carrying out a method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the components ( 12 . 15 . 17 . 19 ) are designed so that the energy optimization in particular in media, in particular coolant and / or lubricant, and energy, in particular electrical energy, compressed air and / or hydraulic pressure, is feasible. Arrangement according to claim 9, characterized that for controlling the media or energy shut-off valves and / or Control modules are applied. Computer program product stored on a computer usable Medium comprising computer readable program means, which when executed the computer program product on a microprocessor with associated Storage means or on a computer this to carry out a Method according to one of claims 1 to 7 or for operation an arrangement according to any one of claims 8 or 9 cause.