JP2008087129A - Shuttle type automatic conveyance system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To flexibly adapt to changes in production plans or machining conditions and malfunctions in a conveyor. <P>SOLUTION: A control panel 6 obtains machining states of respective machining machines 11-118 and operation states of respective carriers 31-36 and performs sequence control of workpiece conveyance by the respective carriers, movement/retreat thereof, workpiece transfer, and conflict avoidance between the carriers. A computer 7 sequentially selects one of the carriers in accordance with machining and operation states and informs the control panel of workpiece conveyance, movement/retreat and workpiece transfer by the selected carrier. A remaining machining time is obtained in accordance with a combination pattern of a machining device for a workpiece to be carried, machining time data thereof and the machining and operation states, and a carrier which is transferable to subsequent machining device is selected in the order of the workpieces of which remaining machining time is short in accordance with data of effective movable range of each carrier which is classified by pattern. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a shuttle type automatic conveyance system that automatically conveys workpieces between processes on a production line, and more particularly to a workpiece conveyance control system.

  As shown in the example of FIG. 8, the shuttle-type automatic conveyance system uses an overhead traveling carriage for conveying workpieces in order to be applicable to a production line that cannot be conveyed by a conveyor (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In the figure, a rail 2 is laid on the ceiling along a processing line in which ₁₈ processing machines 1 ₁ to 1 ₁₈ are arranged. Six automatic transfer machines (carts) 3 _{1 to} 3 _{6 using the} rail 2 as a track transfer work W sequentially loaded into the loading device 4, and transfer the work W to a preset processing machine position. Or, another workpiece is transported to the processing machine position by unloading the workpiece W to be transferred to another conveyor, and the workpiece W processed by the processing machine is processed next by the conveyor located in the vicinity. The conveyance control of conveying to the machine position is performed, and the workpiece W subjected to the last processing is conveyed to the position of the unloading device 5.

Such shuttle-type automatic transport system, the choice of conveyor 3 ₁ to 3 ₆ by a sequencer to be installed in the control panel 6, so as to control the transport of the work, the transfer and the like.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 09-086650

  When automatic conveyance control is performed by a sequencer for inter-process conveyance on a production line that processes a workpiece in which a stay in each process affects quality, there are the following requirements and problems.

  As a work transfer procedure, it is necessary not only to transfer the work to the exit of the production line after transferring the work to the transfer machine, but also to return the work to the entrance direction in order to transfer the work to another transfer machine.

  Furthermore, if there is no product quality problem even if the product stays after processing in each process, it will only be a problem of production loss for the residence time. However, when the product stays, quality deterioration (degeneration, hardening, etc.) occurs. Therefore, it is necessary to convey the workpiece so as not to stay.

  Conventionally, an automatic transfer system is controlled by a sequencer. In the case of control by a sequencer, a transfer pattern for transferring workpieces between transfer machines and transferring them so as not to stay in each processing machine. Is created and incorporated into the ladder software. In this case, since it can only be transported with a fixed transport pattern, it is easy to respond to changes in the production line and changes in the processing time of each processing machine, with a review of the transport pattern and modification of the ladder software. It was impossible.

  In addition, if the transport machine fails or there is no spare machine, the transport pattern cannot be established, and there is a risk of line stoppage.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a shuttle type automatic conveyance system that solves the above-described problems.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is characterized by the following configurations.

(1) Along the processing line in which a plurality of processing machines are arranged, a plurality of transfer machines transfer the work to a specified processing machine position or transfer the work to another transfer machine, In the shuttle-type automatic transfer system that transfers the processed workpiece to the next processing machine position or transfers the workpiece to another transfer machine,
A means for acquiring the processing state of each processing machine and the operating state of each transporter, and the sequence of workpiece transport by each transporter, movement / retraction of each transporter, transfer of workpieces and collision avoidance between transporters A control panel having means for controlling;
The processing state and the operating state are acquired from the control panel, and one of each transfer machine is sequentially selected based on these, and the control of the transfer, movement / retraction, and transfer of the work by the selected transfer machine is performed. And a computer having means for instructing the board.

(2) The computer
Means for determining a remaining processing time of each processing machine from the processing state and the operating state acquired from the control panel, having transfer pattern master data having a combination pattern of processing machines at the workpiece transfer destination and processing time data of the processing machine When,
It has transfer machine effective range master data having data on the transfer effective range of each transfer machine according to the pattern, and in order of the work with the shortest remaining machining time, the work is transferred to the next processing machine based on the transfer effective range. Means for selecting a transportable transport machine;
And a means for instructing the control panel to move the selected transfer device in the order of the workpieces with the shortest remaining machining time.

(3) When the computer has a plurality of the selected transfer machines,
If only a specific transporter can transport, means for selecting that transporter,
When another transporter is located on the transport path of the selected transporter, means for instructing the other transporter to first retract the workpiece to the next processing machine position;
When a plurality of transport machines are located on the transport path of the selected transport machine, a transport machine that transports the workpiece, and means for instructing other transport machines to retreat from the transport path in parallel.
When moving a workpiece specified in the movement range of multiple transfer machines, select a transfer machine that is close to the work, Condition 1 “There is a margin for completion of machining of the corresponding work”, Condition 2 “With the closest transfer machine A means for selecting another conveyor on the outlet side in the case of any of the conditions of "There is another workpiece that can be conveyed on the inlet side" and Condition 3 "Even the conveyor on the outlet side is ready for processing" It is characterized by that.

  (4) The computer includes a simulation unit that determines an effective range of each conveyor by a simulation operation from a processing time and a conveyance pattern in each processor.

  As described above, the present invention has the following effects.

  (1) When changing the processing time of the production line and each processing machine, it is easy to review the transport pattern. That is, it is only necessary to display a list of all transport patterns and to set an effective range of the transport machine that can cover them.

  (2) Even if the conveyor fails, it can be dealt with immediately by changing the effective range of the conveyor.

  (3) It is possible to accurately select a transporter that transports workpieces in the order of workpieces with a short remaining machining time, which is suitable for a production line for machining workpieces in which staying in each step affects quality.

  (4) The suitability of the transport pattern and the effective range data of the transport machine can be verified by computer simulation.

  FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a shuttle type automatic conveyance system showing an embodiment of the present invention. 8 differs from FIG. 8 in that a supervisory control computer 7 is added. The computer 7 can exchange monitoring signals and control signals with the sequencer in the control panel 6 and changes the configuration of the automatic transfer system and the monitoring control conditions by installing the work transfer procedure etc. in software configuration. Etc., and it is easy to expand functions.

  Unlike the sequencer ladder software, the software configuration installed in the computer 7 is superior to data analysis and loop processing. In addition, management of master data and plan data is easy with a database or the like. On the other hand, the sequencer is excellent in device control.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, the computer and the sequencer share functions that are advantageous. FIG. 2 shows an automatic conveyance control procedure in which functions are shared by the control panel 6 and the computer 7.

  The computer 7 provides transport pattern master data 11 and transport machine effective range master data 12 as master data. The conveyance pattern master data 11 manages a pattern (combination of processing machines) of the process position of the workpiece conveyance destination, like a “conveyance pattern” shown in FIG. Further, assuming the case where the processing time differs for each pattern, it also has processing time data.

  The conveyor effective range master data 12 manages the effective range of movement of each conveyor. In this example, as shown in FIG. 4, the movement range for each conveyor is set by the screen operation of the computer 7. In addition, the part where the movement range of each conveyance machine overlaps becomes a transfer place of the workpiece | work between conveyance machines. Further, only the first transporter (No. 1) can be moved to the loading position, and only the final transporter (No. 6) can be moved to the unloading device.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5 as an example of setting criteria for the movement range, the front side of the movement range of each transfer machine is a retreating place for the transfer machine, so the movement range of the subsequent transfer machine from the transfer machine is set. Prohibit that. In addition, since the rear side of the movement range of each transfer machine also serves as a retreat location for the transfer machine, setting the movement range of the transfer machine before the transfer machine is prohibited.
By providing such a “setting standard”, it is possible to facilitate the retreat control of another transporter that becomes an obstacle when transporting a certain workpiece. In FIG. 3, the effective range of each transport machine is set finely. However, in the simplest example, the effective range as shown in FIG. 6 can be controlled.

  In addition to the above processing and setting functions, the computer 7 has the production plan data 13 and performs management with work serial numbers. It is also possible to use a transport pattern number instead of the work serial number without using the production plan data 13.

  In addition, the computer 7 does not use a specific transfer pattern as logic, but “transfers the workpiece from the current position to the next transfer position” from the set state of the transfer pattern master data and the transfer device effective range master data. Select and expand the transport instruction.

  The computer 7 is provided with a sequencer and a “simulator” for simulating the movement of each transport machine as functions of the computer in order to examine the transport pattern and the effective range in advance.

  Details of the automatic conveyance control procedure shown in FIG. 2 will be described below.

  (S1) The control panel 6 receives a processing machine state signal from each processing machine. The processing machine status signal is the presence of a workpiece (including a workpiece serial number), the machining elapsed time up to the present, and a machining completion signal.

  (S2) The control panel 6 receives the transporter state signal. This signal is a status signal indicating whether or not the transport machine is in automatic operation and a signal indicating whether or not a transport instruction can be accepted.

  (S3) The computer 7 periodically fetches the status signal of each processing machine and the status signal of each conveyor from the control panel 6.

  The work being processed by the processing machine is identified by (a) tracking data after the line is entered by the computer itself, (b) work serial number information from the control panel, etc. Suppose you receive a serial number.

  (S4) The computer 7 obtains the remaining machining time from the machining elapsed time up to the present time in each processing machine. For this purpose, the transport pattern master data 11 is searched from the transport pattern number of the production plan data 13 to obtain the remaining processing time in the current processing machine.

  (S5) The computer 7 selects the transfer device in the order of the workpieces with the shortest time from the remaining machining time obtained in S4. For this purpose, the next processing machine position of the corresponding workpiece is obtained from the conveyance pattern master data 11, and a conveyance machine capable of conveyance in the meantime is selected from the conveyance machine effective range master data 12.

  (S6) The computer 7 checks whether or not there are a plurality of transfer machines selected in S5.

  (S7) When there are a plurality of selected transfer machines in the check of S6, the computer 7 selects one transfer machine according to the selection criteria shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 7A, when only a specific transporter (No. 1 in the figure) can transport, the transporter is selected and instructed to transport. At that time, another transporter is in the transport path. In this case, the corresponding transfer machine (No. 2 machine in the drawing) is instructed to retreat up to the next processing machine position of the workpiece movement destination (processing machine 11).

  (B) of FIG. 7 shows a case where a plurality of transporters are on the workpiece transport path, and is parallel to the transporter (second machine in the figure) that transports the workpiece and another transporter that retreats from the transport path. Is instructed to evacuate. In the figure, the third unit is instructed, but since the fourth unit obstructs the retreat of the third unit, the retreat to the fourth unit is also instructed. In addition, the control panel 6 side has a function for avoiding collision between the transporting machines.

  (C) of FIG. 7 shows the case where the workpiece | work designated to the movement range of several conveyance machine is moved, and the conveyance machine (2nd machine in the illustration) close | similar to the workpiece | work is fundamentally selected. However, in the case of the following conditions, another transfer machine (No. 3 in the figure) on the exit side is selected.

Condition 1 “There is room to complete machining of the workpiece”
Condition 2 “There is another work on the entrance side that can be transported by the nearest transporter (No. 2 in the figure)”
Condition 3 “Even the conveyor on the exit side (No. 3 in the figure) is ready for processing”
(S8) The computer 7 instructs the movement to the transfer machine selected in S6 or S7 in the order of the workpieces with the short remaining machining time determined in S5. At this time, when the transfer machine to be transferred is determined, only the “movement” of the transfer machine to the processing machine position that is the transfer source of the workpiece is performed. This enables the workpiece conveyance to be started immediately upon completion of machining by moving the conveyance machine to the processing machine position in advance.

  (S9) When the control panel 6 receives a movement instruction from the computer 7 to the transfer device, the control panel 6 performs movement control of the transfer device and retreat control of the transfer device located on the movement path. At this time, collision prevention between transfer machines, transfer control with a processing machine, and interlock control are performed.

  (S10) The control panel 6 responds to the computer 7 with the state of the transport device being accepted as a transport instruction during the transport device movement control in S9.

  (S11) The control panel 6 transfers the signal to the computer 7 when the processing of the processing machine is completed during or after the movement control of the processing machine transporter.

  (S12) When a processing completion signal is sent from the control panel 6, the computer 7 gives the control panel 6 a transport instruction (transport source, transport destination, processing information, work serial number) of the transport machine.

  (S13) The control panel 6 controls the transport machine according to the transport instruction (transport source, transport destination, processing information, work serial number) from the computer 7.

  (S14) During the transport control in S13, the control panel 6 responds to the computer 7 with the transporter state as a transport instruction reception.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The whole block diagram of the shuttle type automatic conveyance system which shows embodiment of this invention. The automatic conveyance control procedure in embodiment. The example of the conveyance pattern master data in embodiment. The management example of the conveyance machine effective range in embodiment. The example of the setting reference | standard of the conveyance machine movement range in embodiment. The example of the conveyance machine effective range in embodiment. The example of selection of the conveyance machine in an embodiment. The whole block diagram of the conventional shuttle type automatic conveyance system.

Explanation of symbols

1 ₁ to 1 ₁₈ processing machine 2 rail 3 _{1 to} 3 ₆ automatic transfer machine 4 loading device 5 unloading device 6 sequencer 7 monitoring control computer 11 transfer pattern master data 12 automatic transfer machine effective range master data 13 production plan data

Claims (4)

Along the processing line in which multiple processing machines are arranged, the multiple transfer machines transfer the work to the specified processing machine position or transfer the work to another transfer machine and are processed by the processing machine. In the shuttle-type automatic transport system that transports the work to the next processing machine position or transfers the work to another transport machine,
A means for acquiring the processing state of each processing machine and the operating state of each transporter, and the sequence of workpiece transport by each transporter, movement / retraction of each transporter, transfer of workpieces and collision avoidance between transporters A control panel having means for controlling;
The processing state and the operating state are acquired from the control panel, and one of each transfer machine is sequentially selected based on these, and the control of the transfer, movement / retraction, and transfer of the work by the selected transfer machine is performed. A shuttle type automatic conveyance system comprising a computer having means for instructing a board. The computer
Means for determining a remaining processing time of each processing machine from the processing state and the operating state acquired from the control panel, having transfer pattern master data having a combination pattern of processing machines at the workpiece transfer destination and processing time data of the processing machine When,
It has transfer machine effective range master data having data on the transfer effective range of each transfer machine according to the pattern, and in order of the work with the shortest remaining machining time, the work is transferred to the next processing machine based on the transfer effective range. Means for selecting a transportable transport machine;
The shuttle-type automatic transfer system according to claim 1, further comprising means for instructing the control panel to move the selected transfer device in the order of workpieces with a short remaining machining time. When the computer has a plurality of the selected transfer machines,
If only a specific transporter can transport, means for selecting that transporter,
When another transporter is located on the transport path of the selected transporter, means for instructing the other transporter to first retract the workpiece to the next processing machine position;
When a plurality of transport machines are located on the transport path of the selected transport machine, a transport machine that transports the workpiece, and means for instructing other transport machines to retreat from the transport path in parallel.
When moving a workpiece specified in the movement range of multiple transfer machines, select a transfer machine that is close to the work, Condition 1 “There is a margin for completion of machining of the corresponding work”, Condition 2 “With the closest transfer machine A means for selecting another conveyor on the outlet side in the case of any of the conditions of "There is another workpiece that can be conveyed on the inlet side" and Condition 3 "Even the conveyor on the outlet side is ready for processing" The shuttle type automatic conveyance system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above-mentioned.   4. The computer according to claim 1, further comprising a simulation unit that determines an effective range of each conveyor by a simulation operation from a processing time and a conveyance pattern in each processor. 5. Shuttle type automatic transfer system.

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