Automatic assembly system, automatic assembly method, management server, and management program for automatic assembly

Abstract

To provide an automatic assembly system, automatic assembly method, and a management server being the core of a computer system that constitutes the automatic assembly system for injection-molded components that realize rapid and efficient large item small scale production.SOLUTION: A management server 2 includes: a color sensor control unit 32 which controls a color sensor that projects light onto a component housing used in the automatic assembly and receives light reflected from the component housing and extracts color information on the component housing; an assembly program selection unit 42 which selects a specific assembly program from multiple assembly programs on the basis of the color information; an assembly program execution unit 44 which executes the specific assembly program and controls attachment of an attachment component to the component housing; and a storage device 4 which stores the color information and respective program information of the multiple assembly programs. The device controls a series of processes for continuously executing the assembly programs unique to each color information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic assembly system for small injection molded parts, an automatic assembly method, and a management server that is the core of a computer system that constitutes the automatic assembly system, and further to an automatic assembly management program that controls this management server and manages a series of processes in the automatic assembly. [Background technology]

[0002] Small plastic products manufactured by injection molding are often combined with parts of other materials to make a finished product and are used as parts of larger products. For example, connectors for in-vehicle devices used for connecting devices can be mentioned. Connectors can have more than 100 product patterns depending on the shape of the small plastic housing that serves as the main body, the presence or absence of multiple mounting parts such as external conductors and power terminals inserted into the plastic housing, and the number and insertion positions. Since it is more efficient to mass-produce such small plastic products that can become parts of other large products, they are usually manufactured under a system of "low-mix mass production."

[0003] Small plastic products such as the electrical connector and connector terminal described in Patent Document 1 are usually produced by "low-variety mass production". In a low-variety mass production system, mass production is possible with a pattern that has been set once, but when manufacturing products with other patterns, the program of the production line is appropriately reset, the raw material hopper, etc. is replaced, and after a trial run, actual production begins. In other words, in the conventional low-variety mass production system, a lot of man-hours are required for changeover, and it is difficult to immediately switch the production line to a product with a different pattern. In actual manufacturing sites, sudden changes to the production plan are often unavoidable, such as the need to immediately deliver a small amount in response to a delivery destination's request, and it is necessary to respond flexibly. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6075431 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention has been made in response to the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to provide an automatic assembly system for injection molded parts that realizes rapid and efficient small-lot production of a wide variety of products, an automatic assembly method, and a management server that forms the core of the computer system that constitutes the automatic assembly system, and further, an automatic assembly management program that controls this management server and manages the series of processes in the automatic assembly. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention is an automatic assembly system comprising: (a) an automatic assembly machine having a color sensor that projects light onto a component casing used in automatic assembly, receives light reflected from the component casing, and determines color information of the component casing, and an assembly unit that attaches attachment parts to the component casing by determining the color information; (b) a color sensor control unit that controls the color sensor and extracts color information, an assembly program selection unit that selects a specific assembly program from among a plurality of assembly programs based on the color information, an assembly program execution unit that executes the specific assembly program and controls the attachment of the attachment parts to the component casing in the assembly unit, and a management server having a storage device that stores color information and program information for each of the plurality of assembly programs; and (c) an automatic assembly system that continuously executes different assembly programs for each piece of color information.

[0007] A second aspect of the present invention is summarized as an automatic assembly system comprising: (a) an injection molding machine that injection molds a component casing to be used in automatic assembly; (b) an automatic assembly machine having a color sensor that discriminates color information of the component casing and an assembly unit that attaches attachment parts to the component casing by discriminating the color information; (c) a color sensor control unit that controls the color sensor and extracts color information, an assembly program selection unit that selects a specific assembly program from among a plurality of assembly programs based on the color information, an assembly program execution unit that executes the specific assembly program and controls the attachment of the attachment parts to the component casing in the assembly unit, and a management server having a storage device that stores the color information and program information for each of the plurality of assembly programs; and (d) a system that continuously executes different assembly programs for each piece of color information.

[0008] A third aspect of the present invention is an automatic assembly method comprising: (a) a step of projecting light onto a component casing to be used in automatic assembly, receiving the light reflected from the component casing, and extracting color information of the component casing; (b) a step of storing the color information in a storage device of a management server, and selecting a specific assembly program from a plurality of assembly programs pre-stored in the storage device based on the color information; (c) a step of reading out program information of the specific assembly program, sequentially executing the specific assembly program, and controlling the attachment of attachment parts to the component casing; and (d) a step of continuously executing different assembly programs for each color information.

[0009] A fourth aspect of the present invention is a management program for automatic assembly that controls a management server that controls an automatic assembly machine to control and manage a series of processes for sequentially attaching attachment parts to a component housing used in automatic assembly, characterized in that (d) different assembly programs are continuously executed for each color information by a series of instructions including: (a) an instruction to a color sensor control unit of the management server to control a color sensor that projects light onto the component housing and receives light reflected from the component housing to extract color information, (b) an instruction to an assembly program selection unit of the management server to store color information in a storage device of the management server and select a specific assembly program from a plurality of assembly programs previously stored in the storage device based on the color information, and (c) an instruction to an assembly program execution unit of the management server to read program information of the specific assembly program, sequentially execute the specific assembly program, and control the attachment of attachment parts to the component housing in an assembly unit of the automatic assembly machine. The management program for automatic assembly described in the fourth aspect of the present invention is stored in a computer-readable recording medium, and the automatic assembly method of the present invention can be executed by having a computer system read the recording medium. The term "recording medium" refers to a medium capable of recording a program, such as an external memory device of a computer system, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a magnetic tape, etc. Specifically, flexible disks, CD-ROMs, MO disks, cassette tapes, open reel tapes, etc. are included in the "recording medium", but the automated assembly method according to the third aspect may be configured to read the program directly into the program storage device of the computer system functioning as the management server via a communication network without using a recording medium, etc.

[0010] A fifth aspect of the present invention is summarized as a management server comprising: (a) a color sensor control unit that controls a color sensor that projects light onto a component housing used in automatic assembly and receives light reflected from the component housing, and extracts color information of the component housing; (b) an assembly program selection unit that selects a specific assembly program from among a plurality of assembly programs based on the color information; (c) an assembly program execution unit that executes the specific assembly program and controls the attachment of attachment parts to the component housing; (d) a storage device that stores color information and program information for each of the plurality of assembly programs; and (e) a management server that controls a series of processes for successively executing different assembly programs for each color information.

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an automatic assembly system for injection molded parts that realizes fast and efficient small-lot production of a wide variety of products, an automatic assembly method, and a management server that forms the core of the computer system that constitutes the automatic assembly system, as well as an automatic assembly management program that controls this management server and manages a series of processes in the automatic assembly. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of an automated assembly system according to a representative embodiment (hereinafter referred to as "one embodiment") of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2(a) is a schematic diagram of a parts feeder control unit 12 in the automated assembly system according to one embodiment, and FIG. 2(b) is a schematic diagram of a color sensor control unit 32 in the automated assembly system according to one embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3(a) is a schematic diagram of an assembly program selection unit 42 in the automated assembly system according to one embodiment, and FIG. 3(b) is a schematic diagram of an assembly program execution unit 44 in the automated assembly system according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] 2 is a schematic diagram of an inspection program execution unit 52 in the automated assembly system according to one embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a memory device 4 in an automated assembly system according to an embodiment. [Figure 6]1 is an example of a flowchart of an automated assembly method according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7(a) is a diagram showing an example of an assembly program in the automated assembly system according to one embodiment, and FIG. 7(b) is a diagram showing another example of an assembly program in the automated assembly system according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8(a) is a diagram showing a first rough work flow in an automated assembly system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8(b) is a diagram showing a second rough work flow in an automated assembly system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mold clamping device 3 of an injection molding machine in the automatic assembly system according to one embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 9. [Figure 11] 10 is a cross-sectional view seen from the direction BB in FIG. 9. [Figure 12] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a mold clamping device 3 of an injection molding machine in an automatic assembly system according to one embodiment is used. FIG. [Figure 13] 13 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 12 as viewed from the direction BB in FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 14(a) is a perspective view of the front side of a first plate 77 according to one embodiment, and FIG. 14(b) is a perspective view of the rear side of the first plate 77. As shown in FIG. [Figure 15] 15(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 14(a), FIG. 15(b) is an enlarged front view of part B in FIG. 14(a), and FIG. 15(c) is a partial bottom view of the first plate 77. [Figure 16] Figure 16(a) is an enlarged perspective view showing only the nozzle 101, the first plate 77, and the second plate 79, which are the tip portion of the cylinder 100, of the structure shown in Figure 12, and Figure 16(b) is a perspective view of Figure 16(a) viewed from a different angle. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of a runner switching mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the drawings. In the following description of the drawings, the same or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the relationship between thickness and planar dimensions, the ratio of the size of each member, etc., differ from the actual ones. Therefore, the specific thickness, dimensions, size, etc. should be determined in a more diverse manner, taking into consideration the gist of the technical idea that can be understood from the following description. In addition, it goes without saying that the drawings include parts with different dimensional relationships and ratios.

[0014] Moreover, the embodiment shown below is an example of a method for embodying the technical idea of ​​the present invention and an apparatus used in the method, and the technical idea of ​​the present invention does not specify the materials, shapes, structures, arrangements, etc. of the components, or the steps of the method, etc., to those described below. The technical idea of ​​the present invention is not limited to the contents described in the embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the technical scope defined by the claims.

[0015] (One embodiment) As shown in FIG. 1, an automatic assembly system according to an embodiment of the present invention is a computer-aided system that sequentially attaches attachment parts to a component housing. In this specification, the "component housing" is a body on which smaller conductive parts and the like are attached, and is a member generally called a "housing", so it may be expressed as "housing" below. In this specification, the component housing is assumed to be made of a non-conductive material. The automatic assembly system according to an embodiment of the present invention is a computer-aided system that includes an automatic assembly machine 1 having a color sensor 35 and an assembly unit 41, and a management server 2 that controls the operation procedure of the automatic assembly machine 1. The color sensor 35 that constitutes the automatic assembly machine 1 determines color information of the component housing, and the assembly unit 41 attaches the necessary attachment parts to each of the component housings whose color information has been determined by the color sensor 35. The management server 2 includes a color sensor control unit 32, an assembly program selection unit 42, an assembly program execution unit 44, and a storage device 4. The color sensor control unit 32 controls the light emission and light reception of the color sensor 35 of the automatic assembly machine 1 to extract color information of the component housing. The assembly program selection unit 42 selects a specific assembly program from among the multiple assembly programs based on the color information extracted by the color sensor control unit 32. The assembly program execution unit 44 executes the specific assembly program selected by the assembly program selection unit 42, and controls the attachment of attachment components to component casings in the assembly unit 41 of the automatic assembly machine 1. The storage device 4 stores the color information of the component casings extracted by the color sensor control unit 32, and the program information of the specific assembly program selected by the assembly program selection unit 42. The automatic assembly system according to one embodiment can continuously execute different assembly programs for each color information of the component casings that is continuously supplied.

[0016] The automatic assembly machine 1 in the automatic assembly system according to one embodiment is a parts assembly line and includes, in addition to the assembly section 41, a raw material supply section 11, a display section 21, a discrimination section 31, an inspection section 51, and a packaging section 61, as its general components. The raw material supply section 11, the discrimination section 31, the assembly section 41, the inspection section 51, and the packaging section 61 are connected in sequence from the upstream of the line. The display section 21 may be located anywhere in the automatic assembly machine 1, so long as it is installed in a location that is easy for an operator to see and operate.

[0017] 1, the raw material supply unit 11 of the automatic assembly machine 1 has a parts feeder 13, the display unit 21 has a display monitor 23, and the discrimination unit 31 has a color sensor 35 and a discrimination table 33. It is not essential for the automatic assembly machine 1 to have the parts feeder 13 constituting the raw material supply unit 11, and the parts feeder 13 may be a device separate from the automatic assembly machine 1.

[0018] The parts feeder 13 constituting the raw material supply unit 11 is an automatic parts supply device, and any mechanism for aligning and supplying the workpieces, such as a vibrating type or a non-vibrating type, is acceptable. In this specification, the term "workpiece" refers to a part or component, as in the general term, and the workpiece in the parts feeder 13 refers to a small part case. For example, the workpiece in the inspection unit 51 described later may refer to a part case to which an external conductor, a power terminal, a reinforcing metal fitting, etc. are attached, that is, a part to be inspected, and the content may change depending on the assembly stage. The parts feeder 13 may be a standard parts feeder having a hopper that holds a large number of small part cases that are raw materials for automatic assembly in the automatic assembly machine 1, and a feeder such as a bowl feeder or a linear feeder that sends the workpieces (part case) from the hopper to the discrimination table 33 one by one in an appropriate orientation.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the management server 2 further includes a part feeder control unit 12, an inspection program execution unit 52, a display control unit 22, a packaging device control unit 62, and a communication control unit 6. The operation of the part feeder 13 is controlled by the part feeder control unit 12 of the management server 2. When the part feeder 13 is a vibration type, for example, as shown in FIG. 2(a), the part feeder control unit 12 includes a vibration control circuit 12a and a work feed control circuit 12b. The vibration control circuit 12a is a circuit that controls a vibration mechanism for aligning the works in the part feeder, and the work feed control circuit 12b is a circuit for sending the works to the discrimination table 33. Of course, when the part feeder 13 is a non-vibration type, this is not the only option, and any circuit configuration may be used as long as it can feed the works.

[0020] The display unit 21 of the automatic assembly machine 1 has a display monitor 23 that displays the status of each workpiece on the assembly line of the automatic assembly machine 1 one by one and displays error information. The operation of the display monitor 23 is controlled by the display control unit 22 of the management server 2, and may be operable via a touch panel. The display control unit 22 cooperates with other control units, etc. in the management server 2 as necessary to provide appropriate displays.

[0021] The discrimination table 33 constituting the discrimination unit 31 is a place where the work sent by the parts feeder 13 is temporarily held, and is connected to the end of the feeder of the parts feeder 13. The work (parts housing) temporarily held on the discrimination table 33 receives light projected from the light projecting portion of the color sensor 35, and absorbs and reflects the light. The reflected light is received by the light receiving portion of the color sensor 35, and is processed in the management server 2 as "light reception information (color information)". The light projection of the color sensor 35 is controlled by the light projection control circuit 32a of the color sensor control unit 32, as shown in FIG. 2(b), and the light reception of the color sensor 35 is controlled by the light reception control circuit 32b of the color sensor control unit 32. The light reception information is transmitted by the light reception information transmitting circuit 32c of the color sensor control unit 32, as shown in FIG. 2(b), and is received by the light reception information receiving circuit 42a of the assembly program selection unit 42 of FIG. 3(a). The color sensor 35 may be a photoelectric sensor that detects the amount of light received of each of red, blue, and green, or may be something else. When the color sensor 35 is a photoelectric sensor, the light projection of the color sensor 35 may be a type that emits light of a wide wavelength and then distinguishes three colors at the light receiving section, or a type that emits light of three colors separately. In either type, the amount of light received of each of red, blue, and green can be detected, the light reception ratio can be calculated, and the color can be identified. The light reception information (color information) transmitted and processed within the management server 2 may be information on the amount of light received of each of red, blue, and green, information on the light reception ratio calculated from the amount of light received, or a specific "color" or "identification number assigned to a color (hereinafter also simply referred to as "color number")" calculated from the light reception ratio. In this manner, the process from the projection of light by the color sensor 35 to receiving light and obtaining the light reception information may be referred to as "color discrimination" in this specification. It is preferable that the color sensor 35 is operated only when a workpiece (component housing) is positioned on the discrimination table 33. For example, when a workpiece is held on the discrimination table 33, the reflected light can be received earlier than when no workpiece is held. It is also possible to determine whether a workpiece is held on the discrimination table 33 by using additional information about the reflected light.The light reception information (color information) of the work held on the discrimination table 33 is processed in the management server 2, and when the selection of a specific assembly program by the assembly program selection unit 42 is completed normally without error, the work held on the discrimination table 33 is sent to the next device, that is, the assembly unit 41. The discrimination table 33 becomes empty temporarily, but the next work is immediately sent from the parts feeder 13, and color discrimination is performed one after another.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 3(a), the assembly program selection unit 42 has a light reception information receiving circuit 42a, an identification number assignment circuit 42b, a program selection circuit 42c, and a work information transmission circuit 42d. As described above, the light reception information receiving circuit 42a receives the light reception information (color information) transmitted by the light reception information transmission circuit 32c of the color sensor control unit 32. As shown in Fig. 5, the storage device 4 has a work information storage device 4a, a counter information storage device 4b, an assembly plan storage device 4c, and a program storage device 4d. The received color information is sent to the identification number assignment circuit 42b of the assembly program selection unit 42, which creates a set of color information and an identification number, which is stored as a "first work information set" in the work information storage device 4a of the storage device 4 shown in Fig. 5.

[0023] Then, in the program selection circuit 42c of the assembly program selection unit 42, a specific assembly program number corresponding to the color information of the workpiece first information set is obtained from the program storage device 4d of the storage device 4 shown in FIG. 5. At this time, if multiple assembly program numbers are stored in the program storage device 4d for the same color information, which assembly program number is to be obtained is determined based on the priority. Next, in cooperation with the counter information storage device 4b of the storage device 4, it is determined whether or not to execute the assembly program of the acquired specific assembly program number. If it is executed, the selection of the specific assembly program is completed normally, and the assembly stage will proceed. For the workpiece (component housing) that will proceed to the assembly stage, information on the assembly program number is also added to the workpiece first information set, and the set of color information, identification number, and assembly program number is stored in the workpiece information storage device 4a as a "workpiece second information set," and the "workpiece second information set" or the identification number is transmitted to the workpiece information receiving circuit 44a of the assembly program execution unit 44 of FIG. 3(b) by the workpiece information transmitting circuit 42d of FIG. 3(a).

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, the assembly section 41 of the automatic assembly machine 1 has an outer conductor insertion device 43, a power terminal insertion device 45, and a reinforcing metal fitting insertion device 47. In order to explain automatic assembly using a connector for vehicle-mounted equipment as an example, the automatic assembly system according to one embodiment has the outer conductor insertion device 43, which is the next stage after the discrimination table 33 on the assembly line, the power terminal insertion device 45, and the reinforcing metal fitting insertion device 47 as devices constituting the assembly section 41, but of course other assembly devices may be used. The outer conductor insertion device 43 is a device that inserts an outer conductor, which is one of the parts to be attached to a component housing. The operation of the outer conductor insertion device 43 is controlled by the assembly program execution circuit 44b of the assembly program execution unit 44 based on the work information received by the work information receiving circuit 44a of the assembly program execution unit 44 in FIG. 3(b). The power terminal insertion device 45 is a device that inserts a power terminal, which is one of the parts to be attached to a component housing, and the operation of the power terminal insertion device 45 is controlled by the assembly program execution circuit 44b based on the work information received by the work information receiving circuit 44a as shown in FIG. 3(b). The reinforcing metal fitting insertion device 47 is a device that inserts reinforcing metal fittings, which are one of the attachment parts, into the component housing, and as shown in Fig. 3(b), its operation is controlled by the assembly program execution circuit 44b based on the work information received by the work information receiving circuit 44a. The presence or absence, number, and attachment position of each attachment part vary depending on the type of specific assembly program selected. In the automated assembly system according to one embodiment, the type of specific assembly program can be selected based on the "color" of the component housing.

[0025] 1 , the inspection section 51 of the automatic assembly machine 1 in the automatic assembly system according to one embodiment has an inspection table 53, an image inspection device 55, a location inspection device 57, and a delivery table 59, and the packaging section 61 has a packaging device 63. The inspection table 53, the image inspection device 55, the location inspection device 57, and the delivery table 59 of the inspection section 51, and the packaging device 63 of the packaging section 61 are not essential for the automatic assembly machine 1, and may be separate devices from the automatic assembly machine 1.

[0026] The inspection table 53 is a table on which the workpieces that have passed through the external conductor insertion device 43, the power terminal insertion device 45, and the reinforcing metal fitting insertion device 47 of the assembly section 41 are held. The inspection table 53 is subjected to image inspection by the image inspection device 55 of the inspection section 51 to judge whether the finished product is good or bad, and location inspection by the location inspection device 57 to judge whether the attached parts are deformed or not. The workpieces that have passed each inspection are transferred to the delivery table 59 of the inspection section 51, and are in the preparation stage for being taken into the packing device 63 of the packing section 61. The image inspection device 55 of the inspection section 51 is controlled by the image inspection program execution circuit 52a of the inspection program execution section 52 of FIG. 4, and the location inspection device 57 is controlled by the location inspection program execution circuit 52b of the inspection program execution section 52 of FIG. 4. The types of the image inspection program and the location inspection program may be set to different ones for each color information. The operation of the packing device 63 of the packing section 61 is controlled by the packing device control section 62 of the management server 2, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0027] As described above, the work information storage device 4a of the storage device 4 shown in Fig. 5 sequentially stores, for each reception of a work, a "first set of work information" consisting of the color information and identification number of the work (component housing), a "second set of work information" consisting of the color information, identification number and assembly program number of the work (component housing). In other words, it is a storage device that stores the "assembly history" of the automated assembly work of sequentially attaching attachment parts to the component housing. Information such as the "first set of work information" and the "second set of work information" is retrieved and used by other circuits as appropriate. If an error occurs at each stage of the selection of a specific assembly program, the execution of a specific assembly program, inspection, etc., information on that error is also stored.

[0028] The counter information storage device 4b of the storage device 4 is a device for storing the "total number of accepted workpieces" (initial value 0) from the parts feeder 13, the "number of accepted workpieces" (initial value 0) for each assembly program from the parts feeder 13, and the "number of completed assemblies" (initial value 0) for each assembly program. Each numerical value is counted as necessary, and the value after counting is overwritten and stored. The number of errors, etc. may also be counted.

[0029] The assembly plan storage device 4c is a device in which multiple combinations of color information, assembly program numbers, and planned assembly quantities are stored (registered) based on a prior assembly plan. When multiple assembly programs are to be executed with the same color information within a certain assembly plan, priority order information is also stored.

[0030] The program storage device 4d shown in Fig. 5 is a device in which multiple combinations of assembly program numbers and assembly contents (command groups) are stored (registered) in advance. The command groups include, for example, commands to insert a predetermined number of external conductors into predetermined locations on the work, commands to insert a predetermined number of power terminals into predetermined locations, commands to insert a predetermined number of reinforcing metal fittings into predetermined locations, etc. The command groups may also include commands to perform image inspection, commands to perform location inspection, etc. Furthermore, a packaging program may also be included in the command groups.

[0031] The communication control unit 6 of the management server 2 communicates with each of the included control units and storage devices, and communicates between each of the control units and each device in the automatic assembly machine 1. The management server 2 may include a bus, an interface circuit, a register, a shifter, and the like, similar to a central processing unit (CPU) of a normal computer system, but these are not shown in the figure for simplification. The management server 2 can be configured as a computer system using a microprocessor unit (MPU) or the like implemented as a microchip as the CPU. In addition, the management server 2 may be a microcomputer (microcomputer) such as a digital signal processor (DSP) with enhanced arithmetic operation functions and specialized for signal processing, or a microcontroller unit (MCU) equipped with memory and peripheral circuits and intended for embedded device control.

[0032] Alternatively, the main CPU of a current general-purpose computer may be used for the management server 2. Furthermore, a part or all of the configuration of the management server 2 may be configured with a programmable logic device (PLD) such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA). When a part or all of the management server 2 is configured with a PLD, the storage device 4 can be configured as a memory element such as a memory block included in a part of a logic block that configures the PLD. Furthermore, the management server 2 may have a structure in which a CPU core-like array and a PLD-like programmable core are mounted on the same chip. This CPU core-like array includes a hard macro CPU previously mounted inside the PLD and a soft macro CPU configured using the logic block of the PLD. In other words, a configuration in which software processing and hardware processing are mixed inside the PLD may be used.

[0033] Regarding communication, a communication network such as the Internet may be used, or any network capable of communicating information, such as a local (specific area) network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN). The communication may be wired or wireless, and may be a network that includes a dedicated line in part or in whole, or a network using a public line without a dedicated line. Furthermore, the communication may be a computer network realized by a wideband, high-speed communication line, that is, an Internet connection method using a broadband network realized by optical fiber, cable television (CATV), asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL), etc.

[0034] An example of an automatic assembly method using an automatic assembly system according to an embodiment will be described below. As shown in FIG. 6, first, in step S201, a plurality of assembly programs are preregistered (prestored) and an assembly plan is preregistered (prestored) in the storage device 4 of the management server 2. The plurality of assembly programs are stored in the program storage device 4d, and the assembly plan is stored in the assembly plan storage device 4c. The program stored in the program storage device 4d includes a plurality of assembly programs as essential information, and may include a plurality of inspection programs. Next, in step S203 of FIG. 6, the operation of the automatic assembly machine 1 is started. In step S205, a work (component housing) is cut out from the parts feeder 13 to the discrimination table 33, and then in step S207, the presence or absence of the housing is determined. If it is determined in step S207 that the housing is "present," the process proceeds to step S209, where the color of the housing is determined and the assembly program is selected. The presence or absence of the housing in step S207 in FIG. 6 may be determined by using the color sensor 35 to determine whether the housing is held on the discrimination table 33, as described above.

[0035] The color of the housing is determined in step S209 by projecting and receiving light from the color sensor 35. The selection of a specific assembly program corresponding to the housing in step S209 is performed in the assembly program selection unit 42 shown in FIG. 3(a). The light reception information receiving circuit 42a of the assembly program selection unit 42 receives the light reception information (color information) transmitted by the light reception information transmitting circuit 32c of the color sensor control unit 32. The received color information is sent to the identification number assignment circuit 42b, which creates a set of color information and identification number, which is stored as a "work first information set" in the work information storage device 4a of the storage device 4. Then, the program selection circuit 42c obtains an assembly program number corresponding to the color information of the work first information set from the program storage device 4d of the storage device 4. At this time, if multiple assembly program numbers are stored in the program storage device 4d for color information of the same color, the assembly program number with the highest priority is obtained according to the priority. Next, the number of receipts for each assembly program in the counter information storage device 4b of the storage device 4 is counted by one, and compared with the planned number of assemblies for each assembly program prestored in the assembly plan storage device 4c. If the result of this comparison shows that the number of receipts for each assembly program is equal to or less than the planned number of assemblies for each assembly program, the assembly program is executed, and if the number of receipts for each assembly program is greater than the planned number of assemblies for each assembly program, the assembly program is not executed. If an assembly program is not executed and there is another assembly program corresponding to the same color information, the number of receipts for each assembly program in the counter information storage device 4b for the other assembly program is counted by one, and compared with the planned number of assemblies for each assembly program prestored in the assembly plan storage device 4c. That is, the same process as the first comparison of the number of receipts for each assembly program and the planned number of assemblies for each assembly program is performed. If there is no other assembly program corresponding to the same color information, the operation of the automatic assembly machine 1 is terminated, or the housing is removed from the line of the automatic assembly machine 1 and processing is advanced to the next housing, or the like.For a housing that has been selected to proceed to execution of the assembly program, information on the selected assembly program number is also added to the first work information set, and the set of color information, identification number and assembly program number is stored in the work information memory device 4a as the "second work information set." The "second work information set" or the identification number is transmitted by the work information transmitting circuit 42d in FIG. 3(a) to the work information receiving circuit 44a of the assembly program execution unit 44 in FIG. 3(b), and the process proceeds to step S211 or step S213.

[0036] In step S209, if an assembly program for the first color information (color information No. 1) is selected, for example, the first assembly program is executed in step S211. In step S209, if an assembly program for the second color information (color information No. 2) is selected, for example, the second assembly program is executed in step S213. If step S211 or step S213 is executed, the assembly of the work is completed, and the process moves to the processing of the next work. That is, the process returns to step S205, and the process starts from cutting out the housing. In FIG. 6, the process is shown as cutting out the housing, executing the assembly program, and then moving to the processing of the next housing, but the processing of the next housing may be started while one housing is being processed, and the processing of multiple housings may proceed in parallel. For example, while the processing of step S209 is being performed on one housing, the processing of step S205 may be started on the next housing.

[0037] 6, if it is determined that the housing is "not present," the program may proceed to step S215 and end the operation of the automatic assembly machine 1. Alternatively, if it is determined that the housing is "not present" in step S207, the program may proceed to processing of the next housing. That is, if it is determined that the housing is "not present" in step S207, the program may start processing of step S205 for the next housing.

[0038] In step S209 in Fig. 6, if the planned assembly quantity has already been reached for the assembly program based on the color information of the housing to be processed, and the planned assembly quantity has also already been reached for other assembly programs pre-stored in the assembly plan storage device 4c, i.e., if the total planned assembly quantity has been reached, the operation of the automatic assembly machine 1 itself is terminated as shown in Fig. 6. Alternatively, in step S209, when it is determined that the total planned assembly quantity will be reached if the assembly of the workpiece to be processed is completed, the operation of the automatic assembly machine 1 may be programmed to terminate when the assembly of the workpiece to be processed is completed.

[0039] In Fig. 6, two types of assembly programs, a first and a second, are described, but three or more types of assembly programs may be executed based on color information of the housing. The automatic assembly method shown in Fig. 6 is merely an example, and the automatic assembly method according to an embodiment may be realized by a method other than that shown in Fig. 6.

[0040] 6, if an abnormality is detected in the workpiece moving along the assembly line from the housing cut-out stage in step S205 to the program execution stage in step S211 or step S213, for example, if the workpiece is removed from the line for some reason, the automatic assembly machine 1 may be programmed to terminate its operation. Alternatively, the automatic assembly machine 1 may be designed so that if the workpiece is removed from the line for some reason, the removed workpiece cannot be returned to its original position on the line. Furthermore, if the workpiece is removed from the line for some reason, the automatic assembly machine 1 may be set so that the removed workpiece can be physically returned to its original position on the line, but the automatic assembly machine 1 does not perform any processing on the workpiece. In any case, if an error occurs in the workpiece, an error may be displayed on the display monitor 23, and a buzzer device such as an alarm may be activated.

[0041] 7(a) and (b) show an outline of the assembly program executed in step S211 or step S213. As shown in FIG. 7(a), the first assembly program is prestored with an assembly program for one outer conductor, power terminals, and two reinforcing metal fittings. For the first assembly program, two types of inspection programs after assembly are also programmed in the assembly program, but they may be operated by a program separate from the assembly program. For the second assembly program, an assembly program for four outer conductors, no power terminals, and two reinforcing metal fittings is prestored. For the second assembly program, since no power terminals are inserted, after four outer conductors are inserted in the outer conductor insertion device 43, the process does not stop at the power terminal insertion device 45 but proceeds to processing in the reinforcing metal fitting insertion device 47. For the first assembly program, two types of inspection programs after assembly are also programmed in the assembly program, but they may be operated by a program separate from the assembly program. FIGS. 7(a) and (b) show an example of an assembly program of an automatic assembly system in one embodiment of the present invention, and the assembly program is not limited to these contents and can be freely set according to the user's intention.

[0042] According to the automatic assembly system of one embodiment, multiple types of component housings as raw materials can be input at the same time and assembled by the automatic assembly machine 1, so that mixed production allows for small-lot production of a wide variety of products. There is an advantage in that the necessary parts can be produced immediately and efficiently in the amount required, when required. When performing small-lot production of a wide variety of products, there are usually many changes in the setup due to model switching, which requires a lot of man-hours and effort, and also leads to a decrease in the operating rate of the automatic assembly machine. Setup change involves replacing the component housings (housings) in the assembly program, changing the storage of the assembly program and assembly plan, replacing packaging materials, test running, etc., and it may take several hours just to perform the setup change. According to the automatic assembly system of one embodiment, the frequency of the setup change itself is reduced, and the time required for the setup change can be shortened to several minutes or even several seconds per time. In addition, human errors that occur during the setup change can also be reduced. Furthermore, since the same production efficiency as mass production can be maintained even in small-lot production, the unit price can also be maintained at the same level as mass production. According to an embodiment of the automatic assembly system, the man-hours and labor of the workers are significantly reduced, and the operating rate of the automatic assembly machine can be improved. It is possible to realize not only high-mix low-volume production, but also high-mix "low-volume" production that can produce from one piece.

[0043] In addition, the automatic assembly system according to an embodiment can be realized by only a computer system composed of the automatic assembly machine 1 and the management server 2 shown in FIG. 1, but by installing a plurality of various mechanisms in the injection molding, the lead time can be further shortened in a series of operations from injection molding to assembly. According to the automatic assembly system according to an embodiment, by installing an automatic purge mechanism, a raw material hopper switching mechanism, and a runner switching mechanism described later in the injection molding, it becomes easier to change the assembly plan, so it is possible to start production of a small number of parts on the day of receiving an order and ship the planned number the next day. The usual flow after receiving an order for parts is, for example, to make a production plan, create a manufacturing instruction sheet, finally start injection molding of the part housing around the fourth day after receiving the order, start assembly on the fifth day after receiving the order, perform product inspection, and ship the product on the seventh day after receiving the order. The reason why it takes time from the production plan to injection molding and assembly is because too many man-hours are required for the changeover, and it is not easy to change the initial production plan including the changeover. According to an embodiment of the automated assembly system, by installing an automatic purge mechanism, a raw material hopper switching mechanism, and a runner switching mechanism for injection molding, it is possible to complete the process of changeover from production planning, manufacturing instructions, injection molding, assembly, and product inspection on the same day as the order is received, and ship the product the next day. This makes it possible to significantly reduce the lead time from order to shipment.

[0044] 8(a), the automatic assembly system according to one embodiment may include an injection molding machine 7 that injection molds and manufactures component housings (housings) that serve as raw materials for the automatic assembly machine 1. Furthermore, in the automatic assembly system according to one embodiment, a hopper 8 that pools a large amount of component housings (housings) may be provided between the injection molding machine 7 and the automatic assembly machine 1, in addition to a hopper provided to the automatic assembly machine 1.

[0045] An injection molding machine 7 according to an embodiment is composed of an injection device and a mold clamping device, and a mold clamping device 3 as shown in FIG. 9 and the like can be used as the mold clamping device. As shown in FIG. 9 to FIG. 11, the mold clamping device 3 has a molding part main body 81 including a mold and the like, a fixed platen 83 connected to the molding part main body 81, a moving base 71 fixed so as to extend upward from the upper part of the fixed platen 83, a vertical moving part 73 connected to the moving base 71 so as to be vertically movable and sliding parallel to the moving base 71, and a purge cover (75, 77, 79) fixed to the lower part of the vertical moving part 73. The molding part main body 81 includes a main body part responsible for molding the moving platen, the moving side mold, the fixed side mold, and the like, but these are omitted in FIG. 9 to FIG. 13 for the sake of simplicity. As shown in FIG. 11, a funnel-shaped through hole 85 is provided near the center of the fixed platen 83, and the through hole 85 is continuous with a sprue (a passage as a sprue is not shown) of the fixed side mold of the molding part main body 81. 12 etc., the purge cover (75, 77, 79) is used to receive the raw resin purged from the tip of the nozzle 101 of the cylinder 100 on the injection device side, separate the raw resin purged from the tip of the nozzle 101, and drop it onto the slider 91. The slider 91 may or may not be fixed to the fixed platen 83.

[0046] 9, 11, etc., the purge cover (75, 77, 79) has a plate stand 75 directly fixed to the vertical moving part 73, and a first plate 77 and a second plate 79 fixed to the plate stand 75. Note that the arrangement of the purge cover (75, 77, 79) in Figures 9 to 13 is an arrangement when purging the injection device, and when purging is not being performed, the purge cover (75, 77, 79) moves vertically upward along the moving base 71 together with the vertical moving part 73, so that the entire through hole 85 can be seen.

[0047] As shown in Figs. 11, 13, 16, etc., the first plate 77 and the second plate 79 are fixed to the plate base 75 so as to be spaced apart from each other. The first plate 77 has a concave surface 93 in the center of one side as shown in Figs. 14, 15(c), and 16. As shown in Figs. 14(b), 15, and 16(b), if the side having the concave surface 93 is the front side, the first plate 77 has a pore 92 penetrating obliquely downward from the lower center of the concave surface 93 to the back side and bottom side. As shown in Figs. 15(a) to (c), the structure of the pore 92 of the first plate 77 is subdivided into an inlet 94 of a nearly perfect circle on the concave surface 93 side, a horizontal introduction section 95 directly connected to the inlet 94, an oblique guide section 97 continuing from the horizontal introduction section 95, and an outlet 98 directly connected to the oblique guide section 97. As shown in FIG. 16(a), the inlet 94 is the part that comes into contact with the injection port at the tip of the nozzle 101 during purging of the raw resin, and serves as the inlet through which the purged raw resin enters. The diameter of the inlet 94 is preferably the same as or slightly larger than the diameter of the injection port at the tip of the nozzle 101. Assuming that the inlet 94 is a perfect circle, if the diameter of the injection port of the nozzle 101 is 2 mm, the diameter of the inlet 94 is preferably 2 mm. As shown in FIG. 15(b) and other figures, the horizontal width of the fine hole 92 becomes longer and wider from the horizontal introduction section 95 to the oblique induction section 97, and the vertical width of the fine hole 92 also becomes longer and wider slightly. The angle θ between the lower surface of the oblique induction section 97 and the bottom surface of the first plate 77 shown in FIG. 15(a) is preferably 50 to 70°, and most preferably 60°.

[0048] The purged raw resin entering from the inlet 94 passes through the horizontal introduction section 95, contacts the receiving surface 96, which is the curved surface on the back side of the first plate 77 of the oblique guide section 97, is guided obliquely downward, and is discharged from the first plate 77 through an outlet 98 opened on the back and bottom surface of the first plate 77. The discharged raw resin is received by the plate-shaped second plate 79 and falls downward. At the end of one purging operation, the purged raw resin may not have been separated from the injection port at the tip of the nozzle 101 in contact with the first plate 77, but the purge cover (75, 77, 79) fixed to the vertical movement section 73 moves vertically upward, and the inlet 94 of the first plate 77 acts as a cutter to cut the purged raw resin and ensure that it is separated from the injection port at the tip of the nozzle 101. If the diameter of the inlet 94 is too large compared to the diameter of the nozzle 101, it becomes difficult to cut the raw resin purged from the nozzle 101 at the inlet 94. On the other hand, if the diameter of the inlet 94 is too small compared to the diameter of the nozzle 101, a part or all of the raw resin purged from the nozzle 101 does not enter the inlet 94 and leaks out, making it impossible to purge properly. The first plate 77 is preferably made of a material having excellent corrosion resistance and wear resistance because it repeatedly receives raw resin purged at a high temperature of about 300°C. In addition, the distance between the back surface of the first plate 77 and the surface of the second plate 79 facing the back surface of the first plate 77 is preferably 4 to 5 mm, and most preferably 4.7 mm.

[0049] The raw resin purge operation is performed several times, and the purge cover (75, 77, 79) may move vertically upward for each purge operation, or the purge cover (75, 77, 79) may move vertically upward when all purge operations are completed. All purge operations of the injection molding machine 7 according to one embodiment can be performed fully automatically through a dedicated management server. Purging that is fully automatically performed through a dedicated management server is referred to as "automatic purge" in this specification, and a mechanism that performs automatic purge using the purge cover (75, 77, 79) is referred to as "automatic purge mechanism" in this specification. The dedicated management server 2 that manages the automatic purge may be the management server 2 shown in FIG. 1. The number of purge operations of the automatic purge mechanism can be set arbitrarily, and the molding operation of a running product after the end of purge can be included in the automatic purge program. After purging by the automatic purge mechanism, a program for molding a normal molded product may be set to be performed continuously. An injection molding machine 7 according to one embodiment can manufacture, as a normal molded product, a component housing that is to be the raw material for the automatic assembly machine 1. The component housing (housing) manufactured by the injection molding machine 7 is held in a temporary holding device such as a hopper attached to the automatic assembly machine 1 or a hopper 8 shown in FIG. 8(b) and can be used in an assembly line by the automatic assembly machine 1. It is also possible to build an automatic assembly system in which all processes, from the manufacture of the component housing (housing) by the injection molding machine 7 to the assembly by the automatic assembly machine 1, are performed under automatic control.

[0050] According to the automatic purge mechanism of one embodiment, the man-hours involved by the worker can be significantly reduced compared to the manual purge operation. In the manual purge operation, the raw resin purged from the tip of the nozzle needs to be removed from the tip of the nozzle using a tool such as tweezers, and this operation must be performed every time the injection device is purged. When the purge operation is performed manually and then switched to the mass production program after running, it takes about 7 minutes of man-hours for the worker himself, but with the automatic purge mechanism, the operation by the worker can be completed in about 10 seconds. In addition, the raw resin immediately after purging is very hot, so that manual work in close proximity is very dangerous. With the automatic purge mechanism, this danger can also be avoided.

[0051] (Other embodiments) As described above, the present invention has been described by the above embodiment, but the description and drawings forming part of this disclosure should not be understood as limiting the present invention. From this disclosure, various alternative embodiments, examples and operation techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Although the present invention has been described by taking a small injection molded part as an example of a part to be produced, the part to be produced is not limited to a small one, and the present invention can also be applied to the production of larger parts.

[0052] The automatic assembly method partly shown in Fig. 6 can be executed by controlling a system including the management server 2 shown in Fig. 1 etc. by a program of an algorithm equivalent to that of Fig. 6. This program may be stored in a program storage device of a computer system constituting the management server 2 of the present invention. In addition, this program may be saved in a computer-readable recording medium, and a series of processes of the automatic assembly method of the present invention can be executed by loading this recording medium into the program storage device of the management server 2.

[0053] Here, the term "computer-readable recording medium" refers to a medium capable of recording a program, such as an external memory device of a computer, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a magnetic tape. Specifically, the term "computer-readable recording medium" includes a flexible disk, a CD-ROM, an MO disk, a cassette tape, and an open-reel tape. For example, the main body of the management server 2 can be configured to have a flexible disk device (flexible disk drive) and an optical disk device (optical disk drive) built in or connected externally. By inserting a flexible disk into the flexible disk drive or a CD-ROM into the optical disk drive through its insertion port and performing a predetermined read operation, the programs stored in these recording media can be installed in the program storage device constituting the management server 2. In addition, by connecting a predetermined drive device, it is also possible to use, for example, a ROM used as a memory device in a game pack or a cassette tape as a magnetic tape device. Furthermore, it is possible to store this program in the program storage device via a communication network such as the Internet.

[0054] In addition, in the automatic assembly system according to one embodiment, a raw material hopper switching mechanism may be provided in the injection molding machine 7 shown in FIG. 8. An example of the raw material hopper switching mechanism is a mechanism in which a plurality of small raw material hoppers filled with different raw material resins are arranged in parallel on a horizontally sliding slide base. A heating cylinder such as the cylinder 100 of the injection device shown in FIG. 12 is located under the slide base. The mechanism allows the raw material resin or the like to be input into the raw material inlet of the heating cylinder through the raw material drop window of the slide base. Only the raw material in the raw material hopper located directly above the raw material inlet is input into the heating cylinder of the injection device. When changing to a different raw material, the cleaning agent inlet provided on the slide base is aligned directly above the raw material inlet, a cleaning agent is input to perform purging, etc., and the inside of the heating cylinder is cleaned before moving on to the input of the next raw material. If only a single raw material hopper can be set in the heating cylinder without using the raw material hopper switching mechanism, a raw material hopper replacement operation is required. The task of replacing the raw material hopper is hard work and takes more than 20 minutes, but if a raw material hopper switching mechanism is used, it becomes possible to switch to the next raw material hopper in about 10 seconds.

[0055] Furthermore, in the automatic assembly system according to one embodiment, the injection molding machine 7 shown in FIG. 8 may be provided with a runner switching mechanism as shown in FIG. 17(a)-(c). Each of FIG. 17(a)-(c) describes a runner switching mechanism that can arbitrarily switch the runner connected to the inlet of the raw material from the sprue (not shown). In the state shown in FIG. 17(a), the raw material is poured into the runner 123 from the inlet 132 through the switching groove 131, and flows into the cavity 120 through the subsequent bent portion 122 and the gate 121. By fitting a tool or the like into the switching groove 131 in FIG. 17(a) and rotating the rotor 130, the opening direction of the switching groove 131 can be rotated by 90° to the state shown in FIG. 17(b). When the rotor 130 is further rotated by 90°, the opening direction of the switching groove 131 becomes the state shown in FIG. 17(c), and the raw material is poured from the inlet 132 through the switching groove 131 into the runner 113, and then through the bent portion 112 and the gate 111, the flow path can be changed so that it flows into the cavity 110. Conventional molds are designed for mass production and have a multi-cavity structure, and can only produce the same color at one time. Therefore, when producing housings (products) of different colors, the setup time takes 4 to 5 hours. When the runner switching mechanism shown in FIG. 17(a) to (c) is used, for example, the setup time, which previously took 4.5 hours, can be significantly reduced to just under 20 minutes.

[0056] It is also possible to appropriately combine parts of the technical ideas described in one embodiment and other embodiments. In this way, the present invention naturally includes various embodiments not described here. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is defined only by the invention-specifying matters related to the claims, which can be interpreted appropriately from the above description. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 1...automatic assembly machine, 2...management server, 3...mold clamping device, 4...storage device, 4a...work information storage device, 4b...counter information storage device, 4c...assembly plan storage device, 4d...program storage device, 6...communication control device, 7...injection molding machine, 8...hopper, 11...raw material supply device, 12...part feeder control device, 12a...vibration control circuit, 12b...work feed control circuit, 13...part feeder, 21...display device, 22...display control device, 23...display monitor, 3 1...discrimination unit, 32...color sensor control unit, 32a...light projection control circuit, 32b...light reception control circuit, 32c...light reception information transmission circuit, 33...discrimination stand, 35...color sensor, 41...assembly unit, 42...assembly program selection unit, 42a...light reception information reception circuit, 42b...identification number assignment circuit, 42c...program selection circuit, 42d...work information transmission circuit, 43...external conductor insertion device, 44...assembly program execution unit, 44a...work information reception circuit, 44b... Assembly program execution circuit, 45...power terminal insertion device, 47...reinforcement metal fitting insertion device, 51...inspection unit, 52...inspection program execution unit, 52a...image inspection program execution circuit, 52b...location inspection program execution circuit, 53...inspection table, 55...image inspection device, 57...location inspection device, 59...delivery table, 61...packaging unit, 62...packaging device control unit, 63...packaging device, 71...moving base, 73...vertical moving unit, 75...plate table, 77... First plate, 79... second plate, 81... molding section main body, 83... fixed plate, 85... through hole, 91... slider, 92... small hole, 93... concave surface, 94... inlet, 95... horizontal introduction section, 96... receiving surface, 97... oblique guide section, 98... outlet, 100... cylinder, 101... nozzle, 110, 120... cavity, 111, 121... gate, 112, 122... bent section, 113, 123... runner, 130... rotor, 131... switching groove, 132... inlet

Claims

1. an automatic assembly machine having a color sensor that projects light onto a component housing used in automatic assembly, receives light reflected from the component housing, and determines color information of the component housing, and an assembly unit that attaches an attachment component to the component housing by determining the color information; a color sensor control unit that controls the color sensor and extracts the color information; an assembly program selection unit that selects a specific assembly program from among a plurality of assembly programs based on the color information; an assembly program execution unit that executes the specific assembly program and controls the attachment of the attachment parts to the component housings in the assembly unit; and a management server having a storage device that stores the color information and program information for each of the plurality of assembly programs. and continuously executing different assembly programs for each of the color information.

2. an injection molding machine for injection molding a component housing to be used in automatic assembly; an automatic assembly machine having a color sensor that determines color information of the component housing and an assembly unit that determines the color information to attach a mounting component to the component housing; a color sensor control unit that controls the color sensor and extracts the color information; an assembly program selection unit that selects a specific assembly program from among a plurality of assembly programs based on the color information; an assembly program execution unit that executes the specific assembly program and controls the attachment of the attachment parts to the component housings in the assembly unit; and a management server having a storage device that stores the color information and program information for each of the plurality of assembly programs. and continuously executing different assembly programs for each of the color information.

3. A step of projecting light onto a component housing used in automatic assembly, receiving light reflected from the component housing, and extracting color information of the component housing; storing the color information in a storage device of a management server, and selecting a specific assembly program from among a plurality of assembly programs pre-stored in the storage device based on the color information; reading out program information of the specific assembly program, sequentially executing the specific assembly program, and controlling the attachment of the attachment parts to the component housing; and successively executing different assembly programs for each of the color information.

4. An automatic assembly management program that controls a management server that controls an automatic assembly machine, and controls and manages a series of processes for sequentially mounting attachment parts to a part housing used in the automatic assembly, a command to a color sensor control unit of the management server to control a color sensor that projects light onto the component housing and receives light reflected from the component housing to extract the color information; A command to cause the assembly program selection unit of the management server to store the color information in a storage device of the management server and to select a specific assembly program from among a plurality of assembly programs previously stored in the storage device based on the color information; a command to read out program information of the specific assembly program in the assembly program execution unit of the management server, sequentially execute the specific assembly program, and control the attachment of the attachment parts to the part casing in the assembly unit of the automatic assembly machine; a control program for automatic assembly, which is characterized by successively executing different assembly programs for each of the color information by a series of instructions including the steps of:

5. a color sensor control unit that controls a color sensor that projects light onto a component housing used in automatic assembly and receives light reflected from the component housing, and extracts color information of the component housing; an assembly program selection unit that selects a specific assembly program from among a plurality of assembly programs based on the color information; an assembly program execution unit that executes the specific assembly program and controls the attachment of the attachment parts to the component housing; a storage device for storing the color information and program information for each of the plurality of assembly programs; and controlling a series of processes for successively executing different assembly programs for each of the color information.

Images