Management system, management method, and program

Abstract

To provide a management system capable of improving the efficiency of exchange of products within a supply chain and reducing the manufacturing cost of a final product.SOLUTION: There is provided a management system comprising: a notification acquiring section that acquires a first notification indicating that a production rate is changed in a first installation out of a plurality of installations included in a supply chain; a calculating section that calculates a regulation amount in production rate of a second installation in response to an acquisition of the first notification without shutting down the second installation as an installation upstream or downstream of the first installation and in a range for maintaining an inventory level of a first interim product to be exchanged between the first installation and the second installation within a criterial range; and a regulation instructing section that outputs a regulation instruction to regulate the production rate of the second installation by the regulation amount.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a management system, a management method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent documents 1 to 5 state, "In the second production plan, the first production line A will not operate during the period from the planned failure time to the planned recovery time, but the load on the second production line B will increase after the detection of the symptoms of a failure, and the load on the first production line A will also increase after the planned recovery time." (Patent document 1, paragraph 0077) [Prior art document] [Patent documents] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-067927 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2020-052931 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2004-227461 A [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 02-284853 [Patent Document 5] JP 2012-226541 A Summary of the Invention

[0003] In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a management system including: a notification acquisition unit that acquires a first notification indicating that a production rate will be changed in a first facility among a plurality of facilities included in a supply chain; a calculation unit that, in response to acquiring the first notification, calculates an adjustment amount for the production rate of the second facility to a extent that does not stop a second facility, which is an upstream or downstream facility relative to the first facility, and allows the inventory amount of a first intermediate product exchanged between the first facility and the second facility to be maintained within a reference range; and an adjustment instruction unit that outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production rate of the second facility by the adjustment amount.

[0004] The above management system may further include a demand quantity acquisition unit that inputs multiple status data to acquire a range of the demand forecast quantity for a model that outputs a demand forecast quantity for a product from the second facility in response to input of status data indicating at least one of a status of any facility included in the supply chain, or a status regarding the demand or supply of the product from the facility, and a setting unit that sets the standard range based on the range of the demand forecast quantity.

[0005] In the above management system, the model may be a trained learning model using learning data including situation data indicating at least one of the weather conditions at the location of any equipment included in the supply chain or the weather conditions at the location where the product is used by the equipment, and the demand for the product by the second equipment in the situation indicated by the situation data.

[0006] In any of the above management systems including a setting unit, the second equipment is an upstream equipment with respect to the first equipment, and the first intermediate product is a product produced by the second equipment, and the setting unit may set a standard range of inventory quantity of the product based on the range of the demand forecast quantity for the product produced by the second equipment.

[0007] In any of the above management systems including a setting unit, the second equipment is equipment downstream of the first equipment, and the first intermediate product is a product by the first equipment, and the setting unit may set the reference range for the inventory amount of the first intermediate product based on the inventory amount of the first intermediate product required when the product by the second equipment is produced up to the upper limit of the range of the forecasted demand amount, and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product required when the product is produced up to the lower limit of the range of the forecasted demand amount.

[0008] In any of the management systems described above, the first notification may indicate a planned period during which the production rate of the first equipment will be changed and the planned production rate during the planned period, and the calculation unit may calculate a predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product at least at one point in time within the planned period based on the planned production rate.

[0009] In any of the above management systems, the management system may be a production management system that manages production at the second equipment, and the notification acquisition unit may acquire the first notification from another production management system that manages the first equipment, and the management system may further include an output unit that outputs a second notification indicating that the production speed of the second equipment will be adjusted by the adjustment instruction to another production management system that manages a third equipment among the plurality of equipment and is located on the opposite side of the first equipment from the second equipment in the supply chain.

[0010] In the above management system, the first notification may indicate a planned production speed after the change in the first equipment, and the second notification may indicate a planned production speed after the adjustment in the second equipment, and the calculation unit may calculate the adjustment amount so that an amount of change in the production speed of the second equipment calculated based on the second notification is smaller than an amount of change in the production speed of the first equipment calculated based on the first notification.

[0011] In any of the above management systems, the management system may be an integrated management system that integrates management of production at the multiple facilities, and may further include a change instruction unit that outputs a change instruction to change the production speed of the first facility, and the calculation unit may further calculate an adjustment amount for the production speed of the third facility in response to adjusting the production speed of the second facility by the adjustment amount, to a extent that a third facility among the multiple facilities that is located on the opposite side of the first facility from the second facility in the supply chain is not stopped and the inventory amount of the second intermediate product exchanged between the second facility and the third facility can be maintained within a reference range, and the adjustment instruction unit may further output an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the third facility by the adjustment amount of the third facility.

[0012] In the above management system, the calculation unit may calculate the adjustment amount of the second equipment to be a value smaller than the change in production rate of the first equipment before and after the change made by the change instruction unit, and may calculate the adjustment amount of the third equipment to be a value smaller than the adjustment amount of the second equipment.

[0013] In any of the above management systems, the notification acquisition unit may further acquire a third notification indicating that the production speed will be changed at a third facility among the plurality of facilities that is located on the opposite side of the first facility from the second facility in the supply chain, and the calculation unit may further calculate, in response to acquiring the third notification, an adjustment amount for the production speed of the second facility to a range that does not stop the second facility and allows the inventory amount of the second intermediate product exchanged between the second facility and the third facility to be maintained within a standard range.

[0014] In the above management system, the first notification may indicate a planned period during which the production rate of the first equipment will be changed and the planned production rate of the first equipment for the planned period, the third notification may indicate a planned period during which the production rate of the third equipment will be changed and the planned production rate of the third equipment for the planned period, and the calculation unit may calculate a predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product at least one point in time during the planned period for the first equipment based on the planned production rate for the planned period, and calculate a predicted inventory amount of the second intermediate product at least one point in time during the planned period for the third equipment based on the planned production rate for the planned period.

[0015] In any of the above management systems in which the third notification is acquired, the management system may be a production management system that manages production at the second equipment, and the notification acquisition unit may acquire the first notification from another production management system that manages the first equipment, and acquire the third notification from another production management system that manages the third equipment, and the management system may further include an output unit that outputs a second notification to the other production management system that manages the third equipment, indicating that the production speed of the second equipment will be adjusted by the adjustment instruction in response to the first notification, and outputs a fourth notification to the other production management system that manages the first equipment, indicating that the production speed of the second equipment will be adjusted by the adjustment instruction in response to the third notification.

[0016] In the above management system, the first notification indicates a planned period during which the production rate of the first equipment will be changed and the planned production rate during the planned period, and the third notification indicates a planned period during which the production rate of the third equipment will be changed and the planned production rate during the planned period, and the calculation unit determines that a second amount of change between an inventory amount of the second intermediate product predicted for a point in time within the planned period of the third equipment based on the planned production rate of the third equipment and a current inventory amount of the second intermediate product is smaller than a first amount of change between an inventory amount of the first intermediate product predicted for a point in time within the planned period of the first equipment based on the planned production rate of the first equipment and a current inventory amount of the first intermediate product. in this case, an adjustment amount of a production speed of the second equipment is calculated within a range where the second equipment is not stopped and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range, and in a case where the first change amount is smaller than the second change amount, an adjustment amount of the production speed of the second equipment is calculated within a range where the second equipment is not stopped and the inventory amount of the second intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range, and the output unit may output the second notification to the other production management system that manages the third equipment in response to the second change amount being smaller than the first change amount, and output the fourth notification to the other production management system that manages the first equipment in response to the first change amount being smaller than the second change amount.

[0017] In any of the above management systems from which the third notification is acquired, the management system is an integrated management system that integrates management of production in the plurality of facilities, and further includes a change instruction unit that outputs a change instruction to change the production speed of the first facility and outputs a change instruction to change the production speed of the third facility, and the calculation unit calculates a first adjustment amount, which is an adjustment amount of the production speed of the second facility, in response to the production speed of the first facility being changed by the change instruction unit, within a range in which the second facility is not stopped and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range, and calculates a first adjustment amount, which is an adjustment amount of the production speed of the second facility, in response to the production speed of the second facility being adjusted by the first adjustment amount, without stopping the third facility and without keeping the inventory amount of the second intermediate product within the reference range. the change instruction unit may calculate a second adjustment amount that is an adjustment amount of the production rate of the third equipment within a range where the inventory amount of the second intermediate product can be kept within a reference range, calculate a third adjustment amount that is an adjustment amount of the production rate of the second equipment in response to the change of the production rate of the third equipment by the change instruction unit, calculate a fourth adjustment amount that is an adjustment amount of the production rate of the first equipment in response to the adjustment of the production rate of the second equipment by the second adjustment amount, within a range where the inventory amount of the first intermediate product can be kept within a reference range without stopping the first equipment, and the adjustment instruction unit may output an adjustment instruction to adjust the production rate of each equipment by the adjustment amount calculated for that equipment.

[0018] In the above management system, the notification acquisition unit acquires the first notification indicating a planned period during which the production rate of the first equipment is to be changed and a planned production rate of the first equipment for the planned period, and acquires a third notification indicating a planned period during which the production rate of the third equipment is to be changed and a planned production rate of the third equipment for the planned period, and the adjustment instruction unit acquires a first ... first equipment is to be changed and a planned production rate of the third equipment for the planned period, the first notification being smaller than a first change amount between an inventory amount of the first intermediate product predicted for a point in time within the planned period for the first equipment based on the planned production rate of the first equipment and a current inventory amount of the first intermediate product. When a second change amount between an inventory amount of the second intermediate product predicted for a point in time within the planned period for the third equipment based on the planned production rate and a current inventory amount of the second intermediate product for the third equipment is smaller, an adjustment instruction to adjust the production rate of the second equipment by the first adjustment amount and an adjustment instruction to adjust the production rate of the third equipment by the second adjustment amount are output, and when the first change amount is smaller than the second change amount, an adjustment instruction to adjust the production rate of the second equipment by the third adjustment amount and an adjustment instruction to adjust the production rate of the first equipment by the fourth adjustment amount are output.

[0019] In any of the above management systems, the management system may be a production management system that manages production at the second facility, and the notification acquisition unit may acquire the first notification from another production management system that manages one of the two facilities as the first facility, indicating that the production speed at the one facility will be changed, and the management system may further include an output unit that outputs a fifth notification, indicating that the production speed of the second facility will be adjusted by the adjustment instruction, to the other production management system that manages the other facility of the two facilities that is different from the one facility.

[0020] In any of the above management systems, the management system may be an integrated management system that integrates management of production at the multiple facilities, and may further include a change instruction unit that outputs a change instruction to change a production speed of one of the two facilities as the first facility, and the calculation unit may calculate an adjustment amount for the production speed of the second facility in response to a change in the production speed of the one facility by the change instruction, within a range in which the second facility is not stopped and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range, and may calculate an adjustment amount for the production speed of the other facility in response to the production speed of the second facility being adjusted by the adjustment amount, within a range in which the other facility of the two facilities different from the one facility is not stopped and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range, and the adjustment instruction unit may output an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of each facility by the adjustment amount calculated for that facility.

[0021] In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a management method including: a notification acquisition step of acquiring a first notification indicating that a production speed will be changed in a first facility among a plurality of facilities included in a supply chain; a calculation step of calculating, in response to acquiring the first notification, an adjustment amount for the production speed of the second facility within a range that does not stop a second facility, which is an upstream or downstream facility relative to the first facility, and that allows an inventory amount of a first intermediate product exchanged between the first facility and the second facility to be maintained within a reference range; and an adjustment instruction step of outputting an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the second facility by the adjustment amount.

[0022] In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program that causes a computer to function as: a notification acquisition unit that acquires a first notification indicating that a production rate will be changed in a first facility among a plurality of facilities included in a supply chain; a calculation unit that, in response to acquiring the first notification, calculates an adjustment amount for the production rate of the second facility to a extent that does not stop a second facility, which is an upstream or downstream facility relative to the first facility, and can maintain an inventory amount of a first intermediate product exchanged between the first facility and the second facility within a reference range; and an adjustment instruction unit that outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production rate of the second facility by the adjustment amount.

[0023] The above summary of the invention does not list all of the necessary features of the present invention. Also, subcombinations of these features may also be inventions. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 shows a production system 1 according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] An integrated management system 4 is shown together with a number of pieces of equipment 2 . [Diagram 3] The operation of the integrated management system 4 is shown. [Figure 4] An example of the operation of the integrated management system 4 is shown. [Diagram 5] Another example of the operation of the integrated management system 4 will be described. [Figure 6] An integrated management system 4A according to a modified example (1) of the first embodiment is shown together with a plurality of facilities 2. [Figure 7] The operation of the integrated management system 4A is shown. [Figure 8] An example of the operation of the integrated management system 4A is shown. [Figure 9] Another example of the operation of the integrated management system 4A will be described. [Figure 10] An integrated management system 4B according to a modified example (2) of the first embodiment is shown together with a plurality of facilities 2. [Figure 11] The operation of the integrated management system 4B is shown. [Figure 12] An example of the operation of the integrated management system 4B will be described. [Figure 13] Another operation example of the integrated management system 4B will be described. [Figure 14] An integrated management system 4C according to a modification (3) of the first embodiment is shown together with a plurality of facilities 2. [Figure 15] The operation of the integrated management system 4C is shown. [Figure 16] An example of operation of the integrated management system 4C is shown. [Figure 17] 1 shows a production system 1D according to a second embodiment. [Figure 18] The production control system 3 is shown together with the target equipment 2. [Figure 19] The operation of the production management system 3 is shown. [Figure 20] A production management system 3E according to a modified example (2) of the second embodiment is shown together with a target facility 2. [Figure 21] The operation of the production management system 3E is shown. [Figure 22] 12 illustrates an example computer 1200 in which aspects of the present invention may be embodied, in whole or in part. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention according to the claims. Furthermore, not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention.

[0026] (First embodiment) 1 shows a production system 1 according to this embodiment. The production system 1 includes a plurality of pieces of equipment 2 and an integrated management system 4.

[0027] ((Equipment 2)) Each facility 2 produces a product. Each facility 2 may be a plant equipped with a plurality of devices, or a manufacturing apparatus that combines a plurality of devices. Examples of the plant include industrial plants for chemicals, biotechnology, and the like.

[0028] Here, the production system 1 according to the present embodiment may include a plurality of facilities 2 that cooperate with each other to form a supply chain 10. The supply chain 10 may produce products a, b, and c in stages from starting materials, and the upstream facilities 2 that form the supply chain 10 may produce products and supply them to the downstream facilities 2. The downstream facilities 2 may use the products produced in the upstream facilities 2 as raw materials to produce other products and supply them to the downstream facilities 2. In the present embodiment, as an example, one or more facilities 2 (also referred to as facilities 2a) may produce the product a, one or more facilities 2 (also referred to as facilities 2b) may produce the product b, and one or more facilities 2 (also referred to as facilities 2c) may produce the product c. The product c may be the final product of the supply chain 10.

[0029] Each facility 2a may supply product a to facility 2b, and each facility 2b may supply product b to facility 2c. Each facility 2 may be operated by a different manufacturer and may be located on a different premises.

[0030] ((Integrated Management System 4)) The integrated management system 4 performs integrated management of production in a plurality of facilities 2. The integrated management system 4 may perform integrated management of facilities 2a, 2b, and 2c. The integrated management system 4 may manage the facilities 2 via a production management system (not shown) that manages the facilities 2. The integrated management system 4 may be provided on a cloud, for example.

[0031] ((Configuration of Integrated Management System 4)) 2 shows the integrated management system 4 together with a plurality of facilities 2. The integrated management system 4 includes a change instruction unit 41, a notification acquisition unit 42, a demand amount acquisition unit 43, a setting unit 44, a calculation unit 45, and an adjustment instruction unit 46.

[0032] (((Change instruction unit 41))) The change instruction unit 41 outputs a change instruction to change the production speed of the first facility 2 among the multiple facilities 2 included in the supply chain 10, that is, the production speed of the product (also referred to as the first product) by the first facility 2. This changes the production speed in the first facility 2. The first facility 2 may be any of facilities 2a to 2c, but for simplicity, in this embodiment, the first facility 2 will be described as facility 2a or facility 2c.

[0033] The change instruction unit 41 may change the production rate in response to an operation input by an operator via an input unit (not shown). The production rate may be changed in response to maintenance being performed on the first facility 2, an abnormality occurring, or an increase or decrease in the amount of raw materials delivered to the first facility 2 from the planned amount. The production rate may be changed from a reference production rate. The reference production rate may be a production rate that is predetermined in a production plan, or may be the current production rate.

[0034] The change instruction unit 41 may output a change instruction to the first facility 2. The change instruction may indicate the amount of change of the production speed from the reference production speed, and may further indicate the period during which the changed production speed is to be maintained.

[0035] The change instruction unit 41 may supply the notification acquisition unit 42 with a first notification indicating that the production rate will be changed in the first facility 2. The first notification may indicate a planned period during which the production rate of the first facility 2 will be changed and a planned production rate during the planned period. The planned production rate may be a constant rate or a rate specified by an operation by an operator. The planned period may be a period during which the planned production rate is maintained, may be a period of a length specified by an operation by an operator, may be a period of a predetermined length, or may be a period from the present time to a predetermined reference time. The reference time may be a time when a change in the production rate is preset, may be a due date for the first facility 2 to deliver the product to a downstream facility 2, may be a due date for the raw materials for the first facility 2, or may be another time different from these. The reference time may be set in a production plan and may be stored in a storage unit (not shown).

[0036] (((Notification acquisition unit 42))) The notification acquisition unit 42 acquires a first notification indicating that the production rate will be changed in the first facility 2. The notification acquisition unit 42 may acquire the first notification from the change instruction unit 41. The notification acquisition unit 42 may supply the planned period indicated in the first notification to the setting unit 44. The notification acquisition unit 42 may supply the planned period and the planned production rate indicated in the first notification to the calculation unit 45.

[0037] (((demand acquisition unit 43))) The demand acquisition unit 43 acquires a range of a demand forecast amount of a product (also referred to as a second product) by a second facility 2 that is a facility 2 on the upstream or downstream side of the first facility 2. The demand forecast amount may be a predicted value of a demand amount per unit time (for example, one hour, one day, one month, etc.). Note that the second facility 2 may be any of facilities 2a to 2c, but for simplicity, the second facility 2 will be described as facility 2b in this embodiment.

[0038] The demand acquisition unit 43 may acquire a range of the demand forecast amount by inputting multiple pieces of situation data to a model 430 that outputs a demand forecast amount of a product from a second facility 2 in response to input of situation data indicating at least one of a situation related to any facility 2 included in the supply chain 10 or a situation related to the demand or supply of a product from the facility 2. Here, the situation may be the state of things at each point in time that changes over time.

[0039] In this embodiment, as an example, the situation related to any one of the facilities 2 included in the supply chain 10 may be at least one of the weather conditions (weather, temperature, wind speed, humidity, etc.) at the location of the facility 2. For example, if the final product of the supply chain 10 is an air conditioner and the product of the second facility 2 is a motor, the demand for the motor may vary depending on the weather conditions (temperature, as an example) at the location of any one of the facilities 2 in the supply chain 10.

[0040] The situation regarding the demand or supply of the product may be the weather conditions at the place where the product is used by any of the facilities 2 included in the supply chain 10. For example, if the final product of the supply chain 10 is a petroleum product and the product of the second facility 2 is oil, the demand for the oil may fluctuate according to the weather conditions at the place where the product is used by any of the facilities 2 in the supply chain 10 (for example, the temperature at the place where the crude oil produced by the upstream facility 2 is used). The place where the product is used may be the location where the product is used (for example, consumed), or may be outside the country. The place of use may be set in advance by the operator.

[0041] The situation regarding the demand or supply of the product may be the demand or supply amount of the product per unit time, or the price of the product. For example, if the final product of the supply chain 10 is a petroleum product and the product of the second facility 2 is oil, the demand for the oil may fluctuate according to the price of the product of any facility 2 in the supply chain 10 (for example, crude oil produced by the upstream facility 2).

[0042] The facility 2 whose status is indicated by the status data may be the second facility 2, or may be a facility 2 upstream of the second facility, or may be a facility 2 downstream of the second facility. The demand acquisition unit 43 may acquire the status data from an external device (not shown), or may acquire the status data from an operator via an input unit (not shown).

[0043] The model 430 may be a learning model that has been trained using learning data including situation data and the demand for the product by the second facility 2 in the situation indicated by the situation data. The learning data may include situation data indicating a situation in a certain period and the demand in the period, and may be past data, for example. The learning model may be trained by a conventionally known learning algorithm, and may be trained by, for example, a support vector machine, a logistic regression, a decision tree, a neural network, or the like.

[0044] The demand amount acquiring unit 43 may acquire a range of the demand forecast amount by inputting a plurality of pieces of situation data to the model 430. As an example, the demand amount acquiring unit 43 may generate a plurality of pieces of situation data by changing a value indicated by the acquired situation data by a reference width, and input each piece of situation data to the model 430. The demand amount acquiring unit 43 may set the range of the demand forecast amount from the minimum value to the maximum value of the demand forecast amount output from the model 430 as the range of the demand forecast amount. The demand amount acquiring unit 43 may supply the acquired range of the demand forecast amount to the setting unit 44.

[0045] (((setting unit 44))) The setting unit 44 sets a reference range of the inventory amount for the first intermediate product transferred between the first facility 2 and the second facility 2, based on the range of the forecasted demand amount of the second product. The reference range may indicate a range of the inventory amount to be realized for the first intermediate product.

[0046] The setting unit 44 multiplies the upper and lower limits of the range of the demand forecast amount per unit time supplied from the demand amount acquisition unit 43 by the length of the planned period to obtain the range of the demand forecast amount of the product b within the planned period (Jb min ~Jb max) and set the reference range based on that range. The setting unit 44 may set the reference range by different methods depending on whether the second facility 2 is upstream or downstream of the first facility 2.

[0047] ((((When the second equipment 2 is upstream of the first equipment 2)))) In this case, the first facility 2 may be facility 2c, the second facility 2 may be facility 2b, and the second product and the first intermediate product may both be product b by the second facility 2.

[0048] The setting unit 44 sets the range of the demand forecast amount of the product b as the second product (Jb min ~Jb max ), the reference range of inventory of product b as the first intermediate product (Zb min ~Zb max The setting unit 44 may set the range of the demand forecast amount (Jb min ~Jb max ) is expanded by a predetermined width to obtain the reference range (Zb min ~Zb max ) or the range of demand forecast (Jb min ~Jb max ) is narrowed by a predetermined width to obtain the reference range (Zb min ~Zb max ) or the range of demand forecast (Jb min ~Jb max ) as the reference range (Zb min ~Zb max The setting unit 44 may set a predetermined value equal to or greater than zero as the lower limit of the reference range (Zb min ), or a value less than the maximum capacity of the first intermediate product may be set as the upper limit of the reference range (Zb max ) can also be used.

[0049] ((((When the second equipment 2 is downstream of the first equipment 2)))) In this case, the first equipment 2 may be equipment 2a, the second equipment 2 may be equipment 2b, the second output may be output b by the second equipment 2, and the first intermediate output may be the first output, i.e., output a by the first equipment 2.

[0050] The setting unit 44 sets the range of the demand forecast amount of the product b as the second product (Jb min ~Jb max Based on this, the reference range of inventory of product a as the first intermediate product (Za min ~Za max The setting unit 44 may set the range of the demand forecast amount (Jb min ~Jb max ) upper limit (Jb max The inventory of product a required when only one unit (a max ) and the lower limit of the range of demand forecast quantities for the product (b min The inventory of the first intermediate product required when only one unit is produced (a min ) and the reference range of the inventory of the first intermediate product (a min ~a max ) may be set.

[0051] The setting section 44 may supply information indicating the reference range to the calculation section 45.

[0052] ((Calculation unit 45))) In response to the first notification being acquired by the notification acquisition unit 42, i.e., in response to a change in the production speed of the first equipment 2, the calculation unit 45 calculates an adjustment amount for the production speed of the second equipment 2 within a range that does not stop the second equipment 2 and allows the inventory amount of the first intermediate product to be maintained within a reference range.

[0053] The calculation unit 45 may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product at least at one point (for example, the end) in the planned period based on the planned production speed. The calculation unit 45 may set the adjustment amount of the production speed to zero in response to each predicted inventory amount falling within the reference range set by the setting unit 44. The calculation unit 45 may determine the target inventory amount of the first intermediate product within the reference range in response to each predicted inventory amount not falling within the reference range. The calculation unit 45 may calculate the target production speed of the second equipment 2, that is, the target production speed of the product b, so that the determined target inventory amount is realized at the end of the planned period. The calculation unit 45 may calculate the difference between the target production speed and the current production speed as the adjustment amount of the production speed. The method of calculating the predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product and the target production speed of the second equipment 2 will be described in detail later. The calculation unit 45 may supply the calculated adjustment amount to the adjustment instruction unit 46.

[0054] ((((Calculation method for projected inventory amount and target production rate)))) The calculation unit 45 may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product and the target production speed of the second equipment 2 (i.e., the target production speed of the second product) using different methods depending on whether the second equipment 2 is upstream or downstream of the first equipment 2.

[0055] (((((When the second equipment 2 is upstream of the first equipment 2))))) In this case, the first facility 2 may be facility 2c, the second facility 2 may be facility 2b, and the second product and the first intermediate product may both be product b by the second facility 2.

[0056] The calculation unit 45 may calculate the predicted stock amount of the first intermediate product (product b in this example) from the following formula (1). The subscripts a to c in the formula indicate which of the products a to c the value corresponds to. For example, the predicted stock amount b The subscript "b" indicates that the value is for product b.

[0057] Projected inventory of the first intermediate product b =Current stock amount b +(Production rateb -Consumption rate b ) × time to prediction =Current stock amount b +(Production rate b - Planned production speed of Facility 1 2 c × consumption coefficient of product b) × time to forecast point (1)

[0058] The current inventory in the formula is b indicates the current inventory of product b. b may include at least one of the amount of product b produced and not yet shipped, the amount of product b shipped and in transit, or the amount of product b delivered to facility 2c and not yet consumed, and may be acquired from facility 2b or facility 2c by the calculation unit 45 or the notification acquisition unit 42, or may be input by an operator via an input unit (not shown). c is the planned production rate indicated in the first notification for the first product, product c. The consumption coefficient of product b indicates the number of products b used to produce a unit amount of product c, and may be stored in advance in a storage unit (not shown).

[0059] The calculation unit 45 may calculate the target production rate of the product b from the following formula (2). Target production rate of product b = {(target inventory amount b -Current stock amount b )÷time until the end of the planned period} + planned production rate of the first facility 2 c × Consumption coefficient of product b (2)

[0060] (((((When the second equipment 2 is downstream of the first equipment 2))))) In this case, the first equipment 2 may be equipment 2a, the second equipment 2 may be equipment 2b, the second product may be product b by the second equipment 2, and the first intermediate product may be the first product, i.e., product a by the first equipment 2.

[0061] The calculation unit 45 may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product (product a in this case) from the following formula (3). Note that the consumption coefficient of product a in the formula may indicate the number of products a used to produce a unit amount of product b, and may be stored in advance in a storage unit (not shown).

[0062] Projected inventory of the first intermediate product a =Current stock amount a + (Scheduled production speed of 1st facility 2 a -Consumption rate a ) × time to prediction =Current stock amount a + (Scheduled production speed of 1st facility 2 a -Production speed b × consumption coefficient of product a) × time to forecast point (3)

[0063] The calculation unit 45 may calculate the target production rate of the product b from the following formula (4). Target production rate of product b = Planned production speed of facility 1 a -{(Target inventory amount a -Current stock amount a ) ÷ time to forecast ÷ consumption coefficient of product a (4)

[0064] In calculating the above-mentioned target production speed, the calculation unit 45 may determine the target inventory amount of the first intermediate product to be the minimum value, the maximum value, or the median value of the reference range. The calculation unit 45 may determine the target inventory amount of the first intermediate product so that the target production speed satisfies the following formula (A). As a result, the adjustment amount of the second equipment 2 is calculated to be smaller than the change amount of the production speed of the first equipment 2 before and after the change made by the change instruction unit 41.

[0065] Target production speed of product b>Current production speed of product b-Change in the production speed of the first facility 2 by the change instruction unit 41 (A)

[0066] (((adjustment instruction section 46))) The adjustment instructing unit 46 outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the second equipment 2 by the adjustment amount. This adjusts the production speed in the second equipment 2. The adjustment instructing unit 46 may output an adjustment instruction to the second equipment 2. The adjustment instruction may indicate the amount of change in the production speed from a reference production speed, and may further indicate a period for which the changed production speed is to be maintained.

[0067] According to the above-described integrated management system 4, in response to a change in the production speed of the first equipment 2, an adjustment amount of the production speed of the second equipment 2 is calculated within a range in which the upstream or downstream second equipment 2 is not stopped and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product transferred between the first equipment 2 and the second equipment 2 can be maintained within a reference range, and an adjustment instruction is output. Therefore, the inventory amount of the first intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range by increasing the production speed of the second equipment 2 in response to an increase in the production speed of the first equipment 2 and decreasing the production speed of the second equipment 2 in response to a decrease in the production speed of the first equipment 2. Therefore, the efficiency of the transfer of products within the supply chain 10 can be improved, and the manufacturing cost of the final product can be reduced.

[0068] In addition, since the standard range is set based on the range of demand forecast amounts according to at least one of the conditions related to any of the facilities 2 included in the supply chain 10 or the conditions related to the demand or supply of the product by the facilities 2, the inventory amount of the first intermediate product can be maintained within an appropriate standard range according to the conditions.

[0069] In addition, since model 430 is trained using learning data including situation data indicating at least one of the weather conditions at the location of any one of the facilities 2 or the weather conditions at the place where the product is used by the facility 2, and the demand amount of the second product in the corresponding situation, a demand forecast amount according to the weather conditions can be obtained from model 430.

[0070] Furthermore, when the second facility 2 is located upstream of the first facility 2, a reference range of the inventory amount of the first intermediate product, which is product b, is set based on the range of the demand forecast amount for product b by the second facility 2. Therefore, the inventory amount of the first intermediate product, which is product b, can be maintained within the reference range.

[0071] Furthermore, when the second facility 2 is downstream of the first facility 2, a reference range of the inventory amount of the first intermediate product is set based on the inventory amount of the first intermediate product (product a in this case) required when product b is produced at the upper limit of the range of the forecasted demand amount, and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product required when product b is produced at the lower limit. Therefore, the inventory amount of the first intermediate product, which is product a, can be maintained within the reference range.

[0072] In addition, since the inventory amount of the first intermediate product at least at one point in time during the planned period during which the production rate of the first facility 2 is changed is predicted based on the planned production rate, the production rate of the second product can be adjusted to reliably maintain the inventory amount of the first intermediate product within the standard range.

[0073] ((Operation of Integrated Management System 4)) 3 shows the operation of the integrated management system 4. The integrated management system 4 may adjust the production speed of the second facility 2 by the processes of steps S101 to S111.

[0074] In step S101, the change instruction unit 41 outputs a change instruction to change the production speed of the first facility 2. As a result, the production speed of the first facility 2 is changed.

[0075] In step S103, the notification acquisition unit 42 acquires a first notification indicating that the production rate will be changed in the first facility 2. The notification acquisition unit 42 acquires the first notification from the change instruction unit 41, and may acquire, from the first notification, a planned period during which the production rate of the first facility 2 will be changed and a planned production rate for the planned period.

[0076] In step S105, the demand acquisition unit 43 acquires a range of a demand forecast amount of the product by the second facility 2. As an example, the demand acquisition unit 43 may input a plurality of status data of the second facility 2 to the model 430 to acquire the range of the demand forecast amount.

[0077] In step S107, the setting unit 44 sets a reference range of the inventory amount for the first intermediate product based on the range of the forecasted demand amount of the product by the second facility 2.

[0078] In step S109, the calculation unit 45 calculates an adjustment amount for the production speed of the second equipment 2 within a range that allows the second equipment 2 to be operated without stopping and to maintain the inventory amount of the first intermediate product within a reference range. Then, the adjustment instruction unit 46 outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the second equipment 2 by the adjustment amount. As a result, the production speed of the second equipment 2 is adjusted.

[0079] ((Example)) 4 shows an example of operation by the integrated management system 4. As shown in this figure, according to the integrated management system 4, the production speed of the equipment 2b as the second equipment 2 may be adjusted in response to a change in the production speed of the equipment 2a as the first equipment 2.

[0080] 5 shows another example of operation by the integrated management system 4. As shown in this figure, according to the integrated management system 4, the production speed of the equipment 2b as the second equipment 2 may be adjusted in response to a change in the production speed of the equipment 2c as the first equipment 2.

[0081] (Modification (1) of the first embodiment) Fig. 6 shows an integrated management system 4A according to a modified example (1) of the first embodiment, together with a plurality of facilities 2. In the integrated management system 4A according to this modified example, components that are substantially the same as those in the integrated management system 4 shown in Fig. 2 are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0082] The integrated management system 4A includes a change instruction unit 41A, an adjustment instruction unit 46A, a notification acquisition unit 42A, a demand amount acquisition unit 43A, a setting unit 44A, and a calculation unit 45A.

[0083] ((Change instruction section 41A)) The change instruction unit 41A may output a change instruction to change the production speed of the first equipment 2(1) of the two equipments 2 (also referred to as first equipments 2(1) and 2(2)) as the first equipment 2. The change instruction unit 41A may supply a first notification indicating that the production speed will be changed in the first equipment 2(1) to the notification acquisition unit 42A. The first notification may indicate a planned period during which the production speed of the first equipment 2(1) will be changed and a planned production speed for the planned period. In this modified example, as an example, the first equipment 2 may be an upstream equipment, and the second equipment 2 may be a downstream equipment. That is, the first equipment 2(1) and 2(2) may be equipment 2a, and the second equipment 2 may be equipment 2b. In addition, the first products (also referred to as first products (1) and (2)) produced by the first equipment 2(1) and 2(2) may be different types.

[0084] (((Adjustment instruction section 46A))) The adjustment instruction unit 46A outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of each facility 2 by the adjustment amount calculated for that facility 2. For example, the adjustment instruction unit 46A may output an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the second facility 2 by the adjustment amount, similar to the adjustment instruction unit 46 in the above embodiment. Similarly, the adjustment instruction unit 46A may further output an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the first facility 2(2) by the adjustment amount. The adjustment amount of the first facility 2(2) will be described in detail later.

[0085] The adjustment instruction unit 46A may output an adjustment instruction to each of the second equipment 2 and the first equipment 2(2). The adjustment instructing unit 46A may supply a fifth notification to the notification acquiring unit 42A, the fifth notification indicating that the production rate will be adjusted in the second equipment 2. The fifth notification may indicate a planned period during which the production rate of the second equipment 2 will be changed, and a planned production rate for the planned period.

[0086] The planned production speed indicated in the fifth notification may be a speed obtained by adjusting the current production speed of the second equipment 2 by the adjustment amount, and may be supplied from the calculation unit 45A. The planned period indicated in the fifth notification may be a period during which the adjustment instruction unit 46A plans to maintain the planned production speed, and may be the same length as or different from the planned period indicated in the first notification. The planned period may be a period of a predetermined length, or may be a period from the present time to a predetermined reference time. The reference time may be the end of the planned period indicated in the first notification, a time when a change in the production speed is preset in the second equipment 2, a due date when the second equipment 2 delivers the product to the downstream equipment 2, a due date of raw materials for the second equipment 2, or another time different from these.

[0087] ((Notification acquisition unit 42A)) The notification acquisition unit 42A acquires a first notification indicating that the production rate will be changed in the first equipment 2(1) and acquires a fifth notification indicating that the production rate will be adjusted in the second equipment 2. The notification acquisition unit 42A may acquire the first notification from the change instruction unit 41A and acquire the fifth notification from the adjustment instruction unit 46A. The notification acquisition unit 42A may supply the planned period indicated in the first notification and the fifth notification to the setting unit 44A. The notification acquisition unit 42A may supply the planned period and the planned production rate indicated in the first notification and the fifth notification, respectively, to the calculation unit 45A.

[0088] (((demand acquisition unit 43A))) The demand amount acquiring unit 43A acquires the range of the demand forecast amount of the second product in the same manner as the demand amount acquiring unit 43 in the above embodiment. Similarly, the demand amount acquiring unit 43A may further acquire the range of the demand forecast amount of the first product (2) by the first facility 2 (2).

[0089] The demand acquisition unit 43A may acquire a range of the demand forecast amount by inputting multiple status data to a model 430A that outputs a demand forecast amount for the first product (2) in response to input of status data indicating at least one of a status of any facility 2 (for example, the first facility 2(2)) included in the supply chain 10 or a status of the demand or supply of the product by the facility 2. The model 430A may be a model similar to the model 430. The demand acquisition unit 43A may supply the range of the demand forecast amount of the product for each of the second facility 2 and the first facility 2(2) to the setting unit 44A.

[0090] (((setting unit 44A))) The setting unit 44A, similar to the setting unit 44 in the above embodiment, sets a reference range of the inventory amounts of the first intermediate products (1) and (2) transferred between the first equipment 2 and the second equipment 2 based on the range of the forecasted demand amount of the second product.

[0091] The first intermediate product (1) may be the first product (1) exchanged between the first equipment 2(1) and the second equipment 2. The first intermediate product (2) may be the first product (2) exchanged between the first equipment 2(2) and the second equipment 2. The setting unit 44A may supply the reference ranges of the inventory amounts of each of the first intermediate products (1) and (2) to the calculation unit 45A.

[0092] ((Calculation section 45A)) In response to a change in the production rate of the first equipment 2(1) by the change instruction unit 41A, in other words, in response to the acquisition of a first notification by the notification acquisition unit 42A, the calculation unit 45A may calculate an adjustment amount of the production rate of the second equipment 2 within a range in which the second equipment 2 is not stopped and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product (the first intermediate product (1) as an example in the present embodiment) can be maintained within a reference range. The calculation unit 45A may calculate the adjustment amount within a range in which the inventory amount of the first intermediate product (1) can be maintained within the reference range set for the first intermediate product (1) by the setting unit 44A. The first intermediate product (1) may be the first product (1) delivered between the first equipment 2(1) and the second equipment 2.

[0093] The calculation unit 45A may calculate the adjustment amount of the second facility 2 in the same manner as the calculation unit 45 in the above embodiment. For example, the calculation unit 45A may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product (1) using the above formula (3), and calculate the target production speed of the second facility 2 (i.e., the target production speed of product b) using formula (4). However, the planned production speed of the first facility 2 in the formula a may be the planned production rate of the first facility 2(1), and the inventory amount a may be the inventory amount of the first product (1) by the first facility 2(1).

[0094] The calculation unit 45A may calculate an adjustment amount of the production speed of the first equipment 2(2) in response to the adjustment of the production speed of the second equipment 2, in other words, in response to the acquisition of the fifth notification by the notification acquisition unit 42A, within a range in which the first equipment 2(2) is not stopped and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product (the first intermediate product (2) as an example in the present embodiment) can be maintained within a reference range. The calculation unit 45A may calculate the adjustment amount in a range in which the inventory amount of the first intermediate product (2) can be maintained within the reference range set for the first intermediate product (2) by the setting unit 44A. The first intermediate product (2) may be the first product (2) delivered between the first equipment 2(2) and the second equipment 2.

[0095] When calculating the adjustment amount of the first equipment (2), the calculation unit 45A may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product (2) at least at one time point within the planned period (also referred to as the second planned period) indicated in the fifth notification based on the planned production speed in the second planned period. The calculation unit 45A may set the adjustment amount of the production speed of the first equipment 2(2) to zero in response to the predicted inventory amount at each time point within the second planned period falling within the reference range set for the first intermediate product (2) by the setting unit 44A. The calculation unit 45A may determine the target inventory amount of the first intermediate product (2) within the reference range in response to the predicted inventory amount not falling within the reference range. The calculation unit 45A may calculate the target production speed of the first equipment 2(2), i.e., the target production speed of the first product (2), so that the determined target inventory amount is realized at the end of the second planned period. The calculation unit 45A may calculate the difference between the target production speed and the current production speed as the adjustment amount of the production speed.

[0096] Here, in this modified example, since the second equipment 2 is downstream of the first equipment 2, the calculation unit 45A may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product (2) and the target production speed of the first equipment 2(2) (i.e., the target production speed of the first product (2)) by the following method. Note that, when the second equipment 2 is downstream of the first equipment 2, the first equipment 2 may be equipment 2a, the second equipment 2 may be equipment 2b, the first product may be product a by the first equipment 2, and the first intermediate product (2) may be product a (also referred to as product a(2)) as the first product (2) by the first equipment 2(2).

[0097] The calculation unit 45A may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product (2) (product a(2) in this case) from the following formula (1a). Note that the subscripts (1) and (2) in the formula indicate which of the first products (1) and (2) the value corresponds to. For example, the consumption coefficient a(2) may denote the number of first products (2) used to produce a unit amount of product b.

[0098] Projected inventory of the first intermediate product (2) a =Current stock amount a(2)+(Production rate a(2) -Consumption rate a(2) ) × time to prediction =Current stock amount a(2) +(Production rate a(2) - Planned production speed of facility 2 b × consumption coefficient of product a(2) × time to forecast point (1a)

[0099] The calculation unit 45A may calculate the target production rate of the first product (2) from the following formula (2a). Target production speed of the first product (2) a(2) = {(target inventory amount a(2) -Current stock amount a(2) )÷time until the end of the planned period} + planned production rate of the second facility 2 b ×Products a(2) Consumption coefficient (2a)

[0100] In calculating the target production speed, the calculation unit 45A may determine the target inventory amount of the first intermediate product (2) so that the target production speed satisfies the following formula (B). As a result, the amount of change in the production speed of the first equipment 2(1) before and after the change made by the change instruction unit 41A, the amount of adjustment of the second equipment 2, and the amount of adjustment of the first equipment 2(2) may be calculated in order to be smaller.

[0101] Target production speed of the first equipment 2(2)>Current production speed of the first equipment 2(2)-Change in the production speed of the second equipment 2 by the adjustment instruction unit 46A (B)

[0102] The calculation unit 45A may supply the calculated adjustment amount to the adjustment instruction unit 46A. The calculation unit 45A may supply a production speed obtained by adding the adjustment amount to the current production speed, that is, an adjusted planned production speed, to the adjustment instruction unit 46A.

[0103] According to the above-described integrated management system 4A, the production speed of the second equipment 2 is adjusted in response to a change in the production speed of the first equipment 2(1) due to a change instruction, and the production speed of the first equipment 2(2) is adjusted in response to the adjustment of the production speed of the second equipment 2. Therefore, the production speed of the first equipment 2(2) can be increased in response to an increase in the production speed of the first equipment 2(1), and the production speed of the first equipment 2(2) can be decreased in response to a decrease in the production speed of the first equipment 2(1). This makes it possible to improve the efficiency of delivery and receipt of products within the supply chain 10 and reduce the manufacturing cost of the final product.

[0104] ((Operation of integrated management system 4A)) 7 shows the operation of the integrated control system 4 A. The integrated control system 4 A may adjust the production speeds of the second facility 2 and the first facility 2(2) by the processes of steps S151 to S167.

[0105] In step S151, the change instruction unit 41A outputs a change instruction to change the production speed of the first equipment 2(1), thereby changing the production speed of the first equipment 2(1).

[0106] In step S153, the notification acquisition unit 42A acquires a first notification indicating that the production rate will be changed in the first equipment 2(1). The notification acquisition unit 42A acquires the first notification from the change instruction unit 41A, and may acquire, from the first notification, a planned period during which the production rate of the first equipment 2(1) will be changed and a planned production rate for the planned period.

[0107] In step S155, the demand acquisition unit 43A acquires a range of a demand forecast amount of the product by the second facility 2. As an example, the demand acquisition unit 43A may input a plurality of status data of the second facility 2 to the model 430 to acquire the range of the demand forecast amount.

[0108] In step S157, the setting unit 44A sets a reference range of the inventory amount for the first intermediate product (1) based on the range of the forecasted demand amount of the product by the second facility 2.

[0109] In step S159, the calculation unit 45A calculates an adjustment amount for the production speed of the second equipment 2 within a range that allows the second equipment 2 to be operated without stopping and to maintain the inventory amount of the first intermediate product (1) within a reference range. Then, the adjustment instruction unit 46A outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the second equipment 2 by the adjustment amount. As a result, the production speed of the second equipment 2 is adjusted.

[0110] In step S161, the notification acquisition unit 42A acquires a fifth notification indicating that the production rate will be adjusted in the second facility 2. The notification acquisition unit 42A acquires the fifth notification from the adjustment instruction unit 46A, and may acquire, from the fifth notification, a planned period during which the production rate of the second facility 2 will be changed and a planned production rate for the planned period.

[0111] In step S163, the demand acquisition unit 43A acquires a range of a demand forecast amount of the product by the first facility 2(2). As an example, the demand acquisition unit 43A may input a plurality of status data of the first facility 2(2) to the model 430A to acquire the range of the demand forecast amount.

[0112] In step S165, the setting unit 44A sets a reference range of the inventory amount for the first intermediate product (2) based on the range of the forecasted demand amount of the product by the first facility 2(2).

[0113] In step S167, the calculation unit 45A calculates an adjustment amount for the production speed of the first equipment 2(2) within a range that allows the first equipment 2(2) to be operated without stopping and to maintain the inventory amount of the first intermediate product (2) within a reference range. Then, the adjustment instruction unit 46A outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the first equipment 2(2) by the adjustment amount. As a result, the production speed of the first equipment 2(2) is adjusted.

[0114] ((Example)) Fig. 8 shows an example of the operation of the integrated management system 4A. As shown in this figure, according to the integrated management system 4, in response to a change in the production speed of the equipment 2a as the first equipment 2(1), the production speed of the equipment 2b as the second equipment 2 may be adjusted, and the production speed of the equipment 2a as the first equipment 2(2) may be adjusted.

[0115] As a result, the production rate of the first equipment 2(2) can be increased in response to an increase in the production rate of the first equipment 2(1), and the production rate of the first equipment 2(2) can be decreased in response to a decrease in the production rate of the first equipment 2(1), thereby making it possible to maintain the inventory amounts of each of the first products (1) and (2) within the standard range.

[0116] In the above modification (1), the first products (1) and (2) are described as different types of products, but they may be the same type of products. In this case, the production speed of the first equipment 2(2) may be decreased in response to an increase in the production speed of the first equipment 2(1), and the production speed of the first equipment 2(2) may be increased in response to a decrease in the production speed of the first equipment 2(1). This allows the first equipment 2(2) to absorb the fluctuation in the production speed of the first equipment 2(1), and makes it possible to efficiently transfer products within the supply chain 10.

[0117] Also, the first intermediate product (1) and the first intermediate product (2) have been described as being separate products, but they may be the same product. As an example, the first intermediate product (1) and the first intermediate product (2) may be the entire first product transferred between the first equipment 2(1) and the second equipment 2(2) and the first equipment 2. In this case, when the calculation unit 45A calculates the predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product and the target production speed of the second equipment 2 (i.e., the target production speed of the second product) using the formulas (3) and (4), the planned production speed of the first equipment 2 in the formulas is a The production speed of the first equipment 2(1) indicated in the first notice may be combined with the current production speed of the first equipment 2(2) (for example, a production speed determined in advance in a production plan), and the inventory amount may be calculated by aThe inventory amount may be the sum of the inventory amount of the first product (1) by the first facility 2(1) and the inventory amount of the first product (2) by the first facility 2(2).

[0118] In addition, although the first equipment 2 has been described as the upstream equipment and the second equipment 2 as the downstream equipment, the first equipment 2 may be the downstream equipment and the second equipment 2 may be the upstream equipment. In this case, the first equipment 2 may be equipment 2c, the second equipment 2 may be equipment 2b, and the first intermediate product may be the second product, that is, the entire product b produced by the second equipment 2. The setting unit 44A may set a reference range for the inventory amount of the first intermediate product (product b in this case) based on the range of the demand forecast amount of the second product (product b in this case).

[0119] The calculation unit 45A may calculate the adjustment amount of the second equipment 2 in the same manner as the calculation unit 45 in the above embodiment, and may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product (here, product b) using the above-mentioned equation (1), and calculate the target production speed of the second equipment 2 (i.e., the target production speed of product b) using equation (2).

[0120] When calculating the adjustment amount of the first equipment 2(2), the calculation unit 45A may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product at at least one time point within the planned period (i.e., the second planned period) indicated in the fifth notification based on the planned production speed in the second planned period. The calculation unit 45A may set the adjustment amount of the production speed of the first equipment 2(2) to zero in response to the predicted inventory amount at each time point within the second planned period falling within the reference range set for the first intermediate product by the setting unit 44A. The calculation unit 45A may determine the target inventory amount of the first intermediate product within the reference range in response to the predicted inventory amount not falling within the reference range. The calculation unit 45A may calculate the target production speed of the first equipment 2(2), i.e., the target production speed of the first product (2), so that the determined target inventory amount is realized at the end of the second planned period. As an example, the calculation unit 45A may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product (here, product b) from the following formula (3a), and calculate the target production rate of the first product (2) from the following formula (4a).

[0121] Projected inventory of the first intermediate product b =Current stock amount b + (Scheduled production speed of facility 2 b -Consumption rate b ) × time to prediction =Current stock amount b + (Scheduled production speed of facility 2 b -Production speed c(1) × Consumption coefficient of product b (1) - production rate c(2) × Consumption coefficient of product b (2) ) × time to prediction (3a)

[0122] Target production speed of the first product (2) c = Planned production speed of facility 2 b -{(Target inventory amount b -Current stock amount b ) ÷ time to forecast ÷ production b Consumption coefficient (4a)

[0123] 9 shows another example of operation by the integrated management system 4A. In this figure, the first equipment 2 may be the downstream equipment 2b, and the second equipment 2 may be the upstream equipment 2a. As shown in this figure, the integrated management system 4A can, for example, reduce the production speed of equipment 2c(2) in response to an increase in the production speed of equipment 2c(1), and increase the production speed of equipment 2c(2) in response to a decrease in the production speed of equipment 2c(1), thereby absorbing the fluctuation in production speed of equipment 2c(1) with equipment 2c(2) and maintaining the inventory amount of product a within a reference range.

[0124] (Modification (2) of the first embodiment) Fig. 10 shows an integrated management system 4B according to the modified example (2) of the first embodiment together with a plurality of facilities 2. In the integrated management system 4B according to this modified example, components that are substantially the same as those in the integrated management system 4 shown in Fig. 2 are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0125] The integrated management system 4B includes an adjustment instruction unit 46B, a notification acquisition unit 42B, a demand amount acquisition unit 43B, a setting unit 44B, and a calculation unit 45B.

[0126] (((Adjustment instruction section 46B))) The adjustment instruction unit 46B outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the second equipment 2 by the adjustment amount, similarly to the adjustment instruction unit 46 in the above embodiment. Similarly, the adjustment instruction unit 46B may further output an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the third equipment 2, which is the equipment 2 on the opposite side of the first equipment 2 with respect to the second equipment 2, by the adjustment amount. The adjustment amount of the third equipment 2 will be described in detail later.

[0127] The adjustment instruction unit 46B may output an adjustment instruction to each of the second facility 2 and the third facility 2. The adjustment instructing unit 46B may supply a second notification to the notification acquiring unit 42B, the second notification indicating that the production rate will be adjusted in the second equipment 2. The second notification may indicate a planned period during which the production rate of the second equipment 2 will be changed, and a planned production rate for the planned period.

[0128] The planned production speed indicated in the second notice may be a speed obtained by adjusting the current production speed of the second equipment 2 by the adjustment amount, and may be supplied from the calculation unit 45B. The planned period indicated in the second notice may be a period during which the adjustment instruction unit 46B plans to maintain the planned production speed, and may be the same length as the planned period indicated in the first notice, or may be a different length. The planned period may be a period of a predetermined length, or may be a period from the present time to a predetermined reference time point. The reference time point may be the end of the planned period indicated in the first notice, a time point at which a change in the production speed is preset in the second equipment 2, a due date for the second equipment 2 to deliver the product to the downstream equipment 2, a due date for the raw materials to the second equipment 2, or another time point different from these.

[0129] (((Notification acquisition unit 42B))) The notification acquisition unit 42B acquires a first notification indicating that the production rate will be changed in the first facility 2, and acquires a second notification indicating that the production rate will be adjusted in the second facility 2. The notification acquisition unit 42B may acquire the first notification from the change instruction unit 41, and acquire the second notification from the adjustment instruction unit 46B. The notification acquisition unit 42B may supply the planned period indicated in each of the first and second notifications to the setting unit 44B. The notification acquisition unit 42B may supply the planned period and planned production rate indicated in each of the first and second notifications to the calculation unit 45B.

[0130] (((demand acquisition unit 43B))) The demand amount acquiring unit 43B acquires a range of a demand forecast amount of the second product in the same manner as the demand amount acquiring unit 43 in the above embodiment. Similarly, the demand amount acquiring unit 43B may further acquire a range of a demand forecast amount of a product (also referred to as a third product) by the third facility 2. The second product may be product b, and the third product may be product a or product c.

[0131] The demand acquisition unit 43B may acquire a range of the demand forecast amount by inputting multiple status data to a model 430B that outputs a demand forecast amount of the third product in response to input of status data indicating at least one of a status of any facility 2 (the third facility 2, as an example) included in the supply chain 10 or a status of the demand or supply of the product by the facility 2. The model 430B may be the same model as the model 430. The demand acquisition unit 43B may supply the range of the demand forecast amount of the product for each of the second facility 2 and the third facility 2 to the setting unit 44B.

[0132] (((setting unit 44B))) The setting unit 44B sets a reference range of the inventory amount of the first intermediate product (product a or product b) based on the range of the forecasted demand amount of the second product, in the same manner as the setting unit 44 in the above embodiment.

[0133] In addition, the setting unit 44B may set a standard range of inventory quantities of the second intermediate product (product b or product a) exchanged between the second equipment 2 and the third equipment 2 based on the range of forecasted demand for the third product.

[0134] The setting unit 44B multiplies the upper limit and lower limit of the range of the demand forecast amount per unit time for the third product supplied from the demand amount acquisition unit 43B by the length of the planned period indicated in the second notification, to obtain a range of the demand forecast amount of the third product within the planned period (J3 min ~J3 max ) and set the reference range based on that range. The reference range may indicate a range of inventory amounts to be realized for the second intermediate product. The setting unit 44B may set the reference range for the second intermediate product by different methods depending on whether the second equipment 2 is upstream or downstream of the first equipment 2.

[0135] ((((When the second equipment 2 is upstream of the first equipment 2)))) In this case, the first facility 2 to the third facility 2 may be facilities 2c, 2b, and 2a, and the third product and the second intermediate product may both be product a produced by the facility 2a.

[0136] The setting unit 44B sets the range (Ja min ~Ja max ), the reference range of inventory of product a as the second intermediate product (Za min ~Za max The setting unit 44B may set the range of the demand forecast amount (Ja min ~Ja max ) by expanding it by a predetermined width to obtain the reference range (Za min ~Za max ) or the range of demand forecast (Ja min ~Ja max ) is narrowed by a predetermined width to obtain the reference range (Za min ~Za max ) or the range of demand forecast (Ja min ~Ja max ) as the reference range (Zamin ~Za max The setting unit 44B may set a predetermined value equal to or greater than zero as the lower limit (Za min ) or a value less than the maximum capacity of the second intermediate product may be set as the upper limit of the reference range (Za max ) can also be used.

[0137] ((((When the second equipment 2 is downstream of the first equipment 2)))) In this case, the first equipment 2 to the third equipment 2 are equipment 2a, 2b, and 2c, the third product is product c by the third equipment 2, and the second intermediate product is the second product, i.e., product b by the second equipment 2b.

[0138] The setting unit 44B sets the range of the demand forecast amount of the third product, product c (Jc min ~Jc max ), the reference range of inventory of product b as the second intermediate product (Zb min ~Zb max The setting unit 44B may set the range of the demand forecast amount (Jc min ~Jc max ) upper limit (Jc max The inventory of product b required when only one unit of product b is produced (b max ) and the lower limit of the range of demand forecast quantities for the product (c min The inventory of the second intermediate product required when only one unit is produced (b min ) and the reference range of the inventory of the second intermediate product (b min ~b max ) may be set.

[0139] The setting unit 44B may provide the reference ranges of the inventory amounts of each of the first intermediate product and the second intermediate product to the calculation unit 45B.

[0140] ((Calculation unit 45B))) The calculation unit 45B may calculate an adjustment amount of the production speed of the second facility 2 in response to the first notification being acquired by the notification acquisition unit 42B, in a manner similar to the calculation unit 45 in the above embodiment. For example, the calculation unit 45B may calculate a predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product (products b and a here) using the above-mentioned formula (1) or formula (3), and calculate a target production speed of the second product (product b here) using formula (2) or formula (4). The calculation unit 45B may calculate the adjustment amount from the difference between the current production speed and the target production speed.

[0141] In addition, the calculation unit 45B may calculate an adjustment amount for the production speed of the third equipment 2 in response to adjusting the production speed of the second equipment 2 by the adjustment amount, within a range in which the third equipment 2 is not stopped and the inventory amount of the second intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range.

[0142] The calculation unit 45B may calculate a predicted inventory amount of the second intermediate product at least at one point (for example, the end) in the planned period based on the planned production speed. The calculation unit 45B may set the adjustment amount of the production speed to zero in response to each predicted inventory amount falling within the reference range set by the setting unit 44B for the second intermediate product. The calculation unit 45B may determine a target inventory amount of the second intermediate product within the reference range in response to each predicted inventory amount not falling within the reference range. The calculation unit 45B may calculate a target production speed of the third equipment 2, i.e., a target production speed of the third product, so that the determined target inventory amount is realized at the end of the planned period, and calculate an adjustment amount of the production speed from the difference from the current production speed.

[0143] Here, the calculation unit 45B may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the second intermediate product and the target production speed of the third equipment 2 (i.e., the target production speed of the third product) using different methods depending on whether the second equipment 2 is upstream or downstream of the first equipment 2, that is, whether the third equipment 2 is upstream or downstream of the second equipment 2.

[0144] ((((When the second equipment 2 is upstream of the first equipment 2)))) In this case, the first equipment 2 to the third equipment 2 may be equipment 2c, 2b, and 2a, and the third product and the second intermediate product may both be product a produced by equipment 2a. The calculation unit 45B may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the second intermediate product (product a in this case) from the following formula (5), and may calculate the target production speed of product a from the following formula (6).

[0145] Projected inventory of the second intermediate product a =Current stock amount a +(Production rate a -Consumption rate a ) × time to prediction =Current stock amount a +(Production rate a - Planned production speed of facility 2 b × consumption coefficient of product a) × time to forecast point (5)

[0146] Target production rate of product a = {(target inventory amount a -Current stock amount a )÷time until the end of the planned period} + planned production rate of the second facility 2 b × Consumption coefficient of product a (6)

[0147] ((((When the second equipment 2 is downstream of the first equipment 2)))) In this case, the first equipment 2 to the third equipment 2 may be equipment 2a, 2b, and 2c, the third product may be product c by the third equipment 2c, and the second intermediate product may be the second product, that is, product b by the second equipment 2b. The calculation unit 45B may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the second intermediate product (product b in this case) from the following formula (7), and may calculate the target production speed of product c from the following formula (8).

[0148] Projected inventory of the second intermediate product b =Current stock amount b + (Scheduled production speed of facility 2 b -Consumption rate b ) × time to prediction =Current stock amount b + (Scheduled production speed of facility 2b -Production speed c × consumption coefficient of product b) × time to forecast point (7)

[0149] Target production rate of product c = Planned production speed of facility 2 b -{(Target inventory amount b -Current stock amount b ) ÷ time to forecast ÷ production b Consumption coefficient (8)

[0150] In calculating the adjustment amount of the production speed of the second equipment 2, the calculation unit 45B may calculate the adjustment amount of the second equipment 2 to be smaller than the change amount of the production speed of the first equipment 2 before and after the change by the change instruction unit 41, in the same manner as the calculation unit 45 in the above embodiment. In addition, in calculating the target production speed of the third equipment 2, the calculation unit 45B may determine the target inventory amount of the second intermediate product so that the target production speed satisfies the following formula (C). As a result, the adjustment amount of the third equipment 2 is calculated to be smaller than the adjustment amount of the production speed of the second equipment 2.

[0151] Target production speed of product c>Current production speed of product c-Adjustment amount of the production speed of the second equipment 2 by the adjustment instruction unit 46B (C)

[0152] The calculation unit 45B may supply the adjustment amount calculated for each facility 2 to the adjustment instructing unit 46B. The calculation unit 45B may supply a production speed obtained by adding the adjustment amount to the current production speed, that is, an adjusted planned production speed, to the adjustment instructing unit 46B.

[0153] According to the above-described integrated management system 4B, in response to the adjustment of the production speed of the second product, the adjustment amount of the production speed of the third equipment 2 is further calculated and an adjustment instruction is outputted within a range in which the third equipment 2 is not stopped and the inventory amount of the second intermediate product can be maintained within a standard range. Therefore, the production speed of the third equipment 2 can also be adjusted, and the inventory amount of the second intermediate product can be maintained within the standard range. This makes it possible to more reliably improve the efficiency of delivery and receipt of products within the supply chain and reduce the manufacturing cost of the final product.

[0154] Furthermore, the adjustment amount of the second equipment 2 is calculated to be smaller than the amount of change in the production speed of the first equipment 2 before and after the change, and the adjustment amount of the third equipment 2 is calculated to be smaller than the adjustment amount of the second equipment 2. Therefore, since the amount of change in the production speed can be attenuated and propagated from the first equipment 2 side to the third equipment 2 side, when the production speed changes in one equipment 2, the influence can be made smaller the further away from the one equipment 2.

[0155] ((Operation of integrated management system 4B)) 11 shows the operation of the integrated management system 4B. The integrated management system 4B may adjust the production speeds of the second facility 2 and the third facility 2 by the processes of steps S101 to S117. Note that the operations of steps S101 to S109 are similar to those of the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described.

[0156] After the production rate of the second facility 2 is adjusted in step S109, in step S111 the notification acquisition unit 42B acquires a second notification indicating that the production rate will be changed in the second facility 2. The notification acquisition unit 42 acquires the second notification from the adjustment instruction unit 46B, and may acquire, from the second notification, a planned period during which the production rate of the second facility 2 will be changed and a planned production rate for the planned period.

[0157] In step S113, the demand acquisition unit 43B acquires a range of a demand forecast amount of the product by the third facility 2. As an example, the demand acquisition unit 43 may input a plurality of status data of the third facility 2 to the model 430 to acquire the range of the demand forecast amount.

[0158] In step S115, the setting unit 44B sets a reference range of the inventory amount for the second intermediate product based on the range of the demand forecast amount of the product by the third facility 2.

[0159] In step S117, the calculation unit 45B calculates an adjustment amount for the production speed of the third equipment 2 within a range that allows the third equipment 2 to be operated without stopping and to maintain the inventory amount of the second intermediate product within a reference range. Then, the adjustment instruction unit 46B outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the third equipment 2 by the adjustment amount. As a result, the production speed of the third equipment 2 is adjusted.

[0160] ((Example)) 12 shows an example of the operation of the integrated management system 4B. As shown in this figure, the integrated management system 4B may adjust the production speed of the equipment 2b as the second equipment 2 and the production speed of the equipment 2c as the third equipment 2 in response to a change in the production speed of the equipment 2a as the first equipment 2.

[0161] 13 shows another example of the operation of the integrated management system 4B. As shown in this figure, the integrated management system 4B may adjust the production speed of the equipment 2b as the second equipment 2 and the production speed of the equipment 2a as the third equipment 2 in response to a change in the production speed of the equipment 2c as the first equipment 2.

[0162] ((Modification (3) of the First Embodiment) Fig. 14 shows an integrated management system 4C according to the modified example (3) of the first embodiment together with a plurality of facilities 2. In the integrated management system 4C according to this modified example, components that are substantially the same as those in the integrated management systems 4 and 4B shown in Figs. 2 and 10 are designated by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

[0163] The integrated management system 4C includes a change instruction unit 41C, an adjustment instruction unit 46C, a notification acquisition unit 42C, a demand amount acquisition unit 43C, a setting unit 44C, and a calculation unit 45C.

[0164] (((Change instruction section 41C))) The change instruction unit 41C outputs a change instruction to change the production speed of the first facility 2 out of the multiple facilities 2 included in the supply chain 10, and also outputs a change instruction to change the production speed of the third facility 2. The change instruction unit 41C may output change instructions for the first facility 2 and the third facility 2 in the same way that the change instruction unit 41 in the first embodiment outputs a change instruction for the first facility 2. The change instruction unit 41C may output change instructions for the first facility 2 and the third facility 2 independently.

[0165] The change instruction unit 41C may supply to the notification acquisition unit 42C a first notification indicating that the production rate will be changed in the first equipment 2, and may supply to the notification acquisition unit 42C a third notification indicating that the production rate will be changed in the third equipment 2. The first notification may indicate a planned period during which the production rate of the first equipment 2 will be changed and the planned production rate of the first equipment 2 for the planned period, and the third notification may indicate a planned period during which the production rate of the third equipment 2 will be changed and the planned production rate for the planned period.

[0166] The planned production rate indicated in the third notice may be a rate obtained by adjusting the current production rate of the third equipment 2 by the adjustment amount. The planned period indicated in the third notice may be the same length as the planned period indicated in the first notice, or may be a different length. The planned period may be a period of a predetermined length, or may be a period from the present time to a predetermined reference time. The reference time may be the end of the planned period indicated in the first notice, or may be a time when a change in the production rate is preset in the third equipment 2, or may be a due date for the third equipment 2 to deliver the product to the downstream equipment 2, or may be a due date for the raw materials to the third equipment 2, or may be a time different from these.

[0167] (((Adjustment instruction section 46C))) The adjustment instruction unit 46C outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of each facility 2 by the adjustment amount calculated for the facility 2 by the calculation unit 45C described later. For example, the adjustment instruction unit 46C may output an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the second facility 2 by the adjustment amount, similar to the adjustment instruction unit 46 in the above embodiment. Similarly, the adjustment instruction unit 46C may further output an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the third facility 2 by the adjustment amount, and an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the first facility 2 by the adjustment amount. The adjustment amount of the first facility 2 will be described in detail later. The adjustment instruction unit 46C may output an adjustment instruction to each of the first facility 2 to the third facility 2.

[0168] In response to the adjustment of the production speed of the second equipment 2 due to the change in the production speed of the first equipment 2 by the change instructing unit 41C, the adjustment instructing unit 46C may supply to the notification acquiring unit 42C a second notification indicating that the production speed of the second equipment 2 will be adjusted. In response to the adjustment of the production speed of the second equipment 2 due to the change in the production speed of the third equipment 2 by the change instructing unit 41C, the adjustment instructing unit 46C may supply to the notification acquiring unit 42C a fourth notification indicating that the production speed of the second equipment 2 will be adjusted.

[0169] The planned production speed indicated in the fourth notice may be a speed obtained by adjusting the current production speed of the second equipment 2 by the adjustment amount, and may be supplied from the calculation unit 45C. The planned period indicated in the fourth notice may be a period during which the adjustment instruction unit 46C plans to maintain the planned production speed, and may be the same length as the planned period indicated in the second notice or the third notice, or may be a different length. The planned period may be a period of a predetermined length, or may be a period from the present time to a predetermined reference time. The reference time may be the end of the planned period indicated in the second notice or the third notice, a time when a change in the production speed is preset in the third equipment 2, a due date when the third equipment 2 delivers the product to the downstream equipment 2, a due date of raw materials for the third equipment 2, or another time different from these.

[0170] (((Notification acquisition unit 42C))) The notification acquisition unit 42C acquires the first to fourth notifications. The notification acquisition unit 42C may acquire the first and third notifications from the change instruction unit 41, and acquire the second and fourth notifications from the adjustment instruction unit 46C. The notification acquisition unit 42C may supply the planned period indicated in each of the first to fourth notifications to the setting unit 44C. The notification acquisition unit 42C may supply the planned period and planned production rate indicated in each of the first to fourth notifications to the calculation unit 45C.

[0171] (((Demand quantity acquisition part 43C))) The demand amount acquiring unit 43C may acquire a range of a demand forecast amount of the second product by the second facility 2 and a range of a demand forecast amount of the third product by the third facility 2, similarly to the demand amount acquiring unit 43B in the above modification (2). Similarly, the demand amount acquiring unit 43C may further acquire a range of a demand forecast amount of the first product by the first facility 2.

[0172] The demand acquisition unit 43C may acquire a range of the demand forecast amount by inputting multiple status data to a model 430C that outputs a demand forecast amount of a first product in response to input of status data indicating at least one of a status of any facility 2 (the first facility 2 as an example) included in the supply chain 10 or a status of the demand or supply of the product by the facility 2. The model 430C may be a model similar to the models 430 and 430B. The demand acquisition unit 43B may supply the range of the demand forecast amount of the product for each of the first facility 2 to the third facility 2 to the setting unit 44C.

[0173] (((setting section 44C))) The setting unit 44C sets a reference range of the inventory amount of the first intermediate product (product a or product b) based on the range of the forecasted demand amount of the second product, and sets a reference range of the inventory amount of the second intermediate product (product b or product a) based on the range of the forecasted demand amount of the third product, in the same manner as the setting unit 44B in the above modification (2). For example, when the production speed of the first equipment 2 is changed by the change instruction unit 41C and the first notification is acquired, the setting unit 44C may set a reference range of the inventory amount of the first intermediate product based on the range of the forecasted demand amount of the second product. When the production speed of the second equipment 2 is adjusted by the adjustment instruction unit 46C and the second notification is acquired, the setting unit 44C may set a reference range of the inventory amount of the second intermediate product based on the range of the forecasted demand amount of the third product.

[0174] Similarly, when the change instructing unit 41C changes the production speed of the third equipment 2 and a third notice is obtained, the setting unit 44C may set a reference range for the inventory amount of the second intermediate product based on the range of the forecasted demand amount of the second product. When the adjustment instructing unit 46C adjusts the production speed of the second equipment 2 and a fourth notice is obtained, the setting unit 44C may set a reference range for the inventory amount of the first intermediate product based on the range of the forecasted demand amount of the first product.

[0175] The setting unit 44C may provide the reference ranges of the inventory amounts of each of the first intermediate product and the second intermediate product to the calculation unit 45C.

[0176] ((Calculation unit 45C))) In response to the change of the production speed of the first equipment 2 by the change instruction unit 41, in other words, the acquisition of a first notification by the notification acquisition unit 42C, the calculation unit 45C may calculate an adjustment amount (also referred to as a first adjustment amount) of the production speed of the second equipment 2 within a range in which the second equipment 2 is not stopped and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range, in the same manner as the calculation unit 45B in the above modification (2). In response to the adjustment of the production speed of the second equipment 2 by the first adjustment amount, in other words, the acquisition of a second notification by the notification acquisition unit 42C, the calculation unit 45C may calculate an adjustment amount (also referred to as a second adjustment amount) of the production speed of the third equipment 2 within a range in which the third equipment 2 is not stopped and the inventory amount of the second intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range. The calculation unit 45C may calculate a predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product at least at one point in time within the planned period indicated in the first notification based on the planned production rate for the planned period, and may calculate a predicted inventory amount of the second intermediate product at least at one point in time within the planned period indicated in the second notification based on the planned production rate for the planned period.

[0177] For example, when calculating the first adjustment amount, the calculation unit 45C may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product (here, products b and a) using the above formula (1) or formula (3), and calculate the target production speed of the second product (here, product b) using formula (2) or formula (4). When calculating the second adjustment amount, the calculation unit 45C may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the second intermediate product (here, products a and b) using the above formula (5) or formula (7), and calculate the target production speed of the third product (here, products a and c) using formula (6) or formula (8). The calculation unit 45C may calculate the difference between the calculated target production speed and the current production speed as the adjustment amount.

[0178] In addition, in response to the change of the production speed of the third equipment 2 by the change instruction unit 41, in other words, the acquisition of a third notification by the notification acquisition unit 42C, the calculation unit 45C may further calculate an adjustment amount (also referred to as a third adjustment amount) of the production speed of the second equipment 2 to a degree that the second equipment 2 is not stopped and the inventory amount of the second intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range. In response to the adjustment of the production speed of the second equipment 2 by the second adjustment amount, in other words, the acquisition of a fourth notification by the notification acquisition unit 42C, the calculation unit 45C may further calculate an adjustment amount (also referred to as a fourth adjustment amount) of the production speed of the first equipment 2 to a degree that the first equipment 2 is not stopped and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range.

[0179] The calculation unit 45C may calculate a predicted inventory amount of the second intermediate product at least at one point in time within the planned period indicated in the third notification based on the planned production rate for the planned period, and may calculate a predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product at least at one point in time within the planned period indicated in the fourth notification based on the planned production rate for the planned period.

[0180] The calculation unit 45C may set the adjustment amount of the production speed to zero when each predicted inventory amount falls within the reference range set by the setting unit 44C. The calculation unit 45C may determine the target inventory amount of the intermediate product within the reference range when each predicted inventory amount does not fall within the reference range. The calculation unit 45C may calculate the target production speeds of the second equipment 2 and the first equipment 2 so that the determined target inventory amount is realized at the end of the scheduled period, and calculate the third adjustment amount and the fourth adjustment amount from the difference from the current production speed.

[0181] Here, the calculation unit 45C may calculate the predicted inventory amounts of the second intermediate product and the first intermediate product, and the target production speeds of the second equipment 2 and the first equipment 2 (i.e., the target production speeds of the second product and the first product) using different methods depending on whether the second equipment 2 is upstream or downstream of the first equipment 2, that is, whether the third equipment 2 is upstream or downstream of the second equipment 2.

[0182] ((((When the second equipment 2 is upstream of the first equipment 2)))) In this case, the first equipment 2 to the third equipment are equipment 2c, 2b, and 2a, the second intermediate product is product a by the first equipment 2a, the first intermediate product is product b by the second equipment 2b, the second product is product b by the second equipment 2b, and the first product is product c by the first equipment 2c.

[0183] The calculation unit 45C may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the second intermediate product (here, product a) from the following formula (3c), and may calculate the target production speed of the second equipment 2 (i.e., the target production speed of product b) from the following formula (4c).

[0184] Projected inventory of the second intermediate product a =Current stock amount a + (Planned production speed of Facility 3 2 a -Consumption rate a ) × time to prediction =Current stock amount a + (Planned production speed of Facility 3 2 a -Production speed b × consumption coefficient of product a) × time to forecast point (3c)

[0185] Target production rate of product b = Planned production speed of facility 3 2 a -{(Target inventory amount a -Current stock amount a ) ÷ time to forecast ÷ production a Consumption coefficient (4c)

[0186] The calculation unit 45C may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product (here, product b) from the following equation (7c), and may calculate the target production speed of the first equipment 2 (i.e., the target production speed of product c) from the following equation (8c).

[0187] Projected inventory of the first intermediate product b =Current stock amount b + (Scheduled production speed of facility 2 b -Consumption rateb ) × time to prediction =Current stock amount b + (Scheduled production speed of facility 2 b -Production speed c × consumption coefficient of product b) × time to forecast point (7c)

[0188] Target production rate of product c = Planned production speed of facility 2 b -{(Target inventory amount b -Current stock amount b ) ÷ time to forecast ÷ production b Consumption coefficient (8c)

[0189] ((((When the second equipment 2 is downstream of the first equipment 2)))) In this case, the first equipment 2 to the third equipment may be equipment 2a to 2c, the second intermediate product may be product b of equipment 2b, the first intermediate product may be product a by the first equipment 2a, the second product may be product b by the second equipment 2b, and the first product may be product a by the first equipment 2a.

[0190] The calculation unit 45C may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the second intermediate product (here, product b) from the following formula (1c), and may calculate the target production speed of the second equipment 2 (i.e., the target production speed of product b) from the following formula (2c).

[0191] Projected inventory of the second intermediate product b =Current stock amount b +(Production rate b -Consumption rate b ) × time to prediction =Current stock amount b +(Production rate b - Planned production speed of Facility 3 2 c × consumption coefficient of product b) × time to forecast point (1c)

[0192] Target production rate of product b = {(target inventory amount b -Current stock amount b) ÷ time until the end of the planned period} + planned production rate of the third facility 2 c ×Products b Consumption coefficient (2c)

[0193] The calculation unit 45C may calculate the predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product (here, product a) from the following formula (5c), and may calculate the target production speed of the first facility 2 (i.e., the target production speed of product a) from the following formula (6c).

[0194] Projected inventory of the first intermediate product a =Current stock amount a +(Production rate a -Consumption rate a ) × time to prediction =Current stock amount a +(Production rate a - Planned production speed of facility 2 b × consumption coefficient of product a) × time to forecast point (5c)

[0195] Target production rate of product a = {(target inventory amount a -Current stock amount a )÷time until the end of the planned period} + planned production rate of the second facility 2 b ×Products a Consumption coefficient (6c)

[0196] The calculation unit 45C may supply the adjustment amount calculated for each facility 2 to the adjustment instructing unit 46C. The calculation unit 45C may supply the production speed obtained by adding the adjustment amount to the current production speed, that is, the adjusted planned production speed, to the adjustment instructing unit 46C.

[0197] According to the above-described integrated management system 4C, an adjustment amount for the production speed of the second product is calculated and an adjustment instruction is outputted within a range that allows the inventory amount of the second intermediate product to be maintained within a reference range without stopping the second facility 2, in response to a change in the production speed in the third facility 2. Therefore, even if the production speed is changed in the facility 2 on either side in the supply chain 10, the delivery and receipt of the product can be made more efficient and the manufacturing cost of the final product can be reduced.

[0198] In response to a change in the production speed of the first equipment 2, a first adjustment amount of the production speed of the second product is calculated and an adjustment instruction is output so that the second equipment 2 is not stopped and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product is maintained within the reference range, and in response to an adjustment of the production speed of the second product, a second adjustment amount of the production speed of the third equipment 2 is calculated and an adjustment instruction is output so that the third equipment 2 is not stopped and the inventory amount of the second intermediate product is maintained within the reference range. In response to a change in the production speed of the third equipment 2, a third adjustment amount of the production speed of the second product is calculated and an adjustment instruction is output so that the second equipment 2 is not stopped and the inventory amount of the second intermediate product is maintained within the reference range, and in response to an adjustment of the production speed of the second product, a fourth adjustment amount of the production speed of the first equipment 2 is calculated and an adjustment instruction is output so that the first equipment 2 is not stopped and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product is maintained within the reference range. Therefore, the efficiency of delivery and receipt of products can be more reliably improved in the supply chain 10, and the manufacturing cost of the final product can be reduced.

[0199] Furthermore, the inventory amount of the first intermediate product at at least one point in a planned period during which the production rate of the first facility 2 is changed is predicted based on the planned production rate for that planned period, and the inventory amount of the second intermediate product at at least one point in a planned period during which the production rate of the third facility 2 is changed is predicted based on the planned production rate for that planned period. Therefore, the production rate of the second product can be adjusted to reliably maintain the inventory amounts of the first and second intermediate products within the reference range.

[0200] ((Operation of Integrated Management System 4C)) Fig. 15 shows the operation of the integrated management system 4C. The integrated management system 4C may adjust the production speeds of the first equipment 2 to the third equipment 2 by the processing of steps S101 to S147. In this figure, as an example, the equipment 2 whose production speed is changed first by the change instruction unit 41C is the first equipment 2, and the equipment 2 whose production speed is changed later is the third equipment 2. Also, the operations of steps S101 to S109 are similar to those of the first embodiment, and therefore the description will be omitted.

[0201] When the production speed of the second equipment 2 is adjusted by the adjustment amount (here, the first adjustment amount) in step S109, the change instruction unit 41C determines whether or not to change the production speed of the third equipment 2 in step S110. As an example, the change instruction unit 41C may determine whether or not to change the production speed of the third equipment 2 within the scheduled period indicated in the first notification. The change instruction unit 41C may determine whether or not an operation to change the production speed is input from the operator via the input unit. If it is determined in step S109 that the production speed of the third equipment 2 is not to be changed (step S110; No), the process may proceed to the above-mentioned step S111. As a result, the processes of steps S111 to S117 are performed to adjust the production speed of the third equipment 2. If it is determined in step S110 that the production speed of the third equipment 2 is to be changed (step S110; Yes), the process may proceed to step S121.

[0202] In step S121, the change instruction unit 41C outputs a change instruction to change the production speed of the third facility 2. As a result, the production speed of the third facility 2 is changed.

[0203] In step S123, the notification acquisition unit 42C acquires a third notification indicating that the production rate will be changed in the third facility 2. The notification acquisition unit 42C may acquire the third notification from the change instruction unit 41C, and may acquire, from the third notification, a planned period during which the production rate of the third facility 2 will be changed and a planned production rate for the planned period.

[0204] In step S125, the calculation unit 45C calculates a change amount (also referred to as a first change amount Δ1) in the inventory amount of the first intermediate product and a change amount (also referred to as a second change amount Δ2) in the inventory amount of the second intermediate product. The first change amount Δ1 may be a change amount, a difference, or a ratio between the inventory amount of the first intermediate product predicted for a one-time point (also referred to as a first time point) in the scheduled period of the first facility 2 based on the scheduled production speed of the first facility 2 and the current inventory amount of the first intermediate product. The second change amount Δ2 may be a change amount, a difference, or a ratio between the inventory amount of the second intermediate product predicted for a one-time point (also referred to as a second time point) in the scheduled period of the third facility 2 based on the scheduled production speed of the third facility 2 and the current inventory amount of the second intermediate product. The first time point and the second time point may be the same or different. As an example, the first point in time may be the end of a planned period for a first facility 2 and the second point in time may be the end of a planned period for a third facility.

[0205] In step S127, the calculation unit 45C determines whether the second change amount Δ2 is smaller than the first change amount Δ1. If it is determined that the second change amount Δ2 is smaller than the first change amount Δ1 (step S127; Yes), the process may proceed to the above-mentioned step S111. As a result, if the second change amount Δ2 is smaller than the first change amount Δ1, an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the second equipment 2 by the first adjustment amount and an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the third equipment 2 by the second adjustment amount may be output in steps S109 and S117, and the production speeds of the second equipment 2 and the third equipment 2 may be adjusted. If it is determined that the second change amount Δ2 is not smaller than the first change amount Δ1 (step S127; No), the process may proceed to step S140.

[0206] In step S140, the calculation unit 45C calculates an adjustment amount of the production speed of the second equipment 2, i.e., a third adjustment amount, within a range in which the second equipment 2 is not stopped and the inventory amount of the second intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range. Then, the adjustment instruction unit 46C outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the second equipment 2 by the third adjustment amount. As a result, the production speed of the second equipment 2 is adjusted.

[0207] In step S141, the notification acquisition unit 42C acquires a fourth notification indicating that the production rate will be changed in the second facility 2. The notification acquisition unit 42C may acquire the fourth notification from the calculation unit 45C, and may acquire, from the fourth notification, a planned period during which the production rate of the second facility 2 will be changed and a planned production rate for the planned period.

[0208] In step S143, the demand acquisition unit 43C acquires a range of a forecast demand amount of the product by the first facility 2. As an example, the demand acquisition unit 43C may input a plurality of status data of the first facility 2 to the model 430 to acquire the range of the forecast demand amount.

[0209] In step S145, the setting unit 44C sets a reference range of the inventory amount for the first intermediate product based on the range of the forecasted demand amount of the product by the first facility 2 acquired in step S143.

[0210] In step S147, the calculation unit 45C calculates an adjustment amount of the production speed of the first equipment 2, that is, a first adjustment amount, within a range in which the first equipment 2 is not stopped and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range. Then, the adjustment instruction unit 46C outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the first equipment 2 by the fourth adjustment amount. This adjusts the production speed of the first equipment 2. In this way, when the first change amount Δ1 is smaller than the second change amount Δ2, an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the second equipment 2 by the third adjustment amount and an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the first equipment 2 by the fourth adjustment amount may be output in steps S140 and S147, and the production speeds of the second equipment 2 and the first equipment 2 may be adjusted.

[0211] According to the above operation, when the second change amount Δ2 is smaller than the first change amount Δ1, the production speed of the second equipment 2 is adjusted by the first adjustment amount, and the production speed of the third equipment is adjusted by the second adjustment amount. On the other hand, when the first change amount Δ1 is smaller than the second change amount Δ2, the production speed of the second equipment 2 is adjusted by the third adjustment amount, and the production speed of the first equipment 2 is adjusted by the fourth adjustment amount. Therefore, when the production speeds of the first equipment 2 and the third equipment 2 are changed, the production speeds can be adjusted so that the fluctuations in the inventory amount of the intermediate product are reduced, and the fluctuations in the production speeds can be propagated.

[0212] ((Example)) 16 shows an example of operation by the integrated management system 4C. As shown in this figure, according to the integrated management system 4C, the production speeds of the equipment 2b as the second equipment 2 and the equipment 2c as the third equipment 2 may be adjusted in response to a change in the production speed of the equipment 2a as the first equipment 2, and the production speeds of the equipment 2b as the second equipment 2 and the equipment 2a as the first equipment 2 may be adjusted in response to a change in the production speed of the equipment 2c as the third equipment 2. Note that, as an example, in this figure, the first equipment 2 is equipment 2a and the third equipment 2 is equipment 2c, but the first equipment 2 may be equipment 2c and the third equipment 2 may be equipment 2a.

[0213] (Another modification of the first embodiment) In the above first embodiment and each modification, the integrated management system 4, 4A to 4C has the change instruction unit 41, 41A, 41C, the demand amount acquisition unit 43, 43A to 43C, and the setting unit 44, 44A to 44C. However, any of these may not be included. When the integrated management system 4, 4A to 4C does not have the change instruction unit 41, 41A, 41C, the production speed of the first facility 2 may be changed by an operator or an external device, and the notification acquisition unit 42, 42A to 42C may acquire the first notification or the third notification from outside the integrated management system 4, 4A to 4C. When the integrated management system 4, 4A to 4C does not have the demand amount acquisition unit 43, 43A to 43C and the setting unit 44, 44A to 44C, the calculation unit 45, 45A to 45C may calculate the adjustment amount of the production speed using a preset reference range.

[0214] Further, the adjustment instruction units 46, 46A to 46C have been described as outputting adjustment instructions to the equipment 2, but the adjustment instructions may be output to an output device such as a display device. In this case, an operator may adjust the production speed according to the output adjustment instructions.

[0215] In addition, the calculation units 45, 45A to 45C have been described as calculating the adjustment amount from the difference between the target production speed calculated using the formulas (2), (2a), (2c), (4), (4a), (4c), (6), (6c), (8), and (8c) and the current production speed, but the adjustment amount may be calculated using other methods. For example, the calculation units 45, 45A to 45C may determine the provisional adjustment amount as the adjustment amount to be applied in accordance with the fact that the inventory amount of intermediate products predicted when adjusting the production speed by the provisional adjustment amount falls within a reference range over the expected period. The provisional adjustment amount may be determined randomly or sequentially for each predetermined reference width.

[0216] Second embodiment Fig. 17 shows a production system 1D according to this embodiment. The production system 1D includes a plurality of pieces of equipment 2 and a plurality of production management systems 3. In the production system 1D according to this modification, components that are substantially the same as those in the production system 1 shown in Fig. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0217] Each production management system 3 manages one or more pieces of equipment 2 (also referred to as target equipment 2) to be managed among the multiple pieces of equipment 2 included in the production system 1, thereby managing the production of products at the target equipment 2.

[0218] Here, the production system 1 according to this embodiment may include a production management system 3 that manages one or more pieces of equipment 2a, a production management system 3 that manages one or more pieces of equipment 2b, and a production management system 3 that manages one or more pieces of equipment 2c. Each production management system 3 may be operated by the same manufacturer as the target equipment 2, and may be installed within the same premises as the target equipment 2. However, at least a part of the production management systems 3 may be provided on a network.

[0219] ((Configuration of Production Management System 3)) 18 shows a production management system 3 together with a target facility 2. The production management system 3 has a notification acquisition unit 32, a demand acquisition unit 33, a setting unit 34, a calculation unit 35, an adjustment instruction unit 36, and an output unit 38. The target facility 2 may be a facility 2 (also referred to as a second facility 2) that is upstream or downstream of a first facility 2 whose production speed is to be changed, among a plurality of facilities 2 included in the supply chain 10, and may be facility b in this embodiment as an example. The first facility 2 may be either facility 2a or facility 2c.

[0220] (((Notification acquisition unit 32))) The notification acquisition unit 32 acquires a first notification indicating that the production rate will be changed in the first equipment 2. The notification acquisition unit 32 may acquire the first notification from another production management system 3 that manages the first equipment 2. The first notification may indicate a production rate planned for the first equipment 2 after the change. The first notification may further indicate a production rate of the first equipment 2 before the change. The first notification may further indicate a planned period during which the production rate of the first equipment 2 will be changed.

[0221] (((demand acquisition unit 33))) The demand quantity acquiring unit 33 acquires a range of the demand forecast quantity of the second product. The demand quantity acquiring unit 33 may acquire the range of the demand forecast quantity in the same manner as the demand quantity acquiring unit 43 in the above-described first embodiment. The demand quantity acquiring unit 33 may supply the acquired range of the demand forecast quantity to the setting unit 34.

[0222] (((setting unit 34))) The setting unit 34 sets a reference range of the inventory amount for the first intermediate product transferred between the first facility 2 and the second facility 2 based on the range of the forecasted demand amount of the second product. The setting unit 34 may set the reference range in the same manner as the setting unit 44 in the first embodiment. The setting unit 34 may supply information indicating the reference range to the calculation unit 35.

[0223] ((Calculation unit 35))) In response to the first notification being acquired by the notification acquisition unit 32, i.e., in response to a change in the production speed of the first equipment 2, the calculation unit 35 calculates an adjustment amount for the production speed of the second equipment 2 within a range that does not stop the second equipment 2 and allows the inventory amount of the first intermediate product to be maintained within a reference range.

[0224] Here, when the second equipment 2 is the equipment 2 upstream of the first equipment 2, that is, when the second equipment 2 is equipment 2b and the first equipment 2 is equipment 2c, the first intermediate product may be the product b by the second equipment 2. When the second equipment 2 is the equipment 2 downstream of the first equipment 2, that is, when the second equipment 2 is equipment 2b and the first equipment 2 is equipment 2a, the first intermediate product may be the product a by the first equipment 2. The calculation unit 35 may calculate the adjustment amount in the same manner as the calculation unit 45 in the first embodiment.

[0225] The calculation unit 35 may calculate an adjustment amount so that the amount of change in the production speed of the second equipment 2 calculated based on the second notification output by the output unit 38 described below is smaller than the amount of change in the production speed of the first equipment 2 calculated based on the first notification. When the production speeds before and after the change in the first equipment 2 are indicated in the first notification, the calculation unit 35 may calculate the amount of change from these production speeds. When the production speed before the change in the first equipment 2 is not indicated in the first notification, the calculation unit 35 may calculate the amount of change by using the production speed of the first equipment 2 preset in the production plan as the production speed before the change. The production plan for the first equipment 2 may be stored in advance in a storage unit (not shown).

[0226] The calculation unit 35 may supply the calculated adjustment amount to the adjustment instruction unit 36. The calculation unit 35 may supply the production speed obtained by adding the adjustment amount to the current production speed, that is, the adjusted planned production speed, to the adjustment instruction unit 36.

[0227] (((adjustment instruction section 36))) The adjustment instructing unit 36 ​​outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the second facility 2 by an adjustment amount. The adjustment instructing unit 36 ​​may output an adjustment instruction to the second facility 2.

[0228] The adjustment instruction unit 36 ​​may provide a second notification to the output unit 38, indicating that the production rate will be adjusted in the second equipment 2. The second notification may indicate a production rate planned after the adjustment of the second equipment 2, i.e., a planned production rate. The second notification may further indicate a planned period during which the production rate of the second equipment 2 will be changed.

[0229] The planned period indicated in the second notice may be a period during which the adjustment instruction unit 36 ​​plans to maintain the planned production rate, and may be the same length as or different from the planned period indicated in the first notice. The planned period may be a period of a predetermined length, or may be a period from the present time to a predetermined reference time. The reference time may be the end of the planned period indicated in the first notice, a time when a change in the production rate is preset in the second equipment 2, a due date for the second equipment 2 to deliver the product to the downstream equipment 2, a due date for the raw materials to the second equipment 2, or a time different from these.

[0230] (((output unit 38))) The output unit 38 outputs the second notification supplied from the adjustment instructing unit 36. The output unit 38 may output the second notification to another production control system 3 that manages a third facility 2 on the opposite side of the first facility 2 from the second facility 2 in the supply chain.

[0231] According to the above-described production management system 3, in response to a change in the production speed of the first equipment 2, an adjustment amount for the production speed of the second equipment 2 is calculated within a range in which the upstream or downstream second equipment 2 is not stopped and the inventory amount of the intermediate product between the first equipment 2 and the second equipment 2 can be maintained within a reference range, and an adjustment instruction is output. Therefore, the inventory amount of the intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range by increasing the production speed of the second equipment 2 in response to an increase in the production speed of the first equipment 2 and decreasing the production speed of the second equipment 2 in response to a decrease in the production speed of the first equipment 2. This makes it possible to improve the efficiency of delivery and receipt of products within the supply chain 10 and reduce the manufacturing cost of the final product.

[0232] Furthermore, a first notification in response to a change in the production speed is acquired from the production management system 3 of the first facility 2, and a second notification in response to an adjustment in the production speed of the second facility 2 is output to the production management system 3 of the third facility 2. This encourages the third facility 2 to adjust its production speed as well, and makes it possible to maintain the inventory amount of the second intermediate product exchanged between the second facility 2 and the third facility 2 within a reference range. This makes it possible to more reliably improve the efficiency of exchange of products within the supply chain 10 and reduce the manufacturing cost of the final product.

[0233] Furthermore, an adjustment amount is calculated so that the amount of change in the production speed of the second equipment 2 calculated based on the second notification is smaller than the amount of change in the production speed of the first equipment 2 calculated based on the first notification. Therefore, since the amount of change in the production speed can be attenuated and propagated from the first equipment 2 side to the third equipment 2 side, when the production speed changes in one equipment 2, the influence can be made smaller the further away from the one equipment 2.

[0234] ((Operation of Production Management System 3)) 19 shows the operation of the production control system 3. The production control system 3 may adjust the production speed of the second facility 2 by the processes of steps S201 to S209.

[0235] In step S201, the notification acquisition unit 32 acquires a first notification indicating that the production speed will be changed in the first facility 2. The notification acquisition unit 32 may acquire the first notification from the production management system 3 of the first facility 2.

[0236] In step S203, the demand acquisition unit 33 acquires a range of a demand forecast amount of the product by the second facility 2. As an example, the demand acquisition unit 33 may input a plurality of status data of the second facility 2 to the model 330 to acquire the range of the demand forecast amount.

[0237] In step S205, the setting unit 34 sets a reference range of the inventory amount for the first intermediate product based on the range of the forecasted demand amount of the product by the second facility 2.

[0238] In step S207, the calculation unit 35 calculates an adjustment amount for the production speed of the second equipment 2 within a range that allows the second equipment 2 to be operated without stopping and to maintain the inventory amount of the first intermediate product within a reference range. Then, the adjustment instruction unit 36 ​​outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the second equipment 2 by the adjustment amount. As a result, the production speed of the second equipment 2 is adjusted.

[0239] In step S209, the output unit 38 outputs the second notification. The output unit 38 may output the second notification to another production management system 3 that manages the third equipment 2.

[0240] ((Example)) According to the production management system 3 of this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 12 above, the production speeds of equipment 2b as the second equipment 2 and equipment 2c as the third equipment 2 may be adjusted in response to a change in the production speed of equipment 2a as the first equipment 2. Also, as shown in Fig. 13 above, the production speeds of equipment 2b as the second equipment 2 and equipment 2a as the third equipment 2 may be adjusted in response to a change in the production speed of equipment 2c as the first equipment 2.

[0241] In the second embodiment, the production management system 3 has been described as having the output unit 38, but may not have the output unit 38. In this case, the production management system 3 may adjust the production speed of the second equipment 2 in response to a change in the production speed of the first equipment 2. According to such a production management system 3, as shown in FIG. 4 above, the production speed of the equipment 2b as the second equipment 2 may be adjusted in response to a change in the production speed of the equipment 2a as the first equipment 2. Also, as shown in FIG. 5 above, the production speed of the equipment 2b as the second equipment 2 may be adjusted in response to a change in the production speed of the equipment 2c as the first equipment.

[0242] In addition, the output unit 38 has been described as outputting the second notification indicating that the production speed of the second equipment 2 will be adjusted to the production management system 3 of the third equipment 2, but may perform other operations. For example, when the notification acquisition unit 32 acquires a first notification indicating that the production speed of the first equipment 2(1) will be changed from the production management system 3 that manages the first equipment 2(1) of the two equipments 2 (also referred to as the first equipments 2(1) and 2(2)) as the first equipment 2, the output unit 38 may output a fifth notification indicating that the production speed of the second equipment 2 will be adjusted to the production management system 3 that manages the first equipment 2(2). The fifth notification may indicate a planned period during which the production speed of the second equipment 2 will be changed and a planned production speed for the planned period, and may indicate the same content as the second notification. According to such a production management system 3, as shown in FIG. 8, the production speed of the equipment 2b as the second equipment 2 may be adjusted in response to a change in the production speed of the equipment 2a as the first equipment 2(1), and the production speed of the equipment 2a as the first equipment 1(2) may be adjusted. Also, as shown in FIG. 9, the production speed of the equipment 2b as the second equipment 2 may be adjusted in response to a change in the production speed of the equipment 2c as the first equipment 2(1), and the production speed of the equipment 2c as the first equipment 2(2) may be adjusted. Therefore, for example, by decreasing the production speed of the first equipment 2(2) in response to an increase in the production speed of the first equipment 2(1) and increasing the production speed of the first equipment 2(2) in response to a decrease in the production speed of the first equipment 2(1), the first equipment 2(2) can absorb the fluctuation in the production speed by the first equipment 2(1), and the inventory amount of the intermediate product can be maintained within the reference range. Therefore, the efficiency of the transfer of products within the supply chain 10 can be improved.

[0243] ((Modification of the second embodiment) Fig. 20 shows a production control system 3E according to the modified example (2) of the second embodiment, together with a target facility 2. In the production control system 3E according to this modified example, components that are substantially the same as those in the production control system 3 shown in Fig. 18 are designated by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0244] The production management system 3E has a notification acquisition unit 32E, a demand amount acquisition unit 33E, a setting unit 34E, a calculation unit 35E, an adjustment instruction unit 36E, and an output unit 38E.

[0245] (((Notification acquisition unit 32E))) The notification acquisition unit 32E acquires the first notification in the same manner as the notification acquisition unit 32 in the second embodiment. The notification acquisition unit 32E may acquire the first notification from the production management system 3 that manages the first equipment 2. The first notification may indicate a planned period (also referred to as a first planned period) during which the production rate of the first equipment 2 will be changed, and a planned production rate (also referred to as a first planned production rate) of the first equipment 2 during the planned period.

[0246] The notification acquisition unit 32E further acquires a third notification indicating that the production rate will be changed in the third equipment 2. The notification acquisition unit 32 may acquire the third notification from another production management system 3 that manages the third equipment 2. The third notification may indicate a planned period (also referred to as a third planned period) during which the production rate of the third equipment 2 will be changed, and a planned production speed of the third equipment 2 during the planned period (also referred to as a third planned production speed).

[0247] (((Demand quantity acquisition part 33E))) The demand amount acquiring unit 33E acquires a range of a demand forecast amount of the second product in the same manner as the demand amount acquiring unit 33 in the above embodiment. Similarly, the demand amount acquiring unit 33E may further acquire a range of a demand forecast amount of a product (also referred to as a third product) by the third facility 2. The second product may be product b, and the third product may be product a or product c.

[0248] The demand amount acquiring unit 33E may acquire a range of the demand forecast amount by inputting a plurality of status data to a model 330E that outputs a demand forecast amount of the third product in response to input of status data indicating at least one of a status of any facility 2 (the third facility 2, as an example) included in the supply chain 10 or a status of the demand or supply of the product by the facility 2. The model 330E may be a model similar to the model 330. The demand amount acquiring unit 33E may supply the range of the demand forecast amount of the product for each of the second facility 2 and the third facility 2 to the setting unit 34E.

[0249] (((setting section 34E))) The setting unit 34E sets a reference range of the inventory amount of the first intermediate product (product a or product b) based on the range of the forecasted demand amount of the second product, and sets a reference range of the inventory amount of the second intermediate product (product b or product a) based on the range of the forecasted demand amount of the third product, in the same manner as the setting unit 44B in the modification (2) of the first embodiment. The setting unit 34E may supply the reference ranges of the inventory amounts of the first intermediate product and the second intermediate product to the calculation unit 35E.

[0250] (((calculation section 35E))) The calculation unit 35E, in a manner similar to the calculation unit 35 in the second embodiment, calculates an adjustment amount (also referred to as a first adjustment amount) of the production speed of the second facility 2 in response to acquisition of the first notification by the notification acquisition unit 32, that is, in response to a change in the production speed of the first facility 2, within a range in which the second facility 2 is not stopped and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range. The calculation unit 35E may calculate a predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product at least at one point in time within a first planned period based on the first planned production speed. The calculation unit 35E may calculate the first adjustment amount in response to each predicted inventory amount not falling within the reference range.

[0251] In addition, in response to the third notification being acquired by the notification acquisition unit 32, the calculation unit 35E may further calculate an adjustment amount (also referred to as a third adjustment amount) of the production speed of the second facility 2 to a degree that the inventory amount of the second intermediate product between the second facility 2 and the third facility 2 can be maintained within the reference range without stopping the second facility 2. The calculation unit 35E may calculate a predicted inventory amount of the second intermediate product at least at one point in time within the third planned period based on the third planned production speed. The calculation unit 35E may calculate the third adjustment amount in response to each predicted inventory amount not falling within the reference range. The calculation unit 35E may calculate the third adjustment amount in the same manner as the calculation unit 45C in the modification (3) of the above first embodiment.

[0252] The calculation unit 35E may calculate an adjustment amount so that the amount of change in the production speed of the second equipment 2 calculated based on a fourth notification output by the output unit 38E described later is smaller than the amount of change in the production speed of the first equipment 2 calculated based on the third notification. When the production speeds before and after the change in the third equipment 2 are indicated in the third notification, the calculation unit 35E may calculate the amount of change from these production speeds. When the production speed before the change in the third equipment 2 is not indicated in the third notification, the calculation unit 35E may calculate the amount of change by setting the production speed of the third equipment 2 preset in the production plan as the production speed before the change. The production plan for the third equipment 2 may be stored in advance in a storage unit (not shown).

[0253] The calculation unit 35E may supply the calculated adjustment amount to the adjustment instruction unit 36E. The calculation unit 35E may supply the production speed obtained by adding the adjustment amount to the current production speed, that is, the adjusted planned production speed, to the adjustment instruction unit 36E.

[0254] (((Adjustment instruction section 36E))) The adjustment instructing unit 36E outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the second facility 2 by the first adjustment amount and an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the second facility 2 by the third adjustment amount. The adjustment instructing unit 36E may output the adjustment instruction to the second facility 2.

[0255] The adjustment instruction unit 36E may provide a second notification to the output unit 38E indicating that the production rate at the second equipment 2 will be adjusted by a first adjustment amount, and may provide a fourth notification to the output unit 38E indicating that the production rate at the second equipment 2 will be adjusted by a third adjustment amount. The fourth notification may indicate a production rate planned after the adjustment of the second equipment 2, i.e., a planned production rate. The fourth notification may further indicate a planned period during which the production rate of the second equipment 2 will be changed.

[0256] The planned period indicated in the fourth notice may be a period during which the adjustment instruction unit 36E plans to maintain the planned production rate, and may be the same length as or different from the planned period indicated in the third notice. The planned period may be a period of a predetermined length, or may be a period from the present time to a predetermined reference time. The reference time may be the end of the planned period indicated in the third notice, a time when a change in the production rate is preset in the second equipment 2, a due date for the second equipment 2 to deliver the product to the downstream equipment 2, a due date for the raw materials to the second equipment 2, or a time different from these.

[0257] (((output unit 38E))) The output unit 38E, like the output unit 38 in the second embodiment, outputs a second notification to the production management system 3 managing the third equipment 2, indicating that the production speed of the second equipment 2 will be adjusted by the adjustment instruction in response to the first notification. In addition, the output unit 38E may output a fourth notification to the production management system 3 managing the first equipment 2, indicating that the production speed of the second equipment 2 will be adjusted by the adjustment instruction in response to the third notification.

[0258] According to the above production management system 3E, an adjustment amount for the production speed of the second product is calculated and an adjustment instruction is outputted within a range that allows the inventory amount of the second intermediate product to be maintained within a reference range without stopping the second facility 2, further in response to a change in the production speed in the third facility 2. Therefore, even if the production speed is changed in the facility 2 on either side in the supply chain 10, the delivery and receipt of products within the supply chain 10 can be made efficient.

[0259] In addition, a first notification in response to a change in the production speed in the first facility 2 is obtained from another production management system 3 that manages the first facility 2, and a third notification in response to a change in the production speed in the third facility 2 is obtained from another production management system 3 that manages the third facility 2. In addition, a second notification indicating that the production speed of the second facility 2 is adjusted by an adjustment instruction in response to the first notification is output to the production management system 3 of the third facility 2, and a fourth notification indicating that the production speed of the second facility 2 is adjusted by an adjustment instruction in response to the third notification is output to the production management system 3 of the first facility 2. Therefore, the production speeds of both the first facility 2 and the third facility 2 can be adjusted, and the inventory amount of the product exchanged between the second facility 2 and the facility 2 on each side can be maintained within a reference range. Therefore, the exchange of products can be made more reliably and efficiently within the supply chain 10.

[0260] Furthermore, the inventory amount of the first intermediate product at at least one point in a planned period during which the production rate of the first facility 2 is changed is predicted based on the planned production rate for that planned period, and the inventory amount of the second intermediate product at at least one point in a planned period during which the production rate of the third facility 2 is changed is predicted based on the planned production rate for that planned period. Therefore, the production rate of the second product can be adjusted to reliably maintain the inventory amounts of the first and second intermediate products within the reference range.

[0261] ((Production Management System 3E Operation)) Fig. 21 shows the operation of the production management system 3E. The production management system 3E may adjust the production speed of the second equipment 2 by the processing of steps S201 to S223. In this figure, as an example, the equipment 2 whose production speed is changed first is the first equipment 2, and the equipment 2 whose production speed is changed later is the third equipment 2. Also, the operations of steps S201 to S207 are similar to those of the first embodiment, and therefore the explanation will be omitted.

[0262] When the production speed of the second equipment 2 is adjusted by the adjustment amount (here, the first adjustment amount) in step S207, the notification acquisition unit 32E determines in step S208 whether or not a third notification is provided from the production system 1 of the third equipment 2. If it is determined in step S208 that the third notification is not provided (step S208; No), the process may proceed to the above-mentioned step S209. As a result, the process of step S209 is performed, the second notification is provided to the production management system 3 of the third equipment 2, and the production speed of the third equipment 2 is adjusted. If it is determined in step S208 that the third notification is provided (step S208; Yes), the process may proceed to step S211.

[0263] In step S211, the notification acquisition unit 32E acquires a third notification indicating that the production speed will be changed in the third facility 2. The notification acquisition unit 32E may acquire the third notification from the production management system 3 of the third facility 2.

[0264] In step S213, the calculation unit 35E calculates a change amount (also referred to as a first change amount Δ1) in the inventory amount of the first intermediate product and a change amount (also referred to as a second change amount Δ2) in the inventory amount of the second intermediate product. The first change amount Δ1 may be a change amount, a difference, or a ratio between the inventory amount of the first intermediate product predicted for a point in time (also referred to as a first time point) in the first scheduled period based on the first scheduled production speed of the first equipment 2 and the current inventory amount of the first intermediate product. The second change amount Δ2 may be a change amount, a difference, or a ratio between the inventory amount of the second intermediate product predicted for a point in time (also referred to as a second time point) in the third scheduled period based on the third scheduled production speed of the third equipment 2 and the current inventory amount of the second intermediate product. The first time point and the second time point may be the same or different. As an example, the first time point may be the end of the first scheduled period, and the second time point may be the end of the third scheduled period.

[0265] In step S215, the calculation unit 35E determines whether the second change amount Δ2 is smaller than the first change amount Δ1. If it is determined that the second change amount Δ2 is smaller than the first change amount Δ1 (step S215; Yes), the process may proceed to the above-mentioned step S209. As a result, if the second change amount Δ2 is smaller than the first change amount Δ1, a first adjustment amount for the production speed of the second equipment 2 is calculated in step S207, and the production speed is adjusted by the first adjustment amount, and a second notification is output to the production management system of the third equipment 2 in step S209, and the production speed of the third equipment 2 is adjusted. If it is determined that the second change amount Δ2 is not smaller than the first change amount Δ1 (step S215; No), the process may proceed to step S221.

[0266] In step S221, the calculation unit 35E calculates an adjustment amount of the production speed of the second equipment 2, i.e., a third adjustment amount, within a range in which the second equipment 2 is not stopped and the inventory amount of the second intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range. Then, the adjustment instruction unit 36E outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the second equipment 2 by the third adjustment amount. As a result, the production speed of the second equipment 2 is adjusted.

[0267] In step S223, the output unit 38E outputs a fourth notification. The output unit 38E may output the fourth notification to another production management system 3 that manages the first facility 2. As a result, when the first change amount Δ1 is smaller than the second change amount Δ2, a third adjustment amount for the production speed of the second facility 2 is calculated in step S221 and the production speed is adjusted by the third adjustment amount, and in step S223, a fourth notification is output to the production management system 3 of the first facility 2, and the production speed of the first facility 2 is adjusted.

[0268] According to the above operation, when the second change amount Δ2 is smaller than the first change amount Δ1, the production speed of the second equipment 2 is adjusted by the first adjustment amount so as to maintain the inventory amount of the first intermediate product within the reference range, and a second notification is output to the production management system 3 of the third equipment 2. Also, when the first change amount Δ1 is smaller than the second change amount Δ2, the production speed of the second equipment 2 is adjusted by the third adjustment amount so as to maintain the inventory amount of the second intermediate product within the reference range, and a fourth notification is output to the production management system 3 of the first equipment 2. Therefore, the production speed can be adjusted so that the fluctuation in the inventory amount of the intermediate product becomes smaller, and the fluctuation in the production speed can be propagated.

[0269] ((Example)) According to the production management system 3E of this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 16 above, the production speeds of equipment 2b as the second equipment 2 and equipment 2c as the third equipment 2 may be adjusted in response to a change in the production speed of equipment 2a as the first equipment 2, and the production speeds of equipment 2b as the second equipment 2 and equipment 2a as the first equipment 2 may be adjusted in response to a change in the production speed of equipment 2c as the third equipment 2. Note that, as an example in this figure, the first equipment 2 is equipment 2a and the third equipment 2 is equipment 2c, but the first equipment 2 may be equipment 2c and the third equipment 2 may be equipment 2a.

[0270] (Another modification of the second embodiment) In the above second embodiment and each modified example, the production management system 3, 3E is described as having the demand amount acquisition unit 33, 33E and the setting unit 34, 34E, but it is not necessary to have these. In this case, the calculation unit 35, 35E may calculate the adjustment amount of the production speed using a preset reference range.

[0271] In addition, the adjustment instruction units 36, 36E have been described as outputting adjustment instructions to the production management system 3 of the other facility 2, but the adjustment instructions may be output to an output device such as a display device. In this case, an operator may adjust the production speed according to the output adjustment instructions.

[0272] Various embodiments of the present invention may be described with reference to flow charts and block diagrams, where the blocks may represent (1) stages of a process in which operations are performed or (2) sections of an apparatus responsible for performing the operations. Particular stages and sections may be implemented by dedicated circuitry, programmable circuitry provided with computer readable instructions stored on a computer readable medium, and / or a processor provided with computer readable instructions stored on a computer readable medium. Dedicated circuitry may include digital and / or analog hardware circuitry and may include integrated circuits (ICs) and / or discrete circuits. Programmable circuitry may include reconfigurable hardware circuitry including logical AND, logical OR, logical XOR, logical NAND, logical NOR, and other logical operations, memory elements such as flip-flops, registers, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic arrays (PLAs), and the like.

[0273] A computer-readable medium may include any tangible device capable of storing instructions that are executed by a suitable device, such that the computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon comprises an article of manufacture that includes instructions that can be executed to create means for performing the operations specified in the flowcharts or block diagrams. Examples of computer-readable media may include electronic storage media, magnetic storage media, optical storage media, electromagnetic storage media, semiconductor storage media, and the like. More specific examples of computer-readable media may include floppy disks, diskettes, hard disks, random access memories (RAMs), read-only memories (ROMs), erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROMs or flash memories), electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), static random access memories (SRAMs), compact disk read-only memories (CD-ROMs), digital versatile disks (DVDs), Blu-ray (RTM) disks, memory sticks, integrated circuit cards, and the like.

[0274] The computer readable instructions may include either assembler instructions, Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or source or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk®, JAVA®, C++, etc., and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages.

[0275] The computer-readable instructions may be provided to a processor or programmable circuit of a programmable data processing device such as a computer, either locally or over a wide area network (WAN) such as a local area network (LAN), the Internet, etc., to execute the computer-readable instructions to create a means for performing the operations specified in the flowchart or block diagram. Here, the computer may be a PC (personal computer), a tablet computer, a smartphone, a workstation, a server computer, a general-purpose computer, or a special-purpose computer, or may be a computer system in which multiple computers are connected. Such a computer system in which multiple computers are connected is also called a distributed computing system, and is a computer in the broad sense. In a distributed computing system, each of the multiple computers executes a part of a program, and the multiple computers collectively execute a program by transferring data during program execution between the computers as necessary.

[0276] Examples of processors include computer processors, central processing units (CPUs), processing units, microprocessors, digital signal processors, controllers, microcontrollers, etc. A computer may have one processor or multiple processors. In a multiprocessor system with multiple processors, each processor executes a part of a program, and the multiple processors collectively execute a program by passing data during program execution between the processors as necessary. For example, in executing multitasks, each of the multiple processors may execute a part of each task in small chunks by switching tasks for each time slice. In this case, which part of a program each processor executes changes dynamically. Which part of a program each of the multiple processors executes may be statically determined by programming that takes the multiprocessor into consideration.

[0277] 22 illustrates an example of a computer 1200 in which aspects of the present invention may be embodied in whole or in part. Programs installed on the computer 1200 may cause the computer 1200 to function as or perform operations associated with an apparatus or one or more sections of the apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and / or to perform a process or steps of a process according to an embodiment of the present invention. Such programs may be executed by the CPU 1212 to cause the computer 1200 to perform specific operations associated with some or all of the blocks of the flowcharts and block diagrams described herein.

[0278] The computer 1200 according to this embodiment includes a CPU 1212, a RAM 1214, a graphic controller 1216, and a display device 1218, which are connected to each other by a host controller 1210. The computer 1200 also includes input / output units such as a communication interface 1222, a hard disk drive 1224, a DVD-ROM drive 1226, and an IC card drive, which are connected to the host controller 1210 via an input / output controller 1220. The computer also includes legacy input / output units such as a ROM 1230 and a keyboard 1242, which are connected to the input / output controller 1220 via an input / output chip 1240.

[0279] The CPU 1212 operates according to a program stored in the ROM 1230 and the RAM 1214, thereby controlling each unit. The graphic controller 1216 retrieves image data generated by the CPU 1212 into a frame buffer or the like provided in the RAM 1214 or into the graphic controller 1216 itself, and causes the image data to be displayed on the display device 1218.

[0280] The communication interface 1222 communicates with other electronic devices via a network. The hard disk drive 1224 stores programs and data used by the CPU 1212 in the computer 1200. The DVD-ROM drive 1226 reads programs or data from the DVD-ROM 1201 and provides the programs or data to the hard disk drive 1224 via the RAM 1214. The IC card drive reads programs and data from an IC card and / or writes programs and data to an IC card.

[0281] The ROM 1230 stores therein a boot program or the like executed by the computer 1200 upon activation, and / or a program that depends on the hardware of the computer 1200. The input / output chip 1240 may also connect various input / output units to the input / output controller 1220 via a parallel port, a serial port, a keyboard port, a mouse port, and the like.

[0282] The programs are provided by a computer-readable medium such as a DVD-ROM 1201 or an IC card. The programs are read from the computer-readable medium, installed in the hard disk drive 1224, the RAM 1214, or the ROM 1230, which are also examples of computer-readable media, and executed by the CPU 1212. Information processing described in these programs is read by the computer 1200, and brings about cooperation between the programs and the various types of hardware resources described above. An apparatus or method may be constructed by realizing information manipulation or processing according to the use of the computer 1200.

[0283] For example, when communication is performed between the computer 1200 and an external device, the CPU 1212 may execute a communication program loaded in the RAM 1214 and instruct the communication interface 1222 to perform communication processing based on the processing described in the communication program. Under the control of the CPU 1212, the communication interface 1222 reads transmission data stored in a transmission buffer processing area provided in the RAM 1214, the hard disk drive 1224, the DVD-ROM 1201, or a recording medium such as an IC card, and transmits the read transmission data to the network, or writes reception data received from the network to a reception buffer processing area or the like provided on the recording medium.

[0284] Furthermore, the CPU 1212 may cause all or a necessary portion of a file or database stored in an external recording medium such as a hard disk drive 1224, a DVD-ROM drive 1226 (DVD-ROM 1201), an IC card, etc. to be read into the RAM 1214, and perform various types of processing on the data on the RAM 1214. The CPU 1212 then writes back the processed data to the external recording medium.

[0285] Various types of information, such as various types of programs, data, tables, and databases, may be stored in the recording medium and undergo information processing. The CPU 1212 may perform various types of processing on the data read from the RAM 1214, including various types of operations, information processing, conditional judgment, conditional branching, unconditional branching, information search / replacement, etc., as described throughout this disclosure and specified by the instruction sequence of the program, and write back the results to the RAM 1214. The CPU 1212 may also search for information in a file, database, etc. in the recording medium. For example, when a plurality of entries each having an attribute value of a first attribute associated with an attribute value of a second attribute are stored in the recording medium, the CPU 1212 may search for an entry that matches a condition, in which the attribute value of the first attribute is specified, from among the plurality of entries, read the attribute value of the second attribute stored in the entry, and thereby obtain the attribute value of the second attribute associated with the first attribute that satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0286] The above-described programs or software modules may be stored in a computer-readable medium on the computer 1200 or in the vicinity of the computer 1200. Also, a recording medium such as a hard disk or a RAM provided in a server system connected to a dedicated communication network or the Internet can be used as a computer-readable medium, thereby providing the programs to the computer 1200 via the network.

[0287] Although the present invention has been described above using the embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is clear from the description of the claims that such modifications and improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0288] It should be noted that the order of execution of each process, such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages, in the devices, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings is not specifically stated as "before," "prior to," etc., and may be realized in any order unless the output of a previous process is used in a later process. Even if the operational flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings is explained using "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it does not mean that it is essential to perform the process in this order. [Explanation of symbols]

[0289] 1. Production System 2 Equipment 3. Production Management System 4. Integrated Management System 10 Supply Chain 32 Notification acquisition part 33 Demand acquisition part 34 Setting section 35 Calculation section 36 Adjustment instruction section 38 Output section 41 Change Instructions 42 Notification acquisition part 43 Demand acquisition part 44 Setting section 45 Calculation section 46 Adjustment instruction section 330 model 430 model 1200 Computer 1201 DVD-ROM 1210 Host Controller 1212 CPU 1214 RAM 1216 Graphics Controller 1218 Display Devices 1220 Input / Output Controller 1222 Communication Interface 1224 Hard Disk Drive 1226 DVD-ROM drive 1230 ROM 1240 Input / Output Chip 1242 Keyboard

Claims

1. a notification acquisition unit that acquires a first notification indicating that a production speed will be changed in a first facility among a plurality of facilities included in the supply chain; a calculation unit that calculates an adjustment amount of a production speed of a second facility, which is a facility on the upstream or downstream side of the first facility, in response to acquiring the first notification, within a range in which an inventory amount of a first intermediate product transferred between the first facility and the second facility can be maintained within a reference range without stopping the second facility; an adjustment instruction unit that outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production rate of the second facility by the adjustment amount; A management system comprising:

2. a demand quantity acquisition unit that inputs a plurality of status data to a model that outputs a demand forecast quantity for a product from the second facility in response to input of status data indicating at least one of a status of any facility included in the supply chain or a status of demand or supply of the product from the facility, and acquires a range of the demand forecast quantity; a setting unit that sets the reference range based on the range of the demand forecast amount; The management system of claim 1 further comprising:

3. The management system of claim 2, wherein the model is a trained learning model using learning data including situation data indicating at least one of the weather conditions at the location of any equipment included in the supply chain or the weather conditions at the location where the product is used by the equipment, and the demand for the product by the second equipment in the situation indicated by the situation data.

4. The second facility is an upstream facility with respect to the first facility, the first intermediate product is a product of the second facility; The management system according to claim 2 , wherein the setting unit sets a reference range of an inventory amount of the product based on a range of the demand forecast amount for the product produced by the second facility.

5. The second facility is a downstream facility with respect to the first facility, the first intermediate product is a product produced by the first facility; 3. The management system according to claim 2, wherein the setting unit sets the reference range of the inventory amount of the first intermediate product based on the inventory amount of the first intermediate product required when the product by the second facility is produced at the upper limit of the range of the demand forecast amount and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product required when the product is produced at the lower limit of the range of the demand forecast amount.

6. The first notification indicates a planned period during which the production rate of the first facility will be changed and a planned production rate during the planned period; The management system according to claim 1 , wherein the calculation unit calculates a predicted inventory amount of the first intermediate product at least at one point in time within the planned period based on the planned production rate.

7. The management system is a production management system that manages production in the second facility, The notification acquisition unit acquires the first notification from another production management system that manages the first facility, The management system further includes an output unit that outputs a second notification indicating that the production speed of the second facility is adjusted by the adjustment instruction to another production management system that manages a third facility among the plurality of facilities and that is located on an opposite side of the second facility from the first facility in the supply chain. The management system according to claim 1 .

8. The first notification indicates a production rate to be planned after the change in the first facility; the second notification indicating a production rate expected after the adjustment at the second facility; The calculation unit is 8. The management system according to claim 7, wherein the adjustment amount is calculated so that an amount of change in the production speed of the second equipment calculated based on the second notification is smaller than an amount of change in the production speed of the first equipment calculated based on the first notification.

9. The management system is an integrated management system that integrates and manages production in the plurality of facilities, A change instruction unit that outputs a change instruction to change the production speed of the first facility, The calculation unit is In response to the adjustment of the production speed of the second equipment by the adjustment amount, further calculate an adjustment amount for the production speed of the third equipment within a range that does not stop a third equipment, which is located on the opposite side of the first equipment from the second equipment in the supply chain, among the plurality of equipment, and can maintain an inventory amount of a second intermediate product transferred between the second equipment and the third equipment within a reference range; The management system according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment instruction unit further outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust a production rate of the third facility by the adjustment amount of the third facility.

10. The calculation unit is The adjustment amount of the second equipment is calculated to be smaller than a change amount of the production rate of the first equipment before and after the change by the change instruction unit, The management system according to claim 9 , wherein the adjustment amount of the third equipment is calculated to be a smaller value than the adjustment amount of the second equipment.

11. The notification acquisition unit further acquires a third notification indicating that a production speed will be changed in a third facility among the plurality of facilities, the third facility being located on an opposite side of the second facility from the first facility in the supply chain; 2. The management system according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit further calculates an adjustment amount for a production speed of the second equipment in response to obtaining the third notification, to a range in which the second equipment is not stopped and an inventory amount of the second intermediate product exchanged between the second equipment and the third equipment can be maintained within a reference range.

12. The first notification indicates a planned period during which the production rate of the first facility will be changed and a planned production rate of the first facility during the planned period; The third notification indicates a planned period during which the production rate of the third facility will be changed and a planned production rate of the third facility during the planned period; The calculation unit is calculating a projected inventory amount of the first intermediate product at at least one point in time during the planned time period for the first facility based on a planned production rate for the planned time period; 12. The management system according to claim 11, wherein a predicted inventory amount of the second intermediate product at at least one point in time within the planned period for the third facility is calculated based on a planned production rate for the planned period.

13. The management system is a production management system that manages production in the second facility, the notification acquisition unit acquires the first notification from another production management system that manages the first facility, and acquires the third notification from another production management system that manages the third facility; 12. The management system according to claim 11, further comprising an output unit that outputs a second notification to the other production management system that manages the third equipment, indicating that the production speed of the second equipment is adjusted by the adjustment instruction in response to the first notification, and outputs a fourth notification to the other production management system that manages the first equipment, indicating that the production speed of the second equipment is adjusted by the adjustment instruction in response to the third notification.

14. The first notification indicates a planned period during which the production rate of the first facility will be changed and a planned production rate during the planned period; The third notification indicates a planned period during which the production rate of the third facility will be changed and a planned production rate during the planned period; The calculation unit is calculating an adjustment amount of the production speed of the second equipment within a range in which the second equipment is not stopped and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range when a second change amount between an inventory amount of the second intermediate product predicted for a point in time within the planned period of the third equipment based on the planned production speed of the third equipment and a current inventory amount of the second intermediate product is smaller than a first change amount between an inventory amount of the first intermediate product predicted for a point in time within the planned period of the first equipment based on the planned production speed of the first equipment and a current inventory amount of the first intermediate product; calculating an adjustment amount for a production rate of the second equipment within a range in which the second equipment is not stopped and an inventory amount of the second intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range when the first change amount is smaller than the second change amount; 14. The management system according to claim 13, wherein the output unit outputs the second notification to the other production management system that manages the third equipment in response to the second change amount being smaller than the first change amount, and outputs the fourth notification to the other production management system that manages the first equipment in response to the first change amount being smaller than the second change amount.

15. The management system is an integrated management system that integrates and manages production in the plurality of facilities, a change instruction unit that outputs a change instruction to change the production speed of the first equipment and outputs a change instruction to change the production speed of the third equipment, The calculation unit is In response to the change in the production rate of the first equipment by the change instruction unit, calculate a first adjustment amount, which is an adjustment amount of the production rate of the second equipment, within a range in which the second equipment is not stopped and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range; calculate a second adjustment amount, which is an adjustment amount of the production rate of the third equipment, in response to the adjustment of the production rate of the second equipment by the first adjustment amount, within a range in which the third equipment is not stopped and the inventory amount of the second intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range; In response to the change in the production rate of the third equipment by the change instruction unit, calculate a third adjustment amount, which is an adjustment amount of the production rate of the second equipment, within a range in which the second equipment is not stopped and the inventory amount of the second intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range; calculate a fourth adjustment amount, which is an adjustment amount of the production rate of the first equipment, in response to the adjustment of the production rate of the second equipment by the second adjustment amount, within a range in which the first equipment is not stopped and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range; The management system according to claim 11 , wherein the adjustment instruction unit outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production rate of each piece of equipment by an adjustment amount calculated for that piece of equipment.

16. the notification acquisition unit acquires the first notification indicating a planned period during which the production rate of the first equipment is to be changed and a planned production rate of the first equipment during the planned period, and acquires a third notification indicating a planned period during which the production rate of the third equipment is to be changed and a planned production rate of the third equipment during the planned period; The adjustment instruction unit is outputting an adjustment instruction to adjust the production rate of the second equipment by the first adjustment amount and an adjustment instruction to adjust the production rate of the third equipment by the second adjustment amount when a second change amount between an inventory amount of the first intermediate product predicted for a point in time within the planned period for the third equipment based on the planned production rate of the third equipment and a current inventory amount of the second intermediate product is smaller than a first change amount between an inventory amount of the first intermediate product predicted for a point in time within the planned period for the first equipment based on the planned production rate of the first equipment and a current inventory amount of the first intermediate product; 16. The management system according to claim 15, wherein, when the first change amount is smaller than the second change amount, an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the second equipment by the third adjustment amount and an adjustment instruction to adjust the production speed of the first equipment by the fourth adjustment amount are output.

17. The management system is a production management system that manages production in the second facility, the notification acquisition unit acquires, from another production management system that manages one of the two pieces of equipment as the first equipment, the first notification indicating that a production speed will be changed in the one piece of equipment; The management system is:

2. The management system according to claim 1, further comprising an output unit that outputs a fifth notification, indicating that a production speed of the second equipment is adjusted by the adjustment instruction, to another production management system that manages another equipment of the two equipments that is different from the one equipment.

18. The management system is an integrated management system that integrates and manages production in the plurality of facilities, A change instruction unit that outputs a change instruction to change the production speed of one of the two pieces of equipment as the first equipment, The calculation unit is calculating an adjustment amount for the production rate of the second equipment in response to the change in the production rate of the first equipment in accordance with the change instruction, within a range in which the second equipment is not stopped and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range; calculating an adjustment amount for the production rate of the second equipment, in response to the adjustment amount of the production rate of the other equipment, within a range in which the other equipment, which is different from the one equipment, of the two equipments, is not stopped and the inventory amount of the first intermediate product can be maintained within a reference range; The management system according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment instruction unit outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production rate of each piece of equipment by an adjustment amount calculated for that piece of equipment.

19. A notification acquisition step of acquiring a first notification indicating that a production rate will be changed in a first facility among a plurality of facilities included in a supply chain; a calculation step of calculating an adjustment amount of a production speed of the second equipment, which is an upstream or downstream equipment of the first equipment, in response to obtaining the first notification, within a range in which an inventory amount of the first intermediate product transferred between the first equipment and the second equipment can be maintained within a reference range without stopping the second equipment, which is an upstream or downstream equipment of the first equipment; an adjustment instruction step of outputting an adjustment instruction to adjust the production rate of the second facility by the adjustment amount; A management method comprising:

20. Computer, a notification acquisition unit that acquires a first notification indicating that a production speed will be changed in a first facility among a plurality of facilities included in the supply chain; a calculation unit that calculates an adjustment amount of a production speed of a second facility, which is a facility on the upstream or downstream side of the first facility, in response to acquiring the first notification, within a range in which an inventory amount of a first intermediate product transferred between the first facility and the second facility can be maintained within a reference range without stopping the second facility; an adjustment instruction unit that outputs an adjustment instruction to adjust the production rate of the second facility by the adjustment amount; A program that functions as a

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