Operation instruction system and operation instruction method

Abstract

Provided is a work instruction system capable of improving usability. The work instruction system (1) includes: a computer configured to generate a work instruction screen (300); and a display device (23) connected to the computer and configured to display the work instruction screen. The work instruction screen includes: a first display area (310) for displaying a three-dimensional model (311, 312) for describing an assembly operation of an object based on three-dimensional design data; a second display area (320) for displaying at least a portion of attribute information of the three-dimensional design data; and a third display area (330) for displaying relevant information associated with the predetermined component information when pre-registered predetermined component information is included in the attribute information. In the first display area, when the object is wiring, the three-dimensional model is displayed to enable a first predetermined operation to be performed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an operation instruction system and an operation instruction method. Background Art

[0002] Various factories such as control panels, office equipment, automobiles, aircraft, industrial machinery, and construction machinery produce products through production methods such as assembly line method, unit method, and dynamic unit method. One product is produced through multiple operation processes such as preparation of parts and materials, sheet metal, coating, assembly of major parts, assembly of major parts into the main body, and inspection.

[0003] An assembly work system for instructing an operator on assembly work is installed at a production site (Patent Documents 1 and 2). This assembly work system presents the operator with components to be assembled, an assembly method, and a jig used in the assembly.

[0004] Reference List

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent document 1: JP2001-242928A;

[0007] Patent document 2: JP2012-118690A. Summary of the invention

[0008] Technical issues

[0009] Patent Document 1 displays only an image showing a component assembly scene and sentences related to the work flow on a data display unit (Patent Document 1, paragraph 0022). Patent Document 2 displays the component model, the order of incorporation, the number of the jig used in the incorporation, and the precautions when incorporating in text, without displaying an image.

[0010] As described above, in the prior art, since a three-dimensional model based on three-dimensional design data of an object is not presented to the operator, the operator may need to spend time to three-dimensionally understand the shape, installation position, size, etc. of the object.

[0011] Among the objects of assembly work, wiring such as cables, wire harnesses, or leads has a slender and flexible structure and is used to connect distant parts such as between the front and rear sides of a housing or between the top and bottom of a housing.

[0012] Furthermore, since a portion of the wiring passes through the rear side of another component, the wiring is installed along a complicated path compared to another box-shaped or plate-shaped component. As described above, it is difficult and time-consuming to explain to the operator the assembly method of the wiring connecting the distant parts along the complicated path.

[0013] The present invention has been conceived in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a work instruction system and a work instruction method capable of improving usability.

[0014] Technical Solution

[0015] In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention provides a work instruction system configured to display work instructions about assembly work, the work instruction system comprising: a computer configured to generate a work instruction screen; and a display device connected to the computer and configured to display the work instruction screen. The work instruction screen comprises: a first display area for displaying a three-dimensional model for describing the assembly work of an object based on three-dimensional design data; a second display area for displaying at least a part of the attribute information of the three-dimensional design data; and a third display area for displaying relevant information associated with the predetermined component information when pre-registered predetermined component information is included in the attribute information. In the first display area, when the object is wiring, the three-dimensional model is displayed to enable a first predetermined operation.

[0016] Effects of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, the operator can grasp the work content three-dimensionally through the work instruction screen. Further, when the object is wiring, a three-dimensional model can be displayed to enable the first predetermined operation, thereby easily confirming the wiring assembly work and improving usability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is an explanatory diagram showing the overall outline of a work improvement support system including the work instruction system of the present embodiment.

[0019] Figure 2 It is an example of a computer system that implements a work improvement support system.

[0020] Figure 3 is an example of a table for managing work instructions.

[0021] Figure 4 Detailed description of the process of generating a work instruction.

[0022] Figure 5 1 is a flowchart showing a process of confirming a wiring assembly work at a work site.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a flowchart showing a process of checking assembly work of components other than wiring at a work site.

[0024] Figure 7 This is an example of a screen for instructing wiring assembly work.

[0025] Figure 8 This is an example of a screen for instructing assembly work of components other than wiring.

[0026] Fig. 9 It is a perspective view schematically showing an example of a portion of a connection destination of wiring, a portion where the wiring passes through another component, and a portion where the wiring is hidden.

[0027] Fig.10 1 is a flowchart showing a process of confirming a wiring assembly work at a work site according to the second embodiment.

[0028] Fig.11 1 is a flowchart showing a process of determining the end of a wiring assembly work from an operation status of a tool according to the third embodiment.

[0029] Fig.12 1 is a flowchart showing a process of controlling a screen for indicating a work site according to a tool type and a setting value according to the fourth embodiment.

[0030] Fig.13 This is an explanatory diagram of a state in which an e-mail is sent from a job instruction screen according to the fifth embodiment.

[0031] Fig.14 Detailed description of the process of notifying matters noticed during work.

[0032] Fig.15 This is a flowchart showing a process of correcting a work instruction screen based on work analysis results and / or communications from the site. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The work instruction system 11 of this embodiment provides the operator with a work instruction screen based on the three-dimensional design data of the component that is the object of the assembly work, at least a part of the attribute information about the three-dimensional design data, and the related information associated with the predetermined component information included in the attribute information. Further, when the component of the object is wiring, the work instruction system 11 displays a three-dimensional model for explaining the wiring assembly work so that the first predetermined operation can be performed, thereby informing the operator of the assembly work method of the wiring that is difficult to understand at a glance.

[0034] First embodiment

[0035] Will refer to Figures 1 to 9 The first embodiment is described. Figure 1 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the overall outline of the work improvement support system 1. The work improvement support system 1 includes a work instruction system 11 and a work analysis system 12. Alternatively, the work improvement support system 1 may also be referred to as an information processing system including the work instruction system 11.

[0036] The work improvement support system 1 provides a work instruction screen 300 to the worker performing the assembly work at the work site 2, and collects and analyzes the worker's work results. In another embodiment described below, the work improvement support system 1 may also modify the work instruction screen based on the work analysis results and / or communication from the worker.

[0037] The work improvement support system 1 can be configured using, for example, at least one computer. An example of a computer system that implements the work improvement support system 1 will be described in detail in the following. Figure 2 The following will be described later.

[0038] First, the work site 2 will be described. The work site 2 includes at least one unit 21. In the unit 21, the worker W produces a product 25 according to a work flow displayed on a work instruction terminal 23.

[0039] Here, the unit production method is described as an example, but the present invention is not limited thereto and can also be applied to the assembly line method and the dynamic unit method. In addition, the work site 2 of this embodiment is suitable for the so-called multi-variety small batch production, but can also be applied to the small variety large batch production and the small variety small batch production.

[0040] At least one camera 24 for monitoring the working conditions of the worker W is installed in the unit 21 . The camera 24 can monitor not only the working conditions but also the conditions around the unit 21 .

[0041] A radio frequency identifier (RFID) reader 22 for reading information from an RFID tag 26 is provided in the unit 21 or near the unit 21. Here, the RFID tag 26 can be divided into a work tag 26-1 held by the worker W and a product tag 26-2 provided on the product 25, for example.

[0042] The work tag 26-1 can be further divided into a worker tag storing identification information of the worker W and a work instruction card tag indicating a unit (placement destination process) at the worker's placement destination (neither of which is shown). The RFID reader 22 reads identification information for identifying the worker and identification information for identifying the unit (process) from the work tag 26-1. The work improvement support system 1 can grasp which worker is assigned to which unit 21 based on the information read by the RFID reader 22. In addition, acquiring information about the product 25 from the product tag 26-2 enables grasping the current location and production history of the product 25.

[0043] The work instruction terminal 23 as an example of a "display device" displays a work instruction screen 300 for teaching the operator the work flow in the unit 21. The work instruction screen 300 includes a first pane 310 as an example of a "first display area", a second pane 320 as an example of a "second display area", and a third pane 330 as an example of a "third display area".

[0044] In the first pane 310, a three-dimensional model 311 of the assembly target component 25 and a three-dimensional model 312 of the assembly target component 28 are displayed. Here, the component includes a wiring 28 such as a cable, a wire, or a harness. The three-dimensional model 312 of the component 28 that becomes the target of the work flow can be highlighted so as to be distinguished from the three-dimensional model of another component. For highlighting, for example, methods such as changing the color of the component to a color different from that of the other component, thickening the line, and blinking can be adopted.

[0045] The operator can perform a predetermined operation (first predetermined operation) on the three-dimensional models 311 and 312 to confirm the connection position, installation position, passing position, etc. of the wiring 312 displayed in the first window pane 310 .

[0046] The predetermined operations include, for example, rotating the three-dimensional model 311 of the product, making a portion of the three-dimensional model 311 of the product transparent, erasing other components included in the three-dimensional model 311 of the product, enlarging or reducing the portion connected to or passed by the three-dimensional model 312 of the wiring in the three-dimensional model 311 of the product, and the like.

[0047] In the case of components other than wiring, for example, the three-dimensional models of LCDs, sequencers, relays, switches, power supplies, etc. are not complicated compared to wiring and can be seen at a glance, so the predetermined operation (second predetermined operation) is limited. For the three-dimensional models of non-wiring components, only limited operations, such as rotation operations, are allowed.

[0048] In the second pane 320 , at least a portion of the attribute information included in the three-dimensional design data of the product 25 (eg, a portion of the attribute information of a component to be assembled to the product 25 ) is displayed.

[0049] In the third pane 330, when the attribute information includes a predetermined component code, relevant information associated with the component code is displayed. The predetermined component code is an example of "predetermined component information". The relevant information may include, for example, any of the following: work notes, information about predetermined tools required when assembling the target component into the target product, and information about the target product or other components related to the target product. As will be made clear in the embodiments described later, it is also possible to design a situation where there is no relevant information. In this case, the third pane 330 is not provided on the work instruction screen 300.

[0050] When one work flow is completed, the operator operates a completion button indicating the completion of the work flow or a next button (not shown) requesting the display of the next work flow on the work instruction screen 300. By monitoring the operation on the work instruction terminal 23 (the work instruction screen 300), the work improvement support system 1 can grasp the progress of the work flow in each unit 21 in real time. It should be noted that in another embodiment described later, the completion of the wiring assembly work is automatically detected by monitoring the operating status of the tool (e.g., automatic driver) used for the wiring assembly work.

[0051] The operator W may also have an operator terminal 27. The operator terminal 27 is, for example, a mobile phone (including a so-called smart phone) or a mobile information terminal provided by the company. For example, the operator terminal 27 may be configured as a so-called wearable terminal such as a glasses type or a watch type. At least one of the operator terminal 27 and the operation instruction terminal 23 may be configured as an augmented reality (AR) terminal.

[0052] Description will be made of the configuration of the work improvement support system 1. As described above, the work improvement support system 1 includes the work instruction system 11 and the work analysis system 12. First, the work instruction system 11 will be described.

[0053] The work instruction system 11 generates a work instruction screen 300 to be provided to the worker W in each unit 21. The work instruction system 11 includes, for example, a 3D CAD data storage unit 111, an assembly sequence storage unit 112, an assembly sequence registration unit 113, a work instruction generation unit 114, a work instruction display unit 115, and a work instruction management table 116.

[0054] The 3D CAD data storage unit 111 stores three-dimensional design data (3D CAD data) output by a three-dimensional CAD system (not shown).

[0055] The assembly order storage unit 112 stores information on an assembly order automatically or manually generated from 3D CAD data. The assembly order information is information indicating which components are to be installed in what order and where when the product 25 is manufactured.

[0056] The assembly order registration unit 113 registers assembly order information for work instructions related to assembly of the target product 25 among the plurality of pieces of assembly order information stored in the assembly order storage unit 112 .

[0057] The work instruction generating unit 114 generates work instruction contents to be displayed on the work instruction screen 300 based on the assembly sequence information registered in the assembly sequence registering unit 113 and the attribute information and related information stored in the work instruction management table 116 .

[0058] In the present embodiment, as described above, among the work instruction contents, the contents related to the wiring assembly work and the contents related to the assembly work of components other than the wiring differ in the types of operations (rotation, enlargement, reduction, transparency, etc.) that the operator can perform. In view of the technical particularity of wiring between distant parts of the product 25 connected through a complex path, a variety of operations can be used for the three-dimensional models 311, 312 so that the operator can easily and fully confirm the necessary information about the wiring assembly work.

[0059] The work instruction display unit 115 generates data of the work instruction content generated by the work instruction generation unit 114 and transmits the data to the work instruction terminal 23 , thereby causing the work instruction terminal 23 to display the work instruction screen 300 .

[0060] It should be noted that all of the above functions 111 to 116 do not need to be provided in the work improvement support system 1. For example, the 3D CAD data storage unit 111 and the assembly sequence storage unit 112 may be provided outside the system 1.

[0061] The work analysis system 12 will be described. The work analysis system 12 monitors and analyzes the work results of each worker W in each unit 21. The work analysis system 12 includes, for example, a work status monitoring unit 121, a production result management unit 122, a production plan management unit 123, a worker management unit 124, and a work analysis unit 125. Further, the work analysis system 12 includes a user interface device (not shown) for a user such as a work analyst to exchange information with the work analysis system 12.

[0062] It should be noted that it is not necessary to provide all entities of these functions 121 to 125 in the work improvement support system 1. For example, the work status monitoring unit 121, the production result management unit 122, the production plan management unit 123, and the operator management unit 124 may be provided outside the work improvement support system 1, and only necessary information may be sent from these external functions 121 to 124 to the work analysis unit 125.

[0063] The operation status monitoring unit 121 monitors the operation progress in each unit 21 based on the identification information read from the RFID tag 26 by the RFID reader 22 in each process and the operation performed by the operator on the operation instruction terminal 23, and sends the progress to the production result management unit 122.

[0064] The production result of each unit (process) is managed based on the data from the work status monitoring unit 121 .

[0065] The production plan management unit 123 manages the production plan of the work site 2. The production plan management unit 123 manages the production plan of the entire production site and the production plan of each unit.

[0066] The worker management unit 124 manages, for example, each worker's worker number, name, work style, work hours, history of processes in charge, presence / absence of skills required in each unit, etc. The information managed by the worker management unit 124 is written in the work ticket 26 - 1 .

[0067] The operation analysis unit 125 analyzes the operation status in each unit based on the production result data of each unit managed by the production result management unit 122 and the production plan of each unit managed by the production plan management unit 123. For example, the operation analysis unit 125 can analyze whether a bottleneck operation has occurred based on the actual value (operation time) and the target value (target operation time) of each operation.

[0068] Users such as production control managers who are responsible for improving work procedures can formulate measures for improving work efficiency based on the analysis results of the work analysis unit 125. After verification, the formulated measures are adopted as work flow instruction information and reflected in the work instruction screen 300.

[0069] Figure 2 is an example of a computer system that realizes the work improvement support system 1. The computer system 1000 is configured by connecting, for example, a work instruction system server 1001, a work analysis system server 1002, a 3D CAD system 1003, a database server 1004, and a user management server 1005 via a communication network CN1. Further, the work instruction system server 1001 and the work analysis system server 1002 are also connected to the work instruction terminal 23 of each unit 21 via a communication network CN2.

[0070] The work instruction system server 1001 is a server that implements the work instruction system 11. The work instruction system server 1001 includes computer resources such as a microprocessor 1001 (abbreviated as CPU) 10011, a memory 10012, a storage device 10013, a user interface device 10014, and a communication unit 10015. The microprocessor 10011 reads the computer program stored in the storage device 10013 into the memory 10012 and executes the computer program, thereby realizing the function as the work instruction system 11.

[0071] The work analysis system server 1002 is a server that implements the work analysis system 12. The work analysis system server 1002 also includes computer resources such as a microprocessor and a memory (neither of which is shown). The microprocessor (not shown) executes a computer program (not shown), thereby implementing the functions of the work analysis system 12. Figure 2 In FIG. 1 , the operation instruction system server 1001 and the operation analysis system server 1002 are shown as being configured as separate physical computers. Alternatively, the servers 1001 and 1002 may be configured as virtual computers and may be provided on one physical computer.

[0072] The 3D CAD system 1003 is a computer that generates and outputs three-dimensional design data about the product 25 and each component constituting the product 25. The database server 1004 stores data from the work site 2, etc. The user management server 1005 manages users (e.g., system administrators, analysts, work instruction creators, designers, etc.) who use the work improvement support system 1.

[0073] Figure 3 An example of the work instruction management table 116 is shown. The work instruction management table 116 manages the contents of the work instruction. For example, the work instruction management table 116 is prepared for each product.

[0074] The work instruction management table 116 includes, for example, a product name 1161, a serial number 1162, a work flow number 1163, a component code 1164, attribute information 1165, and related information 1166. The work instruction management table 116 may include information other than Figure 3 Items other than those shown or not necessarily included Figure 3 Some of the items are shown. The work instruction management table 116 is not necessarily configured by one table, but may include a plurality of tables.

[0075] The product name 1161 is the name or model of the product. The serial number 1162 is information for identifying the product. The work flow number 1163 is information for identifying the work flow, such as the work name. The component code 1164 is information for identifying the component of the assembly work target.

[0076] Attribute information 1165 is attribute information about 3D CAD data. Attribute information includes, for example, the name of the component specified by the component code, information for identifying the department that manufactures the component, the number of components used for assembly work, information for specifying the CAD data of the component, etc. The component code is also one of the attribute information, but in Figure 3 For convenience, the component code and attribute information are displayed separately.

[0077] When the attribute information includes information (component code) specifying a predetermined component, the related information 1166 is predetermined information that is previously associated with the predetermined component information. Figure 7 As will be described later, the related information includes, for example, work precautions 331, information 332 about other parts related to the part to be worked on, information 333 about tools used in the assembly work of the part to be worked on, and other information 334. The other information 334 may include, for example, general precautions about the product 25 and general information applied to the plurality of parts constituting the product 25. The information 333 about the tool includes information specifying the tool used in the assembly work and the setting value (for example, tightening torque) of the tool.

[0078] Figure 4 2 is a flowchart of the operation instruction generation process. The operation instruction system 11 executes each of the following steps S12 to S18 for each product (S11).

[0079] The work instruction system 11 acquires 3D CAD data of the target product 25 from the 3D CAD data storage unit 111 (S12). Further, the work instruction system 11 acquires assembly sequence information registered in the assembly sequence registration unit 113 among a plurality of pieces of assembly sequence information obtained by analyzing the 3D CAD data or the like (S13).

[0080] Steps S15 to S18 are executed for each work flow (S14). That is, the work instruction system 11 generates image data for drawing a three-dimensional model of a component to be worked on based on the 3D CAD data acquired in step S12 (S15).

[0081] It is also possible to generate only the wiring as 3D model image data and generate components other than the wiring as two-dimensional image data among the components included in the product 25. For example, in the case of the wiring, it is preferable to draw the wiring as a 3D model so that the operator can easily confirm the position of the connection destination and the path for routing the wiring, and preferably can perform operations such as rotation and enlargement / reduction.

[0082] On the other hand, in the case of components other than wiring, such as switches, buttons, controllers, relays, display panels, power supply devices, the installation position is generally limited to a specific position of the product 25 and can be seen at a glance. Therefore, in the case of non-wiring components, it can also be considered that a two-dimensional image is sufficient for explanation and a 3D model is not required. Therefore, for example, in the case of a skilled operator with predetermined experience, a 3D model can be used only for the wiring to explain the assembly work method, and in the case of an unskilled operator, a 3D model can also be used for all components to explain the assembly work method. In the following, an example of generating 3D model image data for all components will be described, but, as described above, in the case of non-wiring components, 2D model image data (two-dimensional image data) can be generated.

[0083] The work instruction system 11 acquires attribute information such as the component name, required quantity, and manufacturing department from the work instruction management table 116 based on the component code included in the 3D CAD data acquired in step S12 ( S16 ).

[0084] The work instruction system 11 acquires relevant information from the work instruction management table 116 based on the component code included in the 3D CAD data ( S17 ).

[0085] The work instruction system 11 generates and saves work instruction contents to be displayed on the work instruction screen 300 based on the 3D image data generated in step S15 , the attribute information acquired in step S16 , and the related information acquired in step S17 ( S18 ).

[0086] In this embodiment, in the content of the work instruction, the operations that the operator W can perform are different depending on whether the target component is a wiring component or a non-wiring component. Further, in the case of wiring, the 3D model can be used to explain the assembly work to the operator, and in the case of non-wiring components, the 2D model can also be used to explain the assembly work to the operator.

[0087] Figure 5 2 is a flowchart showing a process of confirming a wiring assembly operation at a work site 2. On a work instruction screen 300 of a work instruction terminal 23, wiring 28 and a semi-finished product 25 as the target of the assembly operation are displayed as a 3D model (S21). The wiring is highlighted so that the target wiring can be easily identified (S21).

[0088] By touching the 3D model displayed in the first pane 310 of the work instruction screen 300 with a fingertip, the worker W can perform predetermined operations such as rotation (S22, S23), enlargement (S24, S25), reduction (S26, S27) and transparency (S28, S29) (an example of a “first predetermined operation”).

[0089] That is, for example, when connecting a connection destination on the front of the product 25 and a connection destination on the back of the product 25 by wiring, the operator rotates the 3D model (S22: Yes, S23) and confirms each of the connection destination on the front and the connection destination on the back. In addition, for example, when it is necessary to pass the wiring through a complicated part of a component, the operator confirms where and how to pass the wiring (S25) by performing an enlarged display (S24: Yes) on the complicated part. Further, for example, when confirming the overall wiring of the wiring, the operator confirms the overall wiring of the wiring (S27) by reducing the display (S26: Yes) so that the overall wiring can be seen. Further, for example, when the wiring is set through the back of another component, the operator confirms the hidden part (S29) by transparently displaying (S28: Yes) the component.

[0090] Figure 6 3D models of components other than wiring (non-wiring components) are displayed in the first pane 310 of the work instruction screen 300 (S41). The operator can zoom in or zoom out the model of the semi-finished product provided with non-wiring components by touching the model with a fingertip (S42, S43). These zoom in and zoom out are examples of the "second predetermined operation".

[0091] In the case of non-wiring components, unlike wiring, the installation position and installation method are easier to understand, which limits the method of the operator to confirm the screen. As described above, in the case of non-wiring components, a 2D model, that is, a two-dimensional image, can be used instead of a 3D model to explain the method of the assembly work.

[0092] Figure 7 An example of the work instruction screen 300 is shown. As described above, the work instruction screen 300 is displayed on the screen of the work instruction terminal 23. The work instruction screen 300 includes a first pane 310 located in the center of the screen, a second pane 320 located below the first pane 310, and a third pane 330 located on the right side of the first pane 310.

[0093] In the first pane 310, a three-dimensional model (3D model) 311 of the product 25 and a three-dimensional model 312 of a component (wiring in this case) that is the target of the work flow are displayed. The three-dimensional model 312 of the component to be worked on can be highlighted so that its position and shape can be distinguished from other components.

[0094] In the second pane 320, the attribute information of the parts as the object of the work flow is displayed in a table format. The attribute information of the parts may include, for example, a number 321, a part name 322, a department name 323, a quantity 324, and a remark 325.

[0095] In the third pane 330, information that cannot be sent to the operator only by the three-dimensional models 311 and 312 and the attribute information is displayed as related information. The related information may include, for example, all or part of the information 331 such as manufacturing know-how (specialized skills) and points to be noted, information 332 of other parts related to the target part, information 333 of tools used for assembly work of the target part, and other information 334.

[0096] The related parts information 332 includes, for example, points to be noted for related parts during work on the target part. The other information 334 is information described according to the delivery destination of the product 25, and the items can be appropriately customized according to the delivery destination.

[0097] The operator confirms the content of the operation instruction screen 300 displayed on the operation instruction terminal 23 before starting the operation. The operator confirms in advance which aspects should be paid attention to during the operation, and then starts the operation. Here, inexperienced operators are required to visually confirm all the information displayed in each pane 310 to 330, but skilled operators do not necessarily have to visually confirm all the information. This is because they often learn the operation process through experience. Therefore, in this embodiment, in the relevant information 331 to 334, the display of at least part of the information can be avoided. Avoiding display means, for example, only displaying the project name of the relevant information, and displaying the details when the operator operates the project name. That is, all relevant information can be displayed according to the needs of the operator, rather than being displayed in the third pane 330 from the beginning. Therefore, by effectively utilizing the limited display size, more information can be provided to the operator.

[0098] Figure 8 is another example of the work instruction screen 300. Figure 8 In the first pane 310 , the non-wiring component 3D model and the semi-finished product 3D model of the product 25 are displayed.

[0099] Fig. 9 Schematically shows an example of a 3D model for explaining an assembly operation. A 3D model 311 of a product shows a 3D model 312 ( 1 ) of wiring and 3D models 312 ( 2 ) to ( 4 ) of non-wiring components.

[0100] Fig. 9 The wiring model 312 ( 1 ) shown includes, for example, connection destination portions A1 and A2 at both ends, a portion A3 passing through another component 312 ( 4 ), and a portion A4 hidden by another component 312 ( 2 ).

[0101] The operator can Fig. 9The 3D models 311 and 312 shown are displayed in rotation, enlarged, reduced, and transparent form to confirm the assembly method of the wiring.

[0102] According to the present embodiment configured in this manner, a first pane 310 showing three-dimensional models 311 and 312 of a product 25 and a part 28 to be worked on, a second pane 320 showing attribute information of the part, and a third pane 330 showing related information associated with a predetermined part code can be provided to the operator. Therefore, the operator can grasp the contents of the work flow three-dimensionally, and can confirm information such as attention points that is difficult to convey with a three-dimensional model. As a result, according to the present embodiment, understanding of the work flow can be promoted to improve work feasibility, and dispersion of manufacturing quality can also be avoided.

[0103] Further, according to the present embodiment, wiring that is routed through a difficult-to-understand complex path in the product 25 can be easily confirmed through the 3D model, so that the wiring assembly work can be effectively confirmed and understood, and the work feasibility is improved.

[0104] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the 3D model can be used for the wiring assembly operation, and the 2D model can be used for the non-wiring component assembly operation. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the detailed description screen and the simplified description screen can be appropriately used according to the technical nature of the object, and the operation instruction system 11 can be effectively implemented using computer resources.

[0105] Second embodiment

[0106] Will refer to Fig.10 The second embodiment is described. In each of the following embodiments including this embodiment, the difference from the first embodiment will be mainly described. In this embodiment, when the 3D model displayed on the operator instruction terminal 23 is not operated by the operator for more than a predetermined time, a pre-prepared model image is displayed.

[0107] Fig.10 This is a flowchart of the process of confirming wiring assembly work at the work site. Fig.10 The treatment shown includes Figure 5 All steps S21 to S29 of the described process. Further, in the present embodiment, between step S21 and step S22, if the 3D model is not operated even after a predetermined time has passed after the 3D model displayed in step S21 (S30: Yes), a model image prepared in advance is displayed on the work instruction terminal 23. The model image is, for example, an image showing an assembly work of a skilled operator or an animated image of the assembly work.

[0108] The present embodiment thus configured also produces the same action and effect as the first embodiment. Further, according to the present embodiment, if the 3D model is not operated within a predetermined time after the 3D model is displayed on the operation instruction terminal 23, the model image is displayed on the operation instruction terminal 23, thereby saving time as much as possible and teaching the assembly operation method to an inexperienced operator.

[0109] Third embodiment

[0110] Will refer to Fig.11 A third embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the completion of the assembly work is automatically recognized from the operating conditions of the tools used in the assembly work. Here, the wiring work is described as an example of the assembly work.

[0111] Fig.11 2 is a flowchart showing a process of confirming completion of wiring work. This process is implemented by, for example, the work analysis unit 125 or the work status monitoring unit 121 of the work improvement support system 1. Hereinafter, the work improvement support system 1 is described as the main body of the operation.

[0112] The work improvement support system 1 specifies a tool used in the wiring work (S51), and determines whether the specified tool has started operating (S52). The third pane 330 of the work instruction screen 300 includes information 333 about the tool used. The work improvement support system 1 can grasp the information of the tool used in the wiring work from the information 333.

[0113] The work improvement support system 1 can determine whether the designated tool has been operated by analyzing the image captured by the camera 24. Sounds of the work site 2 may be collected and analyzed instead of or together with the image analysis. Alternatively, a vibration sensor, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, etc. may be attached to the tool, and it may also be determined from the signals of these sensors whether the tool has started operating.

[0114] If the start of the tool operation is detected (S52: Yes), the work improvement support system 1 measures the operation time (S53). The work improvement support system 1 determines whether the operation of the tool has ended in the same manner as described in step S52 (S54). The work improvement support system 1 continues to measure the operation time (S53) until the operation of the tool ends (S54: No).

[0115] If it is determined that the operation of the tool has been completed (S54: Yes), the work improvement support system 1 determines that the wiring work has been completed (S55). The work improvement support system 1 displays the work instruction of the next assembly work on the work instruction screen 300.

[0116] The present embodiment thus configured also produces the same action and effect as the first embodiment. Further, according to the present embodiment, the work improvement support system 1 monitors the operating status of the tool used for the assembly work (eg, wiring work), thereby being able to grasp whether the assembly work has been completed and the time required for the work.

[0117] Therefore, the operator does not need to spend time and effort to input the end of the work on the work instruction screen 300, and the usability is improved. This embodiment can be applied to both the first embodiment and the second embodiment.

[0118] Fourth embodiment

[0119] Will refer to Fig.12 A fourth embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, workable wiring can be preferentially designated by tools and tool setting values.

[0120] Fig.12 This is a flowchart of a process for confirming a wiring assembly operation. Fig.12 The treatment shown includes Figure 5 All steps S21 to S29 of the described process. Further, in the present embodiment, the tool used in the wiring work and the setting value of the tool are acquired between step S21 and step S22 (S32). Further, in the present embodiment, it is determined whether the operation of the 3D model performed by the operator has been completed (S33). If it is determined that the wiring work has been completed (S33: Yes), another wiring that can be operated with the current tool and setting value is identified and displayed on the work instruction screen 300 (S34).

[0121] The present embodiment thus configured also produces the same action and effect as the first embodiment. Further, in the present embodiment, when the order of wiring work can be changed (when the order is not an absolute order), the wiring that can be worked with the tool and setting value specified in step S32 is identified and presented to the operator, thereby further improving the ease of use and work feasibility. The present embodiment can be applied to any one of the first to third embodiments.

[0122] Fifth embodiment

[0123] Will refer to Figures 13 to 15 In this embodiment, points noticed by the operator during the assembly work can be fed back to the designer or the like via the e-mail 400 , thereby contributing to the improvement of the work instruction screen 300 .

[0124] Fig.13This is an example of the work instruction screen 300a of this embodiment. In the process of performing the work as instructed by the work flow, the operator may notice areas for improvement or problems. The following will be described by taking the case of noticing a problem as an example.

[0125] For example, when noting a risk of interference with other components or difficulty in assembly during installation of the target component, the operator marks the problematic portion on the three-dimensional models 311 and 312 with the operator's fingertips or the like.

[0126] In particular, wiring work has technical properties such as connecting distant parts, wiring between components in a circuitous manner, inserting tools from narrow gaps, and supporting the wires in the middle due to their softness. Therefore, problems (areas for improvement) regarding the work instructions may be found in the actual wiring work at the work site 2. In this embodiment, the areas for improvement noted at the work site 2 are fed back to the upstream process.

[0127] In the present embodiment, the work instruction terminal 23 preferably includes a touch panel. However, the work instruction terminal 23 is not limited to a touch panel, and only needs to be a device capable of specifying a problematic portion (a point to be improved) on a three-dimensional model.

[0128] After marking the problematic part, the operator adds a text message or a voice message to generate an email 400 and sends it to a pre-registered destination. The operator can write a text message from a virtual keyboard or a physical keyboard, or record a voice from a microphone (not shown) provided in the work instruction terminal 23. The email 400 configured in this way includes, for example, an image of the problematic part, a message, operator identification information, a work flow number, etc.

[0129] Fig.14 This is a flowchart showing a process of notifying a related party of a problem found at the work site 2 by means of an electronic mail 400 from the work instruction screen 300 .

[0130] As described above, the operator who notices the problem marks the problematic part on the three-dimensional model displayed in the first pane 310. The work instruction system 11 specifies the problematic part based on the input operation from the operator (S61), and adds management information to the email 400 (S62). The management information is a record item required for problem analysis, such as the operator ID, work flow number, component code, etc. The operator can easily specify the location where the problem occurs on the three-dimensional model, improving the workability of the report.

[0131] Furthermore, the work instruction system 11 adds the message input by the operator to the email 400 (S63). If it is detected that the operator has instructed to send the email (S64: Yes), the work instruction system 11 sends the email 400 to a predetermined destination registered in advance (S65).

[0132] Examples of the predetermined destination may include an administrator of the work site 2, a designer of the product 25, and a creator of the work instruction content. In this embodiment, problems found at each work site 2 are temporarily collected at the site administrator, and when the site administrator determines that it is necessary, the email 400 is forwarded to the designer, etc.

[0133] That is, if the site administrator receives the email 400 using the terminal 27 used by the site administrator (S71), the site administrator determines whether it should be forwarded to the designer, etc. If it is detected that a forwarding instruction has been input (S72: Yes), the terminal 27 of the site administrator forwards the email 400 received in step S31 to the designer, etc. (S73).

[0134] Temporarily collecting the emails 400 sent by the operator to the site manager via the work instruction screen 300 instead of directly sending them to the designer prevents unnecessary emails 400 from being sent to the designer. This is because the problem found by the operator may be caused by the operator's misunderstanding, unfamiliarity, etc.

[0135] The designer of the product 25 (and / or the creator of the work instruction contents) receives (S81) the email 400 forwarded from the terminal 27 of the site manager using a terminal (not shown) such as a personal computer, and confirms the email 400. The received email 400 is managed by the database server 1004, for example.

[0136] Fig.15 Here, a case where the designer terminal modifies the work instruction content will be described.

[0137] The designer terminal obtains the work analysis result from the work analysis system 12 (S91). The designer terminal accesses the database server 1004 to check whether there is a problem report (S92). If there is a problem report (S92: Yes), the designer terminal obtains the email 400 reporting the problem from the database server 1004 (S93).

[0138] The designer terminal determines whether the content of the work instruction content should be corrected based on the work analysis result and the problem report (S94).

[0139] For example, if the bottleneck job extracted from the job analysis results matches the job flow reported with the problem, it can be determined that the job instruction content should be modified to improve the job flow. A bottleneck job is, for example, a job that takes longer than the target value to complete.

[0140] The extension of the working time depends on the skill level of the operator, etc., but there may be room for improvement in the way the work instructions are communicated. In this case, for example, the relationship with the peripheral parts that are easily overlooked and the precautions about the tools that are easily mistaken are newly created and included in the relevant information. On the other hand, if there is room for improvement in the design of the product 25, the design data can be checked and corrected.

[0141] The present embodiment thus configured also produces the same action and effect as the first embodiment. Further, according to the present embodiment, since the operator can report matters noticed during the operation from the operation instruction screen 300, it is possible to easily collect matters of concern at the operation site 2. Then, in the present embodiment, since the operation instruction content can be corrected based on the operation analysis results in the operation analysis system 12 and the report from the operation site 2, a more easily understandable operation instruction screen 300 can be provided to the operator. Therefore, the operation feasibility of the assembly operation can be improved, and the occurrence of bottleneck operations can be avoided. The present embodiment can be applied to any one of the first to fourth embodiments.

[0142] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Those skilled in the art may implement various additions and modifications within the scope of the present invention. In the above-described embodiments, the configuration is not limited to the configuration examples shown in the accompanying drawings. Within the scope of achieving the purpose of the present invention, appropriate changes may be implemented to the configuration and processing methods of the embodiments.

[0143] In addition, each component of the present invention may be arbitrarily selected as necessary, and the invention having the selected configuration also falls within the scope of the present invention. Further, the configurations described in the claims may be combined in addition to the combinations explicitly specified in the claims.

[0144] Reference numerals list

[0145] 1: Operation improvement support system, 2: Operation site, 11: Operation instruction system, 12: Operation analysis system, 21: Unit, 22: RFID reader, 23: Operation instruction terminal, 24: Camera, 25: Product, 28: Component, 111: 3D CAD data storage unit, 112: Assembly sequence storage unit, 113: Assembly sequence registration unit, 114: Operation instruction generation unit, 115: Operation instruction display unit, 116: Operation instruction management table, 300, 300a: Operation instruction screen, 310: First pane, 311, 312: Three-dimensional model, 320: Second pane, 330: Third pane.

Claims

1. A work instruction system configured to display work instructions regarding an assembly work, the work instruction system comprising: A computer configured to generate a work instruction screen; as well as a display device connected to the computer and configured to display the operation instruction screen, The operation instruction screen includes: A first display area for displaying a three-dimensional model for describing an assembly operation of an object based on the three-dimensional design data; a second display area displaying at least a portion of the attribute information of the three-dimensional design data; and When pre-registered predetermined component information is included in the attribute information, a third display area for displaying relevant information associated with the predetermined component information is displayed, and In the first display area, when the object is wiring, the three-dimensional model is displayed so that a first predetermined operation can be performed, The computer generates an electronic message for conveying information according to the operation on the work instruction screen, and sends the generated electronic message to a predetermined destination registered in advance; wherein the first predetermined operation is an operation for confirming a predetermined area including at least one of a portion where the wiring is connected to a component at a connection destination, a portion where the wiring is hidden by another component, and a portion where the wiring passes through another component; and when the wiring is set through the back side of the other component, the hidden portion is confirmed by transparently displaying the other component.

2. The operation instruction system according to claim 1, wherein: In the first display area, when the object is not wiring, the three-dimensional model is displayed to enable a second predetermined operation different from the first predetermined operation.

3. The operation instruction system according to claim 2, wherein: The related information includes at least one of work precautions, information on a predetermined tool required to operate the object, and information on the object or a predetermined object related to the object.

4. The operation instruction system according to claim 1, wherein: The computer acquires an analysis result of a task executed based on the task instruction screen, and corrects the task instruction screen based on the analysis result.

5. A work instruction system configured to display work instructions regarding an assembly work, the work instruction system comprising: A computer configured to generate a work instruction screen; as well as a display device connected to the computer and configured to display the operation instruction screen, The operation instruction screen includes: A first display area for displaying a three-dimensional model for describing an assembly operation of an object based on the three-dimensional design data; a second display area displaying at least a portion of the attribute information of the three-dimensional design data; and When pre-registered predetermined component information is included in the attribute information, a third display area for displaying relevant information associated with the predetermined component information is displayed, and In the first display area, When the object is wiring, displaying a three-dimensional model based on the three-dimensional design data to enable a first predetermined operation; and when the object is not wiring, displaying a plane model based on the three-dimensional design data to enable a second predetermined operation different from the first predetermined operation, The computer generates an electronic message for conveying information according to the operation on the work instruction screen, and sends the generated electronic message to a predetermined destination registered in advance; wherein the first predetermined operation is an operation for confirming a predetermined area including at least one of a portion where the wiring is connected to a component at a connection destination, a portion where the wiring is hidden by another component, and a portion where the wiring passes through another component; and when the wiring is set through the back side of the other component, the hidden portion is confirmed by transparently displaying the other component.

6. A method for causing a work instruction regarding an assembly work to be displayed from a computer to a display device, the method comprising: In the computer, Generate a work instruction screen including a first display area displaying a three-dimensional model for describing an assembly work of an object based on the three-dimensional design data, a second display area displaying attribute information of the object, and a third display area displaying relevant information associated with the attribute information and including at least work precautions; sending the generated operation instruction screen to the display device so that the display device displays the generated operation instruction screen; as well as In the first display area, when the object is wiring, the three-dimensional model is displayed so that a first predetermined operation can be performed, generating an electronic message for conveying information according to an operation on the work instruction screen, and sending the generated electronic message to a predetermined destination registered in advance; wherein the first predetermined operation is an operation for confirming a predetermined area including at least one of a portion where the wiring is connected to a component at a connection destination, a portion where the wiring is hidden by another component, and a portion where the wiring passes through another component; and when the wiring is set through the back side of the other component, the hidden portion is confirmed by transparently displaying the other component.

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