Multi-specification wire harness flexible production and rapid line changing method and system

Abstract

The application discloses a multi-specification wire harness flexible production quick line changing method and system, relates to the wire harness flexible manufacturing technical field.The method is characterized in that: product feature information, process parameter information, equipment adjustment information and historical first-piece production data of different specification wire harness products are associatedly stored to establish a product feature database; a line changing task is received and target product feature information is acquired; the target product feature information is matched with standard product feature information to determine a line changing parameter template; equipment adjustment task information and collaborative adjustment timing information are determined in combination with a current production line state, and line changing control instructions are issued accordingly; first-piece production inspection is performed after equipment parameter adjustment is completed, and whether to enter batch production is determined according to the inspection result.Thus, the equipment adjustment consistency can be improved, the manual parameter setting error can be reduced, the product switching time can be shortened, and the response efficiency and first-piece quality stability of the multi-specification wire harness flexible production can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of flexible wire harness manufacturing technology, and in particular to a method and system for rapid wire changeover in flexible production of multi-specification wire harnesses. Background Technology

[0002] Wire harnesses, as crucial components for electrical connections and signal transmission, are widely used in vehicles, home appliances, construction machinery, and industrial control equipment. Different applications have varying requirements for wire harness length, wire diameter, terminals, connectors, and processing techniques, resulting in wire harness products typically exhibiting diverse specifications, large batch variations, and rapid order changes. As manufacturing moves towards flexibility and customization, it is increasingly common for a single production line to handle the processing of multiple wire harness specifications. The efficiency of switching between different products on the production line is gradually becoming a significant factor affecting production cycle time and delivery capabilities.

[0003] In existing wire harness production processes, changing product specifications typically requires adjustments to related processing equipment, tooling fixtures, testing conditions, and process parameters. This adjustment process often involves multiple processes and multiple machines, and the degree of difference between different product specifications varies. Therefore, the changeover process is easily affected by factors such as personnel proficiency, efficiency in finding process documents, equipment adjustment sequence, and on-site confirmation methods. In actual production, insufficient changeover preparation or a lack of unified management during the adjustment process can easily lead to problems such as long downtime, inconsistent parameter settings, increased debugging frequency, and low first-piece confirmation efficiency. Furthermore, operational experience during changeover is usually scattered among different personnel or in paper records, making it difficult to reliably reuse in multi-variety continuous production scenarios, thus limiting the production line's ability to quickly respond to small-batch, multi-specification orders.

[0004] Therefore, in flexible production of wire harnesses with multiple varieties and small batches, the long product changeover process, insufficient consistency in equipment adjustment, strong reliance on manual experience in line changeover, and low response efficiency for multi-specification orders have become urgent problems to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a method and system for rapid line changeover in flexible production of multi-specification wire harnesses, aiming to solve the problems of long product changeover time, insufficient equipment adjustment consistency, strong reliance on manual experience in the line changeover process, and low response efficiency for multi-specification orders in the flexible production of multi-variety, small-batch wire harnesses in the prior art.

[0006] In a first aspect, a method for rapid wire changeover in flexible production of multi-specification wire harnesses, the method comprising:

[0007] The product feature database is established by associating and storing product feature information, process parameter information, equipment adjustment information and historical first piece production data for wire harness products of different specifications;

[0008] Receive the cable replacement task, determine the product identification information of the target wire harness product, and obtain the target product feature information of the target wire harness product based on the product identification information;

[0009] The target product feature information is matched with the standard product feature information in the product feature database to determine the wiring parameter template corresponding to the target wiring harness product;

[0010] Based on the line change parameter template and the current production line status information, determine the equipment adjustment task information, wherein the equipment adjustment task information includes the equipment to be adjusted, the process category to which the equipment to be adjusted belongs, the parameter adjustment content corresponding to the equipment to be adjusted, and the equipment resource conflict handling result;

[0011] Based on the device adjustment task information, determine the collaborative adjustment timing information among multiple device adjustment tasks, wherein the collaborative adjustment timing information includes at least some of the parallel execution relationships and sequential execution relationships among the device adjustment tasks;

[0012] Based on the line change parameter template and the collaborative adjustment timing information, a line change control command is issued to the corresponding production equipment so that the corresponding production equipment can complete the parameter adjustment according to the collaborative adjustment timing information.

[0013] After the parameters of the corresponding production equipment are adjusted, the first piece production inspection of the target wire harness product is performed, and the decision on whether to proceed to mass production is made based on the results of the first piece production inspection.

[0014] Optionally, in the above scheme, the step of associating and storing product characteristic information, process parameter information, equipment adjustment information, and historical first-piece production data of wire harness products of different specifications to establish a product characteristic database includes:

[0015] Obtain the wire specifications, terminal specifications, connector specifications, and manufacturing process parameters corresponding to wire harness products of different specifications to obtain the product feature information;

[0016] Obtain the cutting parameters, stripping parameters, crimping parameters, welding parameters, and testing parameters corresponding to wire harness products of different specifications to obtain the process parameter information;

[0017] Obtain the equipment adjustment objects and parameter adjustment contents involved in the wire harness product replacement process of different specifications, and obtain the equipment adjustment information;

[0018] The product feature information, process parameter information, equipment adjustment information, and historical first-piece production data are associated and stored according to the wire harness product identifier to obtain the product feature database.

[0019] Optionally, in the above scheme, matching the target product feature information with the standard product feature information in the product feature database to determine the wiring harness replacement parameter template corresponding to the target wiring harness product includes:

[0020] Generate a target product feature vector based on the target product feature information;

[0021] A set of standard product feature vectors is generated based on the standard product feature information in the product feature database;

[0022] The target product feature vector and the set of standard product feature vectors are matched for similarity to obtain the product feature matching result;

[0023] Based on the product feature matching results, the corresponding line switching parameter template is determined from the product feature database.

[0024] Optionally, in the above scheme, the step of performing similarity matching on the target product feature vector and the set of standard product feature vectors to obtain product feature matching results includes:

[0025] The continuous features in the target product feature vector and the standard product feature vector set are normalized, and the categorical features are encoded to obtain the feature data to be matched.

[0026] Based on the feature data to be matched, the feature similarity between the target wire harness product and each standard wire harness product is calculated to obtain a similarity score set.

[0027] The product feature matching result is determined based on the highest similarity score in the similarity score set;

[0028] If the highest similarity score meets the preset direct matching conditions, the replacement parameter template of the corresponding standard wire harness product will be determined as the replacement parameter template of the target wire harness product.

[0029] If the highest similarity score meets the preset confirmation matching conditions, template confirmation information is generated, and the replacement parameter template corresponding to the target wire harness product is determined based on the confirmation result.

[0030] Optionally, in the above scheme, determining the equipment adjustment task information based on the line change parameter template and the current production line status information includes:

[0031] Based on the line change parameter template, the target process route corresponding to the target wire harness product is determined, and a set of processes to be executed is obtained.

[0032] Based on the set of processes to be executed and the current production line status information, determine the set of available equipment corresponding to each process;

[0033] Based on the target parameters in the line switching parameter template and the current parameters of the corresponding equipment, determine the parameter adjustment content for each equipment;

[0034] Based on the set of available devices and the parameter adjustment content, the device adjustment task information is generated.

[0035] Optionally, in the above scheme, generating the device adjustment task information based on the available device set and the parameter adjustment content includes:

[0036] Based on the type of parameter adjustment content, the parameter adjustment content is divided into mold replacement adjustment content, program switching adjustment content, and parameter fine-tuning adjustment content, thus obtaining the parameter adjustment classification result;

[0037] Based on the parameter adjustment classification results, determine the adjustment time, downtime requirements, and execution resource requirements corresponding to each equipment adjustment task;

[0038] Based on the adjustment time, downtime requirements, and execution resource requirements, determine the adjustment priority for each device adjustment task;

[0039] Based on the adjustment priority and the set of available equipment, generate equipment adjustment task information including the equipment to be adjusted, process category, parameter adjustment content, resource requirements, and adjustment priority.

[0040] Optionally, in the above scheme, determining the coordinated adjustment timing information among multiple device adjustment tasks based on the device adjustment task information includes:

[0041] Based on the equipment adjustment task information, determine multiple equipment adjustment tasks and the duration of each equipment adjustment task;

[0042] Based on the process route and the relationship between production equipment of the target wire harness product, determine the prerequisite relationships between the adjustment tasks of each piece of equipment;

[0043] Based on the duration and the preceding relationship, calculate the earliest start time, earliest finish time, latest start time and latest finish time corresponding to the adjustment task of each device;

[0044] Based on the earliest start time, earliest finish time, latest start time, and latest finish time of each equipment adjustment task, determine the critical adjustment tasks and non-critical adjustment tasks.

[0045] Based on the critical adjustment tasks and the non-critical adjustment tasks, determine the collaborative adjustment timing information, including parallel execution relationships and sequential execution relationships.

[0046] Optionally, in the above scheme, determining the collaborative adjustment timing information, including parallel execution relationships and sequential execution relationships, based on the critical adjustment tasks and the non-critical adjustment tasks includes:

[0047] Based on the time fluctuation amount corresponding to the non-critical adjustment tasks, determine the set of tasks that can be adjusted in parallel;

[0048] Based on the set of parallel adjustable tasks and the key adjustment tasks, determine the parallel execution relationship between the device adjustment tasks;

[0049] When multiple devices are competing for the same production equipment or execution resources, the task priority evaluation result is determined based on order delivery date information, product feature similarity information, and customer priority information.

[0050] Based on the task priority evaluation results, the task adjustment tasks for equipment with resource competition are sorted to obtain the equipment resource conflict handling results;

[0051] The collaborative adjustment timing information is generated based on the parallel execution relationship, the device resource conflict handling result, and the sequential execution relationship.

[0052] Optionally, in the above scheme, after the parameters of the corresponding production equipment are adjusted, the first-piece production inspection of the target wire harness product is performed, and the determination of whether to enter mass production is based on the first-piece production inspection results includes:

[0053] After the corresponding production equipment completes the parameter adjustment, control the corresponding production equipment to execute the first production of the target wire harness product, and obtain the first wire harness product;

[0054] Obtain the process measurement data and quality inspection data corresponding to the first wire harness product;

[0055] The first-piece production inspection results are generated based on the process measurement data and the quality inspection data.

[0056] If the first production inspection result meets the preset qualification conditions, batch production start information is generated;

[0057] If the first production inspection result does not meet the preset qualification conditions, parameter correction information is generated based on the first production inspection result, and the parameter correction information is associated with the product identification information of the target wire harness product and stored in the product feature database.

[0058] Secondly, a multi-specification wire harness flexible production quick-change system, the system comprising:

[0059] Multiple programmable wire harness processing devices are used to receive wire change control commands and adjust the corresponding equipment parameters according to the wire change control commands;

[0060] An automated logistics system is used to transfer wire harness materials between wire harness processing equipment according to logistics scheduling instructions;

[0061] The central dispatch and control system is used to receive line changeover tasks, determine the current production line status information, and generate line changeover task scheduling information based on the current production line status information.

[0062] The line changeover scheduling device is used to associate and store product characteristic information, process parameter information, equipment adjustment information, and historical first-piece production data of wire harness products of different specifications to establish a product characteristic database; it is also used to determine the line changeover parameter template based on the matching result between the target product characteristic information of the target wire harness product and the product characteristic database; it is also used to determine the equipment adjustment task information based on the line changeover parameter template and the current production line status information, and generate collaborative adjustment timing information based on the equipment adjustment task information.

[0063] The device communication module is used to send the line switching control command to the corresponding wire harness processing equipment and the logistics scheduling command to the automated logistics system based on the line switching parameter template and the coordinated adjustment timing information.

[0064] Compared with the prior art, this application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0065] This application, based on further analysis and research into existing technical problems, recognizes that existing technologies suffer from issues such as lengthy product changeover times, insufficient equipment adjustment consistency, heavy reliance on manual experience during line changeovers, and low response efficiency for multi-specification orders in flexible production of multi-variety, small-batch wire harnesses. By establishing a product feature database, the system can structurally manage the key features, process parameters, equipment adjustment requirements, and historical first-piece data of different specifications of wire harness products, unifying and making various line changeover information traceable. Upon receiving a line changeover task, the system quickly determines the line changeover parameter template based on the matching of target product features and standard product features, thereby reducing errors from manual searching and data entry. Equipment adjustment task information is generated based on the line changeover parameter template and production line status. The system optimizes the task sequence and parallel execution relationship through collaborative adjustment timing information, enabling simultaneous adjustment of multiple devices and significantly shortening changeover time. By issuing line changeover control commands, the equipment automatically completes adjustments according to predetermined parameters. Simultaneously, after the first piece is produced, inspection is performed and parameter correction information is fed back, achieving real-time verification of line changeover quality and the accumulation of historical experience. Therefore, this application forms a complete closed-loop control for line changeover through the above steps, and the cost application is approved. This enables multi-specification wire harness production lines to achieve rapid line changeover, improve the first-piece pass rate, reduce reliance on manual experience, and improve production flexibility and response efficiency, thereby effectively solving the problems of low line changeover efficiency, reliance on manual experience, and low first-piece pass rate in the background technology. Attached Figure Description

[0066] Figure 1 One of the flowcharts of a method for quick line changeover in flexible production of multi-specification wire harnesses provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0067] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the modular architecture of a multi-specification wire harness flexible manufacturing system provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0068] Figure 3 A second schematic flowchart of a method for quick line changeover in flexible production of multi-specification wire harnesses provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0069] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating device collaborative timing optimization according to one embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0070] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0071] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3As shown, a method for rapid line changeover in flexible production of multi-specification wire harnesses is provided. The method includes establishing a product feature database, receiving line changeover tasks, determining line changeover parameter templates, determining equipment adjustment task information, determining collaborative adjustment timing information, issuing line changeover control instructions, and performing first-piece production inspection.

[0072] When establishing a product feature database, product feature information, process parameter information, equipment adjustment information, and historical first-piece production data for wire harnesses of different specifications are linked and stored. Product feature information is used to characterize the structural and specification differences between wire harnesses of different specifications; process parameter information is used to characterize the parameter requirements of wire harnesses during processing; equipment adjustment information is used to characterize the equipment adjustments required when switching from the current product to the target wire harness product; and historical first-piece production data is used to record the first-piece inspection results, parameter corrections, and batch production start-up status after historical line changeovers. The above information can be linked according to product identification information to form a mapping relationship between product identification information, product feature information, process parameter information, equipment adjustment information, and historical first-piece production data, thus obtaining the product feature database. The product feature database can be deployed in a central scheduling and control system or in the parameter management unit of the line changeover scheduling device.

[0073] When receiving a line changeover task, it can be issued through the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) or input by the operator via a human-machine interface (HMI). The line changeover task includes product identification information for the target wire harness product. This information can be the product model, order code, product barcode, QR code, or RFID tag information. The line changeover scheduling device accesses the product feature database based on the product identification information to obtain the target product feature information corresponding to the target wire harness product.

[0074] When determining the wire changeover parameter template, the target product feature information is matched with the standard product feature information in the product feature database. The standard product feature information consists of product feature records of different specifications of wire harnesses already stored in the product feature database. Through matching, standard wire harnesses that are the same as or similar to the target wire harness product can be identified, and the corresponding process parameter information and equipment adjustment information for the standard wire harness product are used to generate the wire changeover parameter template for the target wire harness product. The wire changeover parameter template may include information such as wire cutting length, wire stripping length, crimping height, crimping width, crimping force, welding temperature, inspection conditions, equipment program number, fixture configuration, mold configuration, equipment preheating requirements, and first-piece production inspection items.

[0075] When determining equipment adjustment task information, the production equipment and parameter adjustments to be made are determined based on the line change parameter template and the current production line status information. The current production line status information may include the currently online product specifications, the current program of each production device, the current parameters of the device, the device's occupancy status, the device's fault status, the occupancy status of fixtures or molds, the status of operator resources, and the status of the automated logistics system. Equipment adjustment task information includes the equipment to be adjusted, the process category to which the equipment belongs, the corresponding parameter adjustment content, and the results of equipment resource conflict resolution. The equipment to be adjusted may include CNC wire cutting machines, wire stripping machines, servo crimping machines, ultrasonic welding machines, automatic heat shrink ovens, assembly equipment, and testing equipment. Process categories may include wire cutting, wire stripping, crimping, welding, heat shrinking, assembly, and testing processes. Parameter adjustment content may include mold replacement, program switching, parameter fine-tuning, fixture replacement, testing condition switching, and equipment preheating.

[0076] When determining the timing information for coordinated adjustments, the parallel execution relationship and sequential execution relationship between multiple device adjustment tasks are determined based on the device adjustment task information. For example... Figure 4 As shown, each equipment adjustment task can be treated as an activity node. The prerequisite relationships between activity nodes are determined based on the target wire harness product's process route, equipment layout, material flow, and safety constraints. Critical and non-critical adjustment tasks are then identified based on the duration of each activity node. Non-critical adjustment tasks that do not involve equipment, personnel, or safety conflicts can be scheduled for parallel execution with other tasks. For example, downloading the wire cutting machine program, switching the testing conditions of the inspection equipment, and preheating the automatic heat shrink oven can be performed in parallel, provided resource constraints are met; crimping parameter calibration can only be performed after the crimping machine mold is changed; and first-piece production inspection needs to be performed after the relevant production equipment has completed parameter adjustments. Through the above processing, collaborative adjustment sequence information, including parallel execution relationships, sequential execution relationships, and resource conflict handling results, is generated.

[0077] When issuing line changeover control commands, the command is sent to the corresponding production equipment via the equipment communication module, based on the line changeover parameter template and collaborative adjustment timing information. Line changeover control commands can include equipment program download commands, parameter writing commands, equipment preheating commands, detection condition switching commands, equipment start confirmation commands, and manual operation prompts. For production equipment capable of automatic adjustment, the equipment communication module can directly issue control commands via industrial Ethernet or fieldbus; for tasks requiring manual intervention, such as mold changes, fixture changes, or equipment confirmation, operation prompts can be displayed through a human-machine interface, and subsequent tasks are executed after operator confirmation.

[0078] During the first-article production inspection (FIPI) process, once the corresponding production equipment has completed parameter adjustments, the equipment is controlled to execute the first-article production according to the target wire harness product's process route, resulting in the first wire harness product. FIPI may include wire cutting length measurement, wire stripping length measurement, crimp height detection, crimp width detection, crimp tensile testing, welding quality inspection, continuity testing, insulation testing, appearance inspection, and connector assembly integrity inspection. The FIPI results determine whether to proceed to mass production. When the FIPI results meet preset qualification conditions, mass production start information is generated; when the FIPI results do not meet preset qualification conditions, parameter correction information is generated and associated with and stored in the product feature database.

[0079] This embodiment uses a product feature database to structurally manage the changeover data for multi-specification wire harness products. It determines changeover parameter templates by matching target product feature information with standard product feature information, clarifies the adjustment targets and content for each device through equipment adjustment task information, arranges parallel tasks in parallel through collaborative adjustment timing information, and confirms changeover quality through first-piece production inspection. Therefore, this embodiment can shorten product changeover time in multi-specification wire harness production, improve equipment adjustment consistency, reduce reliance on manual experience in the changeover process, and improve response efficiency for small-batch, multi-specification orders.

[0080] In one embodiment, when establishing a product feature database, the wire specifications, terminal specifications, connector specifications, and manufacturing process parameters corresponding to different specifications of wire harness products are first obtained to acquire product feature information. Wire specifications may include wire diameter, material, and color. Wire diameter can be recorded in millimeters, material can be coded according to copper conductor, aluminum conductor, or other conductor materials, and color can be recorded according to the color coding rules of the production site. Terminal specifications may include terminal type, crimping height, and crimping width. Connector specifications may include the number of connector pins, pin spacing, and locking method. Manufacturing process parameters may include wire cutting length, wire stripping length, crimping force, soldering temperature, heat shrinking temperature, detection voltage, and detection threshold.

[0081] After obtaining the product characteristic information, the corresponding wire cutting parameters, stripping parameters, crimping parameters, welding parameters, and inspection parameters for wire harnesses of different specifications are acquired to obtain process parameter information. Wire cutting parameters may include target wire cutting length, wire cutting speed, and wire cutting tolerance; wire stripping parameters may include stripping length, stripping blade depth, and stripping speed; crimping parameters may include crimping height, crimping width, crimping force, and crimping die number; welding parameters may include welding temperature, welding time, and welding energy; and inspection parameters may include continuity detection threshold, insulation detection threshold, and appearance inspection conditions.

[0082] After obtaining the process parameter information, the equipment adjustment objects and parameter adjustment contents involved in the wire harness product changeover process for different specifications are obtained, thus acquiring equipment adjustment information. Equipment adjustment objects may include CNC wire cutting machines requiring program switching, servo crimping machines requiring mold replacement, ultrasonic welding machines or automatic heat shrink ovens requiring temperature adjustment, and testing equipment requiring switching of testing rules. Parameter adjustment contents may include mold replacement, program switching, parameter fine-tuning, fixture replacement, testing rule switching, and equipment preheating.

[0083] After obtaining product characteristic information, process parameter information, equipment adjustment information, and historical first-piece production data, this data is linked and stored according to the wire harness product identifier to obtain a product characteristic database. Historical first-piece production data can include whether the first-piece inspection was passed, items that failed the first-piece inspection, differences before and after parameter correction, operation confirmation information, and final batch production start-up information. By continuously recording historical first-piece production data, the parameter correction experience from historical line changeover processes can be solidified into data that can be called upon subsequently.

[0084] This embodiment unifies the key specifications, process parameters, equipment adjustment requirements, and historical first-piece production data of wire harness products into the product feature database, making the source of parameters, the basis for equipment adjustment, and historical inspection results during the line changeover process traceable. Therefore, this embodiment can improve the accuracy and consistency of line changeover parameter retrieval and provide a data foundation for subsequent line changeover parameter template matching, equipment adjustment task generation, and first-piece production inspection.

[0085] In one embodiment, when matching target product feature information with standard product feature information in a product feature database, a target product feature vector is generated based on the target product feature information. The target product feature vector may include features such as wire diameter, material code, color code, terminal type code, crimp height, crimp width, number of connector pins, pin spacing, locking method code, wire cutting length, wire stripping length, crimping force, and soldering temperature. To enable different types of features to participate in unified calculations, these features can be encoded into standardized feature vectors.

[0086] A set of standard product feature vectors is generated based on standard product feature information from the product feature database. This set includes feature vectors corresponding to multiple stored standard wire harness products. In one specific implementation, wire specifications can be represented by wire diameter, material code, and color code; terminal specifications can be represented by terminal model code, crimp height, and crimp width; connector specifications can be represented by the number of connector pins, pin spacing, and locking method; and manufacturing process parameters can be represented by wire cutting length, wire stripping length, crimping force, and soldering temperature. Continuous features can be normalized, and categorical features can be encoded, ultimately forming feature vectors for matching. In practice, a 28-dimensional feature vector can be formed, or the feature dimensions can be adjusted according to the wire harness product type.

[0087] After obtaining the feature vectors of the target product and the standard product, similarity matching is performed on the feature vector sets of the target product and the standard product to obtain the product feature matching results. Similarity matching can employ one or more combinations of weighted cosine similarity, weighted Euclidean similarity, and process parameter compatibility scoring. Weighted cosine similarity measures the consistency of feature directions between the target and standard wire harness products; weighted Euclidean similarity measures the numerical distance between their features; and process parameter compatibility scoring measures whether key process parameters are within a shareable or fine-tunable range.

[0088] Based on the product feature matching results, the corresponding line change parameter template is determined from the product feature database. If the target wire harness product has the highest matching degree with a certain standard wire harness product, the line change parameter template corresponding to that standard wire harness product can be called; if the matching degrees of multiple standard wire harness products are close, the final template can be determined by combining historical first-piece pass rate, key process parameter compatibility, and manual confirmation results. After the line change parameter template is determined, it can be used as input for subsequent generation of equipment adjustment task information.

[0089] This embodiment converts the target product's feature information and the standard product's feature information into computable feature vectors, and determines the wiring change parameter template based on similarity matching. This allows the target wiring harness product to quickly access existing or similar specifications for wiring changeover. Therefore, this embodiment reduces the workload of manually searching for templates and manually judging similar specifications, improving the speed and accuracy of determining the wiring change parameter template.

[0090] In one embodiment, when performing similarity matching between the target product feature vector and the standard product feature vector set, the continuous features in both sets are first normalized, and the categorical features are encoded to obtain the feature data to be matched. Continuous features may include wire diameter, crimp height, crimp width, connector pin spacing, wire cutting length, wire stripping length, crimping force, and soldering temperature. Continuous features can be processed using a minimum-maximum value normalization method. The normalized feature value is determined based on the original feature value, the minimum value, and the maximum value of the feature, thus converting continuous features with different dimensions to a uniform numerical range. Categorical features may include material, color, terminal type, and locking method. Categorical features can be processed using unique thermal encoding or a preset category encoding method.

[0091] After obtaining the feature data to be matched, the feature similarity between the target wire harness product and each standard wire harness product is calculated based on the feature data to obtain a similarity score set. In one specific implementation, a comprehensive similarity score can be used for matching. The comprehensive similarity score is obtained by weighting cosine similarity, weighted Euclidean similarity, and process parameter compatibility score. For example, weighted cosine similarity is used to characterize the similarity of vector directions, weighted Euclidean similarity can be obtained from weighted feature distance transformation, and process parameter compatibility score can be determined based on whether key parameters such as crimping height, crimping width, and welding temperature are within the compatible range. The comprehensive similarity score can be calculated by weighting according to a first weight, a second weight, and a third weight. In one example, the first weight, the second weight, and the third weight are 0.5, 0.3, and 0.2, respectively.

[0092] When determining feature weights, an objective weighting method based on information gain can be used. For each feature, its distinguishing contribution to product category or line changeover template selection is determined based on information entropy and conditional information entropy, and the corresponding weight is determined based on the information gain ratio of each feature. Features that have a significant impact on line changeover differences, such as terminal type, crimping height, and connector pin count, can be given higher weights; features that have a smaller impact on equipment adjustments can be given lower weights.

[0093] After obtaining the similarity score set, the product feature matching result is determined based on the highest similarity score in the set. When the highest similarity score meets the preset direct matching condition, the replacement parameter template of the corresponding standard wire harness product is determined as the replacement parameter template for the target wire harness product. The preset direct matching condition can be that the highest similarity score is greater than or equal to 0.85. When the highest similarity score meets the preset confirmation matching condition, template confirmation information is generated, and the replacement parameter template for the target wire harness product is determined based on the confirmation result. The preset confirmation matching condition can be that the highest similarity score is greater than or equal to 0.60 and less than 0.85. The template confirmation information can include the recommended template, similarity score, difference features, and suggested adjustment parameters, and is displayed through the human-computer interaction interface. When the highest similarity score is lower than 0.60, the target wire harness product can be determined to be a new specification, and the process of creating a new replacement parameter template is triggered.

[0094] This embodiment utilizes normalization, category coding, and comprehensive similarity scoring to ensure that product features of different types and scales can uniformly participate in matching calculations. Furthermore, it balances automation efficiency and line change reliability through a tiered processing approach involving direct matching, confirmed matching, and new template creation. Therefore, this embodiment improves the accuracy of product feature matching and reduces the risk of parameter setting errors and first-piece non-conformity due to improper template selection.

[0095] In one embodiment, when determining equipment adjustment task information based on the line change parameter template and current production line status information, the target process route corresponding to the target wire harness product is first determined based on the line change parameter template, resulting in a set of processes to be executed. The target process route may include processes such as wire cutting, wire stripping, crimping, welding, heat shrinking, assembly, and inspection. Different specifications of wire harness products may have different combinations of processes; for example, some wire harness products require ultrasonic welding, some require automatic heat shrinking, and some only require wire cutting, stripping, crimping, and inspection.

[0096] After obtaining the set of processes to be executed, the set of available equipment for each process is determined based on this set and the current production line status information. The current production line status information can include whether each piece of equipment is online or idle, its current processing specifications, current program, current parameters, equipment malfunction status, mold or fixture occupancy status, automated logistics system location, and operator resource status. The set of available equipment for each process can be determined using an equipment capability database or equipment capability matrix. The equipment capability database records the processes that each piece of equipment can execute, its processable wire diameter range, compatible terminal types, supported connector specifications, available programs, and current equipment status. By querying the equipment capability database, the set of available equipment for each process can be obtained.

[0097] After obtaining the set of available equipment, the parameter adjustment content for each piece of equipment is determined based on the target parameters in the line change parameter template and the current parameters of the corresponding equipment. If the current parameters are consistent with the target parameters or within the allowable deviation range, the corresponding equipment may not need adjustment or may only perform a confirmation task; if the current parameters are inconsistent with the target parameters, parameter adjustment content is generated based on the differences. The parameter adjustment content may include equipment program download, target parameter writing, mold replacement, fixture switching, inspection rule update, and equipment preheating.

[0098] After obtaining the set of available equipment and parameter adjustment details, equipment adjustment task information is generated. This information may include task number, equipment to be adjusted, process category, current parameters, target parameters, parameter adjustment details, estimated adjustment time, downtime requirements, execution resource requirements, adjustment priority, and resource conflict status. The equipment adjustment task information can be generated by the line switching scheduling device and sent to the central scheduling control system for subsequent coordinated adjustment timing calculations.

[0099] This embodiment determines the set of processes to be executed through the target process route, identifies the set of available equipment through an equipment capability database or equipment capability matrix, and generates parameter adjustment content based on the difference between the target parameters and the current parameters. This allows the equipment adjustment objects and content during the changeover process to be automatically identified and organized. Therefore, this embodiment can reduce the workload of manually judging each equipment adjustment item and improve the completeness and consistency of equipment adjustment task information.

[0100] In one embodiment, when generating equipment adjustment task information based on the available equipment set and parameter adjustment content, the parameter adjustment content is first categorized into mold replacement adjustment content, program switching adjustment content, and parameter fine-tuning adjustment content according to its type, resulting in a parameter adjustment classification result. Mold replacement adjustment content typically requires equipment shutdown and execution or confirmation by operators; program switching adjustment content can automatically download the equipment program through the equipment communication module; and parameter fine-tuning adjustment content can be written online through the equipment control interface.

[0101] After obtaining the parameter adjustment classification results, determine the adjustment time, downtime requirements, and execution resource requirements for each equipment adjustment task based on these results. Adjustments involving mold replacement can have a longer adjustment time, such as at least 5 minutes; equipment preheating tasks can have a preheating time, such as at least 3 minutes; program download adjustments can have a program transfer time, such as at least 30 seconds; and parameter fine-tuning adjustments can have their time determined based on the number of parameters and equipment response time. Execution resource requirements can include operators, molds, fixtures, equipment control permissions, inspection tooling, and automated logistics resources. For safety constraints, it can be set that only one adjustment task can be executed by the same operator at a time.

[0102] After determining the adjustment time, downtime requirements, and execution resource requirements, the adjustment priority for each equipment adjustment task is determined. Adjustment priority can be determined based on the task's process, whether it is a critical process, adjustment time, whether it consumes scarce resources, whether it affects subsequent processes, and the urgency of order delivery. Tasks with longer processing times and impacting multiple subsequent processes can be assigned higher priority. For parameter fine-tuning tasks that can be completed online and do not affect subsequent tasks, lower priority can be assigned, and they can be scheduled for execution during idle time windows.

[0103] After determining the adjustment priorities, equipment adjustment task information is generated based on the adjustment priorities and the set of available equipment. This information includes the equipment to be adjusted, the process category, the parameter adjustment content, resource requirements, and adjustment priorities. In one implementation, the resource planning process can be modeled as a constraint satisfaction problem. The variables are the start time of each equipment adjustment task, and the constraints include adjustment time constraints, equipment occupancy constraints, operator resource constraints, and safety constraints. The objective is to minimize the total changeover time. The constraint satisfaction problem can be solved using a heuristic backtracking search, prioritizing critical adjustment tasks and long-running tasks.

[0104] This embodiment categorizes parameter adjustments and determines adjustment time, downtime requirements, execution resource requirements, and adjustment priorities based on the categorization results, giving equipment adjustment tasks the attributes of being calculable, schedulable, and executable. Therefore, this embodiment provides an accurate task basis for generating subsequent collaborative adjustment timing information and reduces waiting time caused by unreasonable resource allocation.

[0105] In one embodiment, when determining the coordinated adjustment sequence information among multiple equipment adjustment tasks based on equipment adjustment task information, the multiple equipment adjustment tasks and their corresponding durations are first determined based on the equipment adjustment task information. The durations can be derived from historical line changeover data, preset equipment adjustment times, parameter adjustment classification results, or operator confirmation times. For example, mold replacement tasks, equipment preheating tasks, program download tasks, and parameter fine-tuning tasks each correspond to different durations.

[0106] After determining the equipment adjustment tasks and their duration, the prerequisite relationships between each equipment adjustment task are determined based on the process route of the target wire harness product and the interrelationships between production equipment. Prerequisite relationships can include complete / start, start / start, and complete / complete relationships. A complete / start relationship indicates that the next task can only begin after the previous task is completed; for example, crimping parameter calibration can only be performed after the crimping machine mold change is completed. A start / start relationship indicates that two tasks can begin simultaneously; for example, switching the testing equipment program can begin simultaneously with the preheating of the automatic heat shrink oven. A complete / complete relationship indicates that two tasks need to be completed within a similar timeframe to meet subsequent continuous production requirements.

[0107] After determining the duration and prerequisite relationships, calculate the earliest start time, earliest finish time, latest start time, and latest finish time for each equipment adjustment task. The critical path method can be used for this calculation. During forward traversal, for equipment adjustment tasks without prerequisite tasks, determine their earliest start time as the line-switching start time, and then determine the earliest finish time based on the duration. For equipment adjustment tasks with prerequisite tasks, determine the maximum value among the earliest finish times of all prerequisite tasks as the earliest start time for that equipment adjustment task, and then determine the earliest finish time based on the duration. During reverse traversal, determine the latest finish time of the last task based on the finish time of the line-switching endpoint, determine the latest finish time of the current task based on the latest start time of subsequent tasks, and then determine the latest start time based on the duration.

[0108] After obtaining the earliest start time, earliest finish time, latest start time, and latest finish time, critical and non-critical adjustment tasks are identified. The time fluctuation for each equipment adjustment task can be determined based on the difference between the latest and earliest start times, or the difference between the latest and earliest finish times. When the time fluctuation is zero or less than a preset threshold, the corresponding equipment adjustment task is designated as a critical adjustment task; when the time fluctuation is greater than the preset threshold, the corresponding equipment adjustment task is designated as a non-critical adjustment task. Critical adjustment tasks constitute the critical path; any delay on the critical path will increase the total changeover time.

[0109] After identifying critical and non-critical adjustment tasks, collaborative adjustment timing information, including parallel and sequential execution relationships, is determined based on these tasks. For non-critical adjustment tasks with significant time fluctuations, it can be analyzed whether they can be executed in parallel with critical or other non-critical adjustment tasks. Collaborative adjustment timing information can be presented as task schedules, device startup instruction lists, or similar formats. Figure 4 The timing diagram shown is used to guide the issuance of line-switching control commands.

[0110] This embodiment calculates the earliest start time, earliest finish time, latest start time, and latest finish time of each equipment adjustment task using the critical path method. This identifies critical and non-critical adjustment tasks, transforming the equipment adjustment sequence from manual, experience-based scheduling to a calculable, collaborative adjustment timeline. Therefore, this embodiment can convert some sequential tasks into parallel tasks, reducing line-changing waiting time and improving equipment adjustment time utilization.

[0111] In one embodiment, when determining the coordinated adjustment timing information based on critical and non-critical adjustment tasks, a set of tasks that can be adjusted in parallel is first determined based on the time fluctuation amount corresponding to the non-critical adjustment tasks. The time fluctuation amount can be determined based on the difference between the latest start time and the earliest start time, or it can be determined based on the difference between the latest completion time and the earliest completion time. When a non-critical adjustment task has sufficient time fluctuation amount and there are no equipment conflicts, operator conflicts, material conflicts, or safety conflicts with the critical adjustment tasks, the non-critical adjustment task can be added to the set of tasks that can be adjusted in parallel.

[0112] After determining the set of tasks that can be adjusted in parallel, the parallel execution relationships between the equipment adjustment tasks are determined based on this set and the key adjustment tasks. These parallel execution relationships can be represented as multiple parallel adjustment task groups, such as a program download task group, an equipment preheating task group, a detection condition switching task group, and a manual confirmation task group. For tasks that can be executed in parallel, the central dispatch control system can simultaneously issue control commands to multiple production devices or simultaneously issue operation prompts to multiple operators through a human-machine interface.

[0113] When multiple devices are competing for the same production equipment or execution resource, task priority is determined based on order delivery date information, product feature similarity information, and customer priority information. The task priority evaluation result can be generated using a weighted scoring method, where order delivery urgency, product feature similarity, and customer priority each have different weights. In one example, the weights for order delivery urgency, product feature similarity, and customer priority could be 0.4, 0.35, and 0.25, respectively. Tasks with more urgent delivery dates, higher product feature similarity, and higher customer priority will receive higher task priority.

[0114] After obtaining the task priority evaluation results, the tasks for adjusting equipment with resource contention are sorted to obtain the equipment resource conflict handling results. The equipment resource conflict handling results can include the tasks to be executed first, the tasks to be executed, the task start time adjustment results, the information saved in the temporary configuration file, and the information on resuming execution after the resources are released. When a high-priority task needs to occupy a certain production equipment, the adjusted parameters of the postponed task can be saved to the temporary configuration file, and quickly restored and resumed after the production equipment is released.

[0115] Based on parallel execution relationships, device resource conflict resolution results, and execution sequence, collaborative adjustment timing information is generated. This information includes the start and end times of each device's adjustment task, the executing device, execution resources, parallel task groups, resource conflict resolution arrangements, and key adjustment task monitoring requirements. This collaborative adjustment timing information can be sent to the device communication module and the human-machine interface for execution control and progress display.

[0116] This embodiment determines the set of tasks that can be adjusted in parallel by using time fluctuation, and handles resource conflicts by using order delivery date information, product feature similarity information, and customer priority information, enabling coordinated use of equipment resources, personnel resources, and time resources. Therefore, this embodiment can increase the proportion of parallel equipment adjustments, reduce resource waiting time during multi-equipment line changeovers, and improve the rapid response capability of flexible production of multi-specification wire harnesses.

[0117] In one embodiment, after the corresponding production equipment completes parameter adjustments, the corresponding production equipment is controlled to perform the first-piece production of the target wire harness product, thereby obtaining the first-piece wire harness product. First-piece production can be carried out after all critical adjustment tasks are completed and the relevant equipment status meets the preset start-up conditions. The target wire harness product sequentially completes at least some of the processes of wire cutting, stripping, crimping, welding, heat shrinking, assembly, and inspection according to the target process route.

[0118] Upon receiving the first wire harness product, acquire the corresponding process measurement data and quality inspection data. Process measurement data may include wire cutting length, wire stripping length, crimping height, crimping width, crimping tensile force, welding temperature record, welding energy record, and heat shrinkage dimensions. Quality inspection data may include continuity test results, insulation test results, terminal crimping appearance inspection results, connector assembly inspection results, wire harness marking inspection results, and appearance defect inspection results. The above data can be automatically collected by testing equipment or entered into a human-machine interface after manual verification.

[0119] Based on process measurement data and quality inspection data, the first-piece production inspection results are generated. These results can include status information such as pass, fail, require re-inspection, or require parameter correction, and record the non-conforming items and deviations. For example, when the crimping height exceeds the allowable range, the first-piece production inspection results can record the crimping height deviation and corresponding crimping parameter correction suggestions; when the continuity test fails, the abnormal circuit and testing conditions can be recorded.

[0120] If the first piece inspection result meets the preset qualification conditions, batch production start information is generated. This information can be sent to the central scheduling and control system to release batch production permissions and control the automated logistics system and all production equipment to enter continuous production mode. If the first piece inspection result does not meet the preset qualification conditions, parameter correction information is generated based on the first piece inspection result. This parameter correction information is then associated with the product identification information of the target wire harness product and stored in the product feature database. The parameter correction information can be used to update the wire harness replacement parameter template or to make recommendations for the next wire harness replacement of the same or similar specifications.

[0121] In one application scenario, the production line can continuously accumulate parameter correction information and first-piece inspection results from historical first-piece production data. When changing production lines for wire harness products of the same specifications, the corrected changeover parameter template can be directly called; when changing production lines for wire harness products of similar specifications, historical parameter correction information can be displayed to operators as part of the template confirmation information. In this way, the experience of senior operators in fine-tuning changes during production lines can be transformed into standardized parameter records in the database, and new employees can also complete the changeover operation based on the operation prompts displayed on the human-machine interface.

[0122] This embodiment confirms the changeover quality before mass production through first-piece inspection, and writes non-conforming items, deviations, and parameter correction information into the product feature database. This ensures that the first-piece inspection is used not only for current changeover judgment but also for subsequent changeover parameter template optimization. Therefore, this embodiment can improve the first-piece pass rate, reduce the number of repeated debugging attempts for the same or similar specifications, and facilitate the accumulation and transfer of changeover experience.

[0123] In one embodiment, a rapid line changeover method is provided for mixed-line production of automotive wiring harnesses. An automotive wiring harness factory produces wiring harnesses for four car models (A / B / C / D) on the same production line. Each car model contains 20-30 sub-wiring harnesses of different specifications, totaling approximately 100 specifications. Traditional line changeover methods have an average changeover time of 45 minutes.

[0124] After adopting the rapid line changeover method of this invention: a complete parameter template for 100 specifications is established in the product feature library; during line changeover, the parameter template is automatically matched by scanning the product barcode; after CPM optimization, the parallel adjustment ratio of equipment is increased from 30% to 70%. The average line changeover time is shortened to 8 minutes, and the overall efficiency of the production line (OEE) is increased from 65% to 82%.

[0125] In one embodiment, a wire harness manufacturer faces a large number of small-batch (50-200 pieces / batch) and multi-variety (300+ specifications) orders. Traditionally, production is centralized according to specifications, leading to severe work-in-process inventory buildup and long delivery cycles. By adopting the flexible manufacturing system of this invention, true mixed-wire production is achieved.

[0126] The system handles 20-30 line changeovers per day, with an average changeover time of 6 minutes. By employing a similar product merging scheduling strategy (continuously producing products with feature similarity >80% to reduce changeover workload), the average daily number of line changeovers is reduced by 40%, and the average daily output is increased by 35%.

[0127] In one embodiment, after two years of operation of this system, a wire harness manufacturer accumulated over 500 specifications of wire replacement parameter templates and optimal adjustment sequences in its product feature library. Before retiring, senior operators' "fine-tuning skills" were solidified into standard parameters through continuous optimization of first-piece inspection data.

[0128] New employee onboarding training time has been shortened from 3 months to 2 weeks, and the success rate of independent production line changeovers has increased from 60% to 98%. The product feature library has become a core knowledge asset for the company, supporting the rapid replication and deployment of production lines to factories in Southeast Asia.

[0129] In one embodiment, a rapid line-changing method based on product feature recognition is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0130] Step S1: Establish a product feature library. Standardize and encode the key features of wire harness products to establish a product feature database. Feature dimensions include: wire specifications (wire diameter, material, color), terminal specifications (model, crimp height, crimp width), connector specifications (number of pins, spacing, locking method), and production process parameters (cutting length, stripping length, crimping force, soldering temperature), etc.

[0131] Step S2: Receive line change instruction. Receive the line change task through the MES system or manual input, and obtain the target product's feature code or product model.

[0132] Step S3: Product Feature Comparison and Matching. The target product features are compared and matched with standard features in the product feature library. The best-matching lane-changing parameter template is determined based on a similarity algorithm.

[0133] Step S3 includes:

[0134] S3.1 Product Feature Vector Construction: The multi-dimensional features of the wire harness product are encoded into a standardized feature vector F=[f1,f2,...,fN], with each dimension defined as follows:

[0135] f1-f3: Wire specifications (wire diameter mm, material code 1-10, color code 1-20);

[0136] f4-f6: Terminal specifications (model code, crimping height in mm, crimping width in mm);

[0137] f7-f9: Connector specifications (number of pins, pitch in mm, locking method code 1-5);

[0138] f10-f13: Process parameters (cutting length mm, stripping length mm, crimping force N, welding temperature Celsius).

[0139] All continuous features (wire diameter, crimping height, etc.) are normalized using Min-Max: f_norm = (f - f_min) / (f_max - f_min); categorical features are encoded using One-Hot encoding. The final feature vector has 28 dimensions.

[0140] S3.2 Similarity Calculation Algorithm: The system uses weighted cosine similarity as the core metric for feature matching.

[0141] Cosine similarity: sim_cos(F_a,F_b)=(F_a·F_b) / (||F_a||*||F_b||)=sum(w_i*f_ai*f_bi) / sqrt(sum(w_i*f_ai^2))*sqrt(sum(w_i*f_bi^2));

[0142] The weight vector W=[w1,w2,...,wN] is determined using an objective weighting method based on information gain: w_i=IG(f_i) / sum(IG(f_j)), where the information gain IG(f_i)=H(C)-H(C|f_i), and H is the entropy function;

[0143] Comprehensive similarity score: Score = alpha * sim_cos + beta * sim_euclid + gamma * sim_param, where sim_euclid = 1 / (1 + sqrt(sum(w_i * (f_ai - f_bi)^2))) is the weighted Euclidean similarity, and sim_param is the process parameter compatibility score (0.1 points are added for the same crimping height, etc.), with weights alpha = 0.5, beta = 0.3, and gamma = 0.2.

[0144] Matching decision: If max(Score)>=0.85, the most similar template is used directly; if 0.60<=max(Score)<0.85, the most similar template is recommended but marked as "requires manual confirmation"; if max(Score)<0.60, it is determined to be a new specification and the new template creation process is triggered.

[0145] Step S4: Equipment Resource Planning. Based on the characteristics of the matching products, determine the list of equipment that needs to be adjusted (wire cutting machine, crimping machine, welding machine, testing equipment, etc.) and the parameter adjustments for each piece of equipment (mold replacement, program switching, parameter settings, etc.).

[0146] Specifically, step S4 includes:

[0147] S4.1 System Automated Planning Architecture: Equipment resource planning is automatically completed by the intelligent planning module of the central scheduling and control system, requiring no manual intervention. The planning module adopts a hybrid architecture combining a rule-based expert system and a constraint satisfaction problem (CSP) solver.

[0148] The equipment list is automatically determined: Based on the product feature matching results, the system queries the equipment capacity database to find the set of equipment required for each process. Let the set of processes required by product P be Ops={op1, op2, ..., opM}, and the set of available equipment corresponding to each process opi be Eq_i={eq_i1, eq_i2, ...}. The system automatically determines Eq_i by querying the equipment capacity matrix.

[0149] Parameter Adjustment Content Generation: For each piece of equipment requiring adjustment, the system automatically generates a parameter adjustment list. Let the current equipment parameter be CurrParams, and the target parameter be TargetParams, then the adjustment list Delta = TargetParams - CurrParams. The system groups parameters by type: mold change (requires machine shutdown), program switching (automatic download), and parameter fine-tuning (online adjustment).

[0150] Constraint Definitions: The system defines the following constraints: mold changeover time t_mold >= 5 minutes; equipment preheating time t_preheat >= 3 minutes; program download time t_download >= 30 seconds; safety constraint: the same operator can only execute one adjustment task at a time.

[0151] CSP Solution: The resource planning problem is modeled as a constraint satisfaction problem, with the variables being the start time of each device's adjustment, the constraints being the aforementioned time and resource constraints, and the objective function being to minimize the total changeover time. A heuristic backtracking search algorithm is used to solve the problem, prioritizing device adjustments on the critical path.

[0152] S4.2 Resource Conflict Resolution: When multiple products compete for the same equipment, a priority-based scheduling algorithm is used: Priority = w1 * Order Delivery Urgency + w2 * Line Change Similarity + w3 * Customer Priority, with weights w1=0.4, w2=0.35, w3=0.25. Higher-priority tasks preempt the equipment, and the adjusted parameters of the preempted task are automatically saved to a temporary configuration file, which is quickly restored after the equipment is released.

[0153] Step S5: Timing Optimization and Cooperative Startup. Based on the Critical Path Method (CPM), the optimal timing for equipment adjustments is planned, serial operations are parallelized as much as possible, the shortest switchover time is calculated, and cooperative startup instructions for each device are generated.

[0154] The specific step S5 includes:

[0155] S5.1 Detailed calculation process of Critical Path Method (CPM):

[0156] Activity definition: The line switching process is decomposed into the following activity set A={a1, a2, ..., aK}, where each activity ai corresponds to a device adjustment task and has a duration d_i;

[0157] Prerequisite relationship determination: Prerequisite relationships between activities are determined by analyzing the physical and logical dependencies between equipment. Prerequisite relationship types include: FS (Finish-to-Start, the preceding activity must complete before the following activity can begin), SS (Start-to-Start, the preceding and following activities start simultaneously), and FF (Finish-to-Finish, the preceding and following activities end simultaneously). The system automatically extracts prerequisite relationships from product process routes and equipment layout diagrams.

[0158] Calculate the earliest start time ES and the earliest finish time EF by forward traversal: ES_start = 0; for each activity ai, ES_i = max{EF_j | aj is the predecessor activity of ai}, EF_i = ES_i + d_i;

[0159] Calculate the latest start time LS and latest finish time LF by reverse traversal: LF_end = EF_end; for each activity ai (in reverse topological order), LF_i = min{LS_j | aj is the successor activity of ai}, LS_i = LF_i - d_i;

[0160] Critical path identification: Total float time TF_i = LS_i - ES_i = LF_i - EF_i, activities with TF_i = 0 constitute the critical path. Any delay on the critical path will directly increase the total changeover time;

[0161] Parallelization optimization: For activities on non-critical paths with TF_i > 2 minutes, analyze whether they can be executed in parallel with activities on the critical path. By increasing parallel execution resources (such as adding operators), serial operations are converted to parallel operations as much as possible, with the goal of increasing the device parallel scaling ratio from 30% to over 70%.

[0162] S5.2 Shortest path change time formula: T_total = max_path_sum(CPM) - optimization_gain, where max_path_sum(CPM) is the sum of the durations of all activities on the critical path, and optimization_gain is the time reduction brought about by parallel optimization. Practical verification shows that the optimized average path change time is reduced by more than 60% compared to the traditional method.

[0163] Step S6: Line Change Confirmation and First Article Inspection. After equipment adjustment is completed, the system automatically performs first article production and quality inspection. Once the line change is confirmed to be successful, mass production begins.

[0164] like Figure 2 As shown, in one embodiment, the multi-specification wire harness flexible manufacturing system includes multiple programmable wire harness processing devices, an automated logistics system, a central scheduling and control system, a line-changing scheduling device, and an equipment communication module.

[0165] Multiple programmable control (PCC) wire harness processing devices are used to receive wire changeover control commands and adjust the corresponding equipment parameters accordingly. These devices may include CNC wire cutting machines, wire stripping machines, servo crimping machines, ultrasonic welding machines, automatic heat shrink ovens, assembly equipment, and testing equipment. The CNC wire cutting machine can switch cutting programs and set the cutting length based on the wire changeover control commands; the wire stripping machine can set the stripping length and stripping blade depth; the servo crimping machine can switch crimping programs, prompt for mold changes, and set the crimping height, crimping width, and crimping force; the ultrasonic welding machine can set the welding temperature, welding time, or welding energy; the automatic heat shrink oven can set the heat shrinking temperature and conveyor speed; and the testing equipment can switch between continuity testing, insulation testing, and appearance inspection conditions.

[0166] An automated logistics system is used to transfer wire harness materials between wire harness processing equipment according to logistics scheduling instructions. An automated logistics system may include automated guided vehicles (AGVs), rail-guided vehicles, conveyor lines, buffer stations, and material identification units. Based on logistics scheduling instructions issued by a central scheduling control system, the automated logistics system can transfer wires, semi-finished wire harnesses, connectors, terminals, or products to be tested to the corresponding process equipment, thereby coordinating with each wire harness processing equipment to complete the continuous production of the target wire harness product.

[0167] The central dispatch and control system receives line changeover tasks, determines the current production line status, and generates line changeover task scheduling information based on this information. The central dispatch and control system can connect to the manufacturing execution system (MES) to obtain order information, production plans, product identification information for target wire harness products, and batch production requirements. The central dispatch and control system can also collect data on the operating status of each wire harness processing equipment, the location of the automated logistics system, equipment fault status, equipment occupancy status, mold or fixture occupancy status, and operator resource status.

[0168] The line changeover scheduling device is used to establish a product feature database, determine line changeover parameter templates, determine equipment adjustment task information, and generate collaborative adjustment timing information. The device may include a product feature identification unit, a parameter management unit, a scheduling optimization unit, and a human-machine interaction unit. The product feature identification unit can be a barcode scanner, QR code scanner, or RFID reader / writer, used to identify the product identification information of the target wiring harness product. The parameter management unit manages the product feature database and line changeover parameter templates. The scheduling optimization unit generates equipment adjustment task information based on the line changeover parameter templates and the current production line status information, and generates collaborative adjustment timing information based on the equipment adjustment task information. The human-machine interaction unit displays line changeover progress, template confirmation information, manual operation prompts, resource conflict prompts, and first-piece production inspection results.

[0169] The equipment communication module is used to issue line-changing control commands to the corresponding wire harness processing equipment and logistics scheduling commands to the automated logistics system based on the line-changing parameter template and collaborative adjustment timing information. The equipment communication module can communicate with the wire harness processing equipment and the automated logistics system using industrial Ethernet, fieldbus, or other industrial communication protocols. For highly automated equipment, the equipment communication module can directly issue program switching, parameter writing, equipment preheating, and start-up confirmation commands; for equipment requiring manual intervention, the equipment communication module can work with the human-machine interface unit to generate operation prompts and completion confirmation information.

[0170] In a mixed-line production scenario for automotive wiring harnesses, the same production line produces wiring harnesses for multiple vehicle models, with each model containing multiple sub-wiring harnesses of different specifications. A product feature database stores product feature information, process parameters, equipment adjustment information, and historical first-piece production data for approximately one hundred wiring harness specifications. During line changeover, product identification information is obtained by scanning the product barcode, and the line changeover parameter template is automatically determined. Multiple devices are scheduled for parallel adjustments through coordinated adjustment timing information, increasing the proportion of parallel adjustments. In this scenario, line changeover time can be reduced from approximately 45 minutes to approximately 8 minutes, improving the overall production line efficiency.

[0171] In a scenario of small-batch, multi-variety production of household wire harnesses, production orders are characterized by small batches and a large number of specifications. The system can sort multiple products to be produced based on product feature similarity, and continuously produce wire harnesses whose feature similarity meets preset conditions. For example, products with feature similarity greater than 80% can be arranged into a continuous production sequence, thereby reducing the workload of repeated line changes. In this scenario, the production line can handle multiple line changes per day, and increase daily output by reducing the number of line changes.

[0172] In a scenario where changeover knowledge is accumulated, changeover parameter templates, equipment adjustment task information, collaborative adjustment timing information, first-piece production inspection results, and parameter correction information generated during system operation are continuously written into the product feature database. As the number of product specifications increases, the product feature database can accumulate a large number of changeover parameter templates and optimal adjustment sequences for various specifications. New employees can complete the changeover based on the changeover tasks, template confirmation information, and operation prompts displayed by the human-machine interface unit, thereby reducing reliance on the experience of senior operators.

[0173] This embodiment achieves integrated control of product identification, parameter management, equipment adjustment, logistics scheduling, collaborative startup, and first-piece inspection through the collaborative operation of multiple programmable wire harness processing devices, an automated logistics system, a central scheduling and control system, a line changeover scheduling device, and an equipment communication module. Therefore, this embodiment can improve the rapid changeover capability of multi-specification wire harness products on the same production line, enhance the production response efficiency of multi-variety, small-batch orders, reduce reliance on manual line changeover experience, and strengthen the flexible manufacturing capability of the wire harness production line.

[0174] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

Claims

1. A method for rapid wire changeover in flexible production of multi-specification wire harnesses, characterized in that, The method includes: The product feature database is established by associating and storing product feature information, process parameter information, equipment adjustment information and historical first piece production data for wire harness products of different specifications; Receive the cable replacement task, determine the product identification information of the target wire harness product, and obtain the target product feature information of the target wire harness product based on the product identification information; The target product feature information is matched with the standard product feature information in the product feature database to determine the wiring parameter template corresponding to the target wiring harness product; Based on the line change parameter template and the current production line status information, determine the equipment adjustment task information, wherein the equipment adjustment task information includes the equipment to be adjusted, the process category to which the equipment to be adjusted belongs, the parameter adjustment content corresponding to the equipment to be adjusted, and the equipment resource conflict handling result; Based on the device adjustment task information, determine the collaborative adjustment timing information among multiple device adjustment tasks, wherein the collaborative adjustment timing information includes at least some of the parallel execution relationships and sequential execution relationships among the device adjustment tasks; Based on the line change parameter template and the collaborative adjustment timing information, a line change control command is issued to the corresponding production equipment so that the corresponding production equipment can complete the parameter adjustment according to the collaborative adjustment timing information. After the parameters of the corresponding production equipment are adjusted, the first piece production inspection of the target wire harness product is performed, and the decision on whether to proceed to mass production is made based on the results of the first piece production inspection.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process involves associating and storing product characteristic information, process parameter information, equipment adjustment information, and historical first-piece production data for wire harnesses of different specifications to establish a product characteristic database, including: Obtain the wire specifications, terminal specifications, connector specifications, and manufacturing process parameters corresponding to wire harness products of different specifications to obtain the product feature information; Obtain the cutting parameters, stripping parameters, crimping parameters, welding parameters, and testing parameters corresponding to wire harness products of different specifications to obtain the process parameter information; Obtain the equipment adjustment objects and parameter adjustment contents involved in the wire harness product replacement process of different specifications, and obtain the equipment adjustment information; The product feature information, process parameter information, equipment adjustment information, and historical first-piece production data are associated and stored according to the wire harness product identifier to obtain the product feature database.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of matching the target product feature information with the standard product feature information in the product feature database to determine the wiring harness replacement parameter template corresponding to the target wiring harness product includes: Generate a target product feature vector based on the target product feature information; A set of standard product feature vectors is generated based on the standard product feature information in the product feature database; The target product feature vector and the set of standard product feature vectors are matched for similarity to obtain the product feature matching result; Based on the product feature matching results, the corresponding line switching parameter template is determined from the product feature database.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The step of performing similarity matching between the target product feature vector and the standard product feature vector set to obtain product feature matching results includes: The continuous features in the target product feature vector and the standard product feature vector set are normalized, and the categorical features are encoded to obtain the feature data to be matched. Based on the feature data to be matched, the feature similarity between the target wire harness product and each standard wire harness product is calculated to obtain a similarity score set. The product feature matching result is determined based on the highest similarity score in the similarity score set; If the highest similarity score meets the preset direct matching conditions, the replacement parameter template of the corresponding standard wire harness product will be determined as the replacement parameter template of the target wire harness product. If the highest similarity score meets the preset confirmation matching conditions, template confirmation information is generated, and the replacement parameter template corresponding to the target wire harness product is determined based on the confirmation result.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining equipment adjustment task information based on the line change parameter template and the current production line status information includes: Based on the line change parameter template, the target process route corresponding to the target wire harness product is determined, and a set of processes to be executed is obtained. Based on the set of processes to be executed and the current production line status information, determine the set of available equipment corresponding to each process; Based on the target parameters in the line switching parameter template and the current parameters of the corresponding equipment, determine the parameter adjustment content for each equipment; Based on the set of available devices and the parameter adjustment content, the device adjustment task information is generated.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The step of generating the device adjustment task information based on the available device set and the parameter adjustment content includes: Based on the type of parameter adjustment content, the parameter adjustment content is divided into mold replacement adjustment content, program switching adjustment content, and parameter fine-tuning adjustment content, thus obtaining the parameter adjustment classification result; Based on the parameter adjustment classification results, determine the adjustment time, downtime requirements, and execution resource requirements corresponding to each equipment adjustment task; Based on the adjustment time, downtime requirements, and execution resource requirements, determine the adjustment priority for each device adjustment task; Based on the adjustment priority and the set of available equipment, generate equipment adjustment task information including the equipment to be adjusted, process category, parameter adjustment content, resource requirements, and adjustment priority.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the coordinated adjustment timing information among multiple device adjustment tasks based on the device adjustment task information includes: Based on the equipment adjustment task information, determine multiple equipment adjustment tasks and the duration of each equipment adjustment task; Based on the process route and the relationship between production equipment of the target wire harness product, determine the prerequisite relationships between the adjustment tasks of each piece of equipment; Based on the duration and the preceding relationship, calculate the earliest start time, earliest finish time, latest start time and latest finish time corresponding to the adjustment task of each device; Based on the earliest start time, earliest finish time, latest start time, and latest finish time of each equipment adjustment task, determine the critical adjustment tasks and non-critical adjustment tasks. Based on the critical adjustment tasks and the non-critical adjustment tasks, determine the collaborative adjustment timing information, including parallel execution relationships and sequential execution relationships.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The step of determining collaborative adjustment timing information, including parallel execution relationships and sequential execution relationships, based on the critical adjustment tasks and the non-critical adjustment tasks includes: Based on the time fluctuation amount corresponding to the non-critical adjustment tasks, determine the set of tasks that can be adjusted in parallel; Based on the set of parallel adjustable tasks and the key adjustment tasks, determine the parallel execution relationship between the device adjustment tasks; When multiple devices are competing for the same production equipment or execution resources, the task priority evaluation result is determined based on order delivery date information, product feature similarity information, and customer priority information. Based on the task priority evaluation results, the task adjustment tasks for equipment with resource competition are sorted to obtain the equipment resource conflict handling results; The collaborative adjustment timing information is generated based on the parallel execution relationship, the device resource conflict handling result, and the sequential execution relationship.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the parameters of the corresponding production equipment are adjusted, the first-piece production inspection of the target wire harness product is performed, and the decision on whether to proceed to mass production is made based on the results of the first-piece production inspection. This includes: After the corresponding production equipment completes the parameter adjustment, control the corresponding production equipment to execute the first production of the target wire harness product, and obtain the first wire harness product; Obtain the process measurement data and quality inspection data corresponding to the first wire harness product; The first-piece production inspection results are generated based on the process measurement data and the quality inspection data. If the first production inspection result meets the preset qualification conditions, batch production start information is generated; If the first production inspection result does not meet the preset qualification conditions, parameter correction information is generated based on the first production inspection result, and the parameter correction information is associated with the product identification information of the target wire harness product and stored in the product feature database.

10. A flexible manufacturing system for multi-specification wire harnesses, characterized in that, The system includes: Multiple programmable wire harness processing devices are used to receive wire change control commands and adjust the corresponding equipment parameters according to the wire change control commands; An automated logistics system is used to transfer wire harness materials between wire harness processing equipment according to logistics scheduling instructions; The central dispatch and control system is used to receive line changeover tasks, determine the current production line status information, and generate line changeover task scheduling information based on the current production line status information. The line changeover scheduling device is used to associate and store product characteristic information, process parameter information, equipment adjustment information, and historical first-piece production data of wire harness products of different specifications to establish a product characteristic database; it is also used to determine the line changeover parameter template based on the matching result between the target product characteristic information of the target wire harness product and the product characteristic database; it is also used to determine the equipment adjustment task information based on the line changeover parameter template and the current production line status information, and generate collaborative adjustment timing information based on the equipment adjustment task information. The device communication module is used to send the line switching control command to the corresponding wire harness processing equipment and the logistics scheduling command to the automated logistics system based on the line switching parameter template and the coordinated adjustment timing information.

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