Control device, control method and painting treatment equipment

Abstract

To provide a technology which can reduce the frequency of replacing a battery of an unmanned carrier.SOLUTION: A management device which manages the operation of a plurality of unmanned carriers for conveying a conveyance target in a production facility includes: remaining amount information acquiring means for acquiring remaining amount information of a battery included in the carrier selected from the plurality of unmanned carriers; conveyance condition acquiring means for acquiring conveyance conditions of the conveyance target including information specifying a conveyance destination; estimating means for estimating, based on the remaining amount information and the conveyance condition, the remaining amount of the battery upon the conveyance of the conveyance target to the conveyance destination; and determining means for determining the operation mode of the selected carrier based on results of the estimation performed by the estimating means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an operation management technique for an automated guided vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] There is a known technology that uses an automated guided vehicle to transport objects in a production facility. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that uses an automated guided vehicle (unmanned guided vehicle 28) to transport car bodies in a painting facility for the car bodies. Patent Document 2 discloses a technology that provides a charging area in a production facility and charges the battery of the automated guided vehicle (vehicle 100) in the charging area. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2020-524109 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2022-517314 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When a battery becomes over-discharged, its deterioration progresses rapidly. Even if the battery has enough charge remaining to transport the AGV to its destination at the start of the transport, if the battery becomes over-discharged at the destination, the battery's lifespan will decrease and the frequency of battery replacement will increase.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of reducing the frequency of battery replacement for an automated guided vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present invention, A management device that manages the operation of a plurality of automated guided vehicles that transport objects within a production facility, a remaining capacity information acquiring means for acquiring remaining capacity information of a battery provided in a selected transport vehicle selected from the plurality of automatic transport vehicles; a transport condition acquisition means for acquiring transport conditions for an object to be transported, the transport condition including information for identifying a transport destination; an estimation means for estimating a remaining charge of the battery when the object is transported to the destination based on the remaining charge information and the transport conditions; A determination means for determining an operation mode of the selected transport vehicle based on an estimation result of the estimation means. A management device is provided. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technique capable of reducing the frequency of battery replacement in an automated guided vehicle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a layout diagram showing an example of production equipment to which the present invention can be applied. [Diagram 2] (A) and (B) are explanatory diagrams of an automated guided vehicle. [Diagram 3] Figure 1 shows a system diagram of the production equipment control system. [Figure 4] FIG. 2A is a diagram showing an example of information stored in an AGV management database, and FIGS. 2B and 2C are diagrams showing examples of information stored in a transport route database. [Diagram 5] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of a management device. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of a management device. [Figure 7] 6A is an explanatory diagram of a process for estimating a remaining battery charge, and FIG. 6B is a flowchart showing an example of a process performed by a management device. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an example of an operation mode of an automated guided vehicle. [Figure 9] 6A and 6B are flowcharts showing an example of processing by a management device. [Figure 10] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an example of an operation mode of an automated guided vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more features among the multiple features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. In addition, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar configurations, and duplicated descriptions are omitted.

[0010] <Outline of production facilities> FIG. 1 is a layout diagram showing an example of a production facility to which the present invention can be applied. The illustrated example is a painting treatment facility for an automobile body 200, and includes multiple areas 101-132 where work is performed. In the figure, arrows connecting the areas indicate the order of transportation of the vehicle body 200, which is the object to be transported, solid lines indicate the transportation path of the vehicle body 200 by an automatic guided vehicle (AGV) 10, and dashed lines indicate the transportation path of the vehicle body 200 by a conveyor (not shown). The AGV waiting areas W1-W5 (collectively referred to as waiting areas W) are areas where the AGVs 10 are placed while waiting to be transported. One waiting area W has an area where multiple AGVs 10 can wait. The charging areas E1-E5 (collectively referred to as charging areas E) are areas for charging the batteries of the AGVs 10, and charging equipment is provided therein.

[0011] The work in each area will be explained in the order of work. Unpainted vehicle bodies 200 are received from the previous process in the storage area 100. The vehicle bodies 200 are transported from the storage area 100 to the electrocoating area 102 via the jig setting area 101. In the jig setting area 101, with the vehicle body 200 mounted on the AGV 10, a worker sets jigs required for the subsequent painting process on the vehicle body 200. In the electrical component painting area 102, a conveyor for transporting the vehicle body 200, pretreatment equipment for electrocoating, and electrocoating equipment are arranged, and electrocoating is performed on the vehicle body 200.

[0012] The vehicle body 200 is transported from the electrocoating area 102 to the drying area 103 and the cooling area 104. Drying equipment for the vehicle body 200 is provided in the drying area 103, and the vehicle body 200 is heated to dry the electrocoating. Cooling equipment for the vehicle body 200 is provided in the cooling area 104, and the vehicle body 200 heated in the drying area 103 is cooled. The areas around the drying area 103 and the cooling area 104 become high-temperature areas that are relatively warmer than other areas of the production facility due to the heat generated by the drying area 103.

[0013] The vehicle body 200 is transported from the cooling area 104 to a storage area 105 or an inspection area 106. The storage area 105 is an area for temporarily storing the vehicle body 200 that has been electrocoated, and is capable of storing multiple vehicle bodies 200. After storage, the vehicle body 200 is transported to the inspection area 106. In the inspection area 106, the electrocoating is inspected. The inspection can be performed by a worker or by an inspection device. In a repair area 107 following the inspection area 106, repairs to the electrocoating are performed based on the inspection results.

[0014] In the sealer area 108, filler is filled into the edges and other parts of the vehicle body 200 as a pretreatment for the undercoat of the vehicle body 200. The vehicle body 200 is transported from the sealer area 108 to the undercoat area 109. In the undercoat area 109, masking of the underside of the vehicle body 200, painting of the undercoat, removal of the masking, etc. are performed. The vehicle body 200 is transported from the undercoat area 109 to the cleaning area 110, where the vehicle body 200 is cleaned.

[0015] The vehicle body 200 is transported from the cleaning area 110 to the drying area 111 and the cooling area 112. Drying equipment for the vehicle body 200 is provided in the drying area 111, and the vehicle body 200 is heated to dry the filler filled in the sealer area 108. Cooling equipment for the vehicle body 200 is provided in the cooling area 112, and the vehicle body 200 heated in the drying area 111 is cooled. The areas around the drying area 111 and the cooling area 112 become high-temperature areas where the temperature is relatively higher than other areas of the production facility due to the influence of heat generated by the drying area 111.

[0016] The vehicle body 200 is transported from the cooling area 112 through the grinding area 113 to the repair area 114 or the topcoat preparation area. In the grinding area 113, the vehicle body 200 is mounted on the AGV 10 and grinded to remove dirt and other debris from the surface of the electrodeposition coating. If the condition of the electrodeposition coating surface cannot be improved by grinding, the vehicle body 200 is transported to the repair area 114 for repair. In the topcoat preparation area 115, the surface of the vehicle body 200 is cleaned, etc.

[0017] The vehicle body 200 is transported from the topcoat preparation area 115 to the intermediate coat area 116 and the base coat area 117 in that order. A painting booth is provided in each of the intermediate coat area 116 and the base coat area 117, where the vehicle body 200 is subjected to intermediate coat and base coat. After painting, the vehicle body 200 is transported to a flash-off (FO) area 118. In this embodiment, it is assumed that water-based paint is used, and in the FO area 118, a process is performed to remove moisture from the water-based paint applied to the vehicle body 200. The vehicle body 200 is then transported to a clear coat area 119. A painting booth is provided in the clear coat area 119, where the vehicle body 200 is subjected to clear coating.

[0018] The vehicle body 200 is transported from the clear coating area 119 to the drying area 120A and the cooling area 121A or to the drying area 120B and the cooling area 121B. Drying equipment for the vehicle body 200 is provided in the drying areas 120A and 120B, and the vehicle body 200 is heated to dry the top coat. Cooling equipment for the vehicle body 200 is provided in the cooling areas 121A and 121B, and the vehicle body 200 heated in the drying areas 120A and 120B is cooled. The areas around the drying areas 120A and 120B and the cooling areas 121A and 121B become high-temperature areas where the temperature is relatively higher than other areas of the production facility due to the heat generated by the drying areas 120A and 120B.

[0019] The vehicle body 200 is transported from the cooling areas 121A, 121B to the storage area 122 or the inspection area 123. The storage area 122 is an area for temporarily storing the vehicle body 200 that has been topcoated, and is capable of storing multiple vehicle bodies 200. After storage, the vehicle body 200 is transported to the inspection area 123. In the inspection area 123, the topcoat is inspected. The inspection can be performed by a worker or an inspection device. Based on the results of the inspection in the inspection area 123, the vehicle body 200 is transported to the simple repair area 124 or the heavy repair area 125. In the simple repair area 124, a relatively simple repair of the topcoat is performed, and in the heavy repair area 125, a relatively heavy repair is performed. If the repair in the simple repair area 124 is insufficient, the vehicle body 200 is transported to the heavy repair area 125 for repair.

[0020] The vehicle body 200 is transported from the simple repair area 124 or the heavy repair area 125 to the two-tone painting area 126, the repainting preparation area 130, or the post-treatment area 131. If the topcoat of the vehicle body 200 has a defect that cannot be addressed by repair, the vehicle body 200 is transported to the repainting preparation area 130 and then to the topcoat preparation area 115. In the repainting preparation area 130, the paint film is polished, etc. If the topcoat of the vehicle body 200 is a two-tone paint, the vehicle body 200 is transported to the two-tone painting area 126.

[0021] In the two-tone painting area 126, masking and painting in a painting booth are performed. After that, the car body 200 is transported to the drying area 127 and the cooling area 128. The drying area 127 is equipped with drying equipment for the car body 200, and the car body 200 is heated to dry the two-tone paint. The cooling area 128 is equipped with cooling equipment for the car body 200, and the car body 200 heated in the drying area 127 is cooled. The surroundings of the drying area 127 and the cooling area 128 become high-temperature areas that are relatively higher in temperature than other areas of the production facility due to the heat generated by the drying area 127. The car body 200 is transported from the cooling area 128 through the post-processing area 129 to the inspection area 123 for inspection of the two-tone paint. In the post-processing area 129, masking removal work and the like are performed with the car body 200 mounted on the AGV 10.

[0022] In the post-treatment area 131, post-treatment after topcoating is performed. For example, various operations such as embedding plugs into floor holes formed for electrocoating, painting a part of the vehicle body 200 black, and removing rust from the bag portion of the vehicle body 200 are carried out. After the post-treatment, the vehicle body 200 is transported to the shipping area 132 and shipped to the next process (for example, the assembly process).

[0023] <AGV Conveyor Route> The conveyor route of the vehicle body 200 by the AGV10 will be described. In FIG. 1, the starting points C1 to C17 (collectively referred to as the starting point C) indicated by "○" are the starting points (source) for transporting the vehicle body 200 by the AGV10, where the vehicle body 200 is transferred to the AGV10. The end points D1 to D16 (collectively referred to as the end point D) indicated by "●" are the end points (destination) for transporting the vehicle body 200 by the AGV10, where the vehicle body 200 is transferred from the AGV10 to a conveyor or the like. When transporting the vehicle body 100, the AGV10 moves along the route of standby area W → starting point C → end point D → standby area W.

[0024] Each starting point C corresponds to a specific end point D, thereby defining the conveyor route of the vehicle body 200 (the movement route of the AGV10), particularly a single unit of the transport section. End point D1 corresponds to starting point C1. End points D2 and D3 correspond to starting point C2. End point D3 corresponds to starting point C3. End point D4 corresponds to starting point C, and there is a high-temperature area caused by the drying area 111 in this transport route. End points D5 and D6 correspond to starting point C5, and there is also a high-temperature area caused by the drying area 111 in this transport route. End point D6 corresponds to starting point C6.

[0025] End point D7 corresponds to starting point C7. End points D8 and D9 correspond to starting points C8 and C9, and there are high-temperature areas caused by the drying areas 120A and 120B in this transport route. End point D9 corresponds to starting point C10. End points D10 and D11 correspond to starting point C11. End points D11, D12, D14, and D15 correspond to starting point C12. End points D12, D14, and D15 correspond to starting point C13.

[0026] The starting point C14 corresponds to the ending point D13, and there is a high-temperature region caused by the drying region 127 in this conveyance path. The starting point C15 corresponds to the ending point D9, and there is also a high-temperature region caused by the drying region 127 in this conveyance path. The starting point C16 corresponds to the ending point D6. The starting point C17 corresponds to the ending point D16.

[0027] <Configuration Example of AGV> Figures 2(A) and 2(B) are explanatory diagrams showing a configuration example of the AGV 10. Figure 2(A) is a side view of the AGV 10, and Figure 2(B) is a plan view schematically showing the internal structure of the traveling unit 11.

[0028] The AGV 10 includes a traveling unit 11, a support unit 12 that supports the vehicle body 200, and a plurality of lifting units 13 that lift the support unit 12 with respect to the traveling unit 11. The plurality of lifting units 13 are, for example, electric cylinders, and are driven synchronously to lift the support unit 12 when loading and unloading the vehicle body 200.

[0029] The traveling unit 11 includes a pair of left and right drive wheels 14, and each drive wheel 14 is driven with a corresponding motor 14a as a drive source. Free wheels 15 are arranged at the four corners of the traveling unit 11. The traveling unit 11 can move straight and turn by driving the drive wheels 14 with the motor 14a, and the AGV 10 is a trackless automatic guided vehicle.

[0030] A battery 16 is provided in the traveling unit 11 as the power source of the AGV 10. The battery 16 is, for example, a lithium-ion battery. The battery 16 can be charged by a power receiving unit 17. In the case of this embodiment, the battery 16 can be charged by a non-contact charging method. A power supply unit 30 is installed in the floor of the charging area E. The battery 16 of the AGV 10 parked in the charging area E is charged by wireless power supply between the power supply unit 30 and the power receiving unit 17. Note that the charging method of the battery 16 may also be a contact charging method, and the charging area E and the AGV 10 may be provided with electrical connection terminals that contact each other.

[0031] The remaining charge of the battery 16 is detected by a remaining charge sensor 18a. The remaining charge sensor 18a is, for example, a voltage sensor and / or a current sensor. In this embodiment, the remaining charge of the battery 16 is the SOC (State of Charge), and is specified as a percentage from 0 to 100%.

[0032] The traveling unit 11 is also provided with a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) sensor 18b and an external sensor 18c. The current position of the AGV 10 can be detected by the GNSS sensor 18b. The external sensor 18c is one or more sensors that detect targets around the AGV 10. When the movement path of the AGV 10 is defined by a line on the floor, the external sensor 18c includes a line sensor that optically or magnetically detects a line on the floor of the facility. The external sensor 18c may also include, for example, an imaging sensor (camera) or an ultrasonic sensor. The control unit 20 is an electric circuit that controls the operation of the AGV 10, and will be described in detail later.

[0033] <System> Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the control system in the production facility of Fig. 1, and in particular, a block diagram of the configuration related to the operation control of the AGV 10. The system includes a host server 300 and a management device 1, and the management device 1 manages multiple AGVs 10 provided in the production facility. Note that, for convenience, Fig. 3 shows the control unit 20 of one AGV 10.

[0034] The host server 300 is a server computer that controls the entire production facility, and issues instructions to the facilities installed in each area and the management device 1 according to a production plan.

[0035] The management device 1 includes a processing unit 2, a storage unit 3, a communication unit 4, and an RTC (real-time clock) 5. The processing unit 2 is a processor represented by a CPU, and executes programs stored in the storage unit 3. The storage unit 3 is composed of one or more storage devices such as a RAM, a ROM, and a HDD. The communication unit 4 includes a communication interface with a host server 300, and communicates with the host server 300 wirelessly or via wire. The communication unit 4 also includes a wireless communication interface with the control unit 20 of the AGV 10. The RTC 5 is an IC that keeps track of time.

[0036] The storage unit 22 stores databases (DB) 31 and 32. The DB 31 is an AGV management DB, and the DB 32 is a transport route DB.

[0037] FIG. 4(A) shows an example of information stored in the AGV management DB 31. The AGV management DB 31 has information on "waiting area," "battery remaining capacity," and "status" for each "ID," which is an identifier that identifies each AGV 10. The "waiting area" is information that identifies the waiting area W that is the home position of the AGV 10. In this embodiment, the AGV 10 basically moves from the waiting area W that is the home position when transporting the vehicle body 200, and returns to the same waiting area W after the transport. The "battery remaining capacity" is information that indicates the detection result of the remaining capacity of the battery 16 of the AGV 10. The "status" is information that indicates whether the AGV 10 is waiting in the waiting area W or is in the process of transporting the vehicle body 200.

[0038] FIG. 4B shows an example of information stored in the transport route DB32. The transport route DB32 stores information on the transport route of the vehicle body 200 by the AGV10. In the example of FIG. 4B, each unit of transport section includes information on the "start point", "end point", "distance", and "high temperature area". The "start point" and "end point" are information that specifies the start point C and end point D of the transport section, and the "distance" is information on the distance between the "start point" and the "end point", and indicates the transport distance in the transport section. The "high temperature information" is information on whether the transport section includes a high temperature area, and if it does, temperature information (Celsius temperature) is also included. For example, in FIG. 1, the transport section from the start point C5 to the end point D6 includes a high temperature area caused by the dry area 111, so the "high temperature information" is set to "present". FIG. 4C also shows an example of information stored in the transport route DB32. The information illustrated in FIG. 4C is information on the travel distance from the waiting area W to the start point C.

[0039] Returning to FIG. 3, the control unit 20 of the AGV 10 will be described. The control unit 20 includes a processing unit 21, a storage unit 22, a communication unit 23, and an input / output interface (I / F) unit 24. The processing unit 21 is a processor represented by a CPU, and executes a program stored in the storage unit 22 to control the entire AGV 10. The storage unit 22 is composed of one or more storage devices such as a RAM, a ROM, and a HDD. The communication unit 23 includes a wireless communication interface with the management device 1. The detection result of the sensor 25 is input to the processing unit 21 via the I / F unit 24, and a control command from the processing unit 21 is output to the power receiving unit 17 and the actuator 26 via the I / F unit. The sensor 25 includes the remaining amount sensor 18a, the GNSS sensor 18b, and the external sensor 18c of FIG. 2(B). The actuator 26 includes the motor 14a and the lifting unit 13 of FIG. 2(B).

[0040] <Example of management device processing> An example of processing executed by the processing unit 2 of the management device 1 will be described. Fig. 5 shows an example of processing for monitoring the remaining charge of the battery 16 of each AGB 10, which is executed periodically for all AGVs 10. S1 to S6 are processing by the processing unit 2 of the management device 1, and S11 to S15 are processing by the processing unit 21 of the control unit 20 of the AGV 10.

[0041] In S1, the management device 1 selects an AGV 10 that is in the waiting area W and is to be monitored in this process from among the AGVs 10 registered in the AGV management DB 31. In S2, an instruction to detect the remaining capacity of the battery 16 is transmitted to the AGV 10 selected in S1.

[0042] In S11, the control unit 20 receives a remaining charge detection instruction, and in S12, the remaining charge detection sensor 18a detects the remaining charge of the battery 16. In S13, the control unit 20 transmits the detection result to the management device 1 as remaining charge information.

[0043] In S3, the management device 1 receives the remaining amount information. In S4, the "battery remaining amount" of the currently selected AGV 10 registered in the AGV management DB 31 is updated based on the received remaining amount information. In S5, it is determined whether the battery remaining amount indicated by the received remaining amount information is less than the lower threshold value TH1. Here, it is desirable for the battery remaining amount of a lithium ion battery or the like to be maintained between 20% and 80%, and it is known that the life of a battery decreases when the remaining amount falls below 20%. Therefore, the lower threshold value TH1 is set to a value exceeding 20%. At that time, it is also taken into consideration that the AGV 10 present in the waiting area W will subsequently consume power for use in transportation. Specifically, for example, the lower threshold value TH1 is set to a value within the range of 30% to 40%.

[0044] If the remaining battery charge indicated by the remaining charge information is less than the lower threshold, the management device 1 transmits a charge instruction to the control unit 20 of the AGV 10 in S6. The control unit 20 moves the AGV 10 to the charging area E and charges the battery 16. If the remaining battery charge indicated by the remaining charge information is equal to or greater than the lower threshold, the process ends. After that, another AGV 10 is selected in S1 and the same process is repeated.

[0045] In this embodiment, the management device 1 determines whether the remaining charge of the battery 16 is less than the lower threshold TH1 and determines whether to charge the battery. However, the control unit 20 of the AGV 10 may determine whether to charge the battery 16 if the remaining charge of the battery 16 is less than the lower threshold TH1.

[0046] Next, a description will be given of another example of processing executed by the processing unit 2 of the management device 1. Fig. 6 shows an example of processing when the vehicle body 200 is transported from a starting point C to an end point D. S21 is processing of the upper server 300, and S31 to S35 are processing of the management device 1.

[0047] In S21, the upper server 300 transmits a transport instruction for the vehicle body 200 to the management device 1. The transport instruction includes transport conditions 301. The transport conditions 301 include, for example, a start point C, an end point D, a transport object weight (weight of the vehicle body 200), and a time (start time) for starting transport at the start point C.

[0048] In S31, the management device 1 receives a transport instruction. In S32, an AGV 10 to be used for transport is selected. For example, from among the AGVs 10 registered in the AGV management DB 31, an AGV 10 that exists in the waiting area W close to the starting point C specified by the transport condition 301 is selected. The selected AGV 10 is called the selected AGV (or selected transport vehicle). In S33, information on the "battery remaining capacity" (remaining capacity information) of the selected AGV is obtained from the AGV management DB 31.

[0049] In S34, the remaining charge of the battery 16 of the selected AGV when the vehicle body 200 is transported to the end point D (destination) is estimated based on the transport conditions 301 and the remaining charge information acquired in S33. The estimated remaining charge can be calculated from a number of factors. The factors can include, for example, the travel distance of the selected AGV, the transport load of the selected AGV (weight of the vehicle body 200), and the travel environment of the selected AGV (presence or absence of high temperature areas).

[0050] If the travel distance of the selected AGV is long, the power consumption of the motor 14a will be large, which will increase the battery consumption and reduce the remaining battery charge after travel. The travel distance includes the transport distance from the start point C to the end point D. The travel distance can also include the distance from the waiting area W to the start point C and the distance from the end point D to the waiting area W. In this embodiment, it includes the distance from the waiting area W to the start point C. Such a travel distance can be calculated from the start point C and the end point D specified in the transport conditions 301 and the information accumulated in the transport route DB 32.

[0051] If the weight of the vehicle body 200 is heavy, the power consumption of the motor 14a will be large, so the battery consumption will be large and the remaining battery charge after movement will be small. The weight of the vehicle body 200 can be specified from the transport conditions 301. If the production facility in FIG. 1 is a facility where a wide variety of products (vehicle bodies of multiple models) are mixed, the weight may differ depending on the type of vehicle body 200. Depending on the temperature characteristics of the battery 16, if the selected AGV passes through a high temperature area, the battery consumption will be larger and the remaining battery charge after movement will be smaller than if it does not pass through. Whether or not the high temperature area will be passed can be determined from the start point C and end point D specified by the transport conditions 301 and the information accumulated in the transport route DB 32.

[0052] In view of the above, the estimated remaining capacity can be calculated, for example, from the following formula. Estimated remaining capacity = current remaining capacity - travel distance coefficient x weight coefficient x temperature coefficient Here, the travel distance coefficient is a coefficient according to the travel distance of the selected AGV, and the longer the travel distance, the larger the value. The weight coefficient is a coefficient according to the weight of the vehicle body 200, and the heavier the weight, the larger the value. The temperature coefficient is a coefficient according to whether or not the vehicle passes through a high temperature area, and the value is larger if the vehicle passes through a high temperature area than if the vehicle does not pass through a high temperature area.

[0053] As another example, the moving distance of the high temperature region and the moving distance of the normal temperature region may be distinguished and the following formula may be used: Estimated remaining amount = current remaining amount - weight coefficient x (travel distance coefficient for normal temperature range x temperature coefficient for normal temperature range + travel distance coefficient for high temperature range x temperature coefficient for high temperature range) Here, the movement distance coefficient of the normal temperature region is the above-mentioned movement distance coefficient that corresponds to the movement distance of the region other than the high temperature region, and the movement distance coefficient of the high temperature region is a coefficient that corresponds to the movement distance of the high temperature region. The temperature coefficient of the normal temperature region has a smaller value than the temperature coefficient of the high temperature region. The temperature coefficient of the high temperature region may be set individually according to the actual temperature. The calculation of the estimated remaining amount may be a calculation using machine learning results in addition to such an equation.

[0054] 7(A) shows a schematic example of an estimation of the remaining charge of the battery 16. In the illustrated example, it is assumed that the travel distance of the selected AGV includes the distance from the waiting area W to the starting point C and the transport distance from the starting point C to the end point D. In the waiting area W, the remaining charge (current remaining charge) of the battery 16 of the selected AGV 10 is 60%. The estimated remaining charge at the time when the selected AGV 10 moves from the waiting area W to the starting point C and reaches the end point D to complete transport will be 40%.

[0055] Next, in S35 of FIG. 6, the management device 1 determines the operation mode of the selected AGV 10 based on the remaining charge estimation result in S34. Here, as described above, it is desirable for the remaining charge of a battery such as a lithium ion battery to be maintained between 20% and 80%, and it is known that the lifespan of a battery decreases when the remaining charge falls below 20%. Even if the battery 16 of the selected AGV has a remaining charge sufficient to transport the vehicle body 200 from the starting point C to the end point D, if the remaining charge of the battery 16 falls below 20% as a result of the transport, this causes the lifespan of the battery 16 to be shortened, and the frequency of replacement increases. In this embodiment, by switching between the presence and absence of charging according to the remaining charge estimation result, the remaining charge of the battery 16 of the selected AGV is prevented from falling below 20% after the transport.

[0056] Figure 7(B) is a flowchart showing an example of the process of S35. In S41, it is determined whether the estimated remaining amount in S34 is greater than or equal to the lower threshold TH2. If the estimated remaining amount is greater than or equal to the lower threshold TH2, the process proceeds to S42; if the estimated remaining amount is less than the lower threshold TH2, the process proceeds to S43. The lower threshold TH2 is set to a value exceeding 20%. Specifically, for example, it may be set to a value within the range of 23% to 35%, and particularly, it may be set to a value within the range of 25% to 30%. The relationship TH2 < TH1 may also hold.

[0057] In S42, the driving mode of the selected AGV is set to "drive without charging", and in S43, the driving mode of the selected AGV is set to "drive after charging". Figure 8(A) schematically shows the driving mode in the case of "drive without charging". The selected AGV10 moves from the standby area W to the starting point C without passing through the charging area E and transports the vehicle body 200. Figure 8(B) schematically shows the driving mode in the case of "drive after charging". The selected AGV10 moves from the standby area W to the charging area E to charge the battery 16, and then moves to the starting point C to transport the vehicle body 200. By doing so, in any driving mode, it is possible to prevent the remaining amount of the battery 16 from falling below 20% after transporting the vehicle body 200.

[0058] Returning to Figure 6, the management device 1 transmits a driving instruction to the selected AGV in S36. The driving instruction includes information on the starting point C, the end point D, the start time, and the driving mode determined in S35. The selected AGV that receives the driving instruction executes a transport operation according to the instruction content.

[0059] <Another processing example 1 of driving mode determination> In the example of Figure 7(B), when the estimated remaining amount is less than the lower threshold TH2, the selected AGV is charged and used for transportation. However, depending on the charging time, it may not be possible to meet the transport start time. Therefore, another AGV10 may be selected. Figure 9(A) is a flowchart showing an example thereof and is a flowchart showing another processing example of S35.

[0060] In S41, it is determined whether the estimated remaining amount in S34 is equal to or greater than the lower threshold TH2. If the estimated remaining amount is equal to or greater than the lower threshold TH2, the process proceeds to S44, and if the estimated remaining amount is less than the lower threshold TH2, the process proceeds to S45. In S44, the operation mode of the selected AGV is set to "operate as is," and the selected AGV moves from the waiting area W to the starting point C without passing through the charging area E, and transports the vehicle body 200.

[0061] In S45, the operation mode of the selected AGV is set to "not operating." Next, the process proceeds to S46, where another AGV 10 is selected and the processes of S33 to S35 in Fig. 6 are performed. The same processes are repeated until an AGV 10 whose estimated remaining amount is equal to or greater than the lower threshold value TH2 is selected.

[0062] Figures 10(A) and 10(B) show schematic diagrams of the operation modes in this example. Figure 10(A) shows schematic diagrams of the operation modes in the case of "drive as is". The selected AGV 10A moves from the waiting area W to the starting point C without passing through the charging area E, and transports the vehicle body 200. Figure 10(B) shows schematic diagrams of the case in which "do not drive" is set for the selected AGV 10A, and "drive as is" is set for the next selected AGV 10B. The first selected AGV 10A waits in the waiting area W. The next selected AGV 10B moves from the waiting area W to the starting point C without passing through the charging area E, and transports the vehicle body 200.

[0063] <Another processing example 2 of determining driving mode> The examples of Figure 7(B) and Figure 9(A) may be combined. Figure 9(B) is a flowchart showing one such example, which is a flowchart showing another example of the process of S35.

[0064] In S41, it is determined whether the estimated remaining amount in S34 is equal to or greater than the lower threshold TH2. If the estimated remaining amount is equal to or greater than the lower threshold TH2, the process proceeds to S42. If the estimated remaining amount is less than the lower threshold TH2, the process proceeds to S51. In S42, the operation mode of the selected AGV is set to "operate without charging." In this case, similar to the example in FIG. 8(A), the selected AGV 10 moves from the waiting area W to the starting point C without passing through the charging area E, and transports the vehicle body 200.

[0065] In S51, it is determined whether the selected AGV will be able to make it in time for the start time if the battery 16 is charged in the charging area E based on the start time of the transport condition 301 and the estimated remaining charge. If it will be able to make it in time, proceed to S52, and if it will not be able to make it in time, proceed to S53. In S52, the operation mode of the selected AGV is set to "charge and operate". In this case, similar to the example of FIG. 8(B), the selected AGV 10 moves from the waiting area W to the charging area E to charge the battery 16, and then moves to the starting point C to transport the vehicle body 200.

[0066] In S53, the operation mode of the selected AGV is set to "not operating". Next, the process proceeds to S54, where another AGV 10 is selected and the processes of S33 to S35 in FIG. 6 are performed. The same process is repeated until an AGV 10 whose estimated remaining amount is equal to or greater than the lower threshold value TH2 is selected. In this case, similar to the example in FIG. 10(B), the other selected AGV whose estimated remaining amount is equal to or greater than the lower threshold value TH2 moves from the waiting area W to the starting point C without passing through the charging area E, and transports the vehicle body 200.

[0067] <Other embodiments> In the above embodiment, when obtaining the remaining amount information in S33 of Figure 6, the remaining amount information is obtained from the AGV management DB31, but it is also possible to send a remaining amount detection instruction to the selected AGV and obtain the remaining amount information returned from the selected AGV.

[0068] In the above embodiment, the high temperature area is provided in the production facility, and the battery consumption is increased when the selected AGV moves through the high temperature area. The storage area where the AGV is stored and the area of ​​the transport route of the vehicle body 200 by the AGV 10 where no worker is present are provided with low temperature areas, which are relatively lower than other areas. When the selected AGV passes through the low temperature area, the battery consumption is greater than when the selected AGV does not pass through the low temperature area. The presence or absence of a low temperature area may be determined as the moving environment of the selected AGV, and the temperature coefficient may be set to a larger value when the selected AGV passes through the low temperature area than when the selected AGV does not pass through the low temperature area. Furthermore, in the winter season or when the production facility is in a high latitude area, the temperature is lower than normal. Also, when the production facility is operated at night or on holidays, the temperature is lower than normal. In such a case, the temperature coefficient may be set to a larger value than normal. When the low temperature area is considered in this way, the transport route DB 32 in FIG. 4(B) may include information on the "low temperature area" as information for each unit of transport section. The temperature inside the production facility may be divided into a normal temperature region, a high temperature region, and a low temperature region, or may be divided into a normal temperature region and a high temperature region, or may be divided into a normal temperature region and a low temperature region.

[0069] In the above embodiment, a painting treatment facility for automobile bodies is exemplified as the production facility, and the transport object is a car body, but the present invention is also applicable to other types of production facilities and transport objects.

[0070] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1 management device, 10 automated guided vehicle, 16 battery, 200 vehicle body

Claims

1. A management device that manages the operation of multiple automated guided vehicles that transport objects within a production facility that has a charging area for charging batteries, a remaining capacity information acquiring means for acquiring remaining capacity information of a battery provided in a selected guided vehicle selected from the plurality of automatic guided vehicles; a transport condition acquisition means for acquiring transport conditions for the object to be transported, including conditions for specifying the destination of the transport; an estimation means for estimating a remaining amount of the battery when the object to be transported is transported to the destination based on the remaining amount information and the transport conditions; a determination means for determining an operation mode of the selected transport vehicle based on an estimation result of the estimation means, The determining means When the remaining charge estimated by the estimation means is equal to or greater than a threshold, a first operation mode is determined in which the selected transport vehicle transports the object to the destination without charging the battery in the charging area; If the remaining charge estimated by the estimation means is less than the threshold value, it is determined whether charging of the battery in the charging area will be completed by the transportation start time, and if it is determined that charging will be completed, a second operation mode is determined in which the selected transportation vehicle charges the battery in the charging area and then transports the transportation object to the destination. A management device characterized by:

2. The management device according to claim 1 , the transport conditions include conditions for specifying a transport source of the transport object, the estimating means estimates the remaining battery charge to be smaller as the transport distance from the transport origin to the transport destination increases; A management device characterized by:

3. The management device according to claim 1 , the transport conditions include a condition for specifying a weight of the object to be transported, The estimation means estimates a remaining charge of the battery to be smaller as the weight increases. A management device characterized by:

4. The management device according to claim 1 , The production facility is provided with a high-temperature region where the temperature is relatively high, the transport conditions include conditions for specifying a transport source of the transport object, the estimation means estimates the remaining charge of the battery to be lower when the high temperature area exists on the route from the transportation source to the transportation destination than when the high temperature area does not exist. A management device characterized by:

5. The management device according to claim 1 , The production facility is provided with a low-temperature region having a relatively low temperature, the transport conditions include conditions for specifying a transport source of the transport object, the estimation means estimates the remaining battery charge to be lower when the low-temperature area exists on the route from the transportation source to the transportation destination than when the low-temperature area does not exist on the route. A management device characterized by:

6. The management device according to claim 1 , When the remaining amount is specified as a percentage, the threshold value is a value exceeding 20%. A management device characterized by:

7. A management device according to claim 1, The determining means When the remaining amount estimated by the estimation means is less than the threshold value and it is determined that charging of the battery will not be completed by the transportation start time, a third operation mode is determined in which the object to be transported is not transported by the selected transportation vehicle. A management device characterized by:

8. A management device according to claim 1, When the remaining amount estimated by the estimation means is less than the threshold value and it is determined that charging of the battery will not be completed by the transportation start time, the estimation means estimates a remaining battery charge of another selected transport vehicle when the object to be transported is transported to the destination by the another selected transport vehicle based on the remaining battery charge information of the another selected transport vehicle selected from the plurality of automatic guided vehicles acquired by the remaining charge information acquisition means and the transport conditions. A management device characterized by:

9. A management device according to claim 8, The determining means When the remaining charge of the battery of the other selected transport vehicle estimated by the estimation means is equal to or greater than the threshold value, a fourth operation mode is determined in which the other selected transport vehicle transports the object to the destination. A management device characterized by:

10. The management device according to claim 1 , the production facility is a facility related to a painting process of a vehicle body, The object to be conveyed is a vehicle body. A management device characterized by:

11. A management method for managing the operation of a plurality of automated guided vehicles that transport objects within a production facility that has a charging area for charging batteries, comprising: a remaining capacity information acquisition step of acquiring remaining capacity information of a battery provided in a selected guided vehicle selected from the plurality of automatic guided vehicles; a transport condition acquisition step of acquiring transport conditions for the object to be transported, including information specifying the destination; an estimation step of estimating a remaining amount of the battery when the object to be transported is transported to the destination based on the remaining amount information and the transport conditions; a determination step of determining an operation mode of the selected transport vehicle based on an estimation result of the estimation step, In the determining step, If the remaining charge estimated by the estimation step is equal to or greater than a threshold, a first operation mode is determined in which the selected transport vehicle transports the object to the destination without charging the battery in the charging area; If the remaining charge estimated by the estimation step is less than the threshold value, it is determined whether charging of the battery in the charging area will be completed by the transport start time, and if it is determined that charging will be completed, a second operation mode is determined in which the selected transport vehicle charges the battery in the charging area and then transports the transport object to the destination. A management method characterized by:

12. A vehicle body painting treatment facility, a plurality of automated guided vehicles each equipped with a battery and configured to transport the vehicle body; a plurality of work areas including at least a charging area, a painting area, and a drying area; a management device that manages the operation of the plurality of automated guided vehicles, The management device a remaining capacity information acquiring means for acquiring remaining capacity information of a battery provided in a selected guided vehicle selected from the plurality of automatic guided vehicles; a transport condition acquisition means for acquiring transport conditions for the object to be transported, including conditions for specifying the destination of the transport; an estimation means for estimating a remaining amount of the battery when the object to be transported is transported to the destination based on the remaining amount information and the transport conditions; a determination means for determining an operation mode of the selected transport vehicle based on an estimation result of the estimation means, The determining means When the remaining charge estimated by the estimation means is equal to or greater than a threshold, a first operation mode is determined in which the selected transport vehicle transports the object to the destination without charging the battery in the charging area; If the remaining charge estimated by the estimation means is less than the threshold value, it is determined whether charging of the battery in the charging area will be completed by the transportation start time, and if it is determined that charging will be completed, a second operation mode is determined in which the selected transportation vehicle charges the battery in the charging area and then transports the transportation object to the destination. A coating treatment facility characterized by:

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