Production management system, production management method, and production management program

Abstract

To provide a production management system which allows work efficiency and malfunction to be grasped in real time by visualizing the work efficiency and malfunction.SOLUTION: A production management system 1 includes: a quantity measuring part 2 for measuring a first quantity of a raw material or work-in-process, and a second quantity of a product produced of the raw material or the work-in-process; a quantity calculation part 37 for calculating a necessary quantity of the raw material or the work-in-process required for producing one or multiple products; a determination part 35 for determining whether or not the first quantity measured by the quantity measuring part 2 matches with a necessary quantity corresponding to the second quantity measured by the quantity measuring part; and a result notification part 5 for announcing a result determined by the determination part 35.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a production management system, a production management method, and a production management program that enable just-in-time (JIT) production, i.e., "making only what is needed, when it is needed, and in the amount needed." [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, techniques for managing work processes at production sites have been proposed that enable the understanding of work processes for components in real time and with high accuracy.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a work process management system including a sensor provided for each member, the sensor including a temperature detection means for detecting temperature, a vibration detection means for detecting vibration, and a transmission means for transmitting the detection results by the temperature detection means and the vibration detection means in association with an identification number corresponding to the member, a plurality of receiving devices each installed at a different position for receiving the detection results transmitted from the sensor, and an information processing device for determining the work process for each member based on the identification number and the detection results for each member received by the receiving devices and the positions of the receiving devices. Furthermore, Patent Document 1 discloses that the work process management system includes a weight detection means for detecting the weight of the member, and the information processing device is capable of determining the progress of the work for the member based on the detection results by the weight detection means. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5638464 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the technology of Patent Document 1, the results of temperature detection, vibration detection, weight detection, etc. must be associated with an identification number corresponding to each component, and these operations take time. Therefore, it may be difficult to grasp the work efficiency and defects of the production process in real time, and further improvement of the technology is desired.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and has as its main object to provide a production management system that can grasp work efficiency and problems in real time by visualizing the work efficiency and problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the production management system of the present invention can include a quantity measurement unit that measures a first quantity of raw materials or work-in-progress and a second quantity of a product produced from the raw materials or work-in-progress, a quantity calculation unit that calculates a required quantity of raw materials or work-in-progress necessary to produce one or more of the products, a judgment unit that judges whether the first quantity measured by the quantity measurement unit and the required quantity corresponding to the second quantity measured by the quantity measurement unit are consistent, and a result notification unit that notifies the result of the judgment made by the judgment unit.

[0008] The production management system according to the present invention may further include a quantity measuring unit that measures the time when a first quantity of raw materials or work in progress decreases and the time when a second quantity of a product produced from the raw materials or work in progress increases, a work time calculation unit that calculates an actual work time by calculating the difference between the time when the first quantity decreased and the time when the second quantity increased, and a result notification unit that notifies the result calculated by the work time calculation unit.The production management system according to the present invention may further include a determination unit that determines whether the actual time calculated by the work time calculation unit matches a planned work time.

[0009] In addition, the production management method of the present invention includes the steps of calculating a required quantity of raw materials or work-in-process necessary to produce one or more products, measuring a first quantity of the raw materials or work-in-process, measuring a second quantity of a product produced from the raw materials or work-in-process, determining whether the measured first quantity and the required quantity corresponding to the second quantity match, and notifying the result of the determination.

[0010] Furthermore, a program for executing the production management method of the present invention causes a computer to execute the steps of calculating a required quantity of raw materials or work-in-progress necessary to produce one or more products, measuring a first quantity of the raw materials or work-in-progress, measuring a second quantity of a product produced from the raw materials or work-in-progress, determining whether the measured first quantity and the required quantity corresponding to the second quantity match, and notifying the result of the determination. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the production management system of the present invention, the efficiency of work and problems can be visualized, and thus the efficiency of work and problems can be grasped in real time. Note that the effects described here are not necessarily limited, and may be any of the effects described in this specification. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a production management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of a weight measurement unit in the production management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 2 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of a production management section in the production management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of production management according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of visualizing understanding of a recipe deviation in a production process according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of visualizing understanding of actual production time in a production process according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of visualizing understanding of a gap with a production plan according to the first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a display screen that visualizes and displays the progress of a production process according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of production management according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of identifying the presence or absence of stagnation in a production process according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of identifying a location of stagnation in a production process according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment described below is an example of a typical embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the scope of the present invention, and various combinations, modifications, and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[0014] First Embodiment A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0015] <1. Configuration of the production management system> First, a production management system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the production management system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 1, the production management system 1 has a weight measurement unit 2 on which work in progress 6 and the like are placed, a production management unit 3, a display device 5, and an imaging unit 7. The weight measurement unit 2, the production management unit 3, the display device 5, and the imaging unit 7 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via a network 4 such as the Internet. The network 4 may be either a wired line or a wireless line, and the type and form of the line are not important.

[0017] At least a part of the weight measurement unit 2, the production management unit 3, and the display device 5 are realized by a computer. Among them, the display device 5 is used by a user such as a producer of the work in progress 6, and is, for example, an electronic device such as a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal, a notebook computer, or a desktop computer.

[0018] The display unit of the display device 5 is an interface that displays various information from the display device 5 to the user, and is, for example, a video display means such as a liquid crystal display. Specifically, the display unit of the display device 5 may display a GUI (Graphical User Interface) for receiving operations from the user. The display unit of the display device 5 also serves as a result notification unit that notifies the user of the processing results of the weight measurement unit 2, which will be described later.

[0019] The imaging unit 7 is composed of, for example, a normal camera or a surveillance camera, and can measure a first quantity of raw materials or work in progress in the production process and a second quantity of a product produced from the raw materials or work in progress. The imaging unit 7 can also capture images of the raw materials or work in progress and the product produced from the raw materials or work in progress. By analyzing the images captured by the imaging unit 7, defects in the shape and color of these objects can be identified.

[0020] <2.Weight measurement unit configuration> Next, the configuration of the weight measuring unit 2 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0021] 1, the weight measurement unit 2 is a versatile weight measurement means that can be used for production management. In this specification, "versatility" means that there is no limitation on the product to be measured, and the weight of any product can be measured as long as it can be placed on it.

[0022] In this embodiment, the weight measurement unit 2 is configured as a weight measurement mat. In this specification, the term "weight measurement mat" refers to a weight measurement means having a plate-shaped platform on which an object is placed, which can be placed under the object like a mat. In the following description, the weight measurement unit 2 may be referred to as the weight measurement mat 2.

[0023] In the example shown in FIG. 1, the weight measurement mat 2 has a flat panel shape, and the weight of any object can be measured as long as it can be placed on the flat panel shape. In this specification, the "flat panel shape" means a shape that allows an object placed on it to be measured while being held horizontally. As long as an object placed on it can be measured while being held horizontally, the top plate of the "flat panel shape" may be flat or may have fine unevenness to prevent slipping. In the illustrated example, the planar shape of the weight measurement mat 2 is a rectangle, but is not limited thereto, and may be a circle, a triangle, or a polygon with pentagons or more.

[0024] In this embodiment, the weight measurement mat 2 has a planar shape that conforms to a specific standard. Specifically, for example, the planar shape of the weight measurement mat 2 is A3 size (297 mm x 420 mm) to A6 size (105 mm x 148 mm) that conforms to the paper processing finishing size standard defined in JIS P0138. By having a standardized planar shape, it is easy to combine and install multiple weight measurement mats 2 in a planar direction.

[0025] It is possible to combine a plurality of (for example, two) weight measurement mats 2 in a planar direction. By combining a plurality of weight measurement mats 2 in a planar direction, it becomes possible to measure the weight of even a large product.

[0026] 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the weight measurement mat 2. Hereinafter, the configuration of the weight measurement mat 2 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0027] 2, the weight measurement mat 2 has a housing 20, a mat communication unit 21, a mat control unit 22, a mat storage unit 23, a weight sensor 24, a measurement button 25, a lamp 26, and a battery storage unit 27. The housing 20 has a flat panel shape, and each of the units 21 to 27 is housed inside the housing 20.

[0028] The mat communication unit 21 is a communication interface between the weight measurement mat 2 and the network 4. In this embodiment, the mat communication unit 21 can be connected to the network 4 by wireless communication, and transmits and receives information between the weight measurement mat 2 and a server. Examples of wireless communication standards that may be used include Wi-Fi, LTE / 5G, Cat.M1, and NB-IoT.

[0029] The mat storage unit 23 is, for example, a data storage such as an internal memory of a microcomputer or an external memory (such as an SD memory card). Various data handled by the mat control unit 22 is stored in the mat storage unit 23. For example, the mat storage unit 23 includes a measurement frequency setting value 28 and a communication destination IP address setting value 29. The measurement frequency setting value 28 and the communication destination IP address setting value 29 may be set via the network 4 from the terminal device 5 of a user or a production manager.

[0030] The mat control unit 22 is a control means for performing various processes of the weight measurement mat 2. The mat control unit 22 may be realized by a processor of a microcomputer in the weight measurement mat 2 executing a predetermined program, or may be implemented in hardware.

[0031] The mat control unit 22 acquires measurement data of the weight of the product from the weight sensor 24 at a measurement frequency (e.g., once an hour) set by the measurement frequency setting value 28, and transmits the acquired measurement data together with ID information unique to each mat to a server specified by the communication destination IP address setting value 29. The mat control unit 22 may also grasp the remaining charge of the battery housed in the battery housing unit 27 based on the voltage at a predetermined frequency (e.g., once a day) and transmit the remaining charge information of the battery together with the ID information to the server. The mat control unit 22 may also connect to the server at a predetermined frequency (e.g., once a day) and correct the clock in the weight measurement mat 2 based on the time information of the clock in the server, and check the latest firmware on the server. The mat control unit 22 may also enter a sleep state in which the current consumption is reduced to, for example, 500 μAh or less, except during the above-mentioned operation. This allows stable operation without any problems for more than one year even if the battery housed in the battery housing unit 27 is used as the power source. Furthermore, the mat control unit 22 can also transmit the measurement data to the server when the change in weight of an item to be measured, such as inventory, exceeds a threshold value.

[0032] The battery storage section 27 stores a battery, such as a dry cell or a storage battery, that supplies power to each section 21 to 26. In this embodiment, the weight measurement mat 2 is not provided with a power switch, and the weight measurement mat 2 is started up by inserting a battery into the battery storage section 27. This makes it possible to prevent forgetting to turn on the power switch, and the operation interface of the weight measurement mat 2 has an extremely simple configuration consisting only of the measurement button 25, making it very easy for the user to use.

[0033] The weight sensor 24 is, for example, a load cell. In this embodiment, the weight sensor 24 is provided on a top plate (see FIG. 1) of a housing 20 of a weight measurement mat 2 having a rectangular shape (or a substantially rectangular shape with rounded corners) in a plan view, and measures the weight of a commodity placed on the top plate.

[0034] The measurement button 25 is provided in one corner of the housing 20 of the weight measurement mat 2. When the user presses the measurement button 25, the mat control unit 22 acquires measurement data of the weight of the product from the weight sensor 24 and transmits the acquired measurement data to the server.

[0035] The lamp 26 is provided adjacent to the measurement button 25 at one corner of the housing 20 of the weight measurement mat 2. In this embodiment, when the user presses the measurement button 25, if both the acquisition of the measurement data and the transmission of the measurement data are successful, the lamp 26 lights up in a first state (for example, green), and if either or both of the acquisition of the measurement data and the transmission of the measurement data fail, the lamp 26 lights up in a second state (for example, red) different from the first state. When an object exceeding the maximum load weight is placed on the weight measurement mat 2 and measured, the lamp 26 can be lit up in red. In addition, when the battery stored in the battery storage section 27 runs out of power, the lamp 26 does not light up even if the measurement button 25 is pressed. This allows the user to easily check whether or not the battery in the battery storage section 27 has a remaining power depending on whether or not the lamp 26 lights up when the measurement button 25 is pressed. Furthermore, by pressing the measurement button 25, the user can measure at any timing and transmit the measurement result to a server to store the data.

[0036] <3. Composition of the Production Management Department> Next, the functional configuration of the production management unit 3 in the production management system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the production management unit 3 in the production management system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0037] 3, the production management unit 3 has a production management control unit 31, a production management input unit 32, a production management storage unit 33, a replenishment request unit 34, a production management determination unit 35, a replenishment notification unit 36, a quantity calculation unit 37, and an operation time calculation unit 38. Each unit is connected to each other via a bus so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0038] The production management control unit 31 is a control means for performing various processes of the production management unit 3. The production management control unit 31 may be realized by a processor in the production management unit 3 executing a predetermined program, or may be implemented in hardware.

[0039] The production management input unit 32 is an interface through which the user inputs information (data) from the weight measurement unit 2 and the imaging unit 7 to the production management unit 3, and is, for example, a touch panel or microphone on a mobile terminal, a touch pad, keyboard or mouse on a notebook computer, etc.

[0040] The production management storage unit 33 is, for example, a data storage such as an internal memory or an external memory (such as an SD memory card), etc. In the production management storage unit 33, various data handled by the production management control unit 31 are stored.

[0041] The replenishment request unit 34 sets, for example, a replenishment request value that corresponds to the amount of work-in-progress 6 that needs to be replenished in its own process.

[0042] The production management determination unit 35 determines whether the weight measurement value measured by the weight measurement unit 2 of one or more work-in-progress items 6 has increased or decreased compared to a replenishment request value corresponding to the quantity of work-in-progress items 6 that needs to be replenished.

[0043] In addition, the production management determination unit 35 determines whether or not a first quantity of raw materials or work in progress matches a required quantity (recipe) corresponding to a second quantity of a product produced from the raw materials or work in progress. In addition, the production management determination unit 35 can determine whether or not an actual time matches a scheduled work time.

[0044] Furthermore, the production management determination unit 35 can determine whether or not there is a defect in the raw materials, work in progress, or product in the image captured by the imaging unit 7.

[0045] When the production management determination unit 35 determines that the weight measurement value has increased or decreased compared to the replenishment request value, the replenishment notification unit 36 ​​automatically notifies, for example, the display device 5, of replenishment information for the work in progress 6. The display device 5 receives and displays the replenishment information notified from the replenishment notification unit 36.

[0046] The replenishment notification unit 36 ​​can automatically notify the display device 5 or the like of replenishment information for work in progress 6 in the Kanban system. The replenishment notification unit 36 ​​can also automatically notify the display device 5 or the like of replenishment information for work in progress 6 in the Gantt chart system. Here, a Gantt chart is a type of table used for process management in project management, production management, and the like, and refers to a type of bar graph used to visually represent a production plan. Note that the notification system of the production management system 1 according to this embodiment is not limited to the Kanban system and the Gantt chart system.

[0047] The quantity calculation unit 37 calculates the required quantities (recipe) of raw materials or work-in-progress required to produce one or multiple products.

[0048] The work time calculation unit 38 calculates the actual work time by calculating the difference between the time when a first quantity of raw materials or work-in-progress decreases and the time when a second quantity of a product produced from the raw materials or work-in-progress increases.

[0049] The weight measurement unit 2 can transmit the weight measurement value to the production management unit 3 periodically or when there is a change in the weight of the work in progress 6. In addition, the weight measurement unit 2 can generate an alert when the weight measurement value increases or decreases compared to the replenishment request value.

[0050] <4. Visualization of production management> Next, production management that grasps and "visualizes" problems (bottlenecks) such as work efficiency and defects in work processes using the production management system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 4 to Fig. 8. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of production management according to this embodiment.

[0051] 4, as an example, the production management system 1 arranges weight measurement mats 201 and 202 on the carry-in side (In side) of raw materials, parts, work-in-progress 6, etc. in a certain work process A. The production management system 1 also arranges weight measurement mat 203 on the carry-out side (Out side) of work-in-progress 6, finished products, etc. in the work process A.

[0052] Furthermore, the production management system 1 has imaging units 701 and 702 arranged on the carry-in side (In side) of the work process A to capture images of raw materials, parts, work in progress 6, etc. Furthermore, the production management system 1 has imaging unit 703 arranged on the carry-out side (Out side) of the work process A to capture images of work in progress 6, finished products, etc. The imaging units 701, 702, and 703 can capture images of objects placed on the weight measurement mat 201, weight measurement mat 202, and weight measurement mat 203, respectively.

[0053] In the production management system 1, by arranging the weight measurement mats 201, 202, and 203, and the imaging units 701, 702, and 703 as described above, problems such as work efficiency and defects in the work process are grasped and "visualized." This enables the production management system 1 to identify bottlenecks in real time.

[0054] Specifically, first, as shown in Fig. 5, a "recipe" deviation can be grasped. For example, in a work process A, one part a1 placed on weight measurement mat 201 is carried in, and two parts b1 and b2 placed on weight measurement mat 202 are carried in, and one product X1 is produced. At this time, if the production plan (recipe) dictates that one work-in-progress X is produced from one part a and one part b, a defect has occurred in part b. These are confirmed in real time by the weight measurement mat and the imaging unit.

[0055] In this way, the production management system 1 checks the increase or decrease in the quantity on the carry-in side and the carry-out side of each process and the difference in the recipe in real time. This makes it possible to grasp the possibility that the work in progress 6 etc. is lost or defective if the quantity on the carry-in side is too much or too little. Also, if the quantity on the carry-out side is insufficient, it makes it possible to grasp the possibility that the work in progress 6 etc. is defective. Furthermore, it is also possible to prevent mix-ups of the work in progress 6 etc.

[0056] Secondly, the actual production time of each process can be grasped as shown in Fig. 6. For example, in work process A, one part a1 placed on weight measurement mat 201 is carried in at 13:24, one part b1 placed on weight measurement mat 202 is carried in at 13:26, and one product X1 is produced at 14:13. At this time, by calculating the difference between the carrying-in time of the last carried-in part b1 and the time when product X1 is carried out and placed on weight measurement mat 203, it is found that the actual work time of work process A is 43 minutes.

[0057] In this way, the production management system 1 measures the time when inventory at the weight measuring unit 2 on the loading side of each process increases or decreases, measures the time when inventory at the weight measuring unit 2 on the unloading side increases or decreases, and calculates the difference between these, thereby enabling the production management system 1 to grasp the actual working time of each process.

[0058] Furthermore, by calculating the difference between the time when part a1 was delivered and the time when part b1 was delivered, it is possible to know whether there is a defect or the like in the work on the delivery side.

[0059] Thirdly, it is possible to grasp the gap with the production plan, as shown in Fig. 7. For example, in the production plan for operation process A, one part a1 placed on weight measurement mat 201 is carried in at 13:20, one part b1 placed on weight measurement mat 202 is also carried in at 13:20, and one product X1 is placed on weight measurement mat 201 and carried out at 14:20, 60 minutes after the carrying in of these parts.

[0060] In contrast, suppose that the actual work time is as follows: one part a1 placed on the weight measurement mat 201 is brought in at 13:24, one part b1 placed on the weight measurement mat 202 is brought in at 13:40, and one product X1 is placed on the weight measurement mat 201 and taken out at 14:50, 70 minutes after the last part b1 is brought in.

[0061] In this case, at the delivery side, the time to deliver part b1 is delayed by a maximum of 20 minutes from the production plan, and at work process A, the time to deliver is delayed by 10 minutes from the production plan, resulting in a total delay of 30 minutes from the time one product X1 is placed on the weight measurement mat 201 and delivered.

[0062] In this way, the production management system 1 can compare the scheduled time in the production plan of the weight measuring unit 2 on the unloading side with the actual work time, and measure whether there is a delay in real time. In addition, it can identify the location of the delay in real time and immediately pursue the cause.

[0063] Furthermore, by calculating the difference between the time when part a1 is delivered and the time when part a1 is delivered in the production plan, it is possible to know whether there is a defect or the like in the work process of each part.

[0064] Next, an example of a screen for visualizing and displaying the progress of a production process in order to identify the causes of defects and the like in the production process in real time from the movement of things will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a display screen for visualizing and displaying the progress of a production process according to this embodiment.

[0065] As shown in Fig. 8, it is possible to visualize and compare production plans and work results, and to visualize work times and the occurrence of delays and stagnation. This makes it possible to grasp problems in the manufacturing lanes in real time. In addition, bottlenecks can be visualized from trouble data and used immediately for improvements.

[0066] In the production management system 1, instead of using weight measurement mat 201, weight measurement mat 202, and weight measurement mat 203 to measure the weight and actual work time of raw materials, work in progress, and products produced from the raw materials or work in progress, imaging units 701, 702, and 703 can capture images of the raw materials, work in progress, and products produced from the raw materials or work in progress.

[0067] Furthermore, by analyzing the images captured by the imaging units 701, 702, and 703, it is possible to ascertain defects in the shape and color of the captured object.

[0068] <5. Production management method> Next, an example of a production management method for managing a production process using the production management system 1 will be described.

[0069] In step 1, the quantity calculation section 37 of the production management section 3 calculates the required quantities of raw materials or work-in-progress required to produce one or more products.

[0070] In step 2, the weight measuring unit 2 measures the weight, which is a first quantity, of the raw material or work in progress.

[0071] In step 3, the weight measurement unit 2 measures the weight, which is the second quantity, of the product produced from the raw materials or the work in progress.

[0072] In step S4, the production control determination section 35 of the production control unit 3 determines whether the measured first quantity and the required quantity corresponding to the second quantity match or not.

[0073] In step S5, if the first quantity and the required quantity corresponding to the second quantity match (YES), the display device 5, which is the result notification unit, notifies the user, worker, etc. of the determination result that there are no particular problems.

[0074] In step S6, if the first quantity does not match the required quantity corresponding to the second quantity (if NO), the display device 5, which is the result notification unit, notifies the user, worker, etc. of the determination that a problem such as a malfunction has occurred.

[0075] The above production management method can be executed by a computer using a production management program.

[0076] According to the production management system 1 of this embodiment, it is determined whether the first quantity matches the required quantity corresponding to the second quantity, and the result is notified, so that by visualizing work efficiency and defects, recipe deviations can be grasped in real time.

[0077] In addition, according to the production management system 1, the difference between the time when the first quantity decreased and the time when the second quantity increased is calculated and the result is notified, so that by visualizing work efficiency and defects, the actual production time of each process can be grasped in real time.

[0078] In addition, the production management system 1 determines whether the calculated actual time matches the planned work time and notifies the result, so that by visualizing work efficiency and problems, it is possible to grasp the gap with the production plan in real time.

[0079] <Second embodiment> Next, production management according to a second embodiment of the present invention, which grasps and "visualizes" problems (bottlenecks) such as work efficiency and defects in work processes, will be described with reference to Fig. 9 to Fig. 11. Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of production management according to this embodiment. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it can be applied to production management not only for one process, but also between multiple processes or between multiple companies.

[0080] 9, as an example, the production management system 1 according to this embodiment places a weight measurement mat 211 on the carry-out side (Out side) of work in progress 6, finished products, etc. in a certain work process A. Also, the production management system 1 places a weight measurement mat 212 on the carry-in side (In side) of raw materials, parts, work in progress 6, etc. in a work process B that is a process following work process A.

[0081] Furthermore, the production management system 1 according to this embodiment has an imaging unit 711 arranged on the carry-out side (Out side) of work process A, which images the work in progress 6, finished products, etc. Also, the production management system 1 has an imaging unit 712 arranged on the carry-in side (In side) of work process B, which images the raw materials, parts, work in progress 6, etc. The imaging units 711 and 712 can capture images of the objects placed on the weight measurement mat 211 and the weight measurement mat 212, respectively.

[0082] The production management system 1 of this embodiment can determine whether or not there is a stagnation in the movement of goods between two specified processes by increasing the number of measurement points by placing the weight measurement unit 2 at places other than the loading and unloading sides of each process and identifying bottleneck locations to improve production efficiency.

[0083] Specifically, firstly, the presence or absence of stagnation between processes can be identified as shown in Fig. 10. For example, suppose that the quantity of products X1 placed on the weight measurement mat 211 on the carry-out side (Out side) of work process A changes over time from 4 pcs. to 1 pc. to 3 pcs. Also, suppose that the quantity of products X1 placed on the weight measurement mat 212 on the carry-in side (In side) of work process B changes over time from 2 pcs. to 5 pcs. to 0 pcs. At this time, these quantities and the amount of change are measured in real time.

[0084] In the production management system 1 according to this embodiment, if the fluctuation in the inventory quantity between the weight measurement mat 211 on the carry-out side of the front-end process A and the weight measurement mat 212 on the carry-in side of the rear-end process B falls within a certain range between the two processes of the front-end process A and the rear-end process B, it can be determined that there is no stagnation. In this case, if there is excess inventory on the carry-out side of the front-end process A, it can be determined that the movement of goods is stagnating, the production capacity of the rear-end process B is low, or excessive expected production is being carried out in the front-end process A.

[0085] Secondly, as shown in Fig. 11, by increasing the number of measurement points by the weight measurement unit 2, the location of stagnation can be specified in detail. For example, in the production management system 1 according to this embodiment, a work process C is set up between a previous work process A and a subsequent work process B. In addition to a weight measurement mat 211 placed on the carry-out side (Out side) of work process A and a weight measurement mat 212 placed on the carry-in side (In side) of work process B, a weight measurement mat 213 and a weight measurement mat 214 are placed on the carry-in side (In side) and carry-out side (Out side) of work process C, respectively.

[0086] In this embodiment, when it is determined that there is stagnation between work process A and work process B, weight measurement mats 213 and 214 are placed on the carry-in side (In side) and carry-out side (Out side) of work process C between work process A and work process B, respectively, thereby making it possible to specify in more detail, for example, that there is stagnation between work process A and work process C. Note that the number of measurement points is not limited to one, and may be two or more.

[0087] In this way, by placing more weight measuring units 2 between the two processes, front-end process A and back-end process B, where stagnation is thought to exist, and increasing the number of measurement points, and gradually narrowing the range, it is possible to pinpoint the exact location of the stagnation. This makes it possible to improve stagnation by adjusting capacity and moving things smoothly, thereby improving production efficiency and improving the accuracy of the plan itself.

[0088] In the production management system 1 according to this embodiment, stagnation is identified by comparing the quantities of objects placed on the weight measurement mats on the carry-out side of the previous process A and the carry-in side of the subsequent process B, but this is not limiting, and stagnation may be identified using either the carry-in side and carry-out side of the previous process A or the carry-in side and carry-out side of the subsequent process B. Note that the display screen of FIG. 8 can also be used in the production management system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0089] Also, in the production management system 1 according to this embodiment, instead of measuring the weight and actual work time of raw materials, work in progress, and products produced from the raw materials or work in progress with the weight measurement mat 211 and the weight measurement mat 212, images of the raw materials, work in progress, and products produced from the raw materials or work in progress can be captured with the imaging units 711 and 712. Furthermore, by analyzing the images captured by the imaging units 711 and 712, defects in the shape and color of the captured objects can be identified.

[0090] According to the production management system 1 of this embodiment, by determining the movement of objects between multiple processes, it is possible to determine whether or not there is stagnation in the movement of objects between two specified processes among the multiple processes.

[0091] Furthermore, the production management system 1 of this embodiment can identify stagnation points in the movement of goods between two specified processes in more detail by increasing the number of measurement points by arranging the weight measurement unit 2 at locations other than the loading and unloading sides of each process and identifying bottleneck locations to improve production efficiency.

[0092] The present invention can have the following configurations. (1) a quantity measuring unit that measures a first quantity of raw materials or work in progress and a second quantity of a product produced from the raw materials or work in progress; a quantity calculation unit that calculates a required quantity of raw materials or work-in-progress required to produce one or more of the products; a determination unit that determines whether the first quantity measured by the quantity measuring unit and the required quantity corresponding to the second quantity measured by the quantity measuring unit are the same; a result notification unit that notifies the result of the determination made by the determination unit; A production management system equipped with: (2) a quantity measuring unit that measures a time when a first quantity of a raw material or a work in progress is decreased and a time when a second quantity of a product produced from the raw material or the work in progress is increased; a task time calculation unit that calculates a difference between a time when the first quantity is decreased and a time when the second quantity is increased, thereby calculating an actual task time; a result notification unit that notifies a result calculated by the operation time calculation unit; A production management system equipped with: (3) a quantity measuring unit that measures a time when a first quantity of a raw material or a work in progress is decreased and a time when a second quantity of a product produced from the raw material or the work in progress is increased; a task time calculation unit that calculates a difference between a time when the first quantity is decreased and a time when the second quantity is increased, thereby calculating an actual task time; a determination unit that determines whether the actual time calculated by the operation time calculation unit matches a scheduled operation time; a result notification unit that notifies the result of the determination made by the determination unit; A production management system equipped with: (4) The quantity measuring unit, A first quantity measuring unit is arranged on the side where the raw materials or the work-in-progress are carried in and measures the first quantity; A second quantity measuring unit is disposed on the output side of the product and measures the second quantity; a third quantity measuring unit disposed between the first quantity measuring unit and the second quantity measuring unit, the third quantity measuring unit measuring the first quantity or the second quantity; The production management system according to any one of (1) to (3), comprising: (5) The production management system according to (4), wherein the quantity measuring unit has a plurality of the third quantity measuring units. (6) the quantity measuring unit has a first weight measuring unit that measures a weight of a raw material or a work in progress, and a second weight measuring unit that measures a weight of a product produced from the raw material or the work in progress, The production management system according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the determination unit determines whether the first quantity corresponding to the weight measurement value measured by the first weight measuring unit and the required quantity corresponding to the second quantity corresponding to the weight measurement value measured by the second weight measuring unit are the same or different. (7) An imaging unit that captures images of the raw materials or the work in progress, and a product produced from the raw materials or the work in progress, The production management system according to (6), wherein the judgment unit judges whether or not there is a defect in the raw materials, the work in progress, or the product in the image captured by the imaging unit. (8) the quantity measuring unit has an imaging unit that measures the first quantity and the second quantity, The production management system according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the determination unit determines whether the first quantity measured by the imaging unit and the required quantity corresponding to the second quantity measured by the imaging unit are the same or different. (9) The imaging unit captures images of the raw materials or the work-in-progress, and a product produced from the raw materials or the work-in-progress, The production management system according to (8), wherein the judgment unit judges whether or not there is a defect in the raw materials, the work in progress, or the product in the image captured by the imaging unit. (10) calculating a required quantity of raw materials or work-in-process required to produce one or more products; measuring a first quantity of the raw material or the work in progress; measuring a second quantity of a product produced from the raw material or the work in progress; determining whether the measured first quantity and the required quantity corresponding to the measured second quantity are equal; a step of notifying the result of the determination; Production management methods including. (11) On the computer, calculating a required quantity of raw materials or work-in-process required to produce one or more products; measuring a first quantity of the raw material or the work in progress; measuring a second quantity of a product produced from the raw material or the work in progress; determining whether the measured first quantity and the required quantity corresponding to the measured second quantity are equal; a step of notifying the result of the determination; A production management program that executes the above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] 1 Production management system 2. Weight measurement section (quantity measurement section) 3. Production Management Department 4. Network 5 Display device (result notification section) 6 Work in progress 7. Imaging section 20. Cabinet 21 Matt Communication Department 22 Mat Control Unit 23 Mat Memory Unit 24 Weight Sensor 25 Measurement button 26 Lamp 27 Battery compartment 28 Measurement frequency setting 29 Destination IP address setting 31 Production Management Control Department 32 Production Management Input Department 33 Production Management Memory Department 34 Replenishment request section 35 Production Management Judgment Department 36 Replenishment Notification Department 37 Quantity Calculation Department 38 Working time calculation section 201-203, 211-214 Weight measurement section 701~703, 711, 712 Imaging section

Claims

1. a quantity measuring unit that measures a first quantity of raw materials or work in progress and a second quantity of a product produced from the raw materials or work in progress; a quantity calculation unit that calculates a required quantity of raw materials or work-in-progress required to produce one or more of the products; a determination unit that determines whether the first quantity measured by the quantity measuring unit and the required quantity corresponding to the second quantity measured by the quantity measuring unit are equal to each other; a result notification unit that notifies the result of the determination made by the determination unit; A production management system that includes:

2. a quantity measuring unit that measures a time during which a first quantity of a raw material or a work-in-progress is decreased and a time during which a second quantity of a product produced from the raw material or the work-in-progress is increased; a task time calculation unit that calculates a difference between a time when the first quantity is decreased and a time when the second quantity is increased, thereby calculating an actual task time; a result notification unit that notifies a result calculated by the operation time calculation unit; A production management system that includes:

3. a quantity measuring unit that measures a time during which a first quantity of a raw material or a work-in-progress is decreased and a time during which a second quantity of a product produced from the raw material or the work-in-progress is increased; a task time calculation unit that calculates a difference between a time when the first quantity is decreased and a time when the second quantity is increased, thereby calculating an actual task time; a determination unit that determines whether the actual time calculated by the operation time calculation unit matches a scheduled operation time; a result notification unit that notifies the result of the determination made by the determination unit; A production management system that includes:

4. The quantity measuring unit, A first quantity measuring unit is disposed on a carry-in side of the raw materials or the work-in-progress and measures the first quantity; a second quantity measuring unit arranged on a delivery side of the product and configured to measure the second quantity; a third quantity measuring unit disposed between the first quantity measuring unit and the second quantity measuring unit, the third quantity measuring unit measuring the first quantity or the second quantity; The production management system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

5. The production management system according to claim 4 , wherein the quantity measuring section includes a plurality of the third quantity measuring sections.

6. the quantity measuring unit has a first weight measuring unit that measures a weight of a raw material or a work in progress, and a second weight measuring unit that measures a weight of a product produced from the raw material or the work in progress, 6. The production management system according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether or not the first quantity corresponding to the weight measurement value measured by the first weight measurement unit and the required quantity corresponding to the second quantity corresponding to the weight measurement value measured by the second weight measurement unit are the same.

7. An imaging unit that captures images of the raw materials or the work in progress, and a product produced from the raw materials or the work in progress, The production management system according to claim 6 , wherein the determining unit determines whether or not there is a defect in the raw material, the work in progress, or the product in the image captured by the imaging unit.

8. the quantity measuring unit has an imaging unit that measures the first quantity and the second quantity, 6. The production management system according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether the first quantity measured by the imaging unit and the required quantity corresponding to the second quantity measured by the imaging unit match each other.

9. The imaging unit captures images of the raw materials or the work in progress, and a product produced from the raw materials or the work in progress, The production management system according to claim 8 , wherein the determining unit determines whether or not there is a defect in the raw material, the work in progress, or the product in the image captured by the imaging unit.

10. calculating a required quantity of raw materials or work-in-process required to produce one or more products; measuring a first quantity of the raw material or the work in progress; measuring a second quantity of a product produced from the raw material or the work in progress; determining whether the measured first quantity and the required quantity corresponding to the measured second quantity are equal; a step of notifying the result of the determination; Production management methods including.

11. On the computer, calculating a required quantity of raw materials or work-in-process required to produce one or more products; measuring a first quantity of the raw material or the work in progress; measuring a second quantity of a product produced from the raw material or the work in progress; determining whether the measured first quantity and the required quantity corresponding to the measured second quantity are equal; a step of notifying the result of the determination; A production management program that executes the above.

Images