Material information management system and review support method

Abstract

To support the acquisition of certification or the determination of appropriateness of compliance with regulations for materials.SOLUTION: A material information management system is accessibly connected to a database that stores material data including attribute values related to physical properties of materials and process data including attribute values related to manufacturing processes of the materials, manages review information defined from multiple requirements for the attribute values, uses material data and process data related to an object material to determine the conformity of each of the multiple requirements of an object review, and, if all requirements are met, adds information indicating the passing of the review to the material data corresponding to the object material, and, if an attribute value required for determining the requirement is missing for at least one requirement, presents proposal information indicating a method for resolving the missing attribute value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This relates to technology to support the review of certification for materials such as recycled resins. [Background technology]

[0002] A known example similar to the present invention is Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 discloses a system that, when a parts supplier adds a chemical substance to a material, refers to a restriction list defined by a company upstream in the supply chain, and, if the chemical substance in question is included in the restricted substances, does not accept the proposal to add the target substance and rejects the proposal. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-182767 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In addition to regulations and certifications stipulated by manufacturers, there are also those stipulated by public agencies or third-party organizations. For example, by obtaining various certifications for materials that are products, the value of the materials can be increased and the trading market can be expanded.

[0005] However, it requires a lot of work for the supplier to understand the contents of the examination for obtaining certification or the examination for determining compliance with regulations, and to prepare the information required for the examination.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a system for supporting the acquisition of certification for materials or the determination of compliance with regulations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A representative example of the invention disclosed in the present application is as follows: That is, a material information management system includes a processor and a storage device connected to the processor, is accessible to a database storing material data including attribute values ​​related to the physical properties of a material and process data including attribute values ​​related to a manufacturing process of the material, and manages information on an examination defined from a plurality of requirements for the attribute values, the examination being at least one of an examination for obtaining any certification and an examination for determining the suitability of any regulation, the processor uses the material data and the process data related to a target material to determine the conformity of each of the plurality of requirements of a target examination, and when all the requirements are satisfied, provides information indicating the passing of the examination to the material data corresponding to the target material, and when an attribute value required for determining the requirement is missing for at least one of the requirements, presents suggested information indicating a method of dealing with the missing attribute value. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to assist in obtaining certification for materials or determining compliance with regulations. Problems, configurations and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a system configuration according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of a computer constituting the material information management system of the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of material property information in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of process information in the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of process BOM information according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of transaction history information in the first embodiment. [Figure 7]FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of examination information according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of examination information according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of adjustment information according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram illustrating a process flow of the system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen presented by the material information management system of the first embodiment. [Figure 12] 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a transaction price prediction process executed by a transaction price prediction unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 13A] 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a requirement determination process executed by a requirement determination unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 13B] 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a requirement determination process executed by a requirement determination unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 13C] 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a requirement determination process executed by a requirement determination unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 14] 1 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process executed by a material performance prediction unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 15] 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process executed by a handling determining unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 16] 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of proposal information generated by a handling determining unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 17A] 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process executed by an adjustment unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 17B] 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process executed by an adjustment unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram illustrating a process flow of the system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen presented by the material information management system of the first embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram illustrating a process flow of the system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen presented by the material information management system of the first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not to be interpreted as being limited to the description of the embodiment shown below. It will be easily understood by those skilled in the art that the specific configuration can be changed without departing from the concept or purpose of the present invention.

[0011] In the configurations of the invention described below, the same or similar configurations or functions are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations are omitted.

[0012] In this specification, the terms "first," "second," "third," and the like are used to identify components and do not necessarily limit the number or order.

[0013] In order to facilitate understanding of the invention, the position, size, shape, range, etc. of each component shown in the drawings, etc. may not represent the actual position, size, shape, range, etc. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the position, size, shape, range, etc. disclosed in the drawings, etc. EXAMPLES

[0014] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system according to the embodiment 1. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of a computer constituting the material information management system according to the embodiment 1.

[0015] The system is composed of a material information management system 100, a material database 110, a master database 120, and terminals 130 and 140. The material information management system 100 is connected to the material database 110 and the master database 120 directly or via a network (not shown). The material information management system 100 is also connected to the terminal 130 via network 150, and to the terminal 140 via network 160.

[0016] The network 150 and the network 160 may be integrated into one network. The material database 110 and the master database 120 may exist in the material information management system 100. The material database 110 and the master database 120 may be managed as one database.

[0017] The material database 110 is a database that stores information about materials manufactured by suppliers. In this embodiment, the material is assumed to be recycled plastic. The material database 110 stores material property information 111 for managing the physical properties of the material, as well as process information 112 and process BOM information 113 for managing the manufacturing process and raw materials of the material. The material database 110 also stores transaction history information 114 for managing the transaction history.

[0018] In the following description, the material property information 111, the process information 112, and the process BOM information 113 will be collectively referred to as material information.

[0019] The master database 120 is a database that stores information used for various information processing. The master database 120 stores review information 121, inspection information 122, adjustment information 123, and model information 124. The review information 121 is information for managing an inspection for obtaining certification or an inspection for determining compliance with regulations. The inspection information 122 is information for managing an inspection for obtaining values ​​of attributes (attribute values) required for the inspection. The adjustment information 123 is information for managing adjustable attributes. The model information 124 is information for managing a prediction model for predicting the physical properties of an arbitrary material. For example, the prediction model is a Bayesian linear regression model in which information on raw materials and manufacturing processes are explanatory variables and the physical properties of the material are objective variables. It is assumed that the learning of the prediction model has been performed in advance.

[0020] The inspection is defined by a number of requirements related to attribute values. In this embodiment, if all the requirements are met, the inspection is deemed to have been passed. In other words, if all the requirements are met, certification can be obtained or it can be determined that the inspection is compliant. The inspection includes inspections stipulated by public institutions and specialized institutions, and inspections stipulated by third parties such as product manufacturers. The inspection may be conducted at a timing requested by the supplier or product manufacturer, or may be conducted periodically. In addition, the material to be inspected may be directly specified by the supplier or product manufacturer. For example, when the product manufacturer requests information on the inspection that the acquired material has passed, the mass production period of the product is the subject of the inspection.

[0021] In this embodiment, it is assumed that the material is inspected when the material is supplied or when a manufacturing plan for the material is designed. Note that the inspection to be performed and the execution timing can be changed arbitrarily.

[0022] The material information management system 100 manages material information and transaction history, and also executes various processes using the material information and transaction history. In this embodiment, the material information management system 100 performs material review.

[0023] The material information management system 100 includes a computer 200 as shown in Fig. 2. The computer 200 includes a processor 201, a network interface 202, a main storage device 203, and a sub storage device 204.

[0024] Moreover, the material information management system 100 has, as functional units (modules), a transaction price prediction unit 101, a requirements determination unit 102, a material performance prediction unit 103, a measure determination unit 104, an adjustment unit 105, and an input / output unit 106. With regard to each functional unit of the material information management system 100, multiple functional units may be integrated into one functional unit, or one functional unit may be divided into multiple functional units for each function.

[0025] The material information management system 100 may be realized as an on-premise system of a supplier.

[0026] The terminal 130 is a terminal operated by a user of a supplier who produces materials. The user uses the terminal 130 to register and acquire material information and transaction history. The user also uses the terminal 130 to select an examination to be performed and materials to be examined.

[0027] The terminal 140 is a terminal operated by a user of a product manufacturer that manufactures products using materials produced by a supplier. The user uses the terminal 140 to obtain information on materials that have passed a predetermined inspection.

[0028] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of the material property information 111 according to the first embodiment.

[0029] The material property information 111 stores records (material data) including attribute values ​​related to the properties of materials. One record exists for one material. The material property information 111 may include records of raw materials and additives used to manufacture the material, in addition to records of materials provided to product manufacturers.

[0030] 3 includes material ID 301, shape 302, total weight 303, type 304, procurement price 305, recycled material rate 306, MFR performance 307, bending strength performance 308, and inspection ID 309. Note that the fields included in the record are merely examples and are not limited to these. Record fields can be added and deleted as appropriate.

[0031] Material ID 301 is a field that stores an ID for uniquely managing a material. Shape 302 is a field that stores the shape of the material. Total weight 303 is a field that stores the total weight of the material. Procurement price 305 is a field that stores the transaction price of a material procured from outside. Recycled material rate 306 is a field that stores the usage rate of recycled materials included as raw materials relative to the total weight.

[0032] The MFR performance 307 is a field that stores an index (MFR: Melt mass flow rate) that indicates the fluidity of the material when it is molded. The bending strength performance 308 is a field that stores the bending strength of the material. The MFR performance 307 and the bending strength performance 308 are attributes that represent the physical properties of the material. In the following description, the group of attributes that represent the physical properties of the material will be collectively referred to as material performance.

[0033] The type 304 is a field for storing classification based on the composition of the material or the name of the product. It is preferable that materials of the same type have similar material performance and trading price.

[0034] The examination ID 309 is a field for storing the ID of the examination that was passed.

[0035] In the fields other than the material ID 301, values ​​obtained by recording or inspection in the manufacturing process are stored. Note that some fields of the record may be blank, i.e., some attribute values ​​may be missing. Missing attribute values ​​may be manually input by the user at any time, or may be input based on recording or inspection proposed by the material information management system 100.

[0036] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of the process information 112 according to the first embodiment.

[0037] The process information 112 stores records including attribute values ​​related to the manufacturing process of a material. The records are generated based on the history of the manufacturing process of the material. One record exists for each combination of material and manufacturing process.

[0038] 4 includes a process ID 401, a material ID 402, a process name 403, an input amount 404, a production amount 405, and a loss amount 406. Note that the fields included in the record are merely examples and are not limited to these. Record fields can be added and deleted as appropriate.

[0039] The process ID 401 is a field for storing an ID for uniquely identifying the record. The material ID 402 is a field for storing the ID of the material to be manufactured. The ID is the one set in the material ID 301.

[0040] The process name 403 is a field for storing the name of the manufacturing process. FIG. 4 shows pelletizing and compounding as examples of manufacturing processes. Pelletizing in this embodiment is a process for selecting flake-shaped raw materials obtained by crushing home appliances and the like, and shaping them to manufacture recycled materials in pellet form. Compounding in this embodiment is a process for blending recycled materials and modifying them into materials with the desired performance. The manufacturing process can be set arbitrarily according to the managed object.

[0041] The input amount 404, production amount 405, and loss amount 406 are fields that store the input amount of raw materials in the compound, the production amount of the target material, and the loss amount. The input amount 404, production amount 405, and loss amount 406 of the record corresponding to pelletizing are left blank. In the following explanation, the set of attribute values ​​stored in the input amount 404, production amount 405, and loss amount 406 are referred to as blending information.

[0042] In the fields other than the process ID 401, material ID 402, and process name 403, values ​​obtained from the records in the manufacturing process are stored. Note that some of the fields constituting the blending information may be blank, that is, may have missing attribute values. Missing attribute values ​​may be manually input by the user at any time, or may be input based on the records proposed by the material information management system 100.

[0043] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of the process BOM information 113 according to the first embodiment.

[0044] The process BOM information 113 stores records for managing raw materials used in the manufacturing process of any material. The records are generated based on the history of the manufacturing process of the material. One record exists for each combination of manufacturing process and raw materials.

[0045] 5 includes a process ID 501 and a material ID 502. The process ID 501 is a field that stores the ID of a manufacturing process. The ID is set in the process ID 401. The material ID 502 is a field that stores the ID of a raw material used in the manufacturing process of the material of the record corresponding to the process ID 501. The ID is set in the material ID 301.

[0046] When there are a plurality of records with the same process ID 501, it indicates that the material corresponding to the material ID 502 of each record is mixed as a raw material.

[0047] The process information 112 and the process BOM information 113 may be managed as one piece of information. That is, the manufacturing process and raw materials may be managed as one record (process data).

[0048] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of the transaction history information 114 in the first embodiment.

[0049] The transaction history information 114 stores records for managing the transaction history of materials between the supplier and the product manufacturer. One record exists for the transaction history of one material.

[0050] The record shown in FIG. 6 includes a material ID 601 , a supplier 602 , an inspection ID 603 , a transaction weight 604 , a transaction price 605 , and a transaction unit price 606 .

[0051] Material ID 601 is a field for storing the ID of the material sold to the product manufacturer. The ID is the one set in material ID 301. Supplier 602 is a field for storing information indicating the product manufacturer that sold the material.

[0052] The inspection ID 603 is a field for storing the ID of the inspection that has been passed. When purchasing materials, the product manufacturer specifies the required certification or regulation. The inspection ID 603 stores the ID of the inspection that corresponds to the required certification or regulation.

[0053] The transaction weight 604, the transaction price 605, and the transaction unit price 606 are fields for storing attribute values ​​related to the transaction of materials.

[0054] The supplier user is assumed to register the transaction history in the transaction history information 114 one by one after selling the material to the product manufacturer.

[0055] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of the examination information 121 according to the first embodiment.

[0056] The examination information 121 stores records for managing the contents of examinations. One record exists for one examination requirement.

[0057] The record shown in FIG. 7 includes a review ID 701 , a name 702 , a requirement ID 703 , a requirement 704 , and a target process 705 .

[0058] The inspection ID 701 is a field for storing an ID for uniquely identifying the inspection. The name 702 is a field for storing the name of the certification or regulation.

[0059] Requirement ID 703 is a field that stores the ID of the requirement in the review. Requirement 704 is a field that stores the specific content of the requirement. Target process 705 is a field that stores information indicating the manufacturing process that is the subject of review. The value of process name 403 is stored in target process 705. Note that if all manufacturing processes are subject to review, "ANY" is stored in target process 705.

[0060] The requirement determination unit 102 identifies a record of the process information 112 based on the target process 705, and also identifies a record of the material property information 111 based on the material ID 402 of the entry, and uses the identified set of records to determine the requirements stored in the requirement 704.

[0061] When multiple requirements are defined for one review, the review information 121 includes multiple records with the same review ID 701 .

[0062] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of the examination information 122 according to the first embodiment.

[0063] The inspection information 122 stores records for managing inspections performed to obtain material properties. One record exists for one inspection.

[0064] The record shown in FIG. 8 includes an examination ID 801 , an examination name 802 , an examination cost 803 , and an examination item 804 .

[0065] The inspection ID 801 is a field that stores an ID for uniquely identifying an inspection. The inspection name 802 is a field that stores the name of the inspection. The inspection cost 803 is a field that stores the cost required to perform the inspection. The inspection item 804 is a field that stores the type of material performance that can be obtained by the inspection. The inspection item 804 stores the name of the attribute (field) that corresponds to the material performance.

[0066] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of the data structure of the adjustment information 123 according to the first embodiment.

[0067] The adjustment information 123 stores records for managing the adjustment methods of adjustable attributes, with one record existing for each adjustable attribute.

[0068] The record shown in FIG. 9 includes an adjustment ID 901 , an adjustment item 902 , an adjustment amount 903 , and a target process 904 .

[0069] Adjustment ID 901 is a field that stores an ID for uniquely identifying a record. Adjustment Item 902 is a field that stores the name of an adjustable attribute (field). Adjustment Amount 903 is a field that stores a method for adjusting an attribute value. Target Process 904 is a field that stores a process related to the attribute to be adjusted.

[0070] In this embodiment, when a requirement is not met for a certain attribute, a method for adjusting the attribute value or other attributes related to the attribute in question in order to meet the requirement is presented.

[0071] As an adjustment method, for example, when mixing a material (material 1) having a certain characteristic such as a recycled material with a material (material 2) that does not have that characteristic, there is a method of changing the allocation of the characteristic according to the input amount of the raw material (mass balance).The record shown in Figure 9 shows that when it is desired to raise the recycled material ratio to a target value in any manufacturing process, the value can be raised to the target value by the value (weight) calculated from the formula stored in the adjustment amount 903.

[0072] As an adjustment method, there is also a technique of adjusting the attribute value of the adjustment target by changing the ratio of the materials or additives to be mixed.

[0073] The data stored in the various information described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 9 does not have to be in a record format, and may be in a CSV or XML format.

[0074] Fig. 10 is a sequence diagram for explaining the flow of processing in the system of the embodiment 1. Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a screen presented by the material information management system 100 of the embodiment 1.

[0075] A supplier user operates the terminal 130 to access the material information management system 100 in order to carry out an inspection of a given material (step S1001).

[0076] The input / output unit 106 of the material information management system 100 displays a screen 1100 shown in FIG. 11 on the terminal 130 (step S1002).

[0077] Here, the screen 1100 will be described. The screen 1100 includes an input field 1101 and a display field 1102. The input field 1101 includes input areas 1111 and 1112 and an operation button 1113. The display field 1102 includes display areas 1121, 1122, and 1123. Note that the dotted frames indicating the display areas 1121, 1122, and 1123 are added for the purpose of explanation, and are not displayed on the actual screen.

[0078] The input area 1111 is an area for inputting information for specifying the material to be judged (target material). In this embodiment, the ID of the material is input. The input area 1112 is an area for inputting information for specifying the judgement to be judged (target judgement). In this embodiment, the ID of the judgement is input. The operation button 1113 is an operation button for instructing the execution of processing.

[0079] Display area 1121 is an area that displays the judgment results of the requirements judgment process and the conformance probability. The conformance probability will be described later. Display area 1122 is an area that displays measures to satisfy the requirements. Three measures are displayed in display area 1122. Operation buttons for implementing the measures are displayed for each measure. Display area 1123 is a field that displays the transaction price and expected profit of the material if the inspection is passed, etc.

[0080] The user inputs information about materials and evaluation via the screen 1100 displayed on the terminal 130, and issues an instruction to execute the process (step S1003).

[0081] The input / output unit 106 of the material information management system 100 transmits an execution request including information on the material and the inspection to the transaction price prediction unit 101. The transaction price prediction unit 101 of the material information management system 100 executes a transaction price prediction process to calculate the transaction price when the specified material passes the specified inspection (step S1004).

[0082] Furthermore, the input / output unit 106 of the material information management system 100 transmits an execution request including information on the material and the review to the requirement determination unit 102. The requirement determination unit 102 of the material information management system 100 executes a requirement determination process for determining requirements for the specified review (step S1005). In the requirement determination process, the requirement determination unit 102 executes the process in cooperation with the material performance prediction unit 103, the action determination unit 104, and the adjustment unit 105.

[0083] When the input / output unit 106 of the material information management system 100 receives the processing results from the transaction price prediction unit 101 and the requirement determination unit 102, it calculates the expected profit (step S1006). For example, the expected profit is calculated using formula (1).

[0084]

number

[0085] Here, "conformance profit" is the difference between the transaction unit price of the material when the inspection result is a fail and the transaction unit price of the material when the inspection result is a pass. "Total inspection cost" is the cost of conducting all the proposed inspections to obtain the missing attribute values. "Weight" is the value of the total weight 303 of the record corresponding to the material to be inspected or a value specified by the user.

[0086] The input / output unit 106 of the material information management system 100 displays the results of each process on the screen 1100 (step S1007).

[0087] FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a transaction price prediction process executed by the transaction price prediction unit 101 according to the first embodiment.

[0088] The transaction price prediction unit 101 predicts the transaction price when the target material passes the target inspection, by referring to the material property information 111 and the transaction history information 114. In addition, the transaction price prediction unit 101 calculates the suitable profit and the predicted transaction price based on the prediction result.

[0089] The transaction price prediction unit 101 acquires information on the target material and the target review input via the screen 1100 (step S1201). Here, the IDs of the target material and the target review are acquired.

[0090] The transaction price prediction unit 101 refers to the transaction history information 114 and acquires a transaction history in which the ID of the target material is stored in the material ID 601 (step S1202).

[0091] The transaction price prediction unit 101 calculates the average transaction price in the case where the screening is passed, using the transaction history in which the ID of the target screening is stored in the screening ID 603 (step S1203). The transaction price calculated in step S1203 is described as the first transaction price.

[0092] The transaction price prediction unit 101 calculates the average transaction price when the screening is not passed by using the transaction history in which the ID of the target screening is not stored in the screening ID 603 (step S1204). The transaction price calculated in step S1204 is described as the second transaction price.

[0093] The transaction price prediction unit 101 calculates the suitable profit and the predicted transaction price using the first transaction price and the second transaction price (step S1205). Specifically, the transaction price prediction unit 101 calculates the difference between the first transaction price and the second transaction price as the suitable profit. In addition, the transaction price prediction unit 101 calculates the predicted transaction price by multiplying the first transaction price by the value of the total weight 303.

[0094] In addition, by aggregating the transaction history for each material type or recycled material rate, it is also possible to calculate the suitable profit and the predicted transaction price for each material type and recycled material rate.

[0095] 13A, 13B, and 13C are flowcharts illustrating an example of a requirement determination process executed by the requirement determination unit 102 according to the first embodiment.

[0096] The requirement determination unit 102 determines whether the target material passes the target inspection. If there is a missing attribute value in the determination, the requirement determination unit 102 calls the action decision unit 104. If the determination is unsuccessful but the attribute is adjustable, the requirement determination unit 102 calls the adjustment unit 105.

[0097] The requirement determination unit 102 acquires information on the target material and the target review input via the screen 1100 (step S1301). Here, the IDs of the target material and the target review are acquired.

[0098] The requirement determination unit 102 selects one requirement from among the requirements of the target screening (step S1302).

[0099] The requirement determination unit 102 refers to each piece of information in the material database 110 and determines whether the target material satisfies the selected requirement (step S1303).

[0100] If the requirement is satisfied, the requirement determination unit 102 outputs the determination result "Pass" associated with the requirement ID (step S1304). After that, the requirement determination unit 102 proceeds to step S1310.

[0101] If the requirements are not satisfied, the requirement determination unit 102 determines whether or not a deficiency in the material performance used for determining the requirements is the cause (step S1305).

[0102] If the cause is a missing material property used in determining the requirement, the requirement determination unit 102 outputs a determination result "missing" that associates the requirement ID with the missing material property (step S1306). After that, the requirement determination unit 102 proceeds to step S1310.

[0103] If the cause is not a deficiency in the material performance used to determine the requirement, the requirement determination unit 102 determines whether the attribute used to determine the requirement is an adjustable attribute (step S1307). Specifically, the requirement determination unit 102 determines whether a record in which the name of the attribute used to determine the requirement is stored exists in the adjustment item 902. If the record exists, the requirement determination unit 102 determines that the attribute used to determine the requirement is an adjustable attribute.

[0104] If the attribute used in the requirement determination is an adjustable attribute, the requirement determination unit 102 outputs the determination result "adjustment" associated with the requirement ID (step S1308). After that, the requirement determination unit 102 proceeds to step S1310.

[0105] If the attribute used in the requirement judgment is not an adjustable attribute, the requirement judgment unit 102 outputs the examination result "fail" (step S1309). After that, the requirement judgment unit 102 ends the requirement judgment process.

[0106] In step S1310, the requirement determination section 102 determines whether or not the processing has been completed for all requirements (step S1310).

[0107] If the processing has not been completed for all the requirements, requirement determination section 102 returns to step S1302.

[0108] When the processing has been completed for all the requirements, the requirement determination section 102 determines whether the determination results for all the requirements are "pass" (step S1311).

[0109] If the judgment results of all requirements are "pass", the requirement judgment unit 102 outputs the judgment result "pass" (step S1312). After that, the requirement judgment unit 102 ends the requirement judgment process. In this case, the ID of the designated judgment is stored in the judgment ID 309 of the record of the designated material in the material property information 111.

[0110] If the judgment result of at least one of the requirements is not "pass", the requirement judgment unit 102 judges whether the judgment result includes "missing" (step S1313).

[0111] If the determination result does not include "missing", requirement determination section 102 proceeds to step S1317.

[0112] If the determination result includes "missing", the requirement determination unit 102 calls the material performance prediction unit 103 (step S1314).

[0113] When the requirement determination unit 102 acquires the predicted distribution of the material performance value from the material performance prediction unit 103, it calculates the conformance probability using the predicted distribution (step S1315). Specifically, the requirement determination unit 102 calculates the joint probability distribution when all the requirements are satisfied from the probability of the material performance value satisfying each requirement that is the "missing" judgment result, as the conformance probability.

[0114] The requirement determining section 102 calls the handling determining section 104 (step S1316). After receiving the processing result from the handling determining section 104, the requirement determining section 102 proceeds to step S1317.

[0115] In step S1317, the requirement determination section 102 determines whether the determination result includes "adjustment" (step S1317).

[0116] If the determination result does not include "adjustment", requirement determination section 102 proceeds to step S1319.

[0117] If the determination result includes "adjustment", requirement determination unit 102 calls adjustment unit 105 (step S1318). After receiving the processing result from adjustment unit 105, requirement determination unit 102 proceeds to step S1319.

[0118] In step S1319, the requirement determination unit 102 outputs the examination result "conditionally passed" and various processing results (step S1319). After that, the requirement determination unit 102 ends the requirement determination process.

[0119] The material information management system 100 may wait for a countermeasure such as adding an attribute value or adjusting an attribute value based on the inspection result of the material information to be taken, and then execute the same process again after the countermeasure has been taken.

[0120] It should be noted that the process may take into consideration either the loss or adjustment of material information.

[0121] FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process executed by the material performance prediction unit 103 according to the first embodiment.

[0122] The material performance prediction unit 103 identifies a manufacturing process of the specified material by referring to the process information 112 (step S1401). Specifically, the material performance prediction unit 103 searches for a record in which the ID of the target material is stored in the material ID 402.

[0123] The material performance prediction unit 103 refers to the process BOM information 113 to identify the raw materials used in the identified manufacturing process (step S1402). Specifically, the material performance prediction unit 103 searches for a record in which the ID of the identified manufacturing process is stored in the process ID 501. The material performance prediction unit 103 acquires the value of the material ID 502 of the searched record.

[0124] The material performance prediction unit 103 acquires the record of the raw material from the material property information 111 (step S1403).

[0125] The material performance prediction unit 103 acquires a prediction model for predicting the material performance of the specified material from the model information 124 (step S1404).

[0126] The material performance prediction unit 103 inputs the information on the manufacturing process and the information on the raw materials into the prediction model, and obtains a predicted distribution of the material performance (step S1405).

[0127] Fig. 15 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing executed by the handling determining unit 104 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of proposal information generated by the handling determining unit 104 according to the first embodiment.

[0128] The handling determining unit 104 initializes the proposal information 1600 (Step S1501). The proposal information 1600 stores records having a data structure as shown in Fig. 16. The records include an examination item 1601, an examination ID 1602, and a recommendation score 1603.

[0129] The handling determining unit 104 identifies the material performance having a missing attribute value (Step S1502). Specifically, the handling determining unit 104 acquires information on the material performance associated with the determination result "missing".

[0130] The handling determining unit 104 selects one material performance from the identified material performances (step S1503).

[0131] The handling determining unit 104 refers to the inspection information 122 and identifies an inspection for acquiring the attribute value of the selected material performance (step S1504). Specifically, the handling determining unit 104 searches for a record in which the selected material performance is stored in the inspection item 804.

[0132] The handling determining unit 104 adds records to the proposal information 1600 for the number of identified inspections (step S1505). Specifically, the handling determining unit 104 adds a record in which the material performance is stored in the inspection item 1601 and the value of the inspection ID 801 of the searched record is stored in the inspection ID 1602.

[0133] The handling determining unit 104 determines whether or not the processing has been completed for all the material properties identified in step S1502 (step S1506).

[0134] If the processing has not been completed for all of the material properties identified in step S1502, the handling determining unit 104 returns to step S1503.

[0135] When the processing has been completed for all material performances identified in step S1502, the treatment determining unit 104 obtains the fitness benefit and the fitness probability from the requirement determining unit 102 (step S1507).

[0136] The handling determining unit 104 selects one record of the proposal information 1600 (Step S1508).

[0137] The handling determining unit 104 calculates a recommendation score for the inspection corresponding to the selected record (step S1509). Specifically, the handling determining unit 104 calculates the recommendation score using formula (2). The recommendation score is stored in the recommendation score 1603 of the selected record. Here, the inspection cost is calculated by multiplying the value of the inspection cost 803 by the number or weight of materials.

[0138]

number

[0139] The handling determining unit 104 determines whether or not the processing has been completed for all records in the proposal information 1600 (Step S1510).

[0140] If processing has not been completed for all records in the proposal information 1600, the handling determining unit 104 returns to step S1508.

[0141] When the processing is completed for all records in the proposal information 1600, the handling determining unit 104 determines the handling for acquiring the attribute value of each material performance based on the recommendation score (step S1511). Specifically, the handling determining unit 104 selects the record with the largest recommendation score for each record group having the same inspection item 1601. At this time, the handling determining unit 104 deletes the records not selected from the proposal information 1600.

[0142] 17A and 17B are flowcharts illustrating an example of processing executed by the adjustment unit 105 according to the first embodiment.

[0143] The adjustment unit 105 refers to the adjustment information 123 to identify an adjustment amount calculation method for an adjustable attribute (step S1701). Specifically, the adjustment unit 105 searches for a record in which the adjustment item 902 stores the selected attribute.

[0144] The adjusting unit 105 calculates the adjustment amount based on the specified adjustment amount calculation method using each piece of information in the material database 110 (step S1702). When there are multiple target processes, the adjustment amount is calculated for each target process.

[0145] When the user selects adjustment, the adjustment unit 105 adds a record of the target material to the material property information 111 (step S1751). Here, the existing record of the target material is described as an old record, and the newly added record is described as a new record. The values ​​of the old record are stored in each field of the new record.

[0146] The adjusting unit 105 updates the material ID 402 of the record corresponding to the target material in the process information 112 (step S1752). Specifically, the material ID 402 is overwritten with the value of the material ID 601 of the new record.

[0147] The adjustment unit 105 updates the values ​​of the adjustable attributes of the old record based on the adjustment amount (step S1753). For example, the value of the total weight 303 is overwritten with the adjustment amount, and the other attribute values ​​are overwritten with the target values.

[0148] The adjustment unit 105 updates the values ​​of the adjustable attributes of the new record (step S1754). For example, the adjustment unit 105 replaces the value of the total weight 303 with a value obtained by subtracting the adjustment amount from the current value, and replaces the other attribute values ​​with the remainders relative to the target values.

[0149] Let's take the example of the recycled content percentage as an adjustable attribute. Suppose the total weight of a material with a recycled content percentage of 20% is 100. To obtain a material with a target recycled content percentage of 40%, the adjustment amount is 50, and the remainder is 50 materials with a recycled content percentage of 0%.

[0150] By using the process described in Fig. 10, the supplier can check whether the material has passed the inspection by inputting only the material and the inspection ID. In addition, if there are missing attribute values ​​used to judge the requirements, or if there are attribute values ​​that can be adjusted to pass the inspection, the inspection can be supported by presenting how to deal with the problem. In addition, the supplier can determine whether or not it is necessary to take measures to pass the inspection based on the profit that includes the cost required for the measures.

[0151] Fig. 18 is a sequence diagram illustrating the flow of processing in the system of the embodiment 1. Fig. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a screen presented by the material information management system 100 of the embodiment 1.

[0152] A supplier user operates the terminal 130 to access the material information management system 100 in order to create a manufacturing plan for a given material (step S1801).

[0153] The input / output unit 106 of the material information management system 100 displays a screen 1900 shown in FIG. 19 on the terminal 130 (step S1802).

[0154] Here, the screen 1900 will be described. The screen 1900 includes an input field 1901 and a display field 1902. The input field 1901 includes input areas 1911, 1912, 1913, and 1914, and an operation button 1915. The display field 1902 includes display areas 1921, 1922, and 1923. Note that the dotted frames indicating the display areas 1921, 1922, and 1923 are added for the purpose of explanation, and are not displayed on the actual screen.

[0155] The input area 1911 is an area for inputting information for specifying the material to be manufactured. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the ID of the material is input. The input area 1912 is an area for inputting information for specifying the examination to be judged. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the ID of the examination is input. The input area 1913 is an area for inputting information for specifying the raw material. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the ID of the material is input. The input area 1913 can be added by operating the add button. The input area 1914 is an area for inputting information for specifying the manufacturing method of the material. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the ID of the manufacturing method is input. The input area 1914 can be added by operating the add button. The operation button 1915 is an operation button for instructing the execution of a process.

[0156] Display area 1921 is an area that displays the judgment results of the requirements judgment process and the probability of conformance. Display area 1922 is an area that displays countermeasures for satisfying the requirements. Three countermeasures are displayed in display area 1922. Since production has not yet commenced, there are no operation buttons for the countermeasures. Display area 1923 is a field that displays the transaction price and expected profit of the material if the inspection is passed, etc.

[0157] The user inputs information on the production and inspection of materials via the screen 1100 displayed on the terminal 130, and issues an instruction to execute the process (step S1803).

[0158] The input / output unit 106 of the material information management system 100 transmits an execution request including information on the production and inspection of the material to the transaction price prediction unit 101. The transaction price prediction unit 101 of the material information management system 100 executes a transaction price prediction process to calculate the transaction price when the specified material passes the specified inspection (step S1804).

[0159] The material performance prediction unit 103 of the material information management system 100 predicts the material performance using information related to the manufacture of the material (step S1805). Specifically, the material performance prediction unit 103 predicts the material performance by inputting the information related to the manufacture of the material into a prediction model.

[0160] Furthermore, the input / output unit 106 of the material information management system 100 transmits an execution request including information on the material and the review to the requirement determination unit 102. The requirement determination unit 102 of the material information management system 100 executes a requirement determination process for determining the requirements of the specified review (step S1806). In the requirement determination process, the requirement determination unit 102 executes the process in cooperation with the material performance prediction unit 103, the action determination unit 104, and the adjustment unit 105. Note that here, the prediction result of the material performance and information on the manufacture of the material are used. The requirement determination process is the same as the process described above.

[0161] When the input / output unit 106 of the material information management system 100 receives the processing results from the transaction price prediction unit 101 and the requirement determination unit 102, it calculates the expected profit (step S1807). For example, the expected profit is calculated using formula (3). Note that, when the processing of the adjustment unit 105 is being executed, the adjustment is also taken into account in calculating the profit. In this case, an appropriate combination of surplus weight and remaining weight is used.

[0162]

number

[0163] Here, the pre-inspection unit price is the unit price of the material when no inspection is performed, and the residual weight is the remainder after adjusting the weight.

[0164] The input / output unit 106 of the material information management system 100 displays the results of each process on the screen 1900 (step S1808).

[0165] 18, the supplier can procure raw materials, select a manufacturing method, and select a measure to pass the inspection, taking into account the profit of the material to be manufactured. That is, the supplier can support the design of the manufacturing plan.

[0166] Fig. 20 is a sequence diagram illustrating the flow of processing in the system of the embodiment 1. Fig. 21 is a diagram showing an example of a screen presented by the material information management system 100 of the embodiment 1.

[0167] A user of a product manufacturer operates the terminal 140 to access the material information management system 100 in order to confirm information on material certification or regulations obtained from a supplier (step S2001).

[0168] The input / output unit 106 of the material information management system 100 displays a screen 2100 shown in FIG. 21 on the terminal 140 (step S2002).

[0169] Here, the screen 2100 will be described. The screen 2100 includes an input field 2101 and a display field 2102. The input field 2101 includes input areas 2111 and 2112 and an operation button 2113. The display field 2102 includes display areas 2121 and 2122. Note that the dotted frames indicating the display areas 2121 and 2122 are added for the purpose of explanation, and are not displayed on the actual screen.

[0170] The input area 2111 is an area for inputting information for specifying the material to be checked. In this embodiment, the ID of the material is input. The input area 2112 is an area for inputting information for specifying the inspection corresponding to the certification or regulation to be checked. In this embodiment, the ID of the inspection is input. The operation button 2113 is an operation button for instructing the execution of processing.

[0171] The display area 2121 is an area for displaying information related to the results and requirements of the examination, while the display area 2122 is an area for displaying information related to the material.

[0172] The user inputs information about materials and evaluation via a screen 2100 displayed on the terminal 140, and issues an instruction to execute the process (step S2003).

[0173] The input / output unit 106 of the material information management system 100 executes an information acquisition process for acquiring information to be presented to the user (step S2004). Specifically, the following process is executed.

[0174] (S2004-1) The input / output unit 106 acquires information on requirements for a specified examination from the examination information 121.

[0175] (S2004-2) The input / output unit 106 refers to the record of the specified material in the material property information 111, and determines whether or not the ID of the specified inspection is stored in the inspection ID 309. If the ID of the specified inspection is stored in the inspection ID 309, the input / output unit 106 records the inspection result "Pass", and if the ID of the specified inspection is not stored in the inspection ID 309, the input / output unit 106 records the inspection result "Fail".

[0176] (S2004-3) The input / output unit 106 identifies items to be used for determining the requirements.

[0177] (S2004-4) The input / output unit 106 acquires information on the specified item of the specified material from the material database. For example, the attribute value of the specified material, the attribute value related to the manufacturing process of the material, and the attribute value of the raw material are acquired. However, the input / output unit 106 is controlled so as not to acquire attribute values ​​that are not used in determining the requirements.

[0178] The input / output unit 106 of the material information management system 100 displays the results of each process on the screen 2100 (step S2005).

[0179] Through the above process, only the information relevant to the review is disclosed to the product manufacturer.

[0180] The scope of information to be disclosed may be changed by the supplier as appropriate. Also, instead of the total weight, the weight of the material supplied by the supplier to the product manufacturer may be displayed.

[0181] The process explained in Fig. 20 allows product manufacturers to check the results of the review. In addition, only information related to the judgment of the review requirements is disclosed. Since the results of the review can be obtained while ensuring confidentiality of the information, it is possible to encourage suppliers to register information in the material database.

[0182] The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, but includes various modified examples. For example, the above-mentioned embodiment describes the configuration in detail to easily explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to the configuration including all the described configurations. Also, it is possible to add, delete, or replace a part of the configuration of each embodiment with another configuration.

[0183] In addition, each of the above configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, etc. may be realized in part or in whole by hardware, for example, by designing them as integrated circuits. The present invention can also be realized by software program code that realizes the functions of the embodiments. In this case, a storage medium on which the program code is recorded is provided to a computer, and a processor included in the computer reads the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments, and the program code itself and the storage medium storing it constitute the present invention. Examples of storage media for supplying such program code include flexible disks, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, hard disks, SSDs (Solid State Drives), optical disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-Rs, magnetic tapes, non-volatile memory cards, ROMs, etc.

[0184] Furthermore, the program code for realizing the functions described in this embodiment can be implemented in a wide range of program or script languages, such as assembler, C / C++, perl, Shell, PHP, Python, Java (registered trademark), etc.

[0185] Furthermore, the program code of the software that realizes the functions of the embodiments may be distributed over a network and stored in a storage means such as a computer's hard disk or memory, or in a storage medium such as a CD-RW or CD-R, and the processor of the computer may read out and execute the program code stored in the storage means or storage medium.

[0186] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the control lines and information lines are shown as those considered necessary for the explanation, and not all the control lines and information lines are shown in the product. All the components may be connected to each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0187] 100 Materials Information Management System 101 Trading Price Prediction Department 102 Requirements Judgment Department 103 Materials Performance Prediction Department 104 Response Decision-Making Department 105 Adjustment section 106 Input / output section 110 Materials Database 111 Material property information 112 Process information 113 Process BOM information 114 Transaction History Information 120 Master Database 121 Examination Information 122 Test Information 123 Adjustment information 124 Model Information 130, 140 terminals 150, 160 Network 200 calculator 201 Processor 202 Network Interface 203 Main storage 204 Secondary storage device 1100, 1900, 2100 screen 1600 Proposal Information

Claims

1. A material information management system, comprising: A processor and a storage device connected to the processor, an accessible connection to a database storing material data including attribute values ​​relating to the physical properties of the material and process data including attribute values ​​relating to the manufacturing process of the material; Manage information on screening defined by a plurality of requirements for the attribute values; The review is at least one of a review for obtaining optional certification and a review for determining compliance with optional regulations, The processor, determining compliance with each of the plurality of requirements for a subject review using the material data and the process data related to the subject material; If all of the requirements are met, information indicating that the material has passed the inspection is added to the material data corresponding to the target material; A material information management system characterized in that, when an attribute value required to judge at least one of the requirements is missing, suggestion information indicating a method of resolving the missing attribute value is presented.

2. The material information management system according to claim 1, A material information management system characterized in that the processor presents information on an inspection to be performed to obtain the missing attribute value as the proposed information.

3. The material information management system according to claim 2, The database stores a transaction history of the material; the material information management system holds a prediction model that uses the material data and the process data to output a probability distribution of the attribute value of the material; The processor, when there is a plurality of the tests, Calculate a predicted transaction price of the target material if the target inspection is passed, using a transaction history of the material that passed the target inspection and a transaction history of the material that failed the target inspection or for which the target inspection has not been conducted; predicting the attribute value of the target material by inputting the material data and the process data related to the target material into the predictive model; Calculating the probability of satisfying all of the requirements for the target review based on the results of the prediction; calculating a recommendation score for each of the plurality of tests using a formula with variables being the predicted transaction price, the probability, and the cost of performing the test; The method of claim 1, further comprising: selecting the test to be proposed for execution based on the recommendation score.

4. The material information management system according to claim 3, The processor, When input of the material data of the raw materials to be manufactured, the process data corresponding to the manufacturing method of the material to be manufactured, and the target review is received, Calculating a predicted transaction price of the material to be manufactured if the target inspection is passed, using a transaction history of the material that passed the target inspection and a transaction history of the material that failed the target inspection or for which the target inspection has not been conducted; predicting the attribute value of the material to be produced by inputting the material data of the material to be produced and the process data corresponding to a manufacturing method of the material to be produced into the prediction model; A material information management system characterized in that the conformity of each of the multiple requirements of the target review is determined using the results of the prediction, the predicted trading price of the material to be manufactured, the material data of the materials that are raw materials for the material to be manufactured, and the process data corresponding to the manufacturing method of the material to be manufactured.

5. The material information management system according to claim 1, the material data includes adjustable attribute values; The processor, determining whether the attribute value that does not satisfy the requirement is an adjustable attribute value; 2. A material information management system comprising: a step of: displaying information on a method for adjusting an attribute value that does not satisfy the requirements, when the attribute value is an adjustable attribute value;

6. The material information management system of claim 1, The processor, When a request for disclosure of information regarding the examination that the material passed is received, for each of the requirements of the examination, identifying the attribute value used to determine the requirement; Obtaining the identified attribute values ​​from the database; A materials information management system comprising: generating and outputting display information for displaying the specified attribute values.

7. An examination support method executed by a material information management system, comprising: The material information management system includes: A processor and a storage device connected to the processor, an accessible connection to a database storing material data including attribute values ​​relating to the physical properties of the material and process data including attribute values ​​relating to the manufacturing process of the material; Manage information on screening defined by a plurality of requirements for the attribute values; The review is at least one of a review for obtaining optional certification and a review for determining compliance with optional regulations, The examination support method includes: a first step in which the processor determines compliance with each of the plurality of requirements for a subject review using the material data and the process data associated with the subject material; a second step in which the processor assigns information indicating that the target material has passed the inspection to the material data corresponding to the target material if all of the requirements are met; and a third step in which, when an attribute value required to determine at least one of the requirements is missing, the processor presents proposed information indicating a method of resolving the missing attribute value.

8. The examination support method according to claim 7, The examination support method, characterized in that the third step includes a step in which the processor presents information on an examination to be performed to obtain the missing attribute value as the proposed information.

9. The examination support method according to claim 8, The database stores a transaction history of the material; the material information management system holds a prediction model that uses the material data and the process data to output a probability distribution of the attribute value of the material; The third step includes: The processor calculates a predicted transaction price of the target material if the target inspection is passed, using a transaction history of the material that passed the target inspection and a transaction history of the material that failed the target inspection or was not subjected to the target inspection; the processor predicting the attribute value of the target material by inputting the material data and the process data associated with the target material into the predictive model; calculating a probability of satisfying all of the requirements of the subject screening based on the results of the prediction by the processor; calculating a recommendation score for each of the plurality of tests using a formula that has variables including the predicted transaction price, the probability, and the cost of performing the test; and selecting the test to be suggested for implementation based on the recommendation score by the processor.

10. The examination support method according to claim 9, When receiving input of the material data of the materials to be used as raw materials for the material to be manufactured, the process data corresponding to the manufacturing method of the material to be manufactured, and the target inspection, the processor calculates a predicted transaction price of the material to be manufactured if the target inspection is passed, using a transaction history of the material that passed the target inspection and a transaction history of the material that failed the target inspection or for which the target inspection has not been carried out; The processor predicts the attribute value of the material to be produced by inputting the material data of the material to be produced and the process data corresponding to a manufacturing method of the material to be produced into the prediction model; and a step in which the processor determines compliance with each of the plurality of requirements for the target review using the results of the prediction, the predicted trading price of the material to be produced, the material data for the materials that will be used as raw materials for the material to be produced, and the process data corresponding to a manufacturing method for the material to be produced.

11. The examination support method according to claim 7, the material data includes adjustable attribute values; The examination support method includes: the processor determining whether the attribute value that does not satisfy the requirement is an adjustable attribute value; A review support method comprising: if the attribute value that does not satisfy the requirement is an adjustable attribute value, the processor presents information regarding how to adjust the attribute value.

12. The examination support method according to claim 7, When a request for disclosure of information regarding the examination in which the material has passed is received, the processor identifies, for each of the requirements of the examination, the attribute value used in determining the requirement; said processor retrieving said identified attribute values ​​from said database; The examination support method further comprises a step of the processor generating and outputting display information for displaying the identified attribute value.

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