Control method and manufacturing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a control method and a manufacturing apparatus that are able to efficiently perform position control of a conveyance body moving on a conveyance surface and position control of the conveyance body relative to a working device.SOLUTION: The present invention relates to a control method for a manufacturing apparatus 100 including: a conveyance surface 25; a plurality of conveyance bodies t that freely move on the conveyance surface 25; and a working device W. In the control method, a work area WA where work is performed by the working device W and a conveyance area TA including a non-work area where the work is not performed are set on the conveyance surface 25. The control method includes: a conveyance control step of controlling movement of the conveyance bodies t in the conveyance area TA in a conveyance coordinate system based on the conveyance surface 25; and a work control step of controlling movement of the conveyance bodies t in the work area WA in a work coordinate system different from the conveyance coordinate system.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a control method for a manufacturing apparatus including a conveyance surface, a plurality of conveyors that move freely on the conveyance surface, and a working apparatus, and to the manufacturing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] An article composed of a plurality of components is manufactured by combining the components with each other. Such an article is manufactured by performing operations such as assembling other components to the components during conveyance. Such operations are performed by a plurality of working apparatuses that perform the operations on a conveyance path.

[0003] As an example of such a manufacturing apparatus, Patent Document 1 discloses a system including a primary conveyance path that is a closed loop, a secondary conveyance path, a plurality of unit operation stations, and a plurality of conveyance means, and a part of the conveyance means can be independently routed so as to send the first and second conveyance means each carrying the first and second articles to at least one of at least two unit operation stations.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] A manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing an article composed of a plurality of components includes, for example, a working apparatus that performs operations such as cleaning, filling, and capping. In such a manufacturing apparatus, it is desired to efficiently perform position control of the conveyors moving on the conveyance surface and position control of the conveyors with respect to these working apparatuses.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and relates to providing a control method and a manufacturing apparatus capable of efficiently performing position control of a carrier moving on a conveyance surface and position control of the carrier with respect to a working apparatus.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The present invention relates to a control method for a manufacturing apparatus including a conveyance surface, a plurality of carriers that freely move on the conveyance surface, and a working apparatus. As one embodiment, it is preferable that the control method sets, on the conveyance surface, a working area where work is performed by the working apparatus and a conveyance area including a non-working area where the work is not performed. As one embodiment, it is preferable that the control method includes a conveyance control step of controlling the movement of the carrier in the conveyance area in a conveyance coordinate system based on the conveyance surface, and a working control step of controlling the movement of the carrier in the working area in a working coordinate system different from the conveyance coordinate system.

[0008] The present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus including a conveyance surface, a plurality of carriers that freely move on the conveyance surface, and a working apparatus. As one embodiment, in the manufacturing apparatus, it is preferable that a working area where work is performed by the working apparatus and a conveyance area including a non-working area where the work is not performed are set on the conveyance surface. As one embodiment, it is preferable that the manufacturing apparatus includes a conveyance control unit that controls the movement of the carrier in the conveyance area in a conveyance coordinate system based on the conveyance surface, and a working control unit that controls the movement of the carrier in the working area in a working coordinate system different from the conveyance coordinate system.

Effects of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently perform position control of a carrier moving on the conveyance surface of a manufacturing apparatus and position control of the carrier with respect to a working apparatus.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, a control method of the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "control method") and the manufacturing apparatus (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "manufacturing apparatus") will be described with reference to the drawings based on their preferred embodiments. The manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment is shown in FIGS. 1 to 8. The manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment is applied to manufacture an article 1 including a plurality of components as shown in FIG. 1. The article 1 includes, as a plurality of components, parts constituting the article, contents accommodated inside the article, and the like. The components constituting the article are conveyed by a carrier t described later.

[0012] The article 1 of the present embodiment is a bottle container 1 in which a liquid such as a liquid detergent or a liquid cosmetic is accommodated. The components of this bottle container 1 are a container body 1b having a liquid accommodation space, and a cap 1c detachably attached to the neck portion of the container body 1b. The neck portion is a cylindrical portion having an opening for discharging the liquid to the outside, and is formed at the upper end portion of the container body 1b. Further, a threaded portion is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the neck portion, and the cap 1c is attached to the neck portion by screwing with a threaded portion (not shown) formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cap 1c.

[0013] The manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment can suitably manufacture an article 1 composed of a plurality of parts. Such an article 1 may be a container that houses contents such as a liquid, a gas, a powder, or a solid inside. As the container, there may be mentioned a bottle container that houses a liquid such as a liquid cosmetic or a liquid detergent, a squeeze container, a tube container that houses a paste-like fluid, a pouch container, a compact case that houses powder cosmetics such as a foundation, a cheek, or an eyeshadow, a box that houses a solid soap, and the like. A container that houses a liquid such as a bottle container or a squeeze container may be provided with a dispenser such as a pump dispenser according to the method of taking out the liquid.

[0014] Further, the article may be an assort product in which a plurality of types of products are packed together. The products that constitute the assort product (hereinafter, also referred to as "constituent products") are each independent, and the constituent products become the constituent elements of the assort product. Examples of the assort product include a set product of lotion and emulsion, a set product of various makeup cosmetics, a set product of products such as cosmetics or detergents with different scents, and a set product of shampoo and conditioner. When manufacturing a set product of lotion and emulsion as an article, a bottle container that houses the lotion, a bottle container that houses the emulsion, and a package such as a box that houses both of these bottle containers become the constituent elements.

[0015] The manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment includes a conveying device 24 including a conveying stage 20 that constitutes a conveying surface 25 and a plurality of conveyors t that move on the conveying surface 25. Further, the manufacturing apparatus 100 includes working devices W1 to W9 having a working area on the conveying surface 25, and a manufacturing control unit 50 (see FIG. 7) that controls the operations of the conveyor t, the conveying stage 20, and the working devices W1 to W9.

[0016] The conveying surface 25 is a region that extends planarly and is a region where the conveyor t moves. That is, it is a movable range of the conveyor t. In the present embodiment, the conveying surface 25 is formed by the upper surface of the conveying stage 20.

[0017] In the manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the transfer stage 20 is grounded on a horizontal plane, and the transfer stage 20 extends in the horizontal direction. The transfer stage 20 of the present embodiment has an X direction and a Y direction orthogonal to the X direction, and has a rectangular shape that is long in the X direction (see FIGS. 1 and 3). The transfer stage 20 is composed of a plurality of segments 21. The segment 21 is the minimum unit of hardware that is individually powered to generate a magnetic force. The transfer stage 20 can be composed of one or a plurality of segments 21. Further, the transfer stage 20 can arrange a plurality of segments 21 arbitrarily to form a desired planar shape of the transfer surface 25. In the transfer stage 20, the plurality of segments 21 are arranged adjacent to each other in the X direction and the Y direction and are arranged without gaps.

[0018] The transfer stage 20 of the present embodiment is configured by arranging a plurality of segments 21 in both the X direction and the Y direction. Each segment 21 includes a segment body 22 that forms the outer shape of the segment 21. The segment body 22 has a square planar shape. The upper surfaces of the respective segment bodies 22 form substantially the same plane. As a result, the upper surface of the transfer stage 20, that is, the transfer surface 25, is in a substantially flat state.

[0019] The segment 21 of the present embodiment includes a flat segment body 22 and a magnetic force generation unit 23 provided in the segment body 22 (see FIG. 6). The magnetic force generation unit 23 of the present embodiment is configured to include coils 23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d arranged along the peripheries of the four sides of the segment body 22, and generates a magnetic force by electric power. These coils 23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d are arranged in a substantially rectangular ring shape in a plan view. In the segment 21, two coils 23a and 23d facing each other are arranged in parallel, and another two coils 23b and 23c orthogonal to these coils 23a and 23d face each other and are arranged in parallel. As described above, the transfer stage 20 of the present embodiment generates magnetic force by electric power, but the transfer stage may generate magnetic force without relying on electric power.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 4, the carrier t of the present embodiment includes a flat transfer body tb, and holding portions 10 and 12 provided on the upper surface of the transfer body tb for holding components 1b and 1c. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the transfer body tb has a substantially square shape in plan view with rounded corners. The shape of the transfer body tb in plan view may be a hexagonal shape, a circular shape, or the like. The holding portions 10 and 12 are fixed to the upper surface of the carrier t by joining means such as bolts or adhesives. The holding portions 10 and 12 are preferably fixed after being positioned on the upper surface of the carrier t by positioning pins or positioning guide members.

[0021] The types of the holding portions of the plurality of carriers t may be made different according to the types of the components to be transferred. In particular, when a single carrier t transfers a plurality of components, it is preferable to provide a plurality of holding portions of different types on each carrier t. In this case, it is preferable that the arrangement positions of the holding portions provided on each carrier t on the upper surface of the transfer body tb are the same for each type of the holding portion. In other words, it is preferable that the arrangement positions of the holding portions on the upper surface of the transfer body tb are common among the carriers t provided with the same type of holding portion. Further, when the carrier t transfers a single component, it is preferable that the center position of the holding portion of the same type on the upper surface of the transfer body tb overlaps with the center position of the upper surface when the carrier t is viewed in plan view.

[0022] The holding part 12 shown in FIG. 4 has a cylindrical part 11b that can accommodate the bottom of the container body 1b, which is a component, and a plate part 11a on which the cylindrical part 11b is erected. The plate part 11a is fixed to the upper surface of the conveyance body tb. For convenience of explanation, in FIG. 1, the illustration of the cylindrical part 11b of the holding part 12 is omitted. From the viewpoint of weight reduction of the holding part, the holding part 12 that holds the component (container body 1b) in an upright state is preferably formed of a synthetic resin, an aluminum material, or the like. Further, the conveyance body t of the present embodiment includes the holding part 12, but it may not include the holding part 12.

[0023] The holding part included in the conveyance body t may be one that holds the component in a grippable manner. Examples of such a holding part include a gripper that can be driven by the power of a battery included in the conveyance body t, and the component is held by gripping with the gripper. The holding and release of the gripper are controlled by a control signal for this holding part. Such a control signal may be transmitted by the manufacturing control unit 50 described later.

[0024] The holding part 10 shown in FIG. 2 is a sheet member fixed to the upper surface of the conveyance body t. As such a holding part 10, an adsorption sheet having micro suction cups can be used. The micro suction cups have a large number of minute concave holes, and when a pressing force is applied by the weight of the component from above the micro suction cups, an adsorption force is exerted on the pressed component.

[0025] The conveyance body t includes a magnet (permanent magnet) inside the conveyance main body tb. More specifically, the conveyance body t has magnet arrays 33a, 33b, 33c, 33d arranged along the peripheries of the four sides of the conveyance main body tb inside the conveyance main body tb (see FIG. 5). Each of the magnet arrays 33a, 33b, 33c, 33d is arranged in a substantially rectangular ring shape. In the conveyance body t, two magnet arrays 33a, 33d facing each other are arranged in parallel, and another two magnet arrays 33b, 33c orthogonal to these magnet arrays 33a, 33d face each other and are arranged in parallel. The conveyance body t may include one magnet array instead of a plurality of magnet arrays.

[0026] The transfer stage 20 has a magnetic force generation unit 23 that generates magnetic force by electric power and moves the carrier t by interaction with the magnet arrays 33a, 33b, 33c, 33d of the carrier t, causing the carrier t to float from the transfer stage 20 and move on the transfer stage 20. More specifically, when electric power is supplied to the magnetic force generation unit 23 provided in each segment 21 of the transfer stage 20, magnetic force is generated in the horizontal directions (X direction and Y direction). By this magnetic force, the carrier t can be floated from the upper surface of the transfer stage 20 (segment 21) and moved in the horizontal directions (X direction and Y direction). The transfer stage 20 may move the carrier 30 by changing the distance, angle, polarity direction of the magnets provided in the transfer stage 20, or a combination thereof.

[0027] The moving direction of the carrier t can be changed according to the power supply mode to the plurality of coils 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d provided in the segment 21, for example, the combination of the coils to which power is supplied, etc. Thereby, on each segment 21, each carrier t can be moved in a direction combining one or both of the X direction and the Y direction. For example, when the Y direction is the front-rear direction and the X direction is the left-right direction, the carrier t can be moved in the selected desired directions of forward, backward, left, right, and the diagonal directions thereof.

[0028] The carrier t of the present embodiment can move along any one or both of the movement paths C1 to C4 that are a straight movement path in the X direction or the Y direction and a straight movement path in a direction oblique to the X direction or the Y direction (see FIG. 8). Further, the carrier t can also move in a curved manner in a direction oblique to the X direction or the Y direction, and can also perform rotational movement such as rotation or revolution. That is, the carrier t can move straight, curve, rotate, or combine these movements in an arbitrary direction in a plan view. In this way, the carrier t is made to be able to move freely on the transfer surface 25. Details of the setting of the movement path will be described later.

[0029] In this embodiment, by lifting and moving the carrier t from the conveying surface 25, the mechanical resistance (friction) with the conveying surface 25 becomes close to zero, and it becomes possible to move the carrier t at a high acceleration. That is, since the moving time until the carrier t reaches the target point can be shortened, it is possible to improve productivity by achieving efficiency. Further, the carrier t of this embodiment can also be lifted from the conveying surface 25 and inclined in the horizontal direction. For example, the carrier t can be moved in a state where the front side in the traveling direction is inclined lower than the rear side, and it is possible to prevent the components on the carrier t from shifting or falling backward. This is particularly effective when accelerating the moving speed of the carrier t. Conversely, the carrier t can be moved in a state where the front side in the traveling direction is inclined higher than the rear side, and it is possible to prevent the components on the carrier t from shifting or falling forward. This is particularly effective when decelerating the moving speed of the carrier t.

[0030] As described above, the carrier t of this embodiment floats in the normal direction with respect to the conveying surface 25 (each segment 21) of the conveying stage 20. In this embodiment, each carrier t floats upward in the vertical direction Z with respect to the conveying surface 25 (each segment 21). The floating amounts of the respective carriers t floating from the conveying stage 20 (each segment 21) are substantially the same. The floating amount is the distance between the conveying surface 25 and the bottom surface of the carrier t in the normal direction of the conveying stage 20 (hereinafter, also simply referred to as the "normal direction"). In this embodiment, the distance between the bottom surface of the carrier t and the conveying stage 20 in the vertical direction Z is the floating amount of the carrier t. From the viewpoint of making the conveyance smoother, the floating amount of the carrier t is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 20 mm or less, and more preferably 3 mm or more and 20 mm or less.

[0031] The operating principle of floating and moving the carrier t by the magnetic force generating unit 23 of the conveying stage 20 is the same as the principle of floating and moving a movable stage provided with a plurality of magnet arrays by the coil of the stator stage disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-531189.

[0032] The transfer stage 20, which is an assembly of a plurality of segments 21, has an area (planar dimensions) larger than that of the transfer body t. The area (planar dimensions) of the segment 21 may be larger than, equal to, or smaller than the area (planar dimensions) of the transfer body t. The segment 21 of the present embodiment has an area (planar dimensions) larger than that of the transfer body t. From the viewpoint of controlling the movement of the transfer body t with higher precision, the length of one side of the square segment 21 is preferably 2 times or more and 4 times or less the length of one side of the transfer body t which is substantially square.

[0033] The transfer body t of the present embodiment is provided with identification information in order to be identifiable for each individual (for each transfer body t). The identification information is information for identifying each transfer body t, and may be displayed, for example, by characters, numbers, symbols, or combinations thereof, or may be displayed in an electronically readable manner. As an optically or electronically readable display method of the identification information, for example, two-dimensional codes such as barcodes and QR codes (registered trademarks), electronic information media such as RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags, etc. are used. The RFID tag can be read by an RFID reader (RFID antenna). Further, the identification information may be the arrangement of the magnet arrays 33a, 33b, 33c, 33d described above, or the shape of a specific portion in the transfer body t (a shape unique to each transfer body t), etc. Furthermore, the identification information may be provided to the transfer body t based on an image of the transfer body t on the transfer stage 20. For example, based on the analysis of the video stream related to the transfer body t, the behavior of the transfer body t may be monitored and analyzed, and an identifier (identification information) associating a plurality of features related to the transfer body t with the tracking of the transfer body t may be provided.

[0034] The manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment includes working apparatuses W1 to W9 that perform operations on one or more components (see FIG. 8). This manufacturing apparatus 100 includes, as working apparatuses, for example, a supply apparatus W1 that supplies components to a movement path on a conveyance surface 25, filling apparatuses W2, W3, W6, W8 that fill the inside of the components with contents, and combining apparatuses W4, W5, W7, W9 that combine the components. The working apparatuses W1 to W9 of the present embodiment are Cartesian robots or articulated robots. As the working apparatus W, a serial link type robot such as a Cartesian robot or an articulated robot, or a parallel link type robot can be used.

[0035] The supply apparatus W1 includes a work holding portion 32 having a suction pad and an apparatus main body 31 that supports the work holding portion 32 so as to be movable up and down. As shown in FIG. 1, in the supply apparatus W1, the work holding portion 32 can move up and down in the vertical direction Z by the apparatus main body 31 and rotate horizontally about the apparatus main body 31. Thereby, the container main body 1b disposed outside the conveyance stage 20 is gripped by the work holding portion 32 with the suction pad, moved to above the conveyance surface 25, and loaded onto the unloaded carrier t on the conveyance surface 25. The holding of the component by the work holding portion 32 may be gripping or clamping by a gripper or the like in addition to suction by the suction pad.

[0036] The manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment includes a plurality of filling apparatuses W2, W3, W6, W8 as working apparatuses. These filling apparatuses W2, W3, W6, W8 have a common configuration except that the composition of the content (liquid) to be filled is different. Here, the configuration of the filling apparatus W2 will be described. The description of the filling apparatus W2 can also be applied to the other filling apparatuses W3, W6, W8.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the filling device W2 includes a filling nozzle 35 for filling the liquid into the container body 1b and a nozzle movable support portion 34 for gripping the filling nozzle 35. The filling nozzle 35 has an opening / closing mechanism at its base and is connected to a supply hose through which the liquid is supplied. The diameter, length, etc. of the filling nozzle 35 can be those suitable for the content to be filled. The nozzle movable support portion 34 includes an arm for gripping the filling nozzle 35 at its tip and a support portion capable of moving the tip of the arm up and down and / or rotating it in an arbitrary direction (e.g., horizontal direction), and is in the form of a robot arm.

[0038] The manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment includes a plurality of combination apparatuses W4, W5, W7, W9 as working apparatuses. These combination apparatuses W4, W5, W7, W9 have a common configuration. Here, the configuration of the combination apparatus W4 will be described. The description of the combination apparatus W4 can also be applied to the other combination apparatuses W5, W7, W9.

[0039] The combination apparatus W4 is in the form of a robot arm. More specifically, the combination apparatus W4 includes a robot hand 38 and a hand movable support portion 37 for gripping the robot hand 38. The hand movable support portion 37 includes an arm whose tip (end effector) is the robot hand 38 and a support portion capable of moving the tip of the arm up and down and / or rotating it in an arbitrary direction (e.g., horizontal direction).

[0040] In the present embodiment, for the working apparatuses W1 to W9, the main body portion that supports the portion that executes the work is arranged outside the periphery of the conveyance surface 25 such that the portion that executes the work, such as the end effector, is arranged on the conveyance surface 25. That is, the working apparatus W is arranged along the conveyance surface 25. Alternatively, the working apparatus W may be installed at a position facing the conveyance surface 25, for example, on the ceiling or the like. The working devices W1 to W9 perform their working operations on the conveying surface 25. As shown in FIG. 8, on the conveying surface 25, working areas WA1 to WA9 where the working devices W1 to W9 perform their work and a conveying area TA are set. The conveying area TA includes areas where no work is performed by the working devices W1 to W9. The "area where no work is performed" is hereinafter also referred to as the "non-working area".

[0041] The working areas WA1 to WA9 are areas on the conveying surface 25 where the work of the working devices W1 to W9 is executed, and are the movable areas of the end effector supported by a movable support part (arm) such as the work holding part 32, the nozzle movable support part 34, or the hand movable support part 37. The working areas WA1 to WA9 include the working positions where the working devices W1 to W9 perform their work. The working position is the reference position on the conveying surface 25 when the working devices W1 to W9 perform their work, that is, the position of the end effector or the tool.

[0042] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the working position P1 of the supply device W1 in the manufacturing method of the bottle container 1 is the loading position on the conveying surface 25 when loading the container body 1b onto the carrier t. The working positions P2 and P3 of the filling devices W2 and W3 are the filling positions on the conveying surface 25 where liquid is supplied to the container body 1b by the filling nozzles 35, and are the positions where the central axis of the discharge port of the filling nozzle 35 is arranged during filling. The working position P4 of the combination device W4 is, as shown in FIG. 3, the gripping position P4a on the conveying surface 25 where the robot hand 38 grips the cap 1c and the attaching position P4b where the robot hand 38 attaches the cap 1c to the container body 1b.

[0043] As described above, the conveyance surface 25 of the present embodiment has a plurality of work positions with different work types and work areas WA1 to WA9 including the work positions according to the work devices W1 to W9 with different work types. In FIG. 8, the work areas WA1 to WA9 indicate the areas where the front segments 21 of the work devices W1 to W9 are arranged, but one work area and one segment 21 do not have to correspond. For example, the work areas WA1 to WA9 may include another segment 21 adjacent to the segment 21, or may include only a part of these segments 21.

[0044] In the manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, for a plurality of carriers t, a work area WA and a non-work area are separately set. Taking the carriers t1 and t2 on which the work of the work devices W1 to W4 is performed as an example, as shown in FIG. 9, in the conveyance area TA with reference to the conveyance surface 25, the work areas WA1, WA2, WA3, WA4a of the carrier t1 that conveys the container body 1b and the non-work area of the carrier t1, and the work area WA4b of the carrier t2 that conveys the cap 1c and the non-work area of the carrier t2 are set. That is, a work area WA is set within the conveyance area TA. In the work areas WA1, WA2, and WA3, the work devices W1 to W3 perform work (supply and filling of the container body 1b) on the carrier t1 and the container body 1b conveyed by the carrier t1. On the other hand, these work areas WA1, WA2, and WA3 are non-work areas where no work is performed for the carrier t2 that conveys the cap 1c. As described above, on the conveyance surface 25 shown in FIG. 9, the conveyance area TA includes the work area WA, and in the conveyance area TA, a work area WA and a non-work area are set for each carrier t. In the conveyance area TA, the work area WA4a of one carrier t and the work area WA4b of another carrier t may be set to overlap in the same area, or the work area WA of one carrier t and the work area WA of another carrier t may be set in different areas (see FIG. 9).

[0045] The transport surface 25 of the present embodiment has a movement path of the transporter t set in a transport area TA including a work area WA. The transporter t can arbitrarily set a path (route) from a movement start point to a target point on the transport surface 25, and the path can be set according to each individual transporter t. Further, the path of the transporter t is not necessarily uniquely determined, and can be appropriately changed to an arbitrary path according to the movement and arrangement of other transporters t. The movement of the transporter t on the transport surface 25, including the setting and change of the path, is controlled by the manufacturing control unit 50. The manufacturing control unit 50 is communicably connected to the transport stage 20 (segment 21) via a network. The transport stage 20 sets or changes the movement path of the transporter t under the control of the manufacturing control unit 50. The manufacturing control unit 50 may also be communicably connected to the transporter t.

[0046] The manufacturing control unit 50 includes a communication module 51, a transport information acquisition unit 52, a path generation unit 53, a transport control unit 54 that controls the movement of the transporter t in the transport area TA, a work control unit 55 that controls the movement of the transporter t in the work area WA, and a determination unit 56 (see FIG. 7). The communication module 51 can communicate with the transport stage 20, the transporter t, and the work devices W1 to W9, and receives signals from the transport stage 20 and the work devices W1 to W9, as well as the identification information and position information of the transporter t. Further, the communication module 51 transmits each information generated or calculated by the path generation unit 53 to the transport stage 20 (segment 21). This each information is, for example, the path information or path change information of the transporter t described later. As the communication module 51, for example, a communication module corresponding to LTE, 4G, or 5G, or a communication module corresponding to an existing standard such as IEEE802.11 can be used.

[0047] The conveyance information acquisition unit 52 records the identification information and position information of the carrier t over time. The position information of the carrier t is information regarding the coordinate position of the carrier t in the conveyance coordinate system 40. This position information includes information on the coordinate position where the carrier t is actually located (hereinafter also referred to as the "actual coordinate position"), and information on the coordinate positions of the planned movement route (hereinafter also referred to as the "planned coordinate position"). In the present embodiment, these coordinate positions are shown as positions (X, Y) in the conveyance coordinate system 40. During the operation of the manufacturing apparatus 100, the conveyance information acquisition unit 52 acquires the position information of the carrier t, for example, every 0.01 to 1 second. Thereby, it is possible to show (map) the actual and continuous change (trajectory) of the actual coordinate position as the route along which the carrier t has moved.

[0048] The information on the planned coordinate position is information that continuously shows the planned route from the movement start point to the target point of the carrier t in coordinate positions. Each of the movement start point and the target point is shown by a coordinate position in the conveyance coordinate system 40. Thereby, it is possible to grasp the actual coordinate position (current location) in the planned route on the conveyance surface 25. The information on the planned coordinate position is generated by the route generation unit 53. Also, based on the signals received from the working devices W1 to W9 or the information on the actual coordinate position, the route generation unit 53 changes the information on the planned coordinate position to change the planned route of the carrier t.

[0049] It is preferable to acquire the position information of the present embodiment for each of a plurality of sections constituting the conveyance stage 20. The section is constituted by a segment 21 of the conveyance stage 20 or an aggregate of two or more segments 21. For example, an aggregate of four segments 21 forming a square can be set as one section. From the viewpoint of acquiring more detailed position information, it is preferable that the section set in the conveyance stage 20 is for each single segment 21.

[0050] The conveyance information acquisition unit 52 records by associating the identification information of the carrier t and the information of the components conveyed by the carrier t. That is, for each carrier t, the components conveyed by the carrier t are recorded. The conveyance information acquisition unit 52 of the present embodiment records by associating the identification information of the carrier t, the position information corresponding to the carrier t, and the information of the components conveyed by the carrier t. The identification information, the position information, and the information of each component are stored in a recording unit (not shown) of the manufacturing control unit 50.

[0051] The route generation unit 53 generates or changes the movement route of the carrier t in the conveyance coordinate system 40. That is, it generates or changes the planned coordinate position (planned route) on the conveyance surface 25. The movement route of the carrier t can be set as an orbit that continues the coordinate positions of the carrier t in the conveyance coordinate system 40. The route generation unit 53 generates a movement route for moving to the work areas corresponding to the individual work devices in the order of the manufacturing processes in which the carrier t manufactures articles on the conveyance surface 25.

[0052] Such a movement route is set for each carrier t based on the identification information. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, in the manufacturing apparatus 100 including the work devices W1 to W9, movement routes C1 to C4 for moving the work areas in the following order can be set. In each of the following movement routes, the movement start point is indicated by "21a" and the target point is indicated by "21b". The movement routes C1 to C4 shown in FIG. 8 are the movement routes of the carrier t that conveys the components (for example, the container body 1b) targeted for the accommodation process. In the manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, each of the plurality of carriers t simultaneously performs conveyance (movement) along these movement routes C1 to C4. Movement route C1: 21a → W1 → W2 → W4 → 21b Movement route C2: 21a → W1 → W3 → W4 → 21b Movement route C3: 21a → W5 → W6 → W7 → 21b Movement route C4: 21a → W8 → W9 → 21b

[0053] The above movement paths C1 to C4 have in common the point that the movement start point is within segment 21a and the target point is within segment 21b. These movement paths C1 to C4 are paths that move to different work areas except for the movement start point (segment 21a) and the target point (segment 21b). In such a form, when the types of work (types of processes) performed by each of the work devices W1 to W9 are different, different types of articles can be manufactured by moving the carrier t for each of the movement paths C1 to C4. Also, even if the types of work are the same among a plurality of work devices, different types of articles can be manufactured for each of the movement paths C1 to C4 by varying the contents to be filled, the components to be combined, or the processing, etc. Therefore, different types of articles can be manufactured by varying the movement paths C1 to C4 for each carrier t.

[0054] The path generation unit 53 generates a movement path for moving the carrier t to the work areas WA1 to WA9 including the work positions based on the work areas WA1 to WA9 of the work devices W1 to W9 and the information on the work positions included in the work areas WA1 to WA9. The work positions and the work areas WA1 to WA9 including the same are preset for each of the work devices W1 to W9. The execution of the generation or change of the movement path by the path generation unit 53 can use a known algorithm, and is executed, for example, by the Dijkstra method, the A* algorithm, etc. The path generation unit 53 sets, with respect to the movement path of one carrier t, the current position of another carrier t and the movement area (scheduled coordinate position) of another carrier t a predetermined time ahead as obstacles, and is enabled to generate or change a path for avoiding the other carrier t.

[0055] The transfer control unit 54 controls the movement of the transfer body t in the transfer area TA. The transfer control unit 54 defines a transfer coordinate system 40 based on the transfer surface 25. The transfer coordinate system 40 of the present embodiment is a two-dimensional coordinate system (X, Y) having an X-axis and a Y-axis parallel to the transfer surface 25 (see FIG. 10). By setting the transfer coordinate system 40 with reference to the transfer surface 25, the transfer control unit 54 can grasp the relative positional relationship of all the transfer bodies t on the transfer surface 25. The origin position of the transfer coordinate system 40 is not particularly limited, and any position on the transfer stage 20 in a plan view can be set as the origin position. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the end points O in the X direction and the Y direction of the transfer stage 20 (the lower left end point in FIG. 8) may be set as the origin position of the transfer coordinate system 40, or the center or centroid of the planar shape of the transfer stage 20 may be set as the origin position. In addition, the transfer control unit 54 controls the moving speed, inclination, floating amount, etc. of the transfer body t.

[0056] The transfer control unit 54 transmits a movement command for moving the transfer body t to the next work area WA, a target point movement command for moving the transfer body t to the target point, or a return movement command for returning the transfer body t to the movement start point to the transfer stage 20. Based on these movement commands, the transfer stage 20 controls the magnetic force to move the transfer body t to any one of the next work position, the target point, and the movement start point.

[0057] The work control unit 55 controls the movement of the transfer body t in the work area WA in a work coordinate system 41 different from the transfer coordinate system 40. In the present embodiment, the work control unit 55 defines the work coordinate system 41 based on a specific part of the work device W. For example, in the case of the supply device W1, the work coordinate system 41 is defined based on the position of the central axis of the device main body 31 on the transfer surface 25. In the case of the filling devices W2, W3, W6, and W8, the work coordinate system 41 is defined based on the position of the central axis of the nozzle movable support portion 34 on the transfer surface 25. In the case of the combination devices W4, W5, W7, and W9, the work coordinate system 41 is defined based on the position of the central axis of the hand movable support portion 37 on the transfer surface 25. That is, the work coordinate system 41 can be set on the transfer surface 25 with reference to the above-described work position P.

[0058] The work coordinate system 41 is a two-dimensional coordinate system having an X'-axis and a Y'-axis parallel to the conveyance surface 25. However, as shown in FIG. 10, the work coordinate system 41 has a different origin position and / or axial directions (X'-axis and Y'-axis) from the conveyance coordinate system 40. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the X'-axis and Y'-axis of the work coordinate systems 41a and 41b are along the X-axis and Y-axis of the conveyance coordinate system 40, and the origin positions of the work coordinate systems 41a and 41b are different from the origin position of the conveyance coordinate system 40. Also, the X'-axis and Y'-axis of the work coordinate systems 41c and 41d have angles with respect to the X-axis and Y-axis of the conveyance coordinate system 40 respectively, and the origin positions of the work coordinate systems 41c and 41d are different from the origin position of the conveyance coordinate system 40.

[0059] In the present embodiment, the work coordinate system 41 is based on the conveyance coordinate system 40, and the work coordinate system 41 is set in association with the coordinates of the conveyance coordinate system 40. That is, the conveyance coordinate system 40 represents absolute position information on the conveyance surface 25, and the work coordinate system 41 represents relative position information on the conveyance surface 25. The work coordinate system 41 is converted into the conveyance coordinate system 40 and associated therewith. The work control unit 55 transmits a control command for the carrier t in the work area WA to the conveyance control unit 54. Such a control command is a position control signal indicated in the work coordinate system 41, and is a movement command in the work area WA, a movement start command for the carrier t based on signals (such as a work completion signal) transmitted from the work devices W1 to W9, or a movement stop command. The conveyance control unit 54 transmits each control command (movement command, movement start command, movement stop command, etc.) for the carrier t to the conveyance stage 20 based on the position control signal from the work control unit 55, and controls the movement of the carrier t in the work area WA.

[0060] The work area WA and the corresponding work coordinate system 41 are appropriately set according to the specifications unique to the work device W such as the movable range of the end effector, and the installation location of the work device W. Also, when a plurality of work areas WA are set on the conveyance surface 25, the origin position and axial directions (X'-axis direction and Y'-axis direction) of the work coordinate system 41 may be made different for each work area WA.

[0061] The operation control unit 55 also controls the operation of each working device W included in the manufacturing apparatus 100. Specifically, based on the position information of the carrier t represented in the work coordinate system 41, the operation control unit 55 transmits signals such as an operation start command or an operation stop command to the working devices W1 to W9. The operations of the end effector and the like when each of the working devices W1 to W9 performs an operation may be controlled based on a signal from the operation control unit 55, or may be controlled by a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) provided in the working device itself. In the former case, the operation control unit 55 controls the operations such as the position or movement of a specific part (such as an end effector like a nozzle part) of the working device W by the work coordinate system 41 or another coordinate system associated with the work coordinate system 41. In the latter case (PLC), the working devices W1 to W9 start or stop operation control in response to an operation start command or an operation stop command from the operation control unit 55.

[0062] The determination unit 56 performs various determination operations when controlling the operations of each carrier t or each of the working devices W1 to W9. In the present embodiment, the determination unit 56 determines, for example, the presence or absence of arrival of each carrier t at each work area WA1 to WA9, the presence or absence of work of each carrier t in each work area WA1 to WA9, the progress status of work of each carrier t at each of the working devices W1 to W9, and the like.

[0063] The above-described manufacturing control unit 50 is configured to include a CPU, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a flash memory, a camera, a display unit, an input device for a user to perform an input operation, and the like. The CPU may include a graphics processor for image display (Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)), a multimedia processor for encoding and decoding high-definition (HD) video, etc., a display controller for controlling a display, and a power management integrated circuit (IC) for controlling power supply and charging. The display unit included in the manufacturing control unit 50 may use a touch panel or the like that combines display and operation functions. Further, the manufacturing control unit 50 may be manually operated. In this case, examples of the input device include a touch panel, a keyboard, a keypad, a touch pad, a mouse, a microphone, and the like.

[0064] The processing performed by each part of the manufacturing control unit 50 (such as the conveyance control unit 54) is realized by the CPU expanding a program stored in a ROM, a disk, or the like into the RAM and executing it. Such processing may be realized by an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or may be realized by a combination of an ASIC and an FPGA.

[0065] Next, a control method of the manufacturing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. Note that the flowchart of FIG. 11 describes an example of one process performed by any of the working apparatuses W1 to W9.

[0066] The control method of the manufacturing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes a conveyance control step of controlling the movement of the conveyance body t in the conveyance coordinate system 40, and a work control step of controlling the movement of the conveyance body t in the work coordinate system 41. That is, the coordinate system for controlling the movement of the conveyance body t is switched between the conveyance area TA and the work areas WA1 to WA9 of the working apparatuses W1 to W9.

[0067] When controlling the operation of the carrier t of the manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, first, production management settings for manufacturing an article with the manufacturing apparatus 100 are performed (step S1). Specifically, variety information such as the type of article to be manufactured by the manufacturing apparatus 100, the conveyance path (the movement path of the carrier t) corresponding to the article, and process information is set manually or automatically. The set information is recorded in the storage unit by the conveyance information acquisition unit 52.

[0068] Next, a movement path for each carrier t is set on the conveyance surface 25 of the conveyance device 24 (step S2). In the present embodiment, since the container body 1b and the cap 1c constituting the article 1 to be manufactured are conveyed by different carriers t1 and t2, a movement path is set for each of the carriers t1 and t2. Further, in the present embodiment, the conveyance control unit 54 sets work areas WA1 to WA9 corresponding to the work devices W1 to 9 on the conveyance surface 25 and a non-work area where only the movement of the carrier t is performed without performing the work, and the path generation unit 53 sets the movement path.

[0069] When the movement path for each carrier t is set on the conveyance surface 25, next, the conveyance of the carrier t is started. That is, the conveyance control process is executed (step S3). In the present embodiment, for example, the conveyance control unit 54 issues a movement command to move the carrier t1 to the work position P1 on the conveyance stage 20, whereby the carrier t1 starts to move to the work position P1. Further, depending on whether the movement of the carrier t is in the non-work area or the work area WA, the conveyance control process or the work control process is performed. When moving the carrier t in the non-work area, that is, in the conveyance control process, the position control of the carrier t is performed in the conveyance coordinate system 40 based on the conveyance surface 25.

[0070] The control method of this embodiment determines whether the carrier t has arrived at the target work areas WA1 to WA9 while executing the conveyance control process (step S4). Such determination is made by the determination unit 56. Step S4 may also be a process in which the determination unit 56 determines whether the carrier t1 has arrived at the switching position SA. The switching position SA is an area having a specific position (point), line, or area on the conveyance surface 25. When the carrier t arrives at the switching position SA, the switching between the conveyance control process and the work control process is performed. The switching position SA is set within the work area WA or on the boundary line defining the work area SA. Further, the switching position SA may be set as an entrance or an exit from the conveyance area TA to the work area WA in the movement path of the carrier t. From the viewpoint of making the control of the carrier t easier, the switching position SA is preferably set in the conveyance coordinate system 40.

[0071] The switching positions SA1 and SA2 shown in FIG. 12 are set within the work area WA including the work position P of the work device W. Specifically, the switching positions SA1 and SA2 are set at both ends of the work area WA that is long in one direction. In this case, as shown in FIG. 12(A), the determination in step S4 is made based on whether the actual coordinate position of the carrier t1 matches the switching position SA1. When the actual coordinate position of the carrier t1 in the conveyance coordinate system does not match the switching position SA1, while continuing the conveyance control process, the determination in step S4 is repeatedly executed at a frequency of 1 time / second or more and 10000 times / second or less.

[0072] When it is determined that the carrier t has arrived at the target work area WA or the switching position SA1, the control switches from the transfer control process to the work control process. That is, the coordinate system for controlling the position of the carrier t is switched from the transfer coordinate system 40 to the work coordinate system 41 (step S5). This step S5 is performed by the work control unit 55 based on the determination result of the determination unit 56. For example, when the carrier t1 enters the work area WA of the target work device W or arrives at the switching position SA (see Fig. 12(A)), the position control of the carrier t1 is switched from the transfer coordinate system based on the transfer surface 25 to the work coordinate system based on the work device W. Then, the work control unit 55 transmits a work start command to the work device W and also transmits a movement command for the carrier t within the work area WA. As a result, while the work of the work device W is being executed, the carrier t is moved along a predetermined movement path within the work area WA (see Fig. 12(B)). Such work and movement are controlled in the work coordinate system 41.

[0073] Here, the movement control of the carrier t in the work coordinate system 41 is performed while converting the coordinate position of the work coordinate system 41 to the coordinate position of the transfer coordinate system 40. For example, in the form shown in Fig. 13, when moving the end effector of the work device W from point A1 to point A2 and making the carrier t follow this movement, the movement of the end effector of the work device W and the movement of the carrier t are both controlled in the work coordinate system 41. However, in parallel with this control, the position of the carrier t in the work coordinate system 41 is converted to the position in the transfer coordinate system 40. This facilitates the control for cooperating the carrier t and the work device W. Also, in the form shown in Fig. 13, when moving the carrier t from point A1 to point A2 according to the work progress of the work device W, while controlling the position of the carrier t in the work coordinate system 41, the position of the carrier t in the work coordinate system 41 is converted to the position in the transfer coordinate system 40.

[0074] Next, when it is determined that the carrier t1 has arrived at the switching position SA2 or the work by the working device W of the carrier t1 has been completed (step S6), the carrier t1 is moved from the work area WA to the transport area TA, and the coordinate system for position control of the carrier t is switched from the work coordinate system 41 to the transport coordinate system 40 (step S7). In the form shown in FIG. 12, when the work by the working device W is completed, the carrier t1 arrives at the switching position SA2 (see FIG. 12(C)). The above determination is made by the determination unit 56, and when the carrier t1 arrives at the switching position SA2 or the work by the working device W of the carrier t1 has been completed, the transport control process is performed. In the subsequent step S8, when the determination unit 56 determines that there is a next process for the carrier t, the transport control unit 54 transmits a movement command to move the carrier t to the work areas WA2 to WA9 of the next working devices W2 to W9. When it is determined in step S8 that there is no next process, the transport control process is continued and the carrier t1 is moved to the target point.

[0075] In the subsequent step S9, based on the transport information of the transport information acquisition unit 52, it is determined whether or not the manufacturing of the article (container 1) by the manufacturing apparatus 100 is completed. More specifically, when the container 1 is taken out from the carrier t1 that has arrived at the target point and the loading of the container 1 is released, the production number (variable i) of the container 1 is incremented, and it is determined whether or not the production number (variable i + 1) is equal to the set planned production number.

[0076] The unloading of the container 1 can be detected by the presence or absence of a work completion signal for unloading outside the transport surface 25 performed by the container unloading device, the decrease in the weight of the carrier t1 by the load cell, or the change in the current value for maintaining the floating amount of the carrier t1. Alternatively, it may be performed by object recognition by an external processing device such as various sensors or an imaging device. As these various sensors, those capable of detecting the unloading of the container 1 can be used without particular limitation. For example, an optical sensor or a fiber sensor capable of detecting the presence or absence of the container 1 on the carrier t1 can be used. Also, the unloading device may be provided with a sensor according to its working mode. For example, when the unloading device takes out the bottle container 1 by vacuum suction, the unloading (the unloading of the loading) of the bottle container 1 can be detected by a pressure sensor. When the unloading device takes out the bottle container 1 by an electric gripper, the unloading can be detected by a force sensor. Further, when the unloading device takes out the container 1 by a pneumatic gripper, the unloading can be detected by a proximity sensor.

[0077] In step S9, when it is determined that the production quantity of the container 1 has reached the set planned production quantity, the production (manufacturing) of the bottle container 1 by the manufacturing apparatus 100 is terminated. On the other hand, when it is determined in step S9 that the production quantity of the container 1 is less than the set planned production quantity, the process returns to step S4, and steps S4 to S8 are repeated.

[0078] Thus, in this embodiment, the coordinate system for controlling the operation of the carrier t provided in the transfer device 24 of the manufacturing apparatus 100 can be switched according to the position of the carrier t on the transfer surface 25. That is, in the transfer control process, while efficiently moving the carrier t, in the work control process, position control based on each work device W can be performed. In this work control process, the position control for aligning the carrier t with respect to the work device W can be performed according to the operation of the work device W. If such position control is to be performed in the transfer coordinate system 40 based on the transfer surface 25, since it is a coordinate system not based on the work device W, it becomes complicated position control. In particular, when the axial directions of the two axes (X'-axis and Y'-axis) in the work area WA and the two axes (X-axis and Y-axis) in the transfer area TA do not match, the position control in the work area WA is likely to become complicated. On the other hand, in the manufacturing apparatus 100 of this embodiment, the position control (work control process) in the work area WA is controlled in the work coordinate system 41 based on the work device W such as the work position P, so that the control of the carrier t when cooperating with the work device W can be simplified. Thereby, the position control of the carrier t in the non-work area and the position control of the carrier t in the work area WA can be efficiently performed.

[0079] In the manufacturing apparatus 100 of this embodiment, it is applied to manufacture the article 1 including a plurality of components while transferring a plurality of carriers t onto the transfer surface 25. On this transfer surface 25, the movement of the plurality of carriers t proceeds simultaneously. Also, the work areas WA set for each of the plurality of carriers t may overlap with each other's work areas WA of different carriers t. The transfer area TA of this embodiment is inward of the work area WA, and a plurality of work areas WA are set within the transfer area TA. Hereinafter, the area where the work area WA for one carrier t and the transfer area TA for another carrier t overlap is also referred to as the overlapping area OA.

[0080] As shown in Fig. 14, when there is an overlapping region OA on the conveyance surface 25, in the overlapping region OA, it is preferable to execute a conveyance control process and a work control process while avoiding interference between the conveyors t based on the coordinate positions of the conveyance coordinate system 40 of the conveyor t. Thereby, the production of the article (container 1) can be performed more efficiently. The avoidance of interference may be performed by changing the movement path (planned coordinate position), or may be performed by changing the moving speed of the conveyor t or temporarily stopping the movement of the conveyor t. In the present embodiment, the change of the movement path is performed by the path generation unit 53 as described above. Also, the change of the moving speed of the conveyor t is performed by the conveyance control unit 54.

[0081] The manufacturing method of the present embodiment includes a step of avoiding interference between the conveyors t (hereinafter, also referred to as "interference avoidance step") based on the coordinate positions of the conveyance coordinate system 40 of the conveyor t in the overlapping region OA. This interference avoidance step is executed in parallel with the conveyance control step and the work control step. Fig. 15 shows an example of the interference avoidance step for avoiding interference between the conveyor t1 and the conveyor t2. In the interference avoidance step shown in Fig. 15, first, in the overlapping region OA, it is determined whether or not the planned coordinate positions of the plurality of conveyors t1 and t2 coincide after a predetermined time (step S11). Thereby, it is determined whether or not the conveyors t1 and t2 interfere with each other after a predetermined time in the overlapping region OA. The planned coordinate position in step S11 is preferably a planned coordinate position from 0.01 second or more to 1.0 second or less, more preferably from 0.1 second or more to 0.5 second or less, from the current positions of the conveyors t1 and t2. If it is determined in step S11 that the planned coordinate positions of the conveyors t1 and t2 after a predetermined time coincide, the process proceeds to step S12. If it is determined that the planned coordinate positions do not coincide, while continuing the conveyance control process and the work control process, the determination in step S11 is repeatedly executed at a frequency of 1 time / second or more and 10000 times / second or less.

[0082] In step S12, it is determined which carrier t's movement is to be prioritized. In step S12 of the present embodiment, the movement of the carrier t in which the work control process is being performed is prioritized over the movement of the carrier t in which the conveyance control process is being performed. Step S12 of the present embodiment selects the carrier t in which the work control process is not being performed, that is, the carrier t in which the conveyance control process is being performed, and changes the movement, etc. of the selected carrier t after step S13. In the present embodiment, when the work control process is being performed by the carrier t1, while continuing the work control process of the carrier t1, control is performed to proceed to step S13 and change the movement, etc. of the carrier t2.

[0083] In step S13, it is determined whether there is an avoidance position that does not interfere with the carrier t1 within the range where the carrier t2 can move within a predetermined time. The predetermined time in step S13 has the same meaning as the predetermined time in step S11. If it is determined in step S13 that there is an avoidance position, the process proceeds to step S14. In step S14, a movement command is issued to move the carrier t2 from the current position to the avoidance position, and the process proceeds to step S17. As a result, the carrier t2 moves to the avoidance position. In the subsequent step S17, a movement command is issued to move the carrier t2 from the avoidance position to the next planned coordinate position. By such a movement command, the carrier t2 returns from the avoidance position to the original planned path. After this step S17, the process proceeds to step S23. In step S23, it is determined whether to end the interference avoidance process. In such a determination, when the work control process and the conveyance control process of the carriers t1 and t2 are not continued, the interference avoidance process is ended. When the work control process and the conveyance control process of the carriers t1 and t2 are continued, the process returns to step S11, and steps S11 to S23 are repeated.

[0084] If it is determined in step S13 that there is no avoidance position, the process proceeds to step S15. In step S15, a speed change command to change the moving speed or a temporary stop command to temporarily stop the movement is transmitted to the carrier t2. Whether to transmit a speed change command or a temporary stop command in step S13 is determined by the planned path of the carrier t1 after the planned coordinate position in step S11. For example, if the carrier t1 remains at the planned coordinate position in step S11 after a predetermined time or continues to move in the vicinity of the planned coordinate position, a temporary stop command is transmitted; if the carrier t1 moves to another position within a few seconds from the planned coordinate position, a speed change command is transmitted. After transmitting a speed change command or a temporary stop command in step S15, the process proceeds to step S16. In step S16, it is determined whether the carrier t2 has moved to the planned coordinate position after the predetermined time in step S11. If it is determined in step S16 that the carrier t2 has not moved to the planned coordinate position after the predetermined time, the determination in step S16 is repeatedly executed at a frequency of 1 time / second or more and 10,000 times / second or less. If it is determined in step S16 that the carrier t2 has moved to the planned coordinate position after the predetermined time, the process proceeds to step S17.

[0085] If the work control process is being performed by the carrier t2 in step S12, while continuing the work control process of the carrier t2, the process proceeds to step S18 to perform control to change the movement etc. of the carrier t1. Steps S18 to S22 perform the same control on the carrier t1 as steps S13 to S17 described above.

[0086] Each of the planned coordinate positions and avoidance positions in the interference avoidance process shown in FIG. 15 is specified or calculated in the coordinate positions of the conveyance coordinate system. That is, by grasping the positions of the carriers t1 and t2 in the overlapping area OA in the coordinate positions of the conveyance coordinate system 40, it is possible to avoid interference between the carriers t1 and t2 while continuing the work by the carrier t. Thereby, the work by the cooperation of the carrier t and the work device W can be made smoother.

[0087] The manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment includes a plurality of working devices W1 to W9. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 16, the working areas WA1 and WA2 of different working devices W1 and W2 may partially overlap. In this way, when the working area WA1 corresponding to one working device W1 and the working area WA2 corresponding to another working device W2 partially overlap, as a working control step, it is preferable to switch between the working coordinate system 41 corresponding to one working device W1 and the working coordinate system 41 corresponding to the other working device W2. With such a configuration, it is possible to efficiently perform position control of the carrier t corresponding to each operation performed by the plurality of working devices W1 and W2. In the working control step, the switching between different working coordinate systems 41 may be triggered by a work completion signal of one working device. Further, when performing a series of operations through the cooperation of a plurality of working devices, the working coordinate systems 41 may be switched during the middle stage of the operation.

[0088] Further, the manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment may move the carrier t to a predetermined position within the working area WA in response to a signal from the working device W. Thereby, the carrier t can be moved within the working area WA according to the progress or completion of the operation of the working device W. An embodiment shown in FIG. 17 will be described as an example of such a form. The working device W10 shown in FIG. 17(A) includes a plurality of nozzles 4 and 5 for filling liquid as a plurality of end effectors, and the filling positions (working positions) of the nozzles 4 and 5 are different within the working area WA of the working device W10. When the filling preparation of one nozzle portion 4 is completed, the working device W10 transmits a filling preparation completion signal to the working control unit 55 (manufacturing control unit 50). Based on the filling preparation completion signal of the nozzle portion 4, the working control unit 55 issues a movement command to move the carrier t to the filling position A14 of the nozzle portion 4, and moves the carrier t to the filling position A14. The working device W10 performs a filling operation by the nozzle portion 4 based on the movement completion signal of the carrier t at the filling position A14. The working control unit 55 performs the same control also during filling by the nozzle portion 5. That is, based on a signal from the working device W10, the carrier t is moved to the filling position A15, and a filling operation by the nozzle portion 5 is performed. As described above, the manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment can vary the destination (filling position) for moving the carrier t in accordance with a signal from the working apparatus W. When the types of liquids discharged from the nozzle units 4 and 5 are different, the destination (filling position) of the carrier t is varied according to the type of filling material, that is, the variety of the product to be manufactured. Therefore, mass production of multiple varieties and variable quantities can be efficiently performed.

[0089] The working apparatus W11 shown in FIG. 17(B) also includes a plurality of nozzle units 6, 7, and 8, similar to FIG. 17(A), and the filling positions (working positions) of the nozzle units 6, 7, and 8 are different within the working area WA of the working apparatus W11. When the filling preparation of each nozzle unit 6, 7, and 8 is completed, the working apparatus W11 transmits a filling preparation completion signal to the working control unit 55 (manufacturing control unit 50). Based on the filling preparation completion signal of the nozzle unit 6, the working control unit 55 transmits a movement command to move the carrier t to the filling position A16 of the nozzle unit 6, moves the carrier t to the filling position A16, and performs a filling operation by the nozzle unit 6. When the filling operation of the nozzle unit 6 is completed, the working apparatus W11 transmits a filling completion signal of the nozzle unit 6 to the working control unit 55. Based on the filling completion signal of the nozzle unit 6, the working control unit 55 transmits a movement command to move the carrier t to the filling position A17 of another nozzle unit 7. Thereafter, filling operations are performed in the order of the nozzle unit 7 and the nozzle unit 8 by the same control. That is, based on the filling completion signal from the working apparatus W11, the working control unit 55 moves the carrier t to the filling position where the next filling is to be performed.

[0090] The manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment includes a working apparatus W composed of an articulated robot. Such a working apparatus W generally has a joint coordinate system indicating the displacement (rotation) of each joint, a rectangular coordinate system including the central axis of the apparatus main body, and a tool coordinate system 42 based on the tip of the end effector. The tool coordinate system 42 is used when controlling the operation of the end effector in the area where the end effector performs work (hereinafter, also referred to as the "tool area EA"). Since the movable area of the end effector is three-dimensional, the tool area EA includes the X E axis and the Y E axis in the planar direction, and the Z EIt becomes an area having an axis. From the viewpoint of performing work on the work object loaded on the carrier t on the conveyance surface 25, the tool area EA of the present embodiment is X E axis and Y E axis are set along the conveyance surface 25. That is, the plane 43 (hereinafter, also referred to as "tool virtual plane 43") composed of the X E axis and Y E axis in the tool area EA is parallel to the conveyance surface 25 and is also parallel to the X-axis and Y-axis of the conveyance coordinate system 40 [see Fig. 18(A)]. The position of the Z E axis of the tool virtual plane 43 coincides with the position of the Z E axis at the tip of the end effector.

[0091] From the viewpoint of more efficiently controlling the cooperation between the work device W and the carrier t, in the plan view of the conveyance surface 25, it is preferable that the work area WA corresponding to the work device W and the tool area EA coincide with each other, and the tool coordinate system 42 and the work coordinate system 41 correspond to each other [see Fig. 18(A)]. With such a configuration, the movement of the carrier t in the work area WA can be easily made to follow the movement of the end effector in the tool area EA, and position adjustment such as alignment between the end effector and the carrier t becomes unnecessary. In addition, since the coordinate information (tool coordinate system 42) for controlling the movement of the end effector can be directly used for controlling the movement of the carrier t, the control of the movements of both the work device W and the carrier t can be made simpler. "The work area WA and the tool area EA coincide with each other" means that the peripheries of the work area WA and the tool area EA overlap in the plan view of the conveyance surface 25. Also, "the tool coordinate system 42 and the work coordinate system 41 correspond to each other" means that in the plan view of the conveyance surface 25, the axial directions of the X E axis and Y E axis of the tool coordinate system 42 and the X'-axis and Y'-axis of the work coordinate system 41 coincide with each other, and the origin positions of the tool coordinate system 42 and the work coordinate system 41 coincide with each other in the plan view of the conveyance surface 25.

[0092] When the work area WA corresponding to the work device W coincides with the tool area EA and the tool coordinate system 42 and the work coordinate system 41 correspond to each other, the Z of the tool coordinate system 42 E axis coincides with the normal direction to the conveyance surface 25. From the viewpoint of making the operation control of the end effector in the Z E axis direction of this tool coordinate system 42 more efficient, the tool virtual surface 43 is preferably set with respect to the conveyance surface 25 or with respect to the work object loaded on the carrier t in the normal direction of the conveyance surface 25 (the vertical direction Z in this embodiment). In this case, the tool virtual surface 43 may be set at the same position b1 as the conveyance surface 25 in the normal direction of the conveyance surface 25, or may be set at the same position b2 as the upper end of the container body 1b of the work object [see Fig. 18(B)]. With such a configuration, it becomes easier to intuitively grasp the operation control of the end effector with respect to the work object on the carrier t, and the adjustment of the operation control can be made more efficient.

[0093] As described above, the present invention has been described based on its preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, the manufacturing apparatus 100 of the above-described embodiment includes a conveyance stage 20 and a conveyance device including a plurality of carriers t that move while floating from the conveyance stage 20, but is not limited to such a form. For example, the conveyance device may include a conveyance surface 25 set on the floor and a carrier configured by a vehicle that freely moves on the conveyance surface 25. Also, in the manufacturing method of the above-described embodiment, different types of articles 1 are manufactured for each of the movement paths C1 to C4 of the carrier t, but the same type of article may be manufactured on different movement paths. In this case, the same type of article can be efficiently mass-produced.

[0094] In addition, in the manufacturing apparatus 100 of the above-described embodiment, the work coordinate system 41 is based on the conveyance coordinate system 40, but the work coordinate system 41 and the conveyance coordinate system 40 may be set independently. In this case, another coordinate system serving as the basis for the work coordinate system 41 and the conveyance coordinate system 40 is set, and in this other coordinate system, the position of the carrier t in the entire conveyance surface 25 including the conveyance area TA and the work area WA can be grasped.

Explanation of Signs

[0095] 1 Bottle container (article) 1b Container body 1c Cap 10, 12 Holding part 11b Cylindrical part 20 Conveyance stage 21, 21a, 21b Segment 22 Segment body 23 Magnetic force generation part 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d Coil 24 Conveyance device 25 Conveyance surface 31 Apparatus body 32 Work holding part 33a, 33b, 33c, 33d Magnet array 34 Nozzle movable support part (arm) 35 Filling nozzle 37 Hand movable support part (arm) 38 Robot hand 40 Conveyance coordinate system 41 Work coordinate system 50 Manufacturing control part 51 Communication module 52 Conveyance information acquisition part 53 Route generation part 54 Conveyance control part 55 Work control part 56 Determination part 100 Manufacturing apparatus C1, C2, C3, C4 Movement route t, t1, t2 Carrier TA Conveyance area W Work apparatus WA working area

Claims

1. A control method for a manufacturing apparatus including a conveyance surface, a plurality of conveyors that move freely on the conveyance surface, and a working device, the method comprising: setting, on the conveyance surface, a working area where work is performed by the working device and a conveyance area including a non-working area where the work is not performed; a conveyance control step of controlling the movement of the conveyors in the conveyance area in a conveyance coordinate system based on the conveyance surface; and a working control step of controlling the movement of the conveyors in the working area in a working coordinate system different from the conveyance coordinate system.

2. For a plurality of the conveyors, the working area and the non-working area are set separately, and when an area where the working area for one conveyor overlaps with the non-working area for another conveyor is defined as an overlapping area, in the overlapping area, based on the coordinate positions in the conveyance coordinate system of the conveyors, the conveyance control step and the working control step are executed while avoiding interference between the conveyors. The control method according to claim 1.

3. The control method according to claim 2, wherein the conveyance area encloses the working area.

4. The manufacturing apparatus includes a plurality of the working devices, and when at least a part of the working area corresponding to one working device overlaps with the working area corresponding to another working device, the working control step includes switching between the working coordinate system corresponding to the one working device and the working coordinate system corresponding to the another working device. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A switching position is set on the conveyance surface, and at the switching position, the conveyance control step and the working control step are switched. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the working coordinate system is defined based on a specific part of the working device.

7. A manufacturing apparatus including a conveyance surface, a plurality of conveyors that move freely on the conveyance surface, and a working device, the apparatus comprising: a conveyance control unit that controls the movement of the conveyors in the conveyance area in a conveyance coordinate system based on the conveyance surface, and a working control unit that controls the movement of the conveyors in the working area in a working coordinate system different from the conveyance coordinate system. ​

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