Process design system

Abstract

To materialize a process design system making it possible to flexibly change the contents of a process according to a product or the contents of work.SOLUTION: A process design device includes a data accumulation unit that accumulates product information, work information, and facility element information, accumulates in the data accumulation unit combination result information of facilities constituting unit works of a process, narrows down a target facility combination from among candidates for facility combinations constituting each unit work based on the combination result information, calculates a work time and a facility cost for each narrowed facility combination based on the accumulated facility element information and work information, selects facility combinations that are equal to or less than a predetermined threshold based on the calculated work time and facility cost, selects facilities that can be shared in unit works corresponding to the selected plurality of facility combinations based on the selected plurality of facility combinations, and designs a process based on the shareable facilities.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 24

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a process design system for determining the configuration of equipment for each process in a series of manufacturing processes for a product in a production line consisting of a series of processing and assembly processes, and to an information processing method and data structure for realizing this process.

[0002] In particular, when determining work procedures such as a series of assembly procedures and processing procedures for manufacturing a product, the present invention relates to a means for determining the equipment and set of people required to carry out each task, determining the process equipment, and determining the processes and their order, i.e., the process flow, and a process design device for this purpose.

[0003] In recent years, in response to the advancement of information processing technologies such as information and communication technologies related to IoT and wireless communication technology, and AI, the manufacturing industry has become increasingly information-driven, and production methods such as cyber-physical systems (CPS), cyber-physical production systems (CPPS), and digital twins (DT) are being applied to actual production. These methods also comply with international standards such as ISO and IEC, and production activities are based on information technology, with plans aimed at optimizing productivity and ensuring sustainability.

[0004] In factories primarily focused on processing and assembly, the computerization of traditional production equipment and worker activities has long been underway. However, with the increasing affordability and widespread adoption of robots, the automation of localized equipment operations, such as through the Internet of Things (IoT), is also becoming more widespread. To advance production based on information technology, it is necessary to express the relationships between information about equipment and production methods in terms of language. Appropriate language is also fundamental to the human-centered production of Industry 5.0. For this reason, production ontology has been devised. While ontology also refers to realist philosophy, here it refers to a method of representing knowledge related to information processing. According to production ontology, by configuring the relationships between objects, production line information can be constructed, line configuration can be determined, and line configuration can be optimized through optimization processing.

[0005] The information on the line configuration is utilized in production execution.

[0006] Furthermore, information for line configuration is stored and accumulated in a database and is utilized for new line design and line improvement.In particular, this invention proposes a line configuration method and optimization method for line design based on the relationship between products / parts, unit operations, and equipment elements. [Background technology]

[0007] Generally, a factory is required to produce a product, and production is achieved by building a production line with production equipment capable of manufacturing the desired product, or by changing the configuration of an already operating production line. In order to introduce the production equipment required for production, the manufacturing process and assembly process must first be designed based on product information, and the equipment selected and assembled in consideration of the manufacturing and assembly capabilities of each process. The processes required for the production of a product are determined from the results of the process design.

[0008] With the recent advancement of information technology in the manufacturing industry, production methods based on concepts such as CPS and digital twin DT are being developed. By collecting information on each production run and simulating production preparations such as process design and scheduling in an information space with equipment configurations that correspond to the actual equipment, it is possible to simulate and evaluate the actual production control processes in advance. In a CPS or DT environment, a model that represents the equipment configuration is stored in the information space.

[0009] The production line information model uses a representation method called an ontology. Specifically, the goal is to represent data and implement information processing in accordance with a series of data description specifications established by the W3C standards organization, including XML (extended markup language), RDF (resource description framework), and OWL (web ontology language). Furthermore, the things represented (things and events, entities and phenomena, space and time, existing things and specification things, etc.) must be rational for the purpose, sufficient and easy to handle from the perspective of information processing, and agreeable to people and society.

[0010] To build or reconfigure a production line, cells are used as units to represent the processes on the production line. A cell is a piece of equipment that handles products, parts, and workpieces (products in production) on a production line for processing, assembly, or transportation, and is made up of individual devices such as robots, transportation devices, part supply devices, and workbenches. It also includes sensors and devices for PLCs (programmable logic controllers, ladder control) that perform partial operations and control. These devices and equipment are called components or resources.

[0011] As robots become more widespread, robots that assist in processing can form cells for the processing process. Two or more robots can work together to form a cell, or workers and robots can work together to form a cell. PLCs are also used on production lines to automate tasks such as controlling conveyors and clamping trays that carry parts.

[0012] The elemental equipment included in a cell is standard for the cell, and even if the functions and performance are different, if they are the same type and interchangeable they can be treated as modules. Also, the cell itself can be treated as a module for the production line if it is interchangeable depending on the product being handled.

[0013] In the production of a product, for example an assembled product, a series of processes are configured to create a product with the desired function by adding parts to the base parts and fastening them together. Then, parts are input and production proceeds by processing them using equipment and tools at each process. In other words, in order to carry out production, the processes and their equipment are decided. This is called line design, or line configuration. Many tasks are involved in the production of a product. Even assembling at least two parts requires three tasks: setting on the work table, assembling, and carrying out. These can be included in a single process, or they can be separated. In other words, the series of processes, or process flow, is determined by allocating many tasks to at least a smaller number of processes.

[0014] Patent Document 1 discloses a method for creating a work process plan. In a manufacturing facility that produces material products by passing materials through multiple tiers of processing equipment groups, each group consisting of multiple pieces of processing equipment arranged side by side, the method plans, for example, to allocate workers so as to minimize the overall work process time for producing multiple preformed material products. In other words, the method discloses arranging equipment in a row to accommodate various tasks.

[0015] Patent Document 2 discloses a method for managing manufacturing processes for process groups. Data representing profit rates calculated based on information about bottleneck processes in each of a plurality of process groups is collected via a network from information terminals set up for each process group, and the data representing the profit rates for each process group is used to determine the optimal combination of process groups that maximizes the profit of the entire manufacturing process, thereby managing the manufacturing processes for the process groups. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0016] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2018-128766 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2003-36296 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0017] The technology of Patent Document 1 is a method for improving productivity by grouping and arranging equipment in stages so that it can respond to variations in the products being produced.

[0018] The technology of Patent Document 2 is a method for changing the combination of process groups using profit speed as an evaluation axis for productivity.

[0019] The methods disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are both premised on the preparation of processes in advance. However, such methods make it difficult to flexibly respond to changes in products, etc. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a process design device that enables flexible changes in process content depending on the product and work content. [Means for solving the problem]

[0020] An example of the present invention for solving the above problems is as follows.

[0021] a process design device having a data storage unit that stores product information, work information, and equipment element information, which stores actual information on combinations of equipment that make up unit operations of a process in the data storage unit, narrows down candidate combinations of equipment that make up each unit operation based on the combination actual information, calculates the work time and equipment cost for each of the narrowed down equipment combinations based on the stored equipment element information and work information, selects the equipment combinations that are below predetermined thresholds based on the calculated work time and equipment cost, selects equipment that can be shared by the unit operation corresponding to the equipment combination based on the selected multiple combinations of equipment, and designs a process based on the shareable equipment. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a process design device that allows processes to be flexibly changed depending on the product.

[0023] Further means and effects of the present invention will become apparent throughout the entire specification below. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an outline of a process for configuring a line. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a functional configuration for processing in the process design device. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a method for determining process equipment and a process flow from a series of unit operations for manufacturing a product. [Figure 4] This is a diagram showing an example of a combination of products / parts, unit operations, and equipment elements. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 shows an assembly diagram of an example product. [Figure 6] This is a table showing the combinations of products / parts, unit operations, and equipment elements, and the line configuration. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of equipment elements for each unit operation. [Figure 8]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an illustration of a line configuration. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining calculation contents of line configuration optimization. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an equipment configuration for improving productivity for work content of a process. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the order of processing for explaining a line design method. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an outline of the order in which objects and their relationships are generated in a line configuration. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram outlining the sequence of object generation and modification for new line construction and line improvement. [Figure 14] This is a diagram showing a list of classes that represent the configuration of a production line, the data items that the classes hold, and the relationships to other classes. [Figure 15] This is a diagram showing the generation relationships between class objects and their relationships. [Figure 16] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating class relationships in a production ontology. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a method for constructing a line by directly setting an object and an association; [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a method for improving a line by directly setting an object and a relation; [Figure 19] This figure shows an example of a user interface and screen for managing the creation status of objects and relationships using a system / software. [Figure 20] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the component configuration of the product. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing data on facility elements and work units. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of classification based on the type of facility element. [Figure 23] This figure shows the class relationships in the triple ontology of products / parts, unit operations, and equipment elements. [Figure 24] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an outline of a process for configuring a line. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Line design involves combining products and parts, tasks and processes, and equipment and equipment elements, as well as production planning, to design a highly productive line. Line design involves a wide range of processes, from product design to factory line layout, equipment design, selection, modification, and installation, as well as the design and implementation of control systems including information systems and robot trajectory generation, and even management systems such as production planning, demand forecasting, procurement, and business planning, including supply systems. This has been achieved through the expertise and collaboration of all involved parties. The complexity and wide variety of combinations of parts, tasks, and equipment elements makes it difficult to determine processes, leading to the lengthy process of line design and line reconfiguration for improvements.

[0026] For example, the first step of line design is to determine the configuration of the equipment that will be used to manufacture a product by creating a series of processes that will achieve the series of work required to manufacture that product. The second step involves implementing the work content (implementing the control system) and determining the production method to achieve production in response to product demand, i.e., orders.

[0027] Regarding the first stage above, the methodology and information technology have not been resolved, particularly in the context of CPS and digital twins. Currently, production lines exist as physical entities, and the technology to build them exists. Furthermore, businesses already exist that handle everything from line design to construction and equipment engineering. The outline of its functions was outlined in taIndustrie 4.0, which was advocated in Europe in 2010 in relation to the informationization of factories.

[0028] Conventionally, a method has been proposed in which various feasible processes for processing and assembly are prepared and selected, but this results in excessive work compared to the required work and increases the amount of assets that need to be prepared.

[0029] On the other hand, if the products are different and the work content is partially different, even if the process is the same, the process can be achieved by changing some of the equipment. For example, this could be done by changing the robot's hand or preparing additional jigs and tools. Alternatively, the equipment configuration can be changed to accommodate multiple products. Based on this concept, the present invention realizes a process planning device that allows flexible changes to processes depending on the product.

[0030] This does not involve selecting a process, but rather changing the process content depending on the product and work content, redesigning the process, and changing the process content itself. In other words, the process is determined by allocating the series of tasks required to manufacture the product to the processes.

[0031] For example, there are different tasks such as assembly and screw tightening, and these were treated as two separate processes, but when performed by a robot, by exchanging the robot hand, the same robot can be used to perform these as a single process (process equipment). Alternatively, two robots can perform assembly and screw tightening simultaneously. However, in this case, while the process processing time and lead time until product completion can be shortened, the equipment costs for the robot equipment increase, but conversely, this also means that costs can be reduced. It is clear that productivity can be improved in terms of both production volume and costs by determining the equipment configuration for the process at the task level.

[0032] Furthermore, to achieve this, even in the first stage of determining the above-mentioned line design or line configuration, it is necessary to have a method of handling information and a method of configuring equipment that allows changes to be made to the equipment configuration of that process.

[0033] Therefore, we will realize processes that combine unit operations to improve productivity, and make them configurable and reconfigurable depending on the product, thereby shortening process processing time and reducing equipment costs, thereby optimizing productivity.

[0034] According to the production ontology, it becomes easy to optimize the combination of equipment, work, etc. as modules, and by providing a seamless and clear view of the targets of line design, it becomes possible to achieve a flexible configuration and design method.

[0035] The technical concept of the present invention will be explained in more detail below using examples. [Example]

[0036] An example of a flowchart of the present invention is shown in Figure 1. This is an outline of the process of determining the process equipment and process flow from the series of operations for manufacturing a product, in other words, configuring a line.

[0037] In the flowchart, the subject of the processing is a computer. The start (step 101) and end (step 108) of the processing are clearly indicated.

[0038] The computer acquires the series of unit operations required to manufacture the product (step 102). This is the input for the calculation process. In other words, the input is the product information, including the component configuration, and the series of operations. Note that, in the case of assembling a product, an operation is assumed to correspond to a simple single action, such as placing it on a stand, attaching parts, and tightening screws. However, this determination method is not necessarily unique. For example, moving can be divided into stages. However, in this method, it is assumed that unit operations (by name or symbolic designation) can be treated as units so that they are consistent within the scope of manufacturing the target product. For example, for a unit operation of moving, dividing it into two stages would be designated as operations called Move 1 and Move 2, and as a series of operations, the steps would be designated as different unit operations: Move, Move 1, and Move 2.

[0039] Product information, process information, and unit operation information are acquired. This involves acquiring a combination of product information, process information, and unit operation information (step 103). This information is generally stored in a storage medium such as a database. Step 103 clarifies the search target.

[0040] Equipment configuration information for the unit task is searched (step 104). For example, if a task involves transporting parts, the conveyor or robot is a component, and the work table on which the parts are placed is also a component. For the task of tightening screws, the components are the robot and the driver hand (robot hand). On the other hand, a dedicated screw tightening device is also acceptable, and there are variations in configuration. Even if the configuration consists of only one robot, there are many models from various manufacturers that can perform the same task with parts, and all of these are candidates for equipment configuration. The equipment configuration required to perform the task consists of one or more equipment elements. In this case, workers are also considered to be equipment elements, but the work content and actions of the people are determined according to the components.

[0041] The work time and cost of the equipment are obtained for the equipment configuration found for the unit operation (step 105). The work time is determined for the complete equipment configuration and is determined according to the equipment elements. Even when transporting parts, the processing time differs depending on whether the part is moved by a conveyor or a robot, and even for robots, the processing time differs depending on the performance. The cost also differs depending on the equipment elements. Furthermore, the equipment cost can simply be the purchase price of the equipment, but it can also be an assessed value from financial accounting or management accounting perspectives, such as manufacturing costs, such as the operating costs of the equipment, or asset value.

[0042] In step 106, the equipment configuration to be used in the process is selected based on the work time and equipment cost calculated in step 105. This does not mean selecting one, but rather prioritizing candidates for optimizing the line configuration.

[0043] This can also be done by narrowing down or selecting a target equipment combination from among candidate combinations of equipment that make up each unit operation based on combination performance information.

[0044] Consecutive tasks are grouped together into processes, and the line configuration is optimized from the perspective of the processing time of each process and the cost of the production line equipment. The minimum processing time and equipment cost per task do not necessarily mean the processing time of the entire production line. Sharing equipment reduces costs, and the processing time of a specific task is at least the same as reducing the processing time of the entire production line, such as the cycle time. This is a problem that can be solved by optimizing the production line. However, an equipment configuration with long processing times and high costs cannot be the optimal process components for a production line. Therefore, ranking and prioritizing selection by processing time and cost to narrow down the candidates for optimization calculations is useful because it eliminates the need for calculations for combining a huge number of equipment elements.

[0045] Then, consecutive unit operations are grouped together and equipment is shared to generate a series of processes for manufacturing the product (step 107). For consecutive operations, if equipment elements can be shared between the operations, they can be treated as a single process. For example, if consecutive operations can be performed by a single robot, the operations can be grouped into a process and that single robot can be used as equipment. However, if the processing time for all processes on the production line, i.e., the cycle time, is to be minimized or kept below a predetermined standard time, it is necessary to separate the processes even if equipment can be shared. Such situations are solved by formulating an objective function and constraints for line configuration optimization.

[0046] The above is an outline of the basic processing of the present invention.

[0047] Referring to FIG. 2, a functional configuration for processing in a process design device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0048] The processing shown in Figure 1 can be realized by processing one or a small number of programs. However, what is achieved or the purpose of this invention is to provide a process design device for designing a line. Figure 2 shows the functional configuration and functions required for a process design system.

[0049] The process design system 221 is a system for configuring a production line, which determines the equipment configuration and process flow (order of processes) of the production line processes from the component configuration information of the product. The product configuration is processed by the product management function 201, such as data acquisition and registration.

[0050] The optimization and simulation management function 202 and line design progress management 203 are functions that manage the progress of process design and the execution of calculation processing, etc. Processing is a method of setting the objects and relationships of things that make up a production line, such as products, operations, equipment elements, cells (process equipment), processes, process flows, and even schedules, which are defined as classes in the production ontology, and is a function that manages the generation and association of these objects, as well as the application processing used for this purpose.

[0051] The object management function 204 and the object association function 205 are functions for generating and setting the objects and their associations of the things that make up the production line.

[0052] The line configuration optimization function 206 is the processing function of step 107 in Figure 1, in particular, but it may also be considered as the function of the entire flowchart in Figure 1. The optimization process is implemented as a solver or algorithm such as mixed-integer programming (MIP) or constraint satisfaction problem (CSP). Although not shown separately in Figure 2, this function 206 may be interpreted as including these.

[0053] The object group management function 207 is primarily a function for managing groups of products, parts, unit operations, and equipment elements. Furthermore, it also manages the objects of things that make up the production line, especially the relationships between objects of different classes.

[0054] The catalog and case management function 208 mainly manages data based on products, parts, unit operations, and equipment elements, and is equivalent to a material database generally referred to as a catalog book or catalog database. As a production ontology, it can also catalog and standardize objects such as cells, processes in the sense of a combination of operations, and process flows. For use in line design, i.e., for searches, etc., it also includes values ​​(processing time, amount, etc.) for quantitative priorities.

[0055] The inference function 209 is a function for deriving other objects related to a certain object, such as a logical inference process in general, computer engineering, or science.

[0056] The case extraction function 210 is a function that extracts, as cases, objects resulting from line design and their relationships. For example, it extracts a set of operations, cells, equipment elements, and parts related to a process.

[0057] The simulator 211 and scheduler 212 are applications used to create production plans and evaluate productivity based on the obtained line configuration, product orders, and demand.

[0058] The data registration function 213, data acquisition function 214, and UI 215 are functions implemented in the computer 222 for the system 221 to exchange data with the outside world, and UI 215 stands for User Interface, and is a function that receives data input from the user and displays it on the screen for the user.

[0059] The computer 222 is connected to a network 223 or to communication means with external computers and data acquisition and output devices, enabling data exchange. External devices include a computer terminal (UI) 224, a production management system (MES / SCADA 225) (Manufacturing Execution System / Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), a design system (CAD / PLM 226) (Computer-Aided Design / Product Lifecycle Management), a data storage unit 227, an equipment terminal 228, and control devices (PLCs, controllers) 229. The equipment terminal 228 and control devices 229 are devices that exchange data directly with equipment on the manufacturing site, and are referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT), which generally refers to communication and data exchange between devices or machines. Note that 227 may also be a database.

[0060] The above is an overview of the functional configuration for line design in the process design device shown in FIG.

[0061] The method of determining process equipment and process flow from a series of unit operations that manufacture a product according to the present invention will be explained according to the steps in the flowchart in Figure 3. In particular, specific examples will be used to show the combination of products / parts and unit operations, and equipment elements, as well as the configuration of process equipment and lines through the sharing of equipment elements.

[0062] 3, it is assumed that a catalog and standard have been set as an ontology DB (step 301). The objects to be set as catalog and standard are combinations of equipment elements that perform unit work on products and parts.

[0063] Figure 4 shows an example of a combination of products / parts, unit operations, and equipment elements.

[0064] For products and parts, the name of the part is listed as "part," but names that represent the structure or function of the product structure, such as "case," "support," or "cover," are also used. Product names could also be names such as "vacuum cleaner" or "cleaner." Furthermore, product names can be defined in more detail. For example, a robot cleaner could be defined by its model, such as "RV-X10J" or "minimaru," which would be useful for searching for manufacturing methods based on function, structure, size, weight, etc. There is no relationship between the product name and the manufacturing method unless it is intentionally assigned meaning and associated, and this is necessary for managing a series of unit operations.

[0065] Name the equipment elements. In Figure 4, we have listed approximate functional names such as "Conveyor A" and "Robot A," but for example, a robot would be set by its model, such as "CMZ05-01" manufactured by Company A. When searching for names and performance, attribute values ​​are set in the database table as appropriate, and searches are assumed to be devised using character string conversions, but it is important that the functions and performance are specific and accurate. If the equipment is manufactured in-house, it is sufficient to define its unique name, such as an equipment development number, capital investment number, or asset number, in terms of its model rather than as a unique entity.

[0066] The user must manage the names of unit operations. This requires that the names be the same as the names of operations in the production of the product, that a correspondence be established to allow accurate searches, or that rules be established to allow searches within the intended range of operation types. Common sense dictates that operation names be determined from the perspective of movement or transformation of parts, but symbolizing the operation itself requires ingenuity; for example, one method is to use the work time management method PTS (Predetermined Time Standards). Alternatively, standardize terminology within the scope of a product, production line, business, etc.

[0067] In this specification, we will continue to use the terms shown in Figure 4. A number is assigned to each combination. No. 1 is a configuration in which a "parts supply" device is used on a "table" for the "input" (putting into the line) of a certain "part." The processing time is 30 seconds, and the cost is 300,000 yen for the "table," or 300,000 yen, and 500,000 yen for the "parts supply" device. The "M" in the amount column stands for millions, so for example, 1 million yen is one million yen.

[0068] Since the design of a production line or the configuration of the line is determined according to the work involved in manufacturing the product, equipment elements are selected using products, parts, and unit operations as search keys. In other words, the next step in Figure 3 is to set the order of products, parts, and unit operations in the new line design (step 302).

[0069] Then, line components are selected (step 303). Simply put, a unit operation corresponding to the name of the unit operation that produces the product is searched for in a data storage unit or database, and a combination of equipment elements is obtained.

[0070] At this time, a unit operation can be realized by a wide variety of combinations of equipment elements, and it is easy to imagine that there will be a considerable number of equipment models with equivalent functions, considering the number of vendors. Therefore, if shorter processing times and lower costs mean higher productivity, it is sufficient to narrow down the number of combinations based on processing time and cost, reduce calculation costs, and make selection easier. However, it is also necessary to check here whether there is equipment for the unit operations required to manufacture the product, and if the missing unit operation is not in the database, it is added and registered. This concludes step 304.

[0071] Then, combinatorial optimization processing is performed (step 305). This line configuration optimization will be explained below using an example. In the example, it is assumed that one set of equipment elements is specified for each unit operation. If there are multiple sets of equipment elements for one unit operation, optimization is solved for each set, and the set that best satisfies the objective function is selected.

[0072] Figure 5 shows a product for explanation purposes. The structure is such that parts are packed into a box and then covered; for example, a rechargeable battery for an electric vehicle would have a similar structure. The block is inserted into the case and fastened with four M4 screws. The subassembly is then inserted and fastened with four M4 screws. After that, the cover is placed and fastened with four M5 screws.

[0073] Figure 6 shows the combinations of products / parts, unit operations, and equipment elements, as well as the results of process equipment configuration, i.e., the results of line configuration optimization. First, we will explain the combinations of products / parts, operation units, and equipment elements.

[0074] First, cases are input (put into) the production line using a case supply device.

[0075] The cases are transported by conveyor to the assembly position.

[0076] Insert the block into the case. Use robot A equipped with gripper A. A feeding device is required.

[0077] Tighten the screws in the block. Robot A's hand is an M4 screwdriver, and a screw feeder is required for the screws.

[0078] Insert the assembly and tighten the screws. The screws are M4.

[0079] Place the cover on the case. Robot A uses suction hand A. A supply device is required.

[0080] The cover is fastened with M5 screws. This completes the product.

[0081] The product is transported by a conveyor and output to a buffer device. The equipment configuration for each task is shown in Figure 7. Here, the equipment elements required to perform the task are simply illustrated, arranged in rectangles of different sizes. The name of each task is written in quotation marks in the upper left corner of the figure, but the names of parts are also added to clarify the details.

[0082] As shown in Figure 7, robot A and the work table are the same for block insertion, block screw tightening, subassembly insertion, subassembly screw tightening, cover placement, and cover screw tightening. The only differences are clamp A (703, 711), M4 screwdriver (707, 715), suction A (719), block supply (706), M4 screw supply (710, 718), subassembly supply (714), cover supply (722), and M5 screw supply (726). Six robots A are depicted: 704, 708, 712, 716, 720, and 724. These may all be performed by a single robot, or they may all be different robots of the same model called robot A. The same is true for work tables. If they are considered to be the same entity, the tasks they perform are the same process; if they are different, they are different processes.

[0083] The basic concept of line configuration optimization will be explained.

[0084] For example, suppose there are two tasks, both of which use the same model of robot. The tasks are performed serially, with the second performed after the first (parallel tasks are not possible). If the first task takes 10 seconds and the second 20 seconds, then using one robot will give a time of 10 + 20 = 30 seconds, which is the cycle time of the process, i.e. the production line. If the price of a robot is 1M yen, then the cost of the process is 1M yen since there is one robot. This means that the two tasks are treated as one process. This is the first proposal for a production line configuration.

[0085] If these two tasks are performed by separate robots, it means that the processes will be separated into two separate steps. The first step will have a cycle time of 10 seconds and the second step will have a cycle time of 20 seconds, resulting in a 20-second cycle time for the production line. However, since two robots are required, the cost will be 2M (= 2 x 1M) yen. This is the second proposal for the production line configuration.

[0086] The second option has the shortest processing time, especially the cycle time, for the production line. However, the first option is the cheapest. This process of optimizing the equipment and process flow that make up the process by sharing equipment elements, i.e., the sequence of processes, to minimize processing time or cost is called line configuration optimization. It can be expressed in a creative way, such as formulating either cycle time or cost as the objective function and the other as a constraint.

[0087] Figure 6 also shows an example of a line configured by grouping rows of unit work into processes. The overall process flow is four steps, and it can be said that the configuration is primarily aimed at reducing equipment costs rather than cycle time.

[0088] Input and transportation are considered as the loading process.

[0089] In assembly, the first process is inserting the block and subassembly and tightening the screws. The process equipment is robot A, clamp A, block supply, screwdriver M4, screw M4 supply, and work table. The work table, robot A, and screwdriver M4 are shared. Furthermore, work requires changing the hands of clamp A and screwdriver M4, as well as transporting them to the second process. These additional tasks are determined when the process is determined.

[0090] The second process is to place the cover and tighten the screws. It is separated from the first process because the robot hand's suction A and driver M5 cannot be used in the first process and because the cycle time needs to be divided between the two processes.

[0091] The transportation and output are considered as the carrying-out process.

[0092] Fig. 8 shows an illustration of the line configuration of Fig. 6. From the left in Fig. 8, there is a carry-in process 801, a first process 802, a second process 803, and an unloading process 804, which are separated by boundaries 811, 812, and 813, respectively.

[0093] If we consider Figure 8 as the original line configuration, we can combine the first process 802 and the second process 803, i.e., combine Robot 1 (825) and Robot 2 (833), and Work Table 1 (826) and Work Table 2 (834), and then combine the robot hands and supply devices into a single process. Alternatively, we can separate the block and subassembly tasks in the first process 802, and even separate the screw tightening process. This approach addresses cycle time and equipment costs as a combination of process division and equipment sharing. Robots can perform a variety of tasks by simply changing their hands. However, when production volumes are large, it is more cost-effective to use multiple robots and configure a production line by dividing the processes into separate steps based on the equipment of hand tools, supply devices, and transport devices.

[0094] However, if you simply minimize cycle time or cost, the number of processes will be limited to the number of unit operations or 1. For example, you can control the number of processes by setting constraints on the cycle time or the upper limit of the cost per process, but it becomes difficult to set constraints. In that case, you can set the number of processes as a constraint.

[0095] Furthermore, the above explanation does not mention the physical, physical structure and layout of the equipment elements, but this is an unnecessary limitation in the above-mentioned problem of line configuration optimization, i.e., "configuring a production line so as to minimize cycle time or cost by grouping consecutive work elements into processes and sharing equipment elements related to unit work in the processes." If there are conditions regarding the structure and layout, it is sufficient to formulate constraints that express them.

[0096] The process of optimizing the line configuration will be summarized using Figure 9.

[0097] Item (a) Column of unit tasks, or each unit task being a process, shows the column of unit tasks. There are eight unit tasks in total, and the task names are numbered a through h. Time refers to processing time, measured in seconds. There are ten types of equipment elements in total, and the equipment elements required for each task are listed in the same row. For example, task a is equipment elements 1 and 3, task d is 5 and 6, and task g is 8 and 9. Equipment elements with the same number are of the same model. The columns are aligned in the diagram. If each of these unit tasks is considered a single process, then the process flow is eight processes, and the cycle time of the production line is 20 seconds for the fifth process. If the equipment cost is a flat 1 million yen per element, and there are 20 elements in total, then it is 20 million yen.

[0098] Item (b) If all operations are one process, all equipment elements are shared if there is overlap between operations, resulting in a total of 10 pieces, costing 10 million yen. The cycle time is 79 seconds.

[0099] Item (c) is an example of a four-process process, which combines consecutive operations to make the cycle time approximately 20 seconds. The cycle time of the production line is 22 seconds for processes 2 and 4. There are a total of 16 pieces of equipment, totaling 16 million yen.

[0100] As an example, in Figure 9, it is also possible to select a combination of equipment that is below a predetermined threshold based on the calculated time or work time and the equipment cost, or the equipment elements in boxes in Figure 9, or the cost linked to the equipment elements in boxes in Figure 9.

[0101] The above is an explanation of how to determine the line configuration by determining the equipment and process flow for a process based on the combination of unit work and equipment elements, time, and the cost of the equipment elements. If this is formulated as a line configuration optimization problem, an example of its expression is as follows: <objective>

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[0124] The subscript o is the index of the unit operation, p is the process, and e is the index of the equipment element. The superscript indicates the object to which the variable belongs (unit operation or equipment element), and the subscript is the index; when two are placed side by side, they form a Cartesian product.

[0125] This concludes the description of the combinatorial optimization process in step 305 of FIG.

[0126] At this stage, the line is assumed to have been designed, and then productivity is evaluated for actual production. Alternatively, production preparations are made. The production conditions (production target) are set (step 306). The target product is the product that was input into the line design, and the production quantity is determined. Also, a schedule is planned, and product numbers (serial numbers) are generated to determine individual schedules.

[0127] A schedule is then created (step 307). The line design determines the process flow and the processing time (cycle time) for each process, which serves as master information for scheduling. Using algorithms such as job shop scheduling and leveling, the production schedule can be determined and delivery deadlines and production loads can be evaluated. Furthermore, while the line design involves determining the product and configuring the line, it is also possible to evaluate schedules for mixed production by having processes with similar equipment configurations for different products.

[0128] Then, production is carried out (step 308). Even if a production line is designed and a production plan is made, preparations are still necessary, such as setting up equipment, installing new equipment in some cases, and procuring parts for product manufacturing. This flowchart is a flowchart of line design, particularly the information processing required to configure a production line from the work sequence for manufacturing products.

[0129] However, in preparation for production, the actual operation of the equipment, especially the robot trajectory generation and PLC control content, as well as the actual processing time determined by spatial and structural factors, become clear. Furthermore, in actual production, the control content, optional parts of partial equipment, and in some cases the equipment elements themselves may change.

[0130] Thus, through the implementation of production, the line design results are accumulated, and production performance data is also accumulated (step 309), at which time the actual processing time is known, and the equipment configuration used in actual production is also clarified. This information can be reflected in the ontology DB in step 301. Note that 309 can also be called equipment combination performance data.

[0131] Therefore, the combination of products / parts, unit operations, and equipment elements (parts x operations x equipment elements) is registered in the database as an ontology (step 310). Since performance data is handled, variations in the work time of actual operations are included, making statistical processing necessary, hence the use of the term "learning." It also includes the meaning of maintaining database data, such as ensuring consistency with existing registered items, overwriting (updating) data, or creating new combinations of unit operation names and equipment elements.

[0132] The simplest example of database registration is adding a manufacturer's equipment model, but it is also important to reflect the considerations of production engineers. New equipment configurations may be devised as a result of production improvements or process design innovations. Here are some examples of such cases.

[0133] Focus on the first process 802 in Figure 8. This is a process consisting of four unit operations: inserting a block and tightening screws, and inserting a subassembly and tightening screws.

[0134] Figure 10 shows the work content of the first process 801 in Figure 8, and the work content and equipment configuration of the process resulting from productivity improvements. Item (a) is the process processing content obtained by combining standard equipment elements. Robot 1 picks (grabs) the block, inserts it into the case, changes the tool, picks the screws, tightens the screws, changes the tool, picks the subassembly, inserts it, changes the tool, picks the screws, and tightens the screws. It then transports it to the next process. The individual tasks are connected without overlap, and the processing time is the sum of all of them. Even if there are four unit tasks, picking and tool changing are required for part supply.

[0135] When four unit tasks are processed by two robots, tool changes are eliminated and each robot handles a clamp and driver. Furthermore, with two robots, the assembly work itself can proceed while one robot is picking. As shown in item (b) Time reduction with two robots, while one robot is picking and inserting a block, another robot can pick a screw and tighten it. In this case, the processing time of pick, insert, tighten screw, insert, tighten screw is about half of that of item (a).

[0136] Furthermore, if the number of robots is doubled and the assembly of blocks and subassemblies is parallelized, the result will be as shown in item (c) Time reduction with a four-robot setup. In this case, the processing time for picking, inserting, and screw tightening will be about one-fourth of the processing time in item (a).

[0137] Items (a), (b), and (c) each have the equipment configuration as shown in the equipment configuration illustration.

[0138] If the string of unit operations shown in Figure 6 were combined, it would result in the process being item (a) above, but if the unit operation were "block assembly + sub-assembly assembly" and the equipment configuration were configured as shown in Figure 10, item (c), it would be a unit operation with a significantly shorter processing time. To obtain this unit operation in the line configuration, enter the unit operation as "block assembly + sub-assembly assembly" when inputting. Alternatively, if the string of unit operations includes the insertion of blocks and sub-assemblies as parts and screw tightening, search for and obtain the unit operation.

[0139] This can be generalized as a configuration method in which processing time is reduced to 1 / n by parallelizing n equipment elements, so by setting the number of parts to be processed, it is possible to increase the number of equipment elements by that amount and adjust the processing time, and it is also possible to combine products / parts, unit operations, and equipment elements.

[0140] As described above, when new work content for a process is considered, it can be used in line configuration by defining it as a new unit work, determining its combination with equipment elements, and registering it in the production ontology database.

[0141] This concludes the explanation of step 310 in FIG.

[0142] The above is an explanation of the line design method using the flowchart in Figure 3, particularly the method for determining process equipment and process flow.

[0143] This invention is a method for determining the process equipment and process flow from the unit work sequence for manufacturing a product, thereby obtaining a line configuration. The production line represents production in an information space such as CSP or Digital Twin DT (Digital Twin) to control the progress of production, and is made up of a set of information configurations that require time management, such as objects like products, parts, and equipment, work content like process flow and processes, and plans. In this [Example 2], we clarify the configuration of this information. In other words, we clarify the configuration of the production ontology.

[0144] CAPP (Computer-Aided Process Planning) is a method of using CAD (Computer-Aided Design) functions to determine the manufacturing sequence from product design information, such as a series of assembly procedures or a processing and assembly sequence, such as the processing procedures for creating the shape of raw materials through machining. In a narrow sense, this is also called process design. To actually create a production line, the equipment that will manufacture the product along the line is decided as a process, and the line is configured so that the product is completed through a series of processes.

[0145] Figure 11 shows the design method for obtaining a line configuration from product design information. The line configuration is determined from product design information, and this also includes spatial and structural matters such as layout, the design of machine operation such as control, computer implementation, and a production plan for carrying out production on the production line.

[0146] The circled numbers from 1 to 6 in Figure 11 represent the order in which the design items are tackled. First, in process design, the work sequence is generated. This can be thought of as process design in the narrow sense, or CAPP processing. Then, cells are selected for each individual work content. For this, cells are designed in advance, and if it is a new process, the cells are designed at this time. From here, the work begins on the line configuration.

[0147] Here, line configuration is classified into layout, process, and production based on purpose. These are items such as the design of structure and equipment elements, the design of work content, and the evaluation of productivity (cycle time, etc.). Cell selection refers to the combination of equipment elements for products, parts, and unit operations, and the combination of equipment elements determined in this way can become a cell. However, because it is a configuration that realizes a specific unit operation, it is considered an abstract or summarized cell. This cell has an expected operation, which is realized by the equipment elements that make it up. The line configuration for this process is the second item. And because the layout must be determined to realize the work of the process, line configuration (layout) is the third item.

[0148] The structure of the cell as equipment is related to the layout and is designed to satisfy layout constraints. Layout design is the fourth item, as it is relevant here. Equipment elements for performing the work are either selected from manufacturers or designed specifically for the work.

[0149] The above line configuration determines the process processing content and structure, i.e., the configuration of equipment elements, so it is clear that it is a candidate for cell selection. Meanwhile, the specific equipment operation can be designed based on the structure, equipment elements, and processing content. This means moving on to the fifth item, control design. Control design refers to sequence control of PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and trajectory generation of robots.

[0150] Once a cell has been selected for the work, the equipment configuration and process flow for the process are determined by the line configuration optimization mentioned above. As a result, the progress of the series of steps in the process flow is checked using a line simulator to evaluate productivity. Furthermore, productivity is evaluated by creating a production plan (scheduling) using the obtained process flow, assuming product orders and demand. After this evaluation, the line configuration can be reconsidered, or if performance is good and sufficient, actual production can proceed. This is the sixth point.

[0151] The above order is the order in which to prepare a new set of production equipment, for example. However, in reality, the factory and production equipment are often already in place and are organized into a production line. In such cases, the processes are arranged based on the existing layout.

[0152] The above is the methodology for designing a line by configuring the line from product design. Below we will show how this line design method can be used to configure the information required to handle CPS and DT. The basic idea is to express the line configuration, production objects, product serials, and schedule relationships using the relationships between objects, which are the extensions of the information class, and then turn this into data to manage the relationships between the data.

[0153] In object-oriented programming and information system design, a class is known as a representation of a data type, but in ontology it is closer to the concept of a sort, where there is an entity called an extension, and when multiple entities are taken as extensions, they are organized as entities that satisfy some common criteria such as having, possessing, or representing. Conversely, the entity that corresponds to the extension of a class is called an instance or individual.

[0154] This deals with the scope of configuring a line, making a production plan, carrying out production, and reflecting performance data in the ontology database. This is expressed as a data configuration. This makes the content of the line design clear by configuring the line.

[0155] As for classes, a line design can be performed by configuring their relationships using the terms in Figures 1 and 3 and the specification described above. Examples of classes include products / parts, equipment elements, unit operations, unit operation sequences, process equipment configurations, process operations, processes, process flows, intermediate products, individual production targets, orders / demands, schedules, and production performance data.

[0156] These words are treated as classes, and the lines are designed by generating objects of the classes and the relationships between the objects. The procedure is shown in Figure 12.

[0157] Starting from the top left of Figure 12, the product / parts target and a series of unit operations for manufacturing the product are input as the line configuration input. Then, the equipment elements associated with the unit operations are searched for and matched. This forms the relationship between parts, operations, and equipment elements.

[0158] As explained in the line configuration optimization process, a process is created by grouping unit operations. This means generating a process equipment configuration, which means configuring the relationship with the unit operations. In addition, process equipment corresponds one-to-one with processes, and the order of processes is the process flow.

[0159] The work in a process is related to step 310 in Figure 3, and it is required to be able to express various work within a process as shown in Figure 10. For example, multiple work can be expressed as a sequence, but if you want to express work that is performed simultaneously, for example, you can use a state transition diagram. In this way, there are classes that represent process work and are associated with processes.

[0160] As products are completed through the process flow, parts undergo some kind of change as they pass through each process. For example, other parts are added or transformed. Intermediate products that pass between processes are related to the order of the processes, that is, the process flow. Intermediate products are also related to products and parts, but this has been omitted due to space constraints in Figure 12.

[0161] After configuring the line, when planning production, the orders or demand for the production items are assumed. Or, production planning is essentially creating a schedule for production execution based on orders and demand. In this case, the actual production items are assumed and the date and time for processing each individual product in the process is decided. If these individual, specific products are called serial products, then the parts, intermediates, processes, and process flows that correspond to the products and their production processing also have serial equivalents. These are collectively called individual production items.

[0162] A schedule is planned based on orders and demand, and the resulting schedule is obtained. Production is carried out according to the schedule, and the history is accumulated as production performance data. Note that the production performance data in the diagram also includes cases where it is used as performance information for equipment combinations.

[0163] The above is the data configuration procedure that follows the procedure for configuring a line for a product design. Once the line configuration data has been configured, it can be modified to represent the situation of improving or reconfiguring the actual production line. This is important in CPS and DT, which evaluate productivity according to the production situation and control production execution. The left side of Fig. 13 shows the data configuration order that follows the line configuration procedure that corresponds to the new line installation in Fig. 12. The right side shows the order of data modification when making improvements.

[0164] In the left side of Figure 13, an anomaly is detected by an anomaly detection app (program) during production. As a result of this judgment, a failure in the robot hand is identified, but this is done by identifying the work item from the process work data, and then identifying the related unit work and equipment elements, and the faulty hand becomes clear. In this way, the relationship is propagated as a constraint (following the relationship sequentially). The equipment element is then changed to a working hand, the equipment configuration for the process is changed, and production is restored. Such corrections are possible by having the semantic relationships between classes as object-to-object relationships in the production ontology.

[0165] Figure 14 shows a list of classes, the data items they hold, and their relationships to other classes. The class name is shown in square brackets, with the data items listed on the top row and the relationships listed on the bottom row.

[0166] From the above, the configuration of the production line can be obtained by generating the objects of the classes shown in Figure 14 and the relationships between the objects, using the procedures shown in Figures 12 and 13. In particular, in Figure 13, creating relationships is configuring the line to function, and modifying those relationships (including the creation of related objects) is modifying or reconfiguring the production line in information, in cyberspace.

[0167] Figure 15 shows the creation of objects and relationships in a class using arrows to represent an ordering relationship (partial ordering). The arrows represent the process of creating relationships, or functions, or arrows in the mathematical field of category theory. In category theory, objects are objects. In computer program implementation, constraint processing, for example, is implemented using information engineering theory and mathematical concepts. The arrows are marked with the letter F, which stands for function. Furthermore, in the creation of individual production objects, products, parts, processes, process operations, intermediates, and process flows are serialized, which refers to the creation of new objects by referencing the original objects. The arrows are marked with a circle and the letter S, which stands for serialize. These arrows preserve the relationships between the original objects. In other words, the arrows, which represent relationships, are also preserved. The arrows, which are generated from the arrows between the original objects, are called functors. In category theory, a category is a set of objects and arrows, so serialization is the act of transferring a category to another category.

[0168] The thick arrows in Figure 15 indicate the processes used to evaluate productivity or confirm the functionality of a configured production line. Equipment Sim refers to the structural simulation of a production line, and checks the operation and processing time of equipment for each process. Production planning involves creating a schedule for individual production targets, that is, the serialization of products / parts, processes, process operations, intermediates, and process flows, and evaluating productivity.

[0169] In Fig. 15, the aforementioned line configuration optimization can be said to be a process of generating process equipment configurations, processes, process flows, and at least partially process operations and intermediate products. Production planning can be said to be a process of generating individual production targets, performing production planning processing, and generating a schedule.

[0170] Figures 12, 13, 14, and 15 show the objects and relationships of line configuration. In this invention, the problem domain of line configuration is expressed as a production ontology. The ontology is expressed as a class diagram showing classes and the relationships between them. Figure 16 shows a class diagram of the production ontology. To organize the objects, they are broadly categorized into products, process flows, equipment (operations), equipment (configurations), and plans, and each is given a namespace prefix: PRD (short for product), MPF (short for Manufacturing_Process_Flow), MAS (short for Manufacturing_Action_Sequence), MCM (short for Manufacturing_Cyber ​​Module), and SHC (short for schedule). Classes enclosed in boxes are serial or entity-related classes used in production planning and execution, while those without are used in the production design stage (production design) such as line configuration optimization. Triangular arrows indicate inheritance relationships (is relationships, universality, kind relationships), square arrows indicate inclusion relationships (has relationships, aggregation, mereology), and line arrows only indicate associations, the meaning of which is determined by the classes involved.

[0171] The relationship between products and parts is managed by the bill of materials PRDBillOfMaterial.

[0172] The unit work is called MPFTask. The term task is also used for the plan's SCHTask, but this refers to the processing of a specific process. Conversely, the unit work task refers to the small individual processes into which the processing of work is divided. Different terms are used depending on the namespace.

[0173] For equipment (tasks), a state transition diagram (MASStateTransitionDiagram) is used to describe them. A state transition diagram is expressed as the relationship between edges (ridges) and nodes (vertices), where edges are transitions and correspond to tasks, and nodes are things at a certain point in time, such as states and events.

[0174] Equipment (configuration) is divided into MCMModule, where the equipment element is MCMCluster, and the process equipment in the line MCMLine is expressed as MCMLineModule. If there is a relationship between these, they are "equal (the_same_as)". The above is a set of information configurations that represent production in information spaces such as CSP and Digital Twin DT (Digital_Twin) and represent the line configuration to control the progress of production.

[0175] A method for configuring a line by directly setting the relationship with the object is shown in Figure 17, taking as an example the case of configuring a new line. Start 2701, register a new product (step 1702), set the product / parts configuration (step 1703), set equipment elements (step 1704), set unit operations (step 1705), set process equipment (step 1706), set the process (step 1706), set the process flow (step 1708), set process operations (step 1709), and set intermediates (step 1710).

[0176] The line is configured as above. At this stage, the line evaluates the feasibility of producing the target product. The implementation of equipment simulation is registered (step 1711). This corresponds to preparation and setting. Then, the equipment simulation is executed (step 1712). Depending on the evaluation result, it is possible to return to any of the steps up to this point. Furthermore, the evaluation of the equipment simulation is not essential for the implementation of the next plan or the execution of production. The explanation continues.

[0177] A production plan is registered (step 1713), orders and demands are set (step 1714), individual production targets are set (step 1715), and a production plan is made (step 1716).

[0178] The obtained schedule is set (step 1717), and production is carried out (step 1718). This completes the series of procedures (step 1719).

[0179] The above is the explanation of Fig. 17. Here, steps 1706 to 1708, and in some cases step 1710, correspond to the line configuration optimization process.

[0180] The procedure for improving the line configuration configured using the production ontology has been described using the right side of Figure 13. The processing procedure is shown in the flowchart of Figure 18. In the explanation on the right side of Figure 13, anomaly detection was used as the starting point, but no specific situation is assumed here.

[0181] At the start (step 1801), the current situation is first checked (step 1802). This means identifying the relevant objects in the line configuration, and also acquiring actual data (step 1802). This includes signal data such as device data.

[0182] A comparison of the plan and the actual results is performed (step 1804). For example, anomaly detection is included in this process.

[0183] The following is the process for partially modifying the line configuration and changing the plan. As a process in cyberspace, a virtual situation is constructed, a plan is made, and the existing plan is overwritten.

[0184] First, the schedule is duplicated (step 1805), and the object of modification is selected (step 1806).

[0185] The relationships between the objects are propagated to obtain related objects (step 1807).

[0186] Steps 1808 to 1810 form a loop, where processing is repeated for each class for the associated objects. The processing involves modifying the objects, such as changing (replacing or changing content such as attribute values), adding objects, or deleting objects. In the example of anomaly detection, this involved deleting a broken hand from the equipment configuration and adding an operable hand. This can also be treated as a change in hand. The necessary object modifications are completed in this loop.

[0187] Production is planned for the revised production line configuration. This clarifies any differences from the previous plan. First, orders and demands are set (step 1811).

[0188] An individual production target is set (step 1812).

[0189] Production is planned (step 1813), and the improvements are compared with the previous line configuration and plan, i.e., past performance (step 1814). Even when making improvements, it is possible that production cannot be continued due to a breakdown or other reason, and in such cases, the improvement is evaluated from the perspective of reducing losses by continuing production.

[0190] A schedule is set (step 1815), production is carried out (1816), and improvements are completed (1817).

[0191] By configuring a line based on objects and their relationships, the very means of checking progress can be planned. In particular, when managed by humans, this can serve as a means of displaying progress on a computer terminal or screen. Figure 19 shows an example of the screen. As a stage in configuring a line, the production design screen 1901 is shown in Figure 19. Circles 1902 indicate classes, and if they become black, for example, it means that the setting of the objects in the corresponding class has been completed. Diamonds 1903 indicate the relationships between objects in the classes, and if they are filled in black, it means that the setting has been completed. The same is true for production plan 1904. A progress bar display 1905 is used to show the degree of completion of setting according to the quantity of product. There may also be a field for specifying the product.

[0192] The above is a description of an embodiment of the set of information that configures a production line and the method of configuring it.

[0193] We have already explained the means for determining the process equipment configuration by grouping consecutive unit operations into processes using sets of products / parts, unit operations, and equipment elements for the purpose of optimizing the line configuration.

[0194] Next, we show the data structure of triplet data of products / parts, unit operations, and equipment elements. This is one representation of ontology for knowledge for line design based on line configuration, i.e., engineering. The input for line configuration optimization is a sequence of products / parts and unit operations, and the triplet data for creating process equipment is searched from the ontology database, and the configuration is solved through combinatorial optimization.

[0195] The products and parts prepared as input configurations are registered in the database as a bill of materials. The bill of materials BOM (Bill_of_Materials) can be expressed as the PRDBillOFMaterials class of the production ontology.

[0196] Also, if we take a product as an example and draw it in a diagram, it can be made into a tree structure as shown in Figure 20. Product names and part names can be used to classify and organize similar tasks, so they are standardized as a database.

[0197] It is effective in terms of operation to catalogue or standardise and organise equipment elements and unit operations, and to handle them selectively. An example would be a table like the one shown in Figure 21. On the left are equipment elements, and on the right are unit operations, which we call standard. A column for classification is provided for equipment elements. Unit operations can also be similarly classified by type.

[0198] As an example of detailed classification, equipment elements can be classified as shown in Figure 22. Class names such as MCMObject and MCMModule are included in the production ontology configuration shown in Figure 16. The classification is also based on the structural characteristics of the equipment elements; for example, robots can be classified as vertical articulated robots, SCARA robots, and parallel link robots.

[0199] Figure 23 shows a representation of a triplet class diagram.

[0200] The unit operation class is MPFTaskStandard2301, and products and parts only indicate the relationship with the part's PRDPartsType2308. Parts are associated with products. The relationship means that the unit operation is applicable2304 to the part. The equipment element MCMModuleType2307 associated with the unit operation is a standard equipment component, such as a robot or parts supply device. Auxiliary and secondary components such as sensors and actuators are MCMResourceType2309. For equipment elements necessary for the operation, the relationship is required Require2305. To group together sets of equipment elements, cells are treated as abstractions. This is designated as MCMClusterType 2303, and the cluster has facility elements as has 2306. The unit work is implemented 2302 using the cluster.

[0201] This concludes the explanation of triplet ontology.

[0202] The above is an explanation of the process design device and the process design method of the present invention. [Example]

[0203] This embodiment is an example in which the higher level technical idea of ​​the technical idea explained in the first embodiment is expressed differently.

[0204] FIG. 24 shows a flowchart of this embodiment.

[0205] Processing begins at 101. At 901, product information, work information, and equipment element information are stored in a data storage unit. The data storage unit may also function as a database. At 902, performance information on the combinations of equipment that make up unit operations of a process is stored in a database or data storage unit. At 903, candidate equipment combinations that make up each unit operation are narrowed down to target equipment combinations based on the combination performance information. At 904, the operation time and equipment cost for each narrowed-down equipment combination are calculated based on the accumulated equipment element information and work information. At 905, an equipment combination that is below a predetermined threshold is selected based on the calculated operation time and equipment cost. At 906, based on the selected multiple equipment combinations, equipment that can be shared by the unit operations corresponding to the equipment combination is selected. At 907, a process is designed based on the shareable equipment. At 108, the process design is completed.

[0206] The technical ideas and concepts of the present invention have been described in detail above. As long as the disclosed technical ideas and concepts are used, modifications and similar examples are also included within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, combinations of the contents disclosed in multiple embodiments are also included within the scope of the disclosure of the present invention.

[0207] The following is an example of what can be achieved by the present invention.

[0208] First, you can acquire a complete set of equipment to carry out the entire series of steps required to manufacture a product.

[0209] Then, for all operations, by combining partially continuous operations into one process, the sequence of operations for manufacturing the product, i.e., the process flow, can be determined.

[0210] At this time, the equipment configuration for each process can be determined. In this case, the number of pieces of equipment can be set, assuming that equipment elements that are commonly used in work within the process can be shared. In addition, the processing time and price of the equipment elements are set for the configuration of equipment elements for the work, and optimization allows the optimal line configuration to be determined based on criteria such as minimum processing time, minimum cost, or a combination of these.

[0211] For each unit of work, the combination of product parts and equipment elements is standardized and stored in a database as knowledge.

[0212] The configuration of a line is expressed by products, parts, equipment elements, unit operations, processes, process flows, intermediate products, and the relationships between them. A line can be configured by setting the relationships between these entities. Therefore, a line can be configured by associating (assigning, selecting) a combination of parts, equipment elements, and unit operations with the series of operations that make a product.

[0213] Since it is possible to generate order and schedule information required for production planning for line configuration, it is possible to design an optimal production line that maximizes productivity in terms of operation and production volume through production planning and scheduling.

[0214] Of course, even if only a part of the above examples is realized, it is included in the scope of the present invention as long as the technical ideas disclosed in this specification are used.

[0215] An example of the present invention can also be expressed as follows.

[0216] <Part 1> It has a data storage unit that stores product information, work information, and facility element information, The actual information on the combination of equipment that constitutes the unit work of the process is stored in the data storage unit, Based on the combination performance information, narrow down the candidate combinations of equipment that constitute each unit operation to target combinations of equipment; Calculating the operation time and equipment cost for each combination of the equipment narrowed down based on the accumulated equipment element information and work information; Selecting a combination of the equipment that is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold based on the calculated operation time and equipment cost; selecting equipment that can be shared by the unit operation corresponding to the equipment combination based on the selected plurality of equipment combinations; A process design device that designs a process based on the shareable equipment.

[0217] <Part 2> In the process design device described in <No. 1>, The product information is information about products and parts, The work information is information on a series of unit work steps for producing a product, A process design device that compiles information on the unit work to create a process, and configures a production line by using a series of processes as a process flow.

[0218] <Part 3> In the process design device described in <No. 1>, Configure the process equipment configuration to manufacture the product, Obtain the actual processing time for the product process, Obtain the actual transaction amount and operational cost amount of the equipment elements of the process equipment, A process design device that registers and updates the product information, work information, and facility element information as combined data.

[0219] <Part 4> In the process design device described in <No. 1>, A process design device that registers combinations of product information, work information, and equipment element information based on the actual work content and process equipment configuration when the designed process equipment configuration and process are applied and implemented in actual production, or when improvements or modifications are made.

[0220] <Part 5> In the process design device described in <No. 1>, A process design device that creates production line configuration information using product and part information, equipment element information, unit work information, process equipment configuration information, process information, process flow information, information on intermediate products between processes, and process work information.

[0221] <Part 6> In the process design device described in <No. 5>, Order and demand information, Information on individual production target entities corresponding to the product / part, process, process flow, process work, and intermediate product entities, Information about schedules and tasks that belong to the schedule, A process design device that configures information for production planning.

[0222] <Part 7> In the process design device described in <No. 1>, (1) Generate product and part targets; (2) Generate the object of the facility element and generate the relationship to other objects; (3) Generate the object of the unit operation and generate relations to other objects; (4) Generate an object of process equipment configuration and generate relationships to other objects; (5) Generate process objects and generate relationships to other objects; (6) Creating process flow objects and relationships to other objects; (7) Generate process work objects and generate relationships to other objects; (8) generating intermediate objects and relations to other objects; (9) Generate order and demand objects and generate relationships to other objects; (10) Generate individual production objects and generate relations between the various individual production objects and their relations to other objects; (11) Generate schedule and task objects and their relationships to other objects; (12) Creating an object of production performance data and creating relationships to other objects; (13) Constitute information that can actually be produced; A process design device that processes in the following order.

[0223] <Part 8> In the process design device described in <No. 1>, A process design device that uses information on the production line based on the configured process to perform equipment simulation, process production plans, and evaluate productivity.

[0224] <No. 9> In the process design device described in <No. 1>, The information on the production line based on the configured processes is managed as knowledge for line design as a production ontology expressed by classes that represent the type of data for each object and the relationships between the classes. A process design device that creates a production line by generating class objects and generating relationships between the objects, or by generating relationships between the objects as attributes.

[0225] <Part 10> In the process design device described in <No. 1>, The product information, work information, and equipment element information are expressed as a triplet ontology based on the product / parts class, unit work class, and equipment element class, and the relationships between the classes, and the process design device manages knowledge for line configuration optimization. [Explanation of symbols]

[0226] 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107: Processing steps that make up the line 201: Product management 202: Optimization and Simulation Management 203: Line design progress management 204: Target Management 205: Object association 206: Line configuration optimization 207: Target group management 208: Catalog and Case Management 209: Inference function 210: Case extraction 211: Simulator 212: Scheduler 213: Data registration 214: Data acquisition 215:UI 221: Process design system (line design function) 222: Calculator 223: Network 224: Terminal (UI) 225:MES / SCADA 226:CAD / PLM 227: Data storage unit 228: Equipment terminal 229: Control equipment (PLC, controller) 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310: Processing steps that determine the process equipment and process flow from a series of unit operations that produce a product. 701: Case supply 702, 727: Conveyor 703, 711: Clamp A 704, 708, 712, 716, 720, 724: Robot A 705, 709, 713, 717, 721, 725: Work tables 706: Block supply 707, 715: Driver M4 710, 718: M4 screw supplied 714: Department supply 719: Adsorption A 722: Cover supply 723: Driver M5 726: Screw M5 supply 728: Buffer 801, 802, 803, 804: Carrying in process, first process, second process, carrying out process 811, 812, 813: Process boundaries 821: Transport 1 822: Case supply 823: Clamp 1 824: Driver M4 825:Robot 1 826: Work table 1 827: Block supply 828: Department supply 829: Screw M4 supply 830: Transport 2 831: Adsorption 1 832: Driver M5 833:Robot 2 834: Work table 2 835: Cover supply 836: Screw M5 supply 837: Transport 3 838: Buffer 1701, 1702, 1703, 1704, 1705, 1706, 1707, 1708, 1709, 1710, 1711, 1712, 1713, 1714, 1715, 1716, 1717, 1718, 1719: Steps for configuring lines by directly setting the target and its relationship. 1801, 1802, 1803, 1804, 1805, 1806, 1807, 1808, 1809, 1810, 1811, 1812, 1813, 1814, 1815, 1816, 1817: Steps in the process of improving the line by directly setting the target and the relationship. 1901: Production design screen 1902: Circle 1903:Rhombus 1904: Production planning screen 1905: Bar display 2301:MPFTaskStandard 2302:Implemented 2303:MCMClusterType 2304:Applicable 2305:Require 2306:Has 2307:MCMModuleType 2308:PRDPartsType 2309:MCMResourceType 2310:Has< / objective>

Claims

1. It has a data storage unit that stores product information, work information, and facility element information, The actual information on the combination of equipment that constitutes the unit work of the process is stored in the data storage unit, Based on the combination performance information, narrow down the candidate combinations of equipment that constitute each unit operation to target combinations of equipment; Calculating the operation time and equipment cost for each combination of the equipment narrowed down based on the accumulated equipment element information and work information; Selecting a combination of the equipment that is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold based on the calculated operation time and equipment cost; selecting equipment that can be shared by the unit operation corresponding to the equipment combination based on the selected plurality of equipment combinations; A process design device that designs a process based on the shareable equipment.

2. 2. The process design system according to claim 1, The product information is information about products and parts, The work information is information on a series of unit work steps for producing a product, A process design device that compiles information on the unit work to create a process, and configures a production line by using a series of processes as a process flow.

3. 2. The process design system according to claim 1, Configure the process equipment configuration to manufacture the product, Obtain the actual processing time for the product process, Obtain the actual transaction amount and operational cost amount of the equipment elements of the process equipment, A process design device that registers and updates the product information, work information, and facility element information as combined data.

4. 2. The process design system according to claim 1, A process design device that registers combinations of product information, work information, and equipment element information based on the actual work content and process equipment configuration when the designed process equipment configuration and process are applied and implemented in actual production, or when improvements or modifications are made.

5. 2. The process design system according to claim 1, A process design device that creates production line configuration information using product and part information, equipment element information, unit work information, process equipment configuration information, process information, process flow information, information on intermediate products between processes, and process work information.

6. 6. The process design system according to claim 5, Order and demand information, Information on individual production target entities corresponding to the product / part, process, process flow, process work, and intermediate product entities; Information about schedules and tasks that belong to the schedule, A process design device that configures information for production planning.

7. 2. The process design system according to claim 1, (1) Generate product / part targets, (2) Creating an object for the facility element and creating relationships to other objects; (3) Creating the object of a unit operation and creating relationships to other objects; (4) Creating an object of process equipment configuration and creating relationships to other objects; (5) Creating process objects and creating relationships to other objects; (6) Creating process flow objects and creating relationships to other objects; (7) Creating process operation objects and creating relationships to other objects; (8) Generate intermediate objects and generate relations to other objects; (9) Generate order / demand objects and generate relationships to other objects; (10) Generate individual production objects and generate relationships between the various individual production objects and their relationships to other objects; (11) Creating schedule and task objects and creating relationships to other objects; (12) Creating an object of production performance data and creating relationships to other objects; (13) Constitute information that can actually be produced; A process design device that processes in the following order.

8. 2. The process design system according to claim 1, A process design device that uses information on the production line based on the configured process to perform equipment simulation, process production plans, and evaluate productivity.

9. 2. The process design system according to claim 1, The information on the production line based on the configured processes is managed as knowledge for line design as a production ontology expressed by classes that represent the type of data for each object and the relationships between the classes. A process design device that creates a production line by generating class objects and generating relationships between the objects, or by generating relationships between the objects as attributes.

10. 2. The process design system according to claim 1, The product information, work information, and equipment element information are expressed as a triplet ontology based on the product / parts class, unit work class, and equipment element class, and the relationships between the classes, and the process design device manages knowledge for line configuration optimization.

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