Production equipment, production methods, computer programs for production

Abstract

By seamlessly switching production processes across multiple products, we aim to achieve more efficient and faster production. [Solution] The switching load for each switching in each production process 12A for each product 13 is accumulated / calculated, and the total switching load for each product 13 is calculated (steps 11-13). The production priority is determined by this total switching load value (steps 14-17), and production proceeds according to this priority. The amount and number of switching labor / number of switching components (steps 21-23), the number and quantity of common production processes 12A for the same product / process 12A for the same product / process 12A for the same product / process (steps 31-33), the number and quantity of products 13 produced (steps 41-43), the amount and number of energy and greenhouse gases produced by product 13 (steps 51-53), and the deadline for completion of production of product 13 (steps 61-63) are added to the above total switching load / priority and calculated and modified (steps 34, 44, 54, 64).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a production apparatus and the like, and particularly to a production apparatus / production method / computer program that efficiently and rapidly performs production. For example, in producing various products, the present invention relates to an apparatus / method / program that more efficiently and rapidly performs the production of each product.

Background Art

[0002] For example, when attempting to produce a plurality of types of products with different production processes, the production processes had to be sequentially switched. Also, even for a single product, the production processes had to be sequentially switched. As the number of such production process switches increased, the labor and time required for production also increased.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Patent Document 5

Patent Document 6

Patent Document 7

Patent Document 8

Patent Document 9

Patent Document 10

Patent Document 11

[0004] The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its objective is to provide a production apparatus / production method / computer program that enables more efficient and faster overall production when switching between production processes for multiple products. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] To achieve the above objective, the production apparatus of the present invention includes a plurality of different production processes that perform different production; a first product produced using some of the production processes among the plurality of different production processes; a second product produced using some or all of the production processes among the plurality of different production processes that are different from the production processes used for the first product; and a third product produced using some or all of the production processes among the plurality of different production processes that are different from the production processes used for the first and second products, and a control means that calculates the number or amount of switching of each of the plurality of different production processes used for each of the first, second and third products, and compares this calculation information for each of the first, second and third products to determine the production priority for the first, second and third products. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] As a result, according to this production equipment / production method / computer program for production, for example, production of products with fewer production process changes can be prioritized, and when switching between the production of various products, the production process can be switched without waste, making it more efficient and faster. Depending on the product, production process, and production equipment, production of products with many production process changes may also be prioritized. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This shows the entire production equipment. [Figure 2] This shows the overall circuitry of the production equipment. [Figure 3] The contents of switching table 8 are shown. [Figure 4] The contents of the production information storage unit 9 are shown. [Figure 5] This shows a flowchart of the overall process of the production equipment. [Figure 6] This shows a flowchart of the switching information calculation process performed in step 04. [Figure 7] This flowchart shows the calculation mode that takes into account the switching effort amount / number of switching components performed in step 04. [Figure 8] This flowchart shows the calculation mode for the sequence of the same common production process / quantity of the same common production process 12A... / products 13... of the same common production process 12A... / the same common production process 12A... that are executed in step 04. [Figure 9] This flowchart shows the calculation mode that takes into account the production number and production volume of product 13…, which is performed in step 04. [Figure 10] The flowchart shows the modes of calculation processing that take into account the energy and greenhouse gases of product 13…, which are performed in step 04 above. [Figure 11] The flowchart shows the calculation mode that takes into account the deadline (calculation information) until the completion of production of product 13, which is performed in step 04 above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0008] 1 … Controller 2 … Address / Data Bus Line 3 … Input Section 4 … Output Section 5 … Interface Section 6 … Information Storage Section 7 … Program / Data Storage Section 8 … Switching Table 9 … Production Information Storage Section 11A, 11B, 11C, 11D, 11E … Production Devices 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E … Production Processes 13 … First Product 14 … Second Product 15 … Third Product

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] (1) Production Device 11A … (Production Process 12A …) FIG. 1 shows the whole of an example of a production device. This production device is a device that realizes a production method with respect to a computer and is also a device that causes a computer to execute a computer program for production.

[0010] Such a production device is a device that achieves a plurality of production processes and consists of production devices 11A, 11B, 11C, 11D, 11E, … that perform a plurality of different productions. By each of these production devices 11A, 11B, 11C, 11D, 11E, …, a plurality of different production processes 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E, … are executed.

[0011] The first product 13 is produced by using a plurality of some of these different production processes 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E, … (production devices 11A, 11B, 11C, 11D, 11E, …), for example, production processes 12A, 12C, 12D (production devices 11A, 11C, 11D).

[0012] The second product 14 is produced using multiple production processes 12A, 12B, 12E (production equipment 11A, 11B, 11E) from the above-mentioned multiple different production processes 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E, ... (production equipment 11A, 11B, 11C, 11D, 11E, ...), which are partially or completely different from the production processes 12A, 12C, 12D used for the production of the first product 13.

[0013] The third product 15 is produced using multiple production processes 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E, ... (production equipment 11A, 11B, 11C, 11D, 11E, ...) that are partially or entirely different from the production processes 12A, 12C, 12D (production equipment 11A, 11C, 11D) used for the production of the first product 13 and the production processes 12A, 12B, 12E (production equipment 11A, 11B, 11E) used for the production of the second product 4, namely production processes 12B, 12E (production equipment 11B, 11E).

[0014] The production processes used for the first product 13 and the second product 14 are production processes 12A, 12C, 12D and production processes 12B, 12E, which are partially the same and partially different. The production processes used for the first product 13 and the third product 15 are production processes 12A, 12C, 12D and production processes 12B, 12E, which are not the same and are completely different. The production processes used for the second product 14 and the third product 15 are production processes 12A, 12B, 12E and production processes 12B, 12E, which are partially the same and partially different.

[0015] Therefore, for each of the multiple different production processes 12A, 12B, and 12E of the second product 14 and the multiple different production processes 12B and 12E of the third product 15, one product, namely the multiple production processes 12B and 12E of the third product 15, has one fewer production process 12A compared to the other products, namely the multiple production processes 12A, 12B, and 12E of the second product 14.

[0016] Then, the reduced production processes 12B and 12E of this one product, i.e., the third product 15, are all the same as any of the multiple production processes 12A, 12B, and 12E of the other product, i.e., the second product 14.

[0017] In the above, the number of production processes 12A... for one product, for example, the third product 15, may be less than not only by one production process 12A..., but also by multiple production processes 12A... compared to the number of production processes 12A... for another product, for example, the second product 14.

[0018] Furthermore, the production processes for the first product 13, the second product 14, and the third product 15 may be more or fewer. In addition, the number of each production process 12A... may be single, i.e., one, or multiple, for each product 13....

[0019] These common production processes 12A... do not have to be all the same; only some may be the same. Also, the number or quantity of products 15 with fewer production processes 12A... may be more than one. The number or quantity of production processes 12A... that are reduced may be more than one. The number or quantity of products 13... may be more or less than the example above, and the number or quantity of production processes 12A... may be more or less than the example above.

[0020] Such production equipment, as shown in Figure 1, includes, for example, an input machine 11A, a mixing machine 11B, a cutting machine 11C, a molding machine (mold) 11D, and an extraction machine 11E. The production process, as shown in Figure 1, includes, for example, an input process 12A, a mixing process 12B, a cutting process 12C, a molding process 12D, and an extraction process 12E. Such production processes 12A... are provided for each product 13, 14, 15,...

[0021] This is just one example and does not necessarily correspond to the forms described above or below. If some or all of these production processes 12A... (production equipment 11A...) are common, that is, if they are common in the vertical direction of Figure 1, then the present invention will achieve increased efficiency and speed in production.

[0022] (2) Whole circuit Figure 2 shows the overall circuitry of the production apparatus 11A..., including the production data / information processing device, the device for realizing the production method, the device for executing the computer program for production, and the overall circuitry of the production apparatus 11A....

[0023] This overall circuit is provided in the entire system of the present invention, in one or more of the multiple production devices 11A..., or in one or more of the tablets held by the production manager. The overall circuit of such a production device 11A... (including a power supply circuit, battery, etc., depending on the case) shown in Figure 2 is provided on a circuit board (not shown) that can be inserted into and removed from storage boxes on the front, side, and rear of the production device 11A....

[0024] This overall circuit is configured with a controller 1 (a central processing unit including a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc.) at its center, and is electrically connected, either by wire or wireless, to an input unit 3, an output unit 4, an interface unit 5, an information storage unit 6, a program / data storage unit 7, etc., via an address / data bus line 2 through which address signals and data signals are transmitted bidirectionally.

[0025] The input unit 3 consists of the above-mentioned production equipment 11A..., the above-mentioned tablet, camera, main setting switch, sub setting switch, various sensors, and, in some cases, text input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, touch panel, digitizer, and tablet. The input information / data is written to and stored in the information storage unit 6 or the program / data storage unit 7.

[0026] In addition to text data, the tablet receives commands for processing various types of data, including the vein data of the above-mentioned production managers / production users / production users or administrators / users / users, production manager / production user / production user data, administrator / user / user data, settings / production data, and other information.

[0027] From the tablet in the input unit 3, barcodes / other codes corresponding to the materials stored / supplied by the production manager / production user / production user / manager / user / user are read or entered via the keyboard, then verified by the controller 1, or written and stored in the information storage unit 6 / program / data storage unit 7.

[0028] The vein authentication device (not shown) in the input unit 3 identifies individual information that identifies each production manager / production user / production user or administrator / user / user, that is, the shape of the veins in the palm of the production manager / production user / production user or administrator / user / user, and inputs vein data. Fingerprint data or other ID data is then verified by the controller 1 or stored in the information storage unit 6. The information storage unit 6 stores and verifies the vein data of the production manager / production user / production user or administrator / user / user.

[0029] Therefore, the above ID data becomes multiple individual information that identifies each of the many production managers / production users / production users / administrators / users / users pre-stored in the information storage unit 6, or individual information that identifies a production manager / production user / production user / administrator / user / user. Such an ID authentication device detects one individual among the many production managers / production users / production users / administrators / users / users, or detects the above production manager / production user / production user / administrator / user / user individual.

[0030] The ID authentication device then compares the multiple individual information entries with the detection information of the single individual that was detected, or compares the individual information of a production manager / production user / production user / administrator / user / user with the detection information of the detected production manager / production user / production user / administrator / user / user. Only production managers / production users / production users / administrators / users / users who have been verified by this ID authentication device can operate / use the production equipment 11A...

[0031] The output unit 4 consists of the above-mentioned production equipment 11A..., materials used in production, a camera, the above-mentioned tablet, a mobile phone, a display, a printer, etc. Output processing is performed such as displaying / printing various data such as the above-mentioned ID data, material manager / material user data, production manager / production user / production user / administrator / user / user data, input screens for various information, control screens, output screens, etc., on the display screen of the tablet / display device.

[0032] Depending on the situation, the output unit 4 may output ID data, various messages, and various other data that have been input by the ID authentication device and stored in the information storage unit 6. Information and data stored in the information storage unit 6 / program / data storage unit 7 and read out are output from the output unit 4.

[0033] Interface unit 5 consists of transmitting and receiving circuits such as LAN input jacks and output jacks, and external devices consisting of external input devices and external output devices are connected to it. Other data, commands, setting / production data, other information, and programs are sent and received through the LAN input jacks and output jacks of this interface unit 5.

[0034] The program / data storage unit 7 (internal storage medium / means) is broadly composed of two types of storage devices (storage means): non-volatile memory such as flash memory, EEPROM, EPROM, CD-ROM, and other ROMs, and temporary storage memory such as RAM, cache memory, hard disk, magnetic card, magnetic disk, CD-RAM, DVD (digital video disc), etc.

[0035] The ROM of the program / data storage unit 7 stores programs executed by the production equipment 11A... (overall circuit) and general-purpose data used for various processes. This program corresponds to the flowchart described later. The temporary storage memory of the program / data storage unit 7 is used for temporary storage of data during program processing, i.e., as working memory or cache memory.

[0036] Furthermore, the information storage unit 6 (external storage auxiliary media / means, auxiliary storage media) consists of large-capacity information storage / preservation media such as hard disks, magnetic disks, optical disks, flexible disks (proppy disks), magnetic drums, magnetic tapes, memory cards, CD-RAMs, CD-ROMs, DVDs, and large-scale semiconductor devices, as well as devices for writing / reading information to / from these media (drive devices, interface circuits).

[0037] In some cases, the production device 11A... may be a dedicated device in which a single process is performed by a program pre-stored in the ROM of the information storage unit 6, or it may be a general-purpose computer device in which the program stored in the information storage unit 6 is called into the RAM of the program / data storage unit 7 and started as appropriate. In this case, the information storage unit 6 stores various programs, including basic software (operating software), system software, and application programs, which are executed by the controller 1.

[0038] Then, when the power to the production equipment 11A... is turned on, or when a new program is started, the information is read from the information storage unit 6, temporarily stored in the RAM of the program / data storage unit 7, and executed by the controller 1. In other words, the program executed by the production equipment 11A... is stored in the information storage unit 6, read as needed, and executed by the controller 1.

[0039] In this case, the change to a new program is carried out either by replacing the program itself stored in the information storage unit 6, or by replacing (installing / transferring) the CD-ROM, magnetic disk, flexible magnetic disk, etc. on which the program is stored.

[0040] Furthermore, in the case of a computer device that exclusively executes programs stored in the EPROM of the program / data storage unit 7, similarly, the EPROM is rewritten in response to the replacement (installation / transfer) of CD-ROMs, magnetic disks, flexible magnetic disks, etc., or this is achieved by replacing the ROM itself.

[0041] Furthermore, replacements of this program may, in some cases, be sent from external devices such as other computers connected via the interface 5 mentioned above, through an internet line, telephone line, public telephone line, or LAN line. In other words, programs executed by the computer device (overall circuit) may be directly exchanged with the information storage unit 6, or they may be exchanged with programs sent from external devices, both domestically and internationally, via communication networks such as the internet.

[0042] Therefore, depending on the circumstances, the program executed in the production device 11A... (overall circuit) is sent from an external device, either domestically or internationally, each time it is started. In other words, the information storage unit 6 of the production device 11A... does not store the application program, and the production device 11A... (overall circuit) of the present invention is solely responsible for executing the program sent from an external device, either domestically or internationally. Furthermore, the program and the data processed by that program are sent together from the external device, and after the data processing is performed by the program, the results are sent back to the external device.

[0043] Furthermore, programs executed on computer devices are, in some cases, programs based on a general computer system where application programs are executed based on a basic program such as an OS, while dedicated computer systems execute only one unified program, including the OS. Therefore, these unified programs are provided from external devices both domestically and internationally, and only application programs, basic programs, or parts of programs are sent from external devices both domestically and internationally and executed.

[0044] In some cases, other operating systems, system programs (OS), or other programs may be pre-installed on this computer device, and the above-mentioned program will be executed together with these OSs and other programs. When this program is installed on and executed on this device (computer body), it will perform the processes and functions described in each claim (claims) or the other claims of the effects of the invention at the end, either together with other programs or independently.

[0045] Furthermore, depending on the circumstances, part or all of this program may be stored and executed on one or more other devices, either domestically or internationally, and data to be processed, data already processed, and the program may be sent and received between this device and the other devices via communication means, thereby executing the present invention as a whole, with this device and the other devices together. These communication means include, for example, an Internet communication system.

[0046] The tablet in the output unit 4, the display screen of the display device, the camera in the input unit 3, the tablet, the barcode reader, and the ID authentication device are usually placed on the top surface of the production equipment 11A... and are inseparable from the production equipment 11A.... Of course, the tablet, the display screen of the display device, the ID authentication device, and the camera may be handled separately from the production equipment 11A....

[0047] The tablet, barcode reader, ID authentication device, camera, and display device can be separated from the production equipment 11A... and can be taken to the material manager / material user for authentication. Alternatively, the tablet, barcode reader, ID authentication device, and camera may be integrated and inseparable from the production equipment 11A...

[0048] (3) Switching table 8 Figure 3 shows the contents of the switching table 8 located in the information storage unit 6 or program / data storage unit 7. This switching table 8 stores and reads switching information indicating the magnitude of the load required to switch between the multiple different production processes 12A.... Each vertex of the polygon in Figure 4 corresponds to each production process 12A..., and the numerical values ​​of the sides and diagonals of this polygon correspond to the values ​​of the switching information required to switch between each production process 12A....

[0049] This switching information indicates the amount of labor / materials and other load required to switch production processes 12A.... If the production processes 12A... are similar, the switching information value will be small, and if the production processes 12A... are not similar, the switching information value will be large.

[0050] Figure 3 also shows the switching between identical production processes 12A.... This is the case when the same production process 12A... is repeated, and in this case the switching information value is usually zero, close to zero, or a low value, such as "0.0" or "0.1"...

[0051] This switching table 8 is updated with switching information each time a new production process 12A... is added. This added switching information is set by comparing it with and referencing the switching information already stored.

[0052] In this Figure 3, the switching information in the switching table 8 is actually written, stored, and retrieved with the source production process 12A... as the vertical address and the destination production process 12A... as the horizontal address. If the vertical and horizontal addresses are the same production process 12A..., it corresponds to the case where that production process 12A... is repeated.

[0053] Note that in Figure 3, switching information is not shown for all sides and diagonals, but in reality, switching information is set, written, stored, and read for all sides and diagonals. However, switching information for some sides and diagonals may be omitted. For example, production processes 12A... which are only loosely related.

[0054] In Figure 3, the smaller the switching information, the smaller the switching load for the production process 12A..., but it can also be larger. In this case, for example, one can take the reciprocal of the switching information value, reverse the sign, or add, subtract, multiply, or divide these values ​​by a certain constant. The values ​​in Figure 3 are just examples and may be different.

[0055] (4) Production information storage unit 9 Figure 4 shows the contents of the production information storage unit 9 located in the information storage unit 6 or program / data storage unit 7. This production information storage unit 9 contains various types of information, such as the first product 13, the second product 14, the third product 15, and so on, which are written, stored, and retrieved for each product 13...

[0056] This information includes product identification information that identifies each product 13, 14, 15, ... that is being compared (including calculation comparison); production process identification information that identifies each production process 12A, ... that produces each product 13, 14, 15, ... that is being compared (including calculation comparison); switching information (calculation information) for each product 13, 14, 15, ... that indicates the number or amount of switching for each of the multiple different production processes 12A, ... that are being calculated (including calculation); and priority information (calculation information) that indicates the production priority for each product 13, 14, 15, ....

[0057] The above various pieces of information (calculation information) include the amount or number of labor involved in the switching of production processes 12A... in which the above numbers are calculated, as well as the amount or number of parts that are changed during the switching, and these are taken into account and modified in the above calculation (calculation information). Such labor includes the manpower, effort, number of workers, and working hours for the production switchover, as well as the number and quantity of parts removed and the number and quantity of parts installed during the production switchover.

[0058] The various types of information (calculation information) mentioned above include common production process information, information on the number or quantity of common production process information, identification information for product 13... in the common production process information, and information on the order within the production process 12A... in the common production process information. The common production process information is identification information that indicates the same production process 12A... common to each product 13... within its respective production process 12A.... When multiple products 13... are produced, this same common production process 12A... will appear, but it may not always be present.

[0059] The information regarding the number or quantity of common production process information refers to the number or quantity of the same common production process 12A... described above. The larger the number or quantity of these same common production process 12A..., the more efficient and faster production becomes when production is carried out simultaneously, in parallel, or in close proximity. If there are no common production process 12A..., the information regarding the number or quantity of common production process information will be "0".

[0060] The identification information for product 13... in the common production process information is the identification information for product 13... produced in the same common production process 12A..., and is written, stored, and read in both of these common products 13.... There may be three or more products 13... that share this production process 12A....

[0061] The order information within the common production process 12A... indicates the order of this common production process 12A... within the overall production process 12A.... This order information differs for each common product 13..., but it can also be the same.

[0062] The above various pieces of information (calculation information) include the number or quantity of products 13, 14, 15, ... produced for each of the first product 13, second product 14, third product 15, ..., and this information is added to and modified in the above calculation (calculation information). If the products 13, 14, 15, ... produced are chemical substances, then the number or quantity produced will be used.

[0063] The above various information (calculation information) includes, for each of the above multiple different production processes 12A... for the first product 13, the second product 14, and the third product 15, the amount or number of energy used or greenhouse gases emitted per the same number or quantity of the above product or component, and is taken into account and modified in the above calculation (calculation information).

[0064] The energy used includes, for example, electricity, gas, water, heat, cooling, solar / thermal energy, and geothermal energy used in production. The greenhouse substances emitted include, for example, carbon dioxide, methane, ethane, hydrocarbon compounds, and substances in gas, liquid, and solid forms. Since these are components, the energy or greenhouse substances required to manufacture the parts and production equipment may also be included, in addition to the production process 12A... described above.

[0065] The above various pieces of information (calculation information) include the deadline for production completion for each of the first product 13, second product 14, third product 15, etc., and is added to and modified in the above calculation (calculation information). This deadline for production completion can be a specific month and day, a specific time, within a few hours, within a few days, within two weeks, within a few weeks, within one month, within a few months, within one year, within a few years, etc.

[0066] Note that the number of labors can also be calculated as the total number of workers divided by the total number of workers, so the number of labors also exists. The amount of labor is calculated using factors such as working hours, labor costs, and labor costs per person per unit of time.

[0067] (5) Overall processing Figure 5 shows a flowchart of the overall processing (material processing / production processing) performed by the controller 1. The processing in Figure 5 is started by power-on or a predetermined process for program execution. First, an initialization process is performed (step 01), and error checking and other initialization of the information storage unit 6 and program / data storage unit 7 are performed.

[0068] Next, a complete list of modes to be selected is displayed (Step 02). In each of these selected modes, various calculation information (which may also be called "processing information," but for convenience, will be referred to as "calculation information" in this application) is obtained for each mode and written to the production information storage unit 9. These modes are the following various calculation modes.

[0069] There are modes for calculating switching information, which determines the number of switches for each of the multiple different production processes 12A... mentioned above; calculating the order of the common production processes 12A... mentioned above within the overall production process 12A...; calculating the amount or number of labor required for the switch, which takes into account the amount or number of materials that are changed by the switch; and calculating the number or quantity of the products 13, 14, 15,... that are produced.

[0070] Furthermore, the above modes include a calculation process that takes into account the deadline until production is completed for each of the first product 13, second product 14, third product 15, ..., a calculation process that takes into account the amount or number of energy used or greenhouse gases emitted per the same number or quantity of the above products or components, and a calculation process that takes into account the deadline until production is completed for each of the first product 13, second product 14, third product 15, ...

[0071] The display continues and the system waits until one of these modes is selected (steps 02, 03). Once one of the multiple modes is selected through key operation, touch operation, or operation of a tablet (communication means), calculation processing corresponding to that mode is performed (step 04), and the processing result of the above calculation processing is written to and output from the production information storage unit 9, and also read out (step 05).

[0072] (6) Writing process of various types of information For the multiple production processes 12A... to be compared in the above calculation, the ones to be compared are selected by the operator, and the product identification information that identifies the selected products 13, 14, 15..., the production process identification information that identifies each production process 12A... that produces each selected product 13, 14, 15..., the number of products produced / production volume (calculation information), the amount / number of energy / greenhouse gases, and the deadline until production is completed (calculation information) are prewritten, stored, and read out as shown in Figure 4.

[0073] This information is set according to the properties of product 13…, production equipment 11A…, or production process 12A…. Other information in Figure 4 is written to and stored in the switching table 8 and production information storage unit 9, and then read out, through the processes shown in Figure 6 and later.

[0074] (7) Calculation processing of switching information Figure 6 shows a flowchart of the modes of the switching information calculation process performed in step 04 above. In this switching information calculation process, for each production process 12A, 12C, and 12D (production equipment 11A, 11C, and 11D) that produces the first product 13, the number and amount of switching →12A, 12A→12C, 12C→12D, and 12D→ for each production process are read from the switching table 8 and calculated (step 11).

[0075] The number and amount of switching in the above production process "12A→12C" and "12C→12D" is, for example, "1.1 + 1.2 = 2.3", but it can also be "23" or other values. The number and amount of switching in the above starting "→12A" and ending "12D→" is, for example, "0.5 × 2 = 1", but it can also be "10" or other values ​​(Step 11).

[0076] The switching information, which consists of the number and amount of switching at the beginning ("→12A") and end ("12D→"), is not shown in Figure 3, but is stored in and read from the switching table 8 mentioned above. In this way, for example, the calculation processing of the switching information for product 13, where 0.5 + 1.1 + 1.2 + 0.5 = "3.3", is performed. This switching information at the beginning ("→12A") and end ("12D→") may be omitted.

[0077] If there are other products 14, 15, ... (step 12), the number and quantity of →12A, 12A→12B, 12B→12E, 12E→ switching in the production process, and the number and quantity of →12B, 12B→12E, 12E→ switching in the production process are similarly read, calculated, written to and stored in the production information storage unit 9, and then read out (steps 13, 11).

[0078] For product 14, for example, the calculation process for switching information of 0.5 + 1.0 + 1.3 + 0.6 = "3.4" is performed, and the result is written to the production information storage unit 9, stored, and then read out. For product 15, for example, the calculation process for switching information of 0.5 + 1.3 + 0.6 = "2.4" is performed. The switching information calculated in this way is written to the production information storage unit 9, stored, and then read out.

[0079] This switching information is compared sequentially (step 14), and the production priority of product 15, which has the lowest numerical value and the lowest switching load, is set to "1". This information is then written to the production information storage unit 9, stored, and read out (step 15).

[0080] Next, excluding the switching information for product 15, the production priority of product 13, which has the lowest numerical value among the remaining switching information (i.e., the next lowest numerical value, the next lowest switching load), is set to "2" and is written to the production information storage unit 9, stored, and read out (steps 16, 17) (steps 14, 15).

[0081] Furthermore, the production priority of product 14, which has the lowest numerical value among the remaining switching information, that is, the next lowest numerical value and the lowest switching load, is set to "3," and this is written to the production information storage unit 9, stored, and read out. These priority determination processes are repeated sequentially until there is no more switching information for which a priority has not been determined (step 16).

[0082] By producing products 13, 14, 15, ... in the order of priority determined in this way, production of products with fewer production process changes can be prioritized. Overall, this avoids unnecessarily increasing wasteful work, eliminates waste, improves production efficiency, and shortens the overall production time for multiple products, enabling rapid production.

[0083] Note that this priority determination process does not have to be performed for all products 13, 14, 15, ... but may be performed only for some products 13... In this case, steps 14-17 may result in only the highest priority 1st place product being considered, only the top 2nd place products, only the top 3rd place products, ..., only the lowest priority product, only the second lowest priority products, only the third lowest priority products, and so on.

[0084] In this case, in steps 14-17, the product with the highest numerical value is given priority "1", the product with the next highest numerical value is given priority "2", and the product with the next highest numerical value is given priority "3", and this information is written to the production information storage unit 9, stored, and then read out.

[0085] Furthermore, in the calculation process in step 11 above, the smaller the number or amount of switching in production process 12A..., that is, the smaller the switching information, the smaller the value of the calculation process becomes. However, it may also become larger. In this case, for example, the value of the calculation process can be reciprocated, the plus or minus sign reversed, or a fixed number can be added, subtracted, multiplied, or divided by these numbers. This will be changed depending on the properties of the product 13..., production equipment 11A..., or production process 12A....

[0086] As shown in "3.3," "3.4," and "2.4" above, the switching information is set with decimal places, and includes not only the number of switches but also the concept of the amount of switching. The "→12A" and "→12B" at the beginning are the switching processes to start production process 12A, and the "12D→" and "12E→" at the end are the switching processes to end production process 12D, and these are also included in the calculation of the switching information. However, they may be excluded and not included. This changes depending on the nature of production process 12A..., production equipment 11A..., or production process 12A....

[0087] In this way, for each of the first product 13, the second product 14, and the third product 15, the number or amount of switching in each of the multiple different production processes 12A… used in each of these processes is calculated and modified. The smaller the number or amount of switching, the more priority is given to the production of product 13…, and the more efficient and faster the overall production of products 13, 14, and 15 becomes.

[0088] Furthermore, production of product 13… with a large / high number of changes may be prioritized. This may change depending on the nature of product 13…, production equipment 11A…, or production process 12A…. This information is written to and stored in the changeover table 8 and the production information storage unit 9, and can also be read from them.

[0089] In this way, for each changeover in production process 12A..., the amount or number of labor involved in the changeover, as well as the amount or number of components that are changed by the changeover, are taken into account in the calculation and adjustment. The greater the amount or number of labor involved in the changeover, or the greater the amount or number of components that are changed by the changeover, the higher the priority given to the production of product 13..., and the more efficient and faster the overall production of products 13, 14, and 15 becomes.

[0090] Furthermore, the smaller the amount or number of labor required for switching, or the smaller the amount or number of components changed by the switching, the more priority may be given to the production of product 13…. This is subject to change depending on the nature of product 13…, production equipment 11A…, or production process 12A…. This information is written to and stored in the switching table 8 and the production information storage unit 9, and can also be read from them.

[0091] Then, for each of the first product 13, second product 14, and third product 15, the calculation information of the number or quantity of these switches is compared, and the production priority for the first product 13, second product 14, and third product 15 is calculated, determined, written to the production information storage unit 9, stored, and read out. Production is then carried out in the order of this priority.

[0092] Furthermore, the calculation of switching information for the common production process 12A... in steps 11-13 for each of the above products 13, 14, 15, ... may be omitted without being taken into consideration or calculation. In addition, the priority of the common production process 12A... in steps 14-17 within the overall production process may also be taken into consideration or omitted without being taken into consideration or calculation.

[0093] The switching information may be written to and stored in the switching table 8 and the production information storage unit 9, and read out either the value before the above calculation / modification, or the value after the above calculation / modification, or just one of them. Such calculation information may be calculated in advance, written to and stored in the switching table 8 and the production information storage unit 9, and read out before the above processing is executed.

[0094] (8) Calculation process that takes into account the amount and number of switching labor and the amount and number of switching components. Figure 7 shows a flowchart of the modes of the switching labor amount / number / switching component amount / number processing performed in step 04 above. In this switching labor amount / number / switching component amount / number processing, for each product 13..., the switching labor component information of the adjacent production process 12A... to be switched is read from the production information storage unit 9 (step 21).

[0095] Similarly, for switching other production processes 12A..., the switching labor component information for adjacent production processes 12A... to be switched is sequentially read from the production information storage unit 9 (steps 22, 23). Although not shown in the diagram, this switching labor component information is written to and stored in the switching table 8 in advance after comparing and examining the production processes 12A... and then read out.

[0096] The read-out switching labor component information is aggregated, or weighted or other calculations are performed, and it is added to the switching information in the production information storage unit 9. Other calculations are then performed, the information is written, stored, and read (step 24). In this case, the original switching information value may also be stored, or the modified switching information may be overwritten.

[0097] Then, this calculation process for switching labor and component information is repeated for other products 13, 14, ... (steps 25, 26). In this way, for all products produced, the switching information value is modified by taking into account the amount of switching labor / amount / number of switching components, and is written, stored, and read. Thus, the switching information is calculated, written, stored, and read, taking into account the amount or number of switching labor or the amount or number of components changed by the switching in production process 12A....

[0098] Here, the priority order of steps 14-17 above may also be calculated and modified. In this case, the same process as in steps 14-17 will be executed after step 26. As a result, the priority order will be modified by taking into account the amount of switching labor / amount / number of switching components, and the production priority may be changed depending on the case, enabling efficient and rapid production. Such switching labor and component information may be calculated in advance and stored in the switching table 8, production information storage unit 9, etc., and then read out to execute the above process.

[0099] In this way, for each changeover in production process 12A..., the amount or number of labor involved in the changeover or the amount or number of components changed by the changeover are taken into account, corrected, and calculated. The greater the amount or number of labor involved in the changeover or the amount or number of components changed by the changeover, the higher the priority given to the production of product 13..., and the more efficient and faster the overall production of products 13, 14, and 15 becomes.

[0100] Furthermore, priority may be given to the production of products 13… that require less effort or fewer components to be changed during the changeover. This depends on the nature of the products 13…, production equipment 11A…, or production process 12A…. This information is written to and stored in the changeover table 8 and the production information storage unit 9, and can be read from them.

[0101] Furthermore, for each of the above products 13, 14, 15, ..., the processing that takes into account the switching labor amount / switching component amount / number in the production processes 12A... in steps 21-23 and 24-26 above may be omitted without being taken into account, calculated, modified, or otherwise considered. In addition, the priority of the common production processes 12A... in steps 14-17 above within the overall production process may also be omitted without being taken into account, calculated, modified, or otherwise considered. The switching labor amount / number / switching component amount / number may be written to and stored in the switching table 8 and production information storage unit 9, and read out, either the value before calculation / modification, the value after calculation / modification, or only one of them.

[0102] (9) Calculation processing that takes into account common production process information (number, quantity, product) Figure 8 shows a flowchart of the processing modes in the order of common identical production process / number / quantity of common identical production process 12A... / product 13... of common identical production process 12A... / common identical production process 12A... that are executed in step 04 above.

[0103] In processing this common production process information (number, quantity, product, order), the production information storage unit 9 searches whether any of the multiple products 13... to be produced, which are written to, stored, and read out, use the same common production process 12A... within each of their production processes 12A... (step 31).

[0104] In the example above, product 13 goes through production processes 12A→12C→12D, product 14 goes through 12A→12B→12E, and product 15 goes through 12B→12E. Therefore, product 13 requires information on the common production process "12A", the number / quantity of common production processes 12A... "1", the identification information of "product 14" which is the counterpart to common production process 12A..., and the order of common production processes 12A... "1 (item)". This information is written to the production information storage unit 9, stored, and then read out (steps 32, 33).

[0105] Product 14 requires information on common production processes "12A", "12B", and "12E", the number / quantity of common production process 12A... "3", identification information of the counterparts "product 13" and "product 15" to common production process 12A..., and the order of common production process 12A... "1st", "2nd", and "3rd", and this information is written to the production information storage unit 9, stored, and read out (steps 32 and 33).

[0106] Product 15 requires information such as the common production processes "12B" and "12E", the number / quantity of common production process 12A... "2", identification information of the counterpart product "Product 14" in common production process 12A..., and the order of common production process 12A... "2nd" and "3rd". This information is written to the production information storage unit 9, stored, and then read out (steps 32 and 33).

[0107] Here, the order of the common production process 12A... for product 15 is "1st" and "2nd" from the perspective of product 15, but from the perspective of product 14, a common supplier of product 15, the common production process 12A... is "2nd" and "3rd". In this way, the order of the common production process 12A... is determined in a common order across all products 13, 14, and 15.

[0108] Then, for example, the common production process information "1", "3", and "2" in the common production process information (number, quantity, product, order) obtained in this way are used to divide the above switching information "3.3", "3.4", and "2.4", and other calculations are performed on it, resulting in the obtaining and correcting of the above switching information "3.3", "1.133...", and "1.2", which are then written to the production information storage unit 9, stored, and read out (step 34).

[0109] In this way, information on common identical production processes, the number or quantity of common identical production processes, and product identification information for common identical production processes are taken into account, calculated, and modified. The larger the number or quantity of common identical production processes 12A..., the higher the priority given to the production of product 13..., and the overall production of products 13, 14, and 15 becomes more efficient and faster.

[0110] Furthermore, priority may be given to the production of products 13… that have a smaller number or quantity of the same common production process 12A…. This may change depending on the nature of product 13…, production equipment 11A…, or production process 12A…. This information is written to and stored in the switching table 8 and the production information storage unit 9, and can also be read from them.

[0111] Here, the priority order of steps 14-17 above may also be calculated and modified. In this case, the same process as in steps 14-17 will be executed after step 34. As a result, the priority order will be modified by taking into account the common same production process / the number and quantity of the common same production process / the common same products 13... of the common same production process, and in some cases the production priority may be changed, enabling efficient and rapid production. Such common same production process / the number and quantity of the common same production process / the common same products 13... may be calculated in advance, written to the switching table 8, production information storage unit 9, etc., stored, and read out, and the above process may be executed.

[0112] In the above case, the difference between "1.133..." for product 14 and "1.2" for product 15 is a small "0.066...", so the corrected switching information may be treated as equivalent, or the priority may be determined by information other than the corrected switching information.

[0113] (10) Calculation process that takes into account common production process information (sequence) The more common identical production processes listed above, and the earlier / smaller the order in which they occur, the higher the priority. For example, in products 13, 14, and 15 listed above, the more common identical production processes there are, and the earlier / smaller the order in which they occur, the higher the priority.

[0114] In the example above, the common identical production process sequences are "1", "1, 2, 3", and "2, 3". Therefore, the sequence with the most common identical production process 12A... is "1, 2, 3", and the sequence with the earliest / smallest common identical production process 12A... is "1", "1, 2, 3".

[0115] Therefore, the products with the highest priority are product 14 ("1, 2, 3") and product 13 ("1"). Production process 12A is prioritized, and production process 12A for products 14 and 13 is prioritized. The next highest priority products are product 14 ("1, 2, 3") and product 15 ("2, 3"), and production processes 12B and 12E are executed.

[0116] At this point, production of products 14 and 15 is completed. Next, product 13, which had been temporarily stored after completing production process 12A, is taken out, and production processes 12C and 12D for product 13 are executed. At this point, production of product 13 is completed. These processes are carried out in step 34 or steps 31-33 described above.

[0117] In this way, information about the order within the same common production process is also taken into account, and calculations are performed and corrected. Products 13… that have many common production processes 12A… and are produced earlier / smaller in that order are given priority, and the overall production of products 13, 14, and 15 becomes more efficient and faster.

[0118] Furthermore, priority may be given to the production of products 13 that have a later / larger sequence of the same common production process 12A..., or to the production of products 13 that have fewer of the same common production process 12A.... This is changed depending on the nature of the product 13..., production equipment 11A..., or production process 12A.... This information is written to and stored in the switching table 8 and the production information storage unit 9, and can also be read from them.

[0119] Furthermore, the number, quantity, and order of the common production processes 12A… in steps 31-33 and 34 for each of the above products 13, 14, 15,… may be omitted without being taken into consideration, calculated, modified, or otherwise. In addition, the priority of the common production processes 12A… in steps 14-17 within the overall production process may also be omitted without being taken into consideration, calculated, modified, or otherwise. The switching information may be written to and stored in the production information storage unit 9, and read out, either the value before calculation / modification, the value after calculation / modification, or only one of them.

[0120] In this way, information about the sequence of common production processes is also taken into account, calculated, and corrected. The earlier / smaller the sequence of common production processes 12A..., the higher the priority given to the production of product 13..., resulting in more efficient and faster production of products 13, 14, and 15 as a whole.

[0121] Furthermore, priority may be given to the production of products 13… that are slower / larger in the sequence of the common production process 12A…. This may change depending on the nature of product 13…, production equipment 11A…, or production process 12A…. This information is written to and stored in the switching table 8 and the production information storage unit 9, and can also be read from them.

[0122] Here, the priority order of steps 14-17 above may also be calculated and modified. In this case, the same process as in steps 14-17 will be executed after step 34. As a result, the priority order will be modified by taking into account the order of common identical production processes, and the production priority may be changed depending on the case, enabling efficient and rapid production. The order of such common identical production processes may be calculated in advance, written to the switching table 8, production information storage unit 9, etc., stored, read, and then the above process will be executed.

[0123] Furthermore, the order of the common production processes 12A... in steps 31-33 and 34-36 for each of the above products 13, 14, 15, ... may be omitted without being taken into consideration, calculated, modified, or otherwise. Also, the priority of the common production processes 12A... in steps 14-17 within the overall production process may be omitted without being taken into consideration, calculated, modified, or otherwise.

[0124] The common sequence of the same production processes in production process 12A... may be written to and stored in the switching table 8 and production information storage unit 9, and read out either the value before calculation / modification, the value after calculation / modification, or only one of them.

[0125] Comparing the production process 12A→12B→12E of product 14 with the production process 12B→12E of product 15, the number of production processes 12B→12E of product 15 is one less than the number of production processes 12A→12B→12E of other product 14. This reduced production process 12B→12E of product 15 is identical to any of the production processes 12A→12B→12E of the other product 14. However, it is also acceptable for some parts to be different and some parts to be the same. Furthermore, the production process of product 14 may have even more processes, while the number of production processes of product 15 may be several fewer than that of product 14.

[0126] (11) Product calculation process that takes into account the number and quantity of products produced. Figure 9 shows a flowchart of the calculation mode for the production number and production volume of product 13… that is performed in step 04 above. In the calculation process that takes into account the production number and production volume of products, the production number / production volume (calculation information) for each of the multiple products 13… to be produced, which are written and stored in the production information storage unit 9, is read from the production information storage unit 9 (step 41).

[0127] Then, for the other products 14... as well, the production number / production volume... (calculation information) for each of the multiple products 14... to be produced, which are written and stored in the production information storage unit 9, is read from the production information storage unit 9 (steps 42, 43).

[0128] The production quantity / production amount of each of these read-out products 13... is then subtracted, divided, or otherwise calculated using other arithmetic formulas on the respective switching information values ​​of each of the above products 13... to obtain, correct, and store the switching information (step 44).

[0129] In this way, the number or quantity of products 13… to be produced is also taken into account in the calculation and adjustments, and the more products 13… have a higher production number / volume, the higher the production of that product 13… will be prioritized, and the overall production of products 13, 14, and 15 will be made more efficient and faster.

[0130] Furthermore, priority may be given to the production of products 13… with a small number or quantity. This may change depending on the nature of product 13…, production equipment 11A…, or production process 12A…. This information is written to and stored in the switching table 8 and the production information storage unit 9, and can also be read from them.

[0131] Here, the priority order of steps 14-17 above may also be calculated and modified. In this case, the same process as in steps 14-17 is also executed after step 44. As a result, the priority order is calculated and modified taking into account the production quantity / production amount of each product 13..., and the production priority may be changed depending on the case, enabling efficient and rapid production. Such production quantity / production amount information may be calculated in advance, written to the switching table 8, production information storage unit 9, etc., stored, read, and then the above process may be executed.

[0132] Furthermore, the production quantity / production amount in steps 41-43 and 44 for each of the above products 13, 14, 15, ... may be omitted without being taken into consideration, calculated, modified, or otherwise. In addition, the priority of the common production process 12A... in steps 14-17 within the overall production process may also be omitted without being taken into consideration, calculated, modified, or otherwise. The switching information may be written to and stored in the switching table 8 and production information storage unit 9, and read out, either the value before calculation / modification or the value after calculation / modification, or only one of them.

[0133] (12) Energy / Greenhouse gas quantity and number adjustment Figure 10 shows a flowchart of the calculation mode that takes into account the energy and greenhouse gas emissions of product 13…, which is performed in step 04 above. First, information on the amount and number of energy used / emissions of greenhouse gas emissions for each product 13… produced (calculation information), that is, the amount or number of energy used or greenhouse gas emissions per the same number or quantity of product 13… or components is read (step 51).

[0134] Then, for the other products 14... as well, the production information storage unit 9 reads out information on the amount and number of energy used and greenhouse gas emissions for each of the multiple products 14... to be produced that are written and stored in the production information storage unit 9 (steps 52, 53).

[0135] The information on the amount and number of energy used and greenhouse gas emissions for each of the read-out products 13... is added to, multiplied by, or otherwise calculated using other arithmetic formulas on the respective switching information values ​​for each of the above products 13... to obtain, modify, and store the above switching information (step 54).

[0136] In this way, the amount and number of energy used and greenhouse gases emitted by each product 13 are taken into account in the calculation, and the less energy used and greenhouse gases emitted by each product 13, the higher the production of that product 13, and the more efficient and faster the overall production of products 13, 14, and 15 becomes.

[0137] Furthermore, priority may be given to the production of products 13… that use a large amount of energy / emit a large number of greenhouse gases. This may change depending on the nature of product 13…, production equipment 11A…, or production process 12A…. This information is written to and stored in the switching table 8 and the production information storage unit 9, and can also be read from them.

[0138] Here, the priorities of steps 14-17 above may also be calculated and modified. In this case, the same process as in steps 14-17 is performed after step 54. This allows the priorities to be calculated and modified taking into account the amount and number of energy used and greenhouse gas emissions for each product 13..., potentially changing the production priorities and enabling efficient and rapid production.

[0139] Such information on the amount and number of energy used / emissions of greenhouse gases may be converted uniformly into energy used / emissions of greenhouse gases, etc., used in the production, and calculated in advance, then written and stored in the switching table 8, production information storage unit 9, etc., and then read out to execute the above processing.

[0140] Furthermore, the amounts and numbers of energy used and greenhouse gas emissions in each of the above products 13, 14, 15, ... may be omitted from the calculations. In addition, the priority of the common production process 12A... in the overall production process in steps 14 to 17 may also be omitted from the calculations and modifications. The switching information may be written to and stored in the switching table 8 and production information storage unit 9, and read out, either the pre-calculation / pre-modification value or the post-calculation / modification value, or just one of them.

[0141] (13) Calculation process that takes into account the deadline until production is completed. Figure 11 shows a flowchart of the calculation processing mode that takes into account the deadline (calculation information) until the completion of production of product 13..., which is performed in step 04 above. First, the deadline (calculation information) until the completion of production for each product 13... to be produced is read (step 61). The above deadline until the completion of production may be other deadlines such as the deadline until delivery, the deadline until storage, or the deadline until loading.

[0142] Then, for the other products 14... as well, the production information storage unit 9 reads out the information regarding the deadline until the completion of production for each of the multiple products 14... that are written and stored in the production information storage unit 9 (steps 52, 53).

[0143] The information on the deadline until production completion for each of these read-out products 13... is calculated as the deadline from the current time until production completion. This is then subtracted, divided, or otherwise calculated using other arithmetic formulas from the value of the switching information for each of the above products 13..., the switching information is calculated and modified, and then written to the production information storage unit 9, stored, and read (step 64).

[0144] In this way, the deadline for the completion of production of each product 13... is taken into account in the calculation, and the closer the deadline for production of each product 13... is, the more priority is given to the production of that product 13..., making the overall production of products 13, 14, and 15 more efficient and faster.

[0145] Furthermore, the later the deadline for production completion, the priority given to the production of product 13… may be increased. This may change depending on the nature of product 13…, production equipment 11A…, or production process 12A…. This information is written to and stored in the switching table 8 and the production information storage unit 9, and can also be read from them.

[0146] Here, the priorities of steps 14-17 above may also be calculated and modified. In this case, the same process as in steps 14-17 is also executed after step 64. As a result, the priorities are calculated and modified taking into account the deadlines until the completion of each product 13..., and the production priorities may be changed depending on the case, enabling efficient and rapid production overall. This information on deadlines until the completion of production may be calculated in advance and stored in the switching table 8, production information storage unit 9, etc., and then read out to execute the above process.

[0147] Furthermore, the deadlines for production completion in steps 61-63 and 64 for each of the above products 13, 14, 15, ... may be omitted without being taken into consideration, calculated, modified, or otherwise. In addition, the priority of the common production process 12A... in steps 14-17 within the overall production process may also be omitted without being taken into consideration, calculated, modified, or otherwise. The switching information may be written to and stored in the switching table 8 and production information storage unit 9, and read out, either the value before calculation / modification, the value after calculation / modification, or only one of them.

[0148] As described above, the above switching information, switching labor amount / number / switching material amount / number, common production process information (number / quantity, product, order), product production number / production volume, energy / greenhouse substance amount / number, and deadline until production completion are calculated, combined, and modified with the switching information. However, they may be processed individually, and production priorities may be determined based on this individual information, or any multiple of these pieces of information may be weighted and calculated and combined, and production priorities may be determined based on this calculated and combined information. As a result, the switching information and priorities will fluctuate, but the most optimal calculation process will be selected according to the production site.

[0149] (14) Other embodiments The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified in various ways. For example, the above "number" becomes "quantity" if the object to be produced is a chemical substance, food ingredient, beverage, drug, pharmaceutical, building material, paint, resin, liquid, gas, or other material. If the above value related to production has decimal places or is modified by calculation / arithmetic processing such as weighting, the concept of "number" becomes the concept of "quantity."

[0150] Part or all of the above production process 12A... may be oxidation, reduction, alkalization, neutralization, alkylation, methylation, ethylation, sulfonation, thermoplasticization, thermosetting, or other chemical reactions, and part or all of the above product 13... may be chemical substances, food ingredients, beverages, pharmaceuticals, medicines, building materials, paints, resins, liquids, gases, or other materials / substances, which are produced in part or all of the above production process 12A....

[0151] Furthermore, some or all of each product 13... may be vehicles, electrical appliances, buildings, building supplies, clothing, resin products, communication equipment, office automation equipment, personal computers, semiconductors, manufacturing machinery, assembly machinery, photographic equipment, office supplies, home appliances, kitchenware, bathing supplies, toilet supplies, furniture, doors, windows, general merchandise, daily necessities, hats, footwear, personal belongings, accessories, food, eyeglasses, lighting equipment, optical equipment, sporting goods, toys, houses, buildings,..., screws, bolts, nuts, springs, links, bearings, wire, pipes, lenses, spanners, wrenches, screwdrivers, primers, drills, cutters, shears, measuring tapes, rulers, calipers, micrometers, etc., and any of these parts, tools, measuring instruments, equipment, etc. may be produced in some or all of the production process 12A....

[0152] Products 13, 14, 15, ... may use all of the production processes 12A..., or one or more of the production processes 12A.... The production processes 12A... for the first product 13, the second product 14, and the third product 15 may each be partially different, partially the same, completely different, or completely the same.

[0153] Product 13 follows production process 12A→12C→12D, product 14 follows 12A→12B→12E, and product 15 follows 12B→12E. However, each product 13… may have more or fewer production processes. The number or quantity of common production processes among each product 13… is not limited to those listed above; it may be more or fewer. The order within these common production processes is not limited to those listed above; it may be earlier or later. The number of products 13… may be more or fewer.

[0154] The amount or number of labor required to switch production processes, or the amount or number of components changed by the switch, may be singular, plural, or zero. The number or quantity of the same production process common to multiple products 13..., or the order within the same common production process, may be singular, plural, or zero. The information of the same common production process, or the products of the same common production process, may be singular, plural, or zero.

[0155] The number or quantity of products 13 produced in each production process 12A... may be singular, plural, or zero. The energy used or greenhouse gases emitted per the same number or quantity of the above products or components may be singular, plural, or zero.

[0156] There is usually one deadline for production completion, but this deadline can be singular or plural, or there can be no deadline at all. The number of changes in the above production process 12A..., the amount or number of labor involved in this changeover, or the amount or number of components changed in this changeover can be singular or plural, or it can be "0".

[0157] Some or all of the production apparatus, production method, and computer program for production may be executed by apparatus, programs, AI (artificial intelligence), and generative AI located in multiple countries, both domestically and internationally.

[0158] Part or all of this production device 11A can be installed in factories, as well as in design offices, prototype workshops, component facilities, apartment buildings, various other facilities, privately owned buildings, the homes of component managers / users, car race tracks, nursing homes, elderly care facilities, etc. In this case, mobile phones, tablets, personal computers, etc. can be used as the input unit 3, output unit 4, or production device.

[0159] The order of some or all of the processes in steps 11-13, 14-17, 21-23, 24-26, 31-33, 34, 41-43, 44, 51-53, 54, 61-63, and 64 above may be rearranged or partially omitted. In the flowcharts in Figures 5-11 above, the order of each process may be partially rearranged or partially omitted, each step may be replaced by another process of equal magnitude, or some or all of them may be replaced by hardware or circuitry, AI (artificial intelligence), or generative AI that perform equivalent functions.

[0160] Some or all of the processes in steps 11-13, 14-17, 21-23, 24-26, 31-33, 34, 41-43, 44, 51-53, 54, 61-63, and 64 above may be executed as a series of integrated flowcharts. In this case, each process is connected, a flag indicating the set / clear mode of each process is stored, and the set / clear status of the flag is determined at the beginning of each process to select the execution of each process. This flag set / clear determination may be performed at the beginning of each process in Figures 6-11 above.

[0161] The controllers 1, address / data bus lines 2, input unit 3, output unit 4, interface unit 5, information storage unit 6, program / data storage unit 7, switching table 8, production information storage unit 9, production equipment 11A, 11B, 11C, 11D, 11E, ..., production processes 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E, ..., first product 13, second product 14, third product 15, components, each step in Figures 5 to 11, some or all of these may be singular, multiple, or three or more, and some or all of their respective configurations, operations, functions, processes or functions may be omitted. They may be abbreviated, divided and separated to increase or decrease in number, their shape can be arbitrarily changed, they may be replaced with other equal objects, two or more of these may be combined or integrated for dual use, their orientation may be other than that shown, such as tilted / oriented / reversed by 90 degrees, 0 to 180 degrees, up and down, left and right, front and back, front and back, front and back, front and back, and back, the relative sizes of each dimension may be switched or remain the same, some or all may be omitted, the shape may be flat, curved, or have holes, It may have irregularities, and may be a square, rectangle, square, triangle, disk, ellipse, polygonal plate, trapezoid, semi-ellipse, parallelogram, rhombus, polygon, triangle, trapezoid, ring, semi-ring, star, sector, curved shape, cross, L-shape, H-shape, I-shape, U-shape, T-shape, C-shape, O-shape, N-shape, M-shape, X-shape, J-shape, Y-shape, E-shape, F-shape, S-shape, V-shape, curved surface, angular shape, rectangular prism, polyhedron, cylinder, elliptical prism, prism, semi-cylinder, semi-elliptical prism, semi-prism, frustum of a cone, frustum of a pyramidal pyramid, sphere, oval, hemisphere, semi-oval, polyhedron, gourd shape, serrated, other three-dimensional shapes, and combinations thereof. It may be a three-dimensional shape, including angular stepped shapes, rounded stepped shapes, rounded uneven shapes, combinations thereof, stepped shapes, mesh shapes, frame shapes, sheet shapes, mesh shapes, blind shapes, slit shapes, shapes with many holes, shapes with holes in the center, etc., and composite shapes combining these, etc., and some or all of these may be omitted, and the materials may be polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, urethane, urethane foam, polyurethane, polyacrylamide,It may be a polymer resin, hard resin, or soft resin such as methyl polyacrylate, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl chloride, acrylic resin, PET resin, AquaJob, ShineUp, Mumac, or Bamboo Pile, or a thermoplastic resin or thermosetting resin, or a synthetic resin or natural resin, or a material made from wood, bamboo, resin, metal, glass, cotton, cloth, thread, fiber, rubber, paper, ceramic, carbon, concrete, or a compound / mixture / multilayer laminate of these materials, or a material that is not flexible, or flexible, or in liquid, solid, gas, sol, or gel form, and may or may not have flexibility, elasticity, cushioning, moisture absorption, water absorption, breathability, antibacterial properties, far-infrared effect, heat retention effect, drying effect, or moisture absorption effect.

[0162] For example, the controller 1, information storage unit 6, program / data storage unit 7, switching table 8, production information storage unit 9, production equipment 11A, 11B, 11C, 11D, 11E, ..., production processes 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E, ..., the first product 13, the second product 14, the third product 15 may be combined or separated into three or more parts, the input unit 3, output unit 4, interface unit 5, information storage unit 6, program / data storage unit 7, switching table 8, production information storage unit 9 may be combined or separated into three or more parts, and some or all of the above-mentioned system, process, circuit, program, software, and hardware may be executed by AI (artificial intelligence) or generative AI.

[0163] (15) Effects of other inventions [1] A production method characterized by having a computer calculate the number or amount of switching between each of the multiple different production processes used for each of the first, second, and third products, and then comparing this calculated information for each of the first, second, and third products to determine the production priority for each of the first, second, and third products.

[0164] [2] A computer program for production that causes a computer to perform the following processes for each of the following products: a first product produced using some of the production processes among the multiple different production processes, a second product produced using some of the production processes among the multiple different production processes, which are partially or completely different from the production processes used to produce the first product, and a third product produced using some of the production processes among the multiple different production processes, which are partially or completely different from the production processes used to produce the first and second products, and to determine the production priority for each of the first, second and third products by comparing this calculated information.

[0165] [3] A production apparatus characterized by comprising: a plurality of different production processes that perform different production; a first product produced using some of the production processes among the plurality of different production processes; a second product produced using some or all of the production processes among the plurality of different production processes that are different from the production processes used for the first product; and a third product produced using some or all of the production processes among the plurality of different production processes that are different from the production processes used for the first and second products, wherein for each of the first, second, and third products, the number or amount of switching of each of the plurality of different production processes used is calculated, and for each of the first, second, and third products, the calculation information is compared to determine the production priority for each of the first, second, and third products.

[0166] [4] The production apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, when the above number is calculated, the amount or number of labor required for the switchover of the production process or the amount or number of materials changed by the switchover is also taken into consideration in the calculation. This makes it possible to prioritize production with less labor and materials required for the switchover of the production process, thereby achieving increased efficiency and speed in the production of multiple products as a whole. Conversely, production with more labor and materials required for the switchover of the production process may be given priority.

[0167] [5] The production apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the calculation information is calculated for each of the first, second, and third products, taking into account information on common production processes, the number or quantity of common production processes, identification information of products in common production processes, or information on the order within common production processes. This allows for prioritizing products with more common production processes, thereby achieving increased efficiency and speed in the overall production of multiple products. Conversely, products with fewer common production processes may be prioritized.

[0168] [6] The production apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, with respect to multiple different production processes for the first product, the second product, and the third product, the multiple production processes for one product are one or more fewer than the multiple production processes for the other products, and the fewer production processes for this one product are all or partly the same as any of the multiple production processes for the other products. This allows for production to be prioritized as there are fewer production processes and as the production processes are more common, thereby achieving increased efficiency and speed in the production of multiple products as a whole. Conversely, the more production processes there are and the less common the production processes are, the higher the priority may be.

[0169] [7] The production apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the calculation information is calculated taking into account the number or quantity of products to be produced for each of the first, second, and third products. As a result, the more products to be produced, the higher the production priority will be, and the more efficient and faster the production of the multiple products as a whole can be achieved. Conversely, the fewer products to be produced, the higher the priority may be.

[0170] [8] The production apparatus of the present invention, wherein, for multiple different production processes of the first product, multiple different production processes of the second product, and multiple different production processes of the third product, the production of the product is given higher priority as the amount of energy used or greenhouse gases emitted per unit number or quantity of the product or component decreases. This makes it possible to prioritize the production of products that use less energy or emit less greenhouse gases, thereby achieving increased efficiency and speed in the overall production of multiple products. Conversely, products that use more energy or emit more greenhouse gases may be given higher priority.

[0171] [9] The production apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the calculation information is calculated taking into account the deadline until completion of production for each of the first, second, and third products. This makes it possible to prioritize the production of products with approaching deadlines for completion, thereby achieving increased efficiency and speed in the overall production of multiple products. Conversely, production of products with no approaching deadlines for completion may be prioritized.

[0172]

[10] The production apparatus of the 9th generation is characterized in that the fewer the number of above-mentioned changes, the less the amount or number of labor required for the above-mentioned changes, or the less the amount or number of components changed by the above-mentioned changes, the higher the priority of the above-mentioned production. As a result, the less labor and materials required to change the production process, the higher the priority of production, and the more efficient and faster the production of multiple products as a whole can be achieved. Conversely, the more labor and materials required to change the production process, the higher the priority of production may be.

[0173]

[11] The production apparatus of the above, characterized in that the greater the number or quantity of products produced, the higher the priority of production. This allows for increased efficiency and speed in the overall production of multiple products, as the number or quantity of products produced increases. Conversely, the greater the number or quantity of products produced, the higher the priority may be. [Industrial applicability]

[0174] The goal is to streamline the production process across multiple products, ensuring efficient and rapid production. The switching load for each production process 12A of each product 13 is accumulated and calculated to determine the total switching load for each product 13 (steps 11-13). The production priority is determined by this total switching load (steps 14-17), and production proceeds according to this priority.

[0175] The following information is added to the above total switching load / priority and adjusted (steps 21-23): switching labor amount / number / number of switching components (steps 21-23), the number / quantity of common identical production processes / common identical production process 12A... / product 13... of common identical production process 12A... / order of common identical production process 12A... (steps 31-33), the number / volume of product 13... produced (steps 41-43), the amount / number of energy / greenhouse substances of product 13... (steps 51-53), and the deadline for product 13... production completion (steps 61-63).

Claims

1. Multiple different production processes that perform different production, The first product is produced using some of the production processes among these multiple different production processes, Of the above multiple different production processes, the second product is produced using multiple production processes that are partially or entirely different from the production process used to produce the first product. Of the above multiple different production processes, a third product is produced using multiple production processes that are partially or entirely different from the production processes used for the production of the first and second products. A production method characterized by having a computer calculate the number or amount of switching between multiple different production processes used in each of the first, second, and third products, and then having the computer compare this calculated information to determine the production priority for each of the first, second, and third products.

2. Multiple different production processes that perform different production, The first product is produced using some of the production processes among these multiple different production processes, Of the above multiple different production processes, the second product is produced using multiple production processes that are partially or entirely different from the production process used to produce the first product. Of the multiple different production processes described above, a third product is produced using multiple production processes that are partially or entirely different from the production processes used to produce the first and second products. A computer program for production that causes a computer to perform the following process for each of the first, second, and third products described above: calculate the number or amount of switching between multiple different production processes used in each of the multiple different production processes; compare this calculated information for each of the first, second, and third products described above; and determine the production priority for each of the first, second, and third products described above.

3. Multiple different production processes that perform different production, The first product is produced using some of the production processes among these multiple different production processes, Of the above multiple different production processes, the second product is produced using multiple production processes that are partially or entirely different from the production process used to produce the first product. Of the multiple different production processes described above, with respect to the third product, which is produced using multiple production processes that are partially or entirely different from the production processes used for the first and second products, A production apparatus characterized by comprising control means for which, for each of the first, second, and third products described above, the number or amount of switching between each of the multiple different production processes used in each of these processes is calculated, and for each of the first, second, and third products described above, this calculated information is compared to determine the production priority for each of the first, second, and third products described above.

4. The production apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, in relation to the switching of the production process in which the above numbers are calculated, the amount or number of labor involved in the switching or the amount or number of materials that are changed by the switching are also taken into consideration in the calculation.

5. The production apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the above calculation information is calculated by taking into account, for each of the first product, second product, and third product, information on the common production process, the number or quantity of the common production process, identification information of the products in the common production process, or information on the order within the common production process.

6. The production apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, with respect to the multiple different production processes of the first product, the second product, and the third product, the multiple production processes of one product are one or more fewer than the multiple production processes of the other products, and the fewer production processes of one product are all or partly the same as any of the multiple production processes of the other products.

7. The production apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the above calculation information is calculated taking into account the number or quantity of products to be produced for each of the first product, second product, and third product.

8. The production apparatus of the seventh product, characterized in that, for multiple different production processes of the first product, multiple different production processes of the second product, and multiple different production processes of the third product, the lower the energy used or greenhouse gas emissions per unit number or quantity of the above products or components, the higher the priority of the above production.

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