Operation plan creation device

Abstract

To provide an apparatus for preparing an operation schedule that can suppress the peak of total consumption power with high accuracy.SOLUTION: An apparatus for preparing an operation schedule 30 is to be applied to a heat-treatment plant 20 comprising a plurality of electric ovens 21. The apparatus for preparing the operation schedule 30 includes a storage section 31 that stores, on each of the plurality of electric ovens 21, a power-consuming pattern in operation of the relevant electric oven 21. The storage section 31 stores an operation schedule 40 defined in a form to suppress the peak of the total consumption power of the heat-treatment plant 20 at a predetermined level or lower. The apparatus for preparing the operation schedule 30 detects an actual operation state of the plurality of electric ovens 21 based on an output signal of an operation board 22 of each electric oven 21. The apparatus for preparing the operation schedule 30 corrects the operation schedule 40 in a form to suppress the peak of the total consumption power of the heat-treatment plant 20 at the predetermined level or lower, based on the actual operation state and the power-consuming pattern.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an operation plan creating device that creates an operation plan for a facility having a plurality of electric furnaces. [Background technology]

[0002] Electric heating furnaces (so-called electric furnaces) are often used to heat treat parts. Electric furnaces consume a lot of electricity compared to general electrical equipment. Therefore, in factories where many such electric furnaces are installed, it is a challenge to suppress the peak of total power consumption in order to ensure stable operation of the electric furnaces.

[0003] Conventionally, a device has been proposed that creates an operation plan for multiple electric furnaces, more specifically, an operation schedule that can suppress peaks in total power consumption, before the operation of those electric furnaces (see Patent Document 1). This device makes it possible to operate electric furnaces in a factory equipped with multiple electric furnaces in a planned manner according to the operation schedule, thereby suppressing peaks in total power consumption. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-21211 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When operating an electric furnace, there are various disturbances, such as fluctuations in the operation period due to seasonal factors (weather, temperature) and delays in the start of operation due to some kind of trouble. As a result, the operation of the electric furnace does not necessarily proceed according to the predetermined operation plan, and there is a discrepancy between the operation plan and the actual operating state. This can sometimes make it impossible to properly suppress the peak of the total power consumption of multiple electric furnaces. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An operation plan creation device for solving the above problem is an operation plan creation device that creates an operation plan for equipment having a plurality of electric furnaces, and includes: a pattern storage unit that stores, for each of the plurality of electric furnaces, a power consumption pattern when the electric furnace is in operation; an operation plan creation unit that creates the operation plan that is determined in a manner that the peak of the total power consumption of the equipment is kept below a predetermined level; a detection unit that detects the actual operating states of the plurality of electric furnaces; and a correction unit that corrects the operation plan in a manner that the peak is kept below the predetermined level based on the actual operating states detected by the detection unit and the power consumption pattern stored in the pattern storage unit.

[0007] According to the above configuration, when the actual operating conditions of the electric furnaces deviate from the operation plan, the operation plan can be revised in accordance with the actual operating conditions. In this case, by correcting the operation plan using the power consumption patterns stored in the pattern storage unit, the operation plan can be updated successively so that the peak total power consumption of the electric furnaces does not exceed a predetermined level. Therefore, the peak total power consumption can be suppressed with high accuracy based on this operation plan.

[0008] In the above-mentioned operation plan creation device, it is preferable that the plurality of electric furnaces include a vacuum furnace and an atmospheric furnace, and that the pattern storage unit stores a pattern in which power consumption fluctuates over time as the power consumption pattern during operation of the vacuum furnace, and stores a pattern in which power consumption is constant as the power consumption pattern during operation of the atmospheric furnace.

[0009] A vacuum furnace, which performs heat treatment with its interior at low pressure (so-called vacuum), is basically operated as follows: First, parts are placed in the furnace, and the temperature inside the furnace is raised from room temperature to a predetermined temperature over a predetermined period of time under low pressure. The temperature inside the furnace is then maintained at the predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time. At this time, the parts inside the furnace are heat-treated. The temperature inside the furnace is then lowered to below the predetermined temperature over a predetermined period of time, and the pressure is returned to atmospheric pressure, after which the parts are removed from the furnace. The power consumption pattern of such a vacuum furnace is one in which the amount of power consumed fluctuates over time.

[0010] In contrast, when an atmospheric furnace is operated to perform heat treatment under atmospheric pressure, the furnace temperature is generally maintained at a constant value for a relatively long period of time. Furthermore, parts are loaded and unloaded from the furnace while the furnace is in operation. Therefore, the power consumption pattern of an atmospheric furnace can be said to be a substantially constant pattern.

[0011] According to the above configuration, the power consumption patterns of the vacuum furnace and the atmospheric furnace are stored in the pattern memory unit, so that the operation plan of the equipment including the vacuum furnace and the atmospheric furnace can be appropriately corrected based on these power consumption patterns.

[0012] In the above operation plan creation device, the facility has an air conditioning device, and the pattern storage unit stores a predetermined specific pattern as a power consumption pattern during operation of the air conditioning device.

[0013] The power consumption of an air conditioner will be approximately the same if the season and weather conditions (temperature, humidity, etc.) are the same. Therefore, it can be said that the change pattern of the power consumption of the air conditioner can be estimated with high accuracy. With the above configuration, such a power consumption pattern of the air conditioner (the specific pattern) is predetermined and stored in the pattern storage unit, so the power consumption of the air conditioner can be taken into consideration when creating or correcting an operation plan. As a result, the peak of the total power consumption of the equipment can be suppressed with higher accuracy.

[0014] In the operation plan creation device, the predetermined level is preferably a power value equal to or less than a contracted power amount with a power supplier for the power source of the facility. According to the above configuration, it is possible to prevent the power consumption amount from exceeding the contracted power with high accuracy.

[0015] In the operation plan creation device, it is preferable that the detection unit detects that the operation of the electric furnace has started as the actual operating state of the electric furnace. According to the above configuration, if the actual start of operation of an electric furnace is earlier or later than the start time of operation specified in the operation plan, the subsequent operation plans of multiple electric furnaces can be reviewed at an appropriate timing while taking into account the resulting difference in the operation period of the electric furnace.

[0016] In the above-described operation plan creation device, it is preferable that the detection unit detects, as the actual operating state of the electric furnace, that the operation of the electric furnace has been stopped. According to the above configuration, if the actual completion of operation of an electric furnace is earlier or later than the operation completion time specified in the operation plan, the operation plans for multiple electric furnaces can be revised at an appropriate timing to reflect the difference in the operation completion time of the electric furnace.

[0017] In the above-mentioned operation plan creation device, when the operation of the electric furnace is resumed after being interrupted, it is preferable that the correction unit corrects the operation plan based on the portion of the power consumption pattern of the electric furnace after the point of interruption.

[0018] According to the above configuration, when the operation of an electric furnace is interrupted, the operation plan is revised and corrected when the operation is resumed by using the portion of the power consumption pattern after the interruption as the correction parameter, rather than using the entire power consumption pattern of the electric furnace. In other words, the power consumption pattern is divided into the portion before the interruption and the remaining portion, and the remaining portion can be used as the correction parameter. This allows the operation plan of the facility including the electric furnace to be appropriately corrected when the electric furnace operation is resumed.

[0019] The operation plan creation device preferably includes a compilation unit that compiles the operation performance of the facility and reflects the results in operation performance data of the production management system for the facility. According to the above configuration, operation performance data of the facility (for example, daily report, weekly report, monthly report, etc.) can be automatically created. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the present invention, the peak of the total power consumption of the equipment can be suppressed with high accuracy. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an operation plan creation device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 10 is a flowchart showing the execution procedure of a creation process. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram conceptually illustrating an example of predicted power consumption data for a vacuum furnace. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram conceptually showing an example of predicted power consumption data for an atmospheric furnace. [Figure 5] 4 is a time chart showing an example of a daily change in the amount of power consumed by an air conditioner; [Figure 6] 10 is a schematic diagram conceptually showing an example of predicted total power consumption data. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure for executing a correction process. [Figure 8] A diagram showing the situation where the shutdown of the electric furnace was delayed. [Figure 9] 10 is a schematic diagram showing a correction of the operation plan when the shutdown of the electric furnace is delayed. [Figure 10] A schematic diagram showing the circumstances that led to the early shutdown of an electric furnace. [Figure 11] 10 is a schematic diagram showing a correction of an operation plan when the shutdown of an electric furnace is accelerated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] An embodiment of the operation plan creation device will be described below. The operation plan creation device of this embodiment is a device that supports a facility that has multiple electric heating furnaces (so-called electric furnaces) and creates an operation plan for the facility that can keep the maximum value (peak) of power consumption per unit time below a predetermined level.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 1, the facility to which the operation plan creation device 30 of this embodiment is applied is a heat treatment factory 20 having a plurality of electric furnaces 21. In this heat treatment factory 20, the electric furnaces 21 are used to enable heat treatment of a plurality of parts P to be performed simultaneously in parallel.

[0024] Among the various pieces of equipment in the heat treatment factory 20, each electric furnace 21 consumes more power than the other pieces of equipment. In other words, the multiple electric furnaces 21 can be said to be the equipment that dominates the amount of power consumed in the heat treatment factory 20.

[0025] The heat treatment factory 20 is equipped with two types of electric furnaces 21: a vacuum furnace VF, which performs heat treatment at low pressure (so-called vacuum) inside the furnace, and an atmospheric furnace VA, which performs heat treatment at atmospheric pressure inside the furnace.

[0026] In the vacuum furnace VF, heat treatment is performed on the part P as follows. First, the part P is placed in the furnace and the temperature inside the furnace is raised from room temperature to a predetermined temperature over a predetermined time (heating period) under low pressure. After that, the temperature inside the furnace is maintained at the predetermined temperature for a predetermined time (soaking period). At this time, heat treatment is performed on the part P inside the furnace. Then, the temperature inside the furnace is lowered to the predetermined temperature over a predetermined time (cooling period) and returned to atmospheric pressure, after which the part P is removed from the furnace.

[0027] The target values ​​of the furnace temperature during each period, such as the temperature rise period, the soak period, and the cooling period, correspond to the processing conditions for the heat treatment of the parts P. These processing conditions are set in advance for each of the multiple types of parts P to be heat treated in the vacuum furnace VF.

[0028] The power consumption of the vacuum furnace VF increases from "0" during the temperature rise period, reaches a maximum value, then decreases, and is maintained at a substantially constant value during the soaking period. After the soaking period ends, the power consumption of the vacuum furnace VF decreases and becomes "0" during the cooling period. Therefore, the power consumption pattern of the vacuum furnace VF is one in which the power consumption fluctuates over time.

[0029] In the atmospheric furnace VA, heat treatment is performed on the parts P as follows. That is, when heat treatment is performed on the parts P, the temperature inside the furnace is maintained at a constant temperature for a relatively long time (for example, 24 hours). Then, while the atmospheric furnace VA is in operation, the parts P are taken in and out of the furnace by opening and closing the door, for example. For this reason, it can be said that the power consumption pattern of the atmospheric furnace VA is a pattern in which the amount of power consumption is approximately constant.

[0030] Each of the electric furnaces 21 has its own control panel 22 . An operation switch 23a and a stop switch 23b are provided on the operation panel 22. The operation switch 23a is an operation switch that is operated by an operator when starting heat treatment in the electric furnace 21 corresponding to the operation panel 22. The stop switch 23b is an operation switch that is operated by an operator when stopping heat treatment in the electric furnace 21 corresponding to the operation panel 22.

[0031] The control panel 22 is provided with a control device 25 for controlling the operation of the electric furnace 21, an operation display unit 26, a communication unit 27, and a memory unit 28. The control device 25 is configured by a programmable controller, and can also be configured by a personal computer.

[0032] The operation display unit 26 functions as a display device that displays information about the operating state of the electric furnace 21. The operation display unit 26 is configured with a touch panel that is operated by an operator. In this embodiment, the operator operates the operation display unit 26 to select an operation pattern (specifically, a program number) that corresponds to the part P that is to be heat-treated in the electric furnace 21.

[0033] The communication unit 27 is a communication device that transmits and receives data to and from external devices (including the operation plan creation device 30) via a predetermined communication line, and communicates with the external devices using a communication protocol that complies with, for example, a LAN or the Internet. Via this communication unit 27, the operation panel 22 outputs data related to the actual operating state of the electric furnace 21 (hereinafter referred to as actual operation data) to the operation plan creation device 30. In this embodiment, the operation panel 22 corresponds to the detection unit.

[0034] The actual operation data includes the power consumption W of each electric furnace 21, a run signal, an end signal, and a program number signal. The run signal is a signal that is turned "on" when the electric furnace 21 is operating. When this run signal is turned "on," it can be determined that the electric furnace 21 corresponding to that signal is operating. The end signal is a signal that is turned "on" when the operation of the electric furnace 21 is stopped. When this end signal is turned "on," it can be determined that the operation of the electric furnace 21 corresponding to that signal is stopped. Furthermore, when the run signal is turned "on" and the end signal is turned "off," it can be determined that the operation of the electric furnace 21 corresponding to those signals has started. Furthermore, when the run signal is turned "off" and the end signal is turned "on," it can be determined that the operation of the electric furnace 21 corresponding to those signals has stopped. The program number signal indicates a value corresponding to the "program number" selected at that time, and the program number selected for the electric furnace 21 corresponding to that signal can be determined based on this signal.

[0035] The memory unit 28 stores an execution program that realizes the operation of the electric furnace 21 in an operation pattern corresponding to a "program number" selected by an operator. In this embodiment, the operation pattern of the electric furnace 21 corresponding to the above-mentioned "program number" is an operation pattern in which the electric furnace 21 repeatedly starts and stops operation. In such an operation pattern, the start of a second or subsequent operation of the same electric furnace 21 can be determined by the fact that the end signal corresponding to the electric furnace 21 is turned off and then the run signal is turned on.

[0036] The heat treatment factory 20 is equipped with an air conditioner 29 that adjusts the temperature and humidity of the air within the facility. The heat treatment factory 20 is also equipped with an operation selector switch 29A that is operated by an operator. By operating this operation selector switch 29A, it is possible to switch between an operating state in which the air conditioner 29 is operating and a non-operating state in which the air conditioner 29 is not operating.

[0037] The heat treatment factory 20 is provided with a production management system 24 for managing the production of the parts P. Information (production data) about parts P that will be heat treated in the heat treatment factory 20 over a predetermined period is input and stored in the production management system 24 through input work by an operator. The production data includes the following (data A1) to (data D1).

[0038] (Data A1) Product numbers of all parts P that are heat treated at the heat treatment factory 20 during a specified period. (Data B1) The electric furnace 21 to be operated in a predetermined period and the operation pattern (program number) of the electric furnace 21.

[0039] (Data C1) Operation start date and time of the electric furnace 21 operated in a predetermined period (more specifically, its adjustable range). (Data D1) Delivery date of part P to be heat treated at heat treatment factory 20 during a specified period.

[0040] The production management system 24 stores operational performance data (so-called daily reports, weekly reports, and monthly reports) that are data that summarizes the operational performance of the heat treatment factory 20. The production management system 24 also has a communication unit 24a. The communication unit 24a is a communication device that transmits and receives data to and from external devices (including the operation plan creation device 30) via a predetermined communication line, and communicates with external devices using a communication protocol that complies with, for example, a LAN or the Internet. Via this communication unit 24a, the production management system 24 receives data related to the operation performance of the heat treatment factory 20 from the aggregation unit 44 of the operation plan creation device 30. The production management system 24 has a function of automatically creating operation performance data by reflecting this data in the operation performance data.

[0041] The operation plan creation device 30 of this embodiment is a type of computer equipped with a predetermined support program (software). The operation plan creation device 30 includes a storage unit 31, an input device 32, a communication unit 33, a calculation unit 34, a display unit 35, and a counting unit 44.

[0042] The storage unit 31 is configured by an internal storage device such as a ROM and a RAM, and an external storage device such as a hard disk. The storage unit 31 stores the support programs, including a power consumption prediction program 36, an operation plan creation program 37, and an operation plan correction program 38. The power consumption prediction program 36 is a support program for generating predicted power consumption data 41 that indicates the trend in power consumption during operation of the electric furnaces 21 and the air conditioners 29. The operation plan creation program 37 is a support program for generating, prior to operation of the equipment of this embodiment, an operation plan that can keep the peak power consumption per unit time below a predetermined level, based on the predicted power consumption data 41 of each electric furnace 21 and air conditioner 29. In this embodiment, the operation plan creation program 37 corresponds to an operation plan creation unit. The operation plan correction program 38 is a support program for correcting the operation plan of the equipment during operation, based on the actual operation data and the predicted power consumption data 41, so as to keep the peak power consumption below a predetermined level.

[0043] The memory unit 31 also stores a power consumption database 39. The power consumption database 39 is a data table in which multiple time-varying changes in power consumption during operation of the electric furnace 21 (hereinafter referred to as power consumption patterns) are registered. The power consumption patterns are determined in advance for each of the multiple electric furnaces 21 and for each operation pattern (program number) of each electric furnace 21. The power consumption database 39 also stores predetermined specific patterns as power consumption patterns during operation of the air conditioner 29. In this embodiment, the registered power consumption patterns are power consumption patterns determined based on past operation data of each electric furnace 21 and air conditioner 29. Note that the registered power consumption patterns may also be power consumption patterns determined based on the results of experiments or simulations. In this embodiment, the memory area in the memory unit 31 in which the power consumption database 39 is stored corresponds to the pattern memory unit.

[0044] The input device 32 is a device that receives operation instructions from an operator who operates the operation plan creation device 30. Specifically, the input device 32 is configured with a pointing device such as a keyboard or a mouse. The input device 32 outputs operation signals corresponding to the operator's operation instructions to the calculation unit 34. Through operation of the input device 32, various processes can be executed by the operation plan creation device 30, such as importing the production data from the production management system 24, setting the predetermined level, registering and updating the power consumption pattern, and issuing an instruction to create the operation plan 40.

[0045] The communication unit 33 is a communication device that sends and receives data to and from external devices (more specifically, the control panel 22 of each electric furnace 21 and the production management system 24) via a specified communication line, and communicates with external devices using a communication protocol that complies with, for example, a LAN or the Internet.

[0046] The calculation unit 34 is composed of hardware such as an interface circuit and a CPU. The interface circuit is an electronic circuit for transmitting and receiving various signals between the memory unit 31, the input device 32, the communication unit 33, the display unit 35, and the counting unit 44. The CPU is a central processing unit that executes the above-mentioned support program. The calculation unit 34 is a calculation device that calculates an operation plan for the equipment based on the above-mentioned various programs 36 to 38, the power consumption database 39, actual operation data, etc. In this embodiment, the calculation unit 34 corresponds to the correction unit.

[0047] The display unit 35 is configured with a liquid crystal display, and is a display device that displays images of the various calculation results of the calculation unit 34, i.e., information related to the operation plan of the equipment. The display unit 35 displays the information related to the operation plan based on a video signal input from the calculation unit 34. In this embodiment, the information related to the operation plan includes the operation schedule of each electric furnace 21 (more specifically, the operation start time) and the predicted trend of the peak total power consumption of the equipment.

[0048] The tallying unit 44 grasps and tallys the operational performance of the heat treatment factory 20 based on the actual operation data and the operating mode of the operation plan creation device 30, and outputs the tallying data to the production management system 24. The production management system 24 receives this data and reflects it in the operational performance data.

[0049] Hereinafter, a process (creation process) for creating an operation plan for the heat treatment factory 20 by the operation plan creation device 30 will be described. 2 shows the execution procedure of the above-mentioned creation process. Note that the series of processes shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2 are executed by the operation plan creation device 30.

[0050] 2, in this process, first, information (basic data) about parts P to be heat treated in the heat treatment factory 20 for a predetermined planned period (seven days in this embodiment) is acquired through the operation of the input device 32 by an operator (step S11). In the process of step S11, the basic data is acquired from the production management system 24 and stored in the memory unit 31. The basic data includes the following (data A2) to (data D2).

[0051] (Data A2) Product numbers of all parts P that will be heat treated at heat treatment factory 20 during the planning period. (Data B2) The electric furnace 21 to be operated during the planning period and the program number linked to the electric furnace 21.

[0052] (Data C2) Operation start date and time of the electric furnace 21 to be operated during the planning period (more specifically, its adjustable range). (Data D2) Delivery date of part P to be heat treated at heat treatment factory 20 during the planning period.

[0053] Thereafter, an operation plan 40 for the heat treatment factory 20 is created based on the basic data and the power consumption database 39 through the execution of the power consumption prediction program 36 and the operation plan creation program 37 (step S12).

[0054] In this process, a series of processes, including creating a tentative operation plan and verifying the operation plan, is repeatedly executed until a verification result is obtained that indicates that the total power consumption per unit time (30 minutes in this embodiment) of the heat treatment factory 20 does not exceed a predetermined level. In this embodiment, the predetermined level is set to the contracted power (e.g., 250 kW) with the power supplier for the power supply of the facility including the multiple electric furnaces 21 and air conditioners 29.

[0055] Specifically, first, the operation start date and time of each electric furnace 21 is determined based on the basic data in a manner that satisfies all of the following (creation condition A) to (creation condition C). (Creation condition A) Heat treatment of all parts P is completed within the planning period.

[0056] (Creation condition B) The peak of the total power consumption per unit time [P30 total] of the heat treatment factory 20 is minimized as much as possible. (Creation condition C) The timing for completing the heat treatment of all parts P is to be as quick as possible.

[0057] Next, the power consumption patterns corresponding to the program numbers of each electric furnace 21 to be operated during the specified planned period are read, and the power consumption prediction program 36 is executed based on these power consumption patterns. This generates a change pattern (predicted power consumption data 41 (see FIG. 1)) of the power consumption per unit time [P30] for each program number of the electric furnace 21. As shown in FIG. 3 as an example, the predicted power consumption data 41 for the vacuum furnace VF shows the power consumption [P30] fluctuating over time during the operation period. As shown in FIG. 4 as an example, the predicted power consumption data 41 for the atmospheric furnace VA shows the power consumption [P30] remaining constant throughout the operation period (T1-T2). As shown by the dashed-dotted line in FIG. 4, when the atmospheric furnace VA is started, specifically when the furnace temperature of the atmospheric furnace VA is raised to the control temperature, the predicted power consumption data 41 includes the power consumption [P30] during the start-up period (T0-T1) prior to the operation period. In this predicted power consumption data 41, the power consumption amount [P30] in the startup period is set to a value greater than the power consumption amount [P30] in the operation period.

[0058] The predicted power consumption data 41 of the air conditioner 29 is created based on the following concept. As shown in an example in FIG. 5, the power consumption of the air conditioner 29 tends to be higher during the daytime compared to mornings and nights. Furthermore, the power consumption of the air conditioner 29 tends to be highest in summer, lower in winter than in summer, and lowest in the intermediate seasons (spring and autumn). Thus, the power consumption pattern of the air conditioner 29 becomes a specific pattern that changes depending on the season and time of day. Based on this, the predicted power consumption data 41 of the air conditioner 29 is created such that the power consumption [P30] during the daytime is higher than the power consumption [P30] during the mornings and nights. Furthermore, the predicted power consumption data 41 of the air conditioner 29 is created such that the power consumption [P30] is higher in winter than in the intermediate seasons, and the power consumption [P30] is higher in summer than in winter, based on the dates set in the operation plan creation device 30.

[0059] 6, the predicted power consumption data 41 of each electric furnace 21 and the predicted power consumption data 41 of the air conditioner 29 are added together in a manner that adds up the power consumption [P30] for the same period. This creates a change pattern (predicted total power consumption data 43 (see FIG. 1)) of the total power consumption per unit time [P30 total] for the heat treatment factory 20.

[0060] In this embodiment, this series of processes is repeatedly executed while modifying the above-mentioned tentative operation plan until an operation plan is created in which the peak of the total power consumption [P30 Total] in the predicted total power consumption data 43 does not exceed a predetermined level throughout the entire predetermined planning period.

[0061] Then, when the verification result indicates that the peak of the total power consumption [P30 total] in the predicted total power consumption data 43 will not exceed a predetermined level throughout the entire planning period, the operation plan at that time is stored in the memory unit 31 as the official operation plan 40.

[0062] In this embodiment, the operation plan 40 stored in the memory unit 31 is displayed on the display unit 35 (step S13). The operator operates each electric furnace 21 based on the operation plan (more specifically, the operation start date and time of each electric furnace 21) displayed on the display unit 35.

[0063] The operation of the electric furnace 21 is subject to various disturbances, such as seasonal fluctuations in the operation period and delays in the start of operation due to problems. As a result, the operation of the electric furnace 21 does not always proceed according to a predetermined operation plan, and deviations occur between the operation plan and the actual operating state. This can make it impossible to appropriately suppress the peak of the total power consumption of the multiple electric furnaces 21.

[0064] Therefore, in this embodiment, the actual operating state (actual operation data) of the electric furnace 21 is detected, and the operation plan 40 is corrected based on the actual operation data. The process of correcting the operation plan 40 (correction process) will be described below.

[0065] 7 shows the procedure for executing the correction process. The series of processes shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7 are executed by the operation plan creation device 30 as processes at predetermined intervals. 7, in this process, first, it is determined whether or not it is time (review timing) for reviewing the operation plan 40, which is a predetermined time interval (five minutes in this embodiment) (step S21). If it is determined that it is not time to review the operation plan 40 (step S21: NO), this process is terminated without executing the following processes.

[0066] Thereafter, when the time for review arrives (step S21: YES), actual operation data (specifically, power consumption W, run signal, end signal, program number signal) for each electric furnace 21 is detected (step S22).

[0067] Then, the operation plan 40 is corrected based on the actual operation data (step S23). In the processing of step S23, the operation plan 40 is corrected based on the following considerations: The actual operating state of each electric furnace 21 can be determined from the actual operation data of each electric furnace 21. Furthermore, by comparing this actual operating state with the latest operation plan 40 stored in the memory unit 31, it can be determined whether the operation of each electric furnace 21 is proceeding according to the operation plan 40. If the actual operating state of each electric furnace 21 matches the latest operation plan 40, it is determined that the operation of each electric furnace 21 is proceeding according to the operation plan 40, and the operation plan 40 is not corrected. On the other hand, if the actual operating state of each electric furnace 21 does not match the latest operation plan 40, it is determined that the operation of each electric furnace 21 is not proceeding according to the operation plan 40, and the operation plan 40 is corrected to match the actual operating state of the electric furnace 21.

[0068] The manner in which the operation plan 40 is corrected will be described in detail below. As shown in an example in Figure 8, if an end signal for the electric furnace 21A is not input even though it is time T11, when the operation of the electric furnace 21A is scheduled to be stopped in the latest operation plan 40, it is determined that the operation of the electric furnace 21A has not actually been stopped. In this case, as shown in an example in Figure 9, the operation plan 40 is corrected under the assumption that the operation of the electric furnace 21A will continue until the next review timing T12 of the operation plan 40. Specifically, of the multiple electric furnaces 21A-21D, the operation start date and time of the electric furnace 21D, which is scheduled to start operation immediately after the completion of the operation of the electric furnace 21A, is delayed until the review timing T12. Furthermore, the operation plans 40 for the multiple electric furnaces 21 thereafter are reviewed in accordance with this change in the operation start date and time of the electric furnace 21D. In detail, through the execution of the power consumption prediction program 36 and the operation plan correction program 38, a new operation plan 40 is created based on the actual operation data, the basic data, and the power consumption database 39, and the operation plan 40 is stored and updated in the memory unit 31.

[0069] As shown in an example in Figure 10, if an end signal for the electric furnace 21A is input at timing T21, which is earlier than timing T22, at which the operation of the electric furnace 21A is scheduled to be stopped in the latest operation plan 40, it is determined that the operation of the electric furnace 21A has been stopped early. In this case, as shown in an example in Figure 11, the operation plan 40 is corrected under the assumption that the operation of the electric furnace 21D (more specifically, the electric furnace that will start operation in conjunction with the shutdown of the electric furnace 21A) will be started at the current revision timing T21. Specifically, the operation start date and time of the electric furnace 21D, which is scheduled to start operation immediately after the completion of the operation of the electric furnace 21A, among the multiple electric furnaces 21A-21D, is advanced to timing T21. Furthermore, the operation plans 40 for the multiple electric furnaces 21 thereafter are revised in accordance with the change in the operation start date and time of the electric furnace 21D. In detail, through the execution of the power consumption prediction program 36 and the operation plan correction program 38, a new operation plan 40 is created based on the actual operation data, the basic data, and the power consumption database 39, and the operation plan 40 is stored and updated in the memory unit 31.

[0070] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if a run signal for the electric furnace 21A is not input even though it is time T31, when the electric furnace 21A is scheduled to start operation according to the latest operation plan 40, it is determined that the operation of the electric furnace 21A has not actually started. In this case, the operation plan 40 is corrected under the assumption that the electric furnace 21A will start operation at the next operation plan revision time T32. Furthermore, in accordance with the change in the operation start date and time of the electric furnace 21A, the operation plans 40 for the multiple electric furnaces 21 are revised accordingly. More specifically, a new operation plan 40 is created based on the actual operation data, the basic data, and the power consumption database 39 through the execution of the power consumption prediction program 36 and the operation plan correction program 38, and the new operation plan 40 is stored and updated in the storage unit 31.

[0071] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the run signal for the electric furnace 21A is turned off and the end signal for the electric furnace 21A is turned on at timing T41, which is midway through the operation period of the electric furnace 21A in the latest operation plan 40, it is determined that the operation of the electric furnace 21A is actually suspended. In this case, the operation plan 40 is corrected under the assumption that the operation of the electric furnace 21A will be resumed at timing T42, the next time the operation plan 40 is revised. Furthermore, in conjunction with the resumption of operation of the electric furnace 21A, the operation plans 40 for the subsequent electric furnaces 21 are revised. Specifically, a new operation plan 40 is created based on the actual operation data, the basic data, and the power consumption database 39 through the execution of the power consumption prediction program 36 and the operation plan correction program 38, and the new operation plan 40 is stored and updated in the storage unit 31. Note that when correcting the operation plan 40, the power consumption pattern for the electric furnace 21A from the time when the operation of the electric furnace 21A was suspended is used. That is, the power consumption pattern of the electric furnace 21A is divided into a portion before the interruption and a remaining portion, and the remaining portion is used as a correction parameter for correcting the operation plan 40.

[0072] In the correction process of this embodiment, after the operation plan 40 is corrected in this way (step S23), the operation plan 40 stored in the storage unit 31 is displayed on the display unit 35 (step S24).

[0073] According to the operation plan creation device 30 of this embodiment, the following advantageous effects can be obtained. (1) When the actual operating conditions (actual operating data) of the multiple electric furnaces 21 deviate from the operation plan 40, the operation plan 40 can be reviewed and updated in accordance with the actual operating conditions. Moreover, in this embodiment, the operation plan 40 is corrected using the power consumption database 39 (more specifically, the power consumption patterns of each electric furnace 21) stored in the storage unit 31. Therefore, the operation plan 40 can be updated successively so that the peak of the total power consumption per unit time [P30 total] of the heat treatment factory 20 does not exceed a predetermined level. Therefore, based on this operation plan 40, the peak of the total power consumption of the multiple electric furnaces 21 can be suppressed with high accuracy.

[0074] (2) The memory unit 31 stores a power consumption pattern in which the power consumption fluctuates over time as the power consumption pattern during operation of the vacuum furnace VF, and a power consumption pattern in which the power consumption is constant as the power consumption pattern during operation of the atmospheric furnace VA. Therefore, based on the power consumption pattern that matches the actual conditions of the vacuum furnace VF and the atmospheric furnace VA, the operation plan 40 for the heat treatment factory 20 equipped with the vacuum furnace VF and the atmospheric furnace VA can be appropriately created and corrected.

[0075] (3) The memory unit 31 stores a predetermined specific pattern as the power consumption pattern when the air conditioner 29 is operating. The power consumption of the air conditioner 29 is approximately the same if the season and weather conditions (temperature, humidity, etc.) are the same. Therefore, it can be said that the change pattern of the power consumption of the air conditioner 29 can be estimated with high accuracy. According to this embodiment, such a power consumption pattern of the air conditioner 29 (the specific pattern) is predetermined and stored in the memory unit 31, so the power consumption of the air conditioner 29 can be taken into consideration when creating or correcting the operation plan 40. Therefore, the peak of the total power consumption of the heat treatment factory 20 can be suppressed with higher accuracy.

[0076] (4) The contracted power amount for the power supply of the heat treatment factory 20 is set with the power supplier as a predetermined level that limits the peak of the total power consumption per unit time of the heat treatment factory 20, which is equipped with multiple electric furnaces 21 and air conditioners 29. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the power consumption of the power supply of the heat treatment factory 20, which is equipped with multiple electric furnaces 21 and air conditioners 29, from exceeding the contracted power amount with high accuracy.

[0077] (5) When the run signal is turned on and the end signal is turned off, it can be detected that the operation of the electric furnace 21 corresponding to the signals has started. Therefore, if the actual start of operation of the electric furnace 21 is earlier or later than the start time of operation set in the operation plan 40, the operation plan 40 can be revised taking into account the resulting difference in the operation period of the electric furnace 21.

[0078] (6) When the end signal is turned on and the run signal is turned off, it can be detected that the operation of the electric furnace 21 corresponding to the signal has been stopped. Therefore, if the actual completion of operation of an electric furnace 21 is earlier or later than the operation completion time set in the operation plan 40, the operation plans for the multiple electric furnaces 21 can be revised in accordance with the difference in the operation completion time of the electric furnace 21.

[0079] (7) When the operation of the electric furnace 21 is interrupted, the operation plan 40 is revised and corrected when the operation is resumed by using the portion of the power consumption pattern after the interruption of the electric furnace 21 as the correction parameter, rather than the entire power consumption pattern of the electric furnace 21. This allows the operation plan 40 of the facility including the electric furnace 21 to be appropriately corrected when the operation of the electric furnace 21 is resumed.

[0080] (8) The tallying unit 44 tally the operational performance of the heat treatment factory 20 and outputs data relating to the operational performance to the production management system 24. Therefore, the operational performance data of the heat treatment factory 20 can be automatically created and stored in the production management system 24.

[0081] The above embodiment can be modified as follows: The above embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other within the scope of technical compatibility.

[0082] The method of storing the basic data in the storage unit 31 of the operation plan creation device 30 is not limited to the method of importing the basic data from the production management system 24 via a predetermined communication line, and can be changed as desired. For example, the basic data may be directly input to the operation plan creation device 30 through the operation of the input device 32 by an operator, or may be imported into the operation plan creation device 30 using a portable recording medium (such as an SD memory card or a USB memory).

[0083] The counting unit 44 can be omitted. In the correction process (Fig. 7), the time interval for review timing is not limited to 5 minutes and can be changed arbitrarily.

[0084] Instead of using the portion of the power consumption pattern after the interruption point as a correction parameter for correcting the operation plan 40 when the operation of the electric furnace 21 is interrupted, the remaining portion of the power consumption pattern may be identified and used based on the integrated value of the actual power consumption W. With this configuration, the operation plan 40 when operation is resumed can be created based on the amount of power actually consumed in the electric furnace 21, and therefore the peak of the total power consumption of the multiple electric furnaces 21 can be suppressed with high accuracy based on this operation plan 40.

[0085] The power consumption pattern during operation of the air conditioner 29 registered in the power consumption database 39 is not limited to a specific pattern that changes depending on the season, but may also be a specific pattern that changes depending on the temperature and humidity.

[0086] When creating or correcting the operation plan 40, it is possible to omit the configuration in which the power consumption pattern during operation of the air conditioner 29 is used. The signals detected as actual operation data can be changed arbitrarily. For example, only one of the run signal and the end signal may be detected.

[0087] The method of detecting whether the electric furnace 21 is actually operating is not limited to a method of detecting based on a run signal or an end signal, but can be changed arbitrarily, such as a method of detecting by providing a dedicated sensor in the electric furnace 21 or the control panel 22.

[0088] The method of detecting that the operation of the electric furnace 21 has actually stopped is not limited to a method of detecting based on a run signal or an end signal, but can be changed arbitrarily, such as a method of detecting by providing a dedicated sensor in the electric furnace 21 or the control panel 22.

[0089] The method for detecting that the operation of the electric furnace 21 has actually been suspended can be changed as desired. For example, the suspension of the operation of the electric furnace 21 can be determined based on the suspension signal output from the control device 25 when the operation of the electric furnace 21 is suspended, or based on the fact that an operator has operated the stop switch 23b to forcibly stop the operation of the electric furnace 21.

[0090] The predetermined level is not limited to the contracted power level with the power supplier for the power supply of the heat treatment factory 20, but can be set to any power level, such as a power level lower than the contracted power level.

[0091] The specified planning period is not limited to seven days and can be changed as desired. For example, the specified planning period can be set to one day (24 hours), five weekdays, two weeks, or one month.

[0092] In addition to setting the following (Planning Condition A) as a condition for creating (or correcting) the operation plan 40, the following (Planning Condition B) may also be set. (Planning Condition A) The peak of the total power consumption [P30 Total] of the heat treatment factory 20 is kept below a predetermined level. (Planning Condition B) The peak of the total power consumption [P30 Total] of the heat treatment factory 20 is minimized within a range that satisfies the operating conditions determined by the basic data.

[0093] The operation planning device according to the above embodiment can also be applied to equipment having a pressure furnace that performs heat treatment under high pressure conditions. A pressure furnace is basically operated as follows: First, parts are placed in the furnace, and the temperature inside the furnace is increased from room temperature to a predetermined temperature over a predetermined period of time under high pressure. The temperature inside the furnace is then maintained at the predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time. During this time, the parts inside the furnace are heat-treated. The temperature inside the furnace is then lowered to below the predetermined temperature over a predetermined period of time, and the pressure is returned to atmospheric pressure. The parts are then removed from the furnace. The power consumption pattern of such a pressure furnace varies over time. By storing the power consumption pattern of such a pressure furnace in the memory unit of the operation planning device in advance, an operation plan for the equipment including the pressure furnace can be appropriately created and corrected based on the power consumption pattern.

[0094] The operation planning device according to the above embodiment can also be applied to a facility that has a cleaning device that cleans parts P. A cleaning device is basically operated with a substantially constant power consumption. Therefore, the power consumption pattern of the cleaning device is a constant pattern of power consumption. By storing such a power consumption pattern of the cleaning device in advance in the storage unit of the operation plan creation device, it is possible to appropriately create and correct an operation plan for the facility that includes the cleaning device based on this power consumption pattern.

[0095] The operation plan creation device according to the above embodiment can also be applied to facilities that do not have an atmospheric furnace VA. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 20...Heat treatment factory 21...Electric furnace 22...Operation panel 24...Production control system 25...Control device 27…Communications Department 29…Air conditioner 30...Operation plan creation device 31...Storage section 33…Communications Department 34...Arithmetic section 35...Display section 39...Power consumption database 40...Operation plan 41...Predicted power consumption data 43...Total predicted power consumption data 44…Counting section

Claims

1. An operation plan creation device that creates an operation plan for equipment having a plurality of electric furnaces, a pattern storage unit that stores a power consumption pattern for each of the plurality of electric furnaces during operation of the electric furnace; an operation plan creation unit that creates the operation plan determined in a manner that the peak of the total power consumption of the equipment is kept below a predetermined level; a start signal output unit that outputs a start signal indicating that operation of any one of the plurality of electric furnaces has started when the operation of the electric furnace has started; a correction unit that corrects the operation plan based on the start signal output by the start signal output unit and the power consumption pattern stored in the pattern storage unit in a manner that the peak is suppressed to be equal to or less than the predetermined level; An operation plan creation device having the above.

2. A stop signal output unit that outputs a stop signal indicating that operation of any one of the plurality of electric furnaces has been stopped when the operation of that one of the electric furnaces has been stopped, The correction unit corrects the operation plan in a manner that the peak is suppressed to the predetermined level or less, based on the stop signal output by the stop signal output unit and the power consumption pattern stored in the pattern storage unit. The operation plan creation device according to claim 1 .

3. An operation plan creation device for creating an operation plan for equipment having multiple electric furnaces, a pattern storage unit that stores a power consumption pattern for each of the plurality of electric furnaces during operation of the electric furnace; an operation plan creation unit that creates the operation plan determined in a manner that the peak of the total power consumption of the equipment is kept below a predetermined level; a stop signal output unit that outputs a stop signal indicating that operation of any one of the plurality of electric furnaces has been stopped when the operation of the electric furnace is stopped; a correction unit that corrects the operation plan based on the stop signal output by the stop signal output unit and the power consumption pattern stored in the pattern storage unit in a manner that the peak is suppressed to be equal to or less than the predetermined level; An operation plan creation device having the above.

4. When the operation of the electric furnace is resumed after being interrupted, the correction unit identifies a portion of the power consumption pattern after the interruption based on an accumulated value of actual power consumption before the interruption of the electric furnace, and corrects the operation plan based on the identified portion. The operation plan creation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. An operation plan creation device for creating an operation plan for equipment having multiple electric furnaces, a pattern storage unit that stores a power consumption pattern for each of the plurality of electric furnaces during operation of the electric furnace; an operation plan creation unit that creates the operation plan determined in a manner that the peak of the total power consumption of the equipment is kept below a predetermined level; a detection unit for detecting the actual operating states of the plurality of electric furnaces; a correction unit that corrects the operation plan based on the actual operating state detected by the detection unit and the power consumption pattern stored in the pattern storage unit in a manner that the peak is suppressed to be equal to or less than the predetermined level, When the operation of the electric furnace is resumed after being interrupted, the correction unit identifies the portion of the power consumption pattern after the interruption based on an integrated value of the actual power consumption before the interruption of the electric furnace, and corrects the operation plan based on the identified portion.

6. The plurality of electric furnaces include a vacuum furnace and an atmospheric furnace, The pattern storage unit stores a pattern in which power consumption fluctuates over time as a power consumption pattern during operation of the vacuum furnace, and stores a pattern in which power consumption is constant as a power consumption pattern during operation of the atmospheric furnace. The operation plan creation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The facility has an air conditioning device, The pattern storage unit stores a predetermined specific pattern as a power consumption pattern during operation of the air conditioner. The operation plan creation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. An operation plan creation device described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the predetermined level is a power value that is less than or equal to the contracted power with the power supplier for the power source of the equipment.

9. A calculation unit that calculates the operational performance of the equipment and reflects it in the operational performance data of the production management system of the equipment. The operation plan creation device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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