Installation Management System

Abstract

To provide an installation object management system which can reduce a troublesome operation for an operator.SOLUTION: An installation object management system for managing an installation position of an installation object E including a new installation object in a pre-installation state comprises: a motion capture system 10 of acquiring markers 11 attached to the new installation object and the positions of the markers to acquire the position information of the new installation object; a difference calculation unit of obtaining a target difference as a difference between a target position to be installed with the new installation object and the position of the new installation object based on the position information acquired by the motion capture system; and a position information output unit of outputting difference information according to the target difference obtained by the difference calculation unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an installation management system. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a manufacturing system has been known that includes a plurality of unit cells that automatically perform work on a workpiece, a connection mechanism that connects the plurality of unit cells together, and a management device that manages the plurality of unit cells (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In this manufacturing system, a production line is formed by arranging a plurality of unit cells that are individually and integrally managed by a management device. The manufacturing system is configured so that each time a part, semi-finished product, etc. passes through each of the plurality of unit cells, a unit operation such as processing or sorting is performed on the workpiece, thereby manufacturing a product. The plurality of unit cells are each provided so that the entrance of any one unit cell and the exit of any other unit cell are adjacent to each other, allowing any unit cells to be combined with each other. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-151770 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When manufacturing a new product or increasing production of a product, a new production line different from the existing production line may be required. In this case, the new production line is installed in a location where no existing production line is installed. When installing new installations such as unit cells that make up the new production line, workers may perform marking work to place markers or the like at the installation location to identify the installation position.

[0006] However, marking work is troublesome for the worker because the worker must actually go to the location where the new object is to be installed. In addition, the worker must install the new object while checking the markers created by the marking work each time.

[0007] The present disclosure aims to provide an installation management system that can reduce the burdensome work of workers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The invention described in claim 1 is An installation management system that manages the installation positions of installations (E) including a new installation (E2) in a state before installation, a marker (11) attached to the newly installed object and a motion capture system (10) that acquires the position of the marker to acquire position information of the newly installed object; a difference calculation unit (23) that calculates a target difference between a target position where the new object is to be installed and the position of the new object based on position information acquired by the motion capture system; and a position information output unit (20) that outputs difference information according to the target difference calculated by the difference calculation unit.

[0009] According to this, when installing a new object, by using the difference information output by the position information output unit, it is possible to eliminate the need for marking work to mark the installation position of the new object before installing it. Furthermore, when installing a new object, it is possible to eliminate the need for the worker to check the marking work each time. Therefore, the installation object management system can reduce the burden on the worker.

[0010] The reference symbols in parentheses attached to each component indicate an example of the correspondence between the component and the specific components described in the embodiments described below. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an installation object management system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an existing layout. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a new layout. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a production line. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a reference setting unit. [Figure 6] 1 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of an installation object management system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display shown by a position information display unit. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control process executed by the motion capture system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control process executed by the control device according to the first embodiment when creating an existing layout. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control process executed by the control device according to the first embodiment when creating a new layout. [Figure 11] 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control process executed by the control device according to the first embodiment when outputting information about a target position. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a workflow performed by a worker when installing a new installation object without using an installation object management system. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a workflow performed by a worker when installing a new installation using the installation object management system. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of an installation object management system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of an installation object management system according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, parts that are the same as or equivalent to those described in the preceding embodiments will be given the same reference numerals, and their description may be omitted. Furthermore, in the embodiments, when only some of the components are described, the components described in the preceding embodiments can be applied to the remaining components. The following embodiments can be partially combined with each other, even if not specifically stated, as long as there is no particular problem with the combination.

[0013] (First embodiment) An installation object management system 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 13. The installation object management system 1 of this embodiment is installed in a factory that manufactures products, and uses a motion capture system 10 and a control device 20 shown in FIG. 1 to manage the installation positions of installation objects E that are the targets of management by the installation object management system 1. The installation objects E managed by the installation object management system 1 include existing installation objects E1 that have already been installed in the factory as shown in FIG. 2, and new installation objects E2 that are in a state before being installed in the factory as shown in FIG. 3 and are scheduled to be installed in the factory. Therefore, the installation object management system 1 manages the installation positions of installation objects E, including the existing installation objects E1 and the new installation objects E2.

[0014] First, the installation object E will be described with reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. The installation object E is installed in a factory, and multiple installation objects E are arranged in the factory as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. Here, Fig. 2 shows an installation layout indicating the installation positions of existing installation objects E1 managed by the installation object management system 1 of this embodiment.

[0015] In contrast to this, Fig. 3 shows an installation layout showing a new installation object E2 that is planned to be added to the vacant lot S in the installation layout shown in Fig. 2. That is, Fig. 3 shows a hypothetical installation layout in the case where the new installation object E2 is installed in the vacant lot S, and the new installation object E2 that has not yet been installed is shown by a dashed line.

[0016] The area surrounded by the dashed line in FIG. 2 is a place in the factory where no installation object E is installed, and indicates a place where a new installation object E2 can be installed.

[0017] Specific examples of the existing installations E1 and the new installations E2 include production equipment E3 related to the production of products, such as manufacturing equipment for manufacturing products, transport equipment for transporting products, inspection equipment for inspecting products, and control panels for controlling the operation of various equipment. These pieces of production equipment E3 are arranged side by side, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, to form a single production line L. In other words, the production equipment E3 constitutes the production line L. Each piece of production equipment E3 may have a different size and shape. In this embodiment, a plurality of pieces of production equipment E3 having different sizes in the depth direction and width direction are arranged side by side.

[0018] Furthermore, the existing installations E1 and the new installations E2 include peripheral equipment E4 that is not directly involved in the production of the product but is provided for the production of the product. The peripheral equipment E4 includes, for example, shelves that store parts and materials necessary for manufacturing the product, tools used in processing the product, boxes filled with chemical solutions, and fences that surround the production equipment E3. The peripheral equipment E4 is, for example, located around the production equipment E3 and constitutes the production line L together with the production equipment E3.

[0019] In addition, these production equipment E3 and peripheral equipment E4 may be fixed to the ground, or may not be fixed to the ground and may be configured to be movable by attaching movable members such as casters.

[0020] In this embodiment, one production line L is configured by seven pieces of production equipment E3 and six pieces of peripheral equipment E4, which are existing installations E1, as shown in Fig. 2. An example will be described in which five production lines L, each consisting of seven pieces of production equipment E3 and six pieces of peripheral equipment E4, are arranged in a factory.

[0021] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, an example will be described in which seven production equipment E3 and six peripheral equipment E4, which are new installation objects E2, are added to the factory, i.e., one production line L is additionally installed in the factory. The additional new installation objects E2 can be transported by a manual transport unit H, as will be described later. Hereinafter, the installation layout shown in FIG. 2 may be referred to as an existing layout, and the installation layout shown in FIG. 3 may be referred to as a new layout. Furthermore, the production equipment E3 and peripheral equipment E4 that have already been installed in the factory may be collectively referred to as existing installation objects E1, and the production equipment E3 and peripheral equipment E4 in their state before being installed in the factory may be collectively referred to as new installation objects E2. Furthermore, the existing installation objects E1 and the new installation objects E2 may be collectively referred to simply as installation objects E.

[0022] Next, the motion capture system 10 will be described with reference to Figures 1, 4, and 5. The motion capture system 10 of this embodiment acquires the current position of an installed object E, and includes a marker 11, a reference setting unit 12, and a camera 13.

[0023] The marker 11 is attached to the installation object E and the reference setting unit 12, respectively, and is imaged by the camera 13. When the marker 11 is imaged by the camera 13, position information of the position where the marker 11 is placed is provided as position coordinates. The marker 11 is attached to the installation object E and the reference setting unit 12 so that the position coordinates of the installation object E and the reference setting unit 12 to which the marker 11 is attached can be acquired by the camera 13. Specifically, the marker 11 is attached to the production equipment E3 and the peripheral equipment E4 in the existing installation object E1 and the new installation object E2, respectively.

[0024] These markers 11 are attached to the surfaces of the installation object E and the reference setting unit 12 so that they can be within one field of view of the camera 13. Specifically, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, three markers 11 are attached to the top surface of each of the installation object E and the reference setting unit 12, and the spacing between each of these three markers 11 is set to a predetermined design value.

[0025] Hereinafter, the markers 11 attached to the existing installation E1 and the new installation E2 will also be referred to as facility markers 11a, and the markers 11 attached to the reference setting unit 12 will also be referred to as reference markers 11b. In addition, the facility markers 11a and the reference markers 11b may sometimes be simply referred to as markers 11.

[0026] The reference setting unit 12 is a fixed reference position for the current positions of the existing installation E1 and the new installation E2, and is located in the factory. The reference setting unit 12 defines the origin when indicating the positions of the production equipment E3 and peripheral equipment E4 already installed in the factory, and the production equipment E3 and peripheral equipment E4 before being installed in the factory, using position coordinates.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 5, the reference setting section 12 is made of a thin, right-angled triangular member. The reference setting section 12 is formed by cutting out the center of the right-angled triangle. The lengths of each side of the right-angled triangle of the reference setting section 12 are set to predetermined design values. The right-angled triangular reference setting section 12 has reference markers 11b attached to each of its three vertices.

[0028] 1, the coordinates of the position where the reference marker 11b is attached to the vertex forming a right angle among the three vertices of the right-angled triangular reference setting unit 12 are set as the origin (0,0) in the XY coordinate system. In the plane where the reference setting unit 12, the existing installed object E1, and the new installed object E2 are arranged, the direction from the origin toward one of the remaining two reference markers 11b is set as the X direction, and the direction from the origin toward the other reference marker 11b is set as the Y direction.

[0029] This allows the position coordinates of the equipment markers 11a attached to the production equipment E3 and peripheral equipment E4 that have already been installed in the factory to be shown in an XY coordinate system with the origin (0,0) as the reference point. Also, the position coordinates of the equipment markers 11a attached to the production equipment E3 and peripheral equipment E4 that have not yet been installed in the factory and are being transported by the manual transport unit H can be shown in an XY coordinate system with the origin (0,0) as the reference point.

[0030] The camera 13 is configured, for example, by a digital camera equipped with an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS sensor as an imaging element. In this embodiment, two cameras 13 are installed at different positions in the factory and are positioned so as to be able to capture images of the markers 11 attached to the existing installed object E1, the new installed object E2, and the reference setting unit 12 from different directions. As a result, the camera 13 acquires position information relating to the current positions of the existing installed object E1, the new installed object E2, and the reference setting unit 12 to which the markers 11 are attached, as image information. The camera 13 is connected to the control device 20 and is able to transmit the acquired image information to the control device 20.

[0031] The camera 13 may be installed by hanging it from the ceiling of the factory or on a wall or pillar of the factory, as long as it can photograph the markers 11 attached to the existing installation E1, the new installation E2, and the reference setting unit 12. Alternatively, the camera 13 may be installed on a camera fixing fixture such as a tripod, and the installation method is not limited.

[0032] When the existing installation E1 and the reference setting unit 12 are present within the same field of view, the camera 13 transmits position information relating to the current positions of the reference setting unit 12 and the existing installation E1 to the control device 20. Specifically, when the camera 13 captures an image of the reference setting unit 12 and the equipment marker 11a attached to the existing installation E1 in a state where the existing installation E1 is installed in the factory, the camera 13 transmits the position coordinates of the equipment marker 11a attached to the existing installation E1 to the control device 20 as position information.

[0033] Furthermore, if a new installation object E2 exists in the same field of view of the camera 13 in addition to the existing installation object E1 and the reference setting unit 12, the camera 13 also transmits position information regarding the current position of the new installation object E2 to the control device 20. For example, when the camera 13 captures an image of an equipment marker 11a attached to the new installation object E2 being transported by the manual transport unit H before it is installed in the factory, the camera 13 transmits the position coordinates of the equipment marker 11a attached to the new installation object E2 to the control device 20 as position information.

[0034] Next, the control device 20 will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. The control device 20 is composed of a microcomputer including a CPU, memories such as ROM and RAM, and an input / output interface, and its peripheral circuits. The memory is composed of a non-transient physical storage medium. The control device 20 performs various calculations and processes based on programs stored in the ROM. The control device 20 then executes the programs stored in the ROM based on position information transmitted from the camera 13.

[0035] The control device 20 is configured, for example, by a personal computer having input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse, and an output device such as a display. The control device 20 receives necessary data by an operator operating the input devices such as the keyboard and the mouse, and is capable of displaying the results of the executed program on an output device such as a display.

[0036] 6, the control device 20 has a position calculation unit 21, a layout creation unit 22, and a difference calculation unit 23 as a program execution unit that executes a program stored in ROM. The position calculation unit 21 acquires the current positions of the existing installed object E1 and the new installed object E2 relative to the reference position where the reference setting unit 12 is placed, based on position information transmitted from the camera 13. That is, the position calculation unit 21 calculates the position coordinates of the existing installed object E1 and the new installed object E2 in an XY coordinate system, with the coordinate position where the reference marker 11b is placed serving as the origin (0,0).

[0037] The layout creation unit 22 creates an existing layout based on the position coordinates of the multiple existing installations E1 calculated by the position calculation unit 21. That is, the layout creation unit 22 creates an installation layout based on the position coordinates of the multiple existing installations E1 in an XY coordinate system based on the origin (0,0). In other words, the layout creation unit 22 creates an installation layout indicating the installation positions of the production equipment E3 and peripheral equipment E4, which are the existing installations E1, based on the position information of the production equipment E3 and peripheral equipment E4 acquired by the motion capture system 10.

[0038] When a new object E2 to be installed exists in the factory, the difference calculation unit 23 calculates a target difference, which is the difference between a target position, which is a target position set in advance when the new object E2 to be installed is installed, and the position of the new object E2 to be installed calculated by the position calculation unit 21. That is, the difference calculation unit 23 calculates the deviation between the position coordinates of the target position and the position coordinates of the new object E2 to be installed as the target difference in an XY coordinate system based on the origin (0,0). In other words, the difference calculation unit 23 calculates the target difference based on the reference position where the reference setting unit 12 is placed. The control device 20 is configured to be able to communicate via wireless communication with a display device 30 provided in the manual transport unit H. The control device 20 is configured to be able to transmit difference information corresponding to the target difference calculated by the difference calculation unit 23 to the display device 30. In this embodiment, the control device 20 functions as a position information output unit.

[0039] The manual transport unit H is a transport machine that transports the new installation object E2, and is operated by a worker to transport the new installation object E2. The manual transport unit H is configured, for example, by a dolly, a hand lift, a forklift, etc. The manual transport unit H is configured so that the new installation object E2 can be loaded, and with the new installation object E2 loaded, the new installation object E2 can be transported by operation of the worker. The manual transport unit H is provided with a display device 30, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0040] The installation object management system 1 of this embodiment includes a display device 30 provided on the manual transport unit H. The display device 30 is a display that displays difference information output by the control device 20 when the camera 13 recognizes an equipment marker 11a provided on a new installation object E2 being transported by the manual transport unit H. As shown in FIG. 6 , the display device 30 has a position information display unit 31 and an arrival output unit 32. The display device 30 is configured so that the position information display unit 31 displays a display corresponding to the difference information received from the control device 20, and the arrival output unit 32 can output a sound related to the difference information. The display device 30 is configured, for example, as a tablet, smartphone, laptop, etc.

[0041] The position information display unit 31 is a display unit that displays the difference information transmitted from the control device 20. The position information display unit 31 displays a screen according to the difference information transmitted from the control device 20. An example of the difference information displayed by the position information display unit 31 will be described with reference to FIG. 7.

[0042] 7, the position information display unit 31 of this embodiment is configured to be able to display difference information as information relating to the distance between the target position and the position of the newly installed object E2. Specifically, the position information display unit 31 displays the X and Y position coordinates of the newly installed object E2 in the state of being transported relative to the origin (0,0), as well as the X and Y position coordinates of the target position. Furthermore, the position information display unit 31 displays the deviation between the X coordinate of the newly installed object E2 in the state of being transported and the X coordinate of the target position, and the deviation between the Y coordinate of the newly installed object E2 in the state of being transported and the Y coordinate of the target position, as distances required to move to the target position.

[0043] 7, the position information display unit 31 of this embodiment is configured to be able to display the difference information as a graphic that resembles the shape of the newly installed object E2. Specifically, the position information display unit 31 displays the newly installed object E2 in a state of being transported and the newly installed object E2 in a state of having arrived at the target position, and displays the position of the newly installed object E2 in a state of having arrived at the target position as seen from the newly installed object E2 in a state of being transported. In other words, the position information display unit 31 displays the relative positional relationship between the newly installed object E2 in a state of being transported and the newly installed object E2 in a state of having arrived at the target position.

[0044] In FIG. 7, the new installation object E2 in the state of being transported is indicated by a solid line, and the new installation object E2 in the state of having arrived at the target position is indicated by a dashed line.

[0045] The arrival output unit 32 in this embodiment is a speaker that, when the new installation object E2 is transported by the manual transport unit H and arrives at the target position, notifies the worker by sound that the new installation object E2 has arrived at the target position. That is, when the display device 30 receives information from the control device 20 that the target difference calculated by the difference calculation unit 23 has become 0, the arrival output unit 32 notifies the worker by sound that the new installation object E2 has arrived at the target position. For example, when the new installation object E2 arrives at the target position, the arrival output unit 32 may output arrival information indicating that the new installation object E2 has arrived at the target position by an alarm sound, or may output a voice announcing the arrival.

[0046] The position information display unit 31 may be configured to function as the arrival output unit 32. In this case, when the newly installed object E2 arrives at the target position, the position information display unit 31 may display arrival information indicating that the newly installed object E2 has arrived at the target position, for example, using a color and text indicating the arrival. This allows the position information display unit 31 to function as the arrival output unit 32.

[0047] Next, the operation of the installation management system 1 configured as described above when creating an existing layout will be explained with reference to the control processing executed by the motion capture system 10 shown in FIG. 8 and the control processing executed by the control device 20 shown in FIG. 9.

[0048] First, the operation of the motion capture system 10 will be described. The motion capture system 10 executes the control processes shown in FIG. 8 to detect the current positions of the production equipment E3 and peripheral equipment E4 among multiple existing installations E1 installed in a factory. The motion capture system 10 may repeatedly execute the control processes shown in FIG. 8 at predetermined control intervals. Alternatively, the motion capture system 10 may execute the control processes shown in FIG. 8 upon receiving a control signal from the control device 20 requesting information on the current positions of the multiple existing installations E1 for creating an existing layout.

[0049] First, in step S10, the motion capture system 10 uses the camera 13 to capture images of the markers 11 attached to the already installed reference setting unit 12, the production equipment E3, and the peripheral equipment E4 of the multiple existing installations E1. Specifically, the camera 13 captures the reference marker 11b and the equipment marker 11a within one field of view.

[0050] In step S12, the motion capture system 10 acquires position information of the reference setting unit 12, the production equipment E3, and the peripheral equipment E4 in the multiple existing installations E1 based on the captured images of the reference marker 11b and the equipment marker 11a. Then, in step S14, the motion capture system 10 transmits the position information of the reference setting unit 12, the production equipment E3, and the peripheral equipment E4 in the multiple existing installations E1 to the control device 20.

[0051] Next, we will explain the operation of the control device 20. When the control device 20 receives position information of the reference setting unit 12, the production equipment E3, and the peripheral equipment E4 in the multiple existing installations E1 from the motion capture system 10, it executes each control process shown in Figure 9.

[0052] First, in step S20, the control device 20 receives from the motion capture system 10 the reference setting unit 12 and the position information of each of the production equipment E3 and peripheral equipment E4 in the multiple existing installations E1. Then, in step S22, the control device 20 causes the position calculation unit 21 to acquire the current position of each of the production equipment E3 and peripheral equipment E4 in the multiple existing installations E1 based on the position information received from the motion capture system 10. That is, the position calculation unit 21 calculates the position coordinates of each of the production equipment E3 and peripheral equipment E4 in the multiple existing installations E1 in an XY coordinate system, with the coordinate position where the reference marker 11b is located as the origin (0,0). The position calculation unit 21 calculates the position coordinates of each of the production equipment E3 and peripheral equipment E4 in the multiple existing installations E1 using trigonometry, based on the known intervals between the reference markers 11b.

[0053] In this embodiment, as described above, seven pieces of production equipment E3 and six pieces of peripheral equipment E4, which are existing installations E1, constitute one production line L. In addition, five production lines L, each consisting of seven pieces of production equipment E3 and six pieces of peripheral equipment E4, are arranged in the factory.

[0054] Therefore, the position calculation unit 21 of this embodiment calculates the position coordinates of each of the seven pieces of production equipment E3 and six pieces of peripheral equipment E4 that make up each of the five production lines L arranged in the factory.

[0055] Then, in step S24, the control device 20 creates an existing layout based on the position coordinates of the production equipment E3 and the peripheral equipment E4 calculated by the position calculation unit 21. In this way, the existing layout shown in Fig. 2 is created. The control device 20 stores the created existing layout in memory.

[0056] Next, the operation of the installation management system 1 when creating a new layout when installing production equipment E3 and peripheral equipment E4 as new installations E2 in a factory will be explained with reference to the control processing executed by the control device 20 shown in Figure 10.

[0057] First, in step S30, when an operator performs an operation to call up an existing layout using an input device such as a keyboard or a mouse, the control device 20 calls up the existing layout stored in memory, and then outputs the existing layout to an output device such as a display.

[0058] Then, when the worker inputs information on the target positions of the production equipment E3 and the peripheral equipment E4 as the new installation objects E2 to be additionally installed, the control device 20 stores the input information on the target positions of the new installation objects E2 in memory in step S32. The control device 20 stores the input information on the target positions of the new installation objects E2 as position coordinates.

[0059] Then, in step S34, the control device 20 creates a new layout based on the input information on the target positions of the respective new installation objects E2. As a result, the new layout shown in Fig. 3 is created. The control device 20 stores the created new layout in memory.

[0060] Next, the control processing executed by the motion capture system 10 when production equipment E3 and peripheral equipment E4 are transported to the factory as new installation objects E2 and the control processing executed by the installation object management system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 11. Note that the control processing executed by the motion capture system 10 and the control device 20 when production equipment E3 and peripheral equipment E4 are transported is the same whether the transport target is production equipment E3 or peripheral equipment E4. Therefore, hereinafter, only the control processing executed by the motion capture system 10 and the control device 20 when production equipment E3 is transported will be described, and a description of the control processing executed when peripheral equipment E4 is transported will be omitted.

[0061] Here, the control process executed by the motion capture system 10 when the production equipment E3 is transported as the new installation object E2 is the same as the control process described with reference to Fig. 8. Specifically, the motion capture system 10 executes steps S10, S12, and S14 to transmit position information of the production equipment E3 in the new installation object E2 to the control device 20.

[0062] The motion capture system 10 repeatedly executes steps S10, S12, and S14 at a predetermined control period, thereby repeatedly transmitting position information of the production equipment E3 being transported to the control device 20 at the predetermined control period.

[0063] Next, a description will be given of the operation of the control device 20. When the control device 20 receives position information of the production equipment E3 in the new installation object E2 being transported from the motion capture system 10, the control device 20 executes each control process shown in FIG.

[0064] First, in step S40, the control device 20 receives position information of the production equipment E3 being transported from the motion capture system 10. Then, in step S42, the position calculation unit 21 of the control device 20 acquires the current position of the production equipment E3 being transported based on the position information received from the motion capture system 10. That is, the position calculation unit 21 calculates the position coordinates of the production equipment E3 being transported in the XY coordinate system, with the coordinate position where the reference marker 11b is located being the origin (0,0).

[0065] Then, in step S44, the control device 20 has the difference calculation unit 23 calculate the target difference based on the information on the current position of the production equipment E3 being transported calculated by the position calculation unit 21 and the information on the target position of the production equipment E3 being transported stored when creating a new layout. Here, as shown in Fig. 1, the position coordinates of the production equipment E3 being transported are set to (X1, Y1), and the position coordinates of the target position of the production equipment E3 are set to (X2, Y2).

[0066] The difference calculation unit 23 calculates the target difference in the X coordinate by subtracting X2, which is the X coordinate of the target position of the production equipment E3, from X1, which is the X coordinate of the production equipment E3 being transported relative to the origin (0,0).The difference calculation unit 23 also calculates the target difference in the Y coordinate by subtracting Y2, which is the Y coordinate of the target position of the production equipment E3, from Y1, which is the Y coordinate of the production equipment E3 being transported relative to the origin (0,0).This calculates the deviation between the current position of the production equipment E3 being transported and the target position.

[0067] Then, in step S46, the control device 20 transmits to the display device 30 information on the current position of the production equipment E3 being transported calculated by the position calculation unit 21, information on the target position of the production equipment E3 being transported, and difference information corresponding to the target difference calculated by the difference calculation unit 23.

[0068] The control device 20 repeatedly executes steps S40, S42, S44, and S46 every time it receives position information of the production equipment E3 being transported from the motion capture system 10. That is, every time it receives position information of the production equipment E3 being transported, the control device 20 transmits to the display device 30 information on the current position of the production equipment E3 being transported calculated by the position calculation unit 21, information on the target position of the production equipment E3 being transported, and difference information corresponding to information on the target difference.

[0069] When the display device 30 receives information on the current position of the production equipment E3, information on the target position of the production equipment E3 being transported, and difference information corresponding to the target difference calculated by the difference calculation unit 23, the position information display unit 31 displays the received information. Specifically, the position information display unit 31 displays the position coordinates of the production equipment E3 being transported and the position coordinates of the target position. The position information display unit 31 also displays the amount of movement required to transport the production equipment E3 being transported to the target position as distances on each of the X and Y coordinate axes. Furthermore, the position information display unit 31 displays the relative positional relationship between the production equipment E3 being transported and the production equipment E3 when it has arrived at the target position. Each time the display device 30 receives information on the current position of the production equipment E3, information on the target position, and difference information from the control device 20, it updates the display to correspond to the received information.

[0070] This allows the worker to recognize the deviation between the current position and the target position of the production equipment E3 being transported, as well as the amount of movement required to transport the production equipment E3 to the target position.

[0071] Then, when the production equipment E3 is transported and arrives at the target position and the deviation between the current position of the production equipment E3 and the target position disappears, the control device 20 transmits information to the display device 30 that the target difference calculated by the difference calculation unit 23 is 0.

[0072] When the display device 30 receives information from the control device 20 that the target difference is 0 as the production equipment E3 is transported and arrives at the target position, the arrival output unit 32 notifies the worker, for example by sound, of arrival information indicating that the new installation item E2 has arrived at the target position.

[0073] This allows the worker to recognize that the production equipment E3 has arrived at the target position.

[0074] Furthermore, when production equipment E3, which is the new installation object E2, arrives at the target position and is installed at the target position, the motion capture system 10 executes steps S10, S12, and S14 to transmit position information of the production equipment E3 to the control device 20. This allows the control device 20 to acquire the position information of the additionally installed production equipment E3. Therefore, by executing steps S20, S22, and S24 when the installation object management system 1 creates an existing layout, it is possible to reflect the position information of the additionally installed production equipment E3 in the existing layout. In other words, it is possible to create an existing layout in which the additionally installed production equipment E3, which has become the existing installation object E1, is installed.

[0075] Next, the work performed by a worker when installing a new installation object E2 without using the installation object management system 1 will be compared with the work performed by a worker when installing a new installation object E2 using the installation object management system 1, with reference to Figures 12 and 13. Figure 12 shows the workflow performed by a worker when installing a new installation object E2 without using the installation object management system 1. Figure 13 shows the workflow performed by a worker when installing a new installation object E2 using the installation object management system 1.

[0076] When installing a new installation object E2 without using the installation object management system 1, in step S100, the worker creates a line layout. The line layout indicates the arrangement of each of the multiple pieces of production equipment E3 and multiple pieces of peripheral equipment E4 that make up the new production line L.

[0077] Then, the worker creates a new layout by reflecting the created production line L in the existing layout. Generally, the existing layout and the new layout are designed using design software. Therefore, the worker can understand the existing layout before the new production line L is installed by checking the data designed by the design software.

[0078] However, the installation position of the existing installation object E1 installed in the factory may change from the time of its design installation. Therefore, the installation layout managed by the data may differ from the actual installation layout on the factory site. In other words, the installation layout managed by the data may not match the actual installation layout on the factory site. Therefore, in step S110, the worker goes to the location where the existing installation object E1 is actually installed and checks the installation position of the existing installation object E1. In other words, the worker checks the actual installation layout on the factory site.

[0079] Then, after confirming the installation position of the existing installation E1, in step S120, the worker creates a new layout by reflecting the production line L of the created line layout in the existing layout.

[0080] Then, in step S130, the worker goes to the location where the new installation object E2 is to be installed and, based on the new layout created, performs marking work to create markers or the like to identify the installation position of the new installation object E2 before installing the new installation object E2.

[0081] Thereafter, in step S140, the worker transports the new installation object E2 using the manual transport unit H. When performing the transport work, the worker transports the object while checking the marks and the like made by the marking work each time.

[0082] Then, the worker transports the new installation object E2 to the position where the marking work was performed, and then in step S150, the worker installs the new installation object E2.

[0083] On the other hand, when installing a new installation object E2 using the installation object management system 1, in step S200, the worker creates a line layout for a new production line L, similar to step S100. Then, in step S210, the worker creates a new layout by reflecting the production line L of the created line layout on the existing layout. Specifically, the worker inputs information on the target position of the new installation object E2 to be installed additionally to the control device 20. As a result, the input position coordinates of the new installation object E2 are stored in the memory of the control device 20.

[0084] Here, the installation object management system 1 of this embodiment can create an existing layout by executing the above-mentioned steps S20, S22, and S24. The existing layout is created based on the position information of the existing installation E1 to which the marker 11 is attached, which is acquired by the motion capture system 10. The motion capture system 10 creates the existing layout based on the position information of the existing installation E1 at the time when the process for creating the existing layout is executed.

[0085] Therefore, even if the installation position of an existing installation E1 installed in a factory changes from the design when it was installed, the existing layout created by the installation object management system 1 reflects the change. In other words, the existing layout stored in the installation object management system 1 is the same as the actual installation layout on the factory site side. Therefore, when installing a new installation E2 using the installation object management system 1, there is no need to actually go to the location where the existing installation E1 is installed and check the installation position of the existing installation E1. In other words, the worker does not need to perform the same work as step S110 that would be required when installing a new installation E2 without using the installation object management system 1.

[0086] Then, in step S220, the worker uses the manual transport unit H to transport the new installation object E2.

[0087] Here, the installation object management system 1 of this embodiment executes the above-mentioned steps S40, S42, S44, and S46 to transmit information on the current position of the new installation object E2 being transported, information on the target position, and difference information to the display device 30 of the manual transport unit H.

[0088] The display device 30 then displays the received information on the current position, target position, and difference information of the new installation object E2. This allows the worker to perform the transportation work while checking the display on the display device 30 to confirm the deviation between the current position and the target position and the amount of movement to the target position for the new installation object E2 being transported.

[0089] Then, when the worker transports the new installation object E2 to the target position, in step S230, the worker installs the new installation object E2. At this time, the worker can recognize that the production equipment E3 has arrived at the target position based on the arrival information output by the arrival output unit 32.

[0090] In this way, by installing a new installation E2 using the installation object management system 1 of this embodiment, the amount of work that a worker must do can be reduced compared to when installing a new installation E2 without using the installation object management system 1.

[0091] As described above, the installation object management system 1 of this embodiment includes a motion capture system 10 that acquires the position of the marker 11 attached to the new installation object E2 to acquire position information of the new installation object E2. The installation object management system 1 also includes a control device 20 that calculates a target difference, which is the difference between the target position of the new installation object E2 and its current position, and outputs difference information corresponding to the calculated target difference.

[0092] According to this, when installing the new installation object E2, by using the difference information output by the control device 20, it is possible to eliminate the need for marking work to mark a marker or the like to enable the worker to recognize the installation position of the new installation object E2 before installing the new installation object E2. Furthermore, when installing the new installation object E2, it is possible to eliminate the need for the worker to check the marker or the like marked by marking work each time the installation work is performed. Therefore, the installation object management system 1 of this embodiment can reduce the cumbersome work of the worker.

[0093] Incidentally, methods for acquiring the position information of the newly installed object E2 include a method using an artificial satellite such as GPS or GNSS or a method using a position detection camera, in addition to a method using the motion capture system 10 as in this embodiment. Therefore, in the installed object management system 1 of this embodiment, it is conceivable to replace the motion capture system 10 with a method using an artificial satellite such as GPS or GNSS or a method using a position detection camera. Note that GPS is an abbreviation for Global Positioning System. GNSS is an abbreviation for Global Navigation Satellite System.

[0094] However, the method using GPS and GNSS requires communication with an artificial satellite, and communication with the artificial satellite may be blocked in some places. Therefore, the method using GPS and GNSS has lower detection accuracy when detecting position information than the method using the motion capture system 10.

[0095] Furthermore, even when communication with artificial satellites is not obstructed, the detection accuracy of methods using GPS and GNSS generally has an error of several tens to several hundreds of centimeters. When installing multiple new installation objects E2 in a factory, if an installation error of several tens to several hundreds of centimeters is included with respect to the target position, the installation error of the multiple new installation objects E2 installed throughout the factory will become an extremely large error due to the accumulation of such errors.

[0096] Furthermore, in the method using a position detection camera, it is necessary to photograph the newly installed object E2 with the position detection camera and detect the position of the newly installed object E2. However, when detecting the newly installed object E2 using only a position detection camera, it is difficult to automatically distinguish between the newly installed object E2 to be detected and other installed objects E photographed together with the newly installed object E2 using identification software. Furthermore, in order to accurately detect the position of the newly installed object E2 with a position detection camera, it is necessary to photograph the newly installed object E2 from above the newly installed object E2.

[0097] To capture a wide range of images of the newly installed object E2 being transported, a panoramic camera with a wide field of view is required. However, when the position of the newly installed object E2 is detected using a panoramic camera, the detection accuracy generally has an error of several tens to several hundreds of centimeters, similar to the method using GPS and GNSS.

[0098] In contrast, the method using the motion capture system 10 can reduce the detection error to 1 mm or less. Therefore, by detecting the position information of the newly installed object E2 using the motion capture system 10, the installation error of the newly installed object E2 can be made much smaller than in methods using GPS and GNSS or methods using a position detection camera. In this way, by acquiring the position information of the newly installed object E2 using the motion capture system 10, it is possible to detect the position of the newly installed object E2 with high accuracy.

[0099] Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0100] (1) In the above embodiment, the motion capture system 10 has a reference setting unit 12 to which a marker 11 is attached and which determines a reference position that serves as a reference for the position of the newly installed object E2 and the target position. The motion capture system 10 acquires position information of the newly installed object E2 based on the reference position. The control device 20 calculates a target difference based on the reference position.

[0101] According to this, by setting the target position of the new installation object E2 based on the reference position set by the reference setting unit 12, it is possible to easily manage the installation positions of each of the multiple new installation objects E2 even when multiple new installation objects E2 are installed.

[0102] Furthermore, if the installed object E and the reference setting unit 12 can be installed within the same field of view of the camera 13, the current position of the installed object E can be determined based on the reference position set by the reference setting unit 12. Therefore, the installation position of the camera 13 is not limited, and if the installed object E and the reference setting unit 12 can be installed within the same field of view of the camera 13, the camera 13 may be configured to be movable.

[0103] (2) In the above embodiment, the installation object E includes an existing installation object E1 that is in an installed state. The marker 11 is attached to the existing installation object E1. The control device 20 creates an existing layout based on the position information of the existing installation object E1 acquired by the motion capture system 10.

[0104] As described above, when determining the installation location of the new installation E2 that constitutes the new production line L, it is necessary to know the installation locations of the existing installations E1 that constitute the existing production line L in order to confirm whether there is space to install the new installation E2.

[0105] Furthermore, a line layout for determining the installation position of the installation object E is generally designed using design software. Therefore, the installation position of the existing installation object E1 constituting the existing production line L can be ascertained by checking the line layout data designed by the design software. However, in order to check whether the installation position of the existing installation object E1 has been changed since the design, a worker may actually go to the location where the existing installation object E1 is installed and check the installation position of the existing installation object E1. This check of the existing installation object E1 is troublesome for the worker.

[0106] In contrast to this, the installation object management system 1 of this embodiment can acquire the position of the existing installation E1 to which the marker 11 is attached by the motion capture system 10. Then, in the installation object management system 1, the control device 20 creates an installation layout indicating the installation positions of the existing installation E1 based on the position of the existing installation E1 acquired by the motion capture system 10.

[0107] According to this, even if the installation position of the existing installation object E1 is changed from the time of design, an installation layout that reflects the changed installation position of the existing installation object E1 can be created by the control device 20. In other words, the installation layout managed by the control device 20 as data can be synchronized with the actual installation layout on the factory site side.

[0108] Therefore, in order for the worker to check the installation position of the existing installation E1, the worker does not need to actually go to the place where the existing installation E1 is installed and check the installation position of the existing installation E1. Therefore, the installation object management system 1 of this embodiment can eliminate the need for the worker to check the installation position of the existing installation E1, which is a cumbersome task.

[0109] (3) In the above embodiment, the existing installations E1 include production equipment E3 related to the production of the product and peripheral equipment E4 provided for the production of the product. The markers 11 are attached to the production equipment E3 and the peripheral equipment E4. The control device 20 creates an existing layout based on the position information of the production equipment E3 and the position information of the peripheral equipment E4 acquired by the motion capture system 10.

[0110] This allows the layout creation unit 22 to create an installation layout that reflects the installation positions of peripheral equipment E4 provided around the production equipment E3 in addition to the production equipment E3 that constitutes the production line L. Therefore, when determining the installation position of a new installation object E2 that constitutes a new production line L, the worker can determine the installation position of the new installation object E2 taking into consideration not only the installation positions of the production equipment E3 but also the installation positions of the peripheral equipment E4.

[0111] (4) In the above embodiment, the position information display unit 31 is provided, which displays the difference information output by the control device 20.

[0112] This allows the worker to perform the installation work of the new installation object E2 while checking the difference information displayed on the position information display unit 31. Therefore, when performing the installation work of the new installation object E2, the worker can perform the installation work while checking the deviation between the target position and the current position in real time. This makes it easier for the worker to perform the installation work of the new installation object E2.

[0113] (5) In the above embodiment, the position information display unit 31 displays the difference information as information relating to the distance between the target position and the position of the new installation object E2.

[0114] This allows the worker to check the distance between the target position of the new installation object E2 and the current position when installing the new installation object E2, making it easier for the worker to install the new installation object E2.

[0115] (6) In the above embodiment, the position information display unit 31 displays the difference information in a figure that resembles the shape of the newly installed object E2.

[0116] This allows the worker to visually recognize the deviation between the target position and the current position when installing the new installation object E2, making it easier for the worker to install the new installation object E2.

[0117] (7) In the above embodiment, the position information display unit 31 is provided on the manual transport unit H on which the new installation object E2 is mounted and which is operated by an operator.

[0118] According to this, when the worker loads the new installation object E2 onto the manual transport unit H and transports it, the worker can perform the transport work while looking at the display on the position information display unit 31. This makes it easier for the worker to transport the new installation object E2.

[0119] (8) In the above embodiment, the arrival output unit 32 is provided, which outputs arrival information indicating that the new installation object E2 has arrived at the target position when the new installation object E2 arrives at the target position.

[0120] This makes it easier for the worker to recognize that the new installation object E2 has arrived at the target position through the transport operation.

[0121] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 14 and 15. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the installation object management system 1 is equipped with an automatic transport unit 40. Other than this, it is the same as the first embodiment. Therefore, in this embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and descriptions of similar parts to the first embodiment may be omitted.

[0122] As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the installation object management system 1 of this embodiment includes an automatic transport unit 40, and is configured so that the control device 20 can control the operation of the automatic transport unit 40.

[0123] Specifically, the control device 20 of this embodiment has a transport path creation unit 24 in addition to a position calculation unit 21, a layout creation unit 22, and a difference calculation unit 23, as shown in FIG.

[0124] The transport path creation unit 24 creates a transport path for the automatic transport unit 40 to transport the new installation object E2 based on the existing layout created by the layout creation unit 22. When a target position of the new installation object E2 is input in order to install the new installation object E2, the transport path creation unit 24 creates a transport path for transporting the new installation object E2 to the target position. The transport path creation unit 24 refers to the existing layout and creates a transport path that prevents the automatic transport unit 40 from colliding with the existing installation object E1 that constitutes the existing layout when the automatic transport unit 40 transports the new installation object E2.

[0125] The control device 20 transmits to the automatic transport unit 40 information on the transport path created by the transport path creation unit 24 and difference information corresponding to the target difference calculated by the difference calculation unit 23 .

[0126] The automatic transport unit 40 is a transport machine that transports the new installation object E2, and transports the new installation object E2 without operator operation. The automatic transport unit 40 is configured, for example, by an AGV (Automatic Guided Vehicle). The automatic transport unit 40 is configured to be able to mount the new installation object E2, and is able to transport the new installation object E2 in response to a control signal transmitted from the control device 20 when the new installation object E2 is mounted. Note that the automatic transport unit 40 of this embodiment is not provided with a display device 30, but may be configured to be provided with a display device 30.

[0127] The automatic transport unit 40 includes a drive unit 41 and a drive control unit 42 that controls the drive unit 41. The automatic transport unit 40 is configured so that the drive control unit 42 can communicate with the control device 20 of the installation object management system 1 via wireless communication. The drive control unit 42 of the automatic transport unit 40 receives, from the control device 20, information on the transport path created by the transport path creation unit 24 and difference information calculated by the difference calculation unit 23. The drive control unit 42 controls the drive unit 41 based on the transport path information and difference information received from the control device 20. Specifically, the drive control unit 42 controls the drive unit 41 so that the automatic transport unit 40 travels along the transport path and approaches the target position based on the difference information. As a result, the automatic transport unit 40 transports the new installation object E2 to the target position without colliding with the existing installation object E1.

[0128] As described above, the installation object management system 1 of this embodiment includes an automatic transport unit 40 on which the new installation object E2 is mounted and which has a drive unit 41 and a drive control unit 42 that controls the drive unit 41. The automatic transport unit 40 transports the new installation object E2 based on the difference information.

[0129] According to this, the automatic transport unit 40 can transport the new installation object E2 based on the difference information transmitted from the control device 20. Therefore, the worker does not need to transport the new installation object E2.

[0130] In this embodiment, the markers 11 of the motion capture system 10 are attached not only to the newly installed object E2 but also to the existing installed object E1. The layout creation unit 22 creates an existing layout based on the current position of the existing installed object E1 acquired by the motion capture system 10. The transport path creation unit 24 creates a transport path based on the existing layout. The automatic transport unit 40 transports the newly installed object E2 based on the information on the transport path created by the transport path creation unit 24.

[0131] Therefore, when the automatic transport unit 40 transports the new installation object E2, it is possible to avoid the automatic transport unit 40 colliding with the existing installation object E1.

[0132] Incidentally, the automatic transport unit 40, which is configured by an AGV or the like, is generally provided with an ultrasonic sensor or the like for detecting the existing installed object E1 to prevent the automatic transport unit 40 from colliding with the existing installed object E1 when transporting the new installed object E2. However, if there are multiple automatic transport units 40 and an ultrasonic sensor is provided for each automatic transport unit 40, then the number of ultrasonic sensors required will be equal to the number of automatic transport units 40. This increases the manufacturing cost of the installed object management system 1.

[0133] In contrast, in this embodiment, by providing a marker 11 on the existing installed object E1, it is possible to provide the automatic transport unit 40 with information on the current position of the existing installed object E1. Therefore, even without providing the automatic transport unit 40 with an ultrasonic sensor or the like for detecting the installed objects E around the automatic transport unit 40, it is possible to avoid a collision between the automatic transport unit 40 and the existing installed object E1 by controlling the travel of the automatic transport unit 40 based on information on the current position of the existing installed object E1. Furthermore, the marker 11 used in the motion capture system 10 is much cheaper than ultrasonic sensors or the like. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the installed object management system 1 can be reduced compared to a configuration in which an ultrasonic sensor or the like is provided on the automatic transport unit 40.

[0134] In order to prevent the automatic transport unit 40 from colliding with the existing installation object E1, a marker 11 may be attached to the automatic transport unit 40. This allows the motion capture system 10 to detect the current position of the automatic transport unit 40 when transporting the new installation object E2.

[0135] Therefore, by controlling the movement of the automatic conveying unit 40 based on the current position of the automatic conveying unit 40 and the current position of the existing installation E1, it is possible to more easily avoid the automatic conveying unit 40 colliding with the existing installation E1.

[0136] (Other embodiments) Representative embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, but the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be modified in various ways, for example, as follows.

[0137] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the motion capture system 10 includes the reference setting unit 12, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the motion capture system 10 may be configured not to include the reference setting unit 12. In this case, the motion capture system 10 may be configured to determine the current position of the installed object E based on a predetermined object in the captured image.

[0138] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the motion capture system 10 includes one reference setting unit 12, but this is not limiting. For example, the motion capture system 10 may be configured to include multiple reference setting units 12. In this case, the position where a specific reference setting unit 12 among the multiple reference setting units 12 is installed is used as the reference. Then, by calculating the distance between the specific reference setting unit 12 and the other reference setting units 12, the positions where the other reference setting units 12 are installed can be set as second reference positions.

[0139] According to this, even if a specified reference setting unit 12 and the installation E cannot be photographed within the same field of view, the current position of the installation E based on the specified reference setting unit 12 can be determined by photographing another reference setting unit 12 and the installation E within the same field of view.

[0140] In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the marker 11 is attached to the existing installation object E1 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which the marker 11 is not attached to the existing installation object E1, and the marker 11 is attached only to the new installation object E2. If there is no need to create an existing layout and only the new installation object E2 is to be transported, it is sufficient that the configuration is capable of detecting only the current position of the new installation object E2.

[0141] In the above embodiment, an example in which the marker 11 is attached to each of the production equipment E3 and the peripheral equipment E4 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the marker 11 may be attached to only one of the production equipment E3 and the peripheral equipment E4.

[0142] In the above embodiment, an example in which the display device 30 is provided in the manual transport unit H has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the display device 30 may not be provided in the manual transport unit H, but may be portable by the operator.

[0143] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the display device 30 displays the difference information as information about distance and a graphic that resembles the shape of the newly installed object E2, but this is not limiting. For example, the display device 30 may be configured to display only one of the information about distance and a graphic that resembles the shape of the newly installed object E2 as the difference information.

[0144] In the above-described embodiments, it goes without saying that the elements constituting the embodiments are not necessarily essential unless they are specifically stated as essential or are clearly considered essential in principle.

[0145] In the above-described embodiments, when numerical values ​​such as the number, values, amounts, ranges, etc. of components of the embodiments are mentioned, they are not limited to the specific numbers unless they are expressly stated as being essential or are clearly limited to a specific number in principle.

[0146] In the above-described embodiments, when referring to the shapes, positional relationships, etc. of components, etc., the shapes, positional relationships, etc. are not limited to those unless otherwise specified or when they are limited in principle to specific shapes, positional relationships, etc.

[0147] The control device 20 and methods of the present disclosure may be implemented on a special-purpose computer by configuring a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions embodied in a computer program. The control device 20 and methods of the present disclosure may be implemented on a special-purpose computer by configuring a processor with one or more dedicated hardware logic circuits. The control device 20 and methods of the present disclosure may be implemented on one or more special-purpose computers configured with a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions in combination with a processor configured with one or more hardware logic circuits. The computer program may also be stored as instructions executed by a computer on a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium.

[0148] (Features of the present invention) [Claim 1] An installation management system that manages the installation positions of installations (E) including a new installation (E2) in a state before installation, a motion capture system (10) that acquires markers (11) attached to the newly installed object and positions of the markers to acquire position information of the newly installed object; a difference calculation unit (23) that calculates a target difference that is a difference between a target position that is a target position for installing the new installation object and a position of the new installation object based on the position information acquired by the motion capture system; and a position information output unit (20) that outputs difference information according to the target difference calculated by the difference calculation unit. [Claim 2] The motion capture system has a reference setting unit (12) to which the marker is attached and which determines a reference position that serves as a reference for the position of the newly installed object and the target position, the motion capture system acquires the position information of the newly installed object relative to the reference position; The installation object management system according to claim 1 , wherein the difference calculation unit calculates the target difference with respect to the reference position. [Claim 3] The installation includes an existing installation (E1) in an installed state, the marker is attached to the existing installation, 3. The installation management system according to claim 1, further comprising a layout creation unit (22) that creates an installation layout indicating the installation positions of the existing installations based on the position information of the existing installations acquired by the motion capture system. [Claim 4] The existing installations include production equipment (E3) related to the production of the product and peripheral equipment (E4) provided for the production of the product, the markers are attached to the production equipment and the peripheral equipment; 4. The installation object management system according to claim 3, wherein the layout creation unit creates the installation layout indicating the locations where the production equipment and the peripheral equipment are installed based on the location information of the production equipment acquired by the motion capture system and the location information of the peripheral equipment acquired by the motion capture system. [Claim 5] 5. The installation management system according to claim 1, further comprising a position information display unit (31) that displays the difference information output by the position information output unit. [Claim 6] 6. The installation object management system according to claim 5, wherein the position information display unit displays the difference information as information relating to the distance between the target position and the position of the new installation object. [Claim 7] 7. The installation object management system according to claim 5, wherein the position information display unit displays the difference information in a graphic that resembles the shape of the newly installed object. [Claim 8] 8. The installation object management system according to claim 5, wherein the position information display unit is provided on a manual transport unit (H) on which the new installation object is placed and which is operated by an operator. [Claim 9] an automatic transport unit (40) on which the new installation object is mounted and which has a drive unit (41) and a drive control unit (42) that controls the drive unit; 5. The installation object management system according to claim 4, wherein the automatic transport unit transports the new installation object based on the difference information output by the position information output unit. [Claim 10] 10. An installation object management system according to claim 4, further comprising an arrival output unit (32) that outputs arrival information indicating that the newly installed object has arrived at the target position when the newly installed object arrives at the target position. [Explanation of symbols]

[0149] 10 modes 11 Marker 20 Position information output section 23 Difference calculation part E Installation E2 New installations

Claims

1. An installation management system that manages the installation positions of installations (E) including a new installation (E2) in a state before installation, a marker (11) attached to the newly installed object and a motion capture system (10) that acquires the position of the marker to acquire position information of the newly installed object; a difference calculation unit (23) that calculates a target difference that is a difference between a target position that is a target position for installing the new installation object and a position of the new installation object based on the position information acquired by the motion capture system; and a position information output unit (20) that outputs difference information according to the target difference calculated by the difference calculation unit.

2. The motion capture system has a reference setting unit (12) to which the marker is attached and which determines a reference position that serves as a reference for the position of the newly installed object and the target position, the motion capture system acquires the position information of the newly installed object relative to the reference position; The installation object management system according to claim 1 , wherein the difference calculation unit calculates the target difference with respect to the reference position.

3. The installation includes an existing installation (E1) in an installed state, the marker is attached to the existing installation, 3. The installation management system according to claim 1, further comprising a layout creation unit (22) that creates an installation layout indicating the installation positions of the existing installations based on the position information of the existing installations acquired by the motion capture system.

4. The existing installations include production equipment (E3) related to the production of the product and peripheral equipment (E4) provided for the production of the product, the markers are attached to the production equipment and the peripheral equipment; 4. The installation object management system according to claim 3, wherein the layout creation unit creates the installation layout indicating the locations where the production equipment and the peripheral equipment are installed based on the location information of the production equipment acquired by the motion capture system and the location information of the peripheral equipment acquired by the motion capture system.

5. The installation management system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a position information display unit (31) that displays the difference information output by the position information output unit.

6. The installation object management system according to claim 5 , wherein the position information display unit displays the difference information as information relating to the distance between the target position and the position of the new installation object.

7. The installation object management system according to claim 5 , wherein the position information display unit displays the difference information in the form of a graphic that resembles the shape of the newly installed object.

8. The installation object management system according to claim 5, wherein the position information display unit is provided on a manual transport unit (H) on which the new installation object is mounted and which is operated by an operator.

9. an automatic transport unit (40) on which the new installation object is mounted and which has a drive unit (41) and a drive control unit (42) that controls the drive unit; The installation object management system according to claim 4 , wherein the automatic transport unit transports the new installation object based on the difference information output by the position information output unit.

10. 5. The installation object management system according to claim 4, further comprising an arrival output unit (32) that outputs arrival information indicating that the new installation object has arrived at the target position when the new installation object arrives at the target position.

Images