Box manufacturing management system

Abstract

To provide a carton manufacturing management system capable of easily grasping an accurate operation status of a device used in a carton manufacturing process in real time.SOLUTION: A carton manufacturing management system comprises: a sensor provided in a device 2 used for manufacturing a box of a corrugated cardboard sheet; and an information processing terminal 5 connected to the sensor via a communication line 1 such as a signal cable, wherein the sensor is provided on a paper feed side of the device 2, and has a function of transmitting a passage signal to the information processing terminal 5 when a passage of the cardboard sheet is detected, and the information processing terminal 5 has a signal receiving unit that receives the passage signal from the sensor, a storage unit that stores the passage signal received by the signal receiving unit together with a reception time, and a computing unit that computes a time interval before and after continuous passage signals from the passage signals and the reception times that are sequentially recorded in the storage unit, and the computing unit has a function of determining an operation status of the device 2 by comparing the time interval and a set time stored in advance in the storage unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a box-making management system used in a cardboard box-making process. [Background technology]

[0002] Cardboard is the most familiar packaging material and is widely used. In principle, cardboard boxes (cases) are made to order according to customer specifications. The manufacturing process for cardboard boxes consists of a cardboard making process, which produces cardboard sheets, and a box making process, which involves printing, die-cutting, and box-making (forming the cardboard sheets into boxes).

[0003] For small and medium-sized box manufacturers with carton manufacturing plants that do not have a laminating process, the demand for small lots, a wide variety of products, and short delivery times is the norm. In such situations, in order to produce in a shorter time with less loss (improving productivity), it is important to work on reducing downtime and resolve issues related to the causes of loss. In the carton manufacturing process, when producing a wide variety of products in small lots with low production volumes, the time required for lot changes, which involves setting up (preparation) and inspecting the equipment, can sometimes be longer than the operating time of the equipment. Therefore, in order to improve productivity, it is important to reduce the time required for lot changes, in addition to the production capacity of the equipment itself (number of sheets per minute).

[0004] In the box-making process, if the process conditions are not set appropriately, the equipment may be overloaded or the cardboard sheets may not be processed correctly, causing the equipment to stop. Furthermore, the appropriate process conditions may change due to factors such as the deterioration of equipment parts over time. In such cases, accurately understanding the changes in the equipment's operating status and the reason for the equipment's stoppage allows for improvements to the process conditions and replacement of parts, thereby improving productivity.

[0005] Various methods have been disclosed for grasping the operating status of equipment during a production process in real time. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a machine operating status monitoring device that displays the operating status of a machine for each order on an operating information display screen in order to accurately monitor the operating status of the machine. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 2812694 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Box-making factories have a wide variety of process equipment. While performance management can sometimes be achieved using equipment-specific functions, differences in equipment model and manufacturer can make centralized management of the entire factory extremely difficult. Common methods for monitoring the operating status of equipment include installing and analyzing multiple sensors and using image analysis. However, installing multiple sensors and cameras is expensive, and building a highly reliable image analysis system can also be costly.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a box-making management system that can easily grasp the accurate operating status of devices used in the box-making process in real time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The box making management system of the present invention comprises a sensor provided on an apparatus used to make boxes from cardboard sheets, and an information processing terminal provided adjacent to the apparatus in the factory where the apparatus is located, or provided at a location remote from the apparatus, and connected to the sensor via a communication line, the sensor being provided on the paper feed side of the apparatus and having the function of transmitting a passing signal to the information processing terminal when it detects the passage of the cardboard sheet, the information processing terminal having a signal receiving unit that receives the passing signal from the sensor, a memory unit that stores the passing signal received by the signal receiving unit together with the reception time, and a calculation unit that calculates the time interval before and after successive passing signals from the passing signal and the reception time that are sequentially recorded in the memory unit, and the calculation unit has the function of determining the operating status of the apparatus by comparing the time interval with a set time that is pre-stored in the memory unit.

[0010] The set times include a first set time (hereinafter also referred to as "stop determination seconds") used for initial determination of the operating status of the device and a second set time (hereinafter also referred to as "idle operation determination seconds") used for determining the operating status of the device that is stopped for a time period equal to or longer than the stop determination seconds, and the calculation unit has a function of determining the operating status of the device as one of the following states: a ready state, which is a state until the signal receiving unit first receives the passing signal; an inspection state, which is a state in which the time interval after the signal receiving unit first receives the passing signal is equal to or longer than the stop determination seconds; a continuous operation state, which is a state in which the time interval is shorter than the stop determination seconds; a short-stop state (short stop), which is a state in which the time interval after the calculation unit determines the continuous operation state is equal to or longer than the stop determination seconds and equal to or shorter than the idle operation determination seconds; and a long-stop state (idle operation), which is a state in which the time interval after the calculation unit determines the continuous operation state is longer than the idle operation determination seconds. Here, idle operation is also referred to as stoppage or trouble.

[0011] The set time includes a first set time used for initial determination of the operating status of the device, and a second set time used for determination of the operating status of the device that stops for a period of time equal to or longer than the stop determination second, and the calculation unit compares the operating status of the device by comparing the number of passing cardboard sheets (number of passed sheets) with the set number stored in advance in the storage unit, and determines the operating status of the device as a ready state that is a state until the signal receiving unit first receives the passing signal, a state where the time interval after the signal receiving unit first receives the passing signal is equal to or longer than the stop determination second and the number of passed sheets is equal to or longer than the set number of sheets. a continuous operation state in which the time interval is shorter than the stop determination second; a short-term stop state in which the time interval after the number of sheets passed in the current lot exceeds the set number is longer than the stop determination second and shorter than the pause determination second; and a long-term stop state in which the time interval after the number of sheets passed in the current lot exceeds the set number is longer than the pause determination second, and a function to determine the interrupted state by key input on the information processing terminal.

[0012] The information processing terminal has a function of requesting input of a reason when the calculation unit determines that the operating status of the device is in the long-term stopped state.

[0013] The information processing terminal has a function for inputting a loss quantity. The information processing terminal further has a function for inputting a trading volume. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] In the box making management system of the present invention, a sensor is provided on the paper feed side of the device and has the function of sending a passing signal to an information processing terminal when it detects the passage of a cardboard sheet, and the information processing terminal has a signal receiving unit that receives the passing signal from the sensor, a memory unit that stores the passing signal received by the signal receiving unit along with the reception time, and a calculation unit that calculates the time interval before and after successive passing signals from the passing signals and reception times that are sequentially recorded in the memory unit, and the calculation unit has the function of determining the operating status of the device by comparing the time interval with a set time that is pre-stored in the memory unit, so that the exact operating status of the device can be grasped easily and in real time without using complex detection methods or performing analyses that require a large computational load, contributing to improved productivity in the box making process.

[0015] The set time includes the stop determination second used for the initial determination of the operating status of the device and the idle operation determination second used for determining the operating status of the device that will be stopped for a period of time equal to or longer than the stop determination second, and the calculation unit has the function of determining the operating status of the device as one of the following states: a ready state, which is the state until the signal receiving unit first receives a passing signal; an inspection state, which is a state in which the time interval after the signal receiving unit first receives a passing signal is equal to or longer than the stop determination second; a continuous operation state, which is a state in which the time interval is shorter than the stop determination second; a short-stop state, which is a state in which the time interval after the calculation unit determines that the device is in the continuous operation state is equal to or longer than the stop determination second but shorter than the idle operation determination second; and a long-stop state, which is a state in which the time interval after the calculation unit determines that the device is in the continuous operation state is longer than the idle operation determination second. This makes it possible to determine the operating status of the device as a wider variety of states. This allows for a more accurate and specific understanding of the operating status of the device despite a simple system configuration.

[0016] The calculation unit has the function of determining the operating status of the device as one of the following states: preparation state, inspection state, continuous operation state, short-term stop state, long-term stop state, by comparing the number of cardboard sheets passed (number of sheets fed) with the set number pre-stored in the memory unit, and the function of determining the interrupted state based on key input on the information processing terminal, so the operating status of the device can be determined as even more states.

[0017] The information processing terminal has a function that requests input of the reason when the calculation unit determines that the operating status of the equipment is in a long-term shutdown state, so that information on the relationship between process conditions and long-term shutdowns is accumulated, and improvement issues can be identified based on the reasons for the long-term shutdowns, thereby reducing the occurrence of shutdowns.

[0018] The information processing terminal has a function for inputting the loss amount, which allows the relationship between the operating status of the device and the loss amount to be analyzed, further contributing to improving the productivity of the box-making process. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a box-making management system. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus used for box making. [Figure 3] 10 is an example of an operation graph displayed on an information processing terminal. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] An embodiment of the box making management system of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of the box making management system. In FIG. 1, the thick line connecting the box making factory 3 and the office 4 indicates a communication line 1 connecting the devices that make up the system. The box making management system of the present invention is operated in the box making factory 3 and the office 4, which have equipment 2 used to make boxes from corrugated cardboard sheets. The box making factory 3 and the office 4 may be located on the same premises or in distant locations (remote locations). The communication line 1 may be a line that allows mutual communication between two points as long as it can transmit signals and data, or it may be a line network that allows communication between multiple points. The communication line 1 may be a wired line such as a signal cable or an optical fiber line, or it may be a wireless line using radio waves. The communication line 1 may be, for example, a local area network (LAN) or the Internet.

[0021] In a box manufacturing company that uses a box manufacturing management system, for example, an information processing terminal 5 is installed in each location of the box manufacturing factory 3 and the office 4 where production management work is carried out. In the box manufacturing factory 3 where the device is installed, the information processing terminal 5 is installed next to the device 2. In addition, an information processing terminal 5 is also installed in the office 4 located away from the device 2. These information processing terminals 5 are connected by a communication line 1.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the box-making factory 3 is equipped with three flexo folder-gluers (commonly known as FFGs) that perform all of the processes of printing, grooving, gluing, and folding in succession as the box-making equipment 2. Note that the box-making equipment 2 is not limited to box-making machines such as flexo folder-gluers, but may also be box-making and sealing machines, box-sealing machines, etc.

[0023] The equipment used for box making does not have to be an integrated system of multiple devices that perform each process, as in FFG, but may be separate devices separated for each process. A box making factory may have one or more devices used for box making. Examples of separate devices separated for each process include printing machines (printer slotters), die cutters, gluers, stitchers, and binding machines.

[0024] In the box-making factory 3, a field terminal 5a is installed next to the device 2 as an information processing terminal 5 so that field workers can understand the operating status of the device and check process conditions. In the office 4, a core system terminal 6 is installed as an information processing terminal 5 so that a production manager can manage production, and the information processing terminal 5 includes a server 7 that stores information collected from the field terminal 5a. The core system terminal 6 manages various information such as the required production schedule, cardboard sheet inventory, and product inventory. The server 7 stores information collected from the field terminal 5a. The office 4 also has a host terminal 5b that manages the information stored in the server 7. Note that both the field terminal 5a and the host terminal 5b may be installed as information processing terminals 5, or only one of them may be installed. Alternatively, the server 7 may not be installed in the office 4, and the information processing terminal 5 may have the functions of the server 7.

[0025] The carton making management system is preferable when the on-site terminals attached to each device in the carton making factory are connected to the host terminal located in the office via LAN, because this allows for the integrated management of the carton making factory and the office. Communication between on-site workers and the production manager can be carried out, for example, in an interactive format on the display screens of the on-site terminals and the host terminal. The display screen always shows the key functions, making it easy to input data using only the numeric keypad and function keys.

[0026] The on-site terminal can be installed alongside a device equipped with a sensor that counts cardboard sheets or detects their passage. The sensor-equipped device may not have a sensor at the time of purchase, or may have a sensor installed after installation in the factory. It can also be installed alongside a device used in manual finishing processes, such as a hand stitcher.

[0027] The host terminal may be placed in multiple locations. For example, the host terminal can be placed in the production management office, the order department that handles customer orders, the sales department, the shipping location, etc., and the same data can be accessed from each location simultaneously. This makes it easier to share information with related parties, leading to improved productivity and business efficiency.

[0028] The box making management system will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of an example of an apparatus used for box making. As shown in Fig. 2, the box making management system 100 includes, for example, a sensor 8 provided on an apparatus 2 used for making boxes from cardboard sheets, and an on-site terminal 5a provided alongside the apparatus 2. The sensor 8 and the on-site terminal 5a are connected via a signal cable, which is a communication line (not shown). From the viewpoint of reliable transmission of conductive signals, the communication line connecting the sensor 8 and the on-site terminal 5a is preferably connected via a wired communication line, and more preferably connected via a signal cable.

[0029] The A-type case box making machine device 2 shown in Figure 2 has a paper feed section 9 that feeds cardboard sheets, a printing section 10 that performs printing, a paper discharge section 11 that performs creasing and grooving, a folder gluer section 12 that performs gluing and folding, and a counter eject section 13 that counts and stacks the boxed products.

[0030] The sensor 8 can be provided, for example, in the paper feed unit 9 located on the paper feed side of the device 2. When the sensor 8 detects that one cardboard sheet has passed, it sends a passing signal to the on-site terminal 5a once. Each time a sheet passes, the sensor 8 sends a passing signal to the on-site terminal 5a immediately after detecting the passage. The sensor 8 may be provided in the printing unit as long as it is located on the paper feed side of the device 2. Furthermore, if the device 2 is not an A-type case box making machine, and the printing machine, die-cutter, and gluer machine operate independently without coordination, the sensor 8 may be provided on the paper feed side of each device. Furthermore, if the information processing terminal 5 is located in a location away from the device 2, for example, only in an office, the sensor 8 sends a passing signal to the host terminal when it detects the passage of a cardboard sheet.

[0031] The on-site terminal 5a has a signal receiving unit (not shown) that receives a passing signal from the sensor 8. The on-site terminal 5a also has a memory unit (not shown) that stores the passing signal received by the signal receiving unit along with the reception time. A set time for determining the operating status of the device 2 is stored in advance in the memory unit. The on-site terminal 5a also has a calculation unit (not shown) that calculates the time interval between successive passing signals from the passing signals and reception times that are sequentially recorded in the memory unit. The calculation unit has a function of comparing the time interval with the set time to determine the operating status of the device.

[0032] This allows the carton making management system to automatically determine the operating status of the equipment based solely on the time intervals at which cardboard sheets pass through the equipment. Therefore, the carton making management system can easily grasp the accurate operating status of the equipment in real time without using complex detection methods or performing analyses that require a heavy computational load, contributing to improved productivity in the carton making process. Furthermore, because the carton making management system is a simple system, it can centrally manage one or more entire factories under the same conditions, regardless of the equipment manufacturer or type.

[0033] In addition, if the information processing terminal is installed in a location away from the device, for example, only in an office, the host terminal in the office may have a signal receiving unit, a memory unit, and a calculation unit, and the calculation unit may determine the operating status of the device by comparing the time interval with a set time.

[0034] The sensor that receives the passage signal can be, for example, a photoelectric sensor, a contact sensor, an electrical sensor, a proximity sensor, etc. The sensor may be one that is originally installed in the device, or one that is installed after the device is installed in the box-making factory.

[0035] If the sensor is a photoelectric sensor, the passage of the cardboard sheet can be detected by changes in the reflection intensity of light irradiated onto the sheet. The photoelectric sensor can be selected from, for example, a transmission type, a retro-reflective type, a diffuse reflective type, a narrow-view reflective type, a limited reflective type, a distance setting type, a reflective type for determining glossiness, etc., and may have a built-in camera.

[0036] The photoelectric sensor may be capable of not only identifying the presence or absence of an object or a marker, but also detecting the two-dimensional shape of the object and its three-dimensional shape including height information. If the photoelectric sensor can detect the three-dimensional shape of an object such as a sheet, it is preferable because it eliminates the need for a worker to input information such as sheet size and enables automatic confirmation of the sheet set in the device and the sheet to be used.

[0037] If the sensor is a photoelectric sensor, the light source can be, for example, an LED, a laser, etc. If the sensor is a contact sensor, the passage of the sheet can be detected by the change in the position of the probe.

[0038] The set time can include a stop determination second, which is used for the initial determination of the operating status of the device, and a rest determination second, which is used for determining the operating status of a device that is stopped for a period of time equal to or longer than the stop determination second. In this case, the calculation unit compares the time intervals before and after successive passing signals with the lengths of the stop determination second and the rest determination second, and determines which of these is shorter, thereby determining the operating status of the device. As a result, the calculation unit can determine the operating status of the device as one of the following states: a preparation state (set time), an inspection state (inspection time), a continuous operation state, a short-term stop state, and a long-term stop state, which will be described later.

[0039] The storage unit may store two or more set times so that more than the five operating conditions can be grasped. From the standpoint of ease of operation of the carton making management system by on-site workers and production managers, it is preferable to have two or three set times.

[0040] The ready state is the state from the start of work or the end of the previous lot (after actual results are entered) until the first sheet of the current lot is passed through (before the cardboard sheets are fed). The calculation unit determines that the state is ready until the signal receiving unit first receives a passing signal.

[0041] The inspection state is a state in which the machine is stopped after the first sheet of a lot has been passed and before it enters continuous operation. The calculation unit determines that the machine is in the inspection state if the time interval before and after successive passing signals after the signal receiving unit first receives a passing signal is equal to or greater than the stop determination second.

[0042] The continuous operation state is a state in which the device is continuously producing products. The calculation unit determines that the device is in the continuous operation state if the time interval is shorter than the stop determination seconds.

[0043] A short-stop state is a state in which a device that was once in a continuous operation state is temporarily stopped for a relatively short period of time. If the time interval after determining that the operating status is in a continuous operation state is equal to or greater than the stop determination seconds and equal to or less than the idle rotation determination seconds, the calculation unit determines that the device is in a short-stop state (short stop).

[0044] A long-term shutdown state is a state in which a device that was once in continuous operation has stopped for a relatively long time. The calculation unit determines that a device is in a long-term shutdown state if the time interval after determining that the device is in a continuous operation state is longer than the idle state determination seconds. When a device enters a long-term shutdown state, the on-site terminal can request the on-site worker to input the reason for the long-term shutdown state. The reason can be input immediately after the device enters a long-term shutdown state, or after the production of one lot is completed, for example, before inputting the loss quantity described below. The on-site worker inputs the reason for the long-term shutdown state, such as equipment failure, overflow, counter trouble, material defect, incorrect material, or plate peeling. The reason can be selected from reasons registered in advance for each process, or can be input via keyboard.

[0045] The calculation unit may determine the operating status of the device as an inspection state, a short-term stop state, or a long-term stop state by comparing the number of passing cardboard sheets (number of sheets passed) with the set number stored in the memory unit in advance, and by combining the above-mentioned set time and the time interval. Specifically, the calculation unit may determine the device as an inspection state if the time interval after the signal receiving unit first receives the passing signal is equal to or longer than the stop determination second and the number of passed sheets is equal to or shorter than the set number. The calculation unit may also determine the device as a short-term stop state if the time interval after the number of passed sheets of the current lot exceeds the set number is equal to or longer than the stop determination second and shorter than the idle run determination second. Furthermore, the calculation unit may determine the device as a long-term stop state if the time interval after the number of passed sheets of the current lot exceeds the set number is longer than the idle run determination second. The calculation unit may also determine the device as an interrupted state by key input on an information processing terminal such as a field terminal. The interrupted state is initiated by manual key input on the information processing terminal and is released when the time set at the time of interruption has elapsed, when key input is performed again, or when a sheet count is obtained. Here, interruptions refer to times that are not the responsibility of the department (and are not considered to be subject to improvement), such as breaks, meetings, and cleaning.

[0046] The stop determination second is set to the shortest time interval (seconds) for determining that a machine has stopped. The stop determination second can be set freely, for example, between 1 and 10 seconds. The stop determination second is registered as the time interval for the minimum operating speed, so that even during normal operation the machine is not determined to be in a stopped state but in an operating state. The stop determination second can be set to a value that suits the actual situation of each production facility, for example, it may be set to between 5 and 10 seconds, or between 1 and 5 seconds.

[0047] The shutdown determination second can be set freely, for example, to any time between 50 and 500 seconds. If the shutdown determination second is too short, the operator will be required to input the shutdown reason more frequently, increasing the burden on the operator. If the shutdown determination second is too long, the operator will have fewer opportunities to obtain the shutdown reason, making it difficult to analyze the cause of the shutdown in detail. From the perspective of reducing the operator's burden, the shutdown determination second may be set between 250 and 500 seconds, for example, or from the perspective of analyzing the cause of the shutdown, for example, it may be set between 50 and 250 seconds. Note that if a production manager wants to understand the detailed reasons for all shutdowns in order to improve productivity, the shutdown determination second and the shutdown determination second may be set to the same time.

[0048] The carton making management system of the present invention has a simple system configuration, but can determine the operating status of the equipment as more states than when there is only one set time, allowing for a more accurate and specific understanding of the equipment's operating status. Also, when the equipment is shut down for an extended period of time, on-site workers can input the reason for the shutdown, which allows for the accumulation of detailed information about the relationship between the process conditions, equipment installation, and part replacement timing and the long-term shutdown, further reducing the occurrence of shutdowns.

[0049] The information processing terminal sequentially records the operating status of the equipment after it has been started up in a memory unit, so that the number of stoppages per lot and the number of stoppages per on-site worker can be known, which can be used to improve productivity.

[0050] The information processing terminal may have a function for inputting the process in which the loss occurred, the reason, and the amount of loss during or after production is completed. For example, if a loss occurs during the laminating process, a field worker inputs the reason, such as sheet scratches, dirt, or uneven sheet dimensions. The reason may be selected from pre-registered reasons or entered via keyboard. Inputting the reason for the loss allows for analysis of the relationship between the device's operating status and the amount of loss, further contributing to improved productivity in the box-making process. The amount of loss may be entered from a host terminal, but since field workers can more accurately grasp the amount of loss than office production managers, it is preferable that the field terminal have the function for inputting the amount of loss. For devices capable of acquiring paper counts (passing signals), the amount of loss can be determined by entering the amount of loss into the information processing terminal. Furthermore, for devices used in manual finishing processes, the amount of loss, the amount of loss, and processing time may each be manually entered.

[0051] When a field worker leaves the equipment for a meal, break, etc., the field worker can display the "suspended" status from the field terminal to inform the production manager in the office and other field workers, and to record the situation on the field. The "suspended" status can be displayed regardless of the operating status of the equipment, and the "suspended" status is recorded in the memory unit. As mentioned above, by simply registering simple settings such as the number of seconds required to determine whether a device is stopped or idle, it is possible to automatically classify load time (time subject to wage payments) into operating time, set time, idle time, and interruption time.In contrast, when time analysis is left to on-site workers using stopwatches or other methods, accurate time classification is difficult, the data is less reliable, and it is less effective.

[0052] A method for checking the operation status will be described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is an example of an operation graph displayed on an information processing terminal. As shown in FIG. 3, the operation graph 14 can be displayed, for example, with the horizontal axis representing time and the vertical axis representing the number of cardboard sheets passing per minute (per minute). The operation graph 14 is drawn based on the passing signals transmitted from the sensor per unit time. Below the horizontal axis, a marker 15 indicating the startup of the information processing terminal and a marker 16 indicating the time of an order change to change the type of product are displayed. The operation graph 14 also displays, using different types of graph lines, an operating state 17 (solid line) in which a field worker is working near the equipment, and an interrupted state 18 (dotted line) in which the field worker is absent for a meal, break, etc. Furthermore, the operation graph 14 can display a reference speed per minute 19 (dashed line) to visualize the production target. The horizontal axis may also represent the time since the equipment was started up, and the vertical axis may represent the number of cardboard sheets passing per second (per second), for example.

[0053] The information processing terminal can output the daily box-making work results of each device as a daily work report. The information that can be output includes, for example, customer name, product name, passing quantity, production quantity, production area, loss quantity, loss area, and the time required to complete one lot. The box-making management system can output all the information necessary for work analysis, such as the time required to complete one lot, inspection time, preparation (setting) time, operating time, downtime (short-term downtime and long-term downtime), number of stops, average speed, and production cost per unit area. Here, "loss" refers to the amount of prepared cardboard sheets that did not become a product.

[0054] Regarding the losses that have occurred, the loss quantity, loss area, defective quantity, defective area, downtime, interruption time, and the reasons for these are compiled and output on a separate form for each lot. Here, "defective" refers to lost sheets, excluding sheets used for condition review at the start of box making for each lot. This information and the operation graphs mentioned above can be used as reference material for work improvement. Also, by specifying the collection period, weekly or monthly reports can be created. Furthermore, it is possible to analyze lots and manufacturing costs by collecting data by customer or product.

[0055] A stockout notification terminal may be placed in the office to notify of shortages when the planned production quantity is not met. The stockout notification terminal includes a warning device such as a PATLITE (registered trademark) that lights up, flashes, or sounds an alarm to notify the production manager of a shortage when a product that strictly requires a certain quantity is out of stock, a receipt printer that prints out details of the shortage, such as the product that is missing and the number of items that are missing, and a display device that displays the details of the shortage. This allows for quick action such as replenishing the missing product, which is often too late.

[0056] The box making management system can also manage box making using only a host terminal located in the office, in cases where work in the box making factory is performed by robots and the situation in the box making factory is monitored by cameras, etc. The box making management system instantly records various information generated on site on a server, so the situation of the entire box making factory can be grasped in real time from the office, and any problems that occur on site can be dealt with.

[0057] The box making management system is a subordinate system of a core system that manages the overall production of cardboard boxes, and can acquire information from the core system and be used for box making management. The box making management system is used to understand the operating status (production results) of production equipment based on information from the core system, while the core system manages inventory of corrugated cardboard sheets, inventory of boxed products, production schedule management, etc. For example, the box making management system can acquire information related to box making for the products to be produced that day, such as the type of cardboard sheet, printing information, shape information, production quantity, delivery date, and packaging form, from the core system, which is a higher-level system, before production begins on the production day. Furthermore, the box making management system may acquire information such as the order number, customer name, item name, whether or not partial delivery is desired, and delivery location from the core system.

[0058] If the box-making machine itself has a production management device that manages production, the production management device can be linked to the on-site terminal. For example, by sharing product dimension information stored in the production management device with the on-site terminal, it is possible to eliminate the waste of preparation time caused by re-registering product dimensions in the on-site terminal. This is particularly effective in reducing preparation time when introducing new equipment. This allows for more efficient and less wasteful production.

[0059] Large-scale corrugated board factories may carry out both the corrugating process using a corrugator and the box-making process. In such cases, the box-making process can also be operated based on the box-making management system, which collects the above-mentioned equipment operating status (production performance information), just like the box-making management system. When the box-making management system and the box-making management system are linked, the number of laminations and lamination time for the previous box-making process can be checked on the on-site terminals at each box-making process. By allowing each system to share production plans and production performance information for each process, the factory as a whole can produce corrugated board boxes more efficiently and with less waste, further improving productivity from base paper to box-making.

[0060] The present invention provides a carton making management method using a carton making management system. The carton making management method uses a carton making management system that includes a sensor installed in a device used to make cartons from cardboard sheets, and an information processing terminal that is installed alongside the device in a factory where the device is installed or at a location remote from the device and connected to the sensor via a communication line such as a signal cable, and is characterized by having the following steps: a passing signal transmitting step in which the sensor installed on the paper feed side of the device transmits a passing signal to a signal receiving unit of the information processing terminal when it detects the passage of a cardboard sheet; a storing step in which a memory unit of the information processing terminal stores the passing signal together with the reception time when the signal receiving unit receives the passing signal from the sensor; and an operating status determining step in which a calculation unit of the information processing terminal calculates the time interval before and after successive passing signals from the passing signals and the reception time sequentially recorded in the memory unit, and compares the time interval with a set time previously stored in the memory unit to determine the operating status of the device.

[0061] The carton production management method of the present invention is characterized in that the set time includes a stop determination second used for the initial determination of the operating status of the equipment and an idle operation determination second used for determining the operating status of equipment that is stopped for a time period longer than the stop determination second, and includes a step in which the calculation unit determines the operating status of the equipment to be a preparation state before the passing signal is first received, a step in which the calculation unit determines the operating status of the equipment to be an inspection state in which the time interval after the signal receiving unit first receives the passing signal is longer than the stop determination second, a step in which the calculation unit determines the operating status of the equipment to be a continuous operation state in which the time interval is shorter than the stop determination second, a step in which the calculation unit determines the operating status of the equipment to be a short-term idle state in which the time interval after determining the operating status to be the continuous operation state is longer than the stop determination second and less than the idle operation determination second, and a step in which the calculation unit determines the operating status of the equipment to be a long-term idle state in which the time interval after determining the operating status to be the continuous operation state is longer than the idle operation determination second.

[0062] Although the box management system of the present invention has been described above using the drawings, it is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration. [Industrial Applicability]

[0063] The box-making management system of the present invention can easily grasp the accurate operating status of the devices used in the box-making process in real time, and can therefore be widely used in cardboard box production sites. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 1. Communication lines 2 equipment 3. Box-making factory 4. Office 5. Information processing terminal 5a Field terminal 5b Host terminal 6. Core system terminals 7 Server 8 sensors 9 Paper feed section 10 Printing Department 11 Paper output section 12 Folder gluer section 13 Counter eject section 14 Operation graph 15 Landmark 16 Landmark 17 Operational Status 18 Suspended 19 Reference speed per minute 100 Box manufacturing management system

Claims

1. A box making management system including a sensor provided in a device used for making boxes from cardboard sheets, and an information processing terminal provided adjacent to the device in a factory where the device is installed or provided at a location remote from the device, and connected to the sensor via a communication line, the sensor is provided on the paper feed side of the device and has a function of transmitting a passing signal to the information processing terminal when detecting the passage of the cardboard sheet; the information processing terminal has a signal receiving unit that receives the passing signal from the sensor, a storage unit that stores the passing signal received by the signal receiving unit together with a reception time, and a calculation unit that calculates a time interval between successive passing signals from the passing signal and the reception time that are sequentially recorded in the storage unit, the calculation unit has a function of determining the operating status of the device only by comparing whether or not the passing signal has been received or the time interval with a set time stored in advance in the storage unit, the set time includes a first set time used for initial determination of the operating status of the device, and a second set time used for determination of the operating status of the device that is stopped for a time equal to or longer than the first set time, The calculation unit determines the operating status of the device as follows: a preparation state in which the signal receiving unit receives the passing signal for the first time; an inspection state in which the time interval after the signal receiving unit first receives the passing signal is equal to or longer than the first set time; a continuous operation state in which the time interval is shorter than the first set time; A short-term stop state in which the time interval after the calculation unit determines that the continuous operation state is established is equal to or longer than the first set time and equal to or shorter than the second set time; and The calculation unit has a function of determining a long-term stop state in which the time interval after determining that the continuous operation state is present is longer than the second set time. A box-making management system characterized by:

2. 2. The box-making management system according to claim 1, wherein the information processing terminal has a function of requesting input of a reason when the calculation unit determines that the operating status of the device is in the long-term stopped state.

3. 3. The box-making management system according to claim 1, wherein the information processing terminal has a function for inputting a loss quantity.

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