Cell controller

Abstract

To provide a cell controller that allows an operator to easily recover a processing cell when it stops abnormally.SOLUTION: A cell controller 10 controls a processing cell 70 that includes a plurality of work resources. The plurality of work resources includes one or more process machines 72 and one or more robots 74. The cell controller 10 includes a PLC 30 and a management device 20, the PLC 30 controls operation of the plurality of work resources according to instructions from the management device 20 and acquires a state of a plurality of work elements including the plurality of work resources and a work-piece 100. In the event of an abnormal stop of the processing cell 70, the management device 20 identifies a recoverable state of each of the plurality of work elements and presents to an operator a guide for a recovery procedure to transition each of the plurality of work elements to the recoverable state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This specification discloses a cell controller that controls a machining cell having a plurality of work resources.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, machining cells having a plurality of work resources, such as machine tools and robots, are known (for example, Patent Document 1, etc.). By using such a machining cell, operations such as workpiece transfer, attachment, machining, and post-processes can be continuously and automatically executed. Such a machining cell is controlled by a cell controller. The cell controller outputs commands corresponding to the items of the articles to be produced to the plurality of work resources constituting the machining cell.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, such machining cells may stop abnormally due to various factors. Conventionally, when an abnormal stop occurs, an operator has determined the work content necessary for recovery. That is, when an abnormal stop occurs, the operator grasps the content of the alarm and the states of a plurality of work elements (such as machine tools and workpieces, etc.) related to the machining cell. Then, based on the grasped information, the operator identifies and executes the work necessary for recovery.

[0005] However, sufficient knowledge and experience were required to collect the status of the work elements and identify the recovery work. In particular, depending on the configuration of the cell controller, it was sometimes necessary to directly operate the PLC to recover the data. In this case, a person familiar with the PLC language was required, which meant that operators could not easily recover the processing cell.

[0006] Therefore, this specification discloses a cell controller that allows an operator to easily restore a processing cell when the processing cell has stopped abnormally. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The cell controller disclosed herein is a cell controller that controls a processing cell including a plurality of work resources, wherein the plurality of work resources include one or more processing machines and one or more robots, the cell controller includes a PLC and a management device, the PLC controls the operation of the plurality of work resources in accordance with instructions from the management device, and acquires the status of a plurality of work elements including the plurality of work resources and workpieces, and the management device, in the event of an abnormal stop of the processing cell, identifies a recoverable state for each of the plurality of work elements and presents the operator with a guide for a recovery procedure to transition each of the plurality of work elements to the recoverable state.

[0008] The cell controller determines the recovery procedure and provides guidance to the operator, enabling proper recovery of the processing cell even if the operator has limited knowledge or experience.

[0009] In this case, the management device may pre-store recovery condition information, which records the recoverable state of each of the multiple work elements for each alarm type, and transition information, which records the recovery procedure for each of the multiple work elements for each recoverable state. Based on the recovery condition information, it may identify the recoverable state of each of the multiple work elements, and based on the transition information, it may identify the recovery procedure.

[0010] This configuration allows for the easy and appropriate identification of recovery procedures.

[0011] Furthermore, the management device may change the UI device that presents the guide according to the work element.

[0012] The specific details of the recovery procedure vary depending on the work element. By changing the UI device that presents the recovery procedure, taking these differences into account, operators can perform the recovery procedure more easily.

[0013] In this case, the processing cell has a safety fence surrounding the robot, the control device has a first UI device located outside the safety fence, the cell controller further has a portable second UI device that allows manual operation of the robot, and the control device may present the guides relating to the processing machine to the operator via the first UI device, and the guides relating to the robot to the operator via the second UI device.

[0014] Robot recovery procedures are often performed inside a safety fence. Therefore, with the above configuration, the operator can check the guide near the area where the recovery procedure is being performed. As a result, the operator can easily perform the recovery procedure.

[0015] Furthermore, the management device may change the UI device that the operator operates in the recovery procedure, depending on the work element.

[0016] By changing the UI device operated by the operator according to the characteristics of the work elements, the operator's work efficiency can be improved.

[0017] In this case, the processing machine has an NC control panel, the cell controller further has a portable second UI device that allows the robot to be manually operated, the recovery procedure for the processing machine includes operation of the NC control panel, and the recovery procedure for the robot may include operation of the second UI device.

[0018] Many operators are accustomed to operating the machine tool on the NC operation panel. Also, by using the portable second UI device, the operator can operate the robot while visually checking the posture of the robot in the vicinity of the robot. Therefore, with the above configuration, the operator can easily transition the machine tool and the robot to a recoverable state.

[0019] Also, the machine tool includes an NC operation panel, the management device has a first UI device, the recovery procedure for the machine tool includes operations on the NC operation panel, and the management device may present the guide for the machine tool to the operator via the first UI device.

[0020] By differentiating between the UI device for presenting the recovery procedure and the UI device for actual operation, it is possible to prevent the guide screen from interfering with the operation of the machine tool.

[0021] Also, the recovery procedure for the workpiece includes the movement of the workpiece and an input operation for the position after the movement of the workpiece, and the management device may register the position after the movement input by the operator in the PLC.

[0022] With such a configuration, the position after the movement of the workpiece can be accurately grasped on the cell controller side.

[0023] Also, the management device may present the guide for the workpiece to the operator after completion of the recovery procedure for the robot.

[0024] Normally, the recovery procedure for a workpiece includes the movement of the workpiece. Depending on the posture of the robot, the robot may interfere with the movement of the workpiece. As described above, after the recovery procedure of the robot is completed and the robot is in a recoverable state, it is less likely that the robot will interfere with the movement of the workpiece.

[0025] Other cell controllers disclosed in this specification are cell controllers that control a processing cell including a plurality of work resources, the plurality of work resources including one or more processing machines and one or more robots, the cell controller including a processor, a memory, and one or more UI devices, the processor controlling the operations of the plurality of work resources, acquiring the states of a plurality of work elements including the plurality of work resources and workpieces, identifying the recoverable states of each of the plurality of work elements when an abnormal stop of the processing cell occurs, and presenting to an operator, via the one or more UI devices, a guide for a recovery procedure that is a procedure for transitioning each of the plurality of work elements to the recoverable state.

Advantages of the Invention

[0026] According to the technology disclosed in this specification, when a processing cell abnormally stops, an operator can easily recover the processing cell.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] [Figure 1] A diagram showing the configuration of a cell controller and a processing cell. [Figure 2] A diagram showing an example of recovery condition information. [Figure 3] A diagram showing an example of transition information of a processing machine. [Figure 4] A diagram explaining the abbreviations in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] A diagram showing an example of a management screen displayed on a main display. [Figure 6] A diagram showing an example of a guide screen displayed on a main display. [Figure 7] A diagram showing an example of a second UI device on which a guide screen is displayed. [Figure 8] A diagram showing an example of a guide screen regarding a workpiece. [Figure 9] A diagram showing an example of a guide screen regarding a production program. [Figure 10]This flowchart shows the guided recovery process flow by the management device. [Figure 11] Figure 10 is a flowchart detailing the steps in step S14. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0028] The configuration of the cell controller 10 will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the cell controller 10 and the processing cell 70 which is the object of control of the cell controller 10. First, the processing cell 70 which is the object of control will be described. The processing cell 70 has one or more processing machines 72 and performs various processing on the workpiece 100. The processing cell 70 in this example has a processing machine 72, a robot 74, peripheral equipment 76, and a pallet 78. The processing machine 72 is, for example, a metalworking machine that processes metal materials. In this example, the processing machine 72 is a cutting machine that performs cutting on the workpiece 100, specifically a lathe. The processing machine 72 has an NC (Numerical Control) control panel 86 which is a UI device for operating the processing machine 72. In this specification, "UI device" means a user interface device having an output device that presents information and an input device that receives operation input. The output device includes, for example, at least one of a display, a speaker, and a lamp. The input device includes, for example, at least one of a switch, keyboard, mouse, touch panel, and microphone.

[0029] Robot 74 is provided to assist in the machining of workpiece 100 by the machining center 72. For example, robot 74 transports workpiece 100 and chuck jaws used in the machining center 72. In this example, robot 74 is a multi-joint serial manipulator in which multiple links are connected via joints. A replaceable hand 84 for holding workpiece 100, etc., is attached to the tip of robot 74. The operating mode of robot 74 can be switched between a manual mode, in which it is operated manually by an operator, and an automatic mode, in which it operates automatically. In automatic mode, regulations stipulate that robot 74 must be enclosed by a safety fence. Therefore, in this example, the entire machining cell 70 is enclosed by a safety fence 80.

[0030] The peripheral equipment 76 is equipment that performs pre-processing or post-processing on the workpiece 100, or assists the operation of the processing machine 72 or robot 74. For example, the peripheral equipment 76 may include a cleaner for cleaning the workpiece 100 and at least one of the robot 74. The peripheral equipment 76 may also include a measuring device for measuring objects such as the workpiece 100. The peripheral equipment 76 has a peripheral equipment control panel 90 for operating the peripheral equipment 76. In the case of a simple configuration of the peripheral equipment 76, the peripheral equipment control panel 90 may consist only of a number of buttons, such as a power button and a reset button. The pallet 78 is a waiting area for the workpiece 100.

[0031] Hereafter, the elements that constitute the processing cell 70 and are involved in the production of the product will be referred to as "work elements." These work elements include the processing machine 72, robot 74, peripheral equipment 76, workpiece 100, pallet 78, safety fence 80, etc. Among the work elements, those that receive operation commands from the cell controller 10, which will be described later, will be referred to as "work resources." Work resources include the processing machine 72, robot 74, and peripheral equipment 76.

[0032] Note that the processing cell 70 shown in Figure 1 is just one example. Therefore, as long as the processing cell 70 has one or more processing machines 72 and one or more robots 74, the other configurations may be changed as appropriate. For example, the number of processing machines 72, robots 74, and peripheral equipment 76 may be changed as appropriate. The types and number of work resources and work elements may also be changed as appropriate. Therefore, the processing cell 70 may have other work resources besides the processing machines 72, robots 74, and peripheral equipment 76, such as a painting device. Furthermore, the processing cell 70 may have even more work elements, such as a stocker for storing a hand 84, or a workbench for temporarily placing a workpiece 100.

[0033] The cell controller 10 controls the operation of the processing cell 70. More specifically, the cell controller 10 controls the operation of multiple work resources provided in the processing cell 70 in a unified manner. The cell controller 10 monitors the status of multiple work elements and issues commands to multiple work resources (e.g., processing machines 72 and robots 74) in order to produce the required number of items of the required type.

[0034] The cell controller 10 includes a management device 20, a programmable logic controller (hereinafter referred to as "PLC") 30, and a second UI device 28.

[0035] The control device 20 and the PLC 30 are computers that are independent of each other and located in physically separate locations. The PLC 30 receives input signals from multiple work elements of the processing cell 70, performs calculations for sequence control based on the obtained input signals, and outputs operation commands to the work resources.

[0036] The PLC30 controls the operation of multiple work resources based on a PLC program using a dedicated programming language such as ladder logic. However, creating such PLC programs requires specialized knowledge, making it difficult for the equipment manager or operator of the processing cell 70 to create or modify the PLC program themselves.

[0037] Therefore, in this example, a control device 20 is provided in addition to the PLC 30. The control device 20 controls the PLC 30 based on a production program that can be easily created by the operator. The production program is a program that records one or more steps that should be performed when producing only one item in the processing cell 70. Such production programs are prepared for each item produced in the processing cell 70. When a production program is input to the control device 20, it converts the production program into a format that can be interpreted by the PLC 30 and outputs it to the PLC 30.

[0038] Here, the control device 20 is a computer having a processor 22, memory 24, communication I / F 25, and first UI device 26, which are independent of the PLC 30. Typically, this control device 20 is located outside the safety fence 80.

[0039] The second UI device 28 is a portable UI device capable of communicating with the control device 20. In other words, the second UI device 28 is a UI device that can be handled inside the safety fence 80. Therefore, the second UI device 28 functions as a so-called teaching pendant. As will be described later, the operator can manually operate the robot 74 by operating this second UI device 28. Both the first UI device 26 and the second UI device 28 have a display that presents information to the operator and an input device that receives operation instructions from the operator.

[0040] As described above, the cell controller 10 controls the operation of the processing cell 70 based on the production program entered by the operator. This processing by the cell controller 10 can be realized, for example, by the technology described in Patent Document 1. However, during the operation of the processing cell 70, it may stop abnormally for some reason. In this case, in order to recover the processing cell 70 from the abnormal stop, it is necessary to transition several work elements to a recoverable state. For example, consider the case when alarm number "1" occurs and the processing cell 70 stops abnormally. In this case, in order to properly recover the processing cell 70, as shown in Figure 2, it is necessary to position the robot 74 in its original position (also called the origin position), open the hand 84, stop the processing machine 72, stop the peripheral equipment 76, set "4" as the sequence number of the production program to be executed during recovery, and place multiple workpieces 100 on the pallet 78. Furthermore, in order to move the robot 74 to its original position, it is necessary to perform various procedures such as releasing the linkage between the robot 74 and other work resources, or switching the robot 74 to manual mode.

[0041] The procedure required to transition to a recoverable state (hereinafter referred to as the "recovery procedure") differs depending on the circumstances of the abnormal shutdown (for example, the difference in the alarm number that occurred). Therefore, it was difficult for the operator to determine and execute this recovery procedure on their own. In this example, if an abnormal shutdown occurs in the processing cell 70, the cell controller 10 presents the operator with a guide for the recovery procedure. The following describes this guide presentation function in detail.

[0042] To guide the recovery procedure, the control device 20 pre-stores recovery condition information 50 and transition information 52 in the memory 24. The recovery condition information 50 is data that records the recoverable state of each of the multiple work elements for each alarm type. Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of the recovery condition information 50. As shown in Figure 2, the recovery condition information 50 associates a recoverable state with each of the multiple work elements. Furthermore, the recoverable state may differ depending on the alarm number that caused the abnormal stop. For example, the recoverable state of the processing machine 72 is "stopped" if it abnormally stops with alarm number "1", and "operating" if it abnormally stops with alarm number "2". The recovery condition information 50 records the recoverable state for each of the multiple alarm numbers. Note that in Figure 2, only the robot 74, hand 84, processing machine 72, peripheral equipment 76, production program sequence number, and workpiece 100 are shown as examples of work elements. However, the number and types of work elements for which a recoverable state is set for recovery may be changed as appropriate depending on the configuration of the processing cell 70. For example, jigs such as the jaws of a chuck used in the processing machine 72 may also be set to a recoverable state as work elements.

[0043] Furthermore, the transition information 52 is data that records the recovery procedure necessary to transition the work element from a stopped state to a recoverable state. The stopped state refers to the state of the work element at the time the processing cell 70 abnormally stopped. This transition information 52 is prepared for each work element. Figure 3 is an example of the transition information 52 for the processing machine 72, and Figure 4 is a diagram explaining the abbreviations in Figure 3.

[0044] Multiple combinations of the stopped state and the recoverable state are possible. As shown in Figure 3, the transition information 52 records the recovery procedure for each of these multiple combinations. For example, consider the case where the stopped state (first column of the table in Figure 3) is "operating" and the recoverable state (second column of the table in Figure 3) is "operating". In this case, since the stopped state (operating) is the same as the recoverable state (operating), no recovery procedure is required for the state transition. Therefore, in this case, "ST0: No procedure" is recorded in the transition information 52. On the other hand, consider the case where the stopped state is "operating" and the recoverable state is "stopped". In this case, the transition information 52 records the procedures necessary to stop the processing machine 72 in order, such as "ST1: Turn off operation preparation" and "ST2: Turn off interlocking".

[0045] Although not shown in the diagram, the control device 20 also stores messages associated with each of the multiple procedures to prompt the operator to perform the recovery procedure. For example, it stores the message "Please turn off the operation preparation" associated with "ST1: Turn off operation preparation". When the control device 20 requests the operator to perform the procedure "ST1: Turn off operation preparation", it displays the associated message on the first UI device 26 or the second UI device 28.

[0046] Next, the recovery procedure guide will be explained with reference to Figures 5 to 9. Figure 5 shows an example of the management screen 36 displayed on the display of the first UI device 26 (hereinafter referred to as the "main display 34"). When the processing cell 70 is operating normally, the management screen 36 shown in Figure 5 is displayed on the main display 34. The management screen 36 displays the name of the item currently being produced, the status of multiple work resources, etc. The operator uses the display on the management screen 36 as a reference and operates the input device of the first UI device 26 to input the necessary commands.

[0047] Figure 6 shows an example of a guide screen 44 displayed on the main display 34 when guiding the recovery procedure of the processing machine 72. If an abnormal stop occurs in the processing cell 70, the operator operates the input device of the first UI device 26 to instruct the start of the recovery procedure guidance. Upon receiving this instruction, the control device 20 compares the stopped state of the processing machine 72 with the recoverable state. If the comparison results in a mismatch, the control device 20 grays out the control screen 36, rendering it inoperable, as shown in Figure 6, while superimposing the guide screen 44 on top of the control screen 36.

[0048] The guide screen 44 displays a message prompting the operator to perform the necessary steps for recovery. The management device 20 identifies the message to be displayed on the guide screen 44 by comparing the combination of the stopped state and the recoverable state with the transition information 52. The operator performs the necessary steps for recovery, referring to the message displayed on the guide screen 44. In this way, by providing the operator with a guide for the necessary steps for recovery, the operator can easily recover the processing cell 70 from an abnormal stop even if they do not have specialized knowledge of the cell controller 10.

[0049] Once the operator has completed the procedure presented on the guide screen 44, they notify the management device 20 that the procedure is complete. In the example in Figure 6, the operator notifies the management device 20 of the procedure completion by selecting the "NEXT" button displayed on the guide screen 44. After the procedure completion is notified, the management device 20 checks whether there is a next step, and if there is, it displays a message on the guide screen 44 prompting the operator to perform that next step. On the other hand, if there is no next step, the management device 20 checks the status of other work elements and, if necessary, starts guiding the operator to transition the status of other work elements.

[0050] Furthermore, the guide screen 44 for the processing machine 72 is presented via the first UI device 26, and the recovery procedure for the processing machine 72 includes the operation of the NC control panel 86. Therefore, the operator uses the guide screen 44 displayed on the main display 34 of the first UI device 26 as a reference to operate the NC control panel 86 installed on the processing machine 72 to transition the processing machine 72 to a recoverable state.

[0051] In this case, the operator is often more familiar with operating the NC control panel 86 than with operating the cell controller 10. Therefore, by configuring the system so that the operator can operate the NC control panel 86 to transition the processing machine 72 to a recoverable state, the burden on the operator can be further reduced. Also, normally, the operation to transition the processing machine 72 to a recoverable state is performed while checking various information displayed on the NC control panel 86 (hereinafter referred to as "processing machine information"). If the NC control panel 86 displays not only this processing machine information but also the guide screen 44, it becomes difficult for the operator to check the processing machine information, and the operability of the NC control panel 86 deteriorates. In this example, since the guide screen 44 is displayed on the first UI device 26, the operator can operate the NC control panel 86 comfortably.

[0052] Next, the recovery procedure and guide presentation for the peripheral device 76 will be described. The guide screen 44 for the peripheral device 76 is presented via the first UI device 26, and the recovery procedure for the peripheral device 76 includes the operation of the peripheral device control panel 90.

[0053] Next, the recovery procedure and guide presentation for the robot 74 will be described. The guide screen 44 for the robot 74 (including the hand 84) is presented via the second UI device 28, and the recovery procedure for the robot 74 involves operating the second UI device 28. Figure 7 shows an example of the second UI device 28 with the guide screen 44 displayed. The reason for this configuration will be explained.

[0054] To transition robot 74 to a recoverable state, the operator must manually operate robot 74 in manual mode. When performing manual operation, the operator must be located near robot 74 and check its status (e.g., posture). In other words, to return robot 74 to a recoverable state, the operator must be located near robot 74.

[0055] On the other hand, the control device 20, and by extension the first UI device 26, is located outside the safety fence 80 and far from the robot 74. It is difficult to operate the robot 74 using the first UI device 26. Furthermore, if a guide screen 44 related to the robot 74 is displayed on the display of the first UI device 26 (hereinafter referred to as the "sub-display 46"), the operator would have to repeatedly go back and forth between the robot 74 and the first UI device 26 to check the guide screen 44 and manually operate the robot 74, which was cumbersome. In this example, as described above, the robot 74 is operated by a portable second UI device 28, and the guide screen 44 is displayed on the sub-display 46 provided on this second UI device 28. This allows the operator to check the guide screen 44 and manually operate the robot 74 while remaining close to the robot 74. When manually operating the robot 74, it is sufficient to be able to visually inspect the robot 74's appearance, and it is not a problem if the internal information of the robot 74 (for example, the exact amount of movement of the robot 74) is unknown. Therefore, even if the guide screen 44 is displayed on the sub-display 46, it does not interfere with the manual operation of the robot 74.

[0056] Next, the recovery procedure and guidance for the workpiece 100 will be described. The control device 20 compares the stopped state and the recoverable state of the workpiece 100, similar to the processing machine 72 and robot 74. If the two do not match, it provides a guide for the recovery procedure. The guide screen 44 for the workpiece 100 is displayed on the main display 34 of the first UI device 26. Figure 8 shows an example of the guide screen 44 for the workpiece 100. As is clear from Figure 8, the recovery procedure for the workpiece 100 includes moving the workpiece 100 and inputting its position after the move. The operator manually moves the workpiece 100 to the designated position according to the guide and selects the position of the workpiece 100 after the move by operating the input device of the first UI device 26. The control device 20 registers the selected position as the current position of the workpiece 100 in the PLC 30. The reasons for this configuration will now be explained.

[0057] In order to properly restore the abnormally stopped processing cell 70, the workpiece 100 must be moved to a specific position. Normally, the PLC 30 manages the progress of the product processing and determines the position of the workpiece 100 from that progress. In other words, the position of the workpiece 100 is not detected by sensors or the like, but is merely estimated from the processing progress. Therefore, if the workpiece 100 is moved manually, the cell controller 10 cannot detect the position of the workpiece 100. In this example, the operator is asked to input the position of the workpiece 100 during the recovery procedure. This allows the cell controller 10 to know the position of the workpiece 100 without the need to install a dedicated sensor for the workpiece 100. Furthermore, if it is necessary to replace fixtures such as the chuck jaws in the processing machine 72, these fixtures are transitioned to a recoverable state using the same recovery procedure as for the workpiece.

[0058] Next, the recovery procedure and guidance presentation for the production program will be explained. As mentioned above, the processing cell 70 has a production program registered that corresponds to the product to be produced. This production program includes multiple processes. Among these multiple processes, a sequence number indicating the process to be executed during recovery is recorded in advance in the recovery condition information 50 as a recoverable state. In order to properly recover the abnormally stopped processing cell 70, the sequence number specified as a recoverable state (hereinafter referred to as the "recoverable sequence number") must be set in the cell controller 10. Therefore, if the sequence number set at the time of stoppage does not match the recoverable sequence number, the management device 20 displays a guide screen 44 on the main display 34 of the first UI device 26 prompting the operator to set the recoverable sequence number. Figure 9 is a diagram showing an example of the guide screen 44 related to the production program. The operator operates the first UI device 26 according to the guide screen 44 to input and set the recoverable sequence number indicated on the guide screen 44. In this example, the operator is instructed to set the sequence number, but the cell controller 10 may set the sequence number automatically. Also, in this example, only one number is presented to the operator as a recoverable sequence number. However, multiple numbers may be presented as recoverable sequence numbers, and the operator may select one from among them. Alternatively, multiple numbers may be recorded in the recovery condition information 50 as recoverable sequence numbers, and the cell controller 10 may select one from these multiple numbers. For example, among the multiple numbers recorded in the recovery condition information 50, the number closest to the sequence number that was running at the time of the abnormal shutdown may be presented to the operator as the recoverable sequence number.

[0059] As is clear from the above explanation, in this example, guides for the processing machine 72, peripheral equipment 76, workpiece 100, and production program are presented via the first UI device 26, while guides for the robot 74 are presented via the second UI device 28. In other words, in this example, the UI device presenting the guides is changed according to the work element. This configuration allows the operator to perform recovery work more easily. Furthermore, in this example, recovery work for the processing machine 72 includes operation of the NC control panel 86, recovery work for the peripheral equipment 76 includes operation of the peripheral equipment control panel 90, recovery work for the robot 74 includes operation of the second UI device 28, and recovery work for the workpiece 100 and production program includes operation of the first UI device 26. In other words, in this example, the UI device to be operated during recovery work is changed according to the work element. By changing the UI device to be operated according to the characteristics of the work element in this way, the operator can perform recovery work more easily.

[0060] Next, the flow of the recovery procedure guided by the management device 20 will be explained with reference to Figure 10. As shown in Figure 10, when an abnormal stop occurs, the management device 20 obtains and identifies the alarm number that caused the abnormal stop from the PLC 30 (S10).

[0061] Next, the control device 20 checks whether the processing machine 72 is in a recoverable state (S12). That is, the control device 20 compares the identified alarm number with the recovery condition information 50 to determine the recoverable state of the processing machine 72. The control device 20 also obtains the state of the processing machine 72 at the time the abnormal stop occurred, i.e., the stop state, from the PLC 30. After that, the control device 20 compares the identified recoverable state with the stop state. If the comparison results in a match, the control device 20 determines that the processing machine 72 is in a recoverable state and proceeds to step S16.

[0062] On the other hand, if the recoverable state and the stopped state do not match, the control device 20 determines that the processing machine 72 is not in a recoverable state and proceeds to step S14. In step S14, the control device 20 presents the operator with a guide to transition the processing machine 72 to a recoverable state, and the operator transitions the processing machine 72 to a recoverable state. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the detailed flow of step S14. As shown in Figure 11, if a state transition of the processing machine 72 is required, the control device 20 compares the stopped state and the recoverable state with the transition information 52 to identify the recovery procedure (S40).

[0063] Next, the control device 20 displays a message prompting the execution of the nth step (where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1) on the main display 34 of the first UI device 26 (S44). Subsequently, the control device 20 monitors whether the nth step has been completed (S46). In this example, the control device 20 determines that the procedure has been completed when the operator has input that the nth step has been completed and the PLC 30 has confirmed that the nth step has been completed.

[0064] For example, consider the case where the nth step is "ST1: Turn off operation preparation." In this case, if the processing machine 72 inputs an input signal indicating "operation preparation OFF" to the PLC 30, and the operator selects the "NEXT" button on the guide screen 44, the control device 20 will determine that the procedure "ST1" has been completed. However, it is also possible to determine the completion of the procedure based solely on the detection result from the PLC 30, or solely on the input instruction from the operator.

[0065] In any case, the control device 20 continues to display a message prompting the execution of the nth step on the first UI device 26 until it determines that the nth step has been completed. Upon seeing this message, the operator operates the NC control panel 86 to execute the procedure instructed by the message.

[0066] Once the nth step is completed (Yes in S46), the control device 20 checks whether there is a next step (S48). If there is a next step (Yes in S48), the control device 20 increments parameter n (S50) and returns to step S44. On the other hand, if there is no next step (No in S48), the machine 72 has transitioned to a recoverable state, so the control device 20 terminates the guidance regarding the machine 72 and proceeds to step S16 in Figure 10. Note that in Figure 11, multiple steps are presented one by one in order, but of course, two or more steps may be presented simultaneously.

[0067] Once the processing machine 72 is ready for recovery, the control device 20 then determines whether the robot 74 is ready for recovery (S16). This determination is the same as in step S12, so a detailed explanation is omitted here. If the robot 74 is not ready for recovery, the control device 20 guides the robot 74 through the recovery procedure (S18). The guidance flow for the robot 74 in step S18 is almost the same as the guidance flow for the processing machine 72 in step S14, so a detailed explanation is omitted here.

[0068] Similarly, the system checks the stopped state of the peripheral equipment 76, the workpiece 100, and the production program sequence number. If any of these stopped states differ from the recoverable state, the control device 20 guides the recovery procedure for the relevant work element (S20-S30). Once all work elements are in a recoverable state, the guidance process ends.

[0069] Here, as shown in Figure 10, in this example, the workpiece 100 is checked (S24) and guided (S26) after the processing machine 72 and robot 74 have returned to a recoverable state. This configuration is in order to facilitate the recovery procedure for the workpiece 100. In other words, the recovery procedure for the workpiece 100 usually involves moving the workpiece 100. When moving the workpiece 100, if the posture of the robot 74 or the position of the tool post of the processing machine 72 is in an unintended state, it will interfere with the movement of the workpiece 100. Therefore, in this example, the guide for the workpiece 100 is presented after the guide for the processing machine 72 and robot 74. As a result, the processing machine 72 and robot 74 are in the correct position and posture before the workpiece 100 is moved, so the workpiece 100 can be moved easily.

[0070] As is clear from the above explanation, in this example, if the processing cell 70 stops abnormally, the cell controller 10 identifies the recoverable state of each of the multiple work elements and presents the operator with a guide for the recovery procedure to transition each of the multiple work elements to the recoverable state. This allows the processing cell 70 to be properly recovered even if the operator has little knowledge or experience. Note that the configuration described so far is just one example, and the configuration of the cell controller 10 may be changed as appropriate. For example, in the above explanation, the management device 20 and the PLC 30 are separate computers, but they may be a single integrated computer. Also, in this example, a second UI device 28 is provided to facilitate operation of the robot 74, but the second UI device 28 is not required. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0071] 10 Cell controller, 20 Management device, 22 Processor, 24 Memory, 25 Communication I / F, 26 First UI device, 28 Second UI device, 30 PLC, 34 Main display, 36 Management screen, 44 Guide screen, 46 Sub display, 50 Recovery condition information, 52 Transition information, 70 Processing cell, 72 Processing machine, 74 Robot, 76 Peripheral equipment, 78 Pallet, 80 Safety fence, 84 Hand, 86 NC control panel, 90 Peripheral equipment control panel, 100 Workpiece.

Claims

1. A cell controller that controls a processing cell containing multiple work resources, The aforementioned multiple work resources include one or more processing machines and one or more robots. The cell controller includes a PLC and a control device. The PLC controls the operation of the multiple work resources in accordance with instructions from the management device, and acquires the status of the multiple work elements, including the multiple work resources and the workpiece. When an abnormal stoppage of the processing cell occurs, the control device identifies the recoverable state of each of the multiple work elements and provides the operator with a guide for the recovery procedure to transition each of the multiple work elements to the recoverable state. The management device changes the UI device that presents the guide according to the work element. A cell controller characterized by the following features.

2. A cell controller according to claim 1, The processing cell has a safety fence surrounding the robot, The control device has a first UI device installed outside the safety fence, The cell controller further has a portable second UI device that allows the robot to be manually operated. The control device presents the guide relating to the processing machine to the operator via the first UI device, and presents the guide relating to the robot to the operator via the second UI device. A cell controller characterized by the following features.

3. A cell controller for controlling a processing cell that includes multiple work resources, The aforementioned multiple work resources include one or more processing machines and one or more robots. The cell controller includes a PLC and a control device. The PLC controls the operation of the multiple work resources in accordance with instructions from the management device, and acquires the status of the multiple work elements, including the multiple work resources and the workpiece. When an abnormal stoppage of the processing cell occurs, the control device identifies the recoverable state of each of the multiple work elements and provides the operator with a guide for the recovery procedure to transition each of the multiple work elements to the recoverable state. The cell controller is characterized in that the management device changes the UI device that the operator operates in the recovery procedure according to the work element.

4. A cell controller according to claim 3, The aforementioned processing machine has an NC control panel, The cell controller further includes a portable second UI device that allows for manual operation of the robot. The recovery procedure relating to the processing machine includes the operation of the NC control panel, The recovery procedure relating to the robot includes the operation of the second UI device, A cell controller characterized by the following features.

5. A cell controller for controlling a processing cell that includes multiple work resources, The aforementioned multiple work resources include one or more processing machines and one or more robots. The cell controller includes a PLC and a control device. The PLC controls the operation of the multiple work resources in accordance with instructions from the management device, and acquires the status of the multiple work elements, including the multiple work resources and the workpiece. When an abnormal stoppage of the processing cell occurs, the control device identifies the recoverable state of each of the multiple work elements and provides the operator with a guide for the recovery procedure to transition each of the multiple work elements to the recoverable state. The aforementioned processing machine includes an NC control panel, The aforementioned management device has a first UI device, The recovery procedure relating to the processing machine includes operations on the NC control panel, The control device presents the guide relating to the processing machine to the operator via the first UI device. A cell controller characterized by the following features.

6. A cell controller for controlling a processing cell that includes multiple work resources, The aforementioned multiple work resources include one or more processing machines and one or more robots. The cell controller includes a PLC and a control device. The PLC controls the operation of the multiple work resources in accordance with instructions from the management device, and acquires the status of the multiple work elements, including the multiple work resources and the workpiece. When an abnormal stoppage of the processing cell occurs, the control device identifies the recoverable state of each of the multiple work elements and provides the operator with a guide for the recovery procedure to transition each of the multiple work elements to the recoverable state. The recovery procedure relating to the workpiece includes moving the workpiece and inputting the position of the workpiece after the move. The management device registers the post-movement position input by the operator in the PLC. A cell controller characterized by the following features.

7. A cell controller for controlling a processing cell that includes multiple work resources, The aforementioned multiple work resources include one or more processing machines and one or more robots. The cell controller includes a PLC and a control device. The PLC controls the operation of the multiple work resources in accordance with instructions from the management device, and acquires the status of the multiple work elements, including the multiple work resources and the workpiece. When an abnormal stoppage of the processing cell occurs, the control device identifies the recoverable state of each of the multiple work elements and provides the operator with a guide for the recovery procedure to transition each of the multiple work elements to the recoverable state. The management device presents the guide for the workpiece to the operator after the completion of the recovery procedure for the robot. A cell controller characterized by the following features.

8. A cell controller according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The aforementioned control device is The following are stored in advance: recovery condition information, which records the recoverable state of each of the multiple work elements for each alarm type; and transition information, which records the recovery procedure of each of the multiple work elements for each recoverable state. Based on the recovery condition information, the recoverable state of each of the multiple work elements is identified. Based on the transition information, the recovery procedure is identified. A cell controller characterized by the following features.

9. A cell controller that controls a processing cell containing multiple work resources, The aforementioned multiple work resources include one or more processing machines and one or more robots. The cell controller includes a processor, memory, and one or more UI devices. The aforementioned processor, The operation of the multiple work resources is controlled, and the state of the multiple work elements, including the multiple work resources and the workpiece, is acquired. If the aforementioned processing cell malfunctions, the recoverable state of each of the multiple work elements is identified. A guide for the recovery procedure, which is a procedure for transitioning each of the aforementioned multiple work elements to the recovery-ready state, is presented to the operator via one or more UI devices. The processor changes the UI device that presents the guide according to the work element. A cell controller characterized by being configured in such a way.

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