Production management system and production management program

Abstract

To provide a production management system with which it is possible to easily determine the cause of an error having occurred in a production line.SOLUTION: The present invention comprises production line configuration apparatuses including a weighing unit 11, a filling unit 12, a packaging unit 13, a printer 14, a print inspection unit 15, a visual inspection unit 16, a weight selection unit 17, a metal detection unit 18, an X-ray inspection unit 19, and a caser 20, and a server device 30. Each production line configuration apparatus and the server device 30 are configured to be mutually communicable via a network 40, each production line configuration apparatus transmitting event data relating to the preliminarily set operating state and abnormal state to the server device 30, the server device 30 causing the operating state and abnormal state per production line configuration apparatus of the production line to be displayed in time series on the basis of the received event data, for a row of production line configuration apparatuses in order of product flow of the production line.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a production management system for managing production status in a production line for producing, for example, meat, fish, processed foods, pharmaceuticals, and the like.

Background Art

[0002] For example, in a production line for producing meat, fish, processed foods, pharmaceuticals, etc., the manufactured articles are weighed, packaged in a predetermined weight, inspected for foreign matter inclusion and final weight inspection, etc., and those determined to be good products in these inspections are boxed and shipped as final products.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes that in a production management system for managing a plurality of production lines, for each production line, a production schedule line indicating the planned production quantity of the production plan, a planned end line indicating the planned end time of the production plan, a production plan line indicating the production quantity at each time of the production plan, a current time line indicating the collection time of the data being displayed, a current production line indicating the production quantity at the collection time of the data being displayed, a production achievement line indicating the production quantity at each time up to the collection time of the data being displayed, and a production prediction line indicating the production quantity at each time when production continues in the current state are displayed.

[0004] With such display, it is easy to identify a production line in which production will be delayed if production continues in the current state. In a production line where production is delayed, based on the difference between the production quantity of the production plan line and the production quantity of the production prediction line on the planned end line, it is possible to know the production quantity predicted to be insufficient for the planned production quantity, and adjustments such as allocating the production quantity predicted to be insufficient for the planned production quantity to a production line with a surplus in other production quantities can be easily made.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0006] However, while such labeling makes it easy to identify production lines that are behind schedule, it does not easily allow for the determination of the reasons for the delay. In particular, production lines for food and pharmaceuticals are divided into multiple processes that are interconnected from a quality control perspective, making it difficult to grasp the factors that caused delays in the production line as a whole.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a production management system that displays the status of each piece of equipment in a production line composed of multiple pieces of equipment, making it easy to determine the cause of an error that occurred in the production line. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The production management system of the present invention is Perform different processes Two or more production line components They are arranged in a row. A production management system for managing a production line, comprising a server device configured to communicate with the production line components, wherein the production line components receive event data, which is information regarding pre-set operating status and abnormal conditions. Including information about the time the event occurred. The server device transmits the received event data to the server device. Identify the type of event and the time of its occurrence. The operating status and abnormal status of each component of the production line are displayed in chronological order on the equipment display unit, with the components arranged in the order of the product flow on the production line. The equipment display unit is pre-divided into an operating status display unit that displays the operating status and an abnormal status display unit that displays the abnormal status.

[0009] This configuration allows the operating status and abnormal conditions of each component of the production line to be displayed chronologically, with the components arranged in the order of the product flow on the production line. On the device display Displayed The device display unit is pre-divided into an operating status display unit that displays the operating status and an abnormal status display unit that displays abnormal conditions.Therefore, the operating status and abnormal conditions of each component of the production line can be checked in a list, making it easy to determine the cause of errors that occur on the production line.

[0010] Furthermore, in the production management system of the present invention, the server device, in addition to the operating status and the abnormal state, also detects the occurrence of product defects. Mark the position corresponding to the time. of In chronological order The device display unit, in addition to the operating status display unit and the abnormal status display unit, also displays the occurrence of the defect. The mark is located at the position corresponding to the time. It is pre-divided into an NG occurrence display section that shows the error.

[0011] This configuration allows for the occurrence of product defects in addition to the operating status and abnormal conditions. Mark the position corresponding to the time. but In chronological order The device display unit shows the operating status and abnormal status, as well as the occurrence of defects. The mark is located at the position corresponding to the time. The system is pre-divided into an NG occurrence display section that displays the operating status and abnormal conditions along with the occurrence of product defects. time This allows you to view a list of all issues and easily determine the cause of any product defects.

[0012] Furthermore, the production management system of the present invention includes an imaging unit that images the vicinity of the production line components and transmits the captured images to the server device, the server device stores the images captured of the vicinity of the production line components, and when it receives the pre-set event data, it cuts out the image of the source production line components for a predetermined acquisition time before and after the time the event occurred, stores it in association with the transmitted event data.

[0013] With this configuration, when pre-configured event data is received, video footage of the source production line equipment is extracted for a predetermined period of time before and after the event occurred, and stored in association with the transmitted event data. Therefore, when an abnormality occurs in the production line equipment or when a product defect occurs, it is possible to check the video footage of the production line equipment, making it easy to determine the cause of the error that occurred on the production line.

[0014] Also, in the production management system of the present invention, in addition to the operation status and the abnormal state, the server device has the presence of the video of the production line constituent devices events to In chronological order be displayed, and the device display unit is preliminarily divided into a video presence / absence display unit that displays the presence of the video in addition to the operation status display unit and the abnormal state display unit. A mark is placed at the position corresponding to the time the event occurred. It is divided in advance.

[0015] With this configuration, in addition to the operation status and the abnormal state, the presence of the video of the production line constituent devices events is In chronological order displayed, and the device display unit is preliminarily divided into a video presence / absence display unit that displays the presence of the video in addition to the operation status display unit and the abnormal state display unit. For this reason, the presence of the video related to the error occurring in the production line A mark is placed at the position corresponding to the time the event occurred. can be easily confirmed. If there is a video, the video can be confirmed, and the cause of the error occurring in the production line can be easily determined. events It can be easily confirmed, and if there is a video, the video can be confirmed to easily determine the cause of the error that occurred on the production line.

[0016] Also, the production management program of the present invention Perform different processes two or more production line constituent devices They are arranged in a row. a production line and a server device configured to be communicable with the production line constituent devices, wherein the production line constituent devices transmit event data, which is information regarding a preset operation status and an abnormal state, Including information about the time the event occurred. to the server device. The production management program of the production management system is for causing the server device to realize a function of displaying, in time series, the operation status and the abnormal state of each of the production line constituent devices of the production line in the order of the product flow of the production line with the production line constituent devices arranged, and a function of preliminarily defining a display layout for dividing the device display unit into an operation status display unit for displaying the operation status and an abnormal state display unit for displaying the abnormal state. Identify the type of event and the time of its occurrence. of the received event data

[0017] With this configuration, the operating status and abnormal conditions of each production line component of the production line are arranged in the order of the product flow of the production line in chronological order. On the device display are displayed The device display unit is pre-divided into an operating status display unit that displays the operating status and an abnormal status display unit that displays abnormal conditions. Thus, the operating status and abnormal conditions of each production line component can be confirmed in a list, and the cause of the error that occurred in the production line can be easily determined.

Advantages of the Invention

[0018] The present invention can provide a production management system capable of easily determining the cause of an error that occurred in a production line.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a production management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of display of the equipment status of a production management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, a production management system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0021] In FIG. 1, a production management system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention receives raw materials such as food and beverages manufactured and processed in an upstream manufacturing process, packages them in a predetermined weight in a weighing process and a packaging process to form products, inspects the weight, foreign matter inclusion, packaging state, etc. of the products in an inspection process, and manages the production line for boxing the products determined to be good in the inspection result in a boxing process.

[0022] The production line consists of a weighing machine 11, a filling machine 12, a packaging machine 13, a printing machine 14, a printing inspection machine 15, a visual inspection machine 16, a weight sorter 17, a metal detector 18, an X-ray inspection machine 19, and a caser 20, each performing a different process. These individual pieces of equipment (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20) are also called production line components, and are usually arranged in a series. Conveying means such as belt conveyors are placed between the processes before and after the production line, and between the equipment in each process.

[0023] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the arrangement is not limited to cases where each piece of equipment (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20) is arranged adjacent to each other. For example, the weighing machine 11 to the packaging machine 13 may be arranged adjacent to each other in a raw materials area that handles raw materials before packaging, and the visual inspection machine 16 to the case 20 may be arranged adjacent to a product area that handles products after packaging, with the two separated areas connected by a conveying means such as a belt conveyor or chute.

[0024] The various pieces of equipment (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20) that make up such a production line are combined in different ways depending on the raw materials to be handled, their packaging form, the inspection content for the packaged products, the handling of products deemed defective during inspection, and the packaging form of products deemed good during inspection.

[0025] From now on, when referring to all the equipment that makes up the production line without specifying individual pieces of equipment, we may use phrases like "each piece of equipment (11-20)".

[0026] First, we will explain the operations of each piece of equipment (11-20) related to product production, following the order from upstream to downstream of the production line: weighing and packaging process, inspection process, and boxing process. Note that these are merely examples of a typical configuration and its variations.

[0027] The weighing and packaging process consists of weighing and packaging equipment, exemplified as a weighing machine 11, a filling machine 12, a packaging machine 13, and a printing machine 14, and the weighed and packaged products are discharged to the inspection process.

[0028] The weighing machine 11 receives raw materials manufactured in the upstream manufacturing process, groups them into predetermined quantities, combines them, and supplies them to the filling machine 12. Supply to the filling machine 12 is performed in accordance with the request signal output from the filling machine 12.

[0029] Furthermore, the weighing machine 11 is configured to output a warning signal when, for example, the supply of raw materials is insufficient and the supply to the filling machine 12 is in a standby state. In this case, the weighing machine 11 is in a standby state due to insufficient raw material supply, even though it is in operation. Once the supply of raw materials is sufficient, this standby state is released.

[0030] The filling machine 12 discharges the raw materials supplied from the weighing machine 11 to the packaging machine 13 at a predetermined timing. Specifically, it temporarily stores the raw materials supplied from the weighing machine 11 and discharges them in accordance with a request signal output from the packaging machine 13. After that, it outputs a request signal to the weighing machine 11 requesting the supply of raw materials.

[0031] Furthermore, the filling machine 12 outputs a warning signal if it has sent a request signal to the weighing machine 11 but no raw materials are supplied. In this case, the filling machine 12 enters a standby state even though it is in operation, because no raw materials are being supplied. This standby state is then released when raw materials are supplied.

[0032] The packaging machine 13 packages a predetermined weight of raw materials discharged from the filling machine 12 with packaging material and discharges it to the printing machine 14. Generally, a long film wound on a roll is cut to a predetermined length, and the ends are heat-sealed to form a bag.

[0033] When the packaging machine 13 runs out of the loaded packaging material, it enters a standby state until new packaging material is loaded. During this time, it does not output a request signal to the filling machine 12.

[0034] Furthermore, the packaging machine 13 is configured to output a warning signal even when it has sent a request signal to the filling machine 12 but no raw materials are being supplied. In this case, the packaging machine 13 enters a standby state even though it is in operation, because no raw materials are being supplied. This standby state is then released when raw materials are supplied.

[0035] Such weighing machine 11, filling machine 12, and packaging machine 13 may be appropriately selected to constitute the weighing and packaging process depending on the type of raw materials handled and the form of the products to be produced. In other words, the weighing machine 11, filling machine 12, and packaging machine 13 are merely examples of one form of equipment, and it is sufficient that the configuration includes receiving raw materials from an upstream manufacturing process and producing packaged products. For example, in a production line that packages one or two molded food products (such as sweet buns or instant noodles) at a time, it is not necessary to use the weighing machine 11 or filling machine 12, as long as the materials can be fed into the packaging machine 13 at regular intervals by a conveying means.

[0036] The printing machine 14 prints identification information, such as barcodes, two-dimensional codes, and serial numbers, on the packaged products discharged from the packaging machine 13, and then discharges them to the print inspection machine 15. Printing here can be either directly printing the identification information on a predetermined location such as the side or bottom of the packaged product, or attaching a label with the identification information printed on it. The printing method (color and size of the print) should be set appropriately according to the shape of the product and the design of the packaging, within a range that ensures the required readability.

[0037] Furthermore, the printer 14 outputs a warning signal when the amount of ink or ink ribbon for printing, or the amount of labels, becomes low or runs out.

[0038] The inspection process consists of inspection equipment, exemplified by a printing inspection machine 15, a visual inspection machine 16, a weight sorter 17, a metal detector 18, and an X-ray inspection machine 19. These machines receive and inspect products sequentially discharged from the weighing and packaging process. Products with a defective (NG) result are removed from the production line by a rejection device described later, and the remaining (good) products are discharged to the boxing process.

[0039] A rejection device for removing products from the production line may be installed on each inspection device depending on how defective products are handled on the production line, or it may be installed in two or more groups of adjacent inspection devices, with the device installed in each group, or it may be installed at the end of the inspection process.

[0040] The rejection device operates based on a rejection signal output for defective products by the inspection equipment located immediately before the rejection device. As mentioned above, this is not the only way it works. For example, when two adjacent inspection equipment are equipped with a common rejection device, the upstream inspection equipment outputs a signal representing the inspection result to the downstream inspection equipment. The downstream inspection equipment operates the common rejection device based on the signal received from the upstream inspection equipment and its own inspection result to remove defective products from the production line.

[0041] The print inspection machine 15 inspects the identification information printed on the packaged products discharged from the printer 14. If the information is read correctly, the machine discharges the packaged products without printing defects as good products to the visual inspection machine 16. The reading inspection may also include a verification inspection in which the machine receives the identification information printed from the printer 14 and compares it with the information it has read.

[0042] The printing machine 14 and the printing inspection machine 15 may be configured as part of the packaging machine 13. In this case, the packaging machine 13 will functionally span both processes at the boundary between the weighing / packaging process and the inspection process described above, but this is perfectly acceptable.

[0043] The visual inspection machine 16 inspects the appearance of the packaged products discharged from the printing inspection machine 15 based on images captured by a camera or the like, and discharges packaged products that do not have defects as good products to the weight sorting machine 17.

[0044] Specifically, the visual inspection machine 16 inspects packaged products for discoloration or deformation, and for scratches, tears, or stains on the packaging. For example, it applies a known image processing filter to the image captured by the camera, and identifies a product as defective when features that meet predetermined conditions are extracted. Depending on the type of packaging material and the content of the inspection, lighting conditions such as the wavelength and intensity of the light emitted may be changed, or multiple cameras may be used to ensure stable inspection.

[0045] The weight sorter 17 inspects the weight of the packaged products discharged from the visual inspection machine 16, and discharges packaged products that do not have defects as good products to the metal detector 18.

[0046] For example, the weight sorting machine 17 includes a weighing means that weighs the products to be inspected while they are being transported by a weighing conveyor, and a determination means that determines whether the weighed value representing the weighing result of the weighing means is within the range of good products defined by upper and lower limits. If the weighed value is within the range of good products, it is considered a good product with no defects. Products that are outside the range of good products (weight NG) include overweight products that exceed the upper limit, underweight products that fall below the lower limit, and products that could not be weighed properly (weighing error).

[0047] The metal detector 18 inspects the packaged products discharged from the weight sorter 17 to check for any metal contamination, and discharges packaged products that do not have defects into the X-ray inspection machine 19 as good products.

[0048] For example, the metal detector 18 generates a predetermined magnetic field in the inspection area and checks for the presence of metal based on the fluctuations in the magnetic field caused by the passage of the product being inspected. If the amount of magnetic field fluctuation is within the acceptable range, the product is considered normal and free of defects. Products that fall outside the acceptable range are considered defective and contain metal objects that should not be present. It is also possible to inspect whether metal objects that should be sealed inside a packaged product are present; in this case, products that do not contain metal objects are considered defective.

[0049] The X-ray inspection machine 19 inspects the packaged products discharged from the metal detector 18 for defects or foreign matter contamination, and discharges packaged products that do not show any defects into the case 20 as good products.

[0050] For example, the X-ray inspection machine 19 irradiates the product to be inspected with X-rays from an X-ray generator, and the X-rays passing through the product to be inspected are detected by an X-ray detector to generate a transmission image. The image is then processed to check for defects and foreign matter. When inspecting packaged products, examples of defects that can be inspected in addition to the presence or absence of foreign matter include excess or insufficient amount of contents, packaging defects such as contents being trapped in the packaging material (entanglement), and shape defects such as cracks or chips.

[0051] Such visual inspection machine 16, weight sorter 17, metal detector 18, and X-ray inspection machine 19 are appropriately selected depending on the type of raw material being handled and the form of the product being manufactured, and the order is not limited to this. For example, the inspection process may be configured in the order of visual inspection machine 16, X-ray inspection machine 19, metal detector 18, and weight sorter 17. Furthermore, the process is not necessarily limited to inspecting packaged products; raw materials may also be inspected before packaging. This reduces losses compared to discarding products that are found to be defective after inspection.

[0052] The boxing process consists of a case 20, which receives products sequentially discharged from the inspection process, i.e., products deemed good in the inspection process, and boxes them according to predetermined boxing conditions.

[0053] The case 20 packs the packaged products discharged from the X-ray inspection machine 19 into boxes, seals them, and discharges them to the downstream process. "Boxing" here refers to a predetermined number of packaged products being bundled together, wrapped in outer packaging material, and protected from the external environment. The boxing method is appropriately selected depending on the type of packaged product and how it will be handled in the subsequent process.

[0054] Next, we will describe the server device 30 and client devices 31 and 32, to which each device (11 to 20) is connected via a computer network (network 40).

[0055] The server device 30 is composed of a computer unit that includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (not shown), RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), a hard disk drive, and input / output ports.

[0056] Client device 31 and client device 32 are each composed of a computer unit equipped with a CPU (not shown), RAM, ROM, a hard disk drive, and input / output ports.

[0057] The weighing machine 11, filling machine 12, packaging machine 13, printing machine 14, printing inspection machine 15, visual inspection machine 16, weight sorting machine 17, metal detector 18, X-ray inspection machine 19, case 20, server device 30, client device 31, and client device 32 are all capable of communicating with each other via the network 40.

[0058] The server device 30 has the arrangement of each piece of equipment on the production line pre-configured, and information about other pieces of equipment placed before and after a particular piece of equipment is stored, for example, associated with a unique equipment ID for each piece of equipment.

[0059] The server device 30 receives event data such as inspection results, operating status, and abnormal conditions transmitted from each piece of equipment on the production line via the network 40, and stores and manages it in a hard disk drive. The event data includes information about the time when the event occurred.

[0060] The operating status can be transmitted as, for example, "running," "operating," or "stopped." "Running" means the equipment is operational but no products are flowing. "Operating" means the equipment is operational but products are flowing. "Stopped" means the equipment is inoperable, such as the conveyor belt being stopped or the power being off. Note that the operating status is not limited to classifications such as "running," "operating," and "stopped" for each piece of equipment; other statuses may be defined and used on the server device 30.

[0061] Abnormal states include, for example, "abnormal" and "warning." "Abnormal" indicates that a problem has occurred with the equipment, rendering it inoperable. "Warning" indicates that a problem has occurred with the equipment, but it is still operational. Note that abnormal states are not limited to "abnormal" and "warning"; other states may be defined and used. In other words, the event data transmitted from each piece of equipment is classified based on an event definition file defined by the settings of the server device 30. This allows for efficient monitoring of the production line's operating status according to the magnitude of its impact on the production line. By updating this event definition file and applying new definitions, the event data already stored in the server device 30 can be effectively utilized to analyze the causes of production delays on the production line.

[0062] Generally, event data indicating "abnormalities" or "warnings" is output as data showing that an abnormality or warning occurred in the equipment and the time it occurred, but it is often not output as data indicating that the abnormality or warning has been resolved. In such cases, it is possible to indirectly infer that the abnormality or warning has been resolved from other event data. For example, if the operating status changes from "stopped" or "running" to "running" after an abnormality or warning occurred, it may be determined that the abnormality or warning has been resolved.

[0063] Furthermore, each event data should be assigned a unique device ID, which serves as identification information to identify which device transmitted which event data. The unique device ID may be assigned by the device transmitting the event data, or by the server device 30 that receives the event data. This allows for the analysis of the causes of production delays on the production line, even if there are devices transmitting event data that do not have a unique device ID.

[0064] Here, we will explain the event data transmitted from each device (11-20) to the server device 30.

[0065] The weighing machine 11 receives a request signal from the filling machine 12 and, each time it discharges a predetermined amount of raw material, transmits information indicating the amount of raw material discharged to the server device 30. In addition, if, for example, the raw material becomes insufficient and discharge to the filling machine 12 is put into standby mode, the weighing machine 11 outputs a warning signal indicating the shortage of raw material and transmits it to the server device 30.

[0066] The filling machine 12 outputs a discharge signal when it discharges raw materials to the packaging machine 13 and transmits it to the server device 30. The filling machine 12 also outputs a warning signal to the server device 30 indicating that there is no supply of raw materials, for example, even though it has sent a request signal to the weighing machine 11.

[0067] The packaging machine 13 outputs information indicating that packaging has been completed successfully and transmits it to the server device 30. The packaging machine 13 also sends a warning signal to the server device 30, for example, when it enters a standby state during packaging material change or when the supply of raw materials from the filling machine 12 is interrupted for a predetermined period of time.

[0068] The printer 14 outputs a warning signal, such as when the ink level is low, and sends it to the server device 30.

[0069] Each piece of equipment in the inspection process (print inspection machine 15, visual inspection machine 16, weight sorter 17, metal detector 18, X-ray inspection machine 19) transmits its inspection results to the server device 30. Additionally, if the inspection was not performed correctly or if defective products are found consecutively, a warning signal indicating the specific issue is also sent to the server device 30.

[0070] Furthermore, if the inspection results detect that the rejection device failed to correctly reject defective products, it displays a warning signal indicating a failure to reject defective products and transmits it to the server device 30.

[0071] The case 20 displays a warning signal indicating that a predetermined number of products have not been unloaded at a predetermined time, or that there is a shortage of packaging materials, and transmits it to the server device 30.

[0072] In addition to the warning signals mentioned above, signals indicating the status are transmitted to the server device 30 when the power is turned on and the system is in a waiting state, when the operator starts the operation, and when the operation is stopped. For example, each device (11-20) transmits a level signal that is high (H) when the power is on and low (L) when the power is off. Similar level signals can be applied to start and stop operations.

[0073] Furthermore, when the server device 30 receives event data transmitted from each device, it may add the received time information as a timestamp. This ensures that even if the event data from any device does not include time information, the server device 30 records time information approximately simultaneous with the transmission of the event data by that device, thus avoiding functional limitations of the control software on the device side. Also, it is not necessary to precisely synchronize the time set on each device, and a difference of a few seconds or minutes has little impact. When the server device 30 receives analog level signals from each device, it is preferable to provide a data transmission unit equipped with an analog signal input port near each device so that the server device 30 can receive data from the data transmission unit via the network 40.

[0074] Furthermore, when the server device 30 receives event data transmitted from each device, it sequentially stores the event data as a text file in a storage area associated with the device ID for each device that transmitted the data. Alternatively, it sequentially adds the data as a record to a data table associated with the device ID. However, the form in which the event data is stored can be selected as appropriate.

[0075] A camera is installed near each device to capture video or still images in burst mode, capturing the operation of the device and the processing status of raw materials or packaged products within it. The video footage of each device, along with information indicating the time of capture, is transmitted to the server device 30. A camera is not required to be installed on each device; cameras may be installed to capture images of multiple devices.

[0076] The server device 30, for example, constantly stores video footage of each device from the current time up to a predetermined storage time. When it receives pre-set specific event data, such as when an abnormality is transmitted as an abnormal state in the event data, or when an NG is transmitted as an inspection result in the event data, it extracts video footage of the transmitting device for a predetermined acquisition time before and after the time the event occurred, and stores it in association with the transmitted event data. The server device 30 may store all video footage of each device. In this case, the information associated with the pre-set specific event data should be the time the corresponding event occurred, and may also include information indicating the length of the extracted video footage.

[0077] The server device 30 can display the day's operating status on the display devices provided in the client devices 31 and 32 at predetermined timings, for example, after a production lot of a certain product is completed or after a day of production has ended, based on the received event data. The operating status may also be updated at cycles or times set according to the production line management procedure, or the latest operating status may be displayed in response to operations from the client devices 31 and 32.

[0078] The server device 30 displays display data 100, such as the operating status of selected equipment, abnormal conditions, occurrence of NGs, and presence or absence of video, on a display device in a predetermined display format, for example, as shown in Figure 2.

[0079] In Figure 2, each device display unit 101 displays the operating status of each device as a display area divided into strips. The device display unit 101 displays the operating status display unit 111, the abnormal status display unit 112, the NG occurrence display unit 113, and the video presence / absence display unit 114, respectively. The legend data 115 explains the meaning of the marks and color coding in the display data 100, and can be displayed or hidden as needed.

[0080] In Figure 2, the equipment display unit 101 is divided into equipment display units 101A, 101B, 101C, and 101D, which are arranged vertically in a thick band of the same height, extending along the time axis, and displaying the names or IDs of the four corresponding equipment units. Each equipment display unit 101A, 101B, 101C, and 101D is divided into a thin band of the same height, forming the operating status display unit 111 (111A, 111B, 111C, 111D), the abnormal status display unit 112 (112A, 112B, 112C, 112D), NG occurred The display units 113 (113A, 113B, 113C, 113D) and the video presence / absence display units 114 (114A, 114B, 114C, 114D) are arranged vertically in that order.

[0081] The display layouts of each display unit (111, 112, 113, 114) in each device display unit 101 are predetermined, with the device ID of the device to be displayed, the type of event data, and its display format defined in advance. A common layout setting may be used for the device display unit 101, or individual layout settings may be used for each of the device display units 101A, 101B, 101C, and 101D. In either case, the time display is common to all display units (111, 112, 113, 114) and is displayed on the same time axis.

[0082] The equipment display unit 101 displays the equipment in the order of the production line flow, for example, with equipment in the upstream process of the production line at the top and equipment in the downstream process at the bottom.

[0083] The operating status display unit 111 displays the operating status of the equipment in a way that allows for visual identification of each operating status, such as by shading or changing the color of the display area, indicating the time period during which the event data's operating status was "running," "operating," or "stopped."

[0084] The abnormal status display unit 112 displays the abnormal statuses of the event data, such as "abnormal" and "warning," in a way that allows them to be visually distinguished, for example, by shading or changing the color of the corresponding display area, so as to indicate the duration of each status.

[0085] Furthermore, the operating status display unit 111 and the abnormal status display unit 112 are each independent, strip-shaped display areas at the same height, arranged in two rows, one above the other. This allows for easy comparison of the operating status and abnormal status of equipment that work in conjunction with each other, using a common time axis.

[0086] When an NG (Not Good) result is received as a result of the inspection of event data, the NG occurrence display unit 113 displays a mark (a black circle in the diagram) in the display area corresponding to the time the NG occurred.

[0087] The video presence / absence display unit 114 displays a mark (a triangle in the diagram) in the display area at a position corresponding to the occurrence time of the associated event data when video data associated with event data exists. The server device 30 may also associate the corresponding video data so that when this mark is selected by an operation unit such as a mouse or keyboard from the client device 31 or client device 32, the video data will be played.

[0088] In particular, the operating status display unit 111 and the abnormal status display unit 112 are each independent display areas, separated by a boundary line and arranged vertically. This prevents the color coding of one display area from overlapping with the other, and allows for instantaneous understanding of the color coding in both display areas without switching display screens. This enables a comparison of the operating status of equipment that works in conjunction with each other from two different perspectives, using a common time axis.

[0089] Furthermore, the NG occurrence display unit 113 and the video presence / absence display unit 114 are each independent display areas, separated by a boundary line and arranged vertically. This prevents one mark from overlapping with the other, and allows for instantaneous understanding and operation of marks in both display areas without switching display screens. This makes it easy to select the video when an NG occurs using a mouse or touch operation. In addition, the operating status displayed by the operating status display unit 111 and the abnormal status display unit 112 can be compared on a common time axis.

[0090] The display layout for displaying the data 100 on the display device in the display format shown in Figure 2 may be set on the server device 30, or it may be set on the client devices 31 and 32 respectively. It would also be desirable to be able to temporarily change the display layout in response to operations from client devices 31 and 32. Furthermore, instead of the display format shown in Figure 2, the time axis may be set in the vertical direction and the arrangement of devices in the horizontal direction.

[0091] This section describes an example of a procedure for displaying event data stored in the server device 30 on a display device in the format shown in Figure 2. Here, using the production line "Line A," we explain an example of a display layout where, for equipment identified by four equipment IDs, the equipment names "Weighing Machine No. 1," "Packaging Machine No. 1," and "Case Container No. 1" correspond to the processes from upstream to downstream, and the areas "Operating Status," "Anomaly," "NG Occurrence," and "Video" are defined. Normally, the horizontal axis is initially set to show time, and the time period displayed can be adjusted as needed.

[0092] The server device 30 reads the stored event data from its storage area at a pre-set timing and identifies the device ID and type of event data of the device to be displayed on the device display unit 101 based on a pre-set display layout. It then identifies the corresponding event data and information indicating the time when the event data was transmitted from the device or received by the server device 30.

[0093] The server device 30 identifies the time corresponding to each event from the device name corresponding to the device ID and the event data identified by that device ID. For "operating status," the time period when it was "running," "operating," or "stopped" is identified from the time the operating status changed. For "abnormal," if there is event data classified as "abnormal," the time period corresponding to that event is identified. For "NG," if there is event data classified as "NG," the time corresponding to that event is identified. For "video," if video is stored, the recording time of that video is identified.

[0094] Specifically, first, the server device 30 identifies the time periods when the "Operating Status" of "Weighing Machine No. 1" displayed at the top was "In Operation," "In Operation," or "Stopped," based on the switching times of the operating status identified from the event data. Similarly, for "Anomaly," it identifies the time periods when an anomaly or warning occurred, identified from the event data. Next, it identifies the time from the event data corresponding to "NG." Similarly, for "Video," if there is stored video, it identifies the associated imaging time.

[0095] Similarly, for "Packaging Machine No. 1," "Inspection Machine No. 1," and "Case Container No. 1," the corresponding time periods and dates are identified from the corresponding event data.

[0096] When the server device 30 identifies the corresponding time period and time from the event data for the device to be displayed, it generates display data 100 based on the display format shown in the legend data 115.

[0097] The display data 100 may be generated separately as a style portion that displays a pre-set device name, item name, time, and display area boundary regardless of the device status, and a data portion that displays color coding and marks according to the device status, or both portions may be generated as a single integrated image data.

[0098] Figure 2 shows an example of display data 100 showing the equipment status of "Line A" from 0:00 to 05:30. Below, we will explain the factors contributing to production delays on the production line that can be understood from the equipment status in time period B, which roughly corresponds to 01:20 to 01:50.

[0099] The equipment display unit 101 shows the operating status and abnormal status of the four pieces of equipment that make up "Line A," based on their arrangement in the production line. In other words, it can be seen that the production line is arranged from upstream to downstream as follows: "Weighing Machine No. 1," "Packaging Machine No. 1," "Inspection Machine No. 1," and "Casing Machine No. 1."

[0100] Focusing on the equipment display unit 101B of "Packaging Machine No. 1," the abnormal status display unit 112B shows "abnormal" from around 01:20 to 01:40, and the video presence / absence display unit 114B shows a mark around 1:20, indicating that video was recorded. The operating status display unit 111B also shows "operating" during the same period, but since it was "operating" until around 01:20, it can be concluded that some kind of abnormality occurred around 01:20, causing the packaging operation to stop.

[0101] Upstream of "Packaging Machine No. 1" is "Weighing Machine No. 1," and it can be seen that when "Packaging Machine No. 1" malfunctioned, its status changed from "In Operation" to "In Business" around 01:20. At this time, recovery work was carried out on "Packaging Machine No. 1," and "Weighing Machine No. 1" started operating around 01:30, but recovery work on "Packaging Machine No. 1" continued, and it was restored to "In Operation" around 01:40.

[0102] Downstream of "Packaging Machine No. 1," "Inspection Machine No. 1" and "Cassa No. 1" are located, and it can be seen that the status changed from "In Operation" to "In Service" around 01:30 during the restoration work on "Packaging Machine No. 1."

[0103] In this way, it can be determined that the state in which each piece of equipment is "operating" but no products are flowing is caused by a malfunction in "Packaging Machine No. 1".

[0104] Furthermore, the NG occurrence display unit 113C of "Inspection Machine No. 1" shows that there were many "NG" occurrences between approximately 01:50 and 02:10, immediately following the aforementioned time period B. In this case, possible causes include failure to recover from the malfunction of Packaging Machine No. 1 or a delay in its operation. This cause can be identified by referring to the video by operating the mark displayed on the video presence / absence display unit 114C of "Inspection Machine No. 1".

[0105] Furthermore, the "in operation" indication for all equipment at the 02:00 time interval allows, for example, in the production plan of a production line, to determine the time taken for a product changeover if one was scheduled for this time. Specifically, the operation status display units 111A and 111B show that "weighing machine No. 1" and "packaging machine No. 1," which were "in operation" until around 02:30, became "in operation" for product changeover work, and then the operation status display units 111C and 111D show that "inspection machine No. 1" and "case maker No. 1" became "in operation" from around 02:40 to 03:00.

[0106] Furthermore, regarding "Packaging Machine No. 1," the "In Operation" display on the operating status display unit 111B around 04:00 suggests that a brief stop (a so-called "short stop") occurred as a result of ignoring the "Warning" display indicating an abnormal condition. Specifically, it appears that the machine remained "In Operation" even after a "Warning" was issued around 03:40, but operation was temporarily stopped around 04:00 to address this "Warning." While further information cannot be gleaned from the display data 100 shown in Figure 2, it can be accessed by operating client devices 31 and 32 to access the server device 30.

[0107] Furthermore, for example, if "weighing machine 1" is weighing machine 11, "packaging machine 1" is packaging machine 13, and "inspection machine 1" is weight sorting machine 17, and weight NG errors occur frequently in weight sorting machine 17 while it is "in operation," but no abnormalities occur in weighing machine 11, it is possible to estimate that an abnormality occurred in weighing machine 11 or packaging machine 13 by comparing it with the mass information of the raw materials discharged from weighing machine 11.

[0108] Furthermore, for example, if "Inspection Machine No. 1" is an X-ray inspection machine 19, and the X-ray inspection machine 19 frequently detects packaging defects such as jamming of the packaged product with the packaging material, it can be inferred that there is a problem with the weighing machine 11 or the packaging machine 13, even if no abnormality is detected in the packaging machine 13.

[0109] In other words, even event data that is not reflected in the display data 100 as shown in Figure 2 can be displayed by accessing the server device 30 via the network 40 from client devices 31 and 32. Therefore, there is no need to actually go to the production line and operate the target equipment. Furthermore, for example, if it is found that new analysis is possible by displaying event data of a certain piece of equipment that was not previously reflected in the display data 100 as equipment status such as an abnormality or warning, the event definition file of the server device 30 can be updated to include that event data in the display data 100, thereby making effective use of past event data and more reliably identifying the causes of production delays on the production line.

[0110] In this embodiment, the case where client devices 31 and 32 are connected to a local network 40 is shown. However, client devices 31 and 32 may also be configured to access and display information from the server device 30 via the Internet or the like. This allows for remote monitoring of the production line's operating status.

[0111] Thus, in the above-described embodiment, the server device 30 displays the operating status and abnormal status of each piece of equipment on the production line in chronological order, with the equipment arranged in the order of the product flow on the production line.

[0112] This allows for a comprehensive overview of the operating status and any abnormal conditions of each piece of equipment on the production line, making it easy to determine the cause of errors that occur on the production line, such as products not flowing even though the equipment is operational.

[0113] In addition, the server device 30 displays the operating status and abnormal status, as well as the occurrence of product defects.

[0114] This allows for a comprehensive overview of product defects, including operating status and abnormal conditions, making it easy to determine the cause of product defects.

[0115] Furthermore, the server device 30 stores video footage of the relevant equipment when an abnormality is transmitted as an abnormal state in the event data, or when an NG is transmitted as an inspection result in the event data, associating it with the event data.

[0116] This allows for the viewing of video footage of equipment when malfunctions occur or when product defects occur, making it easy to determine the cause of errors that occur on the production line.

[0117] Furthermore, the server device 30 displays the operating status, abnormal conditions, and the occurrence of product defects, as well as whether or not there is video of the equipment.

[0118] This allows for a comprehensive overview of the operating status, abnormal conditions, and product defect occurrences, along with the availability of video footage of the equipment. It also makes it easy to check for video footage related to errors that occurred on the production line, and if video footage exists, it allows for easy determination of the cause of the error by reviewing the footage.

[0119] While embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. All such modifications and equivalents are intended to be included in the following claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0120] 1. Production Management System 11. Weighing machines (production line equipment) 12. Filling machine (production line equipment) 13. Packaging machine (production line equipment) 14. Printing machine (production line equipment) 15. Print inspection machine (production line equipment) 16. Visual Inspection Machine (Production Line Equipment) 17. Weight sorting machine (production line equipment) 18. Metal detectors (production line equipment) 19. X-ray inspection machine (production line equipment) 20. Case (production line equipment) 30 Server Devices 100 Display Data 101 (101A, 101B, 101C, 101D) Device display section 111 (111A, 111B, 111C, 111D) Operating status display unit 112 (112A, 112B, 112C, 112D) Abnormal status display unit 113 (113A, 113B, 113C, 113D) NG occurrence display section 114 (114A, 114B, 114C, 114D) Video presence / absence indicator 115 Legend Data

Claims

1. A production management system (1) for managing a production line in which two or more production line components (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20) that perform different processes are arranged in a series, The system includes a server device (30) configured to communicate with the aforementioned production line components, The aforementioned production line components transmit event data, which is information regarding pre-set operating status and abnormal conditions, to the server device, including information about the time the event occurred. The server device identifies the type of event data received and the time of occurrence of the event, and displays the operating status and abnormal state of each production line component of the production line in chronological order on the equipment display unit (101), with the production line components arranged in the order of the product flow on the production line. The production management system is characterized in that the equipment display unit (101) is divided in advance into an operating status display unit (111) for displaying the operating status and an abnormal status display unit (112) for displaying the abnormal status.

2. The server device displays marks in chronological order at positions corresponding to the time of product defect occurrence, in addition to the operating status and the abnormal status. The production management system according to claim 1, wherein the equipment display unit is divided in advance into the operating status display unit and the abnormal status display unit, as well as an NG occurrence display unit (113) that displays the mark at a position corresponding to the time the defect occurred.

3. The system includes an imaging unit that captures images of the vicinity of the production line components and transmits the captured images to the server device. The production management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the server device stores images taken of the vicinity of the production line components, and when it receives the pre-set event data, it cuts out the image of the source production line components for a predetermined acquisition time before and after the time the event occurred, and stores it in association with the transmitted event data.

4. The server device displays, in addition to the operating status and abnormal status, certain events in the video of the production line components in chronological order. The production management system according to claim 3, wherein the equipment display unit is divided in advance into the operating status display unit and the abnormal status display unit, as well as a video presence / absence display unit (114) that displays a mark at a position corresponding to the time of occurrence of an event in the video.

5. A production management program for a production management system (1) comprising: a production line in which two or more production line components (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20) that perform different processes are arranged in a series; and a server device (30) configured to communicate with the production line components, wherein the production line components transmit event data, which is information relating to a preset operating status and abnormal state, to the server device, including information on the time of occurrence of the event, The server device has a function to identify the type of event data received and the time of occurrence of the event, and to display the operating status and abnormal state of each production line component of the production line in chronological order on the equipment display unit (101), with the production line component arranged in the order of the product flow on the production line. A production management program for realizing a function that predefines a display layout that divides the equipment display unit into an operating status display unit (111) for displaying the operating status and an abnormal status display unit (112) for displaying the abnormal status.

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