Monitoring device and robot monitoring system

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to propose a technology capable of monitoring changes in information related to production work with a robot by a worker. This monitoring device 10 according to the present embodiment comprises: a first receiving means 15 that receives an execution history that includes the starting date and time and the ending date and time of predetermined production work, from a robot control device 50 for controlling a robot in accordance with a production program for causing a robot to execute the production work; a second receiving means 15 that receives a change history that includes the date and time when the production program or a variable was changed by a person; and a determination means 123 that compares the change history with the execution history, thereby determining whether or not the timing when the production program or the variable was changed by a person was during the production work.

Description

Surveillance device and robot surveillance system

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a monitoring device and a robot monitoring system having a function of monitoring changes in information related to a production operation of a robot.

[0002] Many robots are used in factory production lines. Monitoring the operational status of these robots is an important technology from the perspective of maintaining production efficiency and production quality. For example, a technology for monitoring the operational status of multiple robots in remote locations is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). However, conventional technologies monitor for abnormalities such as robot failures using a preset monitoring algorithm and notify the robot manager, system manager, or the like of the abnormality.

[0003] JP 2015-131381 A

[0004] However, the monitoring algorithm does not take into account changes made by workers. Therefore, the monitoring program cannot detect changes made by workers to the robot's program, variables such as its operating speed, or system variables. Therefore, the robot manager and the system manager cannot detect these changes made by workers. However, changes made by workers, whether or not they are made correctly, can cause abnormalities in the robot's production operations. Therefore, the robot manager and the system manager should be aware of changes made by workers as a risk of abnormalities. Given this background, there is a need for a technology that can monitor changes made by workers to information related to robot production operations.

[0005] The monitoring device according to this embodiment includes a first receiving means for receiving an execution history including the start date and time and the end date and time of the production work from a robot control device that controls the robot in accordance with a production program for causing the robot to perform a predetermined production task; a second receiving means for receiving a change history including the date and time when the production program or variables were manually changed; and a determining means for determining whether the timing when the production program or variables were manually changed occurred during production work by checking the change history against the execution history.

[0006] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a robot monitoring system including a monitoring device according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the robot control device of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a production program stored in the robot control device of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an execution history management table stored in the robot control device of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a change history management table stored in the robot control device of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram of the monitoring device according to this embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a change history management table stored in the monitoring device of FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a notification screen provided to a user terminal from the monitoring device according to this embodiment. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of monitoring processing by the monitoring device according to this embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of a production program stored in the robot control device of FIG. 1.

[0007] The monitoring device according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, components having substantially the same functions and configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be given only when necessary.

[0008] The monitoring device of this embodiment is a computer device that has the function of determining whether information related to the robot's production work, such as a production program for the robot to execute specified production work and variables used in the production program, has been manually changed during the robot's production work, and the function of notifying a pre-set user terminal that information related to the robot's production work has been manually changed during the production work.

[0009] In this embodiment, "information related to the robot's production work" includes information directly related to the robot's operation, such as information related to the production program and setting information for variables used in the production program. Variables used in the production program include operation speed, standby time, movement format, interpolation format, etc. Changes to the production program include changes, additions, and deletions of operation commands and changes, additions, and deletions of taught positions. Operation commands include movement commands, gripping commands, welding commands, and standby commands. "Information related to the robot's production work" is not limited to information directly related to the robot's operation, but also broadly includes various information that affects the entire robot's production work. Examples of such information include system variables within the robot control device, such as variables related to data transmission and reception. In this embodiment, "variable" refers not only to numerical values, but also to anything that can be treated as a numerical value or code within the robot control device, such as a character string.

[0010] In this embodiment, "during robot production work" means that a production program is being executed. When the robot is stationary in accordance with a standby command included in the production program, this also falls within the robot's production work. Furthermore, if the robot's production work is interrupted midway through a process and then resumed from that process, the period during which the robot's production work is interrupted also falls within the robot's production work. On the other hand, when a robot is made to repeatedly perform production work, the intervals between production tasks are typically not included within the robot's production work. Of course, the intervals between production tasks may also be treated as being included within the production work.

[0011] In this embodiment, an identifier is written in the production program to obtain the start and end dates and times of production work by the robot. The identifier records the date and time when the program is read, and may be the execution command itself or a marker for other programs to record the date and time. In this embodiment, the identifier is referred to as a command.

[0012] 1 shows a robot monitoring system 1 including a monitoring device 10 according to this embodiment. The robot monitoring system 1 includes a robot 40, a robot controller 50 that controls the robot 40, and a monitoring device 10 that is connected to the robot controller 50 via the Internet 90. A user terminal 80 operated by a user who is responsible for managing the robot 40 is connected to the robot controller 50 and the monitoring device 10 via the Internet 90, etc.

[0013] The user terminal 80 is a computer device having the functions of displaying a notification screen provided by the monitoring device 10, displaying a control screen for the robot 40 provided by the robot control device 50, and transmitting various information input in accordance with user operations on the user terminal 80 to the robot control device 50. The user terminal 80 is provided by a smartphone, tablet, PC, or the like. For example, the various information provided from the user terminal 80 to the robot control device 50 includes information related to the production work of the robot 40 and information on changes thereto, information on adding an identifier to a production program, information on deleting an identifier written in a production program, and information on correcting an identifier written in a production program.

[0014] Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the functions of the robot control device 50. As shown in Fig. 2, the robot control device 50 is configured by connecting hardware such as an operation unit 53, a display unit 54, a communication unit (first and second receiving means) 55, and a storage unit 56 to a processor 52 such as a CPU. The robot control device 50 is provided by a general information processing terminal such as a PC or tablet.

[0015] The operation unit 53 has input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, and jog. The input device may be provided by a touch panel that also serves as the display unit 54, or may be provided by an operation device (pendant) dedicated to the robot control device 50. Via the operation unit 53, the user can input to the robot control device 50 information related to the production work of the robot 40 and information on changes thereto, information on adding identifiers to the production program, information on deleting identifiers written in the production program, and information on correcting identifiers written in the production program.

[0016] The operation unit 53 has an interrupt button for interrupting the production work of the robot 40. The interrupt button may be implemented by software. The robot control device 50 controls the robot 40 in accordance with the user's operation of the interrupt button. Specifically, the robot control device 50 interrupts the production work of the robot 40 when the interrupt button is pressed, and resumes the interrupted production work of the robot 40 when the interrupt button is pressed again.

[0017] The display unit 54 has a display device such as an LCD and displays a control screen, etc. The communication unit 55 controls the sending and receiving of data between the monitoring device 10 and the user terminal 80. Through the processing of the communication unit 55, the robot control device 50 can receive various information from the user terminal 80. In addition, the robot control device 50 can send to the monitoring device 10 execution history data managed in the execution history management table and change history data managed in the change history management table.

[0018] The storage unit 56 has a storage device such as an HDD, an SSD, etc. The storage unit 56 stores a monitoring program for the robot control device, a production program for causing the robot 40 to execute production work, variables used in the production program, and system variables related to the internal processing of the robot control device 50. The storage unit 56 also stores an execution history management table and a change history management table.

[0019] FIG. 3 shows an example of a production program. As shown in FIG. 3, the production program is provided in text format, with operation commands written on each line in accordance with the process sequence. The operation commands include a movement command to a teaching position, a gripping command to grip the workpiece, a release command to release the workpiece, a welding command, and a standby command. For example, the command "ichi [1]" written on the second line of the production program indicates a movement command to the teaching position "1." The command "taiki" written on the eighth line indicates a standby command.

[0020] In this embodiment, a recording command for recording date and time information is written in the production program. Typically, the recording command is written in a position that is read before the first operation command in the production program and in a position that is read after the last operation command. Specifically, the second line of the production program is the first operation command. Therefore, the command "start date and time" that records date and time information together with a code that specifies the start date and time is written as a recording command in the first line that is read before the first operation command. Similarly, the tenth line of the production program is the last operation command. Therefore, the command "end date and time" that records date and time information together with a code that specifies the end date and time is written as a recording command in the eleventh line that is read after the last operation command.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the monitoring program for the robot control device stored in the memory unit 56 is executed by the processor 52, so that the robot control device 50 functions as a production program change unit 521, a system variable change unit 522, an execution history update unit 523, and a change history update unit 524.

[0022] The production program change unit 521 changes the production program and the variables used in the production program in accordance with change information for information related to the production work of the robot 40 input via the operation unit 53 and communication unit 55.

[0023] The system variable change unit 522 changes the system variables in accordance with the system variable change information input via the operation unit 53 and the communication unit 55 .

[0024] The execution history update unit 523 reads the identifiers written in the production program, creates a record that compiles the product ID, date and time, code, robot name, and program name, and adds it to the execution history management table.

[0025] 4 shows an example of an execution history management table. The execution history management table manages the production start date and time and the production end date and time of the robot 40. As shown in Fig. 4, each record in the execution history management table manages a product ID for individually identifying the product to be produced, a code for individually identifying the identifier written in the production program, the date and time, the robot name for individually identifying the robot 40 used, and the program name for individually identifying the program used.

[0026] For example, a product ID is production object information for individually identifying a production object, and corresponds to the number of repetitions in the case of repeated production work. The code "1001" is a code for specifying the start date and time, and the code "2001" is a code for specifying the end date and time. Therefore, the date and time "2022 / 01 / 03 10:11:33" corresponding to the product ID "001" and code "1001" indicates the start date and time of production of the first product. The date and time "2022 / 01 / 03 10:13:21" corresponding to the product ID "001" and code "2001" indicates the end date and time of production of the first product. This means that the robot is in production work from the date and time "2022 / 01 / 03 10:11:33" to the date and time "2022 / 01 / 03 10:13:21."

[0027] The change history update unit 524 creates a record that summarizes the change date and time, robot name, change code, and change content in response to change information input for information related to production work by the robot 40 via the operation unit 53 or the communication unit 55, and adds the record to the change history management table. The change history management table manages the change date and time when information related to production work by the robot 40 was changed. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 5, one record in the change history management table manages the change number, change date and time, robot name for individually identifying the robot 40 to which the change was made, change code for individually identifying the changed item, and specific change content.

[0028] Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing the functions of the monitoring device 10. As shown in Fig. 6, the robot control device 50 is configured by connecting hardware such as a communication unit 15 and a storage unit 16 to a processor 12 such as a CPU. The monitoring device 10 is typically provided by a server device.

[0029] The communication unit 15 controls the transmission and reception of data between the robot control device 50 and the user terminal 80. Through processing by the communication unit 15, the monitoring device 10 can receive execution history data and change history data from the robot control device 50. In addition, the monitoring device 10 can transmit a notification screen created by the notification screen creation unit 124 to the user terminal 80.

[0030] The storage unit 16 has a storage device such as an HDD, an SSD, etc. A monitoring program for the monitoring device is stored in the storage unit 16. The storage unit 16 also stores an execution history management table (see FIG. 4) and a change history management table (see FIG. 7).

[0031] When the monitoring program for the monitoring device stored in the memory unit 16 is executed by the processor 12, the monitoring device 10 functions as an execution history update unit 121, a change history update unit 122, a judgment unit (judgment means) 123, and a notification screen creation unit 124.

[0032] The execution history update unit 121 adds the execution history data received from the robot control device 50 to the execution history management table. The execution history management table is the same as the one held by the robot control device 50 shown in Fig. 4, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0033] The change history update unit 122 adds the change history data received from the robot control device 50 to the change history management table, and also adds a production work in progress flag to the change history according to the determination result of the determination unit 123 (described below). FIG. 7 shows an example of a change history management table stored in the monitoring device 10. As shown in FIG. 7, the change history management table managed by the monitoring device 10 is the change history management table managed by the robot control device 50 with the addition of an item "production work in progress flag." The production work in progress flag indicates whether the corresponding change was made during production work. Here, a production work in progress flag of "0" indicates that the change was not made during production work, and a production work in progress flag of "1" indicates that the change was made during production work.

[0034] The determination unit 123 checks the execution history for the change history to determine whether the information related to the production work of the robot 40 was changed during production work. For example, the change date and time for change No. "1" in the change history management table shown in FIG. 7 is "2022 / 01 / 03 / 09:05." When checking the execution history management table stored in the monitoring device 10, the change date and time "2022 / 01 / 03 / 09:05" is a date and time before production started. Therefore, the determination unit determines that the change corresponding to change No. "1" was not made during production work. As a result, a production work in progress flag of "0" is written to the record corresponding to change No. "1," indicating that the change was not made during production work.

[0035] The change date and time for change No. "3" in the change history management table shown in Figure 7 is "2022 / 01 / 03 / 10:23". When the execution history management table stored in the monitoring device 10 is consulted, the change date and time "2022 / 01 / 03 / 10:23" is the date and time during production work for product ID "002". Therefore, the determination unit determines that the change corresponding to change No. "3" was made during production work. As a result, a production work in progress flag of "1" is written to the record corresponding to change No. "1", indicating that the change was made during production work.

[0036] The notification screen creation unit 124 creates a notification screen to notify the user that information related to the production work of the robot 40 has been changed. FIG. 8 shows an example of a notification screen displayed on the user terminal 80. As shown in FIG. 8, the notification screen includes information indicating that information related to the production work of the robot 40 has been changed during production work, the name of the robot that was changed, the product ID, a change code indicating the items that were changed, and the specific changes. By viewing the notification screen, the user can understand that information related to the production work of the robot 40 has been changed during production work, as well as the products that were being produced at the time the change was made, the items that were changed, and the specific changes.

[0037] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the monitoring process performed by the monitoring device 10. As shown in FIG. 8, the monitoring device 10 waits until it starts receiving the execution history, in other words, until the robot control device 50 starts controlling the robot 40 (S11; NO). When it starts receiving the execution history (S11; YES), the monitoring device 10 starts the monitoring process. The monitoring device 10 receives the execution history (S12) and adds the received execution history to the execution history management table (S13). When it receives the change history (S14; YES), the monitoring device 10 checks the change history in the execution history management table and determines whether the change indicated by the change history occurred during production work by the robot 40. When it determines that the change occurred during production work by the robot 40 (S15; YES), the monitoring device 10 adds the received change history to the change history management table with the production work in progress flag set to “1” (S16). The monitoring device 10 then creates a notification screen (S17) and sends the created notification screen to the user terminal 80 (S18). If it is determined that the change is not made during production work by the robot 40 (S15; NO), the monitoring device 10 adds the received change history to the change history management table with the production work flag set to "0" (S19).

[0038] The processes of steps S12 to S19 are repeatedly executed until reception of the execution history is completed, in other words, until control of the robot 40 by the robot control device 50 is completed (S20; NO). When reception of the execution history is completed (S20; YES), the monitoring process by the monitoring device 10 is completed.

[0039] The monitoring device 10 according to this embodiment provides the following advantages. Based on the execution history and change history provided by the robot control device 50, the monitoring device 10 according to this embodiment can determine whether information related to the production work of the robot 40 has been changed during the production work of the robot 40. This allows the user to understand changes to information related to the production work of the robot 40 during the production work of the robot 40, which are particularly likely to lead to production defects. The monitoring device 10 can also send a notification screen to the user terminal notifying the user of changes made during the production work. This notification screen includes text information indicating that the change occurred during the production work, as well as the robot name, product ID, changed items, and details. The risk of production defects varies depending on the changed items and the details of the changes. For example, changes to production programs and variables directly related to the production work of the robot 40 pose a higher risk of production defects for the robot 40 than changes to system variables. In addition, a user may manage multiple robots 40. By understanding the changed items and details of the changes via the notification screen, the user can address changes in order of the highest risk of production defects, thereby efficiently managing the overall production work of multiple robots 40. Furthermore, by knowing which products were being produced and which robots were performing production work at the time of the change, when an abnormality actually occurs in a product, it is possible to quickly determine which robot caused the abnormality or which product the abnormality occurred in.

[0040] In this embodiment, to obtain the start date and time and end date and time of the production work of the robot 40, as shown in FIG. 3, a start command is written in a position in the production program that is read before the first operation command, and an end command is written in a position that is read after the last operation command. This allows the date and time output by the start command and the date and time output by the end command to define the production work of the robot 40. By referencing this, it is possible to determine whether the information related to the production work of the robot 40 has been changed during the production work. However, it is also possible to obtain the start date and time or end date and time of at least one of the multiple processes constituting the production program. For example, to obtain the start date and time of each of the multiple processes constituting the production program, as shown in FIG. 10, a command for obtaining the date and time is written in a line between the operation commands written in the order of the processes. This makes it possible to obtain not only the start date and time and end date and time of the production work, but also the start date and time (end date and time) of each process, thereby determining whether the information related to the production work of the robot 40 has been changed during the production work and identifying which process the change was made in. By understanding at which process during production work changes were made, users can analyze and understand the risk of production defects in more detail.

[0041] The monitoring device 10 according to this embodiment has a function of creating a notification screen to notify the user that information related to the production work of the robot 40 has been changed during production work, and transmitting the notification screen to the user terminal 80. However, regardless of whether production work is in progress, changes to information related to the production work of the robot 40 may pose a risk of production defects depending on the robot 40 and the content of the production work. Therefore, the monitoring device 10 may create a notification screen to notify the user that information related to the production work of the robot 40 has been changed, regardless of whether production work is in progress, and transmit the notification screen to the user terminal 80.

[0042] In this embodiment, the monitoring program installed in the robot control device 50 and the monitoring device 10 may be recorded on removable media and distributed, or may be distributed by being downloaded to the user's computer via a network.

[0043] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail, the present disclosure is not limited to the individual embodiments described above. Various additions, substitutions, modifications, partial deletions, etc. are possible in these embodiments without departing from the gist of the invention or the concept and spirit of the present invention derived from the content of the claims and their equivalents. For example, in the above-described embodiments, the order of each operation and the order of each process are shown as examples and are not limited to these. The same applies when numerical values ​​or mathematical expressions are used in the description of the above-described embodiments.

[0044] 10... monitoring device, 12... processor, 121... execution history update unit, 122... change history update unit, 123... determination unit, 124... notification screen creation unit, 15... communication unit, 16... storage unit.

Claims

1. a first receiving means for receiving an execution history including a start date and an end date of a production task from a robot control device that controls the robot in accordance with a production program for causing the robot to execute a predetermined production task; a second receiving means for receiving from the robot control device a change history including a date and time when the production program or the variable was manually changed; a determination means for determining whether the production program or the variable was manually changed during the production operation by referring to the change history in the execution history; A monitoring device comprising:

2. The monitoring device according to claim 1 , further comprising a means for notifying a user that the production program or variables have been manually changed during production work of the robot.

3. The execution history includes production object information for individually identifying the production object, 3. The monitoring device according to claim 1, further comprising an identification unit that identifies a production object when the change is made during production work by the robot, based on the production object information.

4. The production operation comprises a plurality of steps, The first receiving means receives, from the robot control device, an execution history including a start date and time and an end date and time of the production work as well as a start date and an end date and time of the process, 3. The monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the determination means identifies one process among a plurality of processes constituting the production work in which the production program or variable has been manually changed by comparing the change history with the execution history.

5. a robot control device that controls the robot in accordance with a production program for causing the robot to execute a predetermined production task; A monitoring device connected to the robot control device, The monitoring device includes a first receiving means for receiving an execution history including a start date and an end date of the production work; A second receiving means for receiving a change history including a date and time when the production program or the variable was manually changed; a determination means for determining whether the production program or variables were manually changed during the production work by checking the change history against the execution history.