Transport control system, and determining method

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a transport control system and a normality determining method capable of suppressing a deterioration in processing efficiency. [Solution] A transport control system 8 comprises an imaging unit 31 for capturing an image from above a pallet 6 on which workpieces divided by means of a machining machine 1 are placed, and a processing unit 32 for determining the presence or absence of an abnormality on the basis of a captured image captured by the imaging unit 31, wherein the processing unit 32 acquires the captured image, including a product Wa and remaining material Wb, as machined objects, from the imaging unit 31, and determines that there is an abnormality if positions of the machined objects in the captured image that has been acquired are offset from an original intended position.

Description

Transport control system and determination method

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport control system and a determination method.

[0002] It is known that when a processing machine cuts out a product from a material placed on a pallet, so-called jointless processing is performed, in which there is no connection between the product and the remaining material (see Patent Document 1). This jointless processing eliminates the need for manual removal work to separate the product from the remaining material. Furthermore, as a post-processing step of jointless processing, the product is removed from the pallet and the remaining material is discharged using a conveying device or the like, thereby automating the series of operations from processing to removal of the product and discharge of the remaining material.

[0003] Patent No. 4847269

[0004] In jointless processing, the product and the waste material are completely separated. Therefore, the state (e.g., position) of the product and the waste material on the pallet may fluctuate due to vibrations during pallet movement after processing. This state fluctuation may affect the removal of the product and the discharge of the waste material. For example, if the product and the waste material on the pallet deviate from their normal state (i.e., their intended state), the product or the waste material may change its position or overlap, making it impossible to remove the product or the waste material. This may prevent the product or the waste material from being properly removed by a conveying device, etc. If the product or the waste material is not properly removed or discharged, the processing machine and the conveying device, etc., must be stopped to resolve the cause, resulting in a decrease in processing efficiency. Patent Document 1 does not disclose or suggest the state of both the product and the waste material on the pallet, and therefore is unable to prevent the aforementioned decrease in processing efficiency.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a transfer control system and a determination method that can suppress a decrease in processing efficiency.

[0006] A conveying control system according to an aspect of the present invention comprises an imaging unit that captures an image of a pallet on which workpieces cut by a processing machine are placed, and a processing unit that determines whether or not there is an abnormality based on the image captured by the imaging unit.The processing unit acquires the image from the imaging unit, which includes products and leftover materials as workpieces, and determines that there is an abnormality if the position of the workpiece on the acquired image is deviated from its intended position.

[0007] A determination method according to an aspect of the present invention includes capturing an image of a pallet on which workpieces cut by a processing machine are placed using an imaging unit, obtaining an image from the imaging unit that includes the finished product and remaining materials as the workpieces, and determining that an abnormality has occurred if the position of the workpieces in the obtained image is deviated from the position where they should be.

[0008] According to the above-described conveyance control system or determination method, an imaging unit captures an image of a pallet, and a processing unit determines whether or not there is an abnormality based on the image captured by the imaging unit. The processing unit acquires an image from the imaging unit that includes the product, which is a workpiece cut by a processing machine, and the remaining material. If the position of the workpiece in the acquired image is deviated from its intended position, the processing unit determines that there is an abnormality. Therefore, if an abnormality is determined in the product or remaining material on the pallet, the processing unit can take action to address the abnormality. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the product from being properly removed and the remaining material from being properly discharged, and to prevent a decrease in processing efficiency.

[0009] In the transport control system according to the above aspect, a take-out control unit is provided that controls a take-out device that takes out a workpiece on a pallet as a take-out target, and when the processing unit determines that the position of the take-out target is shifted from its original position, the take-out control unit may change at least one of the position and posture of the take-out device when taking out the workpiece according to the amount of shift in the position of the workpiece. With this configuration, it is possible to take out a take-out target that has shifted position on the pallet.

[0010] The conveyance control system according to the above aspect includes a take-out control unit that controls the take-out device to sequentially take out the workpieces on the pallet according to a take-out order, and the take-out control unit may change the take-out order if the positions of the workpieces are deviated from their intended positions. Furthermore, if the positions of the workpieces are deviated from their intended positions and there are overlapping workpieces, the take-out control unit may change the take-out order so that the workpieces are taken out starting from the top of the overlapping workpieces. With this configuration, it is possible to take out the workpieces to be taken out even if there are overlapping workpieces on the pallet.

[0011] In the conveyance control system according to the above aspect, the initial take-out order is set to take out the product after the remaining material, and the take-out control unit may change the initial take-out order so that if at least a portion of a product overlaps the remaining material, the product is taken out before the remaining material. With this configuration, it is possible to take out the target to be taken out even if the product and the remaining material overlap on the pallet.

[0012] In the conveyance control system according to the above aspect, the imaging unit may take an image of the pallet each time a product is removed by the conveyance device, and the removal control unit may determine whether the products are overlapping each time a product is removed, and if there are overlapping products, change the removal order so that the topmost product is removed first. With this configuration, it is possible to remove products to be removed even if there are overlapping products on the pallet.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a transport control system according to the present embodiment; FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a transport control system according to the present embodiment; FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of a processing pallet and a lift device according to the present embodiment; FIG. 4 is a view showing an example of a processing pallet and a lift device according to the present embodiment; FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a processing unit and an information processing device according to the present embodiment; FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of a design position according to the present embodiment; FIG. 7 is a view explaining layout data according to the present embodiment; FIG. 8 is a view showing a schematic example of a captured image when a workpiece on a processing pallet according to the present embodiment is captured; FIG. 9 is a view showing an example of a removal order according to the present embodiment; FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a removal process according to the present embodiment.

[0014] The present invention will be described below through embodiments, but the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention. In the drawings, identical or similar parts may be designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations may be omitted. Furthermore, the shapes and sizes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity, and may differ in shape and size from the actual product.

[0015] In the drawings, directions in the drawings may be explained using an XYZ coordinate system. In the XYZ coordinate system, a plane parallel to the horizontal plane is the XY plane. One direction in this XY plane is referred to as the X direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X direction is referred to as the Y direction. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to the XY plane is referred to as the Z direction. The X, Y, and Z directions will be explained assuming that the direction indicated by the arrow in the drawing is the + direction, and the direction opposite to the arrow is the - direction.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a transfer control system 8 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a transfer control system 8 according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, the transfer control system 8 is applied to a processing system PS. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the processing system PS includes, for example, a processing machine 1, a stocker 2, a loader device 3, a gripper device 4, a processing pallet 5, a pallet changer 6, a lift device 7, and a transfer control system 8. Note that the loader device 3 and the gripper device 4 are each an example of a take-out device.

[0017] The processing machine 1 performs processing such as cutting on the unprocessed workpiece W placed on the processing pallet 5, dividing the workpiece W into a product Wa and a remnant material Wb. This processing is so-called jointless processing, in which there is no connection between the product Wa and the remnant material Wb. For example, the processing machine 1 irradiates the unprocessed workpiece W placed on the processing pallet 5 with laser light to divide the workpiece W on the processing pallet 5 into the product Wa and the remnant material Wb. The workpiece W is, for example, a plate-shaped material. The remnant material Wb is a plate-shaped material remaining after the processing machine 1 cuts the product Wa from the workpiece W, and is sometimes referred to as a skeleton. For example, the remnant material Wb is a plate-shaped material that includes the peripheral portion of the workpiece W and is connected to each other. The product Wa and the remnant material Wb are each an example of a workpiece. Note that the processing machine 1 is not limited to laser processing, and jointless processing may be performed using a processing method other than laser processing.

[0018] Here, the processing system PS is provided with a storage area AR1 and a carry-in / out area AR2. The storage area AR1 stores, for example, workpieces W before processing. The storage area AR1 also stores the processed workpieces W, i.e., products Wa.

[0019] The carry-in / out area AR2 is located on the +X side of the processing machine 1. The carry-in / out area AR2 is located between the processing machine 1 and the storage area AR1. For example, a workpiece W before processing is transported from the storage area AR1 to the carry-in / out area AR2. The workpiece W before processing is then transported from the carry-in / out area AR2 to the processing machine 1, and is cut into a product Wa and a remnant material Wb by the processing machine 1.

[0020] The stocker 2 is arranged in the storage area AR1. The stocker 2 stores unprocessed workpieces W and processed products Wa. The stocker 2 includes, for example, a plurality of storage shelves 11 and an elevator 12.

[0021] The multiple storage shelves 11 are arranged, for example, in the vertical direction (Z direction). The storage shelves 11 store, for example, material pallets (not shown) on which multiple unmachined workpieces W are placed. The elevator 12 is raised and lowered by an elevator drive device (not shown). The elevator 12 can take material pallets out of the storage shelves 11 and raise and lower the material pallets.

[0022] A temporary storage area AR3 is provided in the storage area AR1. The temporary storage area AR3 is provided, for example, adjacent to the +Y side of the stocker 2. The stocker 2 uses the elevator 12 to place a material pallet on which a plurality of unmachined workpieces W are placed in the temporary storage area AR3.

[0023] The storage shelf 11 also stores product pallets 13 on which products Wa are accumulated. The elevator 12 can remove the product pallets 13 from the storage shelf 11 and raise and lower the product pallets 13. The stocker 2 places the product pallets 13 in a temporary storage area AR3. The loader device 3 places products Wa on the product pallets 13 placed in the temporary storage area AR3. The stocker 2 transfers the product pallets 13 with the products Wa placed on them from the temporary storage area AR3 to the storage shelf 11.

[0024] The loader device 3 transports pre-machined workpieces W or products Wa. For example, the loader device 3 transports pre-machined workpieces W from the temporary storage area AR3 to the carry-in / out area AR2 and places them on the processing pallet 5 placed in the carry-in / out area AR2. The loader device 3 also performs product unloading processing of the products Wa from the processing pallet 5. For example, as the product unloading processing, the loader device 3 removes the products Wa from the processing pallet 5 placed in the carry-in / out area AR2 and transfers the removed products Wa to the product pallet 13 in the temporary storage area AR3. The loader device 3 includes, for example, a Y-rail 15, a traveling cart 16 that can travel on the Y-rail 15, and a transfer device 17 provided on the traveling cart 16.

[0025] The Y-rail 15 extends in a direction (Y-direction) that intersects with the movement direction (X-direction) of the processing pallet 5. An X-rail 18 extending in the X-direction is provided on the upper part of the traveling carriage 16. The transfer device 17 is attached to the X-rail 18.

[0026] The transfer device 17 includes an X movable body 19 movable along an X rail 18, a Z movable body 20 attached to the X movable body 19, and an adsorption unit 21 attached to the lower end of the Z movable body 20. The X rail 18 is provided above the temporary storage area AR3 and above the carry-in / out area AR2. The X movable body 19 is movable between the temporary storage area AR3 and the carry-in / out area AR2. The Z movable body 20 is movable in the vertical direction (up and down). The adsorption unit 21 moves in the Y direction by the traveling carriage 16, moves in the X direction by the X movable body 19, and moves in the vertical direction by the Z movable body 20. The adsorption unit 21 can adsorb and hold the workpiece W or product Wa before machining.

[0027] As the product unloading process for the products Wa, the loader device 3 may unload multiple products Wa all at once from the processing pallet 5, or may unload each product Wa individually. Furthermore, as the product unloading process for the products Wa, the loader device 3 may transfer multiple products Wa unloaded from the processing pallet 5 onto the product pallet 13 all at once, or may transfer each product individually onto the product pallet 13. Furthermore, when two or more types of products Wa are formed by processing one workpiece W, the loader device 3 may sort the products Wa by type and transfer each type of product Wa onto the product pallet 13.

[0028] The gripper device 4 is disposed above the processing pallet 5 on the +X side of the processing machine 1. The gripper device 4 is also movable in the Y direction and can be retracted from above the processing pallet 5. Although Figures 1 and 2 show a configuration in which the gripper device 4 is retracted to the +Y side of the processing pallet 5, the gripper device 4 may also be retracted to the -Y side of the processing pallet 5.

[0029] The gripper device 4 removes the remaining material Wb placed on the processing pallet 5 from the processing pallet 5. The gripper device 4 has multiple gripping sections 4a that grip the +Y side and the -Y side of the remaining material Wb. The multiple gripping sections 4a are aligned in the X direction and are provided so that they can be raised and lowered. The gripper device 4 holds and removes the remaining material Wb from the workpiece lifted by the lift device 7 using the gripping sections 4a.

[0030] For example, the gripper device 4 removes the residual material Wb from the processing pallet 5 before the loader device 3 removes the product Wa from the processing pallet 5. However, without being limited to this, the gripper device 4 may remove the residual material Wb from the processing pallet 5, for example, after the loader device 3 removes the product Wa from the processing pallet 5. After removing the residual material Wb from the processing pallet 5, the gripper device 4 may perform a residual material discharge process in which the residual material Wb is discharged to a residual material recovery unit 10. The residual material recovery unit 10 is located on the -Y side of the processing pallet 5 that has been retracted from the processing machine 1.

[0031] For example, when removing a remnant material Wb from the processing pallet 5, the gripper device 4 is positioned so that the multiple gripping sections 4a are positioned above the vicinity of the outer periphery of the processed workpiece W. In this state, the multiple gripping sections 4a descend to grip the remnant material Wb, and then ascend to lift the remnant material Wb from the workpiece W. The gripper device 4 moves in the -Y direction to above the remnant material recovery section 10 (see FIG. 1 ) while gripping the remnant material Wb with the gripping sections 4a. When the multiple gripping sections 4a release their grip on the remnant material Wb, the remnant material Wb falls and is discharged into the remnant material recovery section 10. In other words, the remnant material recovery section 10 is positioned below within a range in which the gripper device 4 can move, and recovers the remnant material Wb discharged by the gripper device 4.

[0032] The processing pallet 5 can be moved in and out of the processing machine 1 with the workpiece W placed on it. The processing pallet 5 is equipped with, for example, wheels that can move along rails 28. The rails 28 extend from the processing machine 1 to the pallet changer 6. The processing pallet 5 supports the workpiece W before processing. The processing pallet 5 also supports workpieces including products Wa cut from the workpiece W by the processing machine 1 and remnants Wb. The processing pallet 5 transports the workpiece W before processing or the workpieces between the loading / unloading area AR2 and the processing machine 1.

[0033] The processing pallet 5 is, for example, rectangular when viewed vertically. The processing pallet 5 includes, for example, a frame 5a and multiple support plates 5b. Each of the multiple support plates 5b is plate-shaped and is arranged upright relative to the frame 5a. The multiple support plates 5b each extend in the Y direction and are arranged at predetermined intervals in the X direction. The multiple support plates 5b are arm portions that extend longitudinally in a plan view and are arranged parallel to each other. Each of the multiple support plates 5b has an upper end formed in a sawtooth shape. The multiple support plates 5b support the underside of the workpiece W at multiple points (tips of the sawtooth). The processing pallet 5 is movable with workpieces, including products Wa cut by laser processing and remnants Wb, placed on the multiple support plates 5b.

[0034] The pallet changer 6 is provided in the carry-in / out area AR2 and is arranged on the +X side of the processing machine 1. The pallet changer 6 switches the processing pallet 5 that is carried in or out of the processing machine 1. The pallet changer 6 also delivers the processing pallet 5 to or from the processing machine 1. The pallet changer 6 transports the processing pallet 5 along the rails 28, for example, by pulling the processing pallet 5. For example, a hook connected to a wire is hung on the processing pallet 5, and the wire is wound around a drive unit to pull the processing pallet 5. Note that the mechanism for moving the processing pallet 5 can be changed as appropriate, and for example, the processing pallet 5 may be self-propelled.

[0035] The lift device 7 lifts the workpiece placed on the processing pallet 5 from the processing pallet 5. The lift device 7 lifts at least one of the product Wa obtained by cutting the workpiece W by the processing machine 1 and the remaining material.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows an example of a processing pallet 5 and a lifting device 7. FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a state in which a workpiece W is supported by the processing pallet 5. FIG. 3B is a perspective view of a state in which a workpiece W is supported by the lifting device 7. As shown in FIG. 3, the lifting device 7 includes a movable plate 8a and a plurality of arms 8b. The movable plate 8a is disposed directly below the processing pallet 5 when the processing pallet 5 is disposed in the loading / unloading area AR2 (see FIG. 1). The movable plate 8a is movable in the vertical direction by a drive device (not shown). The plurality of arms 8b are each provided on the upper surface of the movable plate 8a. The plurality of arms 8b extend in the longitudinal direction (Y direction) in a plan view and are arranged in parallel to each other.

[0037] The arms 8b are, for example, plate-shaped and extend vertically upward from the upper surface of the movable plate 8a. The arms 8b may have a shape other than plate-shaped, such as a columnar shape. The dimensions and arrangement of the arms 8b are set so that they can be inserted between two adjacent support plates 5b on the processing pallet 5. The upper surfaces of the arms 8b are aligned (height). As shown in FIG. 3A , when the lift device 7 rises from a position below the processing pallet 5, the upper surfaces of the arms 8b protrude upward beyond the support plates 5b, as shown in FIG. 3B , and the workpiece is transferred from the processing pallet 5 to the lift device 7. In other words, the workpiece is supported by the lift device 7 (arms 8b). The loader device 3 picks up the product Wa supported by the arms 8b and transfers it onto the product pallet 13. The gripper device 4 also removes the remaining material Wb supported by the arm portion 8 b from the processing pallet 5 and discharges it to the remaining material recovery section 10 (remaining material discharge process).

[0038] The transport control system 8 includes, for example, an illumination unit 30, one or more imaging units 31, a processing unit 32, and a take-out control unit 33. In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, the transport control system 8 includes two imaging units 31A and 31B. When there is no need to distinguish between the imaging units 31A and 31B, they may be simply referred to as "imaging units 31."

[0039] The lighting unit 30 is arranged on one side of the lift device 7 in the horizontal direction. The lighting unit 30 is also arranged on one side of the processing pallet 5 arranged in the loading / unloading area AR2. In this embodiment, the one side of the lift device 7 is the +X side of the lift device 7. As an example, the lighting unit 30 is attached to the stocker 2. The lighting unit 30 is arranged, for example, in the loading / unloading area AR2, in an orientation (posture) such that it irradiates light over an area including the entire top surface of the processing pallet 5. For example, an LED light is used as the lighting unit 30. The light irradiated from the lighting unit 30 is, for example, visible light.

[0040] Although one illumination unit 30 is used in this embodiment, two or more illumination units 30 may be used. The illumination unit 30 may be configured to continuously emit light or to emit light intermittently. The illumination unit 30 emits light that radiates to illuminate the entire upper surface of the lift device 7, but this is not limited to this configuration. For example, the illumination unit 30 may emit light that radiates over a narrow range while changing the angle with respect to the lift device 7 or the processing pallet 5 in a planar view (scanning), thereby radiating light so as to illuminate the entire upper surface of the lift device 7 or the processing pallet 5 in a predetermined time cycle. In this case, the illumination unit 30 radiates light for at least one cycle while the imaging unit 31 is capturing images, so as to cover the entire upper surface of the lift device 7 or the processing pallet 5.

[0041] The imaging unit 31 is disposed, for example, on the −X side of the processing pallet 5 disposed in the carry-in / out area AR2. The imaging unit 31 is attached, for example, to the processing machine 1. For example, of the two imaging units 31, the imaging unit 31A is disposed on the +Y side in the Y direction, and the imaging unit 31B is disposed on the −Y side in the Y direction.

[0042] The imaging unit 31 captures an image of the processing pallet 5. The imaging unit 31 has a field of view that allows it to capture images of the workpieces, including the products Wa and remnants Wb, on the processing pallet 5. That is, the imaging unit 31 acquires an image that captures all of the workpieces on the processing pallet 5. The imaging unit 31 transmits the acquired image to the processing unit 32. The captured image may be a still image or a video. The workpieces on the processing pallet 5 may be workpieces placed on the processing pallet 5 or workpieces lifted above the processing pallet 5 by the lift device 7. The imaging unit 31 can capture light from the lighting unit 30 reflected by the workpieces on the processing pallet 5. In this embodiment, the distance between the imaging units 31A and 31B in the Y direction is set so that the light reflected from the workpieces can be captured from the edges of the top surface of the lift device 7.

[0043] The imaging unit 31 captures an image of the processing pallet 5 when a workpiece is removed from the processing pallet 5 by a removal device (e.g., the loader device 3 or the gripper device 4). For example, if the removal device removes the workpieces from the processing pallet 5 one by one, the imaging unit 31 captures an image of the processing pallet 5 each time a workpiece is removed. For example, if a product removal process is performed after a residual material discharge process, the imaging unit 31 first captures an image of the processing pallet 5 before the residual material discharge process is performed, i.e., before the residual material Wb is removed by the gripper device 4. Furthermore, if the loader device 3 removes products Wa one by one from the processing pallet 5 as part of the product removal process, the imaging unit 31 captures an image of each product Wa as it is removed. Furthermore, the imaging unit 31 captures an image of the processing pallet 5 after both the residual material discharge process and the product removal process have been performed.

[0044] The processing unit 32 is connected to each of the imaging units 31A and 31B via a wired or wireless connection. The processing unit 32 is also connected to the illumination unit 30 via a wired or wireless connection. The processing unit 32 is also connected to the removal control unit 33 via a wired or wireless connection. FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of the processing unit 32 and the removal control unit 33 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4 , the processing unit 32 includes, for example, a recognition unit 40, an abnormality determination unit 41, an overlap determination unit 42, a residue detection unit 43, and an output unit 44. These components are implemented by a hardware processor, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), executing a program (software). Some or all of these components may be implemented by hardware (including circuitry), such as an LSI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or may be implemented by a combination of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (a storage device with a non-transitory storage medium) such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or flash memory, or may be stored in a removable storage medium (a non-transitory storage medium) such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the storage device by inserting the storage medium into a drive device. The storage device may be configured, for example, with a HDD, flash memory, EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), or the like.

[0045] The processing unit 32 performs various processes, such as recognizing the workpiece on the processing pallet 5 and determining whether or not there is an abnormality, based on the captured image from the imaging unit 31. In this case, the captured image from the imaging unit 31 may be the image from the imaging unit 31A, the image from the imaging unit 31B, or both. The processing unit 32 may generate a new captured image using the captured image from the imaging unit 31A and the captured image from the imaging unit 31B, and perform processes described below (e.g., workpiece recognition, abnormality determination, overlap determination, and residue determination) using the generated captured image.

[0046] The recognition unit 40 acquires the captured images captured by the imaging unit 31. Based on the acquired captured images, the recognition unit 40 recognizes each workpiece on the processing pallet 5. The recognition unit 40 then detects positional information for each recognized workpiece. The positional information includes at least one of the following: a position in one direction parallel to the horizontal plane (hereinafter referred to as the "X-direction position"), a position in a direction parallel to the horizontal plane and perpendicular to the one direction (hereinafter referred to as the "Y-direction position"), and a position in a direction around a vertical axis (hereinafter referred to as the "placement angle") θ. The X-direction position and the Y-direction position indicate the distance from an arbitrarily set reference (hereinafter referred to as the "layout reference") in the XY coordinate system to the reference position Pa of each product Wa or the reference position Ps of the remnant Wb. The placement angle θ is an angle that determines the coordinates and orientation of the placement of the product or remnant. For example, the placement angle θ is the placement angle of the product or remnant relative to a straight line in the Y direction.

[0047] For example, the recognition unit 40 recognizes each workpiece shown in the captured image acquired from the imaging unit 31 based on the design information of the workpiece. For example, the recognition unit 40 recognizes the product Wa and the remnant material Wb from the captured image by pattern matching based on the design shapes of the product Wa and the remnant material Wb, which are the workpieces. However, the recognition unit 40 is not limited to this, and the recognition unit 40 can use known techniques other than pattern matching, for example, other image recognition techniques such as template matching, as a method of recognizing the product Wa and the remnant material Wb.

[0048] The design information includes design values ​​for shape information (hereinafter referred to as "design shape") and position information (hereinafter referred to as "design position") of each product Wa and remnant material Wb on the processing pallet 5. The design information may be, for example, nesting data in which multiple products Wa are allocated to the workpiece W. The nesting data is, for example, layout data for cutting multiple products from the workpiece W, and includes the design shapes and design positions of the products Wa and remnant material Wb.

[0049] 5 is a diagram showing an example of a design position. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of layout data according to this embodiment. Here, the design position is each design value of the X-direction position, the Y-direction position, and the arrangement angle θ. For example, the design information includes a design position in which the X-direction position, the Y-direction position, and the arrangement angle θ are associated for each product Wa. The design information also includes the design position (for example, the X-direction position, the Y-direction position, and the arrangement angle) of the remnant material Wb.

[0050] For example, the X-direction position X1, the Y-direction position Y1, and the placement coordinate θ1 are associated as the design position of product Wa1. The X-direction position X1 is the distance in the X direction from the layout reference position P0 to the reference position Pa1 of product Wa1. The Y-direction position Y1 is the distance in the Y direction from the layout reference position P0 to the reference position Pa1. For example, the X-direction position X2, the Y-direction position Y2, and the placement coordinate θ2 are associated as the design position of product Wa2. The X-direction position X2 is the distance in the X direction from the layout reference position P0 to the reference position Pa2 of product Wa2. The Y-direction position Y2 is the distance in the Y direction from the layout reference position P0 to the reference position Pa2. For example, the X-direction position Xb1, the Y-direction position Yb1, and the placement coordinate θb1 are associated as the design position of remnant material Wb1. For example, the X-direction position Xb2, the Y-direction position Yb2, and the placement coordinate θb2 are associated with each other as the design position of the remaining material Wb2.

[0051] The abnormality determination unit 41 determines whether or not an abnormality exists based on the captured image of the processing pallet 5 captured by the imaging unit 31. Specifically, the abnormality determination unit 41 determines whether or not an abnormality exists based on the captured image of the workpiece cut by the processing machine 1. The workpiece may include the product Wa and the remnant material Wb, or may be either the product Wa or the remnant material Wb. For example, the abnormality determination unit 41 determines whether or not each position of the workpiece recognized by the recognition unit 40 is deviated from its intended position. Then, the abnormality determination unit 41 determines that an abnormality exists when the positions of one or more workpieces are deviated from their intended positions.

[0052] When the product discharge process is performed after the remainder discharge process, the abnormality determination unit 41 acquires an image of the processing pallet 5 from the imaging unit 31 before the product discharge process, i.e., before the gripper device 4 removes the remainder Wb. This image captures all of the products Wa and remainder Wb cut by the processing machine 1. The abnormality determination unit 41 determines, based on this image, whether the positions of the multiple products Wa and remainder Wb on the processing pallet 5 are deviated from their intended positions. The abnormality determination unit 41 then determines an abnormality when the positions of one or more workpieces (products Wa or remainder Wb) are deviated from their intended positions. Furthermore, during the product discharge process, the abnormality determination unit 41 acquires an image of the processing pallet 5 from the imaging unit 31 each time a product Wa is removed by the loader device 3. The abnormality determination unit 41 then determines, based on this image, whether the positions of the multiple products Wa on the processing pallet 5 are deviated from their intended positions.

[0053] More specifically, the abnormality determination unit 41 calculates a positional deviation Δd1, which is the difference between the position of the product Wa recognized from the captured image and the design position corresponding to the product Wa, and determines that the product Wa is in the position where it should be if the calculated positional deviation Δd1 is within a first tolerance range. In other words, if the positional deviation Δd1 is within the first tolerance range, the abnormality determination unit 41 determines that the position of the product Wa is normal.

[0054] The positional deviation amount Δd1 may be, for example, a difference in at least one of the X-direction position, the Y-direction position, and the arrangement angle, but is preferably a difference in all of the X-direction position, the Y-direction position, and the arrangement angle. For example, an allowable range is set for each of the X-direction position, the Y-direction position, and the arrangement angle. The abnormality determination unit 41 calculates a difference ΔPx1 between the X-direction position of the product Wa recognized from the first captured image and the X-direction position corresponding to that product Wa. The abnormality determination unit 41 calculates a difference ΔPy1 between the Y-direction position of the product Wa recognized from the first captured image and the Y-direction position corresponding to that product Wa. The abnormality determination unit 41 calculates a difference Δθ1 between the arrangement angle of the product Wa recognized from the first captured image and the arrangement angle corresponding to that product Wa.

[0055] The abnormality determination unit 41 determines that the product Wa is in the position where it should be if the differences ΔPx1, ΔPy1, and Δθ1 are all within the first allowable ranges. On the other hand, if at least one of the differences ΔPx1, ΔPy1, and Δθ1 is outside the first allowable ranges, the abnormality determination unit 41 determines that the product Wa is not in the position where it should be.

[0056] Similarly, the abnormality determination unit 41 determines whether the position of the remaining material Wb recognized from the captured image is the position where the remaining material Wb should be on the processing pallet 5. For example, the abnormality determination unit 41 compares the position of the remaining material Wb recognized from the captured image with the design position corresponding to the remaining material Wb, and determines whether the remaining material Wb is normal based on the comparison result. More specifically, the abnormality determination unit 41 calculates the positional deviation Δd2 between the position of the remaining material Wb recognized from the captured image and the design position corresponding to the remaining material Wb, and if the calculated positional deviation Δd2 is within a second tolerance range, the abnormality determination unit 41 determines that the remaining material Wb is in the position where it should be. In other words, if the positional deviation Δd2 is within the second tolerance range, the abnormality determination unit 41 determines that the position of the remaining material Wb is normal.

[0057] The positional deviation amount Δd2 may be, for example, a difference in at least one of the X-direction position, the Y-direction position, and the arrangement angle, but is preferably a difference in all of the X-direction position, the Y-direction position, and the arrangement angle. For example, the abnormality determination unit 41 calculates a difference ΔPx2 between the X-direction position of the remnant material Wb recognized from the captured image and the X-direction position corresponding to the remnant material Wb. The abnormality determination unit 41 calculates a difference ΔPy2 between the Y-direction position of the remnant material Wb recognized from the captured image and the Y-direction position corresponding to the remnant material Wb. The abnormality determination unit 41 calculates a difference Δθ2 between the arrangement angle of the remnant material Wb recognized from the captured image and the arrangement angle corresponding to the remnant material Wb. If the differences ΔPx2, ΔPy2, and Δθ2 are all within the second allowable range, the abnormality determination unit 41 determines that the remnant material Wb is in its proper position. On the other hand, if at least one of the differences ΔPx2, ΔPy2, and Δθ2 is outside the second allowable range, the abnormality determination unit 41 determines that the remaining material Wb is not in the position where it should be.

[0058] If the abnormality determination unit 41 determines an abnormality, i.e., if it determines that the positions of the workpieces are deviated from their intended positions, the overlap determination unit 42 performs an overlap determination to determine whether or not there is an overlap of workpieces. Here, "overlapping workpieces" includes cases where at least a portion of the workpieces overlap. For example, the overlap determination unit 42 determines that there is an overlap of workpieces if the entire or a portion of the edge (contour) of a workpiece cannot be detected in the captured image recognized by the recognition unit 40. In other words, if the overlap determination unit 42 cannot detect the entire or a portion of the edge (contour) of a workpiece, it determines that another workpiece is overlapping the workpiece. If it determines that there is an overlap of workpieces, the overlap determination unit 42 distinguishes between the identification information of the workpiece whose edge cannot be detected in part or in whole and the identification information of the workpiece overlapping the workpiece.

[0059] The residual object detection unit 43 acquires, from the imaging unit 31, an image of the processing pallet 5 after the residual material discharge process and the product removal process. The residual object detection unit 43 performs a residual object determination to determine whether or not residual objects remain on the processing pallet 5 based on the acquired image. For example, the residual object detection unit 43 determines whether or not residual objects remain by comparing a reference image acquired in advance with the image acquired from the imaging unit 31. The reference image is an image obtained by capturing an image by the imaging unit 31 when no workpieces are placed on the processing pallet 5. When the transport control system 8 includes two imaging units 31A and 31B, reference images corresponding to the imaging units 31A and 31B are used.

[0060] The output unit 44 outputs data obtained by the processing performed by the recognition unit 40, the abnormality determination unit 41, the overlap determination unit 42, and the residue detection unit 43 to the take-out control unit 33. For example, the output unit 44 outputs position information of each workpiece recognized by the recognition unit 40 to the take-out control unit 33. As an example, the output unit 44 outputs information (hereinafter referred to as the "recognition result") that associates the identification information of each workpiece on the processing pallet 5 recognized by the recognition unit 40 with the position information of the workpiece to the take-out control unit 33. The identification information may be an identification number or the name of the workpiece. The output unit 44 outputs the determination result of the abnormality determination unit 41 to the take-out control unit 33. For example, when the abnormality determination unit 41 determines an abnormality, the output unit 44 outputs information including the identification information of the workpiece, the positional deviation amount of the workpiece, and the overlap determination result to the take-out control unit 33. In the overlap determination, when it is determined that there is an overlap of workpieces, the determination result includes identification information of the workpiece whose edge was not detected in part or in whole, and identification information of the workpiece overlapping the workpiece. Furthermore, when the residue detection unit 43 detects a residue, the output unit 44 outputs information including the position of the residue to the removal control unit 33.

[0061] The take-out control unit 33 comprehensively controls the processing machine 1. The take-out control unit 33 controls the operations of the processing machine 1, stocker 2, loader device 3, gripper device 4, processing pallet 5, pallet changer 6, and lift device 7. The take-out control unit 33 controls the operations of each unit, for example, by reading predetermined programs and data stored in a storage device (not shown), or based on programs and data sent from a higher-level device.

[0062] The take-out control unit 33 controls the gripper device 4 to execute the residual material discharge process. The take-out control unit 33 also controls the loader device 3 to execute the product removal process. That is, the take-out control unit 33 controls the operation of the loader device 3 and the gripper device 4 to sequentially take out the workpieces on the processing pallet 5 according to the take-out order. This take-out order specifies the order in which the workpieces are taken out of the processing pallet 5 by the take-out device (loader device 3 and gripper device 4). That is, the order in which the workpieces set as the take-out targets among the multiple workpieces on the processing pallet 5 are taken out is preset as the take-out order. An example of the configuration of the take-out control unit 33 will be described below.

[0063] The take-out control unit 33 includes, for example, a planning unit 50 and a drive control unit 51 .

[0064] The planning unit 50 determines control information necessary to pick up the target to be picked according to the picking order. The control information is, for example, at least one of the position and posture of the pick-up device when the pick-up device picks up the target to be picked. For example, the planning unit 50 has information on at least one of the position and posture of the pick-up device when picking up the target to be picked (hereinafter referred to as "control information") preset for each workpiece on the processing pallet 5. The initial setting control information is at least one of the position and posture of the pick-up device when picking up the target to be picked up in a state where the target to be picked up is not misaligned. The initial setting control information is set in advance from, for example, design information. Note that misalignment refers to when the workpiece is misaligned from its original position.

[0065] When the target to be removed is in its proper position, the planning unit 50 outputs a removal command including initial setting control information to the drive control unit 51. On the other hand, when the target to be removed is shifted from its proper position, the planning unit 50 changes the control information of the target to be removed based on the amount of positional shift. In other words, when the target to be removed is shifted from its proper position, the planning unit 50 changes the control information from the initial setting control information to control information that takes into account the amount of positional shift so that the target to be removed can be removed. For example, when the target to be removed is shifted, the planning unit 50 changes the control information of the target to be removed by adding the amount of positional shift (e.g., difference ΔPx, difference ΔPy) to the initial setting control information (e.g., X coordinate position, Y coordinate position). The planning unit 50 outputs a removal command including the changed control information to the drive control unit 51.

[0066] During transport of the processing pallet 5 or removal of the workpieces, the workpieces on the processing pallet 5 may become displaced from their intended positions and overlap one another. In this case, for example, if the workpiece to be removed is located below the workpiece, it may be difficult to remove the workpiece. Therefore, the planning unit 50 may change the removal order when there are overlapping workpieces. As an example, when the positions of the workpieces on the processing pallet 5 are displaced from their intended positions and there are overlapping workpieces, the planning unit 50 may change the removal order so that the overlapping workpieces are removed from the top. In this case, the planning unit 50 determines control information for the workpieces to be removed after changing the removal order and outputs a removal command including the determined control information to the drive control unit 51. The planning unit 50 can determine whether there are overlapping workpieces based on the results of the overlap determination and identify the overlapping workpieces.

[0067] An example of changing the take-out order will be described. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a captured image when workpieces on the processing pallet 5 are imaged. Fig. 8 shows an example of a take-out order when the workpieces shown in Fig. 7 are taken out. Fig. 8(A) shows an example of the initially set take-out order. Fig. 8(B) shows an example of the take-out order after change.

[0068] The imaging unit 31 captures the captured image shown in FIG. 7 by capturing an image of the workpieces on the processing pallet 5. The processing unit 32 recognizes each of the products Wa1 to Wa9 in the captured image shown in FIG. 7, as well as the remaining material Wb. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the product Wa1 has moved from its original position and is overlapping the product Wa2 and the remaining material Wb. The product Wa5 has also moved from its original position and is overlapping the remaining material Wb. Furthermore, the product Wa8 has not been processed by the processing machine 1 for some reason and is not present on the processing pallet 5. In such a case, the planning unit 50 changes the initial removal order so that the overlapping workpieces, i.e., the products Wa1 and Wa5, are removed first.

[0069] For example, the planning unit 50 changes the take-out order shown in FIG. 8A to the take-out order shown in FIG. 8B. Specifically, the initial setting specifies that products Wa1 to Wa9 are taken out after the remaining material Wb is taken out. However, the planning unit 50 changes the take-out order so that products Wa1 and Wa5 are taken out before the remaining material Wb. While there is no particular limitation on which of product Wa1 and product Wa5 is taken out first, since the initial setting specifies that product Wa1 is taken out before product Wa5, the planning unit 50 changes the take-out order so that products Wa1, Wa5, and remaining material Wb are taken out in this order. In the changed take-out order, the order of the workpieces in their original positions is set according to the order specified in the initial setting. Furthermore, since product Wa8 does not actually exist, the planning unit 50 sets the take-out order to skip product Wa8. For example, in the changed take-out order, the planning unit 50 invalidates the take-out of the ninth product, that is, product Wa8, and sets the order so that product Wa9 is taken after product Wa7 is taken.

[0070] When the drive control unit 51 receives a take-out command for a take-out target from the planning unit 50, it controls the take-out device to take out the take-out target. For example, the drive control unit 51 receives a take-out command. The drive control unit 51 controls at least one of the position and posture of the take-out device so that at least one of the position and posture of the take-out device becomes the position and posture of the control information included in the take-out command. This allows the remaining material discharge process and the product carry-out process to be performed.

[0071] The flow of the workpiece removal process according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the removal process according to this embodiment.

[0072] When a processing pallet 5 on which a workpiece W to be processed is placed is carried into the processing machine 1, the processing machine 1 processes the workpiece W on the processing pallet 5 and cuts the workpiece W into a product Wa and a remnant material Wb. The workpiece, including the product Wa and the remnant material Wb cut by the processing machine 1, is carried out from the processing machine 1 to the carry-in / out area AR2 while still placed on the processing pallet 5. In other words, the processing pallet 5 on which the workpiece, including the product Wa and the remnant material Wb, is placed is carried out from the processing machine 1 to the carry-in / out area AR2. When the processing pallet 5 is carried out to the carry-in / out area AR2, steps S101 to S110 are started. That is, the processing (removal processing) from step S102 to step S109 is performed until there are no more workpieces to be removed.

[0073] For example, the take-out control unit 33 transmits a photographing command to the processing unit 32. This photographing command includes design information of the workpiece. Upon receiving the photographing command, the processing unit 32 controls the illumination unit 30 to irradiate the processing pallet 5 on which the workpiece is placed with light, and causes the imaging unit 31 to capture an image of the workpiece on the processing pallet 5 (step S102). For example, the processing unit 32 may acquire the captured image by causing the imaging unit 31 to capture an image of the workpiece lifted from the processing pallet 5 by the lift device 7, or may acquire the captured image by causing the imaging unit 31 to capture an image of the workpiece placed on the processing pallet 5.

[0074] The processing unit 32 recognizes the shape and position of the workpiece on the processing pallet 5 based on the acquired captured image and the design information included in the image capture command (step S103). The processing unit 32 then determines whether each of the recognized workpieces is displaced from its intended position (step S104). Because the product Wa and the remnant material Wb on the processing pallet 5 are individually cut, they may be displaced from their intended positions. Examples of factors that can cause the product Wa and the remnant material Wb to be displaced from their intended positions include vibration during pallet movement, interference between the nozzle and the workpiece (product Wa or remnant material Wb) during cutting, tilting of the workpiece due to gas ejection, or scattering of the workpiece due to gas ejection. In such cases, the loader device 3 may be unable to properly remove the product Wa from the processing pallet 5, or the gripper device 4 may be unable to properly remove the remnant material Wb, resulting in reduced processing efficiency. Therefore, from the viewpoint of suppressing a decrease in processing efficiency, it is important to determine whether the positions of the product Wa and the waste material Wb on the processing pallet 5 are in their proper positions. That is, in this embodiment, the processing unit 32 can suppress a decrease in processing efficiency by determining whether the positions of the workpieces are in their proper positions.

[0075] When the processing unit 32 determines that the recognized workpieces, i.e., the workpieces on the processing pallet 5, are not displaced from their proper positions, it determines that the workpieces are normal, and outputs this information to the removal control unit 33. On the other hand, when the processing unit 32 determines that one or more workpieces on the processing pallet 5 are displaced from their proper positions, it determines that an abnormality has occurred. When the processing unit 32 determines that the workpieces are displaced from their proper positions, i.e., when it determines that an abnormality has occurred, it determines whether or not the workpieces overlap (step S105).

[0076] If the processing unit 32 determines that the workpieces are overlapping, it outputs an abnormality determination result including information about the overlapping workpieces and the recognition result recognized in step S103 to the take-out control unit 33. The information about the overlapping workpieces includes identification information about the overlapping workpieces and the amount of positional misalignment of the workpieces. On the other hand, if the processing unit 32 determines that the workpieces are not overlapping, it outputs an abnormality determination result indicating this and the recognition result recognized in step S103 to the take-out control unit 33.

[0077] The planning unit 50 can determine whether or not there are overlapping workpieces based on the abnormality determination result from the processing unit 32. If there are overlapping workpieces, the planning unit 50 changes the take-out order so that the overlapping workpieces are taken out preferentially from the top (step S106). On the other hand, if there are no overlapping workpieces, the planning unit 50 does not change the take-out order and proceeds to step S107.

[0078] The planning unit 50 changes the control information of the target to be removed that is displaced from its intended position (step S107). For example, the planning unit 50 changes the control information from the initial setting to control information that takes into account the amount of positional displacement so that the target to be removed that is displaced from its intended position can be removed. In this case, the planning unit 50 transmits a removal command including the changed control information to the drive control unit 51 (step S108). On the other hand, if the target to be removed is not displaced from its intended position in step S104, the planning unit 50 transmits a removal command including the initial setting control information to the drive control unit 51.

[0079] The drive control unit 51 controls the take-out device based on the take-out command to perform take-out of the take-out target. Take-out of the take-out target is a product carry-out process for the product Wa or a remainder discharge process for the remainder Wb. When the drive control unit 51 completes the take-out of the take-out target, it transmits a completion signal indicating the completion to the planning unit 50. When the planning unit 50 receives the completion signal, it transmits a photography command for the next take-out process to the processing unit 32. In this way, the processes of steps S102 to S110 are repeatedly performed until the take-out of all take-out targets specified in the take-out order is completed.

[0080] When all removal processes are completed, in other words, when the removal control unit 33 determines that the remainder discharge process and the product carry-out process are completed, the processing unit 32 causes the imaging unit 31 to capture an image of the processing pallet 5. As a result, the processing unit 32 acquires an image of the processing pallet 5 after the remainder discharge process and the product carry-out process are completed (step S111). When the remainder discharge process and the product carry-out process are completed, the remainder detection unit 43 determines whether or not any remainder remains on the processing pallet 5 based on the image acquired in step S111 (step S112).

[0081] After the residual material discharge process and the product removal process are completed, it is normal for all products Wa and residual materials Wb to remain on the processing pallet 5. However, for some reason, a product Wa or residual material Wb may be missed. Therefore, in this embodiment, the residual material detection unit 43 determines whether or not there is any residual material on the processing pallet 5 in step S114. This makes it possible to detect whether or not there is any product Wa or residual material Wb missed. If the residual material detection unit 43 determines that there is any residual material, the removal control unit 33 may obtain information about the residual material from the residual material detection unit 43 and control the removal device to remove the residual material. For example, if there is any residual material and the residual material is a product Wa, the removal control unit 33 may receive information about the residual material and cause the loader device 3 to remove the residual material based on the received information. In addition, if there is any remaining material and that remaining material is remaining material Wb, the removal control unit 33 may receive that information and, based on the received information, cause the gripper device 4 to eject the remaining material.

[0082] In addition, when determining whether or not there is an abnormality, the abnormality determination unit 41 may determine whether or not there is a foreign object on the workpiece. Here, if the processing system PS is provided with a removal unit that removes foreign objects from the workpiece, when the abnormality determination unit 41 determines that there is a foreign object on the workpiece, it notifies the removal control unit 33 to that effect and the location of the foreign object. When the removal control unit 33 receives the notification, it may send a command signal including the location of the foreign object to the removal unit to cause the removal unit to remove the foreign object.

[0083] In the processing system PS to which the transfer control system 8 is applied, the respective positions of the processing machine 1, stocker 2, loader device 3, gripper device 4, processing pallet 5, pallet changer 6, and lift device 7 can be changed as desired and are not limited to the above-mentioned positions. For example, in the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, the workpiece W is transferred from the +X direction relative to the processing machine 1, but this is not limiting, and the workpiece W may also be transferred from the -X direction relative to the processing machine 1.

[0084] 9 , the processing unit 32 applies various image processing to the captured image on the processing pallet 5 to recognize the shape, position, overlap, etc. of the workpiece. Here, this image processing may include, for example, processing to detect at least one of contours and shadows. The image processing may also include correction processing to correct distortion of the workpiece in the captured image. For example, if the captured image obtained from the imaging unit 31 is an image of the workpiece captured from an oblique angle, the correction processing may include processing to correct the captured image so that the image is an image of the workpiece captured from directly above.

[0085] The above-described embodiments disclose the following configurations: (Configuration 1) A conveyance control system including an imaging unit 31 that images a processing pallet 5 on which workpieces cut by a processing machine 1 are placed, and a processing unit 32 that determines whether or not there is an abnormality based on the image captured by the imaging unit 31, wherein the processing unit 32 acquires an image from the imaging unit 31 that includes a product Wa and a remnant material Wb as workpieces, and determines that there is an abnormality if the position of the workpiece in the acquired image is deviated from its intended position. (Configuration 2) A conveyance control system according to Configuration 1, including a take-out control unit 33 that controls a take-out device (loader device 3, gripper device 4) that takes the workpieces on the processing pallet 5 as a take-out target, wherein the take-out control unit 33 changes at least one of the position and attitude of the take-out device when taking the workpiece according to the amount of deviation of the position of the workpiece when the processing unit 32 determines that the position of the workpiece is deviated from its intended position. (Configuration 3) The conveyance control system according to Configuration 1, further comprising a take-out control unit 33 that controls take-out devices (loader device 3, gripper device 4) that sequentially take out workpieces on the processing pallet 5 in accordance with a take-out order, wherein the take-out control unit 33 changes the take-out order if the positions of the workpieces are deviated from their intended positions. (Configuration 4) The conveyance control system according to Configuration 2 or 3, wherein the take-out control unit 33 changes the take-out order so that the topmost workpiece is taken out if the positions of the workpieces are deviated from their intended positions and there is overlapping of workpieces. (Configuration 5) The conveyance control system according to Configuration 3 or 4, further comprising: an initial take-out order that products are taken out after remaining materials, wherein the take-out control unit 33 changes the initial take-out order so that the product Wa is taken out before the remaining materials if at least a portion of the product Wa overlaps the remaining materials Wb. (Configuration 6) A conveyance control system according to any one of configurations 2 to 4, wherein the imaging unit 31 takes an image of the processing pallet 5 each time a product is removed by the conveyance device, and the removal control unit 33 determines whether the products are overlapping each time a product Wa is removed, and if there are overlapping products Wa, changes the removal order so that the product Wa at the top of the stack is removed first.

[0086] One or more of the requirements described in the above-described embodiments may be omitted. Furthermore, the requirements described in the above-described embodiments may be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, the execution order of each procedure shown in this embodiment can be realized in any order as long as the results of a previous procedure are not used in a subsequent procedure. Furthermore, even if the operations in the above-described embodiments are described using terms such as "first," "next," and "subsequently" for convenience, it is not necessary to perform the operations in this order. Furthermore, to the extent permitted by law, the disclosures of Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-177226 and all documents cited in the above-described embodiments are incorporated herein by reference.

[0087] W: Work Wa: Product Wb: Remaining material PS: Processing system 1: Processing machine 2: Stocker 3: Loader device (removal device) 4: Gripper device (removal device) 5: Processing pallet 6: Pallet changer 7: Lift device 10: Conveyance control system 30: Lighting unit 31: Imaging unit 32: Processing unit 33: Removal control unit

Claims

1. an imaging unit that images a pallet on which the workpiece cut by the processing machine is placed; A processing unit that determines the presence or absence of an abnormality based on the captured image captured by the imaging unit, The processing unit acquires the captured image including the product and remaining material as the workpiece from the imaging unit, and determines that an abnormality has occurred if the position of the workpiece on the acquired captured image is deviated from its intended position.

2. a take-out control unit that controls a take-out device that takes out the workpiece on the pallet as a take-out target, The transport control system of claim 1, wherein when the processing unit determines that the position of the object to be removed is shifted from the desired position, the removal control unit changes at least one of the position and posture of the removal device when removing the object to be removed according to the amount of deviation of the position of the object to be removed.

3. a take-out control unit that controls a take-out device that sequentially takes out the workpieces on the pallet in a take-out order; The transport control system according to claim 1 , wherein the take-out control unit changes the take-out order when the positions of the workpieces are deviated from the positions where the workpieces should be.

4. The conveying control system according to claim 3, wherein the removal control unit changes the removal order so that the overlapping workpieces are removed from the top of the overlapping workpieces when the positions of the workpieces are shifted from the positions where they should be and the workpieces overlap.

5. The initial removal order is determined to remove the product after the remainder, The conveying control system according to claim 4 , wherein the removal control unit changes the initial removal order so that, when at least a portion of the product overlaps the remaining material, the product is removed before the remaining material.

6. the imaging unit images an image of the pallet each time the product is taken out by the take-out device, The conveying control system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the removal control unit determines whether the products are overlapping each time the products are removed, and if the products are overlapping, changes the removal order so that the product at the top of the overlap is removed first.

7. Taking an image of a pallet on which the workpiece cut by the processing machine is placed with an imaging unit; The method includes obtaining an image from the imaging unit that includes a product and a remnant material as the workpiece, and determining that an abnormality has occurred if the position of the workpiece on the obtained image is deviated from the position where it should be.

Images