Management device, marking system, and marking management method

Abstract

According to the present invention, setting information relating to a marking performed by a marking device with respect to an object is acquired from the outside of a management device, information relating to an inspection area for inspection of the marking performed by an inspection device is acquired from the outside of the management device, association data in which the setting information is associated with the inspection area is generated, and the generated association data is registered in the management device.

Description

Management device, marking system, and marking management method

[0001] The present invention relates to a management device, a marking system, and a marking management method.

[0002] Various techniques for marking objects using industrial printers have been known. For example, Patent Document 1 states that "the laser marking device L includes a display control unit 105 that displays an operation screen D4 on a display unit 102, a first monitoring unit 110 that detects an interlock state, and a second monitoring unit 111 that detects a trouble state. When the operation screen D4 is displayed on the display unit 102, the display control unit 105 transitions the operation screen D4 to a first display mode when an interlock state is detected, and transitions the operation screen D4 to a second display mode when a trouble state is detected. The first display mode and the second display mode have a common layout that shares a portion of the layout of the operation screen D4, and when the display control unit 105 detects both an interlock state and a trouble state, the display control unit 105 prioritizes transition to the first display mode over the second display mode."

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-042503

[0004] According to the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, a user can grasp the current status of a marking device. However, in order to grasp the current status of a marking device, it is necessary to check the status on a display device such as a display connected to the marking device. Therefore, if there are multiple marking devices, it is necessary to check the display device of each of them.

[0005] Furthermore, marking devices are often connected to various other devices, such as inspection devices to check whether marking has been performed correctly. To understand the status of these various devices, it is necessary to check the status using the display devices connected to each device, which increases the operational burden.

[0006] Such problems can arise not only when the marking devices are put into operation, but also before operation when the settings for marking are made for each device depending on the object being marked. For example, when multiple types of marking are to be made, it is necessary to set the setting information, such as the marking position and marking format, for each type in the marking device. In accordance with this setting, it is also necessary to set the inspection area, such as the imaging range and position of the camera that inspects the marking in the inspection device. In other words, since each device used for marking needs to be set separately according to the type of marking, the preparation burden is heavy not only during operation but also before operation.

[0007] As such, in the past, it was necessary to check the settings and operational status of each device used for marking on each device, so in order to solve this problem, there was a demand for technology that would enable users to manage marking with less burden.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a technique that enables users to manage markings with less of a burden.

[0009] The management device of the present invention is a management device that has a processor and memory, and is configured as a computer that can communicate with a marking device that marks an object with specified information, and an inspection device that inspects the marking made by the marking device, and is characterized in that the processor acquires, from outside the management device, setting information regarding the marking on the object to be performed by the marking device, acquires, from outside the management device, information regarding the inspection area for inspecting the marking to be performed by the inspection device, generates correspondence data that associates the setting information with the inspection area, and registers the generated correspondence data in the management device.

[0010] According to the present invention, the user can manage markings with less burden.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a marking system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an inkjet printer according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an inspection device according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a management device according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of an outline of a computer. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of print data. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of setting information. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of inspection result data. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of inspection area data defining an inspection area. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of association data. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for pre-operation processing. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a product type registration screen. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an editing screen. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a product type call screen. FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for operation processing. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen.

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The examples are illustrative for explaining the present invention, and appropriate omissions and simplifications have been made for clarity of explanation. The present invention can be implemented in various other forms. Unless otherwise specified, each component may be singular or plural. The position, size, shape, range, etc. of each component shown in the drawings may not represent the actual position, size, shape, range, etc., in order to facilitate understanding of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the position, size, shape, range, etc. disclosed in the drawings.

[0013] Although various types of information may be described using expressions such as "table," "list," and "queue" as examples, the various types of information may also be expressed using data structures other than these. For example, various types of information such as "XX table," "XX list," and "XX queue" may also be expressed as "XX information." When describing identification information, expressions such as "identification information," "identifier," "name," "ID," and "number" are used, but these are interchangeable.

[0014] When there are multiple components with the same or similar functions, they may be described using the same reference numeral with different subscripts. When there is no need to distinguish between these multiple components, the subscripts may be omitted.

[0015] In the embodiments, processing performed by executing a program may be described. Here, a computer executes the program using a processor (e.g., a CPU or a GPU) and performs processing defined by the program using storage resources (e.g., memory) and interface devices (e.g., communication ports). Therefore, the entity performing the processing by executing the program may be the processor. Similarly, the entity performing the processing by executing the program may be a controller, device, system, computer, or node having a processor. The entity performing the processing by executing the program may be any computing unit, and may include a dedicated circuit that performs specific processing. Here, the dedicated circuit may be, for example, an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device), or the like.

[0016] A program may be installed on a computer from a program source. The program source may be, for example, a program distribution server or a computer-readable storage medium. When the program source is a program distribution server, the program distribution server may include a processor and storage resources for storing the program to be distributed, and the processor of the program distribution server may distribute the program to be distributed to other computers. In addition, in the embodiments, two or more programs may be realized as one program, or one program may be realized as two or more programs.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a marking system 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The marking system 1000 is a system that applies marking, such as printing, to a predetermined area of ​​a transport target object (hereinafter simply referred to as target object) T transported on a transport path TR in a transport direction DR. While printing processing will be described below as an example of marking, the system can also be applied to marking various information such as figures, symbols, and codes. Therefore, the term "printing" simply includes printing such information in a predetermined area of ​​the target object. In other words, the marking system 1000 can also be said to be a system that processes such targets.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the marking system 1000 includes an inkjet printer 100 , an inspection device 200 , and a management device 300 .

[0019] The inkjet printer 100 is an industrial printer that prints on an object T. The inkjet printer 100 has a print head 101 composed of nozzles and the like, and prints predetermined print information from the print head 101 in a predetermined area of ​​the object T. The print head 101 is electrically connected to the inkjet printer 100. The inkjet printer 100 prints predetermined print information about the contents of the bread, which is a food product, in a certain area of ​​the packaging bag, which is the predetermined area, by ejecting ink from the print head 101, for example. The predetermined print information is, for example, production information about the bread. Examples of the production information include the bread's expiration date, production date, and factory code indicating the factory where the bread was produced.

[0020] In the following examples, the manufacturing information will be described using information that directly represents the above-mentioned manufacturing information, such as letters, numbers, symbols, and codes. However, information that indirectly represents the manufacturing information, such as barcodes and two-dimensional codes, may also be used. The inkjet printer 100 may be a conventionally known industrial inkjet printer. The inkjet printer 100 prints the above-mentioned manufacturing information in the specified area based on control from the management device 300. Furthermore, while an inkjet printer is used as an example of a marking device below, the present invention is not limited to this and may be similarly applied to various other industrial marking devices.

[0021] The inspection device 200 is a device that performs a print inspection of the characters printed on the target T by the inkjet printer 100. The print inspection is, for example, an inspection to determine whether the characters printed by the inkjet printer 100 are good or bad. The inspection may, for example, check for typos and omissions, as well as whether character components such as character shape, color, and gloss satisfy predetermined conditions. The inspection device 200 includes a camera 201 having a sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor), and the camera 201 captures an image including the manufacturing information printed by the inkjet printer 100. For example, the inspection device 200 uses the camera 201 to capture an image including the manufacturing information printed by the inkjet printer 100 in a certain area of ​​the above-mentioned bread packaging bag.

[0022] The inspection device 2000 reads the captured image to inspect whether the manufacturing information is printed correctly in the specified area. Correct content means, for example, that the printed manufacturing information meets specified standards (e.g., position, size, shape, etc.). The camera 201 is electrically connected to the inspection device 200. The inspection device 200 may use a conventionally known industrial print inspection device as hardware. The inspection device 200 captures an image including the above-mentioned manufacturing information under the control of the management device 300.

[0023] The management device 300 is a computer that manages the inkjet printer 100, the inspection device 200, the barcode reader 400, and the storage 500. The management device 300 has a controller for collectively controlling these IoT-enabled devices. Therefore, by simply connecting the management device 300 to these devices with a cable, a user can collectively control communications and settings from a user interface (e.g., a touch panel) connected to the management device 300. Furthermore, the management device 300 automatically collects data on the operational performance of these devices during operation periodically or in real time and stores the collected data in the storage 500. Therefore, the management device 300 can contribute to the development of an environment for DX (Digital Transformation) at the installation site (e.g., a factory that marks the above-mentioned manufacturing information for shipping the target object T).

[0024] Furthermore, by expanding the functionality of the management device 300, it becomes possible to configure a wide range of systems by linking with peripheral devices other than those described above, and with higher-level systems and other systems via the network 700. The following description will be given on the assumption that the devices collectively managed by the management device 300 are the inkjet printer 100, the inspection device 200, the barcode reader 400, and the storage 500. However, various devices used for marking, such as a discharge device for discharging objects T that have been marked and inspected but have failed, may also be included in the management targets of the management device 300.

[0025] A barcode reader 400 is electrically connected to the management device 300. The barcode reader 400 reads setting information D stored in advance in the storage 500 in order to switch the type of object T to be marked. The setting information D includes information for identifying the type of object or contents, such as the type name, type number, and product name code, in addition to the manufacturing information described above. The following description is based on the assumption that the barcode reader 400 is connected to the management device 300. However, a reader that reads not only one-dimensional codes such as barcodes but also two-dimensional codes such as QR Codes (registered trademark) may be connected to achieve the same function. Various conventionally known readers may be used as hardware for the barcode reader 400. The barcode reader 400 reads the setting information described above under control of the management device 300.

[0026] The storage 500 is a storage device managed by the management device 300 and stores various information used in this system. The storage 500 stores the above-mentioned setting information, operation information recording operation results, and the like, as well as various settings and print results of the inkjet printer 100 and various settings and inspection results of the inspection device 200. Specific examples of this information will be described later. The storage 500 may use conventionally known hardware such as a NAS (Network Attached Storage) or a database. The above-mentioned information is read from or stored in the storage 500 under the control of the management device 300.

[0027] The inkjet printer 100, inspection device 200, management device 300, and storage 500 are electrically connected to one another via a cable 600 such as a local area network (LAN). The management device 300 is also connected to a higher-level system and other systems via a network 700. The network 700 may be, for example, a general public line network such as the Internet.

[0028] 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an inkjet printer according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the inkjet printer 100 comprises an MPU (microprocessing unit) 7 for controlling the entire inkjet printer, a RAM (random access memory) 9 for temporarily storing data within the inkjet printer, a flash memory ROM 10 for storing programs and the like for printing the manufacturing information output from the inkjet printer 100, a display device 11 for displaying the manufacturing information and the like, an operation panel 12 for inputting the manufacturing information and setting information for the manufacturing information, a print object detection circuit 25 for detecting the target object, a print speed circuit 8 for controlling the print speed of the inkjet printer 100, a print control circuit 13 for overall control of printing by the inkjet printer 100 other than the print speed, a video RAM 14 for storing video data for charging the ink droplets 18b, a character signal generation circuit 16 for generating a charging voltage for charging the ink droplets 18b, and a print inspection device interface 15 for electrically connecting to an inspection device 200, all of which are connected by a bus line 17 for transmitting data and the like.

[0029] The print head 101, which is a printing mechanism, has an ink container 19 that holds ink 18a, a nozzle 20 that ejects the ink, a charging electrode 21 that is installed to generate a charging electric field in the area where the ink 18a ejected from the nozzle 20 separates and becomes ink particles 18b, thereby charging the ink particles 18b, a negative deflection electrode 22a that generates a deflection electric field in the flight path of the ink particles 18b to deflect the charged ink 18b, a deflection power supply 23 that applies a deflection voltage to the positive deflection electrode 22b, and a gutter 24 that collects ink particles 18b that were not used for printing.

[0030] The print head 101 draws up ink 18a from an ink container 19, pressurizes it, and supplies it to the nozzles 20. Inside the print head 101, ink pressurized to the desired pressure is supplied to the ejection path. Also inside the print head 101, a voltage is applied to vibrate a piezoelectric vibrator, causing the ink to vibrate and atomize. The atomized ink 18b is ejected from the orifice of the charging electrode 21. The ink particles 18b, charged by the charging electrode 21, are deflected by a force proportional to the amount of charge while flying in the electric field between the positive deflection electrode 22a and the negative deflection electrode 22b, and fly toward the printing target 2, where they land. At this time, the landing position of the ink particles 18b in the deflection direction changes depending on the amount of charge, and characters and figures are printed on the printing target by multiple landing particles. In the following, the explanation will be given on the assumption that the landing position of the ink droplets 18b in the deflection direction changes depending on the charge amount, but the landing position may also be changed depending on the frequency of the piezoelectric element in the nozzle. Here, it has been described that the operation panel 12 is used to input the manufacturing information and the setting information which is the setting value thereof, but it is also used temporarily when the input device and output device of the management device 300, which will be described later, cannot be operated.

[0031] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an inspection apparatus according to this embodiment. The inspection apparatus 200 is an apparatus for inspecting the manufacturing information printed by the inkjet printer 100. As shown in FIG. 3 , the inspection apparatus 200 includes an image input unit 41 that reads, for example, by scanning, an image input from a camera 201 disposed in advance at a predetermined position; an image storage unit 42 that stores the image read by the image input unit 41 in a storage medium such as an HDD (hard disk drive); an MPU 26 that constitutes an image processing unit that performs processing using the image stored in the image storage unit 42, such as extracting a printed image from the image input from the camera 201 and controlling the amount and timing of illumination, and determining whether the characters to be inspected pass or fail; a ROM 31 that stores programs for implementing the functions of the MPU 26 and various data used in this system; and an input / output unit 32 that transfers the various data to and from the inkjet printer 1 and outputs information to the monitor 6. The MPU 26 includes an image processing circuit 261 that performs image processing such as binarization, and a reading determination unit 262 that performs inspections based on the deviation of the landing position of the ink droplets 18b from a reference position. Here, the input / output unit 32 has been described as transferring the various data described above, but it is also used temporarily when the input and output devices of the management device 300, which will be described later, cannot be operated. The position of the camera 201 is predetermined, but this position may be changed depending on the product type.

[0032] 4 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the management device in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the management device 300 functionally includes a control unit 301 that controls the entire management device 300, a terminal control unit 302 that controls communication and transmission and reception of information between the management device 300 and devices and apparatuses connected to the management device 300, a print information acquisition unit 303 that acquires manufacturing information printed by the inkjet printer 100 and operation information of the inkjet printer 100 (both of which will be described in detail later), an inspection result information acquisition unit 304 that acquires inspection result information obtained by the inspection device 200 performing a print inspection and operation information of the inspection device 200 (both of which will be described in detail later), a setting information acquisition unit 305 that acquires setting information and an inspection area (both of which will be described in detail later) read from the barcode reader 400, and the above-mentioned the printing information acquisition unit 301 and the inspection device 200 to set the setting information and the inspection area; a data output unit 307 that outputs the correspondence data generated by the correspondence data generation unit 306 to the inkjet printer 100 and the inspection device 200 to set the setting information and the inspection area, and accumulates the above-mentioned operation information in the storage 500; a data storage unit 308 that stores various data necessary for the processing of this system; and a data presentation unit 309 that displays various data necessary for the processing of this system on the screen of an output device such as a touch panel.

[0033] The management device 300 shown in Figure 4 can be realized, for example, by a general server or computer 9600, as shown in Figure 5 (schematic computer diagram), which is equipped with a CPU 9601, memory 9602, an external storage device 9603 consisting of an HDD or the like, a reading / writing device 9607 that reads and writes information from a portable storage medium 9608 such as a CD (Compact Disk) or USB memory, an input device 9606 such as a touch panel, scanner, keyboard, or mouse, an output device 9605 such as a touch panel or display, a communication device 9604 such as a NIC (Network Interface Card) for connecting to a communication network, and an internal communication line (referred to as a system bus) 9609 such as a system bus that connects these.

[0034] Various data stored in the management device 300 or used for processing (for example, data stored in the data storage unit 308) can be realized by the CPU 9601 reading and using the data from the memory 9602 or the external storage device 9603. Furthermore, each functional unit of the management device 300 (for example, the control unit 301, the terminal control unit 302, the print information acquisition unit 303, the test result information acquisition unit 304, the setting information acquisition unit 305, the association data generation unit 306, the data output unit 307, and the data presentation unit 309) can be realized by the CPU 9601 loading a predetermined program stored in the external storage device 9603 into the memory 9602 and executing it.

[0035] The above-mentioned predetermined program may be stored (downloaded) into the external storage device 9603 from the storage medium 9608 via the reading / writing device 9607 or from a network via the communication device 9604, and then loaded onto the memory 9602 and executed by the CPU 9601. Alternatively, the program may be directly loaded onto the memory 9602 from the storage medium 9608 via the reading / writing device 9607 or from a network via the communication device 9604, and executed by the CPU 9601.

[0036] In the following, an example is given in which the management device 300 is configured by a single computer. However, all or part of these functions may be distributed across one or more computers, such as a cloud, and the same functions may be realized by communicating with each other via a network. Furthermore, the management device 300 and the inkjet printer 100 or the inspection device 200 may be configured as a single device. Specific processes performed by each unit constituting the management device 300 will be described later using flowcharts. Next, the main functional units of the management device 300 will be described. Each of these functional units constitutes part of a computer and is executed by a controller having hardware such as the CPU 9601, memory 9602, and communication device 9604 described above.

[0037] The print information acquisition unit 303 reads the actual manufacturing information printed by the inkjet printer 100 and stores it in the data storage unit 308 as print data.

[0038] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of print data. As shown in Fig. 6, the print data includes production information actually printed by the inkjet printer 100. In this example, the production information, which comprises a bread expiration date 602, a production date 603, and a factory code 604 indicating the factory where the bread was produced, is printed in a predetermined area 601 on a packaging bag P of bread, which is the target object T. The inspection device 200 determines whether this production information is good or bad, and outputs the result as the inspection result.

[0039] 6, setting information for each product type, which indicates what kind of manufacturing information is to be printed at what position on the target object T, is read by the barcode reader 400. Then, the setting information acquisition unit 305 acquires the read setting information and stores it in the data storage unit 308.

[0040] 7 is a diagram showing an example of setting information. The setting information is information relating to print settings, such as which print item is to be printed at which position. The setting information is determined for each product type.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 7 , the setting information 701 stores the product variety, a pattern indicating the type of setting information for each product variety, the number of layers of production information to be printed using the setting information for that type, the items to be printed in each layer, and the print format of those items, all associated with each other. In FIG. 7 , for example, the setting information for a type of bread A, defined as pattern 1, indicates that the first layer is represented by the expiration date, the second layer is represented by the production date, and the third layer is represented by the factory code. The printing format and position of the production information for each layer are "YY.MM.DD" and coordinates "(x1, y1, z1)," "YY.MM.DD" and coordinates "(x2, y2, z2)," and "ABC" and coordinates "(x3, y3, z3)," respectively. In other words, the information indicates that the above-mentioned items and print format will be printed in a three-layer format on a packaging bag for a certain type of bread. It is assumed that the packaging bag for the target product, the bread, is transported to a predetermined position on the conveyor line in advance.

[0042] The setting information is read by barcode reader 400 when a new product type is registered before operation or when the product type of an object being transported during operation is changed, and stored in data storage unit 308. As will be described later, the data presentation unit 309 of management device 300 displays the obtained setting information on the screen of an output device such as a touch panel, and the user confirms the displayed setting information. The setting information confirmed by the user is then set in inkjet printer 100 by data output unit 307. Inkjet printer 100 then prints manufacturing information on the newly switched product type of object in accordance with the setting information.

[0043] The inspection result information acquisition unit 304 reads the inspection result information indicating the inspection results of the manufacturing information inspected by the inspection device 200, and stores it in the data storage unit 308 as inspection result data.

[0044] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of inspection result data. As shown in FIG. 8, the inspection result data 801 includes the inspection results obtained by the inspection device 200 and the captured image used for the inspection. The captured image is an image captured by the camera 201. FIG. 8 shows a captured image including manufacturing information printed on the target object T within a predetermined imaging range X based on the angle of view of the camera 201. In this example, the imaging range X is a rectangular range formed by the origin (X0, Y0) and each vertex (Xm, Y0), (X0, Yn), and (Xm, Yn), and indicates that the information was printed using setting information classified as pattern 1 for product type A.

[0045] The inspection result data also includes an inspection area that is superimposed on the captured image and defines which area of ​​the manufacturing information contained in the captured image is to be inspected. In FIG. 8 , the inspection areas for each piece of manufacturing information printed using the setting information classified by pattern 1 for product type A are inspection areas 802, 803, and 804, and the inspection results for each inspection area are associated with these inspection areas. In this example, the inspection results for inspection areas 802 and 803 indicate that the inspection results meet the predetermined criteria and are normal ("◯": pass, normal object), while the inspection result for inspection area 804 indicates that the inspection results do not meet the predetermined criteria and are abnormal ("X": fail, abnormal object). The above-mentioned inspection areas are determined according to the product type. In this way, the inspection device 200 determines whether the manufacturing information printed by the inkjet printer 100 is normal or not and outputs the result as inspection result data.

[0046] 9 is a diagram showing an example of inspection area data that defines an inspection area. The inspection area is information regarding inspection settings, such as which manufacturing information is to be inspected in which area of ​​the captured image. The inspection area data is defined for each product type.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 9 , the inspection area data 901 stores the object type, a pattern indicating the type of setting information for each type, and the number of layers of manufacturing information printed based on the setting information for that type, in association with each other, similar to the setting information shown in FIG. 7 . Furthermore, the inspection area data 901 also stores the inspection items corresponding to the items printed on each layer and the inspection areas for those inspection items, in association with each other. For example, FIG. 9 shows that the type of bread is type A, and the inspection items defined as pattern 1 are the expiration date, production date, and factory code. Furthermore, the inspection areas for each inspection item are rectangular areas whose vertices (origins) are the coordinates "(x91, y91, z91)," "(x92, y92, z92)," and "(x93, y93, z93)" in the captured image, with the lengths of two sides being Δx1 and Δy1, Δx2 and Δy2, and Δx3 and Δy3, respectively. In other words, the inspection area for the manufacturing information printed on the packaging bag of a certain type of bread is a rectangular area whose vertices are the coordinates of the inspection area printed in three columns.

[0048] Like the setting information, the inspection area is read by the barcode reader 400 when a new product type is registered before operation or when the product type of an object being transported during operation is changed, and is stored in the data storage unit 308. As will be described later, the data presentation unit 309 of the management device 300 displays the obtained setting information on the screen of an output device such as a touch panel, and the user confirms the displayed inspection area. The inspection area confirmed by the user is set in the inspection device 200 by the data output unit 307. The inspection device 200 then inspects the manufacturing information printed on the object of the new product type in accordance with the inspection area.

[0049] 9 , the inspection area for each product type, which indicates which area of ​​the captured image contains the manufacturing information to be inspected, is read by the barcode reader 400. Then, the setting information acquisition unit 305 acquires the read inspection area and stores it in the data storage unit 308.

[0050] The association data generating unit 306 generates association data that associates the setting information shown in FIG. 7 with the inspection area data shown in FIG. 9, and stores the generated association data in the data storage unit 308.

[0051] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the correspondence data. The correspondence data can also be considered as setting correspondence information for correlating the settings of the inkjet printer 100 and the inspection device 200. As shown in FIG. 10, the correspondence data 1001 stores the same items and print formats as those in FIG. 7 and the same inspection items and inspection areas as those in FIG. 9, using the object type, a pattern indicating the type of setting information for each type, and the number of rows of manufacturing information printed based on the setting information, as key items, similar to the setting information shown in FIG. 7 and the inspection area data shown in FIG. 9. These items have already been described, so further description is omitted here. As will be described later, the data presentation unit 309 displays the correspondence data, including the setting information and inspection areas, on a single screen on the output device 9605, such as a touch panel, of the management device 300, allowing the user to simultaneously check the setting information and inspection area settings on the single screen.

[0052] 10 to the inkjet printer 100 and the inspection device 200, and sets the setting information and the inspection area. Here, a case will be described in which the data output unit 307 sets the setting information and the inspection area for the inkjet printer 100 and the inspection device 200, but it is also possible for the data output unit 307 to output the association data to the inkjet printer 100 and the inspection device 200, and for the MPU 7 of the inkjet printer 100 or the MPU 26 of the inspection device 200 to receive this information from the data output unit 307, and for the inkjet printer 100 or the inspection device 200 to set the setting information and the inspection area on their own side (i.e., on their own device side).

[0053] The data storage unit 308 is configured, for example, by an HDD such as the external storage device 9603, and stores various data used in this system. For example, the data storage unit 308 stores the setting information shown in Fig. 7, the inspection area data shown in Fig. 9, or the association data shown in Fig. 10.

[0054] The data presentation unit 309 displays the actual manufacturing information printed by the inkjet printer 100, the image of the inspection area read by the inspection device 200, and the inspection results on the screen of an output device such as a touch panel. When the setting information or the inspection area is confirmed by the user, the data presentation unit 309 also receives an instruction from the user to output the confirmed setting information and inspection area to the inkjet printer 100 and the inspection device 200. Next, the processing performed by this system will be described.

[0055] The processes performed by this system include pre-operation processing for registering setting information and inspection areas for each product type, and operation processing for marking objects using the registered setting information and inspection areas. First, the pre-operation processing will be explained.

[0056] 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for pre-operation processing. As shown in Fig. 11, in the pre-operation processing, the setting information acquisition unit 305 acquires the setting information read by the barcode reader 400 and stores it in the data storage unit 308 as the setting information shown in Fig. 7 (S1).

[0057] Next, the setting information acquisition unit 305 acquires the inspection area read by the barcode reader 400 and stores it in the data storage unit 308 as the inspection area data shown in Fig. 9 (S2). The order of the processing in step S1 and the processing in step S2 is arbitrary and interchangeable.

[0058] The correspondence data generation unit 306 generates correspondence data that corresponds the setting information acquired in S1 with the inspection area data acquired in S2, and stores the correspondence data in the data storage unit 308 as the correspondence data shown in Figure 10, thereby registering the correspondence data in this system (e.g., management device 300), and the data presentation unit 309 displays the correspondence data on the screen of an output device such as a touch panel of the management device 300 (S3).

[0059] 12 is a diagram showing an example of a screen (product registration screen) on which the data presentation unit 309 displays association data. As shown in FIG. 12, the product registration screen 1201 includes a product name, which indicates the type of object or content, a product number (product number) for identifying the product name, a product name code, which indicates the product name of the product, a print row number indicating the number of rows of manufacturing information to be printed, a print pattern indicating the pattern of the type of setting information for each product, the inspection area and factory code described above, print content indicating the content of the items to be printed in each row, and an actual print image based on this information. In this example, the expiration date and factory unique code are shown as examples, but they are assumed to be stored as association data, similar to the expiration date, manufacturing date, and factory code shown in FIG. 10.

[0060] In FIG. 12 , "1: XX" is displayed as the variety number and variety name 1202 for identifying the variety name, "1234567890" is displayed as the product name code 1203, "3" is displayed as the number of print rows 1204, and "1" is displayed as the print pattern 1205. Also, "Area Setting" is displayed in the inspection area 1206 mentioned above. This "Area Setting" indicates that a value has been set as the inspection area of ​​the associated data shown in FIG. 10. Furthermore, "YY1" is displayed as the factory code 1207, and the print content 1208 of each row includes "Expiration Date," "Factory Unique Number" (the first item indicating the first row, and the second item indicating the second row), and their print formats "YY.MM.DD" and "ABCD" (the fourth and fifth items), respectively. The print image 1209 is displayed as "Expiration Date 23.4.1 Factory Unique Number + YY1," etc. When the inspection area 1206 or the print content 1208 is selected by the user by touch operation or the like, the data presentation unit 309 further displays an editing screen for editing the print content 1208 and the inspection area 1206 on the screen of an output device such as a touch panel of the management device 300.

[0061] 13 is a diagram showing an example of an editing screen displayed by the data presentation unit 309. As shown in FIG. 13, editing screen 1301 displays a printing column number 1302 similar to printing column number 1204 shown in FIG. 12, printing content 1303 similar to printing content 1208 shown in FIG. 12, inspection area 1304 similar to inspection area 1206 shown in FIG. 12, and printing image 1305 similar to printing image 1209 shown in FIG. 12. In FIG. 13, the inspection area for the expiration date and its value is displayed as "1," and the inspection area for the manufacturer's unique symbol and its value is displayed as "2." This value corresponds to the "column" of the inspection area item of the association data shown in FIG. 10. In other words, "1" indicates the "first column."

[0062] In this example, the inspection area is associated with the "row" that indicates the position of the printed content, but it may be divided into smaller areas. For example, the position of "expiration date," which is an item of the printed content of each row, may be set as the first half of the first row, and the first half of the first row and "(x91, y91, z91) (Δx1 / 2, Δy1)" of the first row inspection area "(x91, y91, z91) (Δx1, Δy1)" may be set as the inspection area for the "expiration date" printed in the first half of the first row. Similarly, the position of the date, which is a value indicating the "best before date", may be set as the latter half of the first row, and the latter half of the first row and "(x91+Δx1, y91, z91) (Δx1 / 2, Δy1)" of the inspection area "(x91, y91, z91) (Δx1, Δy1)" in the first row may be set as the inspection area for the date, which is a value indicating the "best before date", printed in the latter half of the first row.

[0063] The user checks this editing screen 1301 and, if the displayed content is correct, presses the confirm button, and the data presentation unit 309 outputs a message to the association data generation unit 306 indicating that the association data has been confirmed. The association data generation unit 306 stores the association data for each product type in the data storage unit 308 based on the information received from the data presentation unit 309, thereby registering the association data in the system (e.g., the management device 300). On the other hand, if the user checks this editing screen 1301 and the displayed content is incorrect, the user selects each item on the editing screen 1301 by touch operation or the like, edits the value directly using an input device such as a keyboard, and then presses the confirm button. The data presentation unit 309 then outputs a message to the association data generation unit 306 indicating that the association data has been corrected. The association data generation unit 306 stores the corrected association data for each product type in the data storage unit 308 based on the information received from the data presentation unit 309, thereby registering the corrected association data in the system (for example, the management device 300). When the confirm button is pressed on the product type registration screen 1201 shown in Fig. 12 or the edit screen 1301 shown in Fig. 13, the data presentation unit 309 displays the product type call screen shown in Fig. 14.

[0064] 14 is a diagram showing an example of a product type call screen displayed by the data presentation unit 309. As shown in FIG. 14, the product type call screen 1401 displays, in an upper area 1402, information about the product type registered or modified on the product type registration screen 1201 shown in FIG. 12 or the editing screen 1301 shown in FIG. 13. In this example, the upper area 1402 displays, in addition to the current time 1403 measured by the management device 300, a product type number and product type name 1404 that are the same as the product type number and product type name 1202 displayed on the product type registration screen 1201, a product type code 1405 that is the same as the product type code 1203, and printed content 1406 that is the same as the printed content 1208. By checking the upper area 1402, the user can confirm that the product type that he or she registered or modified has been reflected in the management device 300.

[0065] The product type call screen 1401 also displays information about the current operating status of the inkjet printer 100 and the inspection device 200 in a lower area 1412. In this example, the inkjet printer 100 has been printing other product types since it started operating, so operation information (information indicating the operating results of the inkjet printer 100, such as the cumulative number of prints, operating time, and ambient temperature) is displayed. In this example, the cumulative number of prints is 76,300, the operating time is 54 hours, and the ambient temperature of the inkjet printer 100 is 19 degrees. This operation information is acquired by the print information acquisition unit 303 and displayed on the screen by the data presentation unit 309. Similarly, operation information for the inspection device 200 is acquired by the inspection result information acquisition unit 304 and displayed by the data presentation unit 309. In this example, because a new product type has been registered, the number of prints for the inkjet printer 100 and the number of inspections for the inspection device 200 are displayed as zero.

[0066] When the user presses the send button in the upper area 1402 on the product type call screen 1401 , the data presentation unit 309 outputs to the data output unit 307 a message indicating that the product type will be registered in the inkjet printer 100 and the inspection device 200 .

[0067] When the data output unit 307 receives from the data presentation unit 309 the notification that the above-mentioned product type will be registered, it transmits association data to each of the inkjet printer 100 and the inspection device 200, and sets the setting information included in the association data in the inkjet printer 100, and also sets the inspection area included in the association data in the inspection device 200 (S4). Because the data output unit 307 performs these settings in both the inkjet printer 100 and the inspection device 200, the user can significantly reduce the burden of setting up each device used for marking compared to the past.

[0068] The data presentation unit 309 determines whether an instruction to switch the product type has been received on the screen, for example, by outputting a screen inquiring the user as to whether to switch the product type (S5).

[0069] If the data presentation unit 309 determines that an instruction to switch the product type has been received (S5; YES), it returns to S1 and repeats the subsequent processing. By performing processing after making such a determination, it becomes possible to register setting information and inspection areas for not only one product type but multiple product types at once. On the other hand, if the data presentation unit 309 determines that an instruction to switch the product type has not been received (S5; NO), it ends the pre-operation processing.

[0070] As described above, by performing the pre-operation processing, the setting information of the inkjet printer 100 and the inspection area of ​​the inspection device 200 are linked, registered, and managed by the management device 300. Conventionally, it was necessary to set setting information and an inspection area for each inkjet printer 100 and inspection device 200, which made registering a new product type burdensome and cumbersome for the user. This problem becomes more severe as the number of product types handled by this system increases. As described above, this system eliminates this problem by allowing the management device 300 to collectively associate setting information and an inspection area for each product type and manage the registration and modification of this information. Furthermore, since the management device 300 configures both the inkjet printer 100 and the inspection device 200 simultaneously on a single screen, the workload associated with configuring these devices can be significantly reduced compared to conventional systems. Next, the operation processing will be described.

[0071] 15 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing procedure for the operation processing. As shown in FIG. 15, in the operation processing, the print information acquisition unit 303 acquires the actual manufacturing information printed by the inkjet printer 100 and stores it as print data in the data storage unit 308 (S11).

[0072] The inspection result information acquisition unit 304 acquires inspection result information indicating the inspection results of the manufacturing information inspected by the inspection device 200, and stores the information as inspection result data in the data storage unit 308 (S12). The order of the processing in step S11 and the processing in step S12 is arbitrary and interchangeable.

[0073] The data presentation unit 309 displays the manufacturing information acquired in S11 and the inspection result information acquired in S12 on the operation screen (S13). The operation screen is a screen for displaying the operation status of the present system, and is displayed on the screen by the data presentation unit 309 based on an instruction to execute operation processing.

[0074] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen displayed by the data presentation unit 309. As shown in FIG. 16, the operation screen 1601 has a screen configuration with the same items as the product type call screen 1401 shown in FIG. 14. As shown in FIG. 16, the operation screen 1601 includes, in an upper area 1602, the same items as the upper area 1402. Specifically, in addition to a current time 1603 similar to the current time 1403 shown in FIG. 14, the operation screen 1601 includes a product type number and product type name 1604 similar to the product type number and product type name 1404, a product name code 1605 similar to the product name code 1405, and printed content 1606 similar to the printed content 1406. By checking the upper area 1602, the user can check the product type currently being processed during operation. Furthermore, because the operation screen 1601 and the product type call screen 1401 are configured using the same interface, the user can actually operate the system without any sense of incongruity, similar to when setting the setting information and the inspection area, and the burden of inspection work, such as checking inspection results, during operation can be reduced.

[0075] Furthermore, the operation screen 1601 displays information about the current operating status of the inkjet printer 100 and the inspection device 200 in a lower area 1612. In this example, the currently processed product type number and product type name 1604 and print content 1606 are displayed in an operation history display area 1607 that shows the operating status of the inkjet printer 100. In this example, operation information is displayed indicating that printing has been performed the number of times indicated by "18532" for an object of a product type indicated by the product type number and product type name 1604 "1 XXX." This operation information, like the operation information described in FIG. 14 , is acquired by the print information acquisition unit 303 and displayed on the screen by the data presentation unit 309. Similarly, operation information about the inspection device 200 is acquired by the inspection result information acquisition unit 304, and the operation information is displayed by the data presentation unit 309 in an operation history display area 1608 that shows the operating status of the inspection device 200.

[0076] In this example, the operation history display area 1607, which shows the operating status of the inkjet printer 100, indicates that an object with a product type number and product type name "1 XX" has been inspected for the inspection item "23.4.1" represented in the inspection area "1" (area 1) corresponding to the printed content "Expire Date" (first row). Similarly, the operation history display area 1607 indicates that an object of the same product type has been inspected for the inspection item "+YY1" represented in the inspection area "2" (area 3) corresponding to the printed content "Manufacturing Location Symbol" (second row). The operation history display area 1607 displays operation information indicating that, as indicated by the number of inspections and cumulative number of inspections, 18,531 inspections have been performed on the object of that product type, 18,529 inspections have been passed (OK), and 2 inspections have been failed (NG). The data presentation unit 309 counts the operation information acquired by the print information acquisition unit 303 and the inspection result information acquisition unit 304, and displays the operation information in the operation history display area 1607 and the operation history display area 1608.

[0077] When the data presentation unit 309 starts displaying the operation information, the association data generation unit 306 generates association data at a predetermined timing (e.g., every 10 minutes) that associates the current time 1603, the product number and product name 1604, the product name code 1605, the print content 1606, and the operation information displayed in the operation performance display area 1607 and the operation performance display area 1608 shown in FIG. 16 , and the data output unit 307 stores the generated association data in the storage 500 as operation information of the present system (S14). While a detailed description of this data is omitted, it can be configured, for example, as table data that associates each of these items for each product type. By storing such operation information, it becomes possible to set new, more accurate setting information and inspection areas based on information such as past printing performance (e.g., the number of prints and inspections, and the printing accuracy and inspection accuracy obtained from the pass / fail judgment results).

[0078] As in the case of FIG. 14, the data presentation unit 309 outputs a screen inquiring the user about whether to switch the product type, and determines whether an instruction to switch the product type has been received on the screen (S15).

[0079] If the data presentation unit 309 determines that an instruction to switch product types has been received (S15; YES), it performs processing similar to the pre-operation processing in FIG. 14 (S16), returns to S11, and performs subsequent processing. By performing processing after making such a determination, it is possible to switch product types at a timing desired by the user, even during operation. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, it is possible to switch product types from object T conveyed on the conveying path TR in the conveying direction DR to object T', making it possible to print on a variety of product types without time loss.

[0080] On the other hand, if the data presentation unit 309 determines that an instruction to switch the product type has not been received (S5; NO), it further determines whether an instruction to end the operation process has been received from the user (S17).

[0081] If the data presentation unit 309 determines that it has not received an instruction from the user to end the operation process (S17; NO), it returns to S11 to continue the operation process for the object of the current type, and repeats the subsequent processes. On the other hand, if the data presentation unit 309 determines that it has received an instruction from the user to end the operation process (S17; YES), it ends the operation process.

[0082] As described above, the above-described operation process allows the user to grasp the operation status based on the operating information of the inkjet printer 100 and the inspection device 200 on a single screen, where the setting information of the inkjet printer 100 and the inspection area of ​​the inspection device 200 are associated. Conventionally, the user had to individually grasp the operation status of the inkjet printer 100 and the inspection device 200, for example, by checking the monitors of each device. This burden on the user during operation became significant. This problem became more severe as the number of object types and their switching increased. Furthermore, the more IoT-enabled devices the system handled, the greater the burden became. As described above, the present system eliminates this problem by allowing the management device 300 to collectively associate the setting information and inspection area for each type and then display the operation status of the inkjet printer 100 and the inspection device 200 on a single screen.

[0083] The present system and the processing performed by the present system have been described above, but the following modifications are possible to further improve user convenience.

[0084] For example, in this system, as described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13 , the setting information of the inkjet printer 100 and the inspection area of ​​the inspection device 200 are registered in association with each other. In this case, the burden of registering a new product type may be reduced by reading previously registered association data when registering the new product type. For example, when the product type read button shown in FIG. 12 is pressed, the data presentation unit 309 reads out association data for previously registered product types in a list format and displays it on the screen. This list may include, for example, data having the same items as the association data shown in FIG. 10. When the user selects a desired product type from the list by touch operation or the like, the data presentation unit 309 reads out association data for the selected product type and displays it in each item on the product type registration screen 1201 shown in FIG. 12. The user then modifies any of the displayed items and registers the setting information and inspection area including the modified item as the setting information and inspection area for the new product type. This eliminates the need for the user to read or input all of the setting information and inspection area for a new product type to be registered using the barcode reader 400, and allows the user to register the setting information and inspection area for the new product type by simply modifying a portion of it. This further reduces the burden of registering setting information and inspection areas.

[0085] Furthermore, for example, in this system, as described with reference to FIG. 16 and the like, when the data presentation unit 309 displays "NG" in the operation performance display area 1608, which shows the operating status of the inspection device 200, on the operation screen 1601, the data presentation unit 309 outputs a notification of this to the terminal control unit 302. Upon receiving the notification of the "NG," the terminal control unit 302 controls the ejection device for ejecting the failed object T, thereby removing the object from the conveyance path when the "NG" was displayed. This control can be realized by calculating the timing for ejecting the failed object T from the conveyance speed of the object conveyed on the conveyance path, the interval between conveyances of the object, and the like, using various conventionally known technologies such as a stepping motor, a timing belt, or laser control. By performing such control, the management device 300 can collectively remove objects with poor printing.

[0086] As described above, according to this system, the user can manage markings with less of a burden.

[0087] Specifically, as described with reference to FIGS. 1, 4, 11-13, etc., in a management device (management device 300) that has a processor and a memory and is configured by a computer that can communicate with a marking device (inkjet printer 100) that marks predetermined information on an object and an inspection device (inspection device 200) that inspects the marking by the marking device, the processor receives setting information (for example, the setting information in FIG. 7) related to the marking on the object performed by the marking device from an external device (for example, a barcode reader 400) of the management device. The management device acquires setting information 701 shown in FIG. 9 from the setting information acquiring unit 305, acquires information relating to an inspection area for inspecting the marking performed by the inspection device from an external device (e.g., barcode reader 400) (setting information acquiring unit 305), generates association data (e.g., association data 1001 shown in FIG. 10) associating the setting information with the inspection area (association data generating unit 306), and registers the generated association data in the management device. With this configuration, the setting information and inspection area can be managed in one place, and therefore the management burden relating to the settings of the device used for marking can be significantly reduced compared to the conventional case.

[0088] 14 and the like, the processor performs marking-related settings for the marking device and marking inspection area settings for the inspection device based on the registered association data (data output unit 307). This makes it possible to significantly reduce the setting load on the device used for marking compared to the conventional method.

[0089] 14, 16, etc., the processor associates the setting information with the inspection area and displays it on a display device (for example, an output device such as a touch panel) connected to the management device (data presentation unit 309). This allows the user to simultaneously check the setting information and the inspection area settings on one screen, and easily understand these settings at a glance.

[0090] 10, 12, 13, etc., the processor acquires the setting information and the inspection areas for multiple types of objects (e.g., object varieties) (setting information acquisition unit 305), displays the setting information and inspection areas of the previously registered types in a list on a display device (e.g., an output device such as a touch panel) connected to the management device (data presentation unit 309), and when the setting information and / or the inspection area of ​​a type included in the displayed list is selected, registers the setting information and the inspection area of ​​a new type by accepting modifications to the selected setting information and / or the inspection area (data presentation unit 309). This makes it easy to register setting information and inspection areas of new types, and further reduces the burden of registering setting information and inspection areas.

[0091] 16 and other figures, when an object whose marking is not in accordance with a predetermined standard is found in the inspection performed by the inspection device (for example, an object whose inspection result is a failure), the processor instructs the ejection device, which ejects the object that does not in accordance with the predetermined standard from the conveyance line, to control the object to be excluded from the normal objects (for example, objects that have passed the inspection) (terminal control unit 302). This enables the management device to control the exclusion of all objects with poor printing, thereby reducing the management burden on the user during operation.

[0092] 16 and the like, the processor acquires operation information of the marking device (print information acquisition unit 303), acquires operation information of the inspection device (inspection result information acquisition unit 304), associates the acquired operation information of the marking device with the operation information of the inspection device, and displays the associated information on a display device (for example, an output device such as a touch panel) connected to the management device (data presentation unit 309). This eliminates the need to check the operating status of each of the marking device and the inspection device, making it possible to significantly reduce the management burden during operation.

[0093] 16 and the like, the processor stores, in a storage device connected to the management device, association data that associates the operation information of the marking device with the operation information of the inspection device (data output unit 307). This makes it possible to perform analysis, etc., to enable more accurate setting information and setting of inspection areas based on information such as past printing results.

[0094] As described with reference to Figures 1, 4, 11-14, etc., in a marking system (marking system 1000) having a marking device that marks predetermined information on an object, an inspection device that inspects the marking made by the marking device, and a management device constituted by a computer that can communicate with the marking device and the inspection device, the management device acquires setting information related to the marking on the object to be performed by the marking device from outside the management device (setting information acquisition unit 305), acquires information related to an inspection area for inspecting the marking to be performed by the inspection device from outside the management device (setting information acquisition unit 305), generates association data that associates the setting information with the inspection area (association data generation unit 306), and registers the generated association data in the management device (association data generation unit 306), the marking device performs settings related to the marking of its own device based on the association data registered in the management device, and the inspection device performs settings related to the inspection area for the marking of its own device based on the association data registered in the management device. This makes it possible to manage the above-mentioned setting information and inspection area in one place, while simultaneously setting each device used for marking, and compared to the conventional method, it becomes possible to carry out the process from registering the setting information and inspection area to setting each device in one continuous process.

[0095] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments as they are, and in the implementation stage, the components can be modified and embodied within the scope of the gist of the present invention, or multiple components disclosed in the above-described embodiments can be appropriately combined.

[0096] 1000 Marking system 100 Inkjet printer 101 Print head 200 Inspection device 201 Camera 300 Management device 301 Control unit 302 Terminal control unit 303 Print information acquisition unit 304 Inspection result information acquisition unit 305 Setting information acquisition unit 306 Corresponding data generation unit 307 Data output unit 308 Data storage unit 309 Data presentation unit 400 Barcode reader 500 Storage 600 Cable 700 Network 701 Setting information 801 Inspection result data 901 Inspection area data 1001 Corresponding data 1201 Product registration screen 1301 Editing screen 1401 Product call screen 1601 Operation screen

Claims

1. A management device comprising a computer capable of communicating with a marking device having a processor and memory, which marks predetermined information on an object, and an inspection device which inspects the marking made by the marking device, The aforementioned processor, From outside the management device, setting information regarding the marking of the target object performed by the marking device is acquired. From outside the control device, information regarding the inspection area for the inspection of the markings performed by the inspection device is obtained. The system generates correspondence data that associates the aforementioned setting information with the aforementioned inspection area. When registering the generated correspondence data to the management device, Based on the registered correspondence data, the marking settings for the marking device and the inspection area settings for the markings for the inspection device are performed. A control device characterized by the following features.

2. The aforementioned processor, The setting information and the inspection area are associated and displayed on a display device connected to the management device. The control device according to feature 1.

3. The aforementioned processor, The setting information and inspection area for multiple types of objects are acquired. The previously registered types of setting information and inspection areas are displayed in a list on the display device connected to the management device. When a type of setting information and / or inspection area included in the displayed list is selected, the system registers a new type of setting information and / or inspection area by accepting modifications to the selected setting information and / or inspection area. The control device according to feature 2.

4. The aforementioned processor, If the inspection by the inspection device finds any object that does not meet the predetermined standard, the device will instruct the discharge device, which discharges the object that does not meet the predetermined standard from the transport line, to remove it from the list of valid objects. The control device according to feature 1.

5. The aforementioned processor, The operating information of the marking device is acquired, The operating information of the aforementioned inspection device is acquired, The acquired operating information of the marking device and the operating information of the inspection device are associated and displayed on a display device connected to the management device. The control device according to feature 1.

6. The aforementioned processor, Correspondence data, which associates the operating information of the marking device with the operating information of the inspection device, is stored in storage connected to the management device. The control device according to feature 5.

7. A marking system comprising a marking device for marking predetermined information on an object, an inspection device for inspecting the marking made by the marking device, and a management device consisting of a computer capable of communicating with the marking device and the inspection device, The aforementioned control device is From outside the management device, setting information regarding the marking of the target object performed by the marking device is acquired. From outside the control device, information regarding the inspection area for the inspection of the markings performed by the inspection device is obtained. The system generates correspondence data that associates the aforementioned setting information with the aforementioned inspection area. The generated correspondence data is registered in the management device. The marking device, Based on the correspondence data registered in the management device, the settings related to the marking of the device are configured. The inspection device, When setting the inspection area of ​​the marking of the device based on the correspondence data registered in the management device, The aforementioned control device is Based on the registered correspondence data, the marking settings for the marking device and the inspection area settings for the markings for the inspection device are performed. A marking system characterized by the following.

8. A marking management method performed by a computer that can communicate with a marking device that marks predetermined information on an object and an inspection device that inspects the markings made by the marking device, From outside the control device, setting information regarding the marking of the target object performed by the marking device is acquired. From outside the control device, information regarding the inspection area for the inspection of the markings performed by the inspection device is obtained. The system generates correspondence data that associates the aforementioned setting information with the aforementioned inspection area. When registering the generated correspondence data to the management device, Based on the registered correspondence data, the marking settings for the marking device and the inspection area settings for the markings for the inspection device are performed. A marking management method characterized by the following.