Support devices and mechanical systems

Abstract

A support device for operating multiple machines includes: an information storage unit that stores machine information and machine identification information in a corresponding manner, wherein the machine information includes at least one of maintenance history information, abnormality history information, and predicted lifespan information for each of the multiple machines; a condition receiving unit that receives search conditions for specifying desired machine information; and an information retrieval unit that compares the search conditions received by the condition receiving unit with the machine information stored in the information storage unit, and extracts the machine identification information corresponding to the machine information that matches the search conditions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a support device and mechanical system. Prior Technology

[0002] In factories that use various production machines such as robots, machine tools, laser processing machines, wire EDM machines, or injection molding machines (hereinafter referred to as "machinery"), the personnel who perform maintenance or inspection of such machinery generally investigate various information such as the maintenance history, abnormality history, or predicted lifespan of the parts used in the machinery in the factory to identify the machinery to be the object of the work in advance, and then find the location of the identified machinery on site.

[0003] In recent years, communication networks have been built in factories to connect multiple machines in order to improve the efficiency of managing individual machines or manufacturing production lines containing multiple machines.

[0004] For example, a known management system includes: a plurality of information output units, each configured in a plurality of devices, and outputting operation status information indicating the operation status of the corresponding devices; a registration mechanism for registering the operation status information output by the plurality of information output units; a worker terminal carried by a worker; a device location information providing mechanism that, when the operation status information has been registered in the aforementioned registration mechanism, provides device location information indicating the location of the aforementioned device corresponding to the operation status information to the aforementioned worker terminal; a terminal location calculation mechanism that calculates terminal location information indicating the location of the aforementioned worker terminal; and a display mechanism disposed on the aforementioned worker terminal that displays the device location indicated by the device location information provided by the aforementioned device location information providing mechanism and the worker terminal location indicated by the terminal location information calculated by the aforementioned terminal location calculation mechanism on a map (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0005] For example, a known management device is a device that integrates and manages machine information. The machine information includes at least specification information and maintenance information of all industrial machines installed in a factory. The management device has a storage unit and a control unit. The storage unit stores the location information of all industrial machines installed in the factory and the machine information of all industrial machines. The specification information includes at least the hardware specifications, software specifications, network specifications, and version information of the industrial machines. The control unit has: a factory layout providing unit, which outputs factory layout information for displaying the configuration status of the industrial machines in the factory based on the location information of the industrial machines stored in the storage unit; and a machine information providing unit, which obtains the machine information of the industrial machines selected through the output factory layout information from the storage unit, and establishes a correspondence between the obtained machine information and the selected industrial machines for output (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0006] For example, a diagnostic service system is known to predict the likelihood of abnormalities occurring in the aforementioned machinery based on a factory monitoring system, past historical data related to the machinery, and current data related to the aforementioned machinery, and to provide preventive maintenance information related to the aforementioned machinery. The aforementioned factory monitoring system includes: a data acquisition unit that acquires data about at least one of the aforementioned machines, including time information; and a storage management unit that stores the data about each machine acquired by the aforementioned data acquisition unit together with the identification information of each machine in a storage unit (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

[0007] For example, a step monitoring device is known for monitoring steps in a factory production line. It includes: a camera mechanism for photographing the operating state of the steps; a memory for storing the image data photographed by the camera mechanism; an external input mechanism for inputting a signal from a detection device installed on the production line as a trigger signal; and a storage processing mechanism for storing, when the trigger signal has been input, image data recorded in the memory that is traced back a set time or more from the time the trigger signal was input as unwriteable image data (see, for example, Patent Document 4). Previous technical documents Patent documents

[0008] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-164598 Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-016998 Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-185292 Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-122319 Summary of the Invention

[0009] Invention Summary The problem the invention aims to solve

[0010] In factories with a large number of machines, the process of identifying the machines to be maintained or inspected beforehand and then locating their installation sites is quite demanding. In recent years, advancements in the roboticization of human-operated tasks and the miniaturization and diversification of machinery have led to an increase in the number and density of machines in factories. Furthermore, the workforce operating machinery in factories is aging. Given this situation, it is foreseeable that the workload will increase further in the future. Therefore, the development of technologies to alleviate the workload of operating multiple machines in a factory is desired. The means to solve the problem

[0011] According to one embodiment disclosed herein, a support device for operating a plurality of machines includes: an information storage unit that stores machine information and machine identification information in a corresponding manner, wherein the machine information includes at least one of maintenance history information, abnormality history information, and predicted lifespan information for each of the plurality of machines; a condition receiving unit that receives search conditions for specifying desired machine information; and an information retrieval unit that compares the search conditions received by the condition receiving unit with the machine information stored in the information storage unit, and extracts machine identification information corresponding to the machine information that matches the search conditions.

[0012] Furthermore, according to one aspect disclosed herein, the mechanical system comprises a plurality of machines and the aforementioned support device, wherein the support device has an information acquisition unit for acquiring mechanical information.

[0013] Furthermore, according to one aspect disclosed herein, the mechanical system comprises a plurality of machines and the aforementioned support device, and each of the plurality of machines has an information acquisition unit for acquiring mechanical information. Invention Effects

[0014] According to the present invention, the workload of operating multiple machines set up in a factory can be reduced. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0015] Figure 1 is a functional block diagram of a support device and mechanical system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of a modified embodiment of the support device and mechanical system disclosed herein. Figure 3A is a flowchart showing a series of processes in a support device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, from receiving search criteria to displaying search results, and showing the case where identification information is displayed as a search result. Figure 3B is a flowchart showing a series of processes in the support device 1 of one embodiment of the present disclosure, from receiving search criteria to displaying search results, and showing the case where a map is displayed as a search result. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing a series of processes in a support device 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, from the acquisition of mechanical information to its storage. Figure 5A is a diagram illustrating the first example of the search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment disclosed herein, and the search conditions are shown. Figure 5B is a diagram illustrating the first example of the search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment disclosed herein, and the search results are displayed. Figure 6A is a second example illustrating the search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment disclosed herein, and the search conditions are shown. Figure 6B is a second example illustrating the search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment disclosed herein, and shows the search results. Figure 7A is a third example illustrating the search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment disclosed herein, and shows the search conditions. Figure 7B is a third example illustrating the search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment disclosed herein, and shows the search results consisting of strings. Figure 8A is a fourth example illustrating the search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment disclosed herein, and the search conditions are shown. Figure 8B is a fourth example illustrating the search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment disclosed herein, and shows the search results composed of a map display. Figure 9A is a fifth example illustrating the search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment disclosed herein, and shows the search conditions. Figure 9B is a diagram illustrating the fifth example of the search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment disclosed herein, and shows the search results composed of a map display. Figure 10 is a functional block diagram showing a case where a computer with a fixed configuration is used to construct a support device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 11 is a functional block diagram showing a support device in one embodiment of this disclosure consisting of a host computer and a mobile terminal. Implementation

[0016] Forms used to implement inventions

[0017] The following description refers to the supporting devices and mechanical systems. For ease of understanding, the scale of these diagrams has been appropriately altered. The forms shown in the diagrams are examples for implementation and are not intended to limit the implementation to the illustrated forms.

[0018] Figure 1 is a functional block diagram of a support device and mechanical system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] The mechanical system 1000 is constituted by a support device 1 and a plurality of machines 2 in one embodiment disclosed herein.

[0020] The factory contains a plurality of machines 2. Among the machines 2 are various types of production machinery, such as robots, machine tools, laser processing machines, wire EDM machines, or injection molding machines.

[0021] Support device 1 supports operators in working with multiple machines 2. Support device 1 includes an information storage unit 11, a condition receiving unit 12, an information retrieval unit 13, an information updating unit 14, a display unit 15, a map generation unit 16, an input device 17, and an information acquisition unit 18.

[0022] A processing unit (processor) is provided within the support device 1. This processing unit includes a condition receiving unit 12, an information retrieval unit 13, an information updating unit 14, a map generation unit 16, and an information acquisition unit 18. These units of the processing unit are functional modules implemented by, for example, a computer program executed on the processor. For example, when the condition receiving unit 12, information retrieval unit 13, information updating unit 14, map generation unit 16, and information acquisition unit 18 are constructed in the form of a computer program, the processing unit can operate according to this computer program, thereby realizing the functions of each unit. The computer program for executing the processing of the condition receiving unit 12, information retrieval unit 13, information updating unit 14, map generation unit 16, and information acquisition unit 18 can also be provided in the form of a computer-readable recording medium recorded in semiconductor memory, magnetic recording media, or optical recording media. Alternatively, the condition receiving unit 12, information retrieval unit 13, information updating unit 14, map generation unit 16, and information acquisition unit 18 can be implemented as semiconductor integrated circuits with computer programs that implement the functions of each unit.

[0023] The information storage unit 11 can also be constructed using non-volatile memory that can be electrically deleted and recorded, such as EEPROM (registered trademark), or random access memory that can be read and written at high speed, such as DRAM and SRAM.

[0024] The information storage unit 11 stores the mechanical information and the identification information of the machine 2 in a corresponding manner and databases them. The aforementioned mechanical information includes at least one of the following for each of the plurality of machines 2: maintenance history information, abnormal history information, and predicted lifespan information.

[0025] The identification information is an identification ID assigned to each machine 2 for the purpose of managing the machine 2. When marking, it uses, for example, strings, barcodes, and QR codes. In addition, although the reference symbols for identification information are represented by 22-1, 22-2, ..., 22-n (n is a natural number) in Figure 1, there may be cases in other diagrams where 22 is used to represent the information.

[0026] The mechanical information is information linked to each machine 2 and stored in the information storage unit 11, corresponding to the identification information of each machine 2. While the mechanical information includes, for example, maintenance history information, abnormal history information, predicted lifespan information, and operation plan information for each of the plurality of machines 2 (showing the schedule of when to operate and when to stop), it may also include other information. Furthermore, in Figure 1, although reference symbols for mechanical information are represented by 21-1, 21-2, ..., 21-n (n being a natural number), there may also be cases where all these reference symbols are represented by 21. Specific examples of mechanical information and details of the acquisition and processing of mechanical information will be described later.

[0027] The information acquisition unit 18 acquires machine information and corresponding identification information. The machine information acquired by the information acquisition unit 18 is stored in the information storage unit 11 through the information update unit 14. The information acquisition unit 18 can also acquire machine information from the machine 2 or from the input device 17 operated by the operator.

[0028] The information update unit 14 updates the machine information already stored in the information storage unit 11 to the machine information obtained by the information acquisition unit 18 for the machine 2 among the plurality of machines 2 that has completed maintenance or inspection, the machine 2 among the plurality of machines 2 that has experienced abnormalities, and the machine 2 for which the predicted lifespan has been updated for the plurality of machines 2.

[0029] For example, when the operator has completed maintenance work on the parts of machine 2, the identification information of machine 2, which has undergone maintenance, and machine information (maintenance history information) regarding the work content and work day are input through input device 17. Information acquisition unit 18 obtains the identification information and machine information (maintenance history information) from input device 17, and information update unit 14 updates the machine information (maintenance history information) corresponding to the identification information already stored in information storage unit 11 to the machine information (maintenance history information) obtained by information acquisition unit 18. In this way, the latest machine information (maintenance history information) of machine 2 with completed work obtained by information acquisition unit 18 is established and stored in information storage unit 11 in correspondence with the identification information. In this way, the burden of updating machine information (maintenance history information) for the operator is reduced.

[0030] For example, when machine 2 malfunctions and outputs an alarm, the information acquisition unit 18 retrieves identification information and machine information (malfunction history information) from the malfunctioning machine 2. The information update unit 14 updates the machine information (malfunction history information) corresponding to the identification information already stored in the information storage unit 11 with the machine information (malfunction history information) retrieved by the information acquisition unit 18. In this way, the latest machine information (malfunction history information) of the malfunctioning machine 2 retrieved by the information acquisition unit 18 is established and stored in the information storage unit 11 in correspondence with the identification information. Therefore, operators do not need to perform the work of updating the machine information (malfunction history information), thus reducing their workload.

[0031] For example, when one of the plurality of machines 2 has its predicted life updated to the latest version via a life prediction calculation unit (not shown), the information acquisition unit 18 acquires identification information and machine information (predicted life information) from the updated machine 2. The information update unit 14 then updates the machine information (predicted life information) corresponding to the identification information already stored in the information storage unit 11 to the machine information (predicted life information) acquired by the information acquisition unit 18. In this way, the latest machine information (predicted life information) for machine 2 acquired by the information acquisition unit 18 is stored in the information storage unit 11 in a corresponding manner with the identification information. Therefore, operators do not need to perform the work of updating the machine information (predicted life information), thus reducing their workload.

[0032] The condition receiving unit 12 accepts search criteria for allowing operators to specify desired machine information. These search criteria are input by the operator via the input device 17. Examples of the input device 17 include a keyboard, mouse, touch panel, and voice recognition device attached to a computer or mobile terminal. The touch panel functions as both the display unit 15 and the input device 17.

[0033] Search criteria are conditions for specifying identification information, which is the identification information of the machine 2 that the operator wants to obtain using support device 1. For example, when the operator wants to search for machine 2 whose battery was replaced before a certain date, information such as "the date of battery replacement" is set as the search criteria. Hereinafter, "date" may include the concepts of "year, month, day" and "time". As another example, when the operator wants to search for machine 2 that has experienced a certain abnormality, information such as "the type of abnormality" is set as the search criteria. As yet another example, when the operator wants to search for machine 2 that is believed to have reached the end of its lifespan at some future period, information such as "the predicted lifespan of machine 2" is set as the search criteria. Specific examples of search criteria will be described later.

[0034] The information retrieval unit 13 compares the retrieval conditions received by the condition receiving unit 12 with the machine information stored in the information storage unit 11 to extract the identification information of the machine 2 that matches the retrieval criteria. Depending on the settings of the retrieval conditions, the information retrieval unit 13 may extract multiple pieces of identification information of the machine 2. A specific example of extracting the identification information of the machine 2 corresponding to the retrieval conditions will be described later. The identification information of the machine 2 extracted by the information retrieval unit 13 is sent to the display unit 15 and the map generation unit 16.

[0035] Display unit 15 displays the identification information extracted by information retrieval unit 13. Furthermore, display unit 15 displays the map generated by map generation unit 16 (described later). Examples of display units 15 include display devices attached to mobile terminals, display devices attached to computers, and stand-alone display devices.

[0036] The map generation unit 16 generates a map displaying the installation location of each of the plurality of machines 2. This map shows the layout of the machines 2 within the factory, which is the applicable area of ​​the support device 1. The map displays the installation locations in a recognizable manner: the installation locations of machines 2 with identification information extracted by the information retrieval unit 13, and the installation locations of machines with identification information not extracted by the information retrieval unit 13. For example, in the map, the icon displaying the installation location of the machine 2 with identification information extracted by the information retrieval unit 13 is indicated by flashing red, and the icon displaying the installation locations of other machines 2 is indicated by black. Furthermore, the map may also display the identification information (e.g., strings) of the machine 2 extracted by the information retrieval unit 13, or the machine information of that machine 2, along with the machine 2's icon.

[0037] Furthermore, ideally, the location of the operator using support device 1 or the location of support device 1 itself should be displayed in a recognizable manner on the map. For example, if support device 1 consists of a computer fixedly installed in or near the factory where machine 2 is installed, the location of the computer can be displayed on the map as an icon formed from the image of the computer. Similarly, if support device 1 consists of a mobile terminal, its current location can also be displayed on the map as an icon formed from the image of the mobile terminal. When the location of support device 1, which consists of a mobile terminal, is reflected on the map, the map generation unit 16 generates a map overlaid with the location of the mobile terminal as determined by the location measurement unit 19 (described later). In this way, the operator holding the mobile terminal constituting support device 1 can easily grasp the relationship between their own location and the location of machine 2 (which has identification information extracted by the information retrieval unit 13, i.e., machine 2 with machine information specified by the operator) by using the map displayed on the visual display unit 15.

[0038] Furthermore, the method of displaying elements in a recognizable manner on the map described above is only one example; other methods can also be used to display them in a recognizable manner.

[0039] The position determination unit 19 determines the position of the mobile terminal constituting the support device 1 and sends the determination result to the map generation unit 16. The map generation unit 16 can then generate a map overlaid with the position of the mobile terminal constituting the support device 1. Alternatively, if the support device 1 is composed of a computer fixedly installed within a factory where the machinery 2 is located, the position determination unit 19 can be omitted.

[0040] The position determination unit 19 can determine the position of the mobile terminal constituting the support device 1 using known positioning methods. For example, there are methods that use BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) communication to determine the signal strength (inversely proportional to the square of the distance) to pinpoint the mobile terminal's position, and methods that use triangulation to pinpoint the mobile terminal's position. Furthermore, since GPS signals are blocked inside factory buildings, multiple beacon transmitters are installed within the factory buildings to determine the position of mobile terminals equipped with beacon receivers. For example, in the method of pinpointing the mobile terminal's position using triangulation, the position of the beacon receiver installed on the mobile terminal can be determined by measuring the distances between three of the multiple beacon transmitters with known locations within the factory and the beacon receiver installed on the mobile terminal.

[0041] The above describes the configuration of a support device 1 and a mechanical system 1000 equipped with the support device 1 in one embodiment of this disclosure.

[0042] Next, the configuration of a modified embodiment of the present invention, including the support device 1 and the mechanical system 2000 having the support device 1, will be described.

[0043] Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of the support device and mechanical system of a modified example of the first embodiment disclosed herein.

[0044] In a modified embodiment of the support device 1 and the mechanical system 2000 equipped with the support device 1 disclosed herein, the information acquisition unit 18 is provided in each of the plurality of machines 2, which differs from the support device 1 and the mechanical system 1000 equipped with the support device 1 shown in FIG. 1. The information acquisition unit 18 acquires the mechanical information and identification information of the machine 2 on which it is installed, and sends it to the information update unit 14. The information update unit 14 updates the received mechanical information according to the content of the operation, and the information storage unit 11 stores the updated mechanical information by the information update unit 14 in correspondence with the identification information of the machine 2. Except for the point where the information acquisition unit 18 is located in the machine 2, the configuration is the same as that described with reference to FIG. 1, so the description is omitted.

[0045] In addition, although not shown here, as another variation of this embodiment, the information acquisition unit 18 may be disposed in both sides of the support device 1 and each of the plurality of machines 2.

[0046] Next, the operation of the support device 1 in one embodiment of this disclosure will be explained.

[0047] Figure 3A is a flowchart showing a series of processes in the support device 1 of one embodiment of the present disclosure, from receiving search criteria to displaying search results, and shows the case where identification information is displayed as a search result. Figure 3B is a flowchart showing a series of processes in the support device 1 of one embodiment of the present disclosure, from receiving search criteria to displaying search results, and shows the case where a map is displayed as a search result.

[0048] When displaying identification information as a search result, as shown in FIG3A, firstly, in step S101, the condition receiving unit 12 accepts search conditions for specifying desired machine information. The search conditions are input by the operator through the input device 17. Next, in step S102, the information retrieval unit 13 compares the search conditions accepted by the condition receiving unit 12 with the machine information stored in the information storage unit 11, and in step S103, extracts the identification information of the machine 2 corresponding to the machine information that matches the search criteria. Furthermore, in step S104, the display unit 15 displays the identification information extracted by the information retrieval unit 13.

[0049] When a map is displayed as a search result, as shown in FIG3B, firstly, in step S101, the condition receiving unit 12 accepts search conditions for specifying desired machine information. The search conditions are input by the operator through the input device 17. Next, in step S102, the information retrieval unit 13 compares the search conditions accepted by the condition receiving unit 12 with the machine information stored in the information storage unit 11, and in step S103, extracts the identification information of the machine 2 corresponding to the machine information that matches the search conditions. Next, in step S105, the map generation unit 16 generates a map to display the installation location of each of the plurality of machines 2. The map is displayed in a recognizable manner: the installation location of the machine 2 with the identification information extracted by the information retrieval unit 13, and the installation location of the machine with the identification information not extracted by the information retrieval unit 13. In particular, when the support device 1 is composed of a mobile terminal, a map is generated that overlays the current location of the support device 1 (i.e., the location of the operator holding the support device 1). Furthermore, in step S106, the display unit 15 displays the map generated by the map generation unit 16.

[0050] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing a series of processes in a support device 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, from the acquisition of mechanical information to its storage.

[0051] In step S201, the information acquisition unit 18 acquires machine information and corresponding identification information. The information acquisition unit 18 can also acquire machine information from the machine 2 or from the input device 17 operated by the operator. For example, when the operator has completed maintenance or inspection of the machine 2, they input machine information corresponding to the work performed on the machine 2, along with information indicating the completion of the work, through the input device 17. Accordingly, the information acquisition unit 18 acquires the machine information for that machine 2 and the corresponding identification information. Alternatively, the information acquisition unit 18 can periodically acquire machine information for each of a plurality of machines 2 and the corresponding identification information.

[0052] Next, in step 202, the information update unit 14 updates the mechanical information already acquired by the information acquisition unit 18 according to the content. In step S203, the information storage unit 11 stores the mechanical information that has been updated by the information update unit 14 in correspondence with the identification information of the machine 2.

[0053] Next, specific examples of mechanical information and the processing of obtaining mechanical information will be explained.

[0054] Examples of maintenance history information constituting mechanical information may include maintenance dates and related information for various components installed within the machine, such as batteries, motors, gears, outriggers, fans, cable wiring, tools, jigs, oil, and electronic parts, as well as update dates and update content for the computer programs that operate the machine. However, other information may also be included. Furthermore, examples of maintenance operations may include replacement work, repair work, and cleaning work, but other operations may also be included.

[0055] The information acquisition unit 18 acquires maintenance history information as follows: When maintenance work on machine 2 is completed, the operator inputs maintenance history information corresponding to the maintenance work on machine 2, along with identification information corresponding to the maintenance history information, through input device 17, along with information indicating the completion of the work. Accordingly, the information acquisition unit 18 acquires the maintenance history information for machine 2 and the identification information corresponding to the maintenance history information. Taking battery replacement of machine 2 as an example, when the battery replacement of machine 2 is completed, the operator inputs maintenance history information, i.e., the "date of battery replacement," and identification information of machine 2 that underwent battery replacement, through input device 17, and inputs information indicating that the battery replacement is complete. Upon receiving the information indicating that the battery replacement is complete, the information acquisition unit 18 acquires information related to the maintenance history information for machine 2, i.e., the "date of battery replacement," and identification information of machine 2 that underwent battery replacement.

[0056] Furthermore, as an example of abnormal history information constituting mechanical information, although there are abnormalities such as the date of occurrence and content of abnormalities, such as abnormalities related to the operation of the machine 2 itself, abnormalities of the workpiece caused by the operation of the machine 2, abnormalities of the mechanical system 1000 caused by the operation of the machine 2, and abnormalities of various constituent elements (such as parts or software programs) within the machine 2, other information may also be included.

[0057] The acquisition of abnormal history information by the information acquisition unit 18 can also be performed when an alarm has been output from machine 2. The information acquisition unit 18 periodically monitors whether an alarm has been output from machine 2. Examples of output alarms are listed below.

[0058] Examples of alarms related to a drop in battery voltage and abnormalities in a fan motor located within a robot or machine tool are listed below.

[0059] For example, in machine 2, a backup battery for the encoder of the motor within machine 2 is built in, and it must be replaced at predetermined intervals (e.g., approximately one year). An alarm will be output when the voltage of the backup battery drops. When the information acquisition unit 18 outputs a backup battery voltage drop alarm from machine 2, it acquires the identification information of machine 2, which is equipped with the backup battery, and acquires information about "the backup battery voltage drop has occurred" and "the date of its occurrence" as abnormal history information.

[0060] For example, in machine 2, a data backup battery is built into the control device of machine 2, and it must be replaced at predetermined intervals (e.g., every few years). An alarm is output when the voltage of the data backup battery drops. When the data backup battery voltage drop alarm is output from machine 2, the information acquisition unit 18 acquires the identification information of machine 2, which has the data backup battery installed in its control device, and acquires information about "the data backup battery voltage drop has occurred" and "the date of occurrence" as abnormal history information.

[0061] For example, a fan motor is installed in machine 2. Although the fan motor starts rotating simultaneously with the power supply, if oil mist adheres to the fan and solidifies, a fan alarm will be output from machine 2. If the oil mist is ignored, it may accumulate on the fan, reducing its rotational speed and cooling capacity. As a result, there is a concern that the motor or servo amplifier in machine 2 may overheat. When a fan alarm is output from machine 2, the information acquisition unit 18 acquires the identification information of machine 2, which has the fan motor, and acquires information about "oil mist adhering to the fan" and "the date of occurrence" as abnormal history information.

[0062] Furthermore, when Machine 2, i.e., the robot, experiences a so-called "pause," a warning will be issued. A "pause" refers to a machine in a factory repeatedly stopping for short periods of time for various reasons. While pauses are easily overlooked due to their short duration, their repetition can lead to reduced operational efficiency of Machine 2, thus distinguishing them from the more easily detected prolonged "shutdowns." Generally, when a robot pauses, cameras are installed to record its behavior (including pauses) and to investigate the cause of the pause. Examples of alarms issued when a pause occurs are listed below.

[0063] For example, when the robot (machine 2) uses its hand to grasp a workpiece, if the control device of machine 2 detects that the gripper is completely closed, it will output a grasping error alarm. A grasping error by the robot's hand is a typical pause in robot operation, and the cause of the error must be investigated. In robots that use cameras to detect the position of workpieces, grasping errors can be caused by lighting conditions, incorrect camera focus settings, or camera shaking caused by vibrations from surrounding machines, and in most cases, the cause cannot be immediately identified. When a grasping error alarm is output from machine 2, the information acquisition unit 18 acquires the identification information of machine 2, and obtains information about "a grasping error has occurred in the robot's hand" and "the date of occurrence" as abnormal history information.

[0064] For example, when machine 2, i.e., the robot, uses its hand to hold a workpiece, a collision detection alarm will be output from the control device of machine 2 if the hand interferes with the workpiece. Interference between the hand and the workpiece is also a typical pause in the robot, and the cause of the interference must be investigated. When the collision detection alarm is output from machine 2, the information acquisition unit 18 acquires the identification information of machine 2, and acquires information about "interference between hand and workpiece" and "the date of occurrence" as abnormal history information.

[0065] For example, in machine 2, i.e., the robot, when the position of a workpiece is determined by photographing it with a camera, if the workpiece cannot be correctly identified due to lighting conditions (e.g., the surroundings are too dark, or halation occurs due to reflection on a metallic object), a detection failure alarm will be output from the control device of machine 2. When a detection failure alarm is output from machine 2, the information acquisition unit 18 acquires the identification information of machine 2, and acquires information about "inability to correctly identify the workpiece" and "the date of occurrence" as abnormal history information.

[0066] Furthermore, examples of digital servo-related alarms for robots or machine tools include servo alarms indicating that the servo motor must be replaced, servo alarms indicating that the servo amplifier must be replaced, and servo alarms output due to incorrect servo parameter settings or servo motor wiring errors. When a servo alarm is output from machine 2, the information acquisition unit 18 acquires the identification information of machine 2 and obtains information about "the content displayed by the servo alarm" and "the date the servo alarm was output" as abnormal history information.

[0067] Furthermore, in most machines 2, an anomaly detection unit (not shown) is installed. This anomaly detection unit monitors data such as voltage, current, and motor rotation speed during normal operation of the machine 2, and outputs an anomaly alarm when the data changes significantly. The information acquisition unit 18 acquires the identification information of the machine 2 when the anomaly detection unit of the machine 2 outputs an anomaly alarm, and acquires information about the "abnormal values ​​of data such as voltage, current, and motor rotation speed" and "the date of occurrence" as anomaly history information.

[0068] Furthermore, as examples of predicted lifespan information constituting mechanical information, although there are predicted lifespan information for various components within machine 2, predicted lifespan information for machine 2 itself, and predicted lifespan information for the mechanical system 1000 containing machine 2, it may also include predicted lifespan information for other purposes. Predicted lifespan information can be calculated using known methods, or it can be calculated based on, for example, the service life of various components of machine 2, machine 2 itself, or mechanical system 1000, its installation date, and the current date and time, or it can be calculated using machine learning.

[0069] Furthermore, ideally, the operation plan information for each of the plurality of machines 2 should also be included in the machine information. The operation plan information is a schedule showing when the machine 2 will operate and when it will stop. For a machine 2 that is in operation, except in emergencies, there are few situations where the operation of the machine 2 will be stopped for maintenance. Accordingly, when the support device 1 performs a search, excluding the currently operating machine 2 from the search targets will improve the search efficiency. The operation plan information for each machine 2 is stored in the information storage unit 11 as machine information in advance, and it is made so that "machine is stopped" can be set as a search condition in advance. In this way, as long as the operator specifies "machine is stopped" as a search condition through the input device 17, the machine 2 that is in operation when the condition receiving unit 12 accepts the search condition can be excluded from the extraction targets of the identification information of the information retrieval unit 13, thereby further reducing the workload of the operator.

[0070] Next, referring to Figures 5A to 9B, a specific example of extracting the identification information of the machine 2 for the search criteria and displaying the search results will be described. Furthermore, the search criteria, search results, and map shown in Figures 5A to 9B are only examples; other search criteria, search results, and maps may also be used. Additionally, search results composed of strings and search results displayed on a map can be appropriately combined and displayed on the display unit 15. Also, in the examples shown in Figures 5A to 9B, although a screen is displayed for inputting search criteria by string, it can also be displayed such that various search criteria can be selected via drop-down menus or icons.

[0071] Figure 5A is a diagram illustrating the first example of the search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment of this disclosure, and the search conditions are shown. Figure 5B is a diagram illustrating the first example of the search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment of this disclosure, and the search results are shown. The first example of the search conditions shown in Figure 5A and the search results shown in Figure 5B is an example of retrieving identification information of a machine 2 that requires battery replacement from among a plurality of machines 2. For example, the following example is shown: among a plurality of machines 2, for the currently stopped machine model "ROBOT-100", up to 5 machines whose last battery replacement date was before February 28, 2016 are retrieved. As shown in Figure 5A, the operator uses the input device 17 to input the following search criteria while referring to the display content 31 on the display unit 15: "Operating Status: Production Operation Stopped," "Model: ROBOT-100," "Last Battery Replacement Date: Before 2016 / 2 / 28," and "Maximum Output Quantity: 5 pieces." The criteria receiving unit 12 accepts these search criteria, and the information retrieval unit 13 compares the search criteria with the machine information stored in the information storage unit 11 to extract the machine identification information corresponding to the machine information matching the search criteria. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5B, as the search result 32, the display unit 15 displays the machine ID and the corresponding last battery replacement date in order of, for example, the earliest last battery replacement date, as the identification information of the machine 2 that meets the search criteria. In addition, for machines that have never had their batteries replaced, it is sufficient to record the machine's import date as the last battery replacement date in the information storage unit 11.

[0072] Figure 6A is a diagram illustrating a second example of the search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment of this disclosure, and the search conditions are shown. Figure 6B is a diagram illustrating a second example of the search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment of this disclosure, and the search results are shown. The search conditions shown in Figure 6A and the second example of the search results shown in Figure 6B are examples of retrieving identification information of machines 2 that meet the expected predicted lifespan from among a plurality of machines 2. For example, the following example is shown: among a plurality of machines 2, up to 4 currently operating and stopped machines of model "ROBOT-300" are retrieved, namely, machines whose predicted lifespan of the second-axis reducer is before June 30, 2022. As shown in Figure 6A, the operator inputs the following information via the input device 17 while referring to the display content 31 on the display unit 15: "Operating Status: Production Operation Stopped", "Model: ROBOT-300", "Predicted Lifespan of 2nd Axis Reducer: Before June 30, 2022", and "Maximum Output Quantity: 4 pieces". The condition receiving unit 12 accepts this search condition, and the information retrieval unit 13 compares the search condition with the machine information stored in the information storage unit 11 to extract the machine identification information corresponding to the machine information matching the search condition. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6B, as the search result 32, the display unit 15 displays the machine ID and the corresponding predicted lifespan date in order of, for example, the earlier the predicted lifespan arrival date (i.e., the shorter the predicted lifespan), as the identification information of the machine 2 that matches the search condition.

[0073] Figure 7A is a diagram illustrating the third example of the search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment of this disclosure, and the search conditions are displayed. Figure 7B is a diagram illustrating the third example of the search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment of this disclosure, and the search results are displayed. The third example of the search conditions shown in Figure 7A and the search results shown in Figure 7B is an example of retrieving identification information of a machine 2 that has stopped at a predetermined frequency from among a plurality of machines 2. For example, the following example is shown: among a plurality of machines 2, for a machine 2 that is currently stopped, a machine that has stopped at a frequency of 3 or more times in the past month is retrieved. As shown in Figure 7A, the operator uses the input device 17 to input "Operating status: Production operation stopped" and "Stop frequency: 3 (times / month) or more" as search conditions while referring to the display content 31 on the display unit 15. The condition receiving unit 12 accepts the search condition, and the information retrieval unit 13 compares the search condition with the machine information stored in the information storage unit 11 to extract the identification information of the machine that matches the search condition. Furthermore, as shown in FIG7B, as the search result 32, the display unit 15 displays the machine ID and the corresponding pause frequency in order of, for example, the frequency of pauses, as identification information of the machine 2 that matches the search condition.

[0074] Figure 8A is a diagram illustrating the fourth example of search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment of this disclosure, and shows the search conditions. Figure 8B is a diagram illustrating the fourth example of search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment of this disclosure, and shows the search results composed of a map display. The fourth example of search conditions shown in Figure 8A and search results shown in Figure 8B is an example where an operator holding a mobile terminal constituting the support device 1 has prior knowledge of the malfunctioning machine 2 among a plurality of machines 2 and confirms the location of the machine 2 on the mobile terminal. For example, if the malfunctioning machine 2 with identification information "R350" is as shown in Figure 8A, the operator inputs "Machine ID: R350" as a search condition by referring to the display content 31 on the display unit 15 while using the input device 17. The condition receiving unit 12 accepts this search condition, and the map generation unit 16 generates a map. As shown in Figure 8B, the display unit 15 displays a map as the search result 32. The map displays the location 41 of machine 2 with "machine ID: R350" in black squares, for example, and the location 42 of other machines 2 in white squares, for example, and the location 40 of the operator holding the mobile terminal is displayed in human-shaped icons.

[0075] Figure 9A is a diagram illustrating the fifth example of the search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment of this disclosure, and the search conditions are displayed. Figure 9B is a diagram illustrating the fifth example of the search conditions and search results displayed on the display unit in the support device of the embodiment of this disclosure, and the search results composed of a map display are displayed. The fifth example of the search conditions shown in Figure 9A and the search results shown in Figure 9B involves displaying a map on the display unit 15, which shows the location of the machine 2 among the plurality of machines 2 that requires battery replacement. In the examples shown in Figures 9A and 9B, the search conditions are set to be the same as in the first example above. As shown in Figure 9A, the operator uses the input device 17 to input the following search conditions while referring to the display content 31 on the display unit 15: "Operating status: Production operation stopped", "Model: ROBOT-100", "Last battery replacement date: Before 2016 / 2 / 28", and "Maximum output quantity: 5 pieces". The condition acceptance unit 12 accepts the search condition, and the information retrieval unit 13 compares the search condition with the machine information stored in the information storage unit 11 to extract the machine identification information corresponding to the machine information that matches the search condition. Furthermore, as shown in FIG9B, the map generation unit 16 generates a map to display the installation location of each of the plurality of machines 2. The map displays in a recognizable manner the installation locations of machines 2 with identification information extracted by the information retrieval unit 13, and the installation locations of machines with identification information not extracted by the information retrieval unit 13. As shown in FIG9B, the display unit 15 displays the map as the search result 32. The map displays, for example, black squares to show the locations 41 of machines 2 that meet the search condition, and white squares to show the locations 42 of other machines 2. A human-shaped icon is used to show the location 40 of the operator holding the mobile terminal.

[0076] Next, an example of the machine configuration of the support device 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. Although the support device 1 described here with reference to FIG1 is used as an example, the support device 1 described with reference to FIG2 can also be applied in the same way.

[0077] Figure 10 is a functional block diagram showing a case where a computer is fixedly installed to form a support device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 10, for example, the support device 1 is installed in a computer 300, which is fixedly installed in or near a factory where machinery 2 is installed.

[0078] Figure 11 is a functional block diagram showing a support device comprising a main computer and a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 11, for example, the information storage unit 11, condition receiving unit 12, information retrieval unit 13, information updating unit 14, map generation unit 16, information acquisition unit 18, and location determination unit 19 of the support device 1 are installed in the main computer 100, which is fixedly installed in or near the factory where the machine 2 is installed. Furthermore, the display unit 15 and the input device 17 are installed in the mobile terminal 200. The main computer 100 and the mobile terminal 200 are connected in a communicable manner. The search conditions entered through the input unit on the mobile terminal 200 are sent from the mobile terminal 200 to the main computer 100 and received by the condition receiving unit. The identification information extracted by the information retrieval unit 13 and the map generated by the map generation unit 16 are sent from the main computer 100 to the mobile terminal and displayed by the display unit 15.

[0079] 1: Support device 2: Machinery 11: Information Storage Department 12: Conditional Acceptance Department 13: Information Retrieval Department 14: Information Update Department 15: Display Section 16: Map Generation Department 17: Input device 18: Information Acquisition Department 19: Position Measurement Unit 21,21-1,21-2,21-3: Mechanical Information 22,22-1,22-2,22-3: Identify Information 31: Display content 32: Search Results 40, 41, 42: Position 100: Main computer 200: Mobile Terminal 300: Computer 1000, 2000: Mechanical systems S101~S106, S201~S203: Steps

Claims

1. A support device for supporting operations on a plurality of production machines installed in a factory, comprising: an information storage unit for storing machine information and identification information of the production machine in a corresponding manner, wherein the machine information includes at least one of maintenance history information, malfunction history information, and predicted lifespan information for each of the plurality of production machines; a condition receiving unit for receiving search conditions for specifying desired machine information; and an information retrieval unit for comparing the search conditions received by the condition receiving unit with the machine information stored in the information storage unit, and retrieving identification information of the production machine corresponding to the machine information matching the search conditions; the support device further comprising a display unit for displaying the identification information retrieved by the information retrieval unit; and the support device further comprising a map generation unit for generating a map, wherein the map displays the installation location of each of the plurality of production machines, and displays in a recognizable manner: the installation location of the production machine having the identification information retrieved by the information retrieval unit, and the installation location of the production machine having identification information not retrieved by the information retrieval unit. The aforementioned display unit displays the aforementioned map generated by the aforementioned map generation unit.

2. The support device as described in claim 1, wherein the machine information stored in the aforementioned information storage unit in correspondence with the aforementioned identification information further includes operation plan information for each of the aforementioned plurality of production machines, and the aforementioned search conditions include the case where the aforementioned production machine is stopped operating when the aforementioned condition acceptance unit accepts the search conditions.

3. The support device as requested in item 1 or 2 further includes an information update unit, which updates the machine information of the production machine that has completed the operation among the plurality of production machines according to the content of the operation. The information storage unit stores the machine information updated by the information update unit and the identification information of the production machine that has completed the operation in a corresponding manner.

4. The support device according to claim 1, comprising: a main computer having the aforementioned information storage unit, the aforementioned condition receiving unit, and the aforementioned information retrieval unit; and a mobile terminal being communicatively connected to the aforementioned main computer, and having the aforementioned display unit and an input device for inputting the aforementioned search conditions, wherein the aforementioned search conditions input through the aforementioned input device are sent from the aforementioned mobile terminal to the aforementioned main computer and received by the aforementioned condition receiving unit, and the aforementioned identification information retrieved by the aforementioned information retrieval unit is sent from the aforementioned main computer to the aforementioned mobile terminal and displayed by the aforementioned display unit.

5. The support device according to claim 1, comprising: a main computer having the aforementioned information storage unit, the aforementioned condition receiving unit, the aforementioned information retrieval unit, and the aforementioned map generation unit; and a mobile terminal being communicatively connected to the aforementioned main computer, and having the aforementioned display unit and an input device for inputting the aforementioned search conditions, wherein the aforementioned search conditions input through the aforementioned input device are sent from the aforementioned mobile terminal to the aforementioned main computer and received by the aforementioned condition receiving unit, and the aforementioned map generated by the aforementioned map generation unit is sent from the aforementioned main computer to the aforementioned mobile terminal and displayed by the aforementioned display unit.

6. The support device as described in claim 5 further includes a location measuring unit for measuring the location of the aforementioned mobile terminal, and the aforementioned map generating unit generates the aforementioned map that overlaps with the location of the aforementioned mobile terminal measured by the aforementioned location measuring unit.

7. A mechanical system comprising: a plurality of production machines installed in a factory; and a support device as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the support device has an information acquisition unit for acquiring information about the aforementioned machines.

8. A mechanical system comprising: a plurality of production machines installed in a factory; and a support device as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each of the plurality of production machines has an information acquisition unit for acquiring the aforementioned machine information.

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