Processing operation assurance system, processing operation assurance device, and processing operation assurance method

Abstract

Provided is a technology for assuring a processing operation on a material by collating trace information including even processing results.　This processing operation assurance system is characterized by comprising a transaction information storage unit that contains transaction information of materials of a product and a processing operation storage unit that contains information about one or more processing operations on the materials, and further comprising: an execution parameter authentication unit that records, in the processing operation storage unit, setting input information for execution parameters relating to a processing operation; a processing result acquisition unit that acquires processing results from a device that has performed the processing operation on a material, and records the processing results in the processing operation storage unit; and a processing operation assurance unit that outputs information that provides assurance of the processing operation performed on the material, when there is a consistent relationship between at least the transaction information, the execution parameters and the processing results for the material.

Description

Treatment operation assurance system, treatment operation assurance device, and treatment operation assurance method

[0001] The present invention relates to a processing operation assurance system, a processing operation assurance device, and a processing operation assurance method. The present invention claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-129677, filed on August 9, 2023, and the contents of that application are incorporated by reference into the present application in designated states where incorporation by reference of documents is permitted.

[0002] In recent years, as society shifts from the traditional linear economy of mass consumption and mass waste to a circular economy, there has been a growing social demand for the use of recycled materials recovered from waste. As a result, when the price of virgin materials has fallen, it is thought that problems have arisen in which material manufacturers and manufacturers are using and selling virgin materials as recycled materials.

[0003] One possible measure to prevent the mislabeling of recycled materials is to have third-party audits, but audits alone are not enough to monitor the finer details of daily operations, so a system is needed to guarantee the actual use of materials.

[0004] A technology for authenticating transaction information and processing operation execution parameters for an object based on markings attached to the object, and providing security against counterfeiting, etc., is disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0005] Patent Literature 1 describes, with regard to a method for authenticating physical objects, "a system for managing transactions of physical objects, the system being connectable to a first distributed ledger adapted to record object transactions relating to transactions of one or more physical objects between parties, the system having: a second distributed ledger adapted to record data indicative of object processing operations performed on one or more of the physical objects; and an object processing management module adapted to authenticate processing operations performed on one or more of the physical objects by obtaining execution parameters of the processing operations, authenticating the execution parameters of the processing operations, and recording the authenticated processing operations in the second distributed ledger, thereby enabling the system to record object transactions related to one or more of the physical objects when authenticating that execution parameters of the processing operations performed on one or more of the physical objects satisfy one or more respective predetermined conditions."

[0006] Special table 2021-517686 publication

[0007] However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 does not take into account the processing history of the products obtained as a result of the processing operations, and there is no guarantee that the products are obtained as planned. For example, when the product defect rate is high, the amount of material loss often exceeds the standard. However, if processing history is not taken into account, it is only possible to guarantee the processing operations of materials consumed in completed products. In other words, the amount of material loss consumed in defective products cannot be grasped, resulting in a discrepancy with the actual situation. The object of the present invention is to provide a technology that guarantees the processing operations of materials by collating evidence information that also includes processing history.

[0008] The present application includes multiple means for solving at least part of the above-mentioned problems, examples of which are as follows: A processing operation assurance system according to one aspect of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems comprises: a transaction information storage unit containing transaction information of materials for a product; a processing operation storage unit containing information on one or more processing operations on the materials; an execution parameter authentication unit that causes setting input information of execution parameters related to the processing operations to be recorded in the processing operation storage unit; a processing result acquisition unit that acquires processing results from a device that has executed a processing operation on the material and records the processing results in the processing operation storage unit; and a processing operation assurance unit that outputs information assuring the processing operation performed on the material when at least the transaction information, the execution parameters, and the processing results are consistent for the material.

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technology for assuring the processing operation of materials by collating evidence information including processing results. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become clear from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a processing operation assurance system. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the processing flow of processing operation recording processing. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the processing flow of material issuing processing. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the processing flow of manufacturing execution processing. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the processing flow of assurance processing. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of a transaction information storage unit. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of a processing operation storage unit. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device of the processing operation assurance system. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a processing operation assurance system (distributed). FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a processing operation assurance system (data independent).

[0011] <First Embodiment> Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The examples are illustrative for explaining the present invention, and for clarity of explanation, appropriate omissions and simplifications have been made. The present invention can also be implemented in various other forms. Unless otherwise specified, each component may be singular or plural.

[0012] In order to facilitate understanding of the invention, the position, size, shape, range, etc. of each component shown in the drawings may not represent the actual position, size, shape, range, etc. Therefore, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the position, size, shape, range, etc. disclosed in the drawings.

[0013] Examples of various types of information may be described using expressions such as "table," "list," and "queue," but the various types of information may be expressed using data structures other than these. For example, various types of information such as "XX table," "XX list," and "XX queue" may 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. Furthermore, in the embodiments, identification information described using these expressions is expressed using symbols, numbers, natural language, or a combination thereof, but the identification information may be in a format other than these.

[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] Furthermore, although the present invention is typically realized by an information processing device, it may also be realized as a platform having the functions of the present invention.

[0018] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a processing operation assurance system 1. The processing operation assurance system 1 includes a processing operation assurance device.

[0019] For example, the processing operation assurance device is an information processing device that includes multiple subsystems, such as a production management system 11, a manufacturing supervision system 12, an asset management system 13, a guarantee system 14, and a manufacturing execution system 15. The subsystems cooperate with each other to execute various processes.

[0020] In addition to the subsystems, the processing operation assurance device also has functional units (not shown). Specifically, the processing operation assurance device has an input receiving unit that receives instructions and information input from a user via an input device. It also has an output display unit that generates display information (screen information) to be displayed on an output device (display).

[0021] The storage unit of the processing operation guarantee device also includes a transaction information storage unit 131 used in the asset management system 13. The storage unit also includes a processing operation storage unit 144 used in the guarantee system .

[0022] The processing operation assurance device also has a communication unit that communicates information with an external device. Specifically, the communication unit is connected to the external device so as to be able to communicate with it via a communication path such as a public network such as the Internet, a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), a communication network that uses a VPN (Virtual Private Network) in part or in whole, a mobile phone communication network, or a network that combines these. The network may be a wireless communication network such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or 5G (Generation).

[0023] The input receiving unit, output display unit, storage unit, and communication unit cooperate with the functional units of each subsystem to execute various processes.

[0024] Next, we will explain the functional configuration of the production management system 11. The production management system 11 is a system that functions as a processing unit that executes various processes related to the management of production plans. Specifically, the production management system 11 includes a production plan management unit 111. The production plan management unit 111 generates a production plan that includes production specifications, quantities, timing, etc., in accordance with the order status and inventory status.

[0025] Next, we will explain the functional configuration of the manufacturing control system 12. The manufacturing control system 12 is a processing unit that performs overall processing related to manufacturing, such as issuing manufacturing instructions for specified products to the manufacturing execution system 15. Specifically, the manufacturing control system 12 has a manufacturing condition determination unit 121, an asset information acquisition unit 122, and a manufacturing execution instruction unit 123.

[0026] The manufacturing condition determination unit 121 determines manufacturing conditions using the production plan generated by the production plan management unit 111. The manufacturing conditions include at least, for example, information specifying the manufacturing equipment for the product, information specifying the model number and lot of the material (including, for example, recycled materials) used in manufacturing, the quantity and production time of the product to be manufactured, and the guaranteed amount of material (for example, the minimum amount of recycled materials to be used).

[0027] Here, the guaranteed amount of material is the weight of material (including recycled material or virgin material) that the user of the processing operation guarantee system 1, i.e., the manufacturer, wants to guarantee to be used in the manufacture of the product. For example, if a product is manufactured that is guaranteed to use 50% recycled material by weight, the guaranteed amount of material is the minimum weight of the recycled material.

[0028] Manufacturing equipment is equipment used to manufacture products. For example, if the material to be processed is plastic, the manufacturing equipment includes dryers, mixers, and transporters for the materials used in manufacturing the product, as well as injection molding machines and extrusion molding machines for molding the materials.

[0029] Furthermore, a material model number is identification information (e.g., a number) defined by a material manufacturer to identify the characteristics of the material. A material lot is the smallest unit of production or delivery defined by a material manufacturer for materials with the same model number. A lot is information that enables tracing, for example, that a material was processed on a certain line in a certain month of a certain year. Even for the same product, different material lots can easily result in differences in quality, so lots can also be said to be information used for traceability.

[0030] Here, transaction information refers to information associated with material transactions, and includes, for example, the model number and lot of the material, the amount of material received from the supplier, the amount of material in stock in the back yard, the amount of material sent out for use in manufacturing, and the amount of material input into the manufacturing equipment.

[0031] A supplier is a general term for a manufacturer or trading company that sells materials used in manufactured products.

[0032] The manufacturing condition determination unit 121 issues a request to acquire material transaction information to the asset information acquisition unit 122, and upon receiving transaction information including the material model number, lot, and material inventory amount from the asset information acquisition unit 122, determines at least the model number, lot, and input amount of the material to be used in manufacturing. In addition, the manufacturing condition determination unit 121 outputs the determined manufacturing conditions to the manufacturing execution instruction unit 123.

[0033] The asset information acquisition unit 122 acquires material transaction information from the asset management system 13. Specifically, when the asset information acquisition unit 122 receives a request to acquire material transaction information from the manufacturing condition determination unit 121, the asset information acquisition unit 122 acquires transaction information including the model number and lot of the material from the material transaction information management unit 132 of the asset management system 13.

[0034] The manufacturing execution instruction unit 123 instructs the manufacturing execution system 15 to execute manufacturing. Specifically, the manufacturing execution instruction unit 123 outputs a manufacturing instruction to the manufacturing execution unit 151 based on a request from the manufacturing condition determination unit 121. The manufacturing execution instruction unit 123 also outputs to the manufacturing execution unit 151, together with the manufacturing instruction, the model number and lot of the material to be used in manufacturing, and the manufacturing conditions determined by the manufacturing condition determination unit 121, such as input amounts and processing temperatures.

[0035] Furthermore, when the manufacturing execution instruction unit 123 receives a request to acquire manufacturing conditions from the execution parameter authentication unit 142 of the assurance system 14 , it outputs the manufacturing conditions acquired from the manufacturing condition determination unit 121 to the execution parameter authentication unit 142 .

[0036] Next, we will explain the functional configuration of the asset management system 13. The asset management system 13 functions as a processing unit that performs various processes related to material transactions. Specifically, the asset management system 13 includes a transaction information storage unit 131 and a material transaction information management unit 132.

[0037] The material transaction information management unit 132 manages material transaction information by referring to the transaction information storage unit 131. Specifically, when the material transaction information management unit 132 receives a request to acquire transaction information including the model number and lot of a material from the asset information acquisition unit 122, it refers to the transaction information storage unit 131 and outputs the transaction information including the model number, lot, and inventory amount of the material to the asset information acquisition unit 122.

[0038] In addition, when the material transaction information management unit 132 receives information on the shipping quantity linked to the material identifier from the material identifier reading unit 1521 in the shipping process 152 of the manufacturing execution system 15, it refers to the transaction information storage unit 131 and stores the shipping quantity of the material and the inventory quantity after shipping in the transaction information storage unit 131.

[0039] Here, a material identifier refers to a name, number, or code that is linked to the model number and lot of the material and is used to identify the material, and is information that is linked to transaction information. Note that the form of the material identifier is not limited to physical identifiers such as barcodes or QR codes (registered trademarks), but may also be chemical identifiers that can be identified by various analytical methods, such as fluorescent X-rays or fluorescent fingerprints.

[0040] In addition, when the material transaction information management unit 132 receives information on the input amount linked to the material identifier from the material identifier reading unit 1531 in the processing step 153 of the manufacturing execution system 15, it refers to the transaction information storage unit 131 and stores the input amount of the material in the transaction information storage unit 131.

[0041] In addition, when the material transaction information management unit 132 receives a request to acquire transaction information linked to a material identifier from the transaction information acquisition unit 141 of the guarantee system 14, it references the transaction information storage unit 131 and outputs the transaction information to the transaction information acquisition unit 141.

[0042] Next, the functional configuration of the guarantee system 14 will be described. The guarantee system 14 functions as a processing unit that performs processes related to guaranteeing the processing operations performed on materials and issuing product identifiers (identifiers unique to products manufactured by the manufacturing equipment). Specifically, the guarantee system 14 includes a transaction information acquisition unit 141, an execution parameter authentication unit 142, a processing record acquisition unit 143, a processing operation storage unit 144, and a processing operation guarantee unit 145.

[0043] The transaction information acquisition unit 141 acquires transaction information including the outgoing amount and the incoming amount linked to the material identifier from the material transaction information management unit 132. Specifically, when the transaction information acquisition unit 141 receives a request to acquire transaction information linked to the material identifier from the processing operation assurance unit 145, it outputs the request to acquire transaction information linked to the material identifier to the material transaction information management unit 132.

[0044] Furthermore, when the transaction information acquisition unit 141 acquires transaction information of the material linked to the material identifier from the material transaction information management unit 132 , it outputs the transaction information of the material linked to the material identifier to the processing operation assurance unit 145 .

[0045] The execution parameter authentication unit 142 verifies whether the execution parameters input by the user to the manufacturing equipment conform to the manufacturing conditions. Specifically, when the execution parameter authentication unit 142 receives the manufacturing conditions input by the user from the processing condition input unit 1532 in the processing step 153 of the manufacturing execution system 15, the execution parameter authentication unit 142 requests and acquires the manufacturing conditions determined by the manufacturing condition determination unit 121 from the manufacturing execution instruction unit 123.

[0046] Furthermore, the execution parameter authentication unit 142 receives the manufacturing conditions determined by the manufacturing condition determination unit 121 from the manufacturing execution instruction unit 123, and determines whether they match the manufacturing conditions (i.e., the execution parameters input by the user) received from the processing condition input unit 1532. If the manufacturing conditions match or correspond, the execution parameter authentication unit 142 determines that the manufacturing conditions received from the processing condition input unit 1532 are compatible, outputs the compatibility result to the processing condition input unit 1532, and stores the execution parameters in the processing operation memory unit 144.

[0047] Here, the execution parameters are values ​​that the user inputs and sets to the manufacturing equipment based on the manufacturing conditions. In other words, the execution parameters essentially match the manufacturing conditions determined by the manufacturing condition determination unit 121. For example, the execution parameters include the model number, lot, and input amount of the material to be input.

[0048] The processing history acquisition unit 143 acquires processing history from the device (processing device, etc.) that executed the material processing operation. Specifically, the processing history acquisition unit 143 acquires the material processing history from the processing history management unit 1534 of the processing step 153 of the manufacturing execution system 15, and stores the material processing history in the processing operation storage unit 144 in association with the material identifier.

[0049] Here, the processing results are the output values ​​obtained as a result of processing performed on materials by the manufacturing equipment in the processing step 153. For example, the processing results include the weight of the resulting product and the amount of material loss. The amount of material loss is the weight of the portion of the material input into the manufacturing equipment that is processed by the manufacturing equipment but is not the product itself. For example, runner parts of injection molded products are considered to be material loss. In addition, parts and products that do not meet the standard quality are also counted as material loss.

[0050] The processing operation assurance unit 145 certifies the processing operations performed on the material (a process of outputting, in response to an inquiry, a result that objectively certifies that the processing operations were performed in accordance with the manufacturing conditions) and issues a product identifier. Specifically, the processing operation assurance unit 145 accepts a product identifier, requests transaction information linked to the material identifier from the transaction information acquisition unit 141, and receives the transaction information from the transaction information acquisition unit 141. After receiving the transaction information, the processing operation assurance unit 145 also references the processing operation storage unit 144, acquires the authentication record of the execution parameters linked to the product-related identifier and the processing results linked to the material identifier, checks consistency, and, if there is a consistency relationship, outputs information (e.g., a product identifier) ​​that certifies the processing operations performed on the material.

[0051] Next, we will explain the functional configuration of the manufacturing execution system 15. The manufacturing execution system 15 functions as a processing unit that manufactures products by executing a predetermined manufacturing process based on instructions from the manufacturing integration system 12. Specifically, the manufacturing execution system 15 includes a manufacturing execution unit 151, a shipping process 152 that performs shipping using shipping equipment, and a processing process 153 that performs manufacturing using manufacturing equipment.

[0052] The manufacturing execution unit 151 manufactures products by executing a predetermined manufacturing process based on instructions from the manufacturing integration system 12. Specifically, the manufacturing execution unit 151 receives manufacturing execution instructions, including manufacturing conditions, from the manufacturing execution instruction unit 123, and issues a material shipping instruction to the material identifier reading unit 1521 in the shipping process 152.

[0053] In the shipping process 152, materials are shipped in accordance with the manufacturing conditions. Specifically, the shipping process 152 includes a material identifier reading unit 1521 and a shipping execution unit 1522.

[0054] The material identifier reading unit 1521 receives manufacturing conditions, including the amount of material to be shipped, from the manufacturing execution unit 151, and reads the material identifier of the material to be shipped. Specifically, when the material identifier reading unit 1521 receives the manufacturing conditions and manufacturing execution instructions from the manufacturing execution unit 151, it reads the material identifier of the material to be used in accordance with the manufacturing conditions using a reading method corresponding to the material identifier. For example, if the material identifier is a barcode or QR code, the material identifier reading unit 1521 uses an optical reading sensor to read it, and if it is a chemical identifier that can be identified by various analytical methods such as fluorescent X-rays or fluorescent fingerprints, the material identifier reading unit 1521 uses a fluorescent X-ray analyzer to read it.

[0055] Furthermore, the material identifier reading unit 1521 outputs the read outgoing quantity of the material to the material transaction information management unit 132 .

[0056] The delivery execution unit 1522 delivers materials. Specifically, the delivery execution unit 1522 delivers the materials whose material identifiers have been read in accordance with the manufacturing conditions, and transports the delivered materials to the material identifier reading unit 1531 in the processing step 153.

[0057] The processing step 153 processes the delivered material in accordance with the manufacturing conditions. Specifically, the processing step 153 includes a material identifier reading unit 1531, a processing condition input unit 1532, a processing execution unit 1533, a processing record management unit 1534, and a product identifier assignment unit 1535.

[0058] The material identifier reading unit 1531 reads the material identifier of the material to be input into the processing step 153. Specifically, the material identifier reading unit 1531 reads the material identifier of the material to be used in accordance with the manufacturing conditions using a reading method corresponding to the material identifier. The method for reading the material identifier is the same as that of the material identifier reading unit 1521. The material identifier reading unit 1531 requests transaction information linked to the material identifier from the material transaction information management unit 132, displays the material information on a screen provided in the material identifier reading unit 1531, outputs the input amount to the material transaction information management unit 132, and transfers control to the processing condition input unit 1532.

[0059] The processing condition input unit 1532 receives processing conditions for a material from a user. Specifically, the processing condition input unit 1532 receives input of execution parameters according to the manufacturing conditions for the material from the user, and outputs the input execution parameters to the execution parameter authentication unit 142.

[0060] Furthermore, when the processing condition input unit 1532 receives the authentication result of the execution parameters from the execution parameter authentication unit 142 , it passes the execution parameters to the next processing execution unit 1533 .

[0061] The processing execution unit 1533 executes processing operations on the material according to the authenticated execution parameters. Specifically, it executes various processing operations such as cutting, molding, machining, and polishing in accordance with the processing conditions received from the processing condition input unit 1532.

[0062] The processing record management unit 1534 outputs the processing record obtained as a result of executing a processing operation on a material. Specifically, when the processing record management unit 1534 receives output information indicating that material processing has been completed from the processing execution unit 1533 (including the processing record, at least the obtained product weight, and the amount of material loss), the processing record management unit 1534 links the information to the material identifier and passes it to the processing record acquisition unit 143.

[0063] The product identifier assigning unit 1535 assigns a unique product identifier to a product on which a processing operation has been performed on a material. Specifically, upon receiving a signal indicating that the processing operation on the material has been guaranteed and a product identifier from the processing operation assurance unit 145, the product identifier assigning unit 1535 assigns the received product identifier to the product. For example, the product identifier assigning unit 1535 affixes or stamps the product identifier on the product.

[0064] The functional configuration of each subsystem has been described above.

[0065] [Explanation of Operation] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a processing flow of the processing operation recording process. The processing operation recording process is started when the input receiving unit receives an instruction to execute a manufacturing process from a user via an input device, for example.

[0066] When materials arrive from a supplier, the material transaction information management unit 132 performs a material receiving process (step S01). Specifically, the material transaction information management unit 132 receives material transaction information, including the material model number, lot number, and arrival amount, and stores the information in the transaction information storage unit 131.

[0067] Next, the production plan control unit 111 determines a production plan (step S02). Specifically, the production plan control unit 111 of the production management system 11 generates screen information for displaying the production information (e.g., the quantity of products to be manufactured and the timing thereof) acquired from the storage unit via the output display unit, and displays this on an output device (display).

[0068] When determining a production plan, the user (production planner) refers to the displayed order status and inventory status, and inputs appropriate production specifications, quantities, and timing via the input device. Upon receiving the input information via the input reception unit, the production plan management unit 111 determines the production plan based on a predetermined algorithm.

[0069] The production plan control unit 111 may automatically determine a production plan without relying on input from a user by using a mathematical planning model and its algorithm for optimizing the entire logistics. The mathematical planning model and algorithm may be stored in advance in the storage unit.

[0070] Next, the manufacturing condition determination unit 121 of the manufacturing integration system 12 determines the manufacturing conditions (step S03). Specifically, the manufacturing condition determination unit 121 acquires a production plan from the storage unit. The manufacturing condition determination unit 121 also displays the acquired production plan from the storage unit via the output display unit, generates screen information for accepting input of manufacturing conditions, and displays this on an output device (display).

[0071] The manufacturing condition determination unit 121 may automatically determine the manufacturing conditions without relying on input from the user by using a mathematical programming model and its algorithm for optimizing production efficiency. Furthermore, such mathematical programming model and algorithm may be stored in the storage unit in advance.

[0072] The asset information acquisition unit 122 requests transaction information for materials included in the manufacturing conditions from the material transaction information management unit 132. Specifically, the asset information acquisition unit 122 outputs a request for material authentication information (shipping information produced by the supplier) including the model number and lot of the material to the material transaction information management unit 132. Upon receiving the material authentication information from the material transaction information management unit 132, the asset information acquisition unit 122 passes it to the manufacturing condition determination unit 121. The manufacturing condition determination unit 121 determines the manufacturing conditions using the model number and lot of the material and its inventory amount.

[0073] Next, in the shipping process 152 of the manufacturing execution system 15, a material shipping process (described later) is performed (step S04). The material shipping process will be described in detail later.

[0074] Next, in the processing step 153 of the manufacturing execution system 15, a manufacturing execution process (to be described later) is performed (step S05). The manufacturing execution process will be described in detail later.

[0075] The above is an example of the processing flow of the processing operation recording process. According to the processing operation recording process, it is possible to automatically manage and record the process from material receiving to product manufacturing using material identifiers via the material transaction information management unit 132, so that processing operations can be recorded objectively and fairly.

[0076] Next, the material delivery process (step S04) will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 3, which is a diagram showing an example of the processing flow of the material delivery process.

[0077] First, the material identifier reading unit 1521 reads a material identifier (step S041). Then, the material identifier reading unit 1521 sends a request to acquire transaction information to the material transaction information management unit 132, and acquires the transaction information stored in the transaction information storage unit 131.

[0078] The shipping execution unit 1522 then identifies the material in accordance with the manufacturing conditions, ships it out, and sends it to the subsequent process. At that time, the shipping execution unit 1522 records the material identifier and the shipping amount in the transaction information storage unit 131 (step S042).

[0079] The above is an example of the processing flow of the material delivery process. According to the material delivery process, materials are delivered in accordance with the manufacturing conditions, and the delivery amount can be recorded in the transaction information.

[0080] Next, the manufacturing execution process (step S05) will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 4, which is a diagram showing an example of the processing flow of the manufacturing execution process.

[0081] First, the material identifier reading unit 1531 receives the material from the previous process (for example, the immediately preceding process or the shipping process 152 if the process is made up of multiple processes) (step S051).

[0082] Then, the material identifier reading unit 1531 reads the material identifier from the material and records the amount of material input to the manufacturing facility in the transaction information storage unit 131 (step S052). Specifically, the material identifier reading unit 1531 reads the material identifier from the material and obtains the transaction information of the material linked to the material identifier from the material transaction information management unit 132. Additionally, the material identifier reading unit 1531 links the amount of material input to the manufacturing facility to the material identifier and passes it to the material transaction information management unit 132 for recording.

[0083] Then, the processing condition input unit 1532 accepts the processing conditions (step S053). Specifically, the processing condition input unit 1532 accepts input of processing conditions (information similar to the manufacturing conditions) from the user as execution parameters through the interface of the manufacturing equipment. The processing condition input unit 1532 passes the input processing conditions to the execution parameter authentication unit 142.

[0084] The execution parameter authentication unit 142 determines whether the manufacturing conditions received from the manufacturing execution instruction unit 123 match or correspond to the processing conditions received from the processing condition input unit 1532 (step S054).

[0085] If the manufacturing conditions and the input processing conditions do not match or correspond to each other ("No" in step S054), the execution parameter authentication unit 142 determines that the processing conditions received from the processing condition input unit 1532 do not match the manufacturing conditions and outputs an alert indicating this (step S055). Then, the processing condition input unit 1532 ends the manufacturing execution process.

[0086] If the manufacturing conditions and the input processing conditions match or correspond to each other ("Yes" in step S054), the execution parameter authentication unit 142 determines that the processing conditions received from the processing condition input unit 1532 are compatible with the manufacturing conditions, outputs the compatibility result to the processing condition input unit 1532, and authenticates the input processing conditions as execution parameters (stores them in the processing operation memory unit 144) (step S056).

[0087] Then, the processing execution unit 1533 performs processing operations on the material to execute manufacturing (step S057).

[0088] The processing record management unit 1534 records the processing record of the material (step S058). Specifically, the processing record management unit 1534 outputs the processing record of the material, including the product weight and the amount of material loss, to the processing record acquisition unit 143, and the processing record acquisition unit 143 stores the processing record in the processing operation storage unit 144.

[0089] Then, the product identifier assigning unit 1535 assigns a product identifier (step S059). Specifically, the processing operation assurance unit 145 identifies a unique product identifier to be assigned to the product for which the processing results are stored, and passes it to the product identifier assigning unit 1535. The product identifier assigning unit 1535 assigns a product identifier to the product in a predetermined format. The product identifier assigning unit 1535 then sends the product to a subsequent process (step S060).

[0090] The above is an example of the processing flow of the manufacturing execution process. According to the manufacturing execution process, products are manufactured only if the manufacturing conditions are met, and the processing results can be recorded as evidence in the transaction information.

[0091] Next, the details of the guarantee process will be explained. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the guarantee process flow. The guarantee process starts when a process start instruction is received from the user.

[0092] First, the processing operation assuring unit 145 receives a product identifier (step S10). Specifically, the processing operation assuring unit 145 receives an input of the product identifier.

[0093] Then, the processing operation assurance unit 145 identifies a material identifier associated with the product identifier (step S11). Specifically, the processing operation assurance unit 145 refers to the processing operation storage unit 144 and identifies identifiers associated with the input product identifier (product identifier, part identifier, material identifiers used in the product / part (recycled material, virgin material, additive)).

[0094] Then, the processing operation assurance unit 145 acquires the processing operation related to the material identifier and the transaction information (step S12). Specifically, the processing operation assurance unit 145 acquires the processing operation (execution parameters) from the processing operation storage unit 144 for the specified material identifier. Furthermore, the processing operation assurance unit 145 acquires, via the transaction information acquisition unit 141, transaction information related to the specified material identifier, including the amount of material to be shipped from the transaction information storage unit 131 and the amount of authenticated material to be input.

[0095] The processing operation assurance unit 145 then determines whether the transaction information, the execution parameter authentication record, and the processing results are consistent (step S13). Specifically, the processing operation assurance unit 145 determines whether the outgoing quantity included in the transaction information, the input quantity of materials, and the product weight and material loss amount according to the execution parameters are in a predetermined consistency relationship. For example, if the outgoing quantity is less than the input quantity of materials, it can be said that there is no consistency. Also, for example, if the input quantity is less than the sum of the product weight and the material loss amount, it can be said that there is no consistency. If there is no consistency ("No" in step S13), the processing operation assurance unit 145 proceeds to step S15, which will be described later.

[0096] If they match ("Yes" in step S13), the process operation assurance unit 145 determines whether the relationship between the product weight and the amount of material loss satisfies the guaranteed amount (minimum usage amount) determined by the manufacturing condition determination unit 121 (step S14). If they do not satisfy the relationship, for example, if the relationship between the product weight and the amount calculated from the amount of material loss is inappropriate or if the amount of material loss is too high ("No" in step S14), the process operation assurance unit 145 outputs an alert (step S15) and presents information about the difference from the guaranteed content (step S16). For example, the process operation assurance unit 145 displays on a screen that the amount of material loss is too high and information about the extent of the difference.

[0097] If the condition is met, for example, if the relationship between the product weight and the amount calculated from the material loss amount is appropriate ("Yes" in step S14), the processing operation assurance unit 145 outputs a result assuring the use of materials (step S17). For example, the processing operation assurance unit 145 associates information assuring the use of materials with the product identifier and stores it in the processing operation storage unit 144. Furthermore, for example, the processing operation assurance unit 145 may output an authentication mark, an authentication icon, or the like to display the information assuring the use of materials on a screen.

[0098] The above is an example of the processing flow of the guarantee processing. According to the guarantee processing, a product identifier is received, and the product is manufactured only if the guaranteed manufacturing conditions of the processing operation are met using the transaction information, execution parameters, and processing results, and the processing results can be recorded in the transaction information as evidence.

[0099] [Data Description] Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of the transaction information storage unit. The transaction information storage unit 131 used in the asset management system 13 stores, linked to a material identifier, information identifying the material model number, information identifying the lot, and the amount received from the supplier, the date and time of the change as inventory change information, the amount sent out, the amount of the sent out amount that was used as material, and the current inventory amount in the back yard. This makes it possible to manage how received inventory is sent out and put in, and how much remains.

[0100] 7 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of the processing operation storage unit. The processing operation storage unit 144 used in the guarantee system 14 stores, for each processing operation, a material identifier, execution parameters, a product weight from the processing results, and a material loss amount from the processing results, all linked to a product identifier. This makes it possible to use the product identifier to manage the materials used in the product, the execution parameters for the processing operation, and the processing results.

[0101] 8 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device of the processing operation assurance system. The information processing device 900 can be realized as a general information processing device 900 including a processor 901, a hardware memory 902 such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), a storage 903 such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD), a reading device 905 for reading information from a portable storage medium 904 such as a CD (Compact Disk) or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), an input device 906 such as a keyboard, a mouse, a barcode reader, or a touch panel, an output device 907 such as a display, and a communication device 908 for communicating with other computers via a communication network such as a LAN or the Internet, or as a network system including a plurality of such information processing devices 900. The reading device 905 may be capable of not only reading from the portable storage medium 904 but also writing to it.

[0102] The processor 901 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The processor 901 performs various processes by executing various predetermined programs loaded from the storage 903 to the memory 902. The programs are, for example, application programs that can be executed on an OS (Operating System) program. The programs may be installed in the storage 903 from a portable storage medium 904 via a reading device 905, or may be downloaded from a network via a communication device 908 and executed by the processor 901.

[0103] For example, the production plan management unit 111, manufacturing condition determination unit 121, asset information acquisition unit 122, manufacturing execution instruction unit 123, material transaction information management unit 132, transaction information acquisition unit 141, execution parameter authentication unit 142, processing performance acquisition unit 143, processing operation assurance unit 145, manufacturing execution unit 151, material identifier reading unit 1521, shipping execution unit 1522, material identifier reading unit 1531, processing condition input unit 1532, processing execution unit 1533, processing performance management unit 1534, and product identifier assignment unit 1535 can be realized by loading a program stored in storage 903 into memory 902 and executing it on processor 901.

[0104] The input receiving unit can be realized by the processor 901 using the input device 906 and the communication device 908. The output display unit can be realized by the processor 901 using the output device 907 and the communication device 908. The storage unit can be realized by the processor 901 using the memory 902 or the storage 903. The communication unit can be realized by the processor 901 using the communication device 908.

[0105] The above is an example of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to the first embodiment described above, by collating evidence information including processing results without human intervention, it is possible to guarantee processing operations on materials. Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiment has been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and is not necessarily limited to an embodiment having all of the described configurations. It is possible to replace part of the configuration of an embodiment with another configuration, and it is also possible to add configurations of other embodiments to the configuration of an embodiment. It is also possible to delete part of the configuration of an embodiment.

[0106] For example, if a processing operation is performed by blending two or more types of materials, the transaction information includes a material balance including the blending ratio of the raw materials that make up the material and the amount of raw material loss during the production of the material. Also, by including the blending ratio of the materials in the execution parameters, the processing operation assurance unit 145 can output information that specifies and guarantees the material balance of the product using the material balance, the blending ratio of the materials, the product weight, and the amount of material loss.

[0107] Furthermore, for example, in the first embodiment described above, the processing performed by the information processing device may impose a high processing load, and high-performance hardware resources may be required to complete the processing within a predetermined processing time. A second embodiment that reduces the processing load will be described below. Note that the processing operation assurance system according to the second embodiment is basically the same as the processing operation assurance system 1 according to the first embodiment described above, and the following description will focus on the differences.

[0108] Second Embodiment In the processing operation assurance system according to the first embodiment, material processing operations are assured using primary information (transaction information, input amounts of materials, product weights, etc.) obtained from product manufacturers and suppliers. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is possible to expand the scope of assurance to include not only primary information but also secondary information by calculating predetermined secondary information based on the primary information obtained from product manufacturers or suppliers.

[0109] For example, by storing environmental load information of materials (e.g., greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide emissions) in the transaction information storage unit 131 and storing processing results including the product weight and the resource / energy (e.g., electricity, water, etc.) usage results for processing operations in the processing operation storage unit 144, the processing operation assurance unit 145 can have the function of calculating and guaranteeing the product's environmental load information (product carbon footprint or product water footprint) as secondary information.

[0110] Third Embodiment: FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a distributed processing operation assurance system. In the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, each subsystem, i.e., the production management system 11, the manufacturing supervision system 12, the asset management system 13, the assurance system 14, and the manufacturing execution system 15, is implemented on independent hardware (information processing devices) and communicates with each other via a network 50, constituting a distributed model 1'. Since each subsystem can be appropriately configured for scalability according to the processing load, the processing operation assurance system as a whole can reduce resource waste. Furthermore, since the transaction information storage unit 131 of the asset management system 13 and the processing operation storage unit 144 of the assurance system 14 can be loosely coupled, data independence is ensured, and it is easy to maintain high transparency and reliability of the assurance content.

[0111] <Fourth embodiment> In the third embodiment, the information processing devices that realize the respective subsystems are configured to be connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via the network 50. However, this is not limiting, and the asset management system 13 having the transaction information storage unit 131 may be configured to be independent from the other subsystems.

[0112] 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a processing operation assurance system (data independence). For example, in a distributed model 1", an information processing device that realizes an asset management system 13 is located externally, and is communicably connected via a network 50 to information processing devices that realize the other subsystems, namely, a production management system 11, a manufacturing supervision system 12, a guarantee system 14, and a manufacturing execution system 15. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0113] With this configuration, for example, material transaction information (transaction information storage unit 131) can be held and managed by an external organization, making it easier to prevent fraud and enabling stronger guarantees.

[0114] Some or all of the above-described units, configurations, functions, processing units, etc. may be implemented in hardware, for example, by designing them as integrated circuits. Furthermore, the above-described units, configurations, functions, etc. may be implemented in software by a processor interpreting and executing a program that implements each function. Information such as the programs, tables, and files that implement each function can be stored in a memory, a recording device such as a hard disk, or a recording medium such as an IC card, SD card, or DVD.

[0115] It should be noted that the control lines and information lines in the above-described embodiments are those considered necessary for the explanation, and do not necessarily show all the control lines and information lines in the product. In reality, it can be considered that almost all components are interconnected. The present invention has been described above, focusing on the embodiments.

[0116] 1: Processing operation assurance system, 11: production management system, 12: manufacturing supervision system, 13: asset management system, 14: assurance system, 15: manufacturing execution system, 111: production plan management unit, 121: manufacturing condition determination unit, 122: asset information acquisition unit, 123: manufacturing execution instruction unit, 123, 132: material transaction information management unit, 141: transaction information acquisition unit, 142: execution parameter authentication unit, 143: processing performance acquisition unit, 145: processing operation assurance unit, 151: manufacturing execution unit, 1521: material identifier reading unit, 1522: shipping execution unit, 1531: material identifier reading unit, 1532: processing condition input unit, 1533: processing execution unit, 1534: processing performance management unit, 1535: product identifier assignment unit.

Claims

1. A processing operation assurance system comprising: a transaction information storage unit containing transaction information of materials for a product; a processing operation storage unit containing information on one or more processing operations on the materials; an execution parameter authentication unit which causes setting input information of execution parameters related to the processing operations to be recorded in the processing operation storage unit; a processing result acquisition unit which acquires processing results from a device which has executed the processing operation on the material and records the processing results in the processing operation storage unit; and a processing operation assurance unit which outputs information to guarantee the processing operation performed on the material when at least the transaction information, the execution parameters, and the processing results are in a consistent relationship for the material.

2. A processing operation assurance system as described in claim 1, wherein the material has a unique material identifier linked to the transaction information, the execution parameter authentication unit and the processing performance acquisition unit record the setting input information of the execution parameters and the processing performance in the processing operation memory unit in association with the material identifier, and the processing operation assurance unit judges the consistency using the material identifier.

3. A processing operation assurance system as described in claim 2, further comprising a product identifier assignment unit which assigns a unique product identifier to the product, wherein the processing operation assurance unit receives the product identifier and identifies at least the material identifier, and determines the consistency between the transaction information, the execution parameters, and the processing results for each product.

4. A processing operation assurance system as described in claim 3, wherein the transaction information includes the transaction volume of the material, the execution parameters include the input volume of the material, the processing results include the product weight of the product and the amount of material loss in the processing operation, and the processing operation assurance unit determines that the consistent relationship exists when the transaction volume, the input volume, the product weight, and the amount of material loss satisfy a predetermined relationship.

5. A processing operation assurance system as described in claim 4, wherein the transaction information includes environmental load information of the material, the processing results include resource and energy usage results of the processing operation, and the processing operation assurance unit uses the environmental load information of the material, the product weight, and the resource and energy usage results to identify environmental load information for the product and output the guaranteed information.

6. A processing operation assurance system as described in claim 5, wherein the environmental load information of the material is a product carbon footprint for the material, the resource / energy usage record includes a record of electricity usage, and the processing operation assurance unit uses the product carbon footprint for the material and the record of electricity usage to identify the product carbon footprint for the product and output the assurance information.

7. A processing operation assurance system as described in claim 5, wherein the environmental load information of the material is a product water footprint for the material, the resource / energy usage record includes a water usage record, and the processing operation assurance unit uses the product water footprint for the material and the water usage record to identify a product water footprint for the product and output the assurance information.

8. A processing operation assurance system as described in claim 4, wherein the processing operation is executed by blending two or more types of the material, the transaction information includes a material balance including a blending ratio of raw materials constituting the material and an amount of raw material loss during the production of the material, the execution parameters include a blending ratio of the materials, and the processing operation assurance unit uses the material balance, the blending ratio of the materials, the product weight, and the amount of material loss to identify the product material balance of the product and output the guaranteed information.

9. The treatment operation assurance system according to claim 1, wherein the material is a recycled material.

10. A processing operation assurance device comprising: a transaction information storage unit containing transaction information of materials for a product; a processing operation storage unit containing information on one or more processing operations on the materials; an execution parameter authentication unit which causes setting input information of execution parameters related to the processing operations to be recorded in the processing operation storage unit; a processing result acquisition unit which acquires processing results from a device which has executed the processing operation on the material and records the processing results in the processing operation storage unit; and a processing operation assurance unit which outputs information to guarantee the processing operation performed on the material when, for the material, at least, the transaction information, the execution parameters, and the processing results are in a consistent relationship.

11. A material processing operation guarantee method performed using an information processing device, the information processing device comprising: a transaction information storage unit including transaction information of material for a product; and a processing operation storage unit including information of one or more processing operations on the material, and the processing operation guarantee method performs the following operations: an execution parameter authentication step for recording setting input information of execution parameters related to the processing operation in the processing operation storage unit; a processing result acquisition step for acquiring processing results from a device which executed the processing operation on the material and recording the processing results in the processing operation storage unit; and a processing operation guarantee step for outputting information guaranteeing the processing operation performed on the material when at least the transaction information, the execution parameters, and the processing results are in a consistent relationship for the material.

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