Management system and management method

Abstract

This management system 20 for managing a process includes: a storage part 24E for storing an instruction 300 for defining a flow of a process and an input product to be input into the process; a process management part 24 for managing progress of the process by the progress of the instruction; and an operation management part 26 for an unmanned conveyance vehicle. The process management part 24 can collectively convey the input products of each of the plurality of instructions using the unmanned conveyance vehicle 30.

Description

Management system and management method

[0001] The present invention relates to a management system and a management method for managing the progress of a process based on the progress of instructions.

[0002] A smart factory is known as a conventional implementation of this type of management system. In a smart factory, various facilities such as production lines and conveyor lines are connected to a management system via a network, enabling the optimization of production activities and the efficiency of information management.

[0003] In smart factories, computers manage the progress of processes based on instructions. Smart factories use automated guided vehicles such as AGVs and AMRs to transport materials, parts, and other inputs into the process within the site as the manufacturing process progresses. The introduction of automated guided vehicles not only optimizes transport control, allowing inputs to be transported efficiently in accordance with production plans, but also has the benefit of reducing the burden on workers and suppressing on-site inventory.

[0004] A conventional technology related to this type of smart factory is a transport control device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-166978. This transport control device calculates transport loads based on the planned transport volume between the warehouse and the manufacturing equipment planned by a warehouse loading / unloading planning unit and the route between the warehouse and the manufacturing equipment calculated by a transport route calculation unit, and performs transport control.

[0005] Another prior art technology is a production management device described in WO2021 / 234942. This production management device calculates the parts required to start or continue production based on a production plan, parts inventory information, and production time information, and outputs shipping data indicating when the corresponding parts should be shipped from a warehouse.

[0006] JP 2009-166978 A

[0007] In systems that manage the progress of product manufacturing processes using instructions, such as smart factories, products and materials are transported by automated guided vehicles in accordance with the progress of the instructions. However, given the recent trend of unavoidably diversifying product characteristics, for example, the number of instructions increases, which increases the frequency of transporting input items by automated guided vehicles, resulting in a decrease in transport efficiency. The present invention aims to provide a management system and management method that improves the transport efficiency of input items in a management system that manages the progress of processes based on multiple instructions.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a management system for managing a process, comprising: a memory unit for storing instructions that define the flow of the process and input items to be input into the process; a process management unit that manages the progress of the process based on the progress of the instructions; and an automated guided vehicle operation management unit, wherein the process management unit is configured to transport input items for each of a plurality of instructions collectively by the automated guided vehicle. The present invention also provides a management method.

[0009] The present invention can improve the efficiency of transporting input items in a management system that manages processes based on multiple instructions.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an entire system of a smart factory in which a management system according to an embodiment of the present invention is implemented. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the overall process of bulk transport. FIG. 3 is an example of an instruction table. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating details of a process for determining candidates for instructions to be bulk transported. FIG. 5 is a master table for bulk transport. FIG. 6 is a candidate table for bulk transport. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating details of an inventory quantity confirmation process. FIG. 8 is an instruction input product information table. FIG. 9 is an inventory quantity table. FIG. 10 is a table of inventory quantities available for transport. FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating details of an AGV (automated guided vehicle) status confirmation process. FIG. 12A is an AGV transport status table showing the operating status of the AGV. FIG. 12B is an AGV master table. FIG. 12C is an AGV transport time table. FIG. 12D is a table 700D of AGVs that can be bulk transported. FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a process for determining candidates for bulk transport. FIG. 14 is a bulk transport table.

[0011] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. (Explanation of Overall System / MES) Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the overall system of a smart factory in which an embodiment of the management system of the present invention is implemented. The overall system includes an MES (manufacturing execution management system) 20, a host system 10 of the MES 20, an AGV (automated guided vehicle) operation system 28, and an AGV 30. A server on which the MES 20 is implemented is connected via a network to the server 10 on which the host system 10 is implemented. The AGV operation system 28 is implemented on a computer separate from the server of the MES 20, and these are connected to each other via a network.

[0012] The host system 10 manages production plans in a smart factory. The host system 10 includes a storage 10B that records production plans, a transmission unit 10A that transmits the production plans to the MES 20, a storage 10D that records production results, and a unit 10C that receives production results from the MES. The production plan is formulated by the production management department and registered in the storage 10B. The production plan transmission unit 10A reads the production plan from the storage 10B and transmits it to the MES 20. Note that the term "unit" may refer to a function realized by a control device, such as a hardware resource such as a controller or processor, executing a program. This term may also be replaced with a function, means, circuit, unit, module, etc.

[0013] The MES 20 includes a host communication unit 22, a process management unit 24, and an AGV operation management unit 26. The process management unit 24 manages the progress of the manufacturing process based on the progress of manufacturing instructions. The instructions specify the progress of the manufacturing process and the handling of inputs such as materials input into the process. The process management unit 24 manages the progress of the process based on the instructions. The process whose progress is managed based on the progress of the instructions may be a process other than a manufacturing or assembly process.

[0014] The upper communication unit 22 mediates communication between the process management unit 24 and the upper system 10, and when it receives a production plan from the upper system 10 as received data 22A, the upper reception processing unit 22B transmits this to the process management unit 24. The process management unit 24 stores the received production plan and various associated masters in its storage 24A.

[0015] The control unit 24B controls and manages the product manufacturing process based on the production plan in storage 24A and instruction data extracted from the production plan. The control unit 24B stores the product manufacturing results in storage 24C. The control unit 24B detects the chronological status of inventory amounts of parts and materials (process input items) during the product manufacturing process and registers them in storage 24D. Reference numeral 24E denotes a storage unit for instruction data, control tables, management data, etc. referenced by the control unit 24B. The control unit 24B stores the instruction data extracted from the production plan in storage unit 24E of storage 24A.

[0016] The upper transmission processing unit 22C of the upper communication unit 22 transmits the manufacturing performance of the storage 24C as transmission data 22D to the manufacturing performance receiving unit 10C of the upper system 10. The manufacturing performance receiving unit 10C registers the received manufacturing performance in the storage 10D.

[0017] Control unit 24B controls AGVs to transport products and materials, parts, etc. for manufacturing the products (input items to be input into the manufacturing process) in the process of managing the product manufacturing process based on the instruction data. Under the control of control unit 24B, AGV management unit 26A of AGV operation management unit 26 forms an AGV drive signal, and transmission processing unit 26B executes transmission processing to transmit this to AGV operation system 28. Transmission processing unit 26B saves the AGV drive signal in storage 26C as AGV drive history.

[0018] A reception processing unit 28C of the AGV operation system 28 receives the AGV drive signal as received data 28A and supplies it to an AGV transport control unit 28E. The AGV transport control unit 28E forms drive signals for each of the multiple AGVs and supplies them to each AGV. The operation status of the AGV 30 is transmitted as transmission data 28B from a transmission processing unit 28D to a reception processing unit 26D of the AGV operation management unit 26 via the AGV transport control unit 28E. The reception processing unit 26D stores the received data as AGV drive history in storage 26C. Under the control of the control unit 24B, the AGV management unit 26A forms a command signal to the AGV operation system 28, and the transmission processing unit 26B transmits the command signal to the AGV operation system 28. The transmission processing unit 26B records the transmission data in storage 26C as AGV operation history. The control unit 24B can refer to the AGV driving history in the storage 26C via the AGV management unit 26A.

[0019] The control unit 24B operates AGVs to transport input items, such as parts and materials, used in product manufacturing to designated work zones within a factory in accordance with instructions. Conventionally, the control unit 24B has not considered transporting input items across multiple instructions (hereinafter referred to as "consolidated transport"), and instead transports input items by AGV for each instruction. The present invention provides a process management system that manages a process, and includes: a memory unit 24E for instructions that define the process flow; a process management unit 24 that manages the progress of the process based on the progress of the instructions; and an AGV operation management unit 26 for automated guided vehicles that transport input items used in the process within a management area. The process management unit 24 selects multiple instructions from the memory unit 24E and creates a plan or schedule for consolidated transport of input items for each of the multiple instructions by automated guided vehicles. The AGV operation management unit 26 then executes the consolidated transport based on the plan or schedule. This reduces the number of times input items need to be transported, reduces the transport load on the automated guided vehicle, and improves transport efficiency. Note that the management area refers to the area of ​​a factory or warehouse where a process is executed.

[0020] (Overall Description of Bulk Transfer) Bulk transfer will be described using a flowchart. Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing the overall bulk transfer. The control unit 24B references the production plan in the storage 24A, extracts multiple instructions from the production plan, and collectively registers the multiple instructions in the instruction table 300. The control unit 24B stores this in the memory unit 24E (S200: instruction data registration means).

[0021] (Instruction Table: A Set of Multiple Instructions) Figure 3 shows an example of an instruction table 300. The instruction table has multiple instructions, each identified by a manufacturing instruction number, and each instruction specifies information related to the progress of work processes such as the production and sorting of products or goods in a factory, warehouse, etc. Taking product production as an example, as shown in Figure 3, for each manufacturing instruction number, the product name code, manufacturing lot number, scheduled manufacturing start date and time, scheduled manufacturing end date and time, scheduled delivery completion date, scheduled manufacturing quantity, delivery destination, and information on whether the instruction has been approved or not are specified.

[0022] The set of instructions shown in Figure 3 includes five instructions, designated by manufacturing instruction numbers 100-104. Each instruction describes the process for manufacturing the product listed as a product code, and the other details are as shown in Figure 3. In other words, each instruction defines the progress of the process. Conventionally, the transportation of products, parts, materials, etc. (inputs input into a process) was carried out within the scope of the instruction number (each instruction), but MES 20 can transport multiple inputs collectively across multiple instructions.

[0023] (Overall explanation of bulk transport: FIG. 2) The control unit 24B refers to the instruction table 300 in the storage unit 24E to select multiple instructions that are candidates for bulk transport, and creates a bulk transport candidate instruction table 400 (FIG. 6: bulk transport candidate setting means) in which these are registered in the table. Next, the control unit 24B checks the inventory status of the input items to be bulk transported (S201: inventory status checking means) and creates a table 650 of inventory amounts that can be allocated for bulk transport (FIG. 10: bulk transport allocable inventory amount setting means).

[0024] The control unit 24B then checks the operation status of the automated guided vehicles (S202: automated guided vehicle status checking means) and creates a table 700D of automated guided vehicles that can be transported together (FIG. 12D: automated guided vehicle setting means). The control unit 24B references the batch transport candidate instruction table 400, the batch transport available inventory table 650, and the batch transport available automated guided vehicle table 700D to set a combination of instructions to be transported together and their input items (S203), and creates a batch transport table 800 (FIG. 14). The control unit 24B references the batch transport table 800 (batch transport setting means) to instruct the automated guided vehicles to transport items (S204: automated guided vehicle transport instruction means), and records this as a transport record in the AGV driving history in the storage 26C. The control unit 24B executes the flowchart of FIG. 2 for multiple instructions that can be transported together at a predetermined timing.

[0025] (Candidate combinations of instructions that will be the basis for consolidated transport) Figure 4 is a flowchart that explains in detail how to determine candidate combinations of instructions that will be the basis for consolidated transport of input items. Multiple instructions that can be consolidated are instructions that each have a product name code listed in the master table 350 (Figure 5). The control unit 24B can also exclude from consolidated transport any instructions that have too little time between the scheduled consolidated transport date and time and the production start date and time, or any instructions that have an unnecessarily long time between the scheduled consolidated transport date and time and the production start date and time. The control unit 24B references the instruction table 300 (Figure 3) and the consolidated transport master table 350 (Figure 5) (S400).

[0026] (Master Table for Bulk Transport 350) The master table for bulk transport 350 shown in FIG. 5 is used to clarify whether the instructions in the instruction table 300 (FIG. 3) are eligible for bulk transport (sorting information). The master table for bulk transport 350 indicates whether each product name is eligible for bulk transport. The master table for bulk transport 350 indicates that an instruction with a product name code for at least one of the four products listed in FIG. 5 is eligible for bulk transport. Therefore, according to the instruction table 300, instruction numbers 100-102 and 104 are eligible for bulk transport. By registering product name codes in the master table 350, it is easy to set combinations of multiple instructions eligible for bulk transport. Instruction number 103 is unapproved (exclusion flag), so it is not eligible for bulk transport. The control unit 24B can set an exclusion flag for a specific instruction upon request from the user. This flag can be used to control instructions so that they are not eligible for bulk transport.

[0027] The master table 350 for bulk transport may be created in advance by an administrator of the MES 20 and stored in the memory 24E. When it is desired to manufacture products quickly or to avoid discoloration or odor transfer due to bulk transport, it is sufficient to refrain from registering products in the master table 350 for bulk transport.

[0028] The control unit 24B combines the product name code in the instruction table 300 with the product name code in the master data table for collective transport 350 (S401), and determines whether or not there is a product name code of a candidate for collective transport in the instruction table 300 (S402). Note that the control unit 24B excludes from the determination targets any instruction whose status in the instruction table 300 is unapproved.

[0029] (Collective transport candidate table 400) The control unit 24B sorts and lists the collective transport candidates by scheduled transport completion date and time (ascending order) and lot number (ascending order), and stores the list in the memory 24E as the collective transport candidate table 400. The collective transport candidate table 400 is shown in Figure 6. The collective transport candidate table 400 indicates that manufacturing instruction numbers 100-102 and 104 in the instruction table 300 are candidates for collective transport.

[0030] The collective transport candidate table 400 includes time information regarding transport (scheduled production start date, scheduled transport completion date and time), location information regarding the transport source (source station, source zone), and location information regarding the transport destination (destination station, destination zone). Information not included in the instruction table 300 is read out from the production plan 24 by the control unit 24B.

[0031] For instructions that are not subject to collective transport, the control unit 24B executes individual transport for each instruction, as in the conventional case. If the control unit 24B determines negative in step S402, it does not continue the collective transport of Fig. 2 and ends the processing of Fig. 2. If the control unit 24B determines positive in step S402, it creates a collective transport candidate table 400 (S403) and returns to the processing of Fig. 2.

[0032] (Stock quantity confirmation process) Figure 7 is a flowchart showing details of the stock quantity confirmation process (S202). The control unit 24B collects the stock quantity that can be allocated for consolidated delivery for each of the multiple input items that are candidates for consolidated transport (S700). To do this, the control unit 24B refers to the consolidated transport candidate table 400, the instructed input item information table 550 (Figure 8), and the input item stock information table 600 (Figure 9).

[0033] (Input Item Information Table 550) In the input item information table 550 (FIG. 8), input items are items input into the manufacturing process of the products of each instruction in the consolidated transport candidate table 400. It is easier to understand this by imagining them as, for example, the materials or parts of a product. Input items are the targets of consolidated transport. The input item information table 550 has records for each manufacturing order number, including the input item name code, input order, required quantity, and on-site inventory zone. For example, for the product (Seihin_A) with manufacturing order number 100, it shows that material 1 (input item: Item_A), material 2 (input item: Item_B), and material 3 (input item: Item_C) are input in this order to the manufacturing of the product (Seihin_A). The required quantity is the weight (kg) of the input item, and the on-site inventory zone indicates the name of the site where the input item exists or is used as inventory. The control unit 24B refers to the collective transport master table 350 to create an instruction input product information table 550 based on the production plan 24A in advance, and stores the table in the storage unit 24E.

[0034] (Input Item Inventory Information Table 600) Figure 9 shows an example of the input item inventory information table 600. The control unit 24B creates the input item inventory information table 600 by referencing the inventory status 24D and stores it in advance in the memory unit 24E. The input item inventory information table 600 registers the input item name code, lot number, transport category and zone code where the inventory is located, inventory quantity, and available allocation quantity. Inventory is divided into inventory that exists in the work area for product manufacturing (transport category: destination) and inventory that exists in the source area before being transported to the work area (transport category: source). The available allocation quantity in the destination inventory is the quantity that can be used for product manufacturing, and the available allocation quantity in the source inventory is the quantity that can be used for bulk transport.

[0035] 7 is a flowchart showing details of the process for checking the stock amount of input items. In S700, the control unit 24B references the consolidated transport candidate table 400, the instruction input item information table 550, and the input item inventory information table 600. In S701, the control unit 24B combines the instruction number in the consolidated transport candidate table 400 with the manufacturing instruction number in the instruction input item information table 550. Furthermore, the control unit 24B combines the input item name code in the instruction input item information table 550 with the item name code in the input item inventory information table 600, and extracts information under the following conditions to create a work table. Condition: (Available quantity in inventory table > 0) and {(Zone code in inventory table = On-site inventory zone in instruction input item information) or Zone code in inventory table = Source zone of consolidated transport candidate)}

[0036] (Inventory quantity table 650 available for bulk transport) The control unit 24B creates the inventory quantity table 650 (FIG. 10) by setting the records that match the search conditions as the inventory quantity available for bulk transport (S702). The control unit 24B stores the inventory quantity table 650 available for bulk transport in the memory unit 24E. The transport category in the inventory quantity table 650 available for bulk transport is the transport source, and the inventory quantity of the input item with the input item name code and lot number that is the transport source zone code becomes the quantity that can be allocated for bulk transport.

[0037] (Automated Guided Vehicle Status Confirmation Processing) Next, the status confirmation processing of an automated guided vehicle will be described in detail. Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing this processing. The control unit 24B reads the automated guided vehicle transport status table 700A, the automated guided vehicle master table 700B, and the automated guided vehicle transport time table 700C from the storage 26C via the AGV management unit 26A (S1100). These tables are created by the AGV management unit 26A.

[0038] An example of an AGV master table 700B is shown in Fig. 12B. The AGV master table 12B contains information on the AGV number, AGV name, and transportable weight. There are two types of AGVs: a light-duty transport type and a heavy-duty transport type.

[0039] 12C shows an example of an automated guided vehicle transport time table 700C. The table 700C records the origin, destination, and average time required from the origin to the delivery destination for each automated guided vehicle number. The automated guided vehicle transport time table 700C also records the AGV number and the number of records corresponding to the combination of the origin and destination.

[0040] 12A shows an example of an AGV transport status table 700A, which shows the operation status of an AGV. The AGV delivery status table 700A includes information on the transport start date and time, transport status (waiting / in transport), transport origin, and transport destination for each AGV number. The reception processing unit 26D of the AGV operation management unit 26 can detect the operation status of an AGV by recording the data received from the AGV operation system 28 in the AGV drive history 26C.

[0041] The control unit 24B combines the AGV number in the AGV master table 700B with the AGV number in the AGV transport status 700A, and further combines the AGV number in the AGV transport time table 700C with the AGV number in the AGV master table 700B to create a work table (S1101).

[0042] (Table 700D of automated guided vehicles available for collective transport) The control unit 24B determines whether there are any automated guided vehicles available for transport (S1102). If the transport status of the automated guided vehicle transport status is "available for transport" or "in transport," the control unit 24B returns a positive answer in S1102. The control unit 24B creates a table 700D of automated guided vehicles available for collective transport (FIG. 12D) by registering records that match the search conditions in the work table as available automated guided vehicles (S1103), stores the table in the storage unit 24E, and ends the flow chart.

[0043] If the result of S1102 is negative, the control unit 24B returns to S1100 and repeats the steps until a transportable automated guided vehicle appears. However, if a transportable automated guided vehicle does not exist even after repeating the steps for a predetermined time or a predetermined number of times, the flow chart of FIG. 11 may be terminated as an error.

[0044] The table 700D of AGVs that can be transported together includes information such as the AGV number, the origin, the destination, the time required to complete the transport, the load capacity, and the scheduled date and time of the completion of the transport. Note that the control unit 24B may exclude AGVs that are currently in the process of transport from the list of AGVs that can be transported. Furthermore, the control unit 24B may distinguish whether an AGV is available for transport based on the remaining time until the AGV reaches its destination.

[0045] Next, an example of a process for determining a target for consolidated transport based on information on consolidated transport candidates and available automated guided vehicles will be described. FIG. 13 is a flowchart of this process. The control unit 24B references the consolidated transport candidate table 400 to create a list for the consolidated transport table 800 (FIG. 14) for each combination of transport source and delivery destination (consolidated transport number) (S1300). The list includes the consolidated transport number, input item code, input order, required transport amount, and on-site inventory usage amount. The control unit 24B references the consolidated transport available inventory table 650 to obtain the available inventory amount for input items for each instruction on the list (S1301).

[0046] Next, the control unit 24B calculates the required transport amount of the input items in the input order (S1302). The control unit 24B can calculate the required transport amount by subtracting the inventory amount from the required amount based on the required amount and the inventory amount in the input item's work area (instruction input item information table 550).

[0047] In the next step S1303, the control unit 24B adds to the list of the consolidated transport table (S1304) records in which the required transport amount is greater than 0 and the source allocable inventory amount in the consolidated transport allocable inventory amount table 600 is equal to or greater than the required transport amount. If the determination in S1303 is negative, the control unit 24B jumps to S1305.

[0048] In S1305, the control unit 24B determines whether processing up to S1304 has been completed for all input items that are candidates for consolidated transport. If the determination is negative, the control unit 24B returns to S1302, and if the determination is positive, the control unit 24B proceeds to S1306. In S1306, the control unit 24B determines whether processing up to S1306 has been completed for all instructions of the candidates for consolidated transport, and if the determination is negative, the control unit 24B returns to S1301. If the determination is positive, the control unit 24B adds up the required transport amounts for the input items that are collectively input in the order of the instructions based on the transport completion date and time to calculate the total required transport amount (S1307).

[0049] Next, the control unit 24B refers to the available AGV table 700D and selects an AGV that has the same combination of origin and destination as the bulk transport and is waiting for transport or has an earlier scheduled transport completion time (S1308).

[0050] Next, the control unit 24B compares the total required transport volume of input items with the load capacity of the selected AGV to check whether batch transport is possible, and determines whether the latter is equal to or greater than the former (S1309). If the control unit 24B determines yes, it subtracts the total required transport volume from the load capacity of the AGV, and registers the list together with this combination with the AGV as the batch transport table 800 in the storage unit 24E (S1310), and then proceeds to S1311. If the control unit 24B determines no in S1309, it skips S1310 and proceeds to S1311. The control unit 24B determines whether batch transport is possible for all combinations of destination and source, and if yes, ends the flowchart, or if no, returns to S1300.

[0051] The control unit 24B executes a bulk transport for each bulk transport number based on the bulk transport table 800 (transportation plan). As a result of the bulk transport, input items are transported across multiple instructions, reducing the number of transports, reducing the delivery load on transport-related equipment such as automated guided vehicles, and improving transport efficiency. In S1309 of FIG. 13, if the total required transport amount exceeds the loadable weight, bulk transport is not performed, but a portion of the weight may be left and prioritized for bulk transport. The remaining weight of input items is used for transport other than bulk transport, such as individual transport.

[0052] As described above, the management system 20 includes a memory unit 24E that stores instructions 300 that define the process flow and the input items to be input into the process, a process management unit 24 that manages the progress of the process based on the progress of the instructions, and an automated guided vehicle operation management unit 26. The process management unit 24 enables input items for each of multiple instructions to be transported together by an automated guided vehicle 30. The process management unit 24 then selects multiple instructions 400 that are candidates for collective transport, and creates a transport plan 800 for input items suitable for collective transport by the automated guided vehicle based on the input items for each of the multiple instructions. The operation management unit 26 then causes the automated guided vehicle to transport the input items together based on the transport plan. This reduces the number of transports of input items, reduces the transport load on the automated guided vehicle, and improves transport efficiency, thereby accelerating the progress of the process and improving product manufacturing efficiency.

[0053] Furthermore, the process management unit 24 selects an instruction 400 that is a candidate for collective transport from among the multiple instructions 300 in the memory unit 24E based on the sorting information 350. This reduces the number of transports of input items, reduces the transport load on the automated guided vehicle, and improves transport efficiency.

[0054] Furthermore, the process management unit 24 selects, based on the sorting information 350, instructions 400 that are candidates for consolidated transport from the instructions stored in the memory unit 24E. In this way, the process management unit 24 can easily set, based on the sorting information 350, instructions 400 that are candidates for consolidated transport from the instructions stored in the memory unit 24E. The sorting information 350 has combinations of multiple input items, and the process management unit 24 sets instructions that include at least one of the multiple input items as targets for consolidated transport (400).

[0055] The process management unit 24 calculates the allocable inventory amount 650 that can be allocated for the consolidated transport of input items based on the inventory information 600 of the input items for each of the multiple instructions 400 that are candidates for consolidated transport, and can determine the input items suitable for consolidated transport based on the allocable inventory amount.The operation management unit 24 then selects an automated guided vehicle suitable for consolidated transport from among the multiple automated guided vehicles based on the operation status of each of the multiple automated guided vehicles (S1309, S1310), and transports the input items selected by the process management unit as suitable for consolidated transport from among the input items for each of the multiple instructions that are candidates for consolidated transport using the selected automated guided vehicle.As a result, the process management unit 24 can reliably transport the multiple input items across the multiple instructions by automated guided vehicles.

[0056] Furthermore, if the available inventory amount 650 of the input item is equal to or greater than the required amount at the destination of the input item (S1305), the process management unit 24 includes the input item in the target for consolidated transport (S1304). By doing so, the process management unit 24 can determine the input item suitable for consolidated transport. Furthermore, the process management unit 24 calculates the total transport amount of each of the multiple input items that are the target for consolidated transport, and if the total amount is equal to or less than the load capacity of the automated guided vehicle, the operation management unit causes the automated guided vehicle to carry out consolidated transport of the input items. By doing so, consolidated transport can be achieved using a single automated guided vehicle.

[0057] Although the present embodiment has been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope of the above embodiment. It is clear from the claims that various modifications and improvements to the above embodiment are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0058] 20: Management system, 24: Process management unit, 24E: Memory unit, 26: AGV operation management unit, 30: Automated guided vehicle, 300 (400): Instruction

Claims

1. A management system for managing a process, comprising: a memory unit for storing instructions that define the flow of the process and input items to be input into the process; a process management unit for managing the progress of the process based on the progress of the instructions; and an automated guided vehicle operation management unit, wherein the process management unit enables the input items for each of a plurality of instructions to be transported together by the automated guided vehicle.

2. The management system described in claim 1, wherein the process management unit selects a plurality of instructions that are candidates for the consolidated transport, and creates a transport plan for input items suitable for being transported collectively by the automated guided vehicle based on the input items of each of the plurality of instructions, and the operation management unit causes the automated guided vehicle to carry out the consolidated transport of the input items based on the transport plan.

3. The management system according to claim 2, wherein the process management unit selects instructions that are candidates for consolidated transport from among the multiple instructions in the memory unit based on sorting information.

4. The management system according to claim 3, wherein the sorting information includes a combination of input items, and the process management unit selects an instruction including at least one input item of the combination as a candidate for the consolidated transport.

5. The management system according to claim 1, wherein the process management unit acquires a production plan from a higher-level system and extracts the instructions from the production plan.

6. The management system described in claim 2, wherein the process management unit calculates the amount of available inventory that can be allocated to the consolidated transport of the input items based on inventory information of each of the multiple instructions that are candidates for consolidated transport, and determines the input items suitable for the consolidated transport based on the amount of available inventory.

7. The management system according to claim 2, wherein the operation management unit selects an unmanned guided vehicle suitable for the consolidated transport from among a plurality of unmanned guided vehicles based on the operating status of each of the plurality of unmanned guided vehicles, and transports in a consolidated manner input items selected by the process management unit as suitable for the consolidated transport from among the input items of each of a plurality of instructions that are candidates for the consolidated transport, using the selected unmanned guided vehicle.

8. The management system according to claim 6, wherein the process management unit includes the input item in the consolidated transport when the available inventory amount of the input item is equal to or greater than the required amount at the destination of the input item.

9. The management system described in claim 7, wherein the process management unit calculates the total transport amount of each of the multiple input items that are the target of the consolidated transport, and if the total amount is less than the load capacity of the automated guided vehicle, the operation management unit causes the automated guided vehicle to carry out consolidated transport of the input items.

10. A management system for managing a process, comprising: a memory unit for storing instructions that define a process flow and input items to be input into the process; a process management unit for managing the progress of the process based on the progress of the instructions; and an automated guided vehicle operation management unit, wherein the operation management unit extracts automated guided vehicle information that can transport the input items from a transport status that indicates the status of the automated guided vehicle and automated guided vehicle transport time information, and the process management unit selects a plurality of instructions that are candidates for consolidated transport from a plurality of drawings in the memory unit so that input items of each of a plurality of instructions can be transported collectively by the automated guided vehicle, calculates an inventory amount that can be allocated for the consolidated transport for input items of each instruction that is a candidate for consolidated transport, and extracts the calculation result as allocable inventory information, and creates a consolidated transport plan to transport a plurality of objects collectively based on the information of the plurality of instructions, the allocable inventory information, and the available automated guided vehicle information, and has the automated guided vehicle execute the consolidated transport of the input items based on the transport plan.

11. A method for managing a process, comprising the steps of: managing the progress of the process based on the progress of instructions that define the flow of the process and the inputs to be input into the process; managing the operation of an unmanned guided vehicle; and enabling the inputs for each of a plurality of instructions to be transported together by the unmanned guided vehicle.

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