Data creation system, storage device, and data creation method

Abstract

A data creation system (20) comprises: a communication unit (21) that acquires supply information of a component and / or a component container containing a plurality of components; and a data creation unit (23) that creates, on the basis of the supply information acquired by the communication unit (21), production data to be used in a mounting machine that mounts a component on a substrate. The supply information acquired by the communication unit (21) includes information obtained by a measurement unit measuring the component and / or the component container containing the plurality of components in a state in which the component container is placed at a predetermined location related to a storage device for storing the component container.

Description

Data creation system, storage device and data creation method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a data creation system, a storage device, and a data creation method.

[0002] In a mounting machine that mounts components on a board, production data including component data related to the components is created, and production is carried out using the created production data. The component data includes, for example, information indicating the shape of the component. The actual shape of the component may have an error compared to the numerical values ​​indicated in the component specifications provided by the component vendor. Therefore, in terms of production, it may be preferable to create production data based on the actual shape rather than data based on the component specifications provided by the component vendor. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a component library data creation device that measures the shape of the actual part of a component.

[0003] JP 2013-77649 A

[0004] Incidentally, it is desirable to reduce the burden on workers in creating data such as production data used in production by mounting machines.

[0005] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a data creation system, a storage device, and a data creation method that can reduce the burden on workers involved in creating data used in production by a mounting machine.

[0006] A data creation system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an information acquisition unit that acquires supply information of components and / or component containers that store a plurality of the components, and a data creation unit that creates production data to be used by a mounting machine that mounts the components on a board based on the supply information acquired by the information acquisition unit, wherein the supply information acquired by the information acquisition unit includes information obtained by a measurement unit measuring the components and / or the component container while the component container is placed in a predetermined location related to a storage device that stores the component container.

[0007] A data creation system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an information acquisition unit that acquires supply information for parts and / or part containers that store a plurality of the parts, and a data creation unit that creates material management data regarding the parts used in the production of a product based on the supply information acquired by the information acquisition unit, wherein the supply information acquired by the information acquisition unit includes information obtained by a measurement unit measuring the parts and / or the part containers while the part containers are placed in a predetermined location related to a storage device that stores the part containers.

[0008] A storage device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a storage device that stores component containers that contain a plurality of components, and includes a storage unit that stores the component containers, a measurement unit that measures the component containers that have been stored and / or the components contained in the component containers, and an output unit that outputs data measured by the measurement unit.

[0009] A data creation method according to one aspect of the present disclosure acquires supply information for components and / or component containers that store a plurality of the components, and creates production data to be used by a mounting machine that mounts the components on a board based on the acquired supply information, wherein the acquired supply information includes information obtained by a measuring unit measuring the components and / or the component container while the component container is placed in a predetermined location related to a storage device that stores the component container.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to realize a data creation system or the like that can reduce the burden on workers in creating data used in production by a mounting machine.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a production system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a storage device according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a data creation system according to an embodiment. FIG. 4A is a diagram for explaining production data according to an embodiment. FIG. 4B is a diagram for explaining board data according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining component data according to an embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a component library according to an embodiment. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the data creation system according to an embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of a production system according to a modified embodiment.

[0012] (Background to the present disclosure) Creating production data using component data based on actual components can reduce the impact of errors in the numerical values ​​indicated in the component specifications, which is expected to reduce defects in the mounting machine and improve the availability of the mounting line including the mounting machine. Defects include at least one of pickup errors, mounting errors, and recognition errors. Therefore, as disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, a device that creates component data from actual components through operator operation has been considered.

[0013] To obtain data on the component container or the component, a worker must capture an image of the component container or the component with a camera before production, input the shape (e.g., size) obtained based on the image data into a computer, and store the captured component container in a storage device. Thus, there is a problem that the burden on the worker in creating the production data is heavy. Therefore, as described in the "Problem to be Solved by the Invention," it is desirable to reduce the burden on the worker in creating data (e.g., production data) used in production by a mounting machine. While Patent Document 1 discloses automatically setting the brightness when capturing an image of a component, there is room for improvement in reducing the burden on the worker.

[0014] Therefore, the inventors of the present application have conducted extensive research into data creation systems and the like that can reduce the burden on workers in creating data used in production by mounting machines, and have devised the data creation system and the like described below.

[0015] A data creation system according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes an information acquisition unit that acquires supply information of components and / or component containers that store a plurality of the components, and a data creation unit that creates production data to be used by a mounting machine that mounts the components on a board based on the supply information acquired by the information acquisition unit, wherein the supply information acquired by the information acquisition unit includes information obtained by a measurement unit measuring the components and / or the component containers while the component containers are placed in a predetermined location related to a storage device that stores the component containers.

[0016] As a result, when a component container is placed in a predetermined location, the measurement unit performs measurements, and production data is created based on the supply information obtained through the measurements. In other words, production data is created simply by placing the component container in a predetermined location. Therefore, the data creation system can reduce the burden on workers in creating data (here, production data) used in production by the mounting machine.

[0017] Also, for example, the data creation system of the second aspect is the data creation system of the first aspect, and further includes a comparison unit that compares the supply information with existing data of the parts and / or the part containers related to the supply information, and the data creation unit may create the production data based on the supply information when the existing data and the supply information differ.

[0018] This reduces the burden on the worker when creating production data when existing data exists.

[0019] Also, for example, a data creation system according to a third aspect may be the data creation system according to the first or second aspect, wherein the supply information includes quantity information obtained by measuring the number of the multiple parts contained in the part container, and the data creation unit creates the production data based on the quantity information.

[0020] As a result, when there is a large discrepancy between the number of parts provided by the parts vendor and the number of parts actually delivered, accurate production data can be created by creating production data based on the number of parts actually measured.In addition, accurate material management can be performed.

[0021] Also, for example, a data creation system according to a fourth aspect may be a data creation system according to any one of the first to third aspects, in which the measurement unit is installed in the storage device that stores the part container, and the specified location may be a placement unit in the storage device on which the part container is placed.

[0022] This allows workers to create production data simply by storing the component container in the storage device. In other words, the work of storing the component container and the measurement work for creating the production data can be performed in parallel, further reducing the burden on workers in creating the production data.

[0023] Furthermore, for example, a data creation system according to a fifth aspect may be a data creation system according to any one of the first to third aspects, in which the measurement unit is installed in an area different from an area in which the storage device that stores the part container is installed, and is communicatively connected to at least one of the data creation system and the storage device, and the predetermined location may be a placement unit in the measurement unit on which the part container is placed.

[0024] This allows production data to be created by sending data measured by a measuring unit installed separately from the storage device to a data creation system, thereby reducing the burden on workers in creating production data.

[0025] Also, for example, the data creation system according to the sixth aspect may be a data creation system according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, and the measuring unit may be a counter that measures the number of the multiple parts contained in the part container.

[0026] This reduces the burden on the worker in creating the production data when the production data is created based on supply information obtained using a counter.

[0027] Furthermore, a data creation system according to a seventh aspect includes an information acquisition unit that acquires supply information for parts and / or part containers that store a plurality of the parts, and a data creation unit that creates material management data regarding the parts used in the production of a product based on the supply information acquired by the information acquisition unit, and the supply information acquired by the information acquisition unit may include information obtained by a measurement unit measuring the parts and / or the part containers while the part containers are placed in a predetermined location related to a storage device that stores the part containers.

[0028] As a result, when a component container is placed in a predetermined location, the measurement unit performs measurements, and material management data is created based on the supply information obtained by the measurements. In other words, material management data can be created simply by placing a component container in a predetermined location. Therefore, the data creation system reduces the amount of work required by workers in measuring and creating data, thereby reducing the burden on workers in creating data (here, material management data) used in production by the mounting machine.

[0029] Also, for example, a data creation system according to an eighth aspect may be the data creation system according to the seventh aspect, wherein the supply information includes quantity information obtained by measuring the number of the multiple parts contained in the part container, and the data creation unit creates the material management data based on the quantity information.

[0030] This reduces the burden on the worker when creating material management data based on the number information.

[0031] In addition, a storage device according to a ninth aspect is a storage device that stores a part container that contains a plurality of parts, and includes a storage unit that stores the part container, a measurement unit that measures the part container that has been stored and / or the parts contained in the part container, and an output unit that outputs data measured by the measurement unit.

[0032] As a result, when a component container is received through the inlet, the measurement unit performs measurements and outputs the data obtained by the measurements. In other words, the storage work of the component container and the measurement work for creating production data or material management data can be performed in parallel, thereby reducing the burden on workers involved in creating the production data or material management data. Therefore, according to the storage device, the output data is used to create the production data or material management data, thereby reducing the burden on workers involved in creating data (here, production data or material management data) used in production by the mounting machine.

[0033] Furthermore, the data creation system according to the tenth aspect acquires supply information for components and / or component containers that store a plurality of the components, and creates production data to be used by a mounting machine that mounts the components on a board based on the acquired supply information, and the acquired supply information includes information obtained by a measurement unit measuring the components and / or the component containers while the component containers are placed in a predetermined location related to a storage device that stores the component containers.

[0034] This provides the same effects as the data creation system described above.

[0035] These general or specific aspects may be realized as a system, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or a non-transitory recording medium such as a computer-readable CD-ROM, or as any combination of the system, method, integrated circuit, computer program, or recording medium. The program may be pre-stored in the recording medium, or may be supplied to the recording medium via a wide area communication network including the Internet.

[0036] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

[0037] The embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, components, component placement and connection configurations, steps, and step order shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Furthermore, among the components in the following embodiments, components not described in independent claims are described as optional components.

[0038] Furthermore, each figure is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily an exact illustration. Therefore, for example, the scales of the figures do not necessarily match. Furthermore, in each figure, substantially the same components are given the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted or simplified.

[0039] Furthermore, in this specification, terms indicating the shape of elements such as polygons and circles, as well as numerical values ​​and numerical ranges, are not expressions that express only the strict meaning, but are expressions that mean that they also include a substantially equivalent range, for example, a difference of about several percent (or about 10%).

[0040] (Embodiment) A production system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs.

[0041] [1. Configuration of the Production System] First, the configuration of the production system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6. Figure 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a production system 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a storage device 10 according to this embodiment. For convenience, in Figure 2, component containers 50 stored in the storage section 13 and components 51 stored in the component containers 50 are shown by solid lines.

[0042] 1, the production system 1 includes a storage device 10, a data creation system 20, a storage device 30, a management device 40, and a mounting line L. The storage device 10, the data creation system 20, the storage device 30, and the management device 40 are connected to each other via a network N so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0043] The network N may include various networks such as the Internet, a communication network of an Internet service provider, a mobile phone network, or a local area network. The networks included in the network N may be wired networks or wireless networks.

[0044] The mounting line L also includes one or more mounting machines that mount components 51 onto a board, and produces a mounted board in which components 51 are mounted on a board.

[0045] 1 and 2 , the storage device 10 includes a communication unit 11, a receiving unit 12, a storage unit 13, a measurement unit 14, and a table 15. The storage device 10 is a box for temporarily storing component containers 50 that contain multiple components 51, and is disposed, for example, near a mounting line L. The shape of the storage device 10 is not particularly limited, and may be a rectangular parallelepiped, polygonal, or circular shape. The number of storage devices 10 included in the production system 1 is not particularly limited, as long as it is one or more.

[0046] The communication unit 11 communicates with the data creation system 20, the storage device 30, and the management device 40. The communication unit 11 functions as an output unit that outputs data measured by the measurement unit 14 to the data creation system 20 in order to create production data used by a mounting machine that mounts components 51 on a board. The communication unit 11 is configured to include, for example, a communication circuit (or a communication module), but is not limited to this.

[0047] The receiving section 12 is a section where the part containers 50 stored in the storage section 13 are received. The receiving section 12 may have, for example, an entrance and a door (not shown) that closes the entrance. The receiving section 12 may also be used as an unloading section when the part containers 50 are unloaded. The unloading section may be located at a different position from the receiving section 12.

[0048] The component container 50 removed from the receiving section 12 may be directly attached to a mounting machine on the mounting line L, or may be temporarily stored in a temporary storage area near the mounting line L.

[0049] The storage section 13 is a section where the component containers 50 placed on the table 15 are stored. The storage section 13 is provided inside the storage device 10 so as to be able to store a plurality of component containers 50. The storage device 10 is configured so as to be able to move the component containers 50 placed on the table 15 to the storage section 13. The storage section 13 may store component containers 50 that have been measured by the measurement section 14, for example.

[0050] The measuring unit 14 acquires supply information of the component containers 50 and / or components 51 received through the inlet. The measuring unit 14 is installed in the storage device 10 so as to be able to acquire supply information of the component containers 50 and / or components 51 placed on the table 15, for example. The measuring unit 14 may also automatically acquire the supply information when the component container 50 is placed on the table 15, for example. In other words, the measuring unit 14 may be configured to perform measurements without operator operation. For example, the measuring unit 14 may have a sensor that detects that the component container 50 has been placed on the table 15.

[0051] The measurement unit 14 is configured to include at least one of, for example, a camera, a CT (Computed Tomography) scanner, a laser measuring instrument, etc., and acquires supply information by measuring the component container 50 and / or the component 51. If the measurement unit 14 is configured to include a camera, the measurement unit 14 acquires an image as supply information by capturing an image of the component 51 or the component container 50. The measurement unit 14 may use, for example, an image of the component 51 as supply information. From the image of the component 51, the length, width, and height (L (length) / W (width) / T (height)) of the component 51, as well as the number and position of leads, can be acquired.

[0052] Furthermore, the measurement unit 14 may include, for example, an image of the component 51 in the supply information. The measurement unit 14 may include, in the supply information, information indicating the state in which the component 51 is accommodated in the component container 50. If the component container 50 is a tape (or a tray), the measurement unit 14 measures the pitch, width, type (e.g., paper or embossed) of the tape to confirm the state in which the component 51 is accommodated in the tape (or tray). Note that taking an image is an example of measuring.

[0053] The component 51 is stored on a tape, and the tape is captured by, for example, a camera while wound on a reel.

[0054] Furthermore, when the measuring unit 14 is configured to include a processing unit that performs image analysis, the measuring unit 14 acquires information obtained from the image as supply information. The supply information includes at least one of the number of components 51 (quantity information), outer shape, suction area, tape width, tape pocket pitch, tray size, component missing, cover tape adhesion method (single-sided adhesion or double-sided adhesion), and whether or not the components 51 are blackened. The outer shape (e.g., outer size), suction area, tape width, tape pocket pitch, and tray size may be values ​​of any one or any one location, or may be statistical values ​​of values ​​of multiple or multiple locations. Statistical values ​​include, but are not limited to, the average, median, mode, maximum, and minimum values.

[0055] The number information is information obtained by counting the number of components 51 accommodated in the component container 50. Furthermore, blackening of the components 51 means, for example, that the components 51 have come into contact (e.g., collided) with each other inside a case such as a bulk feeder, causing the components to blacken. For example, the presence or absence of blackening of the components 51 can be determined by taking an image of the inside of the case with the components 51 accommodated therein using a CT scanner or the like. Furthermore, a missing component means that the component 51 is not accommodated in a pocket of a reel or in a storage portion (e.g., a recess) of a tray, and the missing component can be determined from the image.

[0056] The number of measuring units 14 included in the storage device 10 is not particularly limited, and may be one or more.

[0057] The table 15 is provided near the receiving section 12 and is a loading section (e.g., a loading stand) on which the part container 50 is placed. The table 15 may be configured to be movable within the storage device 10, for example. The table 15 is an example of a predetermined location related to the storage device 10. Furthermore, the fact that the table 15 is a structure provided within the storage device 10 is an example of something related to the storage device 10.

[0058] In this way, the storage device 10 automatically captures images of the part container 50 placed on the table 15 and / or the parts 51 contained in the part container 50, and outputs the information obtained from the captured images to the data creation system 20.

[0059] In addition to the above configuration, the storage device 10 may have a function of reading a barcode label or a two-dimensional code label such as a QR (registered trademark) code (hereinafter also referred to as a "code label") attached to the component container 50, and storing identification information of the component container 50 based on the code label in association with the storage position of the component container 50 in the storage unit 13. The storage device 10 may also have a memory unit (not shown) that stores the identification information in association with the storage position. Note that the code label does not include supply information (e.g., component size, information on the target item shown in FIG. 5, which will be described later).

[0060] Referring back to FIG. 1, the data creation system 20 creates production data to be used in production on the mounting line L based on the supply information acquired from the storage device 10.

[0061] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the data creation system 20 according to this embodiment.

[0062] 3, the data creation system 20 includes a communication unit 21, a comparison unit 22, and a data creation unit 23. Each component of the data creation system 20 is realized by, for example, a microcomputer or a processor (hardware) executing a computer program (software) stored in a storage unit (not shown).

[0063] The communication unit 21 communicates with the storage device 10, the storage device 30, and the management device 40. The communication unit 21 functions as an information acquisition unit that acquires supply information from the storage device 10. The communication unit 21 also functions as an output unit that outputs the production data created by the data creation unit 23 to the storage device 30 or the management device 40.

[0064] When there is existing data on the component containers 50 and the components 51 for the supply information, the comparison unit 22 compares the supply information with the existing data on the component containers 50 and / or the components 51 related to the supply information. For example, when existing data including the same target items as the target items included in the supply information (for example, see FIG. 5 described later) is stored in the storage device 30, the comparison unit 22 compares the two pieces of data.

[0065] The existing data is data based on design information (e.g., CAD (Computer Aided Design) data) of the component container 50 or the component 51, catalog values, etc., and includes at least one of the target items shown in FIG. 5 (described later). The existing data may include, for example, at least one of information on the shape of the component, information on the reel, and information on the tray. The existing data can also be said to be data that is not based on the actual component container 50 or component 51.

[0066] The data creation unit 23 creates production data to be used on the mounting line L based on the supply information acquired by the communication unit 21. It can also be said that the data creation unit 23 creates production data to be used for producing mounted boards on the mounting line L based on the supply information measured by the measurement unit 14 of the storage device 10. In other words, the data creation unit 23 creates production data based on actual measurement data, rather than design data, of the component containers 50 or the components 51. The data creation unit 23 automatically creates production data based on the supply information. Furthermore, the data creation unit 23 creates production data based on measurement results (an example of supply information) automatically measured by the measurement unit 14 when the component containers 50 were placed in a predetermined position relative to the storage device 10.

[0067] Furthermore, if supply information has not been acquired, the data creation unit 23 may create production data based on existing data (for example, see the parts library shown in FIG. 6, which will be described later).

[0068] Here, each piece of data in this specification will be described with reference to Figures 4A to 5. Figure 4A is a diagram for explaining production data according to this embodiment. Figure 4B is a diagram for explaining board data according to this embodiment.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 4A, in this specification, production data includes board data, line configuration data, and placement / mounting order data.

[0070] The board data includes data related to the board on which the components 51 are mounted in the mounting line L. As shown in Fig. 4B, the board data includes component data and coordinate data.

[0071] The component data is data related to the component 51 to be mounted on the board. The component data is, for example, data based on measurements by the measurement unit 14, and can also be said to be data based on measurement results (supply information) of the actual component 51, rather than on design information, catalog values, etc. of the component 51. Note that if supply information has not been acquired, the component data may include data based on the design information, catalog values, etc. of the component 51.

[0072] 5 is a diagram for explaining part data according to this embodiment. In FIG. 5, target items of part data (parameters of part data) are associated with acquisition methods for the target items. Regarding the acquisition methods, the following cases are mainly described: when the measurement unit 14 includes a camera; and when it includes a CT scan.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 5, the target items of the component data include at least one of the component outer shape (L / W / T), suction area, supply type / material, tape width / pitch, tape size, tray suction position, supply angle, component count, and component type.

[0074] The component outer shape (L / W / T) indicates the length, width, and height of the component 51. If the measurement unit 14 includes a camera, the outer shape of the component 51 is acquired from an image of the top surface of the component, and the size of the component 51 is acquired from the outer shape of the component 51. The thickness (height T) of the component 51 is calculated from the thickness of the reel. If the measurement unit 14 includes a CT scan, the L / W / T sizes of the component 51 are acquired based on the scan results of the CT scan. In this case, the camera is positioned so that it can capture an image of the top surface of the component 51.

[0075] The suction-capable area indicates an area (for example, coordinates) of the component 51 where the nozzle can pick up the component 51, and the acquisition method includes acquiring it from an image of the top surface of the component 51 captured by a camera.

[0076] The supply type / material indicates the supply type, whether components are supplied from a reel or a tray, and the material of the component container 50. The acquisition method includes acquiring the shape of the component container 50 from an image captured by a camera, and determining whether the component container 50 is a tape or a tray based on the acquired shape. In the case of tape, for example, the material (e.g., paper or embossed) is further acquired.

[0077] The tape width / pitch indicates the width of the carrier tape and the pitch of the pockets on the carrier tape, and the method of obtaining the tape width / pitch includes calculating the pitch of the components 51 on the carrier tape and the tape width from an image captured by a camera. Also, the thickness of the carrier tape may be obtained from the image together with or instead of the width of the carrier tape.

[0078] The tape size indicates the size of the reel on which the carrier tape is wound, and the method of obtaining the size includes determining whether the reel is a large reel or a small reel from an image. Note that the reel sizes to be determined are not limited to two, and may be three or more.

[0079] The tray suction position indicates the suction position (e.g., coordinates) of the component 51 on the tray, and the acquisition method includes acquiring the arrangement interval of the component 51 on the tray from an image captured by a camera. In this case, the camera is positioned so as to be able to capture an image of the component 51 from above the tray.

[0080] The supply angle indicates the angle at which the component 51 is supplied (for example, the angle relative to a predetermined direction of the component 51 at the supply position where it is adsorbed onto the nozzle), and the acquisition method includes recognizing the long and short sides of the component 51 from an image captured by a camera, determining its orientation, and determining the supply angle by comparing it with pre-registered mark information (information that serves as a reference for orientation).

[0081] The number of parts indicates the number of parts 51 contained in the part container 50, and the acquisition method includes, if the measurement unit 14 includes a reel counter that measures the number of multiple parts 51 contained in the part container 50, working in cooperation with the reel counter to acquire the measurement results, and, if the measurement unit 14 is a CT scanner, counting the number of parts 51 by CT scanning.

[0082] The type of component indicates the type of component 51, and the acquisition method includes searching for a similar component image from the image of component 51 captured by a camera and determining the type of component 51.

[0083] The component data may also include recognition conditions, mounting conditions (for example, mounting speed, nozzle to be used), and the like.

[0084] Referring again to FIG. 4B, the coordinate data is data that indicates the coordinates (positions) on the board where components are mounted.

[0085] Referring again to FIG. 4A, the line configuration data is data relating to the mounting line L, and includes, for example, the number of connected mounting machines, the types of mounting machines, and the like.

[0086] The placement / mounting order data is data that indicates the placement of feeders in the mounting machine and the order in which components are mounted on the board.

[0087] 1 , the storage device 30 is a recording medium capable of recording information, and is configured, for example, by a rewritable nonvolatile memory such as a hard disk drive or a solid state drive. The storage device 30 stores, for example, production data created by the data creation system 20. The storage device 30 may also store, for example, existing data (for example, the parts library shown in FIG. 6 ).

[0088] 6 is a diagram showing a part library according to this embodiment, which shows L (length) and W (width) in the target item "part outer shape" of part data as part library data.

[0089] 6, the component library is information on the components 51 in which the type and size (L and W in the example of FIG. 6) of the component 51 are associated with each other. The component library is created based on data that is not based on the actual component containers 50 or components 51, such as design information, catalog values, etc.

[0090] The storage device 30 may further include a board library, which is a library including component shapes, mounting coordinates, etc., and a mounting condition library, which is a library including mounting order / nozzles, etc.

[0091] 1 , the management device 40 acquires production data including component data created by the data creation system 20, and controls one or more mounters on the mounting line L based on the acquired production data. The management device 40 may also acquire production logs from one or more mounters on the mounting line L. The management device 40 is realized, for example, by a microcomputer or processor (hardware) executing a computer program (software) stored in a storage unit (not shown).

[0092] The component container 50 is a container that contains a plurality of components 51 and is detachably attached to a component supply unit (e.g., a feeder) that supplies the components 51 used in a mounting machine. The component container 50 is realized by a reel (component reel), a tray, a case (e.g., a bulk case that stores components in bulk), or the like. In this specification, detachable means that one object can be attached to and detached from another object without destroying the two objects.

[0093] The component 51 is a component to be mounted on a substrate. The component 51 is, for example, an electronic component such as a resistor or a capacitor, but is not limited thereto, and may be any object that can be mounted on an object such as a substrate. The component has a shape of, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped, but is not limited thereto.

[0094] The mounting line L produces mounted boards by mounting components 51 housed in component containers 50 onto boards carried in from the upstream side, and then carries the produced mounted boards downstream. The mounting line L is, for example, a production line for manufacturing mounted boards and the like, and includes one or more (e.g., multiple) mounting machines. The mounting machine is a device equipped with a component supply unit and mounts components supplied from the component supply unit onto a board. The mounting machine includes a component supply unit, a base having a supply unit mounting section to which the component supply unit is attached, a component mounting mechanism including a mounting head that mounts (mounts) the components supplied by the component supply unit onto the board, various sensors, a power supply unit, a control unit, etc. In addition to the mounting machines, the mounting line L is also realized by various devices that perform board supply, solder printing operations, reflow operations, etc. The board is an example of an object on which components are mounted.

[0095] [2. Operation of the Production System] Next, the operation of the production system 1 configured as described above will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a sequence diagram showing the operation (data creation method) of the production system 1 according to this embodiment. Each process shown in Fig. 7 is executed before production using the component container 50 starts on the mounting line L (before production).

[0096] 7 , when the component storage container 50 is placed on the table 15, the storage device 10 detects the storage of the component storage container 50 (S10). The storage device 10 may detect the storage by the measurement unit 14, or may detect the storage by a sensor for detecting storage. Note that the component storage container 50 may be stored in the storage device 10 by a worker, an AGV (Automatic Guided Vehicle), or the like.

[0097] Next, when the measurement unit 14 of the storage device 10 detects the receipt of the component storage container 50, it measures the component storage container 50 or the component 51 stored in the component storage container 50 (S20). In step S20, the measurement unit 14 may measure at least one of the component storage container 50 and the component 51. For example, the measurement unit 14 may generate supply information including the component outline from an image of the component 51.

[0098] The communication unit 11 of the storage device 10 outputs the supply information obtained by measurement by the measurement unit 14 to the data creation system 20, and the communication unit 21 of the data creation system 20 acquires the supply information from the storage device 10 via the network N (S30). The measurement unit 14 may output supply information including the component outline, or may output supply information including an image in addition to the component outline.

[0099] In this way, in the production system 1, when the component container 50 is placed on the table 15, the processes from measurement by the measuring unit 14 to output of supply information are automatically performed.

[0100] Next, the comparison unit 22 of the data creation system 20 determines whether or not there is existing data of the component container 50 and the component 51 corresponding to the supply information acquired in step S30 (S40). The comparison unit 22 may perform the determination in step S40 based on, for example, whether or not there is existing data stored in the storage device 30 that includes the same target item as the target item included in the supply information (see FIG. 5). Furthermore, if the supply information includes an image, for example, the comparison unit 22 may perform the determination in step S40 based on whether or not there is existing data that includes an image of a component having the same shape as the component 51 shown in the image.

[0101] If the comparison unit 22 determines that there is existing data (Yes in S40), the process proceeds to step S50, and if it determines that there is no existing data (No in S40), the process proceeds to step S70.

[0102] Next, if the comparison unit 22 determines that existing data exists (Yes in S40), it compares the supply information (measurement data) with the existing data (S50). In other words, the comparison unit 22 checks the consistency between the supply information and the existing data. The comparison unit 22 determines whether the difference between the supply information and the existing data is equal to or greater than a preset threshold.

[0103] Next, the comparison unit 22 notifies the worker's terminal device of the comparison result between the supply information and the existing data (S60). The comparison unit 22 may, for example, determine whether the difference between the supply information and the existing data is equal to or greater than a threshold, and if it determines that the difference is equal to or greater than the threshold, notify the worker's terminal device of that information. For example, if the difference between the component outline included in the supply information and the component outline included in the existing data (e.g., the difference in component size) is equal to or greater than a threshold, the comparison unit 22 may notify the worker's terminal device of information indicating that the component outlines are different. A difference between the supply information and the existing data that is equal to or greater than a threshold is an example of a difference between the existing data and the supply information.

[0104] The comparison unit 22 then receives an instruction from the worker's terminal device as to whether to use the supply information or the existing data to create the part data. The instruction thus received is output to the data creation unit 23.

[0105] Next, the data creation unit 23 creates part data based on the acquired supply information (S70). For example, when the existing data and the supply information differ, the data creation unit 23 creates part data based on either the existing data or the supply information. For example, when the existing data and the supply information differ, the data creation unit 23 may create part data based on the supply information, or may create part data using one of the existing data and the supply information that has been preset. Furthermore, when the supply information includes quantity information, the data creation unit 23 may create part data based on at least the quantity information. Furthermore, when the data creation unit 23 receives an instruction from the worker's terminal device regarding whether to use the supply information or the existing data to create part data, the data creation unit 23 may create part data based on the instructed data.

[0106] Furthermore, when part data has already been created based on existing data, the data creation unit 23 may determine whether to create new part data (e.g., update the part data) based on the supply information, and may create the new part data when it determines to do so. It can also be said that the data creation unit 23 replaces the existing data used to create the part data with the supply information. For example, when there is a difference between the supply information and the existing data that is equal to or greater than a threshold, the data creation unit 23 may replace the existing data with the supply information.

[0107] Then, the data creating unit 23 creates production data including the parts data created in step S70.

[0108] In this way, in the data creation system 20, when there is no existing data, the processes from obtaining supply information to creating parts data (for example, creating production data) are automatically performed.

[0109] (Variation of the embodiment) A production system according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of a production system 1 according to this variation. The following description will focus on differences from the embodiment, and descriptions of content that is the same as or similar to the embodiment will be omitted or simplified. The production system 1 according to this variation differs from the production system 1 according to the embodiment in that a measuring device 60 is provided as an external device to the storage device 10a. The storage device 10a also differs from the storage device 10 in that it does not include a measuring unit 14.

[0110] 8, the production system 1 according to this modification includes a storage device 10a, a data creation system 20, a storage device 30, a management device 40, a measuring device 60, and a mounting line L. The storage device 10a, the data creation system 20, the storage device 30, the management device 40, and the measuring device 60 are communicatively connected to one another via a network N. It should be noted that the measuring device 60 only needs to be communicatively connected to at least the storage device 10a.

[0111] The measuring device 60 is installed in an area different from the area where the storage device 10a is installed, and automatically measures the component containers 50 and / or components 51 outside the storage device 10a. The measuring device 60 is, for example, a reel counter, and automatically measures the component containers 50 and / or components 51 placed on a placement section (e.g., a placement table) of the reel counter (an example of a predetermined location related to the storage device 10a). The reel counter is a device that measures the number of components stored on a reel using X-rays or the like. Note that the measuring device 60 is not limited to being a reel counter, and may be, for example, a camera, a CT scanner, or the like. Note that an area different from the area where the storage device 10a is installed means, for example, that the measuring device 60 is not built into the storage device 10a, but is placed separately from the storage device 10a.

[0112] The measuring device 60 is disposed, for example, near the storage device 10a. Disposed near the storage device 10a means that the measuring device 60 is disposed at a location that does not burden the worker when carrying the part container 50. For example, the measuring device 60 may be disposed within a predetermined distance (e.g., about several meters) from the storage device 10a, or may be disposed on the same floor as the storage device 10a.

[0113] The measuring device 60 outputs the measurement results to the data creation system 20 via the network N. The measuring device 60 may also output the measurement results to the storage device 10a via the network N. That is, the storage device 10a may have a function of aggregating the measurement results of the component containers 50 and / or the components 51. The measuring device 60 may also be connected to the storage device 10a via a wire, such as a cord. The fact that the measuring device 60 is a device (measuring device 60) that is communicatively connected to the storage device 10a is an example of something related to the storage device 10a.

[0114] The items measured by the measuring device 60 may be the same as those measured by the measuring unit 14 according to the embodiment. The measuring device 60 is an example of a measuring unit.

[0115] The measuring device 60 may be configured to be detachable from the storage device 10a. Also, the measuring device 60 may be attached to the storage device 10a later, for example.

[0116] (Other Embodiments) The storage device 10, 10a, the data creation system 20, etc. according to one or more aspects have been described above based on the embodiments, etc., but the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments, etc. As long as they do not deviate from the spirit of the present disclosure, various modifications that a person skilled in the art can conceive of to the present embodiments, and embodiments constructed by combining components of different embodiments may also be included in the present disclosure.

[0117] For example, in the above-described embodiment and the like, an example has been described in which the production system 1 includes either the measurement unit 14 or the measurement device 60, but it may also include both.

[0118] Furthermore, for example, the storage devices 10 and 10 a in the above-described embodiments may be included in the data creation system 20 .

[0119] Furthermore, for example, the storage devices 10, 10a in the above-described embodiments are not limited to being boxes, and may have any shape as long as they are capable of storing a plurality of component containers 50. For example, the storage devices 10, 10a may be shelf-shaped (i.e., storage shelves).

[0120] Furthermore, the data creation system 20 in the above-described embodiment may allow an operator to determine whether or not to immediately reflect in the production data the component data that is automatically generated when the component container 50 is placed in a predetermined location. For example, the data creation system 20 may output information to the terminal device of the operator to prompt the operator to input whether or not to immediately reflect in the production data, and may reflect the automatically generated component data in the production data when an instruction indicating that the data should be immediately reflected is received from the terminal device.

[0121] Furthermore, for example, the storage devices 10, 10a in the above-described embodiments store the component containers 50 at room temperature, but may also have temperature and humidity control functions, for example.

[0122] Furthermore, for example, in the above-described embodiment, the data creation system 20 executes a process for creating production data. However, this is not limited thereto. For example, the data creation system 20 may execute a process for creating material management data for managing inventory of components 51. In this case, the data creation system 20 includes an information acquisition unit (e.g., a communication unit 21) that acquires supply information for the components 51 and / or the component containers 50 that store a plurality of components 51, and a data creation unit 23 that creates material management data for the components 51 used in the production of a product based on the supply information acquired by the information acquisition unit. The supply information acquired by the information acquisition unit includes information measured by the measurement unit 14 while the components 51 and / or the component containers 50 are placed in a predetermined location. Note that the product is, for example, a mounting board (circuit board), but is not limited thereto and may be an object in which components are mounted on components. Furthermore, the supply information may include quantity information indicating the number of the components 51 and / or the number of the components 51 stored in the component containers 50, and the data creation unit 23 may create the material management data based at least on the quantity information. The material management data can be used, for example, when checking the inventory of components 51 when production is performed using a mounting machine, and is an example of data used in production using a mounting machine.

[0123] Furthermore, for example, in the above embodiment, the measuring unit 14 or the measuring device 60 may be a reel counter, but is not limited to a reel counter as long as it is a counter that can measure the number of components 51 .

[0124] In the above embodiments, each component may be configured with dedicated hardware, or may be realized by executing a software program suitable for each component. Each component may be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU or processor reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or semiconductor memory.

[0125] The order in which the steps in the flowchart are executed is merely an example for specifically explaining the present disclosure, and other orders may be used. Some of the steps may be executed simultaneously (in parallel) with other steps, or some of the steps may not be executed.

[0126] The division of functional blocks in the block diagram is an example, and multiple functional blocks may be realized as a single functional block, one functional block may be divided into multiple blocks, or some functions may be moved to another functional block.Furthermore, the functions of multiple functional blocks having similar functions may be processed in parallel or in time-sharing by a single piece of hardware or software.

[0127] Furthermore, the data creation system 20 according to the above-described embodiments may be realized as a single device or may be realized by multiple devices. When the data creation system 20 is realized by multiple devices, the components of the data creation system 20 may be distributed among the multiple devices in any manner. When the data creation system 20 is realized by multiple devices, the communication method between the multiple devices is not particularly limited and may be wireless communication or wired communication. Furthermore, wireless communication and wired communication may be combined between the devices.

[0128] Furthermore, each component described in the above embodiments may be implemented as software or, typically, as an LSI, which is an integrated circuit. These components may be individually integrated into a single chip, or some or all of them may be integrated into a single chip. Here, the term "LSI" is used, but depending on the level of integration, it may also be referred to as an IC, system LSI, super LSI, or ultra LSI. Furthermore, the integrated circuit implementation method is not limited to LSI, and may be implemented using a dedicated circuit (a general-purpose circuit that executes a dedicated program) or a general-purpose processor. After LSI fabrication, a field programmable gate array (FPGA) that can be programmed or a reconfigurable processor that can reconfigure the connections or settings of circuit cells within the LSI may also be used. Furthermore, if an integrated circuit technology that replaces LSI emerges due to advances in semiconductor technology or a derivative technology, that technology may naturally be used to integrate the components.

[0129] A system LSI is an ultra-multifunctional LSI manufactured by integrating multiple processing units on a single chip. Specifically, it is a computer system that includes a microprocessor, ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. Computer programs are stored in the ROM. The system LSI achieves its functions when the microprocessor operates in accordance with the computer program.

[0130] Furthermore, one aspect of the present disclosure may be a computer program that causes a computer to execute each of the characteristic steps included in the data creation method shown in FIG.

[0131] Furthermore, for example, the program may be a program to be executed by a computer. Another aspect of the present disclosure may be a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium on which such a program is recorded. For example, such a program may be recorded on a recording medium and distributed or circulated. For example, the distributed program may be installed in a device having another processor, and the program may be executed by the processor, thereby causing the device to perform each of the above processes.

[0132] The present disclosure is useful for devices that create data used in production by mounting machines.

[0133] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Production system 10, 10a Storage device 11 Communication unit (output unit) 12 Stocking unit 13 Storage unit 14 Measurement unit 15 Table 20 Data creation system 21 Communication unit (information acquisition unit, output unit) 22 Comparison unit 23 Data creation unit 30 Storage device 40 Management device 50 Component container 51 Component 60 Measurement device (measurement unit) L Mounting line

Claims

1. A data creation system comprising: an information acquisition unit that acquires supply information of components and / or component containers that store a plurality of the components; and a data creation unit that creates production data to be used by a mounting machine that mounts the components on a board based on the supply information acquired by the information acquisition unit, wherein the supply information acquired by the information acquisition unit includes information obtained by a measurement unit that measures the components and / or the component containers while the component containers are placed in a predetermined location relative to a storage device that stores the component containers.

2. The data creation system of claim 1, further comprising a comparison unit that compares the supply information with existing data for the part and / or the part container related to the supply information, and the data creation unit creates the production data based on the supply information when the existing data differs from the supply information.

3. A data creation system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the supply information includes quantity information obtained by measuring the number of the multiple parts contained in the part container, and the data creation unit creates the production data based on the quantity information.

4. A data creation system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the measurement unit is installed in the storage device that stores the part container, and the specified location is a placement unit in the storage device on which the part container is placed.

5. A data creation system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the measurement unit is installed in an area different from an area in which the storage device that stores the part container is installed, and is communicatively connected to at least one of the data creation system and the storage device, and the specified location is a placement section in the measurement unit on which the part container is placed.

6. The data creation system according to claim 5, wherein the measuring unit is a counter that counts the number of the parts contained in the part container.

7. A data creation system comprising: an information acquisition unit that acquires supply information of parts and / or part containers that store a plurality of the parts; and a data creation unit that creates material management data regarding the parts used in the production of a product based on the supply information acquired by the information acquisition unit, wherein the supply information acquired by the information acquisition unit includes information obtained by a measurement unit that measures the parts and / or the part containers while the part containers are placed in a predetermined location related to a storage device that stores the part containers.

8. The data creation system according to claim 7, wherein the supply information includes quantity information obtained by measuring the number of the multiple parts contained in the part container, and the data creation unit creates the material management data based on the quantity information.

9. A storage device for storing a part container which contains a plurality of parts, comprising: a storage section for storing the part container; a measurement section for measuring the stored part container and / or the parts contained in the part container; and an output section for outputting data measured by the measurement section.

10. A data creation method comprising: acquiring supply information for components and / or component containers that store a plurality of the components; creating production data to be used by a mounting machine that mounts the components on a board based on the acquired supply information; and acquiring the supply information including information obtained by a measurement unit measuring the components and / or the component containers while the component containers are placed in a predetermined location relative to a storage device that stores the component containers.

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