Management device and management method

Abstract

This management device for managing a substrate production line comprises: a maintenance schedule acquisition unit that acquires a maintenance schedule defining a maintenance deadline for each of maintenance objects included in the substrate production line; a production schedule acquisition unit that acquires a production schedule of the substrate production line; an extraction unit that refers to the maintenance schedule and extracts, from among the maintenance objects, at least one specific maintenance object that requires the production of substrates on the substrate production line to be stopped for maintenance; and a setting unit that specifies a time, which is earlier than the maintenance deadline defined in the maintenance schedule for the extracted specific maintenance object and during which the production of substrates on the substrate production line is stopped, with reference to the production schedule, and sets the specified time as a maintenance execution time for the extracted specific maintenance object.

Description

Management device and management method ,

[0005]

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a device and a method for managing a substrate production line.

[0002] Product production (hereinafter referred to as substrate production) using substrates is performed by a substrate production line including a plurality of substrate working machines that perform operations on substrates. The substrate working machines, the parts included in the substrate working machines, and the members used by the substrate working machines for substrate production can each be maintenance targets according to their respective usage histories and maintenance histories. The concept of maintenance includes, for example, cleaning, inspection, adjustment, repair, replacement, etc.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017 -

[0005] discloses a production activity support system that supports production activities including maintenance work on maintenance targets in a component mounting system. The system creates a work plan for maintenance work, sets the maintenance execution date and time for which maintenance work is scheduled to be carried out, and causes a display unit to display, together with the production plan, that the maintenance work indicated in the work plan is to be carried out at the maintenance execution date and time. The system extracts maintenance targets with a high maintenance priority by the maintenance execution date and time, and creates a work plan so that work is carried out starting from those with a shorter maintenance recommended deadline among the extracted maintenance targets.

[0004] Depending on the maintenance target, it is necessary to stop substrate production by the substrate production line in order to perform maintenance. Also, the maintenance deadlines vary depending on the maintenance target. In such a situation, there is a need for support to accurately perform maintenance without exceeding the maintenance deadline while considering the impact on substrate production for maintenance targets that require stopping substrate production by the substrate production line for maintenance execution.

[0005] This specification discloses a control device for managing a circuit board production line equipped with a plurality of circuit board handling machines. The control device includes a maintenance schedule acquisition unit that acquires a maintenance schedule that defines the maintenance deadline for each maintenance target included in the circuit board production line, and a production schedule acquisition unit that acquires a production schedule that is the schedule for the circuit board production line to execute circuit board production. Furthermore, the control device includes an extraction unit that, by referring to the maintenance schedule, extracts one or more specific maintenance targets from among the maintenance targets that require the circuit board production line to be stopped for maintenance, and a setting unit that, by referring to the production schedule, identifies a time when the circuit board production line is stopped that is earlier than the maintenance deadline defined in the maintenance schedule for the extracted specific maintenance targets, and sets the identified time as the maintenance execution time for the extracted specific maintenance targets.

[0006] According to the above configuration, the management device sets the maintenance execution time for specific maintenance targets that require stopping PCB production on the PCB production line for maintenance to occur at an earlier time than the maintenance deadline, while PCB production is stopped. This allows for appropriate support to ensure that maintenance is performed without causing delays in PCB production and without exceeding the maintenance deadline for specific maintenance targets.

[0007] A simplified diagram showing the system according to this embodiment. A simplified block diagram showing the configuration of the management device. A flowchart showing the schedule management process. A diagram showing an example of a maintenance schedule. A diagram to explain an example of a production schedule, etc. A diagram showing an example of a setting notification screen.

[0008] The main features of the embodiments described below are listed below. Note that the technical elements described below are independent technical elements that exhibit technical usefulness individually or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing.

[0009] The management device disclosed herein may further include a notification unit that notifies the operator of the result of setting the maintenance execution time by the setting unit. With this configuration, the operator can recognize the maintenance execution time set for a specific maintenance target and perform maintenance on the specific maintenance target at the set maintenance execution time.

[0010] According to the management device disclosed herein, the extraction unit may extract the specific maintenance targets whose maintenance deadlines fall within a first unit period, which is a plurality of unit periods having predetermined lengths and being different from one another. The setting unit may, by referring to the production schedule, identify a period in a second unit period earlier than the first unit period during which substrate production by the substrate production line is stopped. With this configuration, the management device can appropriately set the maintenance execution time for each specific maintenance target for each unit period. For example, for specific maintenance targets whose maintenance deadlines fall within a certain unit period, they can be grouped together and set as the maintenance execution time to a period in another unit period earlier than that unit period during which substrate production is stopped.

[0011] The categories of technology disclosed herein are not limited to control devices. According to this specification, for example, a control method for managing a circuit board production line equipped with multiple circuit board work machines can be understood. The control method is performed by a control device. Alternatively, the control method is performed by a system including a circuit board production line. The control method comprises: a maintenance schedule acquisition step of acquiring a maintenance schedule that defines the maintenance deadline for each maintenance target included in the circuit board production line; a production schedule acquisition step of acquiring a production schedule that is the schedule for the circuit board production line to perform circuit board production; an extraction step of extracting one or more specific maintenance targets from among the maintenance targets that require the circuit board production line to stop circuit board production for maintenance by referring to the maintenance schedule; and a setting step of identifying a time when the circuit board production line is stopped, earlier than the maintenance deadline defined in the maintenance schedule for the extracted specific maintenance targets, by referring to the production schedule, and setting the identified time as the maintenance execution time for the extracted specific maintenance targets.

[0012] The embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Each figure is for illustrative purposes only, and these embodiments are not limited to what is shown. Also, since each figure is illustrative, some parts may be omitted.

[0013] Figure 1 shows a simplified representation of the system 10 according to this embodiment. The system 10 includes a substrate production line 20 and a control device 50. The substrate production line 20 is equipped with a plurality of substrate processing machines 30. The plurality of substrate processing machines 30 are, for example, a solder printing machine 31, a solder printing inspection machine 32, component mounting machines 33, 34, 35, 36, substrate inspection machines 37, 39, a reflow oven 38, etc. The system 10 may be configured to include a plurality of substrate production lines 20. The system 10 or the control device 50 is the main entity that executes the control method according to this embodiment.

[0014] The management device 50 is a computer that manages the circuit board production line 20. The management of the circuit board production line 20 in this embodiment includes at least the management of maintenance for the circuit board production line 20. The management device 50 may also function as a computer capable of performing control over each circuit board work machine 30, for example. The management device 50 may be implemented not only by a single device, but also by a system (management system, control system) that includes multiple computers, etc., that are connected to each other in a communicative manner. The computers may be of any form, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, servers, etc., or they may be smartphones or other mobile computers.

[0015] One or more board processing machines 30 included in the board production line 20 may also function as a control device 50. In other words, the controller provided by any of the board processing machines 30 may also function as a control device 50.

[0016] Figure 2 shows a simplified block diagram of the configuration of the management device 50. The management device 50 includes a control unit 51, a storage unit 52, a communication IF 53, a display unit 54, and an operation reception unit 55. IF stands for interface. The communication IF 53 is a general term for one or more IFs that the management device 50 uses to communicate wirelessly and / or via wired connection with other devices such as the board work machine 30.

[0017] The control unit 51 has a processor such as a CPU and memory, and functions as, for example, a maintenance schedule acquisition unit 51a, a production schedule acquisition unit 51b, an extraction unit 51c, a setting unit 51d, a notification unit 51e, etc., by having the processor perform calculation processing according to a program stored in the memory. The storage unit 52 is composed of a storage medium. At least a part of the memory of the control unit 51 may be considered as the storage unit 52, or the storage unit 52 may be considered as a part of the control unit 51.

[0018] The display unit 54 is a means for displaying visual information. The operation reception unit 55 is a means for receiving operations from an operator, such as a keyboard, mouse, switches, buttons, etc. If the display unit 54 also functions as a touch panel, then the display unit 54 is an example of the operation reception unit 55.

[0019] Figure 3 shows a flowchart illustrating the schedule management process performed by the control unit 51 of the management device 50. The explanation of Figure 3 is an example of a management method. At least some of the execution order of each step shown in Figure 3 does not have to be in the order shown in Figure 3.

[0020] The maintenance schedule acquisition unit 51a of the control unit 51 acquires a maintenance schedule 60 that specifies the maintenance deadline for each maintenance target included in the substrate production line 20 (step S100). Step S100 is an example of the maintenance schedule acquisition process. For example, the maintenance schedule 60 is stored in the storage unit 52, and the maintenance schedule acquisition unit 51a reads and acquires the maintenance schedule 60 from the storage unit 52. Alternatively, the maintenance schedule acquisition unit 51a may acquire the maintenance schedule 60 from an external storage device, or it may acquire the maintenance schedule 60 that has been input to the management device 50 by an operator.

[0021] The production schedule acquisition unit 51b acquires the production schedule 70, which is the schedule for the substrate production line 20 to execute substrate production (step S110). Step S110 is an example of the production schedule acquisition process. For example, the production schedule 70 is stored in the storage unit 52, and the production schedule acquisition unit 51b reads and acquires the production schedule 70 from the storage unit 52. Alternatively, the production schedule acquisition unit 51b may acquire the production schedule 70 from an external storage device, or it may acquire the production schedule 70 that has been input to the management device 50 by an operator.

[0022] The extraction unit 51c refers to the maintenance schedule 60 obtained in step S100 and extracts one or more "specific maintenance targets" from the maintenance targets that require stopping board production by the board production line 20 for maintenance (step S120). Step S120 is an example of the extraction process.

[0023] Maintenance targets include, for example, individual circuit board handling machines 30 that make up the circuit board production line 20. Parts included in the circuit board handling machines 30, and materials used by the circuit board handling machines 30 for circuit board production, are also maintenance targets. The maintenance schedule 60 specifies a maintenance deadline for each maintenance target. Maintenance for a maintenance target must be performed by the corresponding maintenance deadline. The maintenance deadline for a particular maintenance target is determined, for example, by the time elapsed since the most recent maintenance performed on that target, or by its past usage history and degree of wear. The control unit 51 may, for example, monitor the progress of circuit board production and the execution of maintenance by communicating with the circuit board production line 20 via the communication IF 53, and may update the maintenance schedule 60 stored in the storage unit 52 as needed based on the monitoring results. The generation and updating of the maintenance schedule 60 may be primarily performed by a system other than the management device 50.

[0024] The maintenance targets include specific maintenance targets that require stopping PCB production on the PCB production line 20 for maintenance, as described above, and maintenance targets that can be maintained without stopping PCB production on the PCB production line 20 (hereinafter referred to as normal maintenance targets). Therefore, the extraction unit 51c distinguishes between normal maintenance targets and specific maintenance targets and extracts the specific maintenance targets. One way of thinking about this is that maintenance targets are divided into normal maintenance targets and specific maintenance targets depending on their type. In other words, items that cannot be maintained without stopping the PCB production line 20 due to their characteristics or impact on the overall PCB production are specific maintenance targets, while items that can be maintained without stopping the PCB production line 20 by utilizing the timing when the corresponding PCB work machine 30 is temporarily unavailable are normal maintenance targets.

[0025] The extraction unit 51c may distinguish between normal maintenance targets and specific maintenance targets not by the type of maintenance target, but according to the circumstances at the time. For example, if, during the period until the maintenance deadline, replacement parts are available in or near the environment in which the circuit board production line 20 is located, and maintenance can be performed without stopping the circuit board production line 20 through normal setup changes, etc., then it can be classified as a normal maintenance target. On the other hand, if, for example, it is known that there will be a shortage of replacement parts in or near the environment in which the circuit board production line 20 is located during the period until the maintenance deadline, and it is necessary to stop the circuit board production line 20 and perform maintenance over a certain period of time, then it can be classified as a specific maintenance target.

[0026] Next, the setting unit 51d identifies a time when the production of circuit boards by the circuit board production line 20 is stopped, earlier than the maintenance deadline set in the maintenance schedule 60 for the specific maintenance target extracted in step S120, by referring to the production schedule 70 obtained in step S110. Then, the setting unit 51d sets this identified time as the maintenance execution time for the specific maintenance target extracted in step S120 (step S130). Step S130 is an example of a setting process.

[0027] Refer to Figures 4 and 5 to explain specific examples of steps S120 and S130. Figure 4 illustrates a part of the maintenance schedule 60 at a certain point in time. According to Figure 4, the maintenance schedule 60 specifies the maintenance targets and maintenance deadlines for each of the board work machines 30, namely the solder printing machine 31 and the component mounting machines 33, 34, 35, and 36. For example, for the solder printing machine 31, maintenance deadlines are set for each of the maintenance targets, such as 3 hours later and 6 hours later from the current time. Also, for example, for each of the component mounting machines 33 to 36, maintenance deadlines are set for each of the maintenance targets, such as the head, nozzle, and feeder, such as 14 days later and 15 days later from the current time.

[0028] Regarding the explanation of Figures 4 and 5, it is assumed that the nozzle, squeegee, and metal mask are subject to normal maintenance, while the head and feeder are subject to specific maintenance. The nozzle is a suction nozzle used to pick up and transport components to be mounted on a circuit board. The head is a movable body that holds the suction nozzle and is also called a mounter head. The feeder is a component supply unit attached to the component mounting machine that supplies components so that the head can pick them up with the nozzle.

[0029] In step S120, the extraction unit 51c refers to the maintenance schedule 60 and extracts one or more heads and feeders as specific maintenance targets. The extraction unit 51c may extract all heads and feeders for which future maintenance deadlines are specified in the maintenance schedule 60 as specific maintenance targets, but here, it is limited to extracting specific maintenance targets whose maintenance deadlines fall within a predetermined period. In other words, the extraction unit 51c can extract specific maintenance targets whose maintenance deadlines fall within the "first period" of each unit period, which is a plurality of different periods of predetermined length.

[0030] As an example, the extraction unit 51c considers 7 days (1 week) as a unit period. Of course, the length of the unit period may be 10 days or any other length. For example, the extraction unit 51c defines the current day as day 0, and the period from 14 to 20 days after day 0 as the first period. According to the maintenance schedule 60, the specific maintenance targets whose maintenance deadlines fall within this first period are the head H1 of the component mounting machine 33, the feeder F11 of the component mounting machine 33, the feeder F12 of the component mounting machine 33, the feeder F23 of the component mounting machine 34, the head H4 of the component mounting machine 36, and the feeder F43 of the component mounting machine 36. Therefore, the extraction unit 51c extracts these heads H1, F11, F12, F23, H4, and F43 as specific maintenance targets. In Figure 4, the specific maintenance targets extracted in step S120 are clearly indicated by a dashed line.

[0031] In step S130, the setting unit 51d can refer to the production schedule 70 to identify the period in the "second period" that is earlier than the first period within the unit period when substrate production by the substrate production line 20 is stopped. As described above, if we treat 7 days as the unit period and define the period from 14 to 20 days after today as day 0 as the first period, then for example, the week before the first period, that is, the period from 7 to 13 days after, is defined as the second period.

[0032] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the production schedule 70 and the specific maintenance targets extracted in step S120. According to the production schedule 70, for each unit period, such as the unit period from day 0 to 6 days later (with today as day 0), the unit period from 7 to 13 days later (second period), and the unit period from 14 to 20 days later (first period), the operating days D1 and the shutdown days D0 of the circuit board production line 20 are defined. The circuit board production line 20 produces circuit boards on operating days D1 and does not produce circuit boards on shutdown days D0. Furthermore, according to the production schedule 70, even on operating days D1, there is a defined downtime T0 during which the circuit board production line 20 does not produce circuit boards. The downtime T0 could be, for example, a specific time period from night to morning, or an operator's break time. Such shutdown days D0 and downtime T0 are examples of periods when circuit board production by the circuit board production line 20 is stopped. In Figure 5, the description of the downtime period T0 is omitted for unit periods other than the unit period from 7 to 13 days later (second period).

[0033] The setting unit 51d refers to the production schedule 70 and identifies the downtime period T0 and downtime days D0 in the unit period (second period) from 7 to 13 days later. The setting unit 51d then sets the identified downtime period T0 and downtime days D0 to the maintenance execution time for each of the specific maintenance targets extracted in step S120, which belong to the unit period (first period) from 14 to 20 days later. Figure 5 shows the maintenance deadlines for each specific maintenance target extracted in step S120, corresponding to the unit period (first period) from 14 to 20 days later.

[0034] In step S140, the notification unit 51e notifies the operator of the result of the maintenance execution timing setting by the setting unit 51d. This notification may use images and / or sound. Step S140 is an example of a notification process. The notification unit 51e, for example, causes the display unit 54 to display a screen (setting notification screen) 80 for notifying the result of the maintenance execution timing setting. Alternatively, the notification unit 51e may display the setting notification screen 80 on a predetermined display unit outside the management device 50, such as a monitor (not shown) provided on the board work machine 30 or a smartphone (not shown) held by the operator. After step S140, the control unit 51 completes the flowchart shown in Figure 3.

[0035] Figure 6 shows an example of a setting notification screen 80. The setting notification screen 80 can be any screen designed so that the operator can recognize the results of the maintenance execution timing settings made by the setting unit 51d. According to Figure 6, the setting notification screen 80 specifically shows the specific maintenance targets extracted in step S120, and their maintenance execution timings are shown along with the indication "priority 1". In other words, the notification unit 51e displays the maintenance execution timing set by the setting unit 51d on the display unit 54, etc., as the maintenance execution timing that is most highly recommended to the operator.

[0036] The maintenance execution time for priority 1 is, for example, a downtime T0 within the unit period (second period) from 7 to 13 days later. However, the maintenance execution time set by the setting unit 51d is merely an estimate and recommendation at the time of step S130, and the actual timing of when maintenance is performed for a specific maintenance target depends on the operator's discretion. Therefore, the setting notification screen 80 may also show several recommended maintenance execution times, such as priority 2, priority 3, etc., although the degree of recommendation is lower than priority 1. The maintenance execution time for priority 2 is, for example, a different downtime T0 within the unit period (second period) from 7 to 13 days later. The maintenance execution time for priority 3 is, for example, a downtime D0 within the unit period (second period) from 7 to 13 days later. Furthermore, the maintenance execution time for priority 4, which has the lowest degree of recommendation in Figure 6, may be a working day D1 within the unit period (second period) from 7 to 13 days later, but not during the downtime T0.

[0037] In step S130, the setting unit 51d may, for example, divide the specific maintenance targets extracted in step S120 into several groups and set a maintenance execution time for each group. Then, in step S140, the notification unit 51e may display the maintenance execution times for each specific maintenance target, as set in step S130, on the setting notification screen 80.

[0038] The management device 50 can execute the schedule management process described in Figure 3 for each unit period, for example, every week. This allows the maintenance execution time for specific maintenance targets whose maintenance deadline is set within a unit period two weeks from now to be set earlier, to a downtime period T0 or rest day D0 within a unit period one week from now, and to notify the operator of this, and this cycle is repeated. Therefore, for specific maintenance targets whose maintenance deadline is set within a unit period from 7 to 13 days from now as shown in Figure 5, the maintenance execution time was set to a downtime period T0 or rest day D0 within a unit period from day 0 to day 6 from now as shown in Figure 5, due to the schedule management process executed by the management device 50 one week before day 0 as shown in Figure 5.

[0039] Thus, according to this embodiment, the management device 50 sets the maintenance execution time for a specific maintenance target to a period earlier than the maintenance deadline set in the maintenance schedule 60, when circuit board production by the circuit board production line 20 is stopped. This makes it possible to appropriately support the execution of maintenance for a specific maintenance target without causing delays in circuit board production by the circuit board production line 20, and without exceeding the maintenance deadline.

[0040] As described above, the system 10 may have multiple substrate production lines 20. Therefore, the management device 50 may perform the above-described schedule management process individually and in parallel for each substrate production line 20.

[0041] The specific examples of the technologies disclosed herein have been described in detail above, but these are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technologies described in the claims include various modifications and changes to the specific examples described above. Furthermore, the technical elements described herein or in the drawings exhibit technical usefulness individually or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. In addition, the technologies illustrated herein or in the drawings achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, and achieving even one of these objectives constitutes technical usefulness in itself.

[0042] 10: System 20: PCB production line 30: PCB work machine 50: Management device 51: Control unit 51a: Maintenance schedule acquisition unit 51b: Production schedule acquisition unit 51c: Extraction unit 51d: Setting unit 51e: Notification unit 52: Storage unit 53: Communication IF 54: Display unit 55: Operation reception unit 60: Maintenance schedule 70: Production schedule 80: Setting notification screen

Claims

1. A management device for managing a circuit board production line equipped with multiple circuit board handling machines, comprising: a maintenance schedule acquisition unit that acquires a maintenance schedule that defines the maintenance deadline for each maintenance target included in the circuit board production line; a production schedule acquisition unit that acquires a production schedule that is the schedule for the circuit board production line to execute circuit board production; an extraction unit that, by referring to the maintenance schedule, extracts one or more specific maintenance targets from among the maintenance targets that require the circuit board production line to stop production of circuit boards for maintenance; and a setting unit that, by referring to the production schedule, identifies a time when the circuit board production line is stopped that is earlier than the maintenance deadline defined in the maintenance schedule for the extracted specific maintenance targets, and sets the identified time as the maintenance execution time for the extracted specific maintenance targets.

2. The management device according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit for notifying the operator of the result of setting the maintenance execution time by the setting unit.

3. The management device according to claim 1, wherein the extraction unit extracts the specific maintenance targets whose maintenance deadline falls within a first period of each unit period which is a plurality of different periods having a predetermined length, and the setting unit refers to the production schedule to identify a period in the unit period earlier than the first period during which the substrate production by the substrate production line is stopped.

4. A management method for managing a circuit board production line equipped with multiple circuit board handling machines, comprising: a maintenance schedule acquisition step of acquiring a maintenance schedule that defines the maintenance deadline for each maintenance target included in the circuit board production line; a production schedule acquisition step of acquiring a production schedule that is the schedule for the circuit board production line to execute circuit board production; an extraction step of extracting one or more specific maintenance targets from among the maintenance targets that require the circuit board production line to stop production of circuit boards for maintenance by referring to the maintenance schedule; and a setting step of identifying a time when the circuit board production line is stopped from the time earlier than the maintenance deadline defined in the maintenance schedule for the extracted specific maintenance targets, by referring to the production schedule, and setting the identified time as the maintenance execution time for the extracted specific maintenance targets.

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