Component replenishment support device and component supply system

Abstract

Provided is a component replenishment support device for supporting determination of a replenishment method by which a component supply unit that is installed in a component mounting machine and supplies a component to be mounted on a substrate is replenished with the component, the component replenishment support device comprising: a plan acquisition unit that acquires plan information related to production for mounting the component on the substrate; an environment acquisition unit that acquires environment information related to the production; and a determination unit that determines, on the basis of the acquired plan information and environment information, a replenishment method selected from automatic replenishment in which the component is replenished to the component supply unit by an automated guided vehicle and manual replenishment in which the component is replenished by an operator.

Description

Parts supply support device and parts supply system

[0001] This specification relates to a parts supply support device that assists in determining a supply method for supplying parts to a parts supply unit, and to a parts supply system comprising the parts supply support device.

[0002] The technology for mass-producing product substrates by performing substrate-to-substrate operations on substrates with pre-formed circuit patterns is becoming widespread. A typical example of a substrate-to-substrate operation machine is a component mounting machine, which mounts components onto substrates. Generally, component mounting machines require component replenishment when the component supply unit they are equipped with runs out of parts. Traditionally, component replenishment has been done manually by operators. In recent years, however, the increasing application of automated component replenishment using automated guided vehicles has promoted labor savings. Technical examples of methods for supplying components to component supply units are disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a production management device comprising a storage unit that stores a production plan for product substrates, a parts list indicating the types of parts required, and production time information, and a data generation unit that calculates the types and quantities of parts required to start and continue production and generates dispatch data indicating the timing for dispatching them from the management warehouse. Furthermore, an embodiment is described in which the production management device sends a transport command to a worker or AGV (automated guided vehicle) based on the required time information to ensure that production is on time (see paragraphs 0031, 0039, 0046, and 0047). According to this, by dispatching various parts according to the dispatch data, the efficiency of setup and production can be improved.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a material supply support device including a supply deadline time calculation unit that calculates a supply deadline time for replenishing materials to manufacturing equipment, a supply end prediction time calculation unit that calculates an expected end time of the supply operation, and a supply delay occurrence prediction unit that predicts the occurrence of a supply delay. Further, according to an embodiment, when the occurrence of a supply delay is predicted, a responsible priority worker is determined, a priority work instruction is created, and the instruction is transmitted to the portable terminal of the priority worker (see paragraphs 0041 - 0048, 0058, 0065). According to this, it is said that efficient material supply can be appropriately supported.

[0005] International Publication No. 2021 / 234942, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-61312

[0006] By the way, in the technical example of Patent Document 1, the replenishment of parts is performed by an operator or an automatic transport vehicle. Also, in the technical example of Patent Document 2, when a supply delay is predicted, the supply of materials is performed by a priority worker. In the replenishment of parts to the parts supply unit, automatic replenishment by an automatic transport vehicle is preferable in terms of labor saving. Also, manual replenishment by an operator is preferable in that it can respond flexibly and suppress supply delays. When determining either the automatic replenishment or the manual replenishment method, it is necessary to consider the production plan of the substrate and the production environment. That is, while the number of replenishments and the frequency of replenishment change depending on the variety of product substrates to be produced and the number of operating parts supply units, the number of automatic transport vehicles for replenishment, the transport capacity, the number of operators, etc. are constraint conditions. Therefore, it is difficult to determine an executable and appropriate replenishment method.

[0007] Therefore, an object to be solved in this specification is to provide a parts supply support device and a parts supply system that assist in determining an executable and appropriate replenishment method.

[0008] This specification discloses a component supply support device that assists in determining a supply method for supplying components to a component supply unit equipped on a component mounting machine and supplying components to be mounted on a substrate, the component supply support device comprising: a planning acquisition unit that acquires planning information relating to production for mounting the components on the substrate; an environment acquisition unit that acquires environmental information relating to the production; and a determination unit that determines, based on the acquired planning information and environmental information, either an automatic supply method in which the components are supplied to the component supply unit by an automated guided vehicle, or a manual supply method in which the components are supplied by an operator.

[0009] Furthermore, this specification discloses a parts supply system comprising: a parts supply unit equipped on a parts mounting machine to supply parts to be mounted on a substrate; a planning acquisition unit that acquires planning information relating to the production of mounting the parts on the substrate; an environmental acquisition unit that acquires environmental information relating to the production; and a parts supply support device that determines, based on the acquired planning information and environmental information, either an automatic supply method in which the parts are supplied to the parts supply unit by an automated guided vehicle, or a manual supply method in which the parts are supplied by an operator.

[0010] Furthermore, in this specification, the technical concept is as follows: in claim 5 of the original application, "the parts supply support device described in claim 4" is changed to "the parts supply support device described in any one of claims 2-4"; in claim 9 of the original application, "the parts supply support device described in claim 4 or 5" is changed to "the parts supply support device described in any one of claims 4-8"; in claim 11 of the original application, "the parts supply support device described in claim 4 or 5" is changed to "the parts supply support device described in any one of claims 4-10"; and in claim 13 of the original application, "the parts supply support device described in claim 4 or 5" is changed to "claim The present invention discloses the following technical ideas: changing "parts supply support device described in any one of claims 4-12"; changing "parts supply support device described in claim 13" to "parts supply support device described in any one of claims 13-15" in the original claim 16; changing "parts supply support device described in claim 4 or 5" to "parts supply support device described in any one of claims 4-12" in the original claim 17; and changing "parts supply support device described in claim 4 or 5" to "parts supply support device described in any one of claims 4-12" in the original claim 19.

[0011] According to the configuration disclosed herein, the decision unit determines whether to automatically supply components to the component supply unit by an automated guided vehicle or manually by an operator, based on planning information and environmental information related to the production of the substrate, thereby supporting the determination of a feasible and appropriate supply method.

[0012] This is a perspective view showing the configuration of a tray unit, which is one form of a parts supply unit, with the outer casing omitted and the unit mounted on the parts mounting machine. This is a perspective view showing the configuration of the tray unit, with the automated guided vehicle having arrived. This is a view of the magazine case and warehouse magazine from the rear. This is a side cross-sectional view of the tray unit viewed from the right, showing the cross-section of the warehouse magazine. This is a side partial cross-sectional view illustrating the parts supply operation of the tray unit. This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the parts supply support device of the embodiment together with the production line of the product substrate, etc. This is a diagram illustrating the operation flow of the parts supply support device. This is a diagram illustrating the detailed operation of the "expected fully automated supply method" in Figure 7. This is a diagram illustrating the operation flow of the parts supply support device when the number of automated guided vehicles decreases due to a malfunction after the parts mounting machine has started production, and the parts supply support device operates again. This is a plan view of a parts mounting machine in which the parts supply unit to be supported differs from that of the embodiment.

[0013] 1. The component supply support device 8 in the configuration embodiment of the tray unit 1 assists in determining the supply method for supplying components to the component supply unit equipped on the component mounting machine 91. First, the configuration of the tray unit 1, which is one form of the component supply unit, will be explained with reference to Figures 1-5. As shown by the arrows in the upper left of Figures 1 and 2, the front, back, left, and right directions of the tray unit 1 and the component mounting machine 91 are determined. According to this determination, the left and right direction is the transport direction in which the component mounting machine 91 transports the substrate.

[0014] The component mounting machine 91 shown in Figure 1 comprises a substrate transport device for transporting the substrate in the transport direction, a tray unit 1 for supplying components, and a component transfer device for picking up components from the tray unit 1 and transferring them to the substrate. The tray unit 1 is detachably mounted on the rear side of the component mounting machine 91. The tray unit 1 uses a tray TY that accommodates multiple components to supply components to the component supply position 99 (see Figure 5) of the component mounting machine 91. The component mounting machine 91 picks up components at the component supply position 99 using the component mounting tool of the component transfer device and repeatedly performs a mounting operation to attach the components to the mounting position on the substrate.

[0015] In this embodiment, the tray unit 1 supplies and replenishes parts using a pallet PT on which one or more trays TY are placed. However, it is not limited to this, and the tray unit 1 may use only trays TY without using a pallet PT. The tray unit 1 consists of a magazine case 2, a supply shuttle 3, a warehouse magazine 4, a transfer shuttle 5, a control unit 6, and an outer case 7. The outer case 7 is generally formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0016] The magazine case 2 is located on the front right side of the internal space of the outer case 7. The magazine case 2 has a vertically elongated, roughly rectangular prism-shaped housing with openings at the front and rear. As shown in Figures 3 and 5, an upper supply magazine 21 is provided inside the magazine case 2. Furthermore, a lower supply magazine 22 is provided below the upper supply magazine 21 inside the magazine case 2. The upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 are roughly rectangular prism-shaped and are generally identical in shape to each other. The upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 are configured to move up and down along a common guide rail (not shown) that extends in the vertical direction.

[0017] Each of the upper and lower supply magazines 21 has a plurality of holding shelves 23 arranged vertically. The holding shelves 23 are formed from a pair of thin plates separated to the left and right and extending in the front-to-back direction, or from a single thin plate spanning horizontally. Each of the holding shelves 23 holds a pallet PT so that it can be inserted and removed from both the front and back directions. One or more trays TY are placed on the top surface of each pallet PT. Each tray TY contains parts in each of a plurality of storage compartments arranged in a grid. Therefore, each of the plurality of holding shelves 23 becomes a holding position for holding the trays TY. The pallet PT is provided with mounting fixtures for attaching the trays TY, gripping protrusions for operation, and identification tags to identify the pallet PT. An example of an identification tag is an RFID tag that transmits a wireless signal.

[0018] A lifting mechanism (not shown) is provided inside the magazine case 2. The lifting mechanism independently drives the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 up and down. Furthermore, the lifting mechanism is controlled to avoid collisions between the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22. As a result, the lifting mechanism raises and lowers the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 relative to the supply shuttle 3, and selects the pallet PT (tray TY) and holding rack 23 that the supply shuttle 3 will transport. A ball screw feed mechanism or a linear motor mechanism can be used as the lifting mechanism.

[0019] The supply shuttle 3 is positioned in front of the magazine case 2. As shown in Figure 5, with the tray unit 1 mounted on the parts mounting machine 91, the supply shuttle 3 enters the interior of the parts mounting machine 91. The supply shuttle 3 can pull the pallet PT forward from either the upper supply magazine 21 or the lower supply magazine 22 and transport it to the parts supply position 99 of the parts mounting machine 91. After the parts loader picks up the parts at the parts supply position 99, the supply shuttle 3 returns the pallet PT to the original holding rack 23 from which it was pulled.

[0020] The warehouse magazine 4 is located on the front left side of the internal space of the outer case 7, in other words, to the left of the magazine case 2. Therefore, the magazine case 2 and the warehouse magazine 4 are arranged side by side in the width direction at the rear of the parts loading machine 91. The warehouse magazine 4 has a vertically elongated, roughly rectangular prism-shaped housing with an opening at the rear. The warehouse magazine 4 has a plurality of holding shelves 41 arranged vertically from roughly the middle height to the top. Each of the holding shelves 41 holds a pallet PT so that it can be loaded and unloaded from the rear. The number of holding shelves 41 is greater than the number of holding shelves 23 of the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22. Therefore, the warehouse magazine 4 can hold more pallets PT than the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22.

[0021] Furthermore, the warehouse magazine 4 has an upper magazine shelf 42 and a lower magazine shelf 43 arranged vertically from roughly the middle height to the bottom. Each of the upper magazine shelf 42 and the lower magazine shelf 43 holds tray replenishment magazines 45 so that they can be inserted and removed from the front. The upper magazine shelf 42 is used as an input shelf to hold tray replenishment magazines 45 that have been brought into the tray unit 1. The lower magazine shelf 43 is used as an output shelf to hold tray replenishment magazines 45 that are being removed from the tray unit 1. Note that the warehouse magazine 4 may have one or more magazine shelves.

[0022] The tray supply magazine 45 is roughly rectangular in shape, similar to the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22, and holds pallets PT in each of the multiple shelves arranged vertically. By using the tray supply magazine 45, the supply of multiple pallets PT is made more efficient and easier. The tray supply magazine 45 is set up in the setup area 93 (see Figure 6) with the pallets PT to be used placed inside.

[0023] The transport operation of the tray supply magazine 45 between the setup area 93 and the tray unit 1 is performed by an automated guided vehicle (AGV) 94 or by an operator. The AGV 94 automatically travels with one or more tray supply magazines 45 loaded on it and arrives at a position directly behind the warehouse magazine 4 of the tray unit 1. This enables automated supply of parts to the tray unit 1 by the AGV 94. Alternatively, an operator can transport the tray supply magazine 45 using a trolley or the like. This enables manual supply of parts to the tray unit 1 by an operator.

[0024] Returning to the explanation of warehouse magazine 4, the upper magazine shelf 42, which is used as a loading shelf, is equipped with an RFID reader 46 (see Figure 3). The RFID reader 46 receives wireless signals transmitted from the RFID tags of each pallet PT in the tray replenishment magazine 45 held in the upper magazine shelf 42 and recognizes the pallet number. This makes it possible to associate the pallet number with the shelf height position for each pallet PT in the tray replenishment magazine 45. On the other hand, the lower magazine shelf 43, which is used as an unloading shelf, does not require an RFID reader 46, which is advantageous in terms of cost. If the use distinction between loading shelves and unloading shelves is not defined, two RFID readers 46 will be required, increasing costs.

[0025] The transfer shuttle 5 is positioned at the rear of the internal space of the outer case 7, in other words, behind the magazine case 2 and the warehouse magazine 4. The transfer shuttle 5 transfers pallet PT from the warehouse magazine 4 to the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22. In this embodiment, the transfer shuttle 5 is configured to transfer pallet PT bidirectionally between the warehouse magazine 4, the upper supply magazine 21, and the lower supply magazine 22. The transfer of pallet PT between the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 may be performed by the supply shuttle 3 via the inside of the parts mounting machine 91.

[0026] Furthermore, the transfer shuttle 5 transfers the pallet PT held in the tray replenishment magazine 45 in the upper magazine rack 42 to the holding rack 41. In addition, the transfer shuttle 5 transfers the pallet PT held in the holding rack 41 to the tray replenishment magazine 45 in the lower magazine rack 43. Moreover, the transfer shuttle 5 may transfer pallet PT between the tray replenishment magazine 45 and the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22.

[0027] The transport shuttle 5 consists of a lifting table 51, a lifting drive mechanism 52, a pallet operating unit 53, and a magazine operating unit 54. The lifting table 51 is a roughly rectangular plate-shaped member arranged horizontally. The width dimension of the lifting table 51 in the left-right direction is larger than the sum of the width dimension of the magazine case 2 and the width dimension of the warehouse magazine 4. The lifting table 51 is mounted so as to be able to move up and down on four lifting rails 511 that extend vertically along the left and right inner surfaces of the outer case 7. A pair of front and rear guide rails 512 that extend horizontally are provided on the upper surface of the lifting table 51.

[0028] The lifting drive mechanism 52 drives the lifting movement of the lifting table 51. In this embodiment, the lifting drive mechanism 52 is a pair of left and right ball screw feed mechanisms located on the inner surface of the outer casing 7. More specifically, ball nuts 521 are provided on the right and left edges of the lifting table 51, respectively, with their vertical centers. Meanwhile, a ball screw 522 is rotatably supported on the inner surface of the outer casing 7, extending vertically. The ball screw 522 is screw-coupled to the ball nuts 521 via friction-reducing balls. A drive motor 523 (see Figure 4) is provided at the lower end of the ball screw 522. When the pair of left and right drive motors 523 rotate the ball screw 522 in the forward and reverse directions, the ball nuts 521 move upward and downward due to the action of the screw coupling. As a result, the lifting table 51 moves up and down while maintaining a horizontal position.

[0029] The pallet operating unit 53 is positioned on the upper surface of the lifting table 51. The pallet operating unit 53 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped with a width dimension in the left-right direction that is approximately the same as that of the magazine case 2 and the warehouse magazine 4. The pallet operating unit 53 is driven by a horizontal movement mechanism (not shown in the reference numerals) to move left-right along the guide rail 512 on the upper surface of the lifting table 51. This causes the pallet operating unit 53 to reciprocate between the rear of the magazine case 2 and the rear of the warehouse magazine 4. Furthermore, the pallet operating unit 53 has a linear drive unit that drives the pallet PT in the front-rear direction. The linear drive unit moves the pallet PT in and out of the holding shelves (23, 41) of the upper supply magazine 21, the lower supply magazine 22, and the warehouse magazine 4, which are directly opposite each other.

[0030] The magazine operation unit 54 is located on the left side of the underside of the lifting table 51. In other words, the magazine operation unit 54 is located behind the warehouse magazine 4 and in front of the automated guided vehicle 94 that has arrived behind the tray unit 1. The magazine operation unit 54 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped with a width dimension in the left-right direction being about the same as that of the magazine case 2 and the warehouse magazine 4, and a height dimension that is larger than the height dimension of the tray replenishment magazine 45. The magazine operation unit 54 unloads the tray replenishment magazine 45 from the arriving automated guided vehicle 94 and transports it, and holds it on the upper magazine shelf 42 of the warehouse magazine 4. The magazine operation unit 54 also transports the tray replenishment magazine 45 that was held on the lower magazine shelf 43 of the warehouse magazine 4 and loads it onto the automated guided vehicle 94.

[0031] The outer casing 7 is shown in Figure 2, but is omitted from Figures 1, 3, and 4. The outer casing 7 is formed from metal sheet material. The outer casing 7 covers the magazine case 2, the warehouse magazine 4, and the transport shuttle 5. An angle member 71 extends horizontally forward from the lower front of the outer casing 7, which fits under the component mounting machine 91. The outer casing 7 also has multiple wheels 72 on the underside of the case body and the angle member 71 to facilitate movement. The width of the outer casing 7 is equal to or smaller than the width of the component mounting machine 91. Therefore, the tray unit 1 is positioned within the width of the component mounting machine 91. As a result, even if the component mounting machine 91 is positioned next to other board-to-board work machines, the tray unit 1 can be attached and detached without interfering with the other board-to-board work machines. An opening (not shown) is provided near the middle height of the front of the outer casing 7, which allows the pallet PT to be pulled out into the supply shuttle 3.

[0032] The outer case 7 has a lower insertion door 75 located at approximately the middle height of the rear surface, directly behind the warehouse magazine 4. The lower insertion door 75 slides downward to open and upward to close. The lower insertion door 75 is kept closed at all times to prevent dust from entering and ensure safety. After the automated guided vehicle 94 arrives, the lower insertion door 75 opens to move the tray replenishment magazine 45 between the automated guided vehicle 94 and the tray unit 1. The opening and closing operation of the lower insertion door 75 is controlled by the control unit 6. In addition, the operator can manually load the tray replenishment magazine 45 into the tray unit 1 through the lower insertion door 75 and unload it in the opposite direction. This allows for both automatic replenishment by the automated guided vehicle 94 and manual replenishment by the operator to the tray unit 1.

[0033] Furthermore, an upper insertion door 76 is provided above the lower insertion door 75 on the rear surface of the outer case 7. The upper insertion door 76 is a single-leaf door whose left edge is rotatably supported by a hinge. The upper insertion door 76 is kept closed at all times to prevent dust from entering and ensure safety. The upper insertion door 76 has a locking mechanism (not shown) that restricts the operator from opening it. The locking mechanism releases its lock and allows the opening operation when the tray supply magazine 45 is driven upward by the transport shuttle 5 to directly behind the upper insertion door 76. This allows the operator to insert pallets PT into the tray supply magazine 45. In other words, the operator can replenish parts (trays TY) by bringing in pallets PT one by one.

[0034] The control unit 6 is configured using a computer device and its placement is not limited. The control unit 6 has an input unit, a display unit, a communication interface unit, etc. (not shown in the diagram). The control unit 6 is connected to the mounting control unit of the parts mounting machine 91. The control unit 6 controls the lifting mechanism inside the magazine case 2 and the supply shuttle 3 according to commands from the mounting control unit. This ensures that the parts supply to the tray unit 1 and the mounting operation of the parts transfer device proceed smoothly. In addition, the control unit 6 transfers the pallet PT between the upper supply magazine 21, the lower supply magazine 22, and the warehouse magazine 4 by controlling the transfer shuttle 5.

[0035] Furthermore, when the number of pallets PT intended for use stored in the warehouse magazine 4 decreases and the number of used pallets PT increases, the control unit 6 requests the replenishment of new pallets PT. This request is transmitted to the worker via communication or other means. Upon receiving the request, the worker sets up the tray replenishment magazine 45 corresponding to the request in the setup area 93. The set up tray replenishment magazine 45 is replenished to the tray unit 1 by the automated guided vehicle 94 or the worker. In most cases, used pallets PT are collected at the same time as the replenishment of new pallets PT.

[0036] 2. Component supply modes of the upper supply magazine 21 and lower supply magazine 22 There are three main types of component supply modes in which the two supply magazines (upper supply magazine 21 and lower supply magazine 22) supply components: combined supply mode, single-component component supply mode, and single-component component supply mode. The combined supply mode is applied when the number of component types to be mounted on the circuit board is large in relation to the number of shelves in the holding shelves 23 of one supply magazine. In this case, the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 each hold trays TY containing different types of components. Furthermore, both the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 are used to produce one circuit board. According to this, the component mounting machine 91 can efficiently produce circuit boards with a large number of component types to be mounted by using the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 in combination for a single circuit board.

[0037] The single-component identical component supply configuration is applicable when the number of types of components to be mounted on a circuit board is the same as or less than the number of shelves in the holding racks 23 of a single supply magazine, and when producing a large number of a small variety of circuit board products without changing the product type over a long period. In this case, the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 each hold trays TY containing the same type of components. Furthermore, during the first time period when the upper supply magazine 21 is supplying components alone, the lower supply magazine 22 is set up. When a tray TY runs out of components in the upper supply magazine 21 and component supply stops, the lower supply magazine 22 takes over and starts supplying components. Subsequently, during the second time period when the lower supply magazine 22 is supplying components alone, the upper supply magazine 21 is changed. This allows for the setup and change of the next supply magazine to be used to be performed while the component mounting machine 91 is in production operation. Therefore, the production downtime when the component mounting machine 91 is replenished with components can be reduced, and production efficiency can be increased.

[0038] The single-type heterogeneous component supply configuration is applicable in cases of high-mix, low-volume production where the number of types of components to be mounted on a circuit board is equal to or less than the number of shelves in the holding racks 23 of a single supply magazine, and where the type of circuit board product changes within a short period of time. In this case, generality is not lost even if it is assumed that the component mounting machine 91 produces in the order of first-type circuit board, second-type circuit board, and third-type circuit board. The upper supply magazine 21 holds tray TY containing components to be mounted on the first-type circuit board and supplies components in the third time zone. During the third time zone, the lower supply magazine 22 is set up to hold tray TY containing components to be mounted on the second-type circuit board. When production of the first-type circuit board is completed and production of the second-type circuit board begins, the lower supply magazine 22 supplies components in the fourth time zone. During the fourth time zone, the upper supply magazine 21 is set up to hold tray TY containing components to be mounted on the third-type circuit board. This allows for prior setup changes of the supply magazines when changing the type of circuit board product produced by the component mounting machine 91. Therefore, the downtime during setup changes for the parts mounting machine 91 can be reduced, thereby improving production efficiency.

[0039] In both the single-unit same-type parts supply mode and the single-unit different-type parts supply mode, the supply magazine that is not supplying parts stops at a predetermined standby position. More specifically, in Figure 5, while the upper supply magazine 21 is supplying parts by moving up and down within the range of arrow A1, the lower supply magazine 22 stops at the standby position at the lower end of the range of movement. Also, while the lower supply magazine 22 is supplying parts by moving up and down within the range of arrow A2, the upper supply magazine 21 stops at the standby position at the upper end of the range of movement.

[0040] 3. Example Configuration of Product Substrate Production Lines (9A, 9B, 9C) Next, an example configuration of product substrate production lines (9A, 9B, 9C) including component mounting machines 91 will be explained with reference to Figure 6. In the example shown in Figure 6, the factory has three identical production lines (9A, 9B, 9C). Each of the three production lines (9A, 9B, 9C) has three component mounting machines in addition to other types of board-to-board work machines (not shown in the symbols). One component mounting machine 91 located downstream of the line is equipped with the tray unit 1 described above. Two other component mounting machines 92 located upstream of the component mounting machine 91 are equipped with a feeder unit 1F, which is another form of component supply unit. The feeder unit 1F supplies components using a tape feeder that sends a carrier tape containing multiple components. Note that the production lines (9A, 9B, 9C) may have different line configurations than those described above, or they may have different line configurations from each other, or there may be a number of lines other than three. In other words, the tray unit 1 that is supported is not limited to three.

[0041] A setup area 93 is provided near the third production line 9C in the factory for setting up the tray supply magazine 45 to supply the tray unit 1. The setup area 93 is shared by the three production lines (9A, 9B, and 9C). The setup area 93 may also be used for setting up the feeder unit 1F. The aforementioned automated guided vehicle 94 is used to automatically supply the set up tray supply magazine 45 to the tray unit 1. The automated guided vehicle 94 automatically travels along the transport path 96 (shown by a dashed line) connecting the setup area 93 and the three tray units 1, in accordance with wireless commands from the transport control unit 95. The automated guided vehicle 94 also transports in the reverse direction, in other words, it transports the tray supply magazine 45 holding used trays TY (pallet PT) from the tray unit 1 to the setup area 93.

[0042] To manage the operating status of multiple substrate processing machines that make up the production lines (9A, 9B, 9C) and the production status of product substrates, a line management device 97 is provided in each of the production lines (9A, 9B, 9C). The three line management devices 97 are connected to the transport control unit 95 via communication. The line management device 97 manages the consumption status of parts in the tray unit 1. When the tray TY used by the tray unit 1 runs out of parts, or when it is nearing the end of its lifespan, the line management device 97 promptly transmits a replenishment request to the transport control unit 95 and at least one of the workers to replenish the tray TY. Upon receiving the replenishment request, the transport control unit 95 controls the automatic replenishment of the tray replenishment magazine 45 by the automated guided vehicle 94. The worker who receives the replenishment request manually replenishes the tray replenishment magazine 45 using a trolley or the like.

[0043] The three line management devices 97 are communicatively connected to a production management device 98 corresponding to a higher-level management unit. The production management device 98 manages production plans for multiple types of product substrates. Specifically, the production management device 98 allocates the production of multiple types of product substrates to three production lines (9A, 9B, 9C) and manages their production schedules and production quantities, etc. The production management device 98 further manages work data indicating the production methods, etc. of product substrates, raw materials and tools used in production, and the number and allocation of workers in charge of line support operations, etc.

[0044] 4. Configuration of the component supply support device 8 of the embodiment Next, the configuration of the component supply support device 8 of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6. The component supply support device 8 is configured using a computer device. The component supply support device 8 is communicatively connected to at least one of the three line management devices 97 and the production management device 98. Also, the component supply support device 8 is communicatively connected to a conveyance control unit 95. The component supply support device 8 mainly includes three functional units configured by software, namely, a plan acquisition unit 81, an environment acquisition unit 82, and a determination unit 83. The component supply support device 8 operates for each combination of product substrates produced on the three production lines (9A, 9B, 9C). Note that the component supply support device 8 may be a function of the production management device 98, or may be distributed and arranged in the three line management devices 97 and function in cooperation.

[0045] The plan acquisition unit 81 acquires plan information regarding the production of mounting components on the substrate for the product substrates allocated to each of the three production lines (9A, 9B, 9C) from at least one of the line management device 97 and the production management device 98. The plan information includes the following items (1)-(3), which differ among the three production lines (9A, 9B, 9C). (1) The number of types of components Np supplied from the tray unit 1 and mounted on the substrate. The number of types of components Np differs for each product substrate type.

[0046] (2) Replenishment required cycle TD when a tray TY out of parts occurs in the tray unit 1 and replenishment of parts is necessary. The replenishment required cycle TD can be calculated by the following formula. TD = CT × (NT / NK) However, CT indicates the cycle time required for each of the plurality of substrate working machines constituting the production lines (9A, 9B, 9C) to produce one substrate and carry it out to the downstream side. Also, NT is the number of parts accommodated in a new tray TY, and NK is the number of parts mounted on one substrate. The replenishment required cycle TD varies depending on the type of parts (part type) accommodated in the tray TY. Therefore, the shortest replenishment required cycle TD among the tray units 1 is set as the replenishment required cycle TD of the tray unit 1.

[0047] According to this, when replenishing the tray TY of the part type with the shortest replenishment required cycle TD, trays TY of other part types can be held together in the tray replenishment magazine 45 and replenished collectively. The trays TY of other part types are not immediately required and are temporarily stored in the warehouse magazine 4. Also, for the trays TY of other part types, when replenishing the tray TY of the part type with the shortest replenishment required cycle TD after the next time, replenishment is appropriately omitted (replenished at the thinned-out times) so that the temporary storage amount in the warehouse magazine 4 does not become excessive.

[0048] (3) Replenishment required time td required for replenishing parts in the tray unit 1. The replenishment required time td indicates the time required for the transfer shuttle 5 to transfer the replenishment tray TY. That is, the time required for the transfer shuttle 5 to transfer the replenishment tray TY held in the warehouse magazine 4 or the tray replenishment magazine 45 to at least one of the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 being used in production (hereinafter abbreviated as the in-production magazine) is the replenishment required time td. Note that the replenishment required time td may include the time for transferring the tray TY out of parts from the in-production magazine to the warehouse magazine 4 or the tray replenishment magazine 45.

[0049] The environmental information acquisition unit 82 acquires environmental information related to the production of mounting components onto substrates from at least one of the line management device 97, the production management device 98, and the transport control unit 95. The environmental information includes the following items (4) to (7) and encompasses three production lines (9A, 9B, 9C).

[0050] (4) The quantity Un of the tray units 1 used in production. Considering the types of product substrates that do not require tray units 1 and the idle periods of production lines (9A, 9B, 9C), the quantity Un may change from time to time. (5) The number Cn of usable automated guided vehicles 94. Considering the failures and maintenance of automated guided vehicles 94, the number Cn may change from time to time.

[0051] (6) The replenishment execution cycle TS that can be performed by the automated guided vehicle 94 by repeatedly performing automatic replenishment. The replenishment execution cycle TS indicates the time required for the automated guided vehicle 94 to replenish the tray replenishment magazine 45. In other words, the time required for the automated guided vehicle 94 to load the tray replenishment magazine 45 in the setup area 93, travel to the tray unit 1, deliver the tray replenishment magazine 45 to the tray unit 1, and then return to the setup area 93 is the replenishment execution cycle TS. (7) The number of workers Mn in charge of line support operations.

[0052] Based on the plan information acquired by the plan acquisition unit 81 and the environmental information acquired by the environmental acquisition unit 82, the decision unit 83 determines either an automatic replenishment method, in which parts are supplied to the tray unit 1 by an automated guided vehicle 94, or a manual replenishment method, in which parts are supplied by an operator. The decision unit 83 can select and determine one of three methods for multiple tray units 1: a fully automatic replenishment method, a fully manual replenishment method, or a semi-automatic replenishment method. In the fully automatic replenishment method, automatic replenishment is performed for all of the multiple tray units 1. In the fully manual replenishment method, manual replenishment is performed for all of the multiple tray units 1. In the semi-automatic replenishment method, automatic replenishment is performed for some of the multiple tray units 1, and manual replenishment is performed for the rest of the multiple tray units 1.

[0053] Furthermore, the decision unit 83 determines, in order of priority, whether or not parts will be replenished without delay after a tray TY runs out of parts in the tray unit 1, or whether or not it will be replenished within a predetermined allowable delay time. In the event of a parts shortage, the parts mounting machine 91 stops production until a replenishment tray TY of the same type of parts as the tray TY that ran out of parts is supplied to the production magazine (until the parts are replenished).

[0054] Here, we consider the first case in which a tray supply magazine 45 holding a supply tray TY is delivered to the tray unit 1 immediately after a parts shortage occurs. We also consider the second case in which the tray supply magazine 45 has already been delivered to the tray unit 1 before a parts shortage occurs. In the first and second cases, the supply tray TY is transferred to the production magazine without delay by the transfer shuttle 5, so the production downtime of the parts mounting machine 91 is limited.

[0055] Furthermore, the decision unit 83 may allow a predetermined set allowable delay time. In other words, the decision unit 83 allows a third case in which the tray replenishment magazine 45 is delivered to the tray unit 1 within the allowable delay time after a parts shortage occurs. In the third case, the production downtime of the parts mounting machine 91 is slightly longer compared to the first and second cases.

[0056] The decision unit 83 suppresses the occurrence of improper cases other than the three cases described above. In improper cases, the tray replenishment magazine 45 is not delivered to the tray unit 1 immediately after a parts shortage occurs, or the tray replenishment magazine 45 is not delivered to the tray unit 1 within the allowable delay time after a parts shortage occurs. In improper cases, the production downtime of the parts mounting machine 91 is significantly longer compared to the first to third cases, resulting in a decrease in production efficiency.

[0057] The decision unit 83 prioritizes the fully automatic replenishment method under conditions that do not result in improper cases. This results in the automation and labor-saving effects of parts replenishment. Furthermore, if the decision unit 83 anticipates that improper cases may occur with the fully automatic replenishment method, it prioritizes the semi-automatic replenishment method. This allows workers to flexibly manually replenish the parts that would otherwise be delayed if only automatic replenishment by the automated guided vehicle 94 were performed. In other words, it achieves the labor-saving effect of automatic replenishment and the effect of suppressing replenishment delays through manual replenishment. In addition, if the semi-automatic replenishment method cannot be implemented, the decision unit 83 decides on the fully manual replenishment method. Moreover, even when the semi-automatic replenishment method should be prioritized, if the number of workers Mn is zero or close to zero, the decision unit 83 decides on the fully automatic replenishment method, judging that it is unavoidable that replenishment delays may occur. An example of the specific decision logic of the decision unit 83 is as follows.

[0058] The decision unit 83 determines the fully automatic replenishment method when the number of automated guided vehicles 94 Cn is equal to or greater than the number of tray units 1 Un. Generally, the replenishment execution cycle TS of the automated guided vehicle 94 is greater than the sum of the required replenishment cycle TD and the required replenishment time td of the tray units 1. In other words, when an automated guided vehicle 94 is targeting one tray unit 1 for replenishment, it can perform automatic replenishment immediately after a parts shortage occurs and perform the next automatic replenishment before the next parts shortage occurs. Therefore, in the first case where one or more automated guided vehicles 94 can be assigned to each of multiple tray units 1, parts can be replenished without delay by the fully automatic replenishment method.

[0059] Furthermore, in the second case where there are no usable automated guided vehicles (AGVs) 94, the decision unit 83 determines that the semi-automatic replenishment method cannot be executed and therefore determines that the fully manual replenishment method is the best option. In addition, in the third case where the number of AGVs 94 Cn is less than the number of tray units 1 Un and there is at least one AGV, the decision unit 83 performs a simulation assuming a fully automatic replenishment method and determines whether to use the semi-automatic or fully automatic replenishment method. In other words, whether or not parts are replenished without delay when one AGV 94 is supplying more than one tray unit 1 depends on the content of the production information and environmental information. For example, when two AGVs 94 are supplying three tray units 1 using the fully automatic replenishment method, it is unclear whether or not replenishment will be delayed. Therefore, in the third case, the decision unit 83 performs a simulation based on the production information and environmental information. Furthermore, in the third case, the decision unit 83 may make a decision according to the operator's selection. The simulation and the decision according to the operator's selection will be explained in more detail in the later description of the operation.

[0060] When the decision unit 83 determines that a semi-automatic replenishment method is selected, it determines which tray unit 1 will be manually replenished from among the multiple tray units 1 based on a predetermined priority. The decision unit 83 prioritizes tray units 1 that supply a large number of different types of parts. In other words, the decision unit 83 prioritizes tray units 1 that may require the replenishment of a large number of trays TY at once.

[0061] Furthermore, the decision unit 83 prioritizes manual replenishment for tray units 1 where the number of types of parts supplied from the production magazine is greater than the number of trays TY held in the tray replenishment magazine 45. In other words, the decision unit 83 prioritizes manual replenishment for tray units 1 where it may be necessary for the automated guided vehicle 94 to transport multiple tray replenishment magazines 45 in multiple trips. In this case, the operator can transport multiple tray replenishment magazines 45 as needed to suppress delays in replenishment.

[0062] Furthermore, if there are multiple candidates for the tray unit 1 to be manually replenished and a decision cannot be made based on the first priority, the decision unit 83 sets the tray unit 1 with the shortest replenishment cycle TD as the second priority. In other words, the decision unit 83 sets the tray unit 1 that will be replenished more frequently as the second priority. By setting the first and second priorities in this way, it becomes possible for operators to perform manual replenishment as needed.

[0063] Furthermore, if there are multiple candidates for the tray unit 1 to be manually supplied and a decision cannot be made based on the first and second priorities, the decision unit 83 sets the tray unit 1 closest to the setup area 93 as the third priority. In the example in Figure 6, the tray unit 1 on the third production line 9C, which is close to the setup area 93, becomes the first candidate for the third priority, and the tray unit 1 on the second production line 9B becomes the second candidate for the third priority. By setting the third priority in this way, the transport distance when manually supplying the tray supply magazine 45 is shortened, thereby suppressing delays in supply and reducing the burden on the worker.

[0064] The planning unit 81, the environment acquisition unit 82, and the decision unit 83 operate before the parts mounting machine 91 starts production to determine how to replenish each tray unit 1. After the parts mounting machine 91 starts production, at least one of the automated guided vehicles 94 and the workers are responsible for replenishing the parts according to the decision of the decision unit 83. Hereinafter, at least one of the planning information and the environment information may change. For example, changes in the environment information include an increase or decrease in the number of automated guided vehicles Cn due to malfunctions and the implementation of repairs or maintenance of the automated guided vehicles 94. Also, the number of workers Mn may change depending on the workers' attendance status and workload. In these cases, the planning unit 81, the environment acquisition unit 82, and the decision unit 83 operate again based on the changed information.

[0065] For example, if the number of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) Cn changes after the parts mounting machine 91 has started production, the decision unit 83 changes the replenishment method as necessary, or changes the number of tray units 1 to be manually replenished using a semi-automatic replenishment method as necessary. In a specific example, suppose a fully automatic replenishment method is being used with three AGVs 94 for three tray units 1, and one AGV 94 malfunctions. In this case, the decision unit 83 either maintains the fully automatic replenishment method or changes to a semi-automatic replenishment method.

[0066] Furthermore, a semi-automatic replenishment method is used, which combines automatic replenishment by two automated guided vehicles 94 to two tray units 1 with manual replenishment by an operator to the remaining tray unit 1. The system also considers the case where one automated guided vehicle 94 malfunctions. In this case, the decision unit 83 maintains the semi-automatic replenishment method and modifies it to combine automatic replenishment by one automated guided vehicle 94 to one tray unit 1 with manual replenishment by an operator to the remaining two tray units 1.

[0067] Contrary to the above assumption, a change may also occur in which the number of usable automated guided vehicles 94 Cn increases due to the completion of repairs or maintenance. In this case, the decision unit 83 can change the fully manual replenishment method to a semi-automatic replenishment method or a fully automatic replenishment method, which was in place before the number of vehicles Cn increased. Alternatively, the decision unit 83 can change the semi-manual replenishment method to a fully automatic replenishment method, which was in place before the number of vehicles Cn increased. Or, the decision unit 83 can maintain the semi-manual replenishment method in place before the number of vehicles Cn increased and reduce the number of tray units 1 that are manually replenished.

[0068] 5. Operation of the Parts Supply Support Device 8 Next, the operation of the Parts Supply Support Device 8 will be explained with reference to Figures 7-9. In step S1 of the operation flow shown in Figure 7, the plan acquisition unit 81 acquires the plan information (1)-(3) above for each of the three production lines (9A, 9B, 9C). In the next step S2, the environment acquisition unit 82 acquires the environment information (4)-(7) above. In the next step S3, the decision unit 83 determines whether there is one or more usable automated guided vehicles 94 and branches the operation flow. In step S8 if there are no automated guided vehicles 94, the decision unit 83 determines a fully manual supply method. In step S4 if there are automated guided vehicles 94, the decision unit 83 performs a prediction (simulation) assuming a fully automatic supply method.

[0069] The detailed operation of step S4 is shown in the sub-operation flow in Figure 8. In step S21 of Figure 8, the decision unit 83 determines whether the number of automated guided vehicles 94 Cn is greater than or equal to the number of tray units 1 Un, and branches the operation flow accordingly. If yes, one or more automated guided vehicles 94 can be assigned to each of the multiple tray units 1. Therefore, in step S26, the decision unit 83 predicts that automatic replenishment by the automated guided vehicles 94 will not be delayed. On the other hand, if no, the automated guided vehicles 94 will be responsible for replenishing more than one tray unit 1, and the decision unit 83 proceeds to step S22 of the operation flow.

[0070] In step S22, the decision unit 83 determines whether the number of types of parts to be supplied from the production magazine to the parts supply position 99 is greater than the number of shelves in the tray replenishment magazine 45, and branches the operation flow accordingly. If yes, it may be necessary for the automated guided vehicle 94 to transport multiple tray replenishment magazines 45 in multiple trips. Therefore, in step S25, the decision unit 83 anticipates that the automated replenishment by the automated guided vehicle 94 will be delayed.

[0071] On the other hand, in step S23 for case No, the decision unit 83 performs a simulation based on the acquired planning information and environmental information. In the simulation, the decision unit 83 assumes a fully automated replenishment method and predicts whether or not there will be a delay in automated replenishment. In other words, the decision unit 83 predicts whether or not there will be a delay in automated replenishment under the condition that automated replenishment is performed by the automated guided vehicle 94 and manual replenishment is not performed by workers.

[0072] For example, consider a fourth case where one automated guided vehicle 94 replenishes tray units 1 on the first and second production lines (9A and 9B). In the fourth case, the production line with a smaller sum of the required replenishment cycle TD and required replenishment time td will have more replenishment cycles, while the production line with a larger sum will have fewer replenishment cycles. Therefore, the automated guided vehicle 94 will need to repeatedly perform automatic replenishment at different time intervals for each of the first and second production lines (9A and 9B).

[0073] Furthermore, when considering both the first and second production lines (9A and 9B), if the required automatic replenishment time interval is greater than or equal to the replenishment execution cycle TS, the decision unit 83 can predict that no delay in automatic replenishment will occur. Conversely, if the required automatic replenishment time interval is less than the replenishment execution cycle TS, the decision unit 83 can predict that a delay in automatic replenishment will occur. Also, in the fifth case, where two automated guided vehicles 94 replenish the tray units 1 of three production lines (9A, 9B, and 9C), one automated guided vehicle 94 will replenish one and a half tray units 1. Therefore, in the fifth case, compared to the fourth case, delays in automatic replenishment are less likely to occur.

[0074] In the next step S24, the decision unit 83 branches the sub-operation flow to step S25 or step S26 based on the simulation results. The execution of step S25 or step S26 completes the sub-operation flow. After this, the execution of the operation flow returns to step S5 in Figure 7.

[0075] In step S5, the decision unit 83 branches the operation flow based on the predicted result (simulation result) from step S4. In step S10, if automatic replenishment is not delayed, the decision unit 83 determines the fully automatic replenishment method. In step S6, if automatic replenishment is delayed, the decision unit 83 recommends the semi-automatic replenishment method to the operator. In the next step S7, the operator chooses whether or not to perform manual replenishment. Choosing to perform manual replenishment is equivalent to choosing the semi-automatic replenishment method. In this case, in step S9, the decision unit 83 determines the semi-automatic replenishment method.

[0076] On the other hand, selecting not to perform manual replenishment in step S7 is equivalent to selecting a fully automatic replenishment method. In this case, in step S10, the decision unit 83 determines the fully automatic replenishment method. In other words, if the worker is unable to replenish parts (line support work) due to being busy or other reasons, the decision unit 83 determines the fully automatic replenishment method and decides that a delay in replenishment is unavoidable. The operation flow ends when any of steps S8, S9, and S10 are executed.

[0077] 6. Re-operation of the parts supply support device 8 If at least one of the plan information and environmental information changes after production has started by the parts mounting machine 91, the plan acquisition unit 81, the environmental acquisition unit 82, and the determination unit 83 will operate again as described above. In the re-operation, the operation flow in Figure 7 will basically be repeated. Hereafter, the re-operation of the parts supply support device 8 when the automated guided vehicles 94 malfunction and the number of vehicles Cn decreases will be explained as an example, with reference to Figure 9.

[0078] In step S31 of Figure 9, the parts supply support device 8 executes the operation flow of Figure 7 before production starts for each parts mounting machine 91 of the three production lines (9A, 9B, 9C) to determine the fully automatic supply method. In the next step S32, each parts mounting machine 91 starts production, and each tray unit 1 is automatically supplied. At this point, the number of automated guided vehicles 94 Cn is one or more and three or less. In the next step S33, one automated guided vehicle 94 malfunctions, and the number Cn decreases by one.

[0079] In the next step S34, the decision unit 83 checks for the presence of another unused automated guided vehicle (AGV) 94 and branches the operation flow. In step S40, if there is another AGV 94, the decision unit 83 maintains the fully automatic replenishment method. That is, the decision unit 83 decides to use another AGV 94 as a replacement for the broken-down AGV 94. In step S35, if there is no other AGV 94, the decision unit 83 branches the operation flow based on whether or not there is another AGV 94 in use besides the broken-down one. In step S38, if there is no AGV 94 in use, the decision unit 83 changes to the fully manual replenishment method.

[0080] In step S36, if there is one or more automated guided vehicles 94 in use, the decision unit 83 makes a prediction assuming a fully automated replenishment method. The operation in step S36 is the same as in step S4 in Figure 7, except that the number of automated guided vehicles 94 Cn has decreased from before production started. In the next step S37, the decision unit 83 branches the operation flow based on the prediction result in step S36. If automatic replenishment is not delayed, the operation flow proceeds to step S40.

[0081] In step S39, when automatic replenishment is delayed, the decision unit 83 determines a semi-automatic replenishment method. The operation flow for when the system is operated again is completed when any of steps S38, S39, and S40 is executed. Note that there may be cases where the automatic replenishment that the malfunctioning automated guided vehicle 94 was scheduled to perform is delayed, or where a delay is expected. In this case, the decision unit 83 may decide to change the limited number of automatic replenishments that the malfunctioning automated guided vehicle 94 was scheduled to perform to manual replenishment by an operator.

[0082] In the component replenishment support device 8 of this embodiment, the planning acquisition unit 81 acquires planning information related to the production of substrates, and the environment acquisition unit 82 acquires environmental information related to the production of substrates. Then, the decision unit 83 can decide whether to replenish the tray unit 1 automatically by the automated transport vehicle 94 or manually by an operator based on the planning information and environmental information.Therefore, the component replenishment support device 8 can help determine a feasible and appropriate replenishment method.

[0083] 7. Modified Form Next, the modified form will be described with reference to Figure 10. In the modified form, the form of the parts supply unit supported by the parts supply support device 8 differs from that of the embodiment. In detail, the parts mounting machine 91A shown in Figure 10 includes a substrate transport device, a parts transfer device, a tray unit 1 which is one form of a parts supply unit, and a feeder unit 1F which is another form of a parts supply unit. The tray unit 1 is detachably mounted on the left side of the rear of the parts mounting machine 91. The tray unit 1 may have the configuration described in the embodiment, or it may have a configuration that differs from that of the embodiment.

[0084] The feeder unit 1F is detachably mounted on the right side of the rear of the component mounting machine 91. The feeder unit 1F uses multiple tape feeders TF interchangeably. Each of the multiple tape feeders TF supplies components by sending a carrier tape containing multiple components to the component supply position 99. Each of the multiple tape feeders TF interchangeably holds a reel on which the carrier tape is wound. When a tape feeder TF runs out of carrier tape and a component shortage occurs, the entire tape feeder TF is replaced to replenish the components. In a modified configuration, replenishment is performed using a feeder replenishment magazine 45F that holds multiple tape feeders TF.

[0085] The automated guided vehicle (AGV) 94 has two loading positions for loading the tray replenishment magazine 45 and the feeder replenishment magazine 45F. Similar to the embodiment, the AGV 94 automatically replenishes parts by loading the tray replenishment magazine 45 into the tray unit 1. The AGV 94 also automatically travels to the feeder unit 1F with the feeder replenishment magazine 45F loaded, and automatically replenishes parts by loading the feeder replenishment magazine 45F into the feeder unit 1F. The tray replenishment magazine 45 and the feeder replenishment magazine 45F can also be manually replenished by an operator.

[0086] The parts supply support device 8 supports tray units 1 and feeder units 1F of one or more parts mounting machines 91A. The parts supply support device 8 can determine different supply methods for multiple tray units 1 and multiple feeder units 1F. For example, if three parts mounting machines 91A are installed in the factory, the parts supply support device 8 can determine a fully automatic supply method using two automated guided vehicles 94 to support three tray units 1, and a semi-automatic supply method using one automated guided vehicle 94 to support three feeder units 1F.

[0087] In a further modified form, when a component shortage occurs in the tape feeder TF, instead of replacing the entire tape feeder TF, only the reels may be replaced. In this modified form, automatic and manual replenishment of the reel replenishment magazine, which holds multiple reels, is performed. In yet another application, the component replenishment support device 8 can support each of the tray units 1 of the three component mounting machines 91 shown in Figure 6, and each of the feeder units 1F of the six component mounting machines 92. According to the modified and application forms, the component replenishment support device 8 can be applied to multiple types of component supply units equipped on the component mounting machines (91, 91A, 92).

[0088] 8. Application and Modification of Embodiments It is possible to configure a parts supply system comprising the tray unit 1 and the parts supply support device 8 described in the embodiment. In addition, in the simulation of step S23 in Figure 8, the decision unit 83 may not only predict whether or not there will be a delay in automatic supply, but also estimate the delay time when a delay in automatic supply is expected. In this case, in step S6 in Figure 7, the decision unit 83 presents the estimated delay time to the worker. This allows the worker to decide whether or not to perform manual supply in step S7 by referring to the delay time. For example, the worker may choose not to perform manual supply if the delay time is short. This significantly enhances the labor-saving effect of automatic supply. Alternatively, the decision unit 83 may omit the worker selection in step S7 and automatically determine a semi-automatic supply method or a fully automatic supply method based on the acquired information on the number of workers Mn.

[0089] Furthermore, the automated guided vehicle 94 may transport one tray TY instead of the tray replenishment magazine 45. In addition, the automated guided vehicle 94 may transport one tape feeder TF instead of the feeder replenishment magazine 45F, or one reel instead of the reel replenishment magazine. Furthermore, the automated guided vehicle 94 may transport trays TY and tape feeders TF together. Various other applications and modifications are possible for the embodiment and its variations.

[0090] 1: Tray unit 1F: Feeder unit 2: Magazine case 21: Upper supply magazine 22: Lower supply magazine 23: Holding shelf 3: Supply shuttle 4: Warehouse magazine 41: Holding shelf 42: Upper magazine shelf 43: Lower magazine shelf 45: Tray replenishment magazine 45F: Feeder replenishment magazine 5: Transfer shuttle 6: Control unit 7: Outer case 75: Lower insertion door 76: Upper insertion door 8: Parts replenishment support device 81: Plan acquisition unit 82: Environment acquisition unit 83: Decision unit 9A, 9B, 9C: Production line 91, 91A, 92: Parts mounting machine 93: Setup area 94: Automated guided vehicle 95: Transport control unit 97: Line management device 98: Production management device PT: Pallet TY: Tray TF: Tape feeder

Claims

1. A component supply support device that assists in determining a supply method for supplying components to a component supply unit equipped on a component mounting machine and supplying components to be mounted on a circuit board, comprising: a planning acquisition unit that acquires planning information relating to production for mounting the components on the circuit board; an environment acquisition unit that acquires environmental information relating to the production; and a determination unit that determines, based on the acquired planning information and environmental information, either an automatic supply method in which the components are supplied to the component supply unit by an automated guided vehicle, or a manual supply method in which the components are supplied by an operator.

2. The parts supply support device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit selects and determines one of the following: a fully automatic supply method in which all of the plurality of parts supply units are supplied automatically; a fully manual supply method in which all of the plurality of parts supply units are supplied manually; and a semi-automatic supply method in which some of the plurality of parts supply units are supplied automatically and the remaining parts supply units are supplied manually.

3. The component supply support device according to claim 2, wherein the planning information includes at least one item: the number of types of components to be mounted on the substrate, the required supply cycle for components to be supplied when a component supply unit runs out of components, and the required supply time for the component supply unit to replenish the components.

4. The parts supply support device according to claim 3, wherein the environmental information includes at least one of the following items: the quantity of parts supply units, the number of usable automated guided vehicles, the replenishment execution cycle in which the automated guided vehicles can repeatedly perform the automatic replenishment, and the number of workers.

5. The parts supply support device according to claim 4, wherein the determination unit determines, in order of priority, whether or not the parts will be supplied without delay after a parts shortage occurs in the parts supply unit, or whether or not the parts will be supplied within a predetermined allowable delay period. The determination unit determines whether or not the parts will be supplied without delay, or within a predetermined allowable delay period.

6. The parts supply support device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the determination unit determines the fully automatic supply method if the number of automated guided vehicles is equal to or greater than the number of parts supply units, determines the fully automatic supply method or the semi-automatic supply method if the number of automated guided vehicles is less than the number of parts supply units and is one or more, and determines the fully manual supply method if there are no automated guided vehicles.

7. The parts supply support device according to claim 6, wherein, when the number of automated guided vehicles is less than the number of parts supply units and is one or more, the decision unit determines the fully automated supply method if it is expected that there will be no delay in the automatic supply of parts after a parts shortage occurs in the parts supply unit, and when it is expected that there will be a delay in the automatic supply of parts, it recommends the semi-automatic supply method to the operator and determines the semi-automatic supply method or the fully automated supply method selected by the operator.

8. The parts supply support device according to claim 6, wherein, when the number of automated guided vehicles is less than the number of parts supply units and is one or more, the decision unit determines the fully automated supply method if it is expected that there will be no delay in the automatic supply of parts after a parts shortage occurs in the parts supply unit, and when it is expected that there will be a delay in the automatic supply of parts, it estimates the delay time and presents it to the operator, and determines the semi-automatic supply method or the fully automated supply method selected by the operator by referring to the delay time.

9. The parts supply support device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein, when the determination unit determines the semi-automatic supply method, it determines from among a plurality of parts supply units which parts supply unit will be used for manual supply based on a predetermined priority.

10. The parts supply support device according to claim 9, wherein the determination unit prioritizes parts supply units with a large number of types of parts to be supplied as first priority, parts supply units with a short supply cycle as second priority, and parts supply units close to the setup area where the parts to be supplied are set up as third priority.

11. The parts supply support device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the plan acquisition unit, the environment acquisition unit, and the determination unit operate before the parts mounting machine starts production, and operate again if at least one of the plan information and the environment information changes after the parts mounting machine has started production.

12. The parts supply support device according to claim 11, wherein the determination unit operates again if the number of automated guided vehicles changes after the parts mounting machine has started production, and changes the supply method as necessary, or changes the number of parts supply units to which the semi-automatic supply method is used for manual supply, based on whether or not the parts are supplied without delay after a parts shortage occurs in the parts supply unit, or whether or not they are supplied within a predetermined allowable delay period.

13. The parts supply unit is a tray unit that uses trays containing a plurality of parts, and is capable of automatic replenishment by an automated transport vehicle and manual replenishment by an operator, the parts supply support device according to claim 4 or 5.

14. The parts supply support device according to claim 13, wherein the tray unit is capable of automatic and manual supply of a tray supply magazine that holds a plurality of trays.

15. The parts supply support device according to claim 14, wherein, when the decision unit determines the semi-automatic supply method, it determines which tray units to be used for manual supply from among a plurality of tray units based on a predetermined priority, and sets as first priority the tray units in which the number of types of parts to be supplied is greater than the number of trays held in the tray supply magazine, as second priority the tray units in which the required supply cycle is short, and as third priority the tray units that are close to the setup area where the tray supply magazine to be supplied is set up.

16. The parts supply support device according to claim 13, wherein the tray unit comprises: a supply magazine for holding a plurality of trays; a supply shuttle for drawing the trays from the supply magazine and placing them at the parts supply position of the parts mounting machine; a warehouse magazine for holding a plurality of trays supplied by the automated guided vehicle or the operator; and a transfer shuttle for transporting the trays between the supply magazine and the warehouse magazine.

17. The parts supply unit is a feeder unit that uses a tape feeder to send a carrier tape containing a plurality of parts, and is capable of automatic replenishment, in which the tape feeder or the reel on which the carrier tape is wound is replenished by the automated transport vehicle, and manual replenishment, in which the tape feeder or the reel is replenished by the operator, as described in claim 4 or 5.

18. The parts supply support device according to claim 17, wherein the feeder unit is capable of automatic and manual supply of a feeder supply magazine that holds a plurality of tape feeders, or a reel supply magazine that holds a plurality of reels.

19. The parts supply unit includes a tray unit using a tray containing a plurality of parts, and a feeder unit using a tape feeder that sends a carrier tape containing a plurality of parts, wherein at least one of the tray, a tray supply magazine that holds a plurality of the trays, the tape feeder, a feeder supply magazine that holds a plurality of the tape feeders, a reel on which the carrier tape is wound, and a reel supply magazine that holds a plurality of the reels is automatically supplied by the automated guided vehicle, and at least one of the tray, the tray supply magazine, the tape feeder, the feeder supply magazine, the reel, and the reel supply magazine is manually supplied by the operator.

20. A component supply system comprising: a component supply unit equipped on a component mounting machine for supplying components to be mounted on a circuit board; a component supply support device comprising: a planning acquisition unit for acquiring planning information regarding production for mounting the components on the circuit board; an environmental acquisition unit for acquiring environmental information regarding production; and a determination unit for determining a supply method, which is either automatic supply, in which the components are supplied to the component supply unit by an automated guided vehicle, or manual supply, in which the components are supplied by an operator, based on the acquired planning information and environmental information.

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