Board Production Line Data Handoff via Shared Folder Proxy

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Solution Overview

Problem

In board production lines, information transmission interruptions occur when a work device lacks communication capabilities, preventing effective use of board type and quality defect information.

Innovation Solution

A shared folder with multiple storage areas is implemented, allowing board-related information to be transferred among work devices, with a management proxy section accessing the shared folder on behalf of devices that cannot access storage areas, ensuring uninterrupted information transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a work device without communication function is arranged in the production line, then device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but information transmission is interrupted and reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidreliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A management proxy section is introduced as an intermediary component that accesses the shared folder on behalf of work devices without communication functions. The proxy section reads board-related information from the shared folder and provides it to downstream work devices, enabling information transmission without requiring communication capabilities in all devices. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliability through the proxy mechanism while allowing simple, easy-to-manufacture devices to be used in the production line.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If all work devices are equipped with communication functions to ensure uninterrupted information transmission, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases and manufacturing cost rises

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The information management function is segmented into two parts: work devices with communication functions that can directly access the shared folder, and work devices without communication functions that rely on the management proxy section. This segmentation allows the production line to use a mix of device types, reducing overall complexity and manufacturing costs while maintaining reliability through the proxy mechanism for devices that cannot access the shared folder directly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If board-related information is stored in a shared folder accessible by all work devices, then information transmission efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to access control requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveproductivityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shared folder is designed as a universal storage mechanism that can be accessed by work devices with communication functions directly, while the management proxy section provides indirect access for devices without communication functions. This universal design enables all work devices to access board-related information efficiently, improving productivity without requiring complex access control mechanisms in each device, as the proxy section handles the access management centrally.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3654746B1Base board production line
Publication Date: 2022.09.07 FUJI CORP
  • EP3654746B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3654746B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3654746B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In a board production line having multiple work devices arranged to transfer a board from upstream to downstream and perform a predetermined operation on the board, the board production line comprising: a shared folder having storage areas configured to store board-related information, the storage areas being multiply divided according to the number of the work devices, and transferring the board-related information among the storage areas, in conjunction with transferring the board, with a first work device capable of accessing the storage areas among the multiple work devices, and a management proxy section configured to access the shared folder in place of a second work device which cannot access the storage areas, and configured to manage the board-related information so that the board-related information can be transferred among the storage areas.