Dynamic Worker Guidance for Reconfigurable Production Workflows
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern worker guidance systems in production are rigid and inflexible, making them unsuitable for versatile production systems with varying product diversity and reduced product lifetimes, requiring a more adaptable solution to guide workers effectively through manual work steps.
Innovation Solution
A programmable and reconfigurable worker guidance system that uses a control unit and communication device to dynamically adapt instructions based on process data, allowing for flexible support of versatile production systems by communicating work steps and process device capabilities to workers, enabling easy adaptation and reduced engineering effort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If worker guidance systems are permanently programmed and configured to specific work sequences, then quality assurance and training reduction are improved, but adaptability to varying product diversity and reduced product lifetime is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The worker guidance system transitions from static permanent programming to dynamic reconfigurable programming, allowing the system to adapt its work sequences and instructions based on different products and processes while maintaining quality assurance through controlled reconfiguration
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables changes in programming parameters and configurations to accommodate different product types and process requirements, allowing the same hardware platform to serve multiple purposes through software reconfiguration rather than physical reprogramming
2Reliability
If worker guidance systems are permanently programmed for specific products, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity and engineering effort for reconfiguration are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The guidance system employs dynamic reconfigurable programming that allows straightforward modification of work sequences through standardized interfaces, reducing the engineering effort required for adaptation while preserving system reliability through controlled reconfiguration processes
3Ease of operation
If rigid programming is used in worker guidance systems, then ease of operation is improved, but adaptability to versatile production systems is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines dynamic reconfigurability with user-friendly interfaces, allowing production personnel to easily adapt work sequences and instructions for different products without requiring complex programming expertise, thus maintaining ease of operation while achieving versatility
Data Source
AI summary
A worker guidance system for guiding a worker when carrying out a process using a process system. The process system includes at least one process device having process device capabilities, the process including at least one work step, including a control unit and a communication device. The control unit is designed to activate the communication device based on process data to communicate to the worker the work step to be carried out. The control unit is provided with the process device capabilities as process device capability data, the process data including the process device capability data.