Mobile Robot Equipment Transport for Tight Use Intervals
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing equipment lending system described in JP 2002-015073 A requires a schedule margin of an hour for equipment preparation, making it difficult to use equipment efficiently, especially when there is no time spare before the next scheduled use time.
Innovation Solution
A transport system utilizing a mobile robot that stores management information including use start and end times, and determines whether the interval between use times is sufficient to transport equipment to either a storage location or the next use location, allowing prompt usage even when there is no spare time before the next scheduled use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If equipment is transported to storage location after each use, then maintenance can be performed, but equipment cannot be used promptly when next use time is imminent
Solution Approach 1:
The transport destination is made dynamic rather than fixed. The system determines the destination (storage location vs. next use location) based on real-time conditions such as the interval between uses and maintenance needs. This dynamic adjustment allows the equipment to be transported to storage location when maintenance is needed and time permits, or directly to next use location when time is critical, thus resolving the contradiction between maintenance reliability and equipment availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of transport destination based on the time interval between equipment uses. When the interval is sufficient, the destination is set to storage location for maintenance. When the interval is short, the destination is changed to next use location to ensure prompt availability. This parameter change strategy allows flexible adaptation to different time conditions, resolving the contradiction between maintenance requirements and equipment availability.
2Reliability
If schedule margin of one hour is required for equipment preparation, then equipment can be properly prepared, but equipment operating rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of always requiring the full one-hour margin, the system applies partial action by determining the actual necessary preparation time based on specific conditions. When the interval between uses is short, the system accepts less preparation time and transports equipment directly to the next use location. This partial action approach maintains adequate preparation quality when possible while maximizing equipment utilization when time is constrained, thus resolving the contradiction between preparation quality and operating rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary determination of transport destination based on predicted time intervals and maintenance requirements. By anticipating whether sufficient time will be available before the next use, the system can proactively decide whether to transport equipment to storage location for maintenance or directly to next use location. This preliminary action allows optimization of both preparation quality and operating rate by making informed decisions before the actual use cycle begins.
3Reliability
If equipment is always transported to storage location, then maintenance can be performed systematically, but equipment cannot be available for urgent next use
Solution Approach 1:
The transport destination is made dynamic rather than fixed at storage location. The system evaluates the time interval between uses and maintenance requirements to dynamically determine whether to transport equipment to storage location (for systematic maintenance) or directly to next use location (for urgent availability). This dynamic approach maintains systematic maintenance when time permits while enabling urgent availability when needed, resolving the contradiction between maintenance systematicity and equipment availability speed.
4Loss of time
If equipment is transported to next use location when interval is short, then equipment availability is improved, but maintenance timing becomes less predictable
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the transport destination parameter based on the time interval between uses. When the interval is sufficient, the destination is set to storage location for systematic maintenance. When the interval is short, the destination is changed to next use location to ensure availability. This parameter change is based on objective time measurements and maintenance requirements, making the scheduling predictable rather than random, thus resolving the contradiction between equipment availability and maintenance scheduling predictability.
Data Source
AI summary
A transport system transports a transported object using an autonomously moveable mobile robot. The transport system stores management information including a use start time, a use end time, and a use location for each equipment to be lent that is transported as the transported object by the mobile robot. The transport system executes a determination process for determining whether an interval from the use end time to a next use start time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time for each equipment based on the management information. The transport system transports the equipment to its storage location after an end of use of the equipment when the interval is equal to or longer than the predetermined time, and transports the equipment to a next use location of the equipment after the end of the use of the equipment when the interval is shorter than the predetermined time.