Production Flow Visualization for Mixed-Model Step Sequencing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing production management systems struggle to effectively visualize and manage production processes where multiple product models are produced, with varying sequential orders of steps, leading to difficulties in identifying retention situations, lead times, and facility performance due to overlapping and crossing polygonal lines in charts.
Innovation Solution
A production management supporting system that includes a management server and client, utilizing holistic charts and user interfaces to display retention numbers and lead times, allowing users to drill down into specific models and steps, and providing facility information to identify issues within intra-step and inter-step ranges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional visualization technique displaying production periods and wait periods is used, then production management for a single sequential order is possible, but it cannot support production management for multiple product models with different sequential orders of steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the production management visualization by creating separate holistic charts for different product models. Each holistic chart displays the sequential order of steps specific to one model, allowing multiple models with different step sequences to be visualized independently without confusion from overlapping lines in a single chart.
2Loss of information
If multiple product models with different step sequences are visualized in a single chart, then comprehensive production management is achieved, but the chart becomes difficult to read due to overlapping and crossing polygonal lines
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of displaying all product models in a single holistic chart which causes overlapping and crossing polygonal lines, the patent creates separate holistic charts for each product model. This segmentation maintains clear visibility of production status for each model while avoiding the visual confusion that would reduce management efficiency.
3Loss of information
If detailed information for each product model and step is displayed, then comprehensive production analysis is possible, but the system becomes complex and difficult to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing users to select specific product models and steps of interest, then displaying detailed information only for those selected items in the holistic chart. This approach provides comprehensive production information when needed while maintaining ease of operation through selective focus, avoiding the need to process and display all possible data simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
A support system displays, on the basis of management information as a past record which shows, for each product loaded in a production system in which a plurality of different models of products are loaded and a sequential order of two or more of a plurality of steps is different depending on the model, an execution time of each of the steps, at least one of a first holistic chart (having a time axis and showing a feature value of production situation of the product during a display target period on a per predetermined unit basis) and a second holistic chart (showing a relationship between a plurality of steps with respect to a flow of a plurality of models of products). The support system selects at least one of a model and a step for one of the holistic charts, and displays step element information.