JPH0653339B2 - FMS inspection setup method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention relates to an FMS (Flexible Manufa).
The present invention relates to an FMS inspection setup method for processing an inspection setup request for a workpiece that occurs during operation. More specifically, it is an FMS inspection setup method for prompting the FMS to inspect the work pallet in which a trouble has occurred when the FMS is in operation.

[Prior Art] The FMS is known as a system including a plurality of machine tools such as a machining center, a host computer that connects the machine tools with an automatic transfer device and controls them, and software that operates these machines. The FMS has a low probability, but various troubles occur during the operation of the system. For example, a tool in a machining center is damaged, a machining dimension of a workpiece machined by a machine tool is measured by an automatic measuring device, and the machining dimension is defective as a result of the measurement. The difference between the pallet number recognized by the system and the actual pallet number is Various troubles occur.

Usually, when these troubles occur, the operator is notified by a method such as an alarm display which is displayed on the CRT screen after stopping the machining, and an alarm by a buzzer. After investigating the cause and eliminating the cause of the trouble, the operator gives an instruction to restart the processing to the system to start the operation. Unless this trouble is dealt with promptly, the operating rate of the system will be significantly reduced. Especially for nighttime operation with no operator, the system may not work at all overnight.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, as described above, troubles are actually caused by various factors. It takes time to find out the cause of this trouble. Moreover, the handling of the work in which the trouble has occurred is not fixed.

An object of the present invention is to provide an FMS inspection setup method for smoothly processing a workpiece in which a trouble has occurred.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an FMS inspection setup method in which the processing time of a workpiece in which a trouble has occurred is shortened.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention adopts the following means in order to solve the problems.

A plurality of machine tools, a control means for controlling the operation of the machine tools, a central control means for supervising the control device, a transfer means for moving between the machine tools and transferring a pallet carrying a workpiece, Storage means for temporarily storing a pallet, setup means having a setup station for setting up the workpiece on the pallet, the machine tool,
In an FMS including software for operating the transportation means, storage means for storing data, etc., the pallet in which trouble has occurred during the FMS operation and the pallet that has been processed are stored in the storage means or in the setup means. The central control means determines whether the pallet is normally processed or the pallet is in trouble, and the pallet that is normally processed is processed to finish the process, and the pallet is in trouble. The pallet is an FMS inspection setup method in which an operator issues a processing command to the central control means in accordance with a predetermined procedure.

The trouble content of the pallet in which the trouble has occurred is displayed on the display means, and the central control unit is instructed to handle the workpiece mounted on the pallet in the future based on the displayed content and the state of the workpiece.

[Operation of the Invention] In the FMS, the pallet in which trouble has occurred during the FMS operation and the pallet that has been processed are stored in the storage means or placed on the setup means. The central control means first judges whether the pallet has been normally processed or the pallet has a trouble and informs the operator. The operator performs processing for finishing the pallet that has been normally processed, and issues a processing command to the central control means according to a predetermined procedure for the pallet in which trouble has occurred.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a layout diagram showing an example of an FMS to which the inspection setup method of the present invention is applied. Central controller 1
Is a computer that controls the entire FMS. An optical fiber 2 for transmitting data and programs is connected to the central control unit 1 via an NLU 3. A plurality of NC devices 4 are connected to the optical fiber 2. The NC devices 4 control the machining centers # 1 to # 4.

Further, each of the machining centers # 1 to # 4 is provided with a control panel (PC) that controls the servo system, and these are connected to and controlled by the main controller 5. The main controller 5 includes
Further, a carriage control device 6 for controlling an unmanned transport carriage 7 is connected. The trolley control device 6 controls the transport trolley 7 moving on the rail 8. Rail 8 and machining center #
Between 1 to # 4, the carrier and machining center # 1 to # 1
Pallet exchange device 1 for exchanging pallet P with # 4
0 is assigned to each.

A stocker 11 is arranged in parallel with the rail 8. The stocker 11 stores the pallets P.
A setup table 12 is arranged in a part of the stocker 11. The setup table 12 is a station for an operator to manually attach / detach a work piece on the pallet P or perform an inspection setup described later. A terminal 13 having a display device is connected to the central control device 1 at a necessary place such as a setup table 12.

Basic Configuration of System Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to a functional block diagram and a flowchart showing the operation. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing an outline of a control device for controlling the FMS inspection setup method of the present invention. The CPU 21 is the central processing unit of the central control unit 1 described above. A bus 22 is connected to the CPU 21. The bus 22 is provided with various memories and I / Os via an interface (not shown) as described later.
An O device and the like are connected and these are under the control of the CPU 21.

The system monitoring memory 23 is a program memory for managing and monitoring the entire FMS. Setup management memory 24
Is a memory for a program for setup such as attaching and detaching a workpiece to a pallet, and an inspection setup described later.
The transport management memory 25 is a memory of a control program of the transport vehicle 7 for transporting between the machining centers # 1 to # 4 by the transport vehicle 7. The tool management memory 26 is a memory for storing data and programs for controlling and storing tool life management, types, sizes and the like of the machining centers # 1 to # 4.

The machine management memory 27 is a memory for storing a program for setting a work in a machine by a pallet changing device and performing cycle start, or managing the conveyance of a work after machining. The terminal management memory 28 is a memory for storing a program and data for the operator to operate the terminal 13 to instruct and display the FMS. Various devices of this system are shown on the right side of the bus 22. The cutting monitoring device 29 is for monitoring breakage of tools attached to the machining centers # 1 to # 4.

The automatic measuring device 30 measures a machined workpiece and determines whether or not the workpiece is machined as programmed by the machining program. The pallet recognition device 31 optically detects the type of the workpiece attached on the pallet P on which the workpiece is mounted.
It is read by magnetism and is used to identify the workpiece.

The main control sequencer 32 is a control circuit that performs sequence control of the machining center, the carriage 7, and the like. Terminal 1
An I / O device 3 includes a display device for displaying programs, contents of various memories, a keyboard, and the like. Although the outline of the present system is as described above, the inspection setup method of the present system, which is the greatest feature of the present invention, will be described in detail below.

Inspection setup The inspection setup in the present system is that the system prompts the inspection of the work pallet P when some trouble occurs during machining due to system operation. The operator may directly check the work pallet P and perform the processing described below. The reason why the "inspection setup" occurs is as follows.

a) Tool breakage If a tool breaks during machining, inspection setup will occur for that pallet.

b) Measurement NG After machining, the machining dimension of the work is measured by the machining center # 1 to # 4 or the automatic measuring device 30 incorporated in the line, and when a measurement failure occurs as the measurement result,
Inspection setup occurs for the pallet.

c) Pallet number inconsistency When the pallet number recognized by the system is different from the actual pallet number when the operation of placing a pallet on the carrier is performed, the pallet number does not match and inspection setup occurs.

d) Carrying out by restarting When the operator independently operates the pallet P that has entered the machining center and then carries out the pallet P from the table of the machining center by restarting the system operation,
Manual setup is required for the corresponding pallet P, and the inspection setup occurs because the programs of the machining centers # 1 to # 4 are not executed.

FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b) are processing operation flow diagrams of the inspection setup and descending setup methods. In addition, "falling setup" is to remove the workpiece on the pallet P, which has been normally processed, on the setup base 12. The operator inputs a setup instruction from the keyboard of the terminal 13 to indicate that he / she wants to perform setup work on the setup table 12. The start of this descending setup is controlled by inputting from the terminal 13 after changing the setup mode of the work on the setup table 12 by the operator from the system operation to the manual operation only on the setup table 12. Instruct the desired setup from the terminal display of the setup work that can be executed from the device.

In step P ₁ , the control device determines whether or not the corresponding pallet P is already placed on the pallet setup table 12.

If Yes, go to Step P ₁₄ . If NO, the process proceeds to step P ₂ and the control device determines whether or not there is an empty space in the setup table 12 from the memory contents indicating the status of the setup table 12. If the stage dynamical 12 other pallet P mounted proceeds to NO and Step _{P 3,} the process proceeds to step _{P 6} if Yes.

In step P ₃ , the control device determines whether or not there is a pallet P that can be moved on the setup table 12. N
If it is O, this pallet P cannot be processed, so
The setup cycle is completed or the setup stand 12 is emptied.

If there is something that can move the pallet P on the setup table 12 at the step P ₃ , move the pallet P by placing it on the carriage 7.
Lower the pallet P onto the stocker 11 (steps P ₄ , P
₅ ). The pallet P, which requires the desired setup, is placed on the transport carriage 7. In step P ₇ , the control device determines whether or not this pallet P is a pallet P requiring inspection setup, from the memory content of the setup management memory 24. If Yes, the processing advances to Step _{P 9,} if NO, the pallet No. To match.

Palette No. If they do not coincide with each other, an error notification is issued and the result is returned to the stocker 11 again, the unloading setup instruction is canceled, and the pallet No. The test setup request by mismatch generated setup management memory 24 of the central control unit 1 stores the test setup request again (P ₁₀ ~P _13). Pallet in step _{P 8} No. If they coincide with each other, the pallet P is lowered onto the setup table 12 which proceeds to step P ₉ . At step P ₁₄ , the central control unit 1 issues a command to display the setup request on the terminal 13.

When the operator who sees this display of the setup request wants to cancel the setup instruction for some reason, even if the system is in automatic operation, the operator can manually intervene at the operator's discretion and "cancel". This setup cancellation instructs the setup cancellation when the setup work cannot be performed on the pallet P conveyed to the setup table.

For example, when the jig on the pallet P loaded on the setup table 12 is damaged, the setup work cannot be performed. Operator determines in step P ₁₅ whether to cancel the setup request, press the cancel button if cancellation,
To cancel the setup instructions (step P ₁₆ ~P _17). Will be described later "abort", "continue", even in the case came back to the step P ₁₆ in the input errors such as "re-processing", press the cancel button to cancel the setup-instruction, the process from the beginning of the flow chart of the set-up instruction Do again. Further, the pallet P for which the setup work cannot be performed is returned to the stocker with the damaged jig removed until work for removing the cause, for example, a new jig is made.

If not to cancel the setup request, the process proceeds to step P _18. In step P ₁₈ , the control device determines whether or not all the machining processes for the workpiece on the pallet P requested for the setup have been completed. Next, the operator looks at the workpiece on the pallet P and confirms whether or not the scheduled machining process is completed, and if completed, the operator pushes the completion button for confirming the completion (step P _19). ). In Step P ₂₀ , the control device judges whether the processing is completed but the inspection setup has occurred, that is, "d) whether the pallet P which has entered the machining center is operated by the operator alone and is carried out by restarting". On the other hand, if NO, it means that the processing of this processing step has been completely completed, so the lowering setup completion processing is completed and this processing is completed (P ₂₁ ). By pressing the setup completion button, it becomes possible to transfer to the next process. If Yes in step P ₂₀ , the process proceeds to step P ₃₃ .

If the machining process has not been completed as judged by the control device in step P ₁₈ , the process proceeds to step P ₂₂ . Step P ₂₂
In further test setup whether the controller determines required, wherein, if NO, the reworked operator instructs the process proceeds to step P ₃₄ (P _34). If step P ₂₂ the inspection setup, the process proceeds to step P _23, the operator determines the next step and subsequent processing of the workpiece pallet from the state of "truncation" whether the workpiece (P _24). When the pallet P requiring inspection setup is conveyed to the setup table 12, some trouble occurs on the workpiece on the pallet P. Therefore, the pallet P is unloaded onto the setup table 12 and then the setup table 12 is released. 1
The defective work lamp of 2 lights up.

“Discontinue” means that the operator instructs discontinuation of the subsequent process of the workpiece in which the inspection setup has occurred. If it is discontinued, the function key of the terminal 13 is pressed to instruct cancellation of the subsequent processing steps. FIG. 4 shows an example of the screen of the terminal 13. In step P _25,
The operator determines whether or not to cancel the cancellation instruction for the next process and thereafter. That is, it is confirmed whether or not the operator has made an input error. For example, if the user wants to press the abort function key but presses the continue function key, it can be canceled.

If NO, the function may remove operator after pressing the Finish button step, machining work is the control device processes regarded as Performed the setup down ended performed (P ₂₆ ~P _28).
For example, this process is performed in order to terminate the following steps when the workpiece is damaged and cannot be repaired and is discarded. If discontinuation in step P ₂₃ is NO, the operator determines whether to continue the next step. Continuation mainly occurs when the inspection setup is output due to a malfunction of a sensor that detects tool breakage, a measuring device, or the like. If it is determined that the workpiece will be a finished product if the machining of the next process and subsequent processes is continued, the operation is continued. If it is continued, the operator presses the continue function key. The operator determines whether not typo in step P _31. If Yes in step P ₃₁ , the process proceeds to step P ₁₆ , and if NO, step P _{16.
Proceeding} to ₃₂ , the operator pushes the completion button (P ₃₂ ).

In step P _33, since the processing of the previous step is completed, it performs the completion process, control device setup request of the next step is to generate. If NO in step P ₂₉ , a rework command is issued in step P ₃₄ . Reprocessing means that if a process (previous process) for which a corresponding inspection setup request has occurred is reprocessed, the operator can instruct whether or not the process can be completed by looking at the state of the workpiece (P ₃₄ ). Next, whether or not the operator has not typos operator determines in step P _35, if no input errors i.e., when no revoked input rework pressing the Finish button if set to NO (step P ₃₆ ). In step P _35, the process proceeds to step P ₁₆ If Yes, the operator presses the "Cancel button" for up instruction (P _16).

The operator presses the completion button, the setup-completed state of the previous step (P _36). Further, since the machining is completed by the manual machining, the manual machining flag is set in the memory in the control device ( _P37 ).

Depending on the state of the workpiece, the flow is processed in various orders. The following table shows an example of the processing flow of the work divided into the unloading setup and the inspection setup after the representative pallet P is loaded onto the setup platform.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above in detail, the present invention can process both the descending setup performed on the workpiece when the machining is normally completed and the inspection setup performed on the workpiece having some trouble during machining. As a result, troublesome work pallets can be efficiently processed without reducing the operating efficiency of the system. Also,
There is an effect that setup can be manually performed by the operator's judgment during the automatic operation of the system, and the automatic operation of the system can be continued. This continuous operation became possible even without an operator.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a layout diagram of an FMS that employs an inspection setup method, and FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing an outline of an FMS control device.
3 (a) and 3 (b) are flow charts showing the operation of the control device for the setup request, and FIG. 4 is a C showing the inspection setup request.
It is a figure which shows an example of RT screen. 1 ... Central control unit, 4 ... NC control unit, 7 ... Transport vehicle, 11 ... Stocker, 12 ... Setup table

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of machine tools, a control means for controlling the operation of the machine tools, a central control means for supervising the control device, and a pallet on which a workpiece is mounted by moving between the machine tools. Carrying means, a storage means for temporarily storing a pallet, a setup means having a setup station for setting up the workpiece on the pallet, the machine tool, software for operating the transport means, data In the FMS comprising storage means for storing the above, the pallet in which trouble has occurred during the FMS operation and the pallet for which processing has been completed are stored in the storage means or placed on the setup means, and the processing is completed normally. The central control means determines whether the pallet is the pallet in which a trouble has occurred, and the pallet that has been normally processed is not processed. The management, the pallet a problem occurs, inspection setup method FMS, which comprises carrying out the process command to said central control means in accordance with the procedure operator predetermined. 2. The central control for displaying the trouble content of the pallet in which the trouble has occurred on a display means and controlling the future handling of the workpiece mounted on the pallet from the displayed content and the state of the workpiece. The FMS inspection setup method according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is instructed.