JPH0957576A - Production cell - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily change a production plan and facilitate a process such as work skip without changing the program in the case of producing an inferior work in a production cell. SOLUTION: A working program which corresponds to respective types of works and operation processes, contains a system variable or set information on the types of the works and the operation processes, and commands to a support device based on the set value of the system variables is stored in an NC lathe 3 for machining a work. Support programs corresponding to the types of the respective support works are stored in a loader 4, a worktable 5, an inverse device 6, a loader hand stocker 7, and a chuck jaw stocker 8 which support the NC lathe 3 to perform a prescribed work. An integral controller 1 performs a plurality types of processes in order by commanding the working program and the set value of the system variables to the NC lathe 3 based on the production plan.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a numerically controlled machine tool and a production cell for continuously producing various kinds of parts by a supporting device for the machine tool.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a numerically controlled machine tool (NC machine tool), it is general that a support device for smoothly performing the work of the NC machine tool is provided in parallel. The support device includes a work table on which a work to be machined is placed, a chuck stocker for storing a plurality of chuck claws for holding a work in an NC machine tool, and a work machine or a gripper that holds and detaches the NC machine tool ( A loader that performs loading / unloading, a hand stocker that stores a plurality of types of gripping hands of this loader, and the like. Such an NC machine tool and the entire supporting device as described above are called a production cell. Conventionally, in the case of performing high-mix low-volume production or variable-variation production with such a production cell, the NC machine tool is based on information on the type and quantity to be produced, the machining sequence, chuck jaws, and loader hand. Also, a method of storing a program such as work exchange and executing the production by this program was adopted. This program is a so-called schedule program that is created as a series of operations from the start to the end of production.

[0003]

In the conventional apparatus as described above, since the program is described as a series of operations from the start to the end of production, the quantity and order of the types of products to be produced are described. However, there was a problem in that the entire program would have to be recreated in accordance with this change. Also, if some defective work occurs during production, it is necessary to stop the work after this defective work and perform skip processing to skip, but this skip processing makes the program very complicated. there were. The complexity of the skip processing makes it difficult to recreate the program. In addition, the operator needs to prepare a work material on a predetermined work table according to the work production plan and store chuck claws, loader hands, etc. in each stocker. It was judged by reading, and the operation burden was heavy. Further, there is a problem that the order and the storage position of the work table are wrong. The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a production cell that can easily cope with a change in a production plan and can reduce the burden on the operator. .

[0004]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a production cell according to the present invention comprises a numerically controlled machine tool for machining a workpiece and a numerically controlled machine tool for performing a predetermined work. It includes a work device including a support device that provides support, and an integrated control device that gives a work instruction to the work device according to a predetermined production plan. Then, the work device stores a work program that corresponds to each type of work and each type of work process, and includes a system variable that is setting information related to the type of work and the work process, and the integrated control device, By instructing the work program and the set values of the system variables according to the order of the work to be processed and the steps, a plurality of kinds of steps are sequentially executed. In this production cell, in the work device, one work program corresponding to one process of one type of component is created and stored for each work and process type. Then, in the integrated control device, the sequential work program is designated based on the production plan, and the production is performed. Further, in the work program, information representing the setting of the NC machine tool for performing the work is described as a variable (system variable). Then, based on the set value of the system variable defined for each process, which is instructed by the integrated control device, each work device can make settings for the work. Therefore, for example, whatever chuck jaw or hand is used in the previous step, the chuck jaw or hand required for the step is set appropriately. As described above, even if the production plan is changed, it is possible to deal with the plan change by only changing the work program instruction in the integrated control device.

Further, another production cell according to the present invention has a predetermined numerical control machine tool for machining a workpiece, a support device for supporting the numerical control machine tool to perform a predetermined work, and a predetermined device. An integrated control device for instructing work to the numerically controlled machine tool according to a production plan is included. Then, the numerical control device includes a system variable corresponding to each type of work and each type of work process, which is setting information regarding the type of work and the work process,
A machining program for instructing the assisting device based on a set value of a system variable is stored, and the assisting device includes:
A support program corresponding to each type of support work is stored, and the integrated control device sequentially processes a plurality of types of processes by instructing the processing program and the set value of the system variable according to the order of the processing work and the process. Run. In this production cell, the numerical control machine tool,
One machining program corresponding to one process of one type of part is created and stored for each type of work and process. And in the integrated control device,
The above-mentioned machining programs are sequentially designated based on the production plan, and production is performed. In the machining program,
Information representing the setting of the NC machine tool for performing the work is described as a variable (system variable). Then, the numerically controlled machine tool determines whether or not the current setting is an appropriate setting based on the set value of the system variable determined for each process instructed by the integrated control device. If it is not appropriate, the numerically controlled machine tool will
Instruct support work so that the settings are appropriate. In this way, the setting for the work can be made.
Therefore, for example, whatever chuck jaw or hand is used in the previous step, the chuck jaw or hand required for the step is set appropriately. From the above, even if the production plan is changed, it is possible to cope with the plan change by only changing the machining program instruction in the integrated control device.

Further, the numerically controlled machine tool has a defect determining means for determining a machining defect and a defective work informing means for informing the integrated processing device of a work for which a defect determination has been made. May have a defective work skip means for prohibiting the subsequent work process relating to the defective work and for instructing to jump over and move to the next work process. In this production cell,
When a defective work occurs, the defective work can be excluded from the subsequent production plan and production can be continued. At this time, it is not necessary to make any changes to the work program or the machining program itself, and it is not necessary to create these programs in consideration of this skip processing.

Further, each of the above-mentioned production cells includes preparation information creating means for preparing preparation information, which is information relating to initial setting of the support device, from the production plan and the set values of the system variables, and the preparation information. It is possible to have a preparation information notifying means for notifying the operator. The operator only has to perform the initial setting based on this preparation information, and it is not necessary to read it directly from the machining program, which reduces the burden and reduces the erroneous setting.

[0008]

FIG. 1 shows an example of a system configuration of a production cell according to an embodiment of the present invention. The integrated control device 1 is composed of a computer body such as a personal computer, a CRT, a keyboard, a printer, and the like, and manages a machining schedule and a work master for operating a production cell. The working device 2 is an NC which is a type of NC machine tool.
Lathe 3, loader 4 for loading / unloading workpieces and chuck claws, workpiece table 5 for placing workpieces, reversing device 6 for reversing workpieces as necessary between processes, and a plurality of loader hands suitable for each type of workpieces Loader hand stocker (AHC) 7 for storing
It is composed of a chuck claw stocker (AJC) 8 for accommodating a plurality of chuck claws for exchanging chuck claws for grasping a work with an NC lathe according to the shape of the work. The integrated control device 1 and the work device 2 are connected by a communication line, and NC
It exchanges control information such as start-up, management information such as system variables for operation, and performance information such as the operating status of the work device 2.

2 and 3 are diagrams for explaining the flow of information / program of this embodiment. The integrated control device 1 is provided with a region for storing a machining schedule 13 representing a production plan, and a work master 14 representing a machining program name corresponding to each work and machining process and setting conditions for the NC lathe 3 and the like. The work schedule NO. A machining mode that defines the part name, the number of pieces, and the machining sequence of the workpiece is registered for each item according to the production plan.
Further, the work master 14 includes a process number for each part name to be machined, a machining program name for designating a machining program, necessity of reversing by the reversing device 6, a chuck claw name to be used, a loader hand name to be used, a tool to be used, etc. Is registered according to the processing content. Further, in the integrated control device 1, after extracting the chuck claws and the loader hand to be used based on the data registered in the machining schedule 13 and the work master 14, the addresses of the chuck claw stocker 8 and the loader hand stocker 7 are determined. Then, the AJC address information and the AHC address information 15 are automatically created. Also,
Regarding the tools, the integrated control device also includes tool information 24 such as tool life management information registered in the numerical control device 11 and ATC magazine information indicating which tool number is installed corresponding to the tool magazine pot number. Transfer to 1 2
By doing 1, the tool currently installed in the ATC magazine is compared with the tool used in the work master 14 based on the part name specified in the machining schedule 13, and tool insertion /
It is automatically created as the collection information 16. After that, the preparation information 22 is created by issuing a work instruction, and AJC
Preparation instruction, AHC preparation instruction, material preparation instruction, tool insertion /
The work instruction 20 of the recovery preparation instruction is the CR of the integrated control device 1.
T, output to printer.

When the system operation is started after the preparation is completed, the integrated control unit 1 causes the numerical control unit 11 to set the system variables such as the chuck claw address 18, the loader hand address 19, the work reversal presence / absence, and the load / unload work table address 20. Sent. Then, by instructing the numerical control device 11 from the integrated control device 1 to select the NC program and start the NC 17, the. The MIN machining program 23 starts its operation. The machining program 23 is, as shown in the drawing, chuck jaw replacement operation control OAJC, loader hand replacement operation control OAHC, work replacement operation control OAWC.
1, a general-purpose created subprogram such as OAWC2 is programmed. Then, by the system variable transmitted from the integrated control device 1, for example, in the case of the chuck claw address 18, the system variable is referred to by the chuck claw replacement operation control OAJC and compared with the chuck claw currently mounted on the working device 2. If not, chuck exchange operation is performed using the loader 4. In this way, the machining program 23 stored in the numerical controller 11 executes chuck jaw replacement, loader hand replacement, workpiece replacement, workpiece machining, etc. based on the received system variables. The numerical controller 11 performs program selection and the like for the loader control NC 12, and the loader operation is executed based on the selected loader operation program 26 and the loader point data 27. Also, the system variables (address NO. 28, inversion 2) received for the work table 5 and the inversion device 6
Based on 9), an instruction is given to perform work table indexing 30 and work reversing operation 31.

FIG. 4 shows the relationship between an NC program which is a machining program when a work is loaded and a loader program which is one of the support programs. The NC main program 40 is composed of several subprograms. For example, chuck jaw replacement (OAJC.SSB), loader hand replacement (OAHC.SSB), tool replacement (OAT).
C. SSB), for work load / unload (OAW
C1. SSB, OAWC2. SSB), workpiece machining (OCUTi.SSB), workpiece measurement (OGAG)
i. Sub-programs such as SSB) are prepared.
The work machining and work measurement subprograms differ depending on the work because they depend on the type of work, but the other subprograms are programmed as common work subprograms. For this reason, chuck jaws, loader hands and work loading /
The unloading operation or the like is sent from the integrated control device 1 to the numerical control device 11 as a system variable, and the operation is programmed to be different depending on the system variable. FIG.
The relationship among the NC main program 40, the sub-program 41, the loader operation program 42, and the loader point data 43 shown in FIG. Since the loader point data differs depending on the work, NC main program 4
0 to CALL. The loader point data file of the work to be processed in the form of LPD is selected 45. Next, CALL OAWC1. S
The subprogram 41 is selected 44 in the form of SB, and the called subprogram 41 is the loader operation program CA.
LL AWC. Select 46 the LDR 42. By the system variable sent from the integrated control device 1, for example, V6 of the given system variable 50 shown in FIG. 1 process for each work,
Half-step work attachment / detachment that continuously processes two steps, placing a temporary placement table in front of the work device 2 and preparing the next work in advance 47, the common variables V7 to V15 in FIG. 4 are written in the register of the loader point data 43, and the loader operation program 42 refers to the point data and the register data of the loader point data 43.
Then, a predetermined operation is performed.

FIG. 5 shows a subprogram O for exchanging workpieces.
AWC1. The flowchart of SSB and the system variable given from the integrated control apparatus 1 are shown. The work replacement subprogram first selects a work loader operation program file for loading and unloading a work and loads it into the memory (S1), and selects V7 out of the system variables 50 transferred from the integrated control device 1.
Write the system variable of V15 to the register of the loader point data file (S2), and system variable V6:
The machining mode is determined according to the machining mode. If the machining modes are the same (S3), O0001 same-step workpiece arrival is requested and activated (S5), and the machining mode is 1 /
If it is 2 (S4), O0002 1/2 step work wear is requested and activated (S6), and if it is other than that, O0003 temporary placement work wear is requested and activated (S7). The loader operation program requested by the designated processing mode performs a predetermined operation while referring to the point data of the loader point data 43 and the register data.

Next, skip processing for a defective work when an abnormality such as a defective work measurement result or overload occurs will be described with reference to FIG. First, the configuration of skip processing will be described with reference to FIGS. When the integrated control device 1 receives the defective work information from the numerical control device 11, the next work (the work to be processed next) determined based on the processing schedule 13 is managed by the integrated control device 1 and is not shown. Based on the normal / defective information for each work, it is determined whether the machining process before the next work is a normal work or a defective work, and if it is a defective work, the next work is determined as the work to be processed next, If this work is a normal work, the work table address of the determined work is searched, the address of the work table on which the defective work is placed is skipped, and the determined work load address of the work to be processed. Is set to the set value of the system variable and transferred 20 to the numerical controller 11. At the same time, the unload work table address of the machined work in the NC lathe 3 is set to the set value of the system variable and transferred 20 to the numerical controller 11. In this case, if the specified address of the unload work table is the same as the address of the load work table when the processed work is loaded, it is returned to the original position (address).

The numerical controller 11 receives the load / unload work table address from the integrated controller 1 2
0, the work exchange operation control (OAWC1, OAWC2) described in the machining program 23 is executed, and the load / unload work table address system variable setting instructed from the integrated control device 1 to the loader control NC 12 is set. The numerical control device 11 gives an instruction for the value, and the loader control NC 12 sends the address No.
28, the work table address on which the defective work is placed is skipped, and the work table 30 on which the normal work is placed is determined.

The example of FIG. 6 is a case where the machining modes are the same process, and when the same work is continuous, for example, when three works A are continuously placed on the work table. The order of machining is the first machining of A, the second machining of A, the first machining of A, the first machining of A, and the second machining of A. , A is a machining mode in which the same process as the second machining of A ... is machined and then the next process is machined. , A, A, B,
The operation will be described in detail by taking as an example the case where B, C, D, D, and D are placed in this order. First, after the first process of three A workpieces is completed as a normal work, the second process is started, and A
When the second work of the second process is determined to be a defective work, the work is returned to the original position of the work table 5 by the loader 4. Next, when processing the third step of the A work, the second piece of the A work is determined as a defective work, so when the first processing of the third step of the A work is completed, the second piece is placed. Work table No. And the next work table address on which the third work A is placed is designated by the integrated control device 1 by a system variable, whereby the work table 5 is assigned a predetermined address. Similarly, in the case of D work, the 1st step of D work
When it is determined that the first work is a defective work, it is returned to the work table 5, and the first D work is skipped since the second and subsequent steps. Further, when the second workpiece of the second step of the D work is determined to be a defective workpiece, the third and subsequent steps are skipped.

As described above, when a defective work is determined due to a defective measurement result or the like, defective work information is transmitted from the numerical control device 11 to the integrated control device 1, and the integrated control device 1 is defective based on the result. When the work returned to the work table 5 is instructed and whether the work placed on the work table is good or bad is managed, if the work placed on the work table is a bad work, the work on which the bad work is placed Skip the table address and specify the next work table address. In the above embodiment, the command from the integrated control device is sent back to the support device such as the loader via the numerical control machine tool, but the integrated control device directly outputs the work device such as the numerical control machine tool or the support device. It is also possible to issue a command and execute the work program of each device.

[0017]

According to the present invention, by changing the production plan by the integrated control device, the work order, the loader operation, etc. can be easily changed, and even when a defective work occurs, the work is skipped without changing the program. Processing becomes easier. Further, since the preparation information is reported based on the registered data, it is possible to carry out the preparation work without any mistake, and it is possible to operate the system with a high operation rate.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a production cell according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a flow of information / program of a production cell of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a flow of information / program of a production cell of this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an NC main program, a sub program, a loader operation program, which explains the production cell of the present embodiment.
It is a figure which shows the relationship of loader point data.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a flow chart for explaining a configuration of a subprogram according to the present embodiment and system variables provided.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a skip operation when a defective work occurs according to the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 integrated control device, 2 working device, 3 NC lathe, 4
Loader, 5 work table, 6 reversing device, 7 loader hand stocker (AHC), 8 chuck claw stocker (AJC).

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A working device including a numerically controlled machine tool for machining a work, and an assisting device for assisting the numerically controlled machine tool to perform a predetermined work, and a working device according to a predetermined production plan. An integrated control device for giving a work instruction to the work device, the work device corresponding to each work type and work process type, and setting information relating to the work type and the work process. A work program including a system variable is stored, and the integrated control device sequentially executes a plurality of types of processes by instructing the work program and the set values of the system variables according to the order of the machining work and the process. Production cell. 2. A numerically controlled machine tool for machining a workpiece, an assisting device for supporting the numerically controlled machine tool to perform a predetermined work, and the numerically controlled machine according to a predetermined production plan. An integrated control device for giving a work instruction to a machine, wherein the numerical control device corresponds to each type of work and each type of work process, and is a system that is setting information related to the type of work and the work process. A machining program that includes a variable and that instructs the support device based on a set value of a system variable is stored, the support device stores a support program corresponding to each type of support work, and the integrated control device is , A production cell that sequentially executes a plurality of types of processes by instructing the machining program and the set values of the system variables according to the sequence of the machining work and the process 3. The production cell according to claim 1, wherein the numerically controlled machine tool includes a defect determination means for determining a processing defect, and a defective work notification for notifying a work for which a defect determination has been made to an integrated processing device. And a means, wherein the integrated processing device has a defective work skip means for prohibiting a subsequent work process relating to the defective work and for instructing to jump over to the next work process. 4. The production cell according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the preparation information creating means creates preparation information, which is information about initial setting of the support device, from a production plan and set values of the system variables. And a preparation information notifying means for notifying the operator of the preparation cell of the preparation information.