JPS6357152A - Process control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a control capacity to be spread in a low price further with simplified constitution, by providing plural process control parts and supplying discrimination data to the plural process control parts by a single discrimination information converter part. CONSTITUTION:A series of actions of process control are similarly performed in each device in both carry-in and carry-out port sides of a process, that, is, discrimination information sensors 10a, 10b, discrimination information converter parts 20a, 20b and communication interfaces 30a, 31a and 30b, 31b. In this way, if discrimination information data are input to process control parts 40a, 40A, these control parts, on the basis of these data, form a work in the present in the process and/or calculate production results of the work classified by its kind up to the present in said process and a number of works classified by the kind still existing in said process. While on the basis of the arithmetic results, the control part performs various process controls of predetermined operation, parts supply indication, etc. for an assembly processing part 50 set along a production line in the process. In this way, discrimination information of the work can be output to the plural process control parts.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is a process control device, in particular, reads identification information of workpieces carried in and out of each process on a production line, and based on this, various This invention relates to an improved two-stage control device for controlling production.

[Conventional technology] In each process such as assembly and painting on the production line in an automatic medium factory, it is necessary to accurately grasp the status of the workpieces existing in the process and to check the various operations performed on each workpiece. A process control device is installed for each process to ensure smooth progress without waste.

FIG. 4 shows a typical two-step management system. In the figure, ]l fy 10Oa on the production line 100
A card (not shown) that is carried into the process 100a is attached with identification information for each type of work, such as specifications such as color and type, or a card containing a work number. Then, this identification information is read by the identification information sensor 1a installed at the entrance. The read information is output to the identification information converter 2b, and is converted into predetermined data in the information converter 2b. This data is then sequentially output to the control unit 4a via the communication interface 3a.

On the other hand, an identification information sensor 1b is also installed at the exit of the process 100a.
An identification information conversion section 2b and a communication interface 3b are installed, and these perform the same actions as the respective devices on the loading entrance side for each workpiece taken out from the step 100a.

In this way, the identification information of the workpieces carried in and out of the process '100a is detected one by one.

The process control unit 4a is the identification information converting unit 2 on both sides of the loading and unloading.
The data input from a and 2b is processed based on a predetermined program, and the workpieces in the process are created, and the number of items in stock and production results for each workpiece type are displayed on a CRT (not shown). In addition to outputting the information to the operator and displaying it to the operator, it also outputs, for example, instructions for feeding necessary parts to the assembly processing section 5 installed along the process 100a, thereby performing predetermined processing management.

By the way, with the remarkable technological innovations of recent years, the types of workpieces have diversified and the structure of the workpieces has become gradually more complex. The number of man-hours required for each workpiece and the number of parts used are also on the rise. Therefore, there is a risk that the management capacity of existing process control equipment will not be able to cope with such an increase in the amount of information processed. There is a need to.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Problems of the Prior Art In general, when expanding the management capacity of a process control device for the above reasons, the actual management capacity needs to be expanded mainly for specific various calculations. It is often the control section that directly manages processing within the process.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a conventional method for expanding the management capacity of a process control device.

In FIG. 5, identification information sensors 1a and lb.

Identification information converters 2a, 2b and communication interface 3
a and 3b are shared with the existing ones, and the new control section 4A is directly connected to the old control section 4a, and is configured to receive identification data from the old control section 4a.

With this method, the processing capacity of the new system section 4A is certainly added and the management capacity can be expanded, but if a failure occurs in the old system section 4a, the effect will be directly on the new system section. 4A, and the identification data output from the information change units 2a and 2b is transferred to the new t+ after passing through the old control unit 4a.
+ Since the information is input to the m section 4△, the arrival of the information to the new control section 71A is delayed, and as a result, the start of various calculations and control actions performed by the new control section 4A is delayed.
There was a problem in that the process was delayed compared to the start of each action for which it was responsible, and prompt process control could not be expected.

Further, FIG. 6 shows another conventional process management capacity expansion method.

In this method, in order to manually input identification information data to the new control section 4A, a new independent process control device for the new control section 4A, namely identification information sensors 1a-, 1b', identification information conversion sections 2a-, 2b, is required. -1 Communication interface 3a
-, 3b- are installed adjacent to each existing elbow.

According to this method, the problems caused by the above-mentioned 1□ control unit direct connection method, such as delay in information transmission time and direct influence on the situation, can be solved. Love? Adding the tX sensor and tj identification information conversion unit requires a very small space, and the cost of the management device also doubles, creating a new problem. It has been desired that an improved and more effective process control device that eliminates the problem.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and its purpose is to provide a process control device that is inexpensive and has a simple configuration and can expand management capacity.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a plurality of systems that are installed at the entrance and exit of a predetermined process on a production line and read the identification information of the workpieces carried in and out of the process. an information reading section, a plurality of identification information conversion sections that convert this identification information into a predetermined data format and store the identification data in a plurality of data buffers, and output from a predetermined data format of the identification information conversion section. a plurality of process control units that process the identified identification data using a predetermined program and control work in the process based on the results of the arithmetic processing;
The present invention is characterized in that identification data is supplied to the U11 section of the system.

[Example] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration in which a process control device according to the present invention is applied to a production line.

As is clear from the figure, ′+′:j′f in the present invention
Item i is an identification information converter 20a that converts the information read by the sensors 91Qa and 10b into predetermined data;
20b is configured to be able to output its identification data to a plurality of process control units 40a, 40Δ, that is, identification information conversion units 20a, 20b which perform a branch output function are used. It is in. As a result, when expanding the control capacity F11 of the process control device, effective process control can be achieved by simply installing a new control unit without any deterioration in performance or inconvenience caused in other years. It becomes possible to do so.

FIG. 2 shows the internal structure of the identification information converting section 20 in the process control apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 (A>, (B) shows the information !2! A flowchart showing the flow is shown below, and based on these, the operation of the identification information converter 20 in the management apparatus according to the present invention will be explained below.

The information output from the identification information sensor 1) 10 is input to the identification information conversion unit 2Q via the input boot 210 (3
10). The identification information is output from the input gate 210 to the main processing section 212, where it is converted into a predetermined data format (320).

60 As mentioned above, in the present invention, the information converter 20 converts the same identification information output from the identification information sensor υ10 into predetermined data, and then outputs the branch output (function) to a plurality of process control units. 1 and 33. For this purpose, the identification information conversion section 20 has data buffers 71214 provided corresponding to the plurality of control sections.

215 is omitted.

The data converted by the main processing unit 212 is outputted to the data barafuns 214 and 215, and stored in the respective buffers J3 at predetermined addresses (330).

Then, this data stored in each buffer>=214,215 is sequentially stored in the oldest Tsunogate 21.
6.217, and the communication interface 30.
31 to the process control unit/10a.

40A (340).

The identification information conversion unit 20a according to the present invention is performed in the above order.
performs a series of operations including taking in identification information, converting it to data, and outputting this data to the process control section.

By the way, from this information conversion section 20 to the control sections 40a, 40
When outputting identification data to A, noise answers may be mixed in and overturned, and in such cases, the
This poses the problem of not being able to transmit data accurately.

Therefore, in the present invention, the identification data output from the N-sum conversion section 20 is 1't D11 section 40a,
When the data is received by 4OA, the process control unit 408.40A sends a response indicating whether or not this data has been received normally, that is, a reception result signal, to the information conversion unit 20, and if this reception result signal is normal, the process control unit 408. If it is a received signal, the data is deleted from the data buffer of the identification information conversion unit 20, and if the data is not received correctly, that is, if an abnormal reception signal is sent, the information conversion unit 20 deletes the same data from the data buffer again. is configured to send. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the identification information converter 20a according to the present invention includes a data buffer control mechanism that controls the data buffer based on the reception result signal sent from the T controller 408, 40A. 218 and 219 are provided. And this data buffer control 1 control structure 218, 219 is the front)
350 Input the received result signal from the process control section.
), it is determined whether this reception result signal is a normal reception signal (360). If the received signal is normal, the data stored in the data buffer is deleted (370). On the other hand, if this reception result signal is not a normal reception signal, or if it is an abnormal reception signal (the controller 40 sends the same data again to the editor buffer),
8. Control so that it outputs 40A (380)
.

As described above, according to the process control device according to the present invention, the identification information converting section can prevent the transmission of data even if noise is mixed in during data transmission to the control section and a sending error occurs. Since the configuration is configured such that transmission of the same data is instructed by repeatedly detecting the same data until it is correctly received, the identification information data can always be reliably transmitted to the process control unit.

The series of operations described above is performed by each device on both sides of the process entrance and exit, namely the identification information sensor 10a.

10b, identification information converters 20a, 20b, and communication interfaces 30a, 31a, and 30b.

31b. When the identification information data is input to the process system C11 section 408.40A in this way, the control section performs predetermined arithmetic processing based on this data, such as creating the current work order in the process, calculates the production results of each type of workpiece in the process to date, the number of workpieces of each type that currently exist in the process, and based on the calculation results, the assembly processing department installed along the production line in the process is calculated. 50, performs various I-processes 11, such as predetermined work and parts supply instructions.

As described above, according to the present invention, since the identification information converter that performs the branch output function is used, multiple steps ff1
Even when installing an IJ control section, it is possible to cope with the increase in information processing extremely effectively without incurring an increase in the price of management equipment or delays in data transmission, and without requiring a large amount of space. Furthermore, even if a failure or the like occurs in one of the process control units, the other control unit can continue to operate normally regardless of this.

Although the present embodiment has been described with reference to the case where the process 1 control section is provided with a two-metal membrane, the present invention is not limited to this, and can also be applied to a case where a process section D11 is added.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, identification information of workpieces carried in and out of a process can be outputted to a plurality of process control units, so that two processes can be performed with a simple and inexpensive configuration. [It becomes possible to expand the culm management capacity.]

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the process control head according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal structure of the identification information converting section in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is the device shown in Fig. 2. FIGS. 4 to 6 are block diagrams showing the overall configuration of a conventional culm management head.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A plurality of information reading units installed at the entrance and exit of a predetermined process on a production line to read identification information of workpieces carried in and out of the process, and convert this identification information into a predetermined data format; a plurality of identification information conversion units that store the identification data in a plurality of data buffers;
A plurality of process control units that perform arithmetic processing on the identification data output from a predetermined data buffer of the identification information conversion unit using a predetermined program, and control work in the process based on the results of the arithmetic processing. . A process control device, characterized in that one identification information conversion unit supplies identification data to a plurality of process control units. (2) In the apparatus according to claim 1, each of the identification information conversion units outputs identification data to a plurality of process control units, and also determines whether or not the identification data has been received normally from each process control unit. A data buffer control mechanism that inputs a reception result signal, deletes the data in the data buffer if the reception result signal is a normal reception signal, and re-outputs the data to the process control unit if it is an abnormal reception signal. A process control device characterized by comprising: