Control device, control method, program, and recording medium for line processing machines

• US 10,048,656 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2011
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Kawai, Wakahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Laughlin, Nathan L
• Application Number:
  US14/000,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20130331959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,707 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/418 Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM]
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32021 Energy management, balance and limit power to tools
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/10 Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof

Abstract

A control device for controlling a line in which a plurality of machines performs processes in sequence on a workpiece, the control device having a monitoring section that monitors an amount of electric energy of at least a first machine of the plurality of machines, and a power source control section that controls a power source of at least a second machine of the plurality of machines in accordance with the amount of electric energy of the first machine.

Claims

1. A control device for controlling a line in which a plurality of machines performs processes in sequence on a workpiece, the control device comprising:

a monitoring section that monitors an integrated value of electric power used by a first machine of the plurality of machines having power sources, respectively, wherein the integrated value is obtained by integrating, by time, electric power used by the first machine in a given period; and

a power source control section that controls ON/OFF of a corresponding power source of a second machine of the plurality of machines based on the integrated value of electric power used by the first machine,

wherein the power sources of the plurality of machines are each independently controlled, and

wherein the power source control section controls only ON/OFF of the power sources of the plurality of machines.

2. The control device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the power source control section switches the power source of the second machine from off to on when the integrated value of electric power used by the first machine increases from a value that is lower than a first threshold value to a value that is not less than the first threshold value.

3. The control device as set forth in claim 2,

wherein the integrated value of electric power is an integrated value of electric power used by the first machine from the current point in time to a point in time that is earlier than the current point in time by a first period of time.

4. The control device as set forth in claim 2,

wherein the integrated value of electric power is an integrated value of electric power used by the first machine from a point in time at which the power source of the first machine was turned on to a current point in time.

5. The control device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the power source control section switches the power source of the second machine from on to off when the integrated value of electric power used by the first machine decreases from a value that is higher than a second threshold value to a value that is not more than the second threshold value.

6. The control device as set forth in claim 5,

wherein the integrated value of electric power is one of:

(a) an integrated value of electric power used by the first machine from the current point in time to a point in time that is earlier than the current point in time by a period of time A; and

(b) an integrated value of electric power used by the first machine from a point in time that is earlier than the current point in time by a period of time B to a point in time that is earlier than the current point in time by a period of time C that is shorter than the fifth period of time.

7. The control device as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the monitoring section obtains the integrated value of electric power by:

(i) dividing a target period during which the integrated value of electric power is to be measured into a plurality of predetermined periods equal to each other,

(ii) obtaining a period-integrated value of each of the predetermined periods by integrating, during the each of the predetermined periods, electric power consumed by the first machine,

(iii) integrating only period-integrated values of the predetermined periods in the target period each of which period-integrated values is not less than a predetermined value, and

(iv) regarding, as the integrated value of electric power, a result obtained by integrating only the period-integrated values each of which is not less than the predetermined value.

8. The control device as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the monitoring section monitors integrated values of electric power used by all of the plurality of machines, and

wherein the control device further comprises:

a calculation section for calculating a total value of the integrated values of electric power used by all of the plurality of machines; and

a display control section for causing a display device to display the total value calculated by the calculation section.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium containing a program that causes a computer to function as each section of a control device as set forth in claim 1.

10. A control method for controlling a line in which a plurality of machines performs processes in sequence on a workpiece, the control method comprising:

(i) monitoring an integrated value of electric power used by at least a first machine of the plurality of machines having power sources, respectively, wherein the integrated value is obtained by integrating, by time, electric power used by the first machine in a given period; and

(ii) controlling ON/OFF of a corresponding power source of a second machine of the plurality of machines based on the integrated value of electric power used by the first machine,

wherein the power sources of the plurality of machines are each independently controlled, and

wherein only ON/OFF of the power sources of the plurality of machines is controlled.

11. A control device for controlling a line in which a plurality of machines performs processes in sequence on a workpiece, the control device comprising:

a monitoring means for monitoring an integrated value of electric power used by at least a first machine of the plurality of machines having power sources, respectively, wherein the integrated value is obtained by integrating, by time, electric power used by the first machine in a given period; and

a power source control means for controlling ON/OFF of a corresponding power source of a second machine of the plurality of machines based on the integrated value of electric power used by the first machine,

wherein the power sources of the plurality of machines are each independently controlled, and

wherein the power source control means controls only ON/OFF of the power sources of the plurality of machines.

12. A control device for controlling a line in which a plurality of machines performs processes in sequence on a workpiece, the control device comprising:

a monitoring section that monitors an integrated value of electric power used by a first machine of the plurality of machines, wherein the integrated value is obtained by integrating, by time, electric power used by the first machine in a given period; and

a power source control section that controls a power source of at least a second machine of the plurality of machines based on the integrated value of electric power used by the first machine,

wherein the power source control section switches the power source of the second machine from off to on when the-integrated value of electric power used by the first machine increases from a value that is lower than a first threshold value to a value that is not less than the first threshold value, and

wherein the integrated value of electric power is an integrated value of electric power used by the first machine from a point in time that is earlier than the current point in time by a second period of time to a point in time that is earlier than the current point in time by a third period of time that is shorter than the second period of time.