Method and apparatus for ordering a working operation in an assembly line

• US 4,683,540 A
• Filed: 08/30/1984
• Issued: 07/28/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohmae, Masanori, Kashiwa, Michiaki, Kurosu, Noriaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Grossman, Jon D.
• Application Number:
  US06/645,759
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200, 364/300, 364/900, 364/403, 364/468, 364/424, 364/425, 364/478, 209/552, 209/546, 209/576, 209/583, 414/136
• US Class Current: 700/116
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/50 according to destination signals stored in separate systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for ordering a working operation in an assembly line having sublines in which parts for different models are assembled. All of the parts in the assembly line have serial numbers. The parts are allocated with a working code which comprises a sub-serial number, a line code and a model code. The sub-serial numbers are successive numbers within each sub-line. The line code indicate the sub-line in which the part is manufactured, and the model code indicates the working operation to be performed in each line according to the model. The working code is transmitted into a working order instructing apparatus by which the working code is instructed. When the sub-serial numbers of the working code are consecutive in the sub-line, it is determined that the working operation designated by the working code should be performed.

Claims

1. A vehicle assembling system comprising:

a computer means including a means for outputting signals indicative of sub-serial numbers, main-serial numbers and model numbers, each one of the main-serial numbers corresponding to one of the sub-serial numbers and one of the model numbers;

a first indicator means connected to said computer means, the first indicator means receiving said signals outputted from the computer means, the first indicator means including a memory, a first display means and an output switch means, the memory including a means for memorizing the signals from the computer means in an order in which the signals are received, the output switch means outputting the memorized signals from the first indicator means in the order in which the signals are received, the first indicator means indicating one of said main-serial numbers and one of said model numbers on the first display means;

a second indicator means connected to said computer means, the second indicator means receiving said signals from the computer means, the second indicator means including a memory, a second display means and an output switch means, the memory memorizing the signals from the computer means in the order in which the signals are received, the output switch means outputting the memorized signals from the second indicator means in the order in which the signals are received, the second indicator means indicating one of the main-serial numbers and one of the model numbers on the second display means;

a first subline for provisionally assembling a first sub-assembly comprising a plurality of parts for a first model;

a second subline for provisionally assembling a first sub-assembly comprising a plurality of parts for a second model;

a first numbering means for numbering a first part of the first sub-assembly for the first model with the main-serial number indicated by the first indicator means and the corresponding sub-serial number, whereby when the first display means indicates both the main-serial number and the model number, the first numbering means numbers said first part with the indicated main-serial number and the corresponding sub-serial number;

a second numbering means for numbering a first part of the first sub-assembly for the second model with the main-serial number indicated by the second indicator means and the corresponding sub-serial number, the main-serial number of the second indicator means being different from the main-serial number of the first indicator means, whereby when the second indicator means indicates both the main-serial number and the model number, the second numbering means numbers the first part of the first sub-assembly for the second model with the indicated main-serial number and corresponding sub-serial number;

a third indicator means connected to the computer means, the third indicator means receiving said signals from the computer means, the third indicator means including a memory, a third display means and an output switch means, the memory memorizing the signals from the computer means in the order in which the signals are received, the output switch means outputting the memorized signals from the third indicator means in the order in which the signals are received, the third indicator means indicating one of the main-serial numbers and one of the model numbers on the third display means;

a selection station for selecting the first sub-assembly for the first model or the first sub-assembly for the second model, said selection station being located downstream of both said first and second sublines, said selection station selecting either said sub-assembly for said first model or said second model in accordance with the model number indicated on the third indicator means; and

a first assembly line for finally assembling the selected sub-assembly, said first assembly line being located downstream of the selection station.

2. The vehicle assembling system of claim 1, wherein said first, second and third indicator means change the main-serial number and the model number displayed in accordance with an operation of the output switch means of said first, second and third indicator means, respectively.

3. A vehicle assembling system comprising:

a computer means including a means for outputting signals indicative of sub-serial numbers, main-serial numbers and model numbers, one of the main-serial numbers corresponding to one of the sub-serial numbers and one of the model numbers;

a first indicator means connected to said computer means, the first indicator means receiving said signals outputted from the computer means, the first indicator means including a memory, a first display means and an output switch means, the memory including a means for memorizing the signals from the computer means in an order in which the signals are received, the output switch means outputting the memorized signals from the first indicator means in accordance with the order in which the signals are received, the first indicator means indicating one of the main-serial numbers and one of the model numbers on the first display means;

a second indicator means connected to said computer means, the second indicator means receiving said signals from the computer means, the second indicator means including a memory, a second display means and an output switch means, the memory memorizing the signal from the computer means in the order in which the signals are received, the output switch means outputting the memorized signal from the second indicator means in the order in which the signals are received, the second indicator means indicating one of the main-serial numbers and one of the model numbers on the second display;

a first sub-assembly line for provisionally assembling a first sub-assembly for a first model, the first sub-assembly for the first model comprising a plurality of parts;

a second sub-assembly line for provisionally assembling a first sub-assembly for a second model, the first sub-assembly for the second model comprising a plurality of parts;

a first numbering means for numbering a first part of the first sub-assembly for the first model with the main-serial number indicated by the first indicator means and the corresponding sub-serial number, whereby when the first display means indicates both the main-serial number and the model number, the first numbering means numbers said first part with the indicated main-serial number and the corresponding sub-serial number;

a second numbering means for numbering a first part of the first sub-assembly for the second model with the main-serial number indicated by the second indicator means and the corresponding sub-serial number, the main-serial number of the second indicator means being different from the main-serial number of the first indicator means, whereby when the second indicator means indicates both the main-serial number and the model number, the second numbering means numbers the first part of the first sub-assembly of the second model with the indicated main-serial number and corresponding sub-serial number;

a third indicator means connected to the computer means, the third indicator means receiving said signals from the computer means, the third indicator means including a memory, a third display means and an output switch means, the memory memorizing the signals from the computer means in the order in which the signals are received, the output switch means outputting the memorized signals from the third indicator means in the order in which the signals are received, the third indicator means indicating one of the main-serial numbers and one of the model numbers on the third display means;

a selection station for selecting the sub-assembly for either the first or second model, said selection station being located downstream of both said first and second sublines, said selection station selecting either said sub-assembly for said first or second models in accordance with the model number indicated on the third indicator means; and

a first assembly line for finally assembling the selected sub-assembly, said first assembly line being located downstream of the selection station.

a fourth indicator means connected to said computer means, said fourth indicator means receiving said signals from the computer means, the fourth indicator means including a memory, a fourth display means and an output switch means, the memory memorizing the signals from the computer means in the order in which the signals are received, the output switch means outputting the memorized signals from the fourth indicator means in the order in which the signals are received, the fourth indicator means indicating one of the main-serial numbers and one of the model numbers on the fourth display means;

a fifth indicator means connected to the computer means, the fifth indicator means receiving said signals from the computer means, the fifth indicator means including a memory, a fifth display means and an output switch means, said memory memorizing said signals from the computer means in the order in which said signals are received, the output switch means outputting the memorized signals from the fifth indicator means in the order in which the signals are received, the fifth indicator means indicating one of the main-serial numbers and one of the model numbers on the fifth display means;

a third sub-assembly line for provisionally assembling a second sub-assembly of a third model, the third sub-assembly comprising a plurality of parts;

a fourth sub-assembly line for provisionally assembling a second sub-assembly of a fourth model, the second sub-assembly comprising a plurality of parts;

a sixth indicator means connected to said computer means, the sixth indicator means receiving said signals from the computer means, the sixth indicator means including a memory, a sixth display means and an output switch means, the memory memorizing the signals from the computer means in the order in which the signals are received, the output switch means outputting the memorized signals from the sixth indicator means in the order in which the signals are received, the sixth indicator means indicating one of the main-serial numbers and one of the model numbers on the sixth display means;

a second selection station for selecting one of the second sub-assemblies of either the fourth or fifth models, said second selection station being located downstream of both the third and fourth sublines, said selected sub-assembly being selected in accordance with the model number indicated by the third indicator means;

a seventh indicator means connected to said computer means, said seventh indicator means receiving said signals from the computer means, the seventh indicator means including a memory, a seventh display means and an output switch means, the memory memorizing the signals from the computer means in the order in which the signals are received, the output switch means outputting the memorized signals from the seventh indicator means in the order in which the signals are received, the seventh indicator means indicating one of the main-serial numbers and one of the model numbers on the seventh display means; and

an assembly station for assembling the first selected sub-assembly to the second selected sub-assembly, said assembly station being located downstream of both the first selection station and the second selection station, whereby either said first selected sub-assembly or said second selected sub-assembly is selected in accordance with the main-serial number indicated on the seventh indicator means.

4. The vehicle assembling system of claim 3, wherein the indicated main-serial and model numbers on the fourth display means coincide with the indicated main-serial and model numbers on the first display means, and the indicated main-serial and model numbers on the fifth display means coincide with the indicated main-serial and model numbers on the second display means.

5. A method for controlling a vehicle assembling system, comprising the steps of:

outputting signals from a computer means, said signals including sub-serial numbers, main-serial numbers and model numbers, at least one of the main-serial numbers corresponding to one of the sub-serial numbers and one of the model numbers;

indicating a first main-serial number and a first model number on a first indicator means in accordance with said signals received from said output of said computer means;

indicating a second main-serial number and a second model number on a second indicator means in accordance with receipt of the signals from the computer means;

numbering one part of a first sub-assembly of a first model with the main-serial number indicated on the first indicator means and the corresponding sub-serial number;

numbering one part of a first sub-assembly of a second model with the main-serial number indicated on the second indicator means and the corresponding sub-serial number;

provisionally assembling said first sub-assembly of said first model, said first sub-assembly comprising a plurality of parts;

provisionally assembling said first sub-assembly of said second model, said first sub-assembly comprising a plurality of parts;

indicating a third main-serial number and a third model number on a third indicator means in accordance with receipt of said signals from the computer means;

selecting one of the first assemblies of the first or second models from the first and second sub-assembly lines in accordance with the model number indicated on the third indicating means; and

finally assembling the selected first sub assembly of the first model or the second model.