Production system and manufacturing equipment selecting method on production system

• US 6,400,999 B1
• Filed: 06/28/1999
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Nagashima, Akira, Wada, Hidehiko, Yamakawa, Toshiharu, Negishi, Masako, Kashiyama, Yuichi, Sakuraba, Yuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US09/340,847
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 700/19-21, 700/95, 700/100-102, 700/117, 700/96, 700/99, 700/108, 700/121, 705/28
• US Class Current: 700/100
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A production system wherein productagents are provided for products on a one-to-one basis and machine agent are provided for manufacturing equipment on a one-to-one basis, with the product agents and machine agents coordinating with each other to select a manufacturing equipment and cause manufacturing work to be done thereby; wherein the order of product manufacturing is changed depending on the priority of the product in the production system, with manufacturing work by a failed manufacturing equipment by suppressed, and another manufacturing equipment being substituted for the failed manufacturing equipment; wherein a precedence agent is provided that selects a manufacturing equipment ahead of a current manufacturing work and a backward agent is provided that remains backward and double manages working history along with the product agent; and wherein the machine agent manages depreciation information regarding the manufacturing equipment that the machine agent manages and measures the time the manufacturing equipment is used by the product agent, and the machine agent also calculates the cost generated by use of the manufacturing equipment by the product agent using the depreciation and time used information.

Claims

1. A production system that produces desired products by applying manufacturing work to products using manufacturing equipment in accordance with a predetermined manufacturing sequence, said system comprising:

one or more control machines to control manufacturing operation of the manufacturing equipment;

one or more control computers to control the one or more control machines;

one or more memory units provided in the one or more control computers that supply working areas for each product agent and machine agent;

a control network to which the one or more control machines and control computers are connected;

the product agent being provided for a product on a one-to-one basis and having a recipe describing a manufacturing sequence for a product;

the machine agent being provided for a manufacturing equipment on a one-to-one basis and having a function list showing functions assigned to a corresponding manufacturing equipment; and

wherein the product agent interprets description of the recipe and broadcasts a manufacturing request to the machine agent, and wherein the machine agent returns a reply if it can accept the manufacturing request based on its own function list and content of the transmitted request, and wherein the product agent selects a manufacturing equipment to which manufacturing work is to be requested based on the reply from the machine agent.

2. A production system that produces desired products by applying manufacturing work to products using manufacturing equipment in accordance with a predetermined manufacturing sequence, said system comprising:

one or more control machines to control manufacturing operation of the manufacturing equipment;

one or more control computers to control the one or more control machines;

one or more memory units provided in the one or more control computers that supply working areas for each product agent and machine agent;

a control network to which the one or more control machines and control computers are connected;

the product agent being provided for a product on a one-to-one basis and having a recipe describing a manufacturing sequence for a product;

the machine agent being provided for a manufacturing equipment on a one-to-one basis and having a function list showing functions assigned to a corresponding manufacturing equipment; and

wherein the product agent interprets description of the recipe and broadcasts a manufacturing request to the machine agent, and wherein the machine agent returns a reply if it can accept the manufacturing request based on its own function list and content of the transmitted request, and wherein the product agent selects a manufacturing equipment to which manufacturing work is to be requested based on the reply from the machine agent;

wherein each of the one or more control machines are provided with a second memory unit that supplies a working area for the machine agent, and wherein the machine agent is disposed on the control machine side of the system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein a plurality of manufacturing equipment provide a total of one function, and wherein one machine agent controls the plurality of manufacturing equipment.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising a moderator agent which adds to a function table a function indicating adding of a manufacturing equipment when a manufacturing equipment is newly added and which deletes from the function table a function indicating the presence of the one manufacturing equipment when such manufacturing equipment is deleted.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said recipe describes stages of the manufacturing sequence;

and wherein a function name and work instruction are described in each stage, the function name showing which manufacturing equipment has what functions for manufacturing by interpreting the work instruction; and

the work instruction indicating the contents of the work instruction provided to the manufacturing equipment.

6. A production system that produces desired products by applying manufacturing work to products using manufacturing equipment in accordance with a predetermined manufacturing sequence, said system comprising:

one or more control machines to control manufacturing operation of the manufacturing equipment;

one or more control computers to control the one or more control machines;

one or more memory units provided in the one or more control computers that supply working areas for each product agent and machine agent;

a control network to which the one or more control machines and control computers are connected;

the product agent being provided for a product on a one-to-one basis and having a recipe describing a manufacturing sequence for a product;

the machine agent being provided for a manufacturing equipment on a one-to-one basis and having a function list showing functions assigned to a corresponding manufacturing equipment; and

wherein the product agent interprets description of the recipe and broadcasts a manufacturing request to the machine agent, and wherein the machine agent returns a reply if it can accept the manufacturing request based on its own function list and content of the transmitted request, and wherein the product agent selects a manufacturing equipment to which manufacturing work is to be requested based on the reply from the machine agent;

wherein the product agent multicasts the manufacturing request to a specific machine agent.

7. A production system that produces desired products by applying manufacturing work to products using manufacturing equipment in accordance with a predetermined manufacturing sequence, said system comprising:

one or more control machines to control manufacturing operation of the manufacturing equipment;

one or more control computers to control the one or more control machines;

one or more memory units provided in the one or more control computers that supply working areas for each product agent and machine agent;

a control network to which the one or more control machines and control computers are connected;

the product agent being provided for a product on a one-to-one basis and having a recipe describing a manufacturing sequence for a product;

the machine agent being provided for a manufacturing equipment on a one-to-one basis and having a function list showing functions assigned to a corresponding manufacturing equipment; and

wherein the product agent interprets description of the recipe and broadcasts a manufacturing request to the machine agent, and wherein the machine agent returns a reply if it can accept the manufacturing request based on its own function list and content of the transmitted request, and wherein the product agent selects a manufacturing equipment to which manufacturing work is to be requested based on the reply from the machine agent;

further comprising a moderator agent having a function table to perform integrated management of information concerning functions of a plurality of manufacturing equipment; and

wherein said moderator agent notifies the product agent of the machine agents that can accept the manufacturing request when a product agent requests such manufacturing; and

wherein the product agent selects an optimum manufacturing equipment from among the notified machine agents.

8. A production system that produces desired products by applying manufacturing work to products using manufacturing equipment in accordance with a predetermined manufacturing sequence, said system comprising:

one or more control machines to control manufacturing operation of the manufacturing equipment;

one or more control computers to control the one or more control machines;

one or more memory units provided in the one or more control computers that supply working areas for each product agent and machine agent;

a control network to which the one or more control machines and control computers are connected;

the product agent being provided for a product on a one-to-one basis and having a recipe describing a manufacturing sequence for a product;

the machine agent being provided for a manufacturing equipment on a one-to-one basis and having a function list showing functions assigned to a corresponding manufacturing equipment; and

wherein the product agent interprets description of the recipe and broadcasts a manufacturing request to the machine agent, and wherein the machine agent returns a reply if it can accept the manufacturing request based on its own function list and content of the transmitted request, and wherein the product agent selects a manufacturing equipment to which manufacturing work is to be requested based on the reply from the machine agent;

further comprising a management computer provided on said control network; and

wherein said product agent resides in said management computer without movement and requests manufacturing work to said machine agent in said control computer by communication therewith.

9. A manufacturing equipment selecting method comprising the following sequence of steps:

a procedure in which a product agent reads a recipe, detects a function name required for a manufacturing work, and sends a request for use of a manufacturing equipment to a machine agent;

a procedure in which said machine agent receives the request for use and permits said product agent to send a request to own a corresponding manufacturing equipment when said manufacturing equipment has said function contained in said request for use and is not being used;

a procedure in which said product agent selects an optimum machine agent to permit said product agent to own a manufacturing equipment and acquire ownership;

a procedure in which said product agent that has acquired ownership to send said recipe to said machine agent;

a procedure in which said machine agent interprets said recipe, controls said corresponding machine equipment to cause execution of manufacturing work, and sends results of manufacturing work to said product agent;

a procedure in which said product agent notifies said machine agent of release of ownership; and

a procedure in which said machine agent releases ownership of said corresponding manufacturing equipment.

10. A production system that produces desired final products by applying manufacturing work to raw products using one or more manufacturing equipment in accordance with a predetermined production sequence, the system comprising:

one or more controllers to each of which one of the said one or more manufacturing equipment is connected;

a memory unit provided in each of said one or more controllers that supplies a working area for a product agent;

a network to which each of said one or more controllers is connected; and

a production order management part to manage production of the final product via communication with the one or more controllers and connected to the network;

said product agent provided for a product on a one-to-one basis and having a recipe describing a manufacturing sequence for the raw product selecting one of the one or more manufacturing equipment required for the manufacturing work according to the recipe, requesting manufacturing work to the one or more controllers to which the selected one of the one or more manufacturing equipment is connected and, upon detecting a failure or congestion in that selected one manufacturing equipment, notifying the production order management part of said detection; and

said production order management part suppressing production of the raw product related to the manufacturing work by the selected one manufacturing equipment whose failure or congestion was detected and preceding production of another raw product not related to the manufacturing work by the selected manufacturing equipment.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said product agent detects a failure or congestion of a manufacturing equipment by itself or by notification from another product agent and coordinates a reservation schedule for the one or more manufacturing equipment in accordance with a failure or congestion occurrence.

12. A production system that builds up desired products by applying manufacturing work to the products using manufacturing equipment in accordance with a predetermined production sequence, said system comprising:

one or more controllers connected to a manufacturing equipment;

a memory unit provided in each of said one or more controllers, said memory unit having a working area for a product agent;

a network connected to each of said one or more controllers;

management means for managing production of said products via communication with said one or more controllers and connected to said network;

said product agent being provided for products on a one-to-one basis, and having a recipe describing a manufacturing sequence for the products, and selecting a manufacturing equipment required for manufacturing work according to the recipe, and requesting manufacturing work from the one or more controllers; and

wherein first and second products are produced under management of said management means and wherein manufacturing of the first product precedes the manufacturing of the second product, the production sequence for the first and second products being the same at least up to a stage where manufacturing work on the first product has advanced, and in case priority of the second product is higher than that of the first product, the product agents are replaced with each other between the first and second products.

13. A production system that produces desired products by applying manufacturing work to the products using manufacturing equipment in accordance with a predetermined production sequence, said system comprising:

one or more controllers connected to the manufacturing equipment;

a memory unit that supplies a working agent for a product agent;

a queue memory unit that supplies an area in which a reservation agent that reserves a manufacturing equipment ahead of a current manufacturing is queued;

a network connected to said one or more controllers; and

management means for managing production of said products via communication with said one or more controllers and connected to said network;

said product agent having a recipe describing a manufacturing sequence for the product, the reservation agent reserving a manufacturing equipment required for manufacturing work according to the recipe, and the product agent requesting manufacturing work through said management means to the one or more controllers.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein unit groups are formed, in each of which a plurality of manufacturing equipment having identical functions are arranged;

a queue being provided for each unit group, and wherein a queuing reservation agent reserves a manufacturing equipment that becomes available when a manufacturing equipment in a particular unit group becomes available.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said reservation agent has priority and changes its order of queuing according to said priority.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein some of the reservation agents reserve only specific ones of the manufacturing equipment among said reservation agents, and wherein one of the reservation agents makes a reservation when a specific manufacturing equipment is available when its reservation turn is reached, and when not available, the reservation agent assigns its reservation turn to a subsequent reservation agent.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein information on scheduling result is provided to a reservation agent when the result of prior static manufacturing scheduling exists.

18. A production system that produces desired products by applying manufacturing work to the products using manufacturing equipment in accordance with a predetermined production sequence, the system comprising:

one or more controllers connected to a manufacturing equipment;

a memory unit provided in each of the one or more controllers, said memory unit supplying a residing area for a product agent, a precedence agent, and a backward agent;

a network connected to the one or more controllers;

the product agent being provided for a product on a one-to-one basis, selecting a required manufacturing equipment according to a production procedure, and moving to the one or more controllers connected to the manufacturing equipment to which manufacturing work is requested;

the precedence agent reserving a manufacturing equipment required for manufacturing work in a sequence stage ahead of a current stage, and moving to a controller connected to a reserved manufacturing, equipment;

the backward agent remaining in a controller connected to the manufacturing equipment used in a previous stage of a production sequence to a current stage, double managing a manufacturing history managed by a product agent, monitoring whether the product agent operates normally or not, and re-creating the product agent based on the manufacturing history in case the product agent goes down; and

when the product agent moves one controller to another accompanying the movement of the product from one manufacturing equipment to another according to the progress of the production sequence, the precedence agent and backward agent change controllers in which they reside, respectively.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the number of said precedence agent and the number of said backward agent that reside at the same time are variable.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said backward agent clears it own manufacturing history by saving the history in a database when the production has advanced to a predetermined stage of the production sequence.

21. A production system where production of a relevant product using a relevant manufacturing equipment is performed by coordinating a product agent responsible for a product and a machine agent that controls the manufacturing equipment, wherein said machine agent comprises:

a depreciation information management part for a manufacturing equipment that the machine agent manages;

means for measuring the time that said product agent uses said relevant manufacturing equipment; and

means for calculating the cost of using the relevant manufacturing equipment by the product agent using a relevant depreciation information and a relevant time.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said product agent totals the cost by collecting cost data from said machine agent.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said product agent inquires about cost information to said machine agent.