System and method for organizing work pieces

• US 7,729,793 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2007
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Certon Systems GmbH
• Original Assignee: Hans-Georg Zwicker
• Inventors: Zwicker, Hans-Georg
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ramesh B
• Application Number:
  US11/894,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20080097642A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 700108-110, 700/112, 700114-116, 700224-229
• US Class Current: 700/114
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31095 Read write intelligent chip on workpiece, pallet, tool for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31286 Detect position of articles and equipment by receivers, identify objects by code
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31304 Identification of workpiece and data for control, inspection, safety, calibration
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31313 Measure weight, dimension and contents of box, tray
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37002 Absence, detect absence, presence or correct position of workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A system and method provides computer-assisted organization of workpieces to be processed in a production process, wherein the workpiece in question is subjected to at least one processing, preferably to a plurality of different processings. A workpiece position is assigned to each workpiece, and at least one, preferably several, workpiece positions are combined in a magazine. Each workpiece position includes a device for status determination of the respective workpiece position. A control unit is provided for controlling the individual workpiece positions, and a data-processing unit is provided, which communicates with the control unit and in which the information queried from the individual workpiece positions is processed and status data is generated.

Claims

1. System for computer-assisted organization of a workpiece to be subjected to a plurality of different processings, a plurality of the workpieces being located on at least one pallet, the system comprising:

a workpiece position assigned to each of the pallets, wherein a plurality of workpiece positions are combined in a magazine, each of the pallets being removable from the magazine;

means for determining status of the respective workpiece position,

a control unit for controlling the individual workpiece positions,

a data-processing unit in communication with the control unit, the data-processing unit processing information queried from the individual workpiece positions and generating status data;

an optical status display associated with each workpiece position displaying current status of the associated workpiece position.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein the status determination of the workpiece position comprises the determination of whether or not a workpiece is located in the workpiece position.

3. System according to claim 1, wherein the status determination of the workpiece position comprises the determination of whether or not the workpiece may be removed from the workpiece position.

4. System according to one of the claim 1, wherein the status determination of the workpiece position comprises the determination of whether or not a workpiece can be placed into the workpiece position.

5. System according to one of the claim 1, wherein the status determination of the workpiece position comprises the determination of the quality of the workpiece.

6. System according to one of the claim 1, wherein a receiving component is provided as the means for determining status.

7. System according to claim 6, wherein the receiving component comprises a receiving antenna for the identification of a transponder.

8. System according to claim 6, wherein the receiving component is positioned at the workpiece position.

9. System according to claim 8, wherein the transponder is attached to a workpiece carrier.

10. System according to claim 8, wherein for a plurality of workpiece positions a plurality of means for determining status are provided, wherein the means for status determination are read by the control unit via an interface.

11. System according to claim 8, wherein the means for determining status of the respective workpiece position is supplied with energy by the control unit.

12. System according to claim 11, wherein the characteristics of the status display are centrally determinable in the data-processing unit and are transmitted to the status display via the control unit.

13. System according to claim 1, wherein the overall production course is factored into the management of the status display in the data-processing unit.

14. System according to 1, wherein the status display includes a plurality of illumination devices of different types or different colors, and the determination of the information content takes place through determination of different combinations of states of the illumination devices.

15. System according to claim 1, wherein the system includes a plurality of individual functional units comprising a plurality of magazines and an associated control unit, wherein the functional units communicate with the data-processing unit.

16. System according to claim 15, wherein the communication of the functional units with the central data-processing unit takes place via a network connection, preferably via a WLAN.

17. System according to claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the status display cannot be influenced from the workpiece position.

18. System according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece position displays a holding or locking device for the workpiece, which device, depending on the determined status of the workpiece position, holds locked or locks the workpiece at the workpiece position.

19. System according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece position is locationally-movable relative to the magazine, either alone or as a group of several workpiece positions.

20. Method for computer-assisted organization of workpieces to be processed in a production process, wherein the workpieces are subjected to different processings, the method comprising:

(a) locating a plurality of workpieces on at least one pallet, assigning individual workpiece positions to each pallet,

(b) combining a plurality of workpiece positions in a magazine, wherein the pallets are removable from the magazine;

(c) controlling the workpiece position in question by a control unit,

(d) querying the workpiece position in question,

(e) transmitting the queried data to a data-processing unit and, from this data, generating status data for the workpiece position in question is generated;

(f) displaying the status of each workpiece position to an operator on an optical status display assigned to each workpiece position.

21. Method according to claim 20, wherein a query is made via the determination of the status data as to which workpiece positions are currently involved in the processing process.

22. Method according to claim 20, wherein the ID of the workpiece position in question is read out from the workpiece position and a data coupling of the ID of the workpiece position in question with the status data of the workpiece position in question takes place.

23. Method according to claim 20, wherein a releasing or locking function at the workpiece position can be determined and transmitted based on the data-processing unit.

24. Method according to claim 20, wherein the status of the individual workpiece positions is optically displayed at the workpiece position.

25. Method according to claim 20, wherein status changes of workpiece positions due to the processing course are automatically communicated to the data-processing unit.