Production system provided with a production control apparatus

• US 8,073,567 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishi, Hiroji, Mizuno, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Robertson, Dave
• Application Number:
  US12/340,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20090198370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 700/95, 700/108, 700112-114, 700/182, 700/245, 700247-250, 700/257, 318/568.14
• US Class Current: 700/247
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41815 characterised by the cooperation between machine tools, manipulators and conveyor or other workpiece supply system, workcell
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31078 Several machines and several buffers, storages, conveyors, robots
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50362 Load unload with robot
• 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 control apparatus of a production system provided with a storing means for storing in advance a production system model comprised of workpiece information regarding workpieces and program information regarding a plurality of work programs of robots and a plurality of machining programs of machine tools, an updating means for updating the production system model based on run status signals showing run statuses of the robots and machines tools and workpiece signals from the detectors, and an instructing means for selecting one work program and one machining program based on the updated production system model and instructing running of the selected work program and work program to the robot and machine tool. Due to this, by calling up a work program of the robot etc. in accordance with the state of the production system, it is possible to change the program and restore the system from error.

Claims

1. A production system provided with

a production control apparatus controlling a production process in the production system,

at least one machine tool including a plurality of machining programs and machining a workpiece,

at least one robot including a plurality of work programs, supplying a workpiece to said machine tool, and unloading said workpiece from said machine tool, at least one staging table on which said workpiece can be placed,

at least one detector outputting a workpiece signal indicating if a workpiece is present at said staging table, and

a communicating means for connecting said production control apparatus, said robot, said machine tool, and said detector, wherein, said production control apparatus is provided with

a storing means for storing in advance a production system model comprised of workpiece information regarding said workpiece and program information regarding said plurality of work programs of said at least one robot and said plurality of machining programs of said at least one machine tool,

an updating means for updating workpiece information and program information contained in said production system model stored in said storing means based on a run status signal received from said communicating means and showing a run status of said robot and said machine tool and a workpiece signal output from said detector, and

an instructing means for selecting one work program from said plurality of work programs of said robot and one machining program from said plurality of machining programs of said machine tool based on the production system model updated by said updating means and instructs running of the selected work program and machining program through said communicating means to said robot and said machine tool.

2. A production system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said production system is comprised of a plurality of said robots and a plurality of said machine tools, and said instructing means further selects one robot among said plurality of robots and one machine tool among said plurality of machine tools based on the production system model updated by said updating means and instructs running of said work program and machining program through said communicating means to said selected robot and machine tool.

3. A production system as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein when said production system stops due to an error, said production control apparatus makes said production system operate again only when said program information in said production system model matches a newest run status signal received by said communicating means and said workpiece information in said production system model matches a newest workpiece signal received from said communicating means.

4. A production system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said production control apparatus is provided with a displaying means for displaying the run status signal when said program information in said production system model and said newest run status signal do not match and displaying the workpiece signal when said workpiece information in said production system model and said newest workpiece signal do not match.

5. A production system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said production control apparatus is provided with a changing means for changing said production system model and makes said production system operate again when said program information in said production system model and said newest run status signal match and said workpiece information in said production system model and said newest workpiece signal match due to said changing means.