Work management apparatus, picking carriage, work performance collection system, rework measurement system, workability management system, rework measurement measuring method, work performance collection method, workability management method and workability management program

• US 8,190,282 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2007
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ohishi, Satoshi, Niimura, Yonemitsu, Seya, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): DeCady, Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, DOUGLAS S
• Application Number:
  US11/757,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20070288306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,821 Days
• Field of Search: 700/95, 700/99, 700/108, 700113-116, 235/381, 235/385
• US Class Current: 700/108
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/30 Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing

Abstract

The invention aims at providing a work performance collection system for reliably collecting information of work performance without applying a burden to a worker in assembly of a work object article. This system includes a work specification ID tag into which information for specifying a work content of a work object article is written, a work management box having a throw-in port into which the work specification ID tag is thrown at the time of work, and an ID tag reader provided to a side surface of the work management box, for reading the work specification ID tag and transmitting the information read to a work performance management apparatus. A worker is required to only throw the work specification ID tag into the work management box at the start of work and to only take out the work specification ID tag at the end of work.

Claims

1. A work performance collection system including a work performance management apparatus for collecting and managing work performances, comprising:

a work specification ID tag to which information for specifying a work content of a work object article, is written;

a work management box stationed at a work bench at which work is to be performed on a work object associated with said work specification ID tag, said work management box having a throw-in port into which said work specification ID tag is removably thrown into while said work is performed on said work object; and

an ID tag reading apparatus provided to and effecting reading inside said work management box, for reading said work specification ID tag removably thrown into said work management box, and transmitting work performance information to said work performance management apparatus including;

work start information determined responsive to said work specification ID tag being thrown-in said work management box, and work complete information determined responsive to said work specification ID tag being removed-from said work management box.

5. The work performance collection system according to claim 1, wherein said work management box is fitted in the proximity of the work bench.

6. The work performance collection system according to claim 1, wherein said throw-in port of said work management box exists on an upper surface and in a substantial vertical direction.

7. The work performance collection system according to claim 1, wherein said ID tag reading apparatus reports to said work performance management apparatus a success of communication with said work specification ID tag when the communication with said work specification ID tag can be made, and reports to said work performance management apparatus a disconnection of communication when the communication with said work specification ID tag is disconnected.

8. The work performance collection system according to claim 1, wherein assembly process information for instructing assembly by a worker is described in said work specification ID tag.

9. The work performance collection system according to claim 1, which further comprises a component specification ID tag into which information for specifying a component to be fitted to said work object article is written, and wherein said ID tag reading apparatus reports to said work performance management apparatus a success of communication when the communication with said component specification ID tag can be made.

10. The work performance collection system according to claim 8, wherein said assembly process information is displayed on a display unit arranged in the proximity of said work bench.

2. A work performance collection system including a work performance management apparatus for collecting and managing work performances, comprising:

a work management box stationed at a work bench at which work is to be performed on a work object associated with said work specification ID tag, said work management box having a throw-in port into which said work specification ID tag is removably thrown into while said work is performed on said work object; and

an ID tag reading apparatus provided to and effecting reading inside said work management box, for reading said work specification ID tag removably thrown into said work management box, and transmitting work performance information to said work performance management apparatus including;

work start information determined responsive to said work specification ID tag being thrown-in said work management box, and work complete information determined responsive to said work specification ID tag being removed-from said work management box.

3. A work performance collection system including a work performance management apparatus for collecting and managing work performances, comprising:

a work specification ID tag to which information for specifying a work content of a work object article is written;

a worker specification ID tag to which information for specifying a worker is written;

a work management box stationed at a work bench at which work is to be performed on a work object associated with said work specification ID tag, said work management box having a throw-in port into which said work specification ID tag and said worker specification ID tag are removably thrown into while said work is performed on said work object; and

an ID tag reading apparatus provided to and effecting reading inside said work management box, for reading said work specification ID tag and said worker specification ID tag removably thrown into said work management box, and transmitting work performance information to said work performance management apparatus including;

work start information determined responsive to said work specification ID tag being thrown-in said work management box, and work complete information determined responsive to said work specification ID tag being removed-from said work management box.

4. A work performance collection system including a work performance management apparatus for collecting and managing work performances, comprising:

a work specification ID tag to which information for specifying a work content of a work object article is written;

a process specification ID tag to which information for specifying a work process of said work object article is written;

a worker specification ID tag to which information for specifying a worker is written;

a work management box stationed at a work bench at which work is to be performed on a work object associated with said work specification ID tag, said work management box having a throw-in port into which said work specification ID tag, said process specification ID tag and said worker specification ID tag are removably thrown into while said work is performed on said work object; and

an ID tag reading apparatus provided to and effecting reading inside said work management box, for reading said work specification ID tag, said process specification ID tag and said worker specification ID tag removably thrown into said work management box, and transmitting work performance information to said work performance management apparatus including;

work start information determined responsive to said work specification ID tag being thrown-in said work management box, and work complete information determined responsive to said work specification ID tag being removed-from said work management box.

11. A work performance collection system including a work performance management apparatus for collecting and managing work performances, comprising:

a traceability management ID tag into which information for specifying traceability is written;

a work management box stationed at a work bench at which work is to be performed on a work object associated with said traceability management ID tag, said work management box having a throw-in port into which said traceability management ID tag is removably thrown into while said work is performed on said work object; and

an ID tag reading/writing apparatus provided to and effecting reading inside said work management box, for reading said traceability management ID tag removably thrown into said work management box, and transmitting work performance information to said work performance management apparatus including;

work start information determined responsive to said traceability management ID tag being thrown-in said work management box, and work complete information determined responsive to said traceability management ID tag being removed-from said work management box.

12. The work performance collection system according to claim 11, wherein said traceability management ID tag contains information for specifying a work content of a work object article or information for specifying a work area.

13. The work performance collection system according to claim 11, wherein said work management apparatus transmits the work performance information collected to said ID tag reading/writing apparatus when at least one work content is completed, and said ID tag reading/writing apparatus writes said work performance to said traceability management ID tag.

14. A rework measurement system comprising:

a direction issuance unit for issuing a direction of a rework when a rework process for reworking a product occurs in a production process of said product;

an input unit for inputting performances of said rework;

a database for storing said inputted rework in association with items; and

a retrieval unit for retrieving said database for the performance information of said rework stored on the basis of predetermined items wherein said direction issuance unit includes an IC tag writing apparatus for writing information for specifying said rework to a rework specification IC tag, and wherein said input unit includes a rework management box stationed at a work bench at which work is to be performed on a work object associated with said rework specification IC tag, said work management box having a throw-in port into which said rework specification IC tag is removably thrown into while said work is performed on said work object, and an IC tag reading apparatus provided to and effecting reading inside said rework management box, for reading said rework specification IC tag removably thrown into said work management box, and transmitting the work performance information read to said database including;

work start information determined responsive to said rework specification IC tag being thrown-in said work management box, and work complete information determined responsive to said rework specification IC tag being removed-from said work management box.

15. The rework measurement system according to claim 14, wherein a plurality of IC tags thrown into said throw-in port is read by said IC tag reading apparatus of said input unit, and said input unit transmits the information read to said database.

16. The rework measurement system according to claim 14, wherein said database adds time information to the information sent from said input unit, and stores said information.

17. The rework measurement system according to claim 14, wherein said IC tag reading apparatus reports a success of communication with said rework specification IC tag to said database when said communication can be made, and a disconnection of communication with said rework specification IC tag when said communication is disconnected.

18. A rework measurement method for measuring a rework in a production process of a product including direction issuance unit having an IC tag writing apparatus, for issuing a direction of rework, a database for managing performance information of said rework and an input unit having a management box stationed at a work bench at which work is to be performed on a work object associated with an IC tag, said work management box having an IC tag reading apparatus, for reading said IC tag removably thrown into said management box while said work is performed on said work object comprising the steps of:

causing said direction issuance unit to write information for specifying said rework into said IC tag when a rework process for reworking said product occurs in a production process of said product; and

causing said input unit to read said IC tag removably thrown into said management box while said work is performed on said work object, and transmitting work performance information to said database including;

work start information determined responsive to said IC tag being thrown-in said work management box, and work complete information determined responsive to said IC tag being removed-from said work management box.

19. A work performance collection system having input unit for inputting performances of work at a work position and a database for storing the work performances inputted by said input unit at an arbitrary position, for collecting work performance information on the basis of the information inputted, in such a fashion as to correspond to a predetermined action of a worker, wherein:

said input unit stationed at a work bench at which work is to be performed on a work object associated with an IC tag, said input unit has an IC tag reading apparatus for reading said IC tag into which information for specifying a work content is written, and transmitting the information read to said database;

said IC tag reading apparatus transmits information to said database when communication can be made with said IC tag and also transmits information to said database when communication with said IC tag is disconnected; and

said database registers the time contained in the information transmitted when said communication can be made, or the time of reception of said information as communication start information, and also registers the time contained in the information transmitted when said communication is disconnected or the time of reception of said information as communication end time.

20. The work performance collection system according to claim 19, wherein said database stores the work performance inputted from said input unit in association with predetermined items, and sets a first communication start time to a work start time and a last communication end time to a work end time when a plurality of communication start times and a plurality of communication end times exist in the work performances stored in association with the predetermined items.

21. The work performance collection system according to claim 19, wherein said database calculates a work time, a work interruption time or a number-of-times of work interruption from the difference between said communication start time and said communication end time.

22. The work performance collection system according to claim 19, wherein said input unit includes a work management box having a throw-in port into which said IC tag is removably thrown into while said work is performed on said work object, and said IC tag reading apparatus reads said IC tag thrown into said work management box.

23. A work performance collection system having an input unit for inputting performances of work at a work position and a database for storing the work performances inputted by said input unit at an arbitrary position, for collecting work performance information on the basis of the information inputted, in such a fashion as to correspond to a predetermined action of a worker, wherein:

said input unit stationed at a work bench at which work is to be performed on a work object associated with an IC tap, said input unit has an IC tag reading apparatus for reading said IC tag into which information for specifying traceability is written, and transmitting the information read to said database;

said IC tag reading apparatus transmits information to said database when communication can be made with said IC tag and also transmits information to said database when communication with said IC tag is disconnected; and

said database registers the time contained in the information transmitted when said communication can be made, or the time of reception of said information as communication start information, and also registers the time contained in the information transmitted when said communication is disconnected or the time of reception of said information as communication end time.

24. The work performance collection system according to claim 23, wherein said IC tag contains information for specifying a work content or information for specifying a work area.

25. The work performance collection system according to claim 23, wherein said database stores the work performance inputted from said input unit in association with predetermined items, and sets a first communication start time to a work start time and a last communication end time to a work end time when a plurality of communication start times and a plurality of communication end times exist in the work performances stored in association with the predetermined items.

26. A work performance collection method for collecting work performance information, having an IC tag reading apparatus for reading an IC tag and transmitting information read to a database at a work position and said database for storing work performance information transmitted from said IC tag reading apparatus at an arbitrary position, wherein:

said IC tag reading apparatus transmits information to said database when communication can be made with said IC tag and also transmits information to said database when communication with said IC tag is disconnected; and

said database registers the time contained in the information transmitted when said communication can be made, or the time of reception of said information as communication start information, and also registers the time contained in the information transmitted when said communication is disconnected or the time of reception of said information as communication end time.

27. The work performance collection method according to claim 26, wherein said IC tag contains information for specifying a work content or information for specifying traceability.