A monitoring device is provided for a human or mechanical manipulator on which an operating element, such as a tool or a handling device, can be fixed and by which the operating element can be operated. The monitoring device has at least one detection device which includes at least one sensor, by which at least one actual value of the manipulator can be detected, and which detection device includes at least one control unit by which the actual value of the manipulator detected by the sensor can be matched to at least one desired value of the manipulator stored in the control unit. The detection device has at least one transponder element arranged on the operating element and/or on a working station in order to detect the actual value using the at least one sensor, which transponder element can be detected via the at least one sensor.

To provide a manufacturing process analysis method for specifying a hindering factor that causes a variation in product performance and for stabilizing product performance. A manufacturing process analysis method comprises: a step for collecting product data indicating the quality of a product and process data indicating manufacturing conditions of a product; a step for standardizing the process data so that the data are converted into an intermediate function; a step for performing principal component analysis on the intermediate function to derive a principal component load amount and a principal component score of the process data; a step for applying cluster analysis to the principal component score to classify manufacturing process lots into a plurality of groups; a step for determining relative merit of each group on the basis of product data soundness corresponding to the principal component score belonging to the group; and a step for specifying a hindering factor that contributes to the relative merit of the group.

A production process analysis method for stabilizing the quality of the products or services. A production process analysis method includes: a step for identifying a good lot included in a group determined to be the most excellent with respect to each of a plurality of states constituting a production process; a step for classifying, in the case where at least one good lot is not shared among the plurality of states, the plurality of states into an arbitrarily selected selection state and other non-selection states, and determining again a highest-ranking group in the non-selection state that includes the good lot in the selection state as the most excellent group; and a step for identifying factors that characterize the group determined as the most excellent.

A monitoring device is provided for a human or mechanical manipulator on which an operating element, such as a tool or a handling device, can be fixed and by which the operating element can be operated. The monitoring device has at least one detection device which includes at least one sensor, by which at least one actual value of the manipulator can be detected, and which detection device includes at least one control unit by which the actual value of the manipulator detected by the sensor can be matched to at least one desired value of the manipulator stored in the control unit. The detection device has at least one transponder element arranged on the operating element and/or on a working station in order to detect the actual value using the at least one sensor, which transponder element can be detected via the at least one sensor.

A simulation apparatus is configured to simulate a conveyance line. The simulation apparatus includes: a shape model generating unit configured to generate a shape model of each press machine, the conveyance apparatus, and the work; an operation simulation unit configured to perform an operation simulation based on an operation pattern in which the work is conveyed; and an interference check unit configured to execute an interference check based on the simulation by the operation simulation unit. The shape model generating unit is configured to generate a shape model that combines the conveyance apparatus and the work. The simulation apparatus further includes a switching setting unit configured to switch between displaying/hiding of the work in the shape model. The interference check unit is configured to execute a check for interference between the shape model according to the work switching by the switching setting unit, and the press machine.

A machining time calculating apparatus calculates operation schedule information indicating the operation time of each of a plurality of systems that is included in a machine tool and can be controlled independently of one another. The machining time calculating apparatus includes a system cycle time calculation unit. On the basis of wait commands among the plurality of systems described in a machining program (PG) for the machine tool, the system cycle time calculation unit calculates the operation schedule information in which the operation start times of blocks in the machining program of each of the systems are adjusted while maintaining wait timings among the plurality of systems.

A production process analysis method for stabilizing the quality of the products or services. A production process analysis method includes: a step for identifying a good lot included in a group determined to be the most excellent with respect to each of a plurality of states constituting a production process; a step for classifying, in the case where at least one good lot is not shared among the plurality of states, the plurality of states into an arbitrarily selected selection state and other non-selection states, and determining again a highest-ranking group in the non-selection state that includes the good lot in the selection state as the most excellent group; and a step for identifying factors that characterize the group determined as the most excellent.

A selecting device causes a machine tool, which machines a workpiece from a bar material, to select another workpiece that the machine tool can machine from a leftover material, which is a remaining part of the bar material being machined, when a workpiece to be machined is not machinable from the leftover material. The selecting device includes: a selecting unit that refers to mountable tool data indicating a tool that can be mounted on a mount position of the machine tool, and causes the machine tool to select another workpiece that is machinable by the tool that can be mounted on the machine tool, in selecting another workpiece to be machined by the machine tool from the leftover material.

A machining time calculating apparatus calculates operation schedule information indicating the operation time of each of a plurality of systems that is included in a machine tool and can be controlled independently of one another. The machining time calculating apparatus includes a system cycle time calculation unit. On the basis of wait commands among the plurality of systems described in a machining program (PG) for the machine tool, the system cycle time calculation unit calculates the operation schedule information in which the operation start times of blocks in the machining program of each of the systems are adjusted while maintaining wait timings among the plurality of systems.

[Problem] To provide a manufacturing process analysis method for specifying a hindering factor that causes a variation in product performance and for stabilizing product performance.

[Solution ] A manufacturing process analysis method comprises: a step (S1) for collecting product data indicating the quality of a product and process data indicating manufacturing conditions of a product; a step (S2) for standardizing the process data so that the data are converted into an intermediate function; a step (S3) for performing principal component analysis on the intermediate function to derive a principal component load amount and a principal component score of the process data; a step (S4) for applying cluster analysis to the principal component score to classify manufacturing process lots into a plurality of groups; a step (S5) for determining relative merit of each group on the basis of product data soundness corresponding to the principal component score belonging to the group; and a step (S6) for specifying a hindering factor that contributes to the relative merit of the group