Method for operating a production plant, and production plant

Abstract

In a method for operating a production plant, and a production plant, the production plant includes a control device, workstations and vehicles, at least two workstations having a similar configuration. The respective processor of a vehicle determines a driving path that is as short as possible and is a function of the position of the other vehicles, and in an effort to avoid congestion or to shorten the production time, the driving path is determined such that, instead of leading to a first workstation, the driving path leads to an identical second workstation.

Claims

1. A method for operating a production plant including a central control device, workstations, and vehicles, at least two workstations having a similar configuration, each vehicle including a processor connected to the central control device via a communications channel adapted for data transmission, each vehicle including a position-detection system adapted to detect a position of the respective vehicle, comprising: transmitting from the central control device to the processors of the vehicles a position allocated to a respective workstation that is to be approached by the vehicle for performance of a production-method step at the workstation; transmitting from the central control device to the processors of the vehicles an individual order that includes a sequence of the workstations to be reached; transmitting from the processors of the vehicles to the central control device respective vehicle position; recurrently transmitting from the central control device to all processors the respective instantaneous vehicle positions; determining, by the respective processor of a vehicle, a driving path that is as short as possible and is a function of the position of the other vehicles, and in an effort to avoid congestion or to shorten production time, the driving path is determined such that instead of leading to a first workstation, the driving path leads to a similarly configured second workstation.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the respective instantaneous vehicle positions are transmitted from the central control device to all processors in the form of a broadcast message.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communications channel includes controllable light sources and corresponding light-sensitive sensors, at least one controllable light source and at least one light-sensitive sensor is located on the respective vehicle, and at least one controllable light source and one light-sensitive sensor is located in the production plant.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein each workstation includes a processor and is connected to the central control device by a communications channel adapted for data transmission, a status of the workstation is reported to the central control device via the communications channel and from the central control device the status is transmitted to the vehicles.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the status is transmitted to the vehicles in the form of a broadcast message.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the respective processor of a vehicle determines the driving path as a function of the status of the workstation.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, in the event of a malfunction of the first workstation, the respective processor reroutes the driving path to the similarly configured second workstation.

8. A production plant, comprising: a central control device; workstations; vehicles; and a communications channel; wherein at least two workstations have a similar configuration, each vehicle including a processor connected to the central control device via a communications channel adapted for data transmission, each vehicle including a position-detection system adapted to detect a position of the respective vehicle; and wherein the production plant is adapted to perform the method recited in claim 1.

9. The production plant according to claim 8, wherein the processor of each vehicle is adapted to determine an optimal driving path.

10. A production plant adapted to perform the method recited in claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) In FIG. 1, a production plant is schematically illustrated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(2) A first workstation 1, a second workstation 2, and a third workstation 3 are disposed one after the other.

(3) A vehicle 4 transports a component to be processed by the workstations (1, 2, 3) and approaches these workstations (1, 2, 3) in sequence while driving along a driving path 5.

(4) A separate production-method step is performed at each of the workstations (1, 2, 3) in that the component is processed accordingly and/or in that the component is connected to a part that has been previously at the respective workstation (1, 2, 3).

(5) The vehicle has a control, which controls the drive of the vehicle and is connected to a position-detection system.

(6) The control of vehicle 4 includes a processor, which determines the driving path as well and predefines it as a setpoint driving path. The vehicle is then appropriately controlled along the setpoint driving path.

(7) Furthermore, additional, similarly configured vehicles 4 are provided in the production plant, which likewise carry components and transport them to the corresponding workstations (1, 2, 3) so that a respective production-method step is able to be performed.

(8) In an effort to avoid an excessive capacity utilization, the production plant is scaled, i.e. similarly configured workstations (1, 2, 3) are added.

(9) The control of vehicle 4 is informed of the positions and/or possible driving paths 6 to the newly added workstations (1, 2, 3).

(10) In addition, via the higher-level control, the control of the vehicle is informed of the respective current positions of the other vehicles (1, 2, 3).

(11) Depending on the transmitted data, the control determines the optimum path, e.g., the shortest way, which travels to the workstations required for processing the production order in the appropriate sequence. However, if this path is blocked by backed-up vehicles 4, then a different driving path that circumvents this congestion is selected in that the newly added workstations (1, 2, 3) are taken into account when determining the driving path.

(12) The effectiveness of the system is therefore improved and the production capacity of the production plant is utilized to an optimal extent.

(13) In other words, example embodiments of the present invention provide a method for operating a production plant having workstations and vehicles, the vehicles the driving paths being determined as a function of the positions of the other vehicles, and the driving path is selected such that in each case the particular one of two similarly configured workstations is approached that has a lower capacity utilization or in front of which a lower number of vehicles is located, in particular in the waiting loop.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(14) 1 first workstation

(15) 2 second workstation

(16) 3 third workstation

(17) 4 vehicle

(18) 5 driving path

(19) 6 modified driving path