DE102011052448A1 - Computer system, particularly for computer controlled production of safety-related equipments, particularly safety sensors such as safety light grids and safety laser scanners, has data management system - Google Patents

Abstract

The computer system (1) has a data management system, in which selected features of a product data management system, an enterprise resource planning system and a manufacturing execution system are united. A data bank forming the data management system is implemented on the server (2). The data management system has grouping-, sorting- and filtering modules to support the properties of management.

Description

The invention relates to a computer system.

The computer system to which the present invention relates has a data management system by means of which computer-controlled production process control is enabled in the production of articles.

Specifically, the invention relates to a computer system having a data management system for computer-controlled production of safety-related devices, in particular safety sensors such as safety light grids and safety laser scanners, which are used in the field of personal protection.

Known systems of this type form so-called MES systems (Manufacturing Execution System). Such MES systems are multi-layered manufacturing planning systems that interface directly with automated manufacturing systems, that is, process automation systems, to enable real-time control, control, and control of the production of articles. An MES system typically includes data acquisition systems and processing systems such as BDE (Operational Data Collection) systems, MDE (Machine Data Collection) systems, and PDE (Personal Data Collection) systems. In general, an MES system includes processes that have an influence on the production process, so that with an MES system, throughput times for the production of articles as well as utilization of production units can be optimized.

Despite these advantages mentioned, such MES systems also have a number of shortcomings. Thus, with an MES system, the production process for producing an article can be rationalized. However, with this MES system alone, it is not possible to allocate order data, ie customer-specific data, or specific characteristics of a product to the production data available there.

For example, in the production of safety sensors or the like, these are provided at the end of the production process with a nameplate, which contains customer data or physical characteristics, that is technical data that describe the functional scope of the safety sensor for unique identification of the safety sensor.

Since such data are not contained in conventional MES systems, there is a risk that the type label contains information that does not match the safety sensor to which the nameplate is applied.

However, such incorrect information on the rating plate can lead to incorrect use of the safety sensor or generally the safety device, which leads to hazardous situations in personal protection applications.

The invention has for its object to provide a computer system by means of which the above-mentioned disadvantages are avoided in the production of articles.

To solve this problem, the features of claim 1 are provided. Advantageous embodiments and expedient developments of the invention are described in the subclaims.

The computer system according to the invention comprises a data management system in which functionalities of an MES system (Manufacturing Execution System), a Product Data Management (PDM) system and an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system are combined.

A significant advantage of the recliner system according to the invention is that not only a production planning for a preferably process-automated production of an article is provided by the coupling of the MES system to an ERP system and a PDM system. Rather, PDM systems can be used to transfer parts lists and characteristics that define the article. Furthermore, customer and order data can be transferred from the ERP system in order to produce a fault-free purchase of the article for the respective customer or order.

What is essential here is that the computer system in each case has interfaces to a PDM system and an ERP system, via which specific data required for only the MES system is retrieved and functions taken over. Thus, the ERP system and the MES system need not be integrated in their entirety in the MES system of the computer system according to the invention. This is advantageous because known ERP systems and PDM systems have a very large scope, so that their complete integration into the data management system according to the invention would not be practicable. The computer system according to the invention thus ensures a high functionality with a simple structure such that the relevant data of the PDM and ERP system can be integrated online with the production planning carried out with the MES system.

Advantageously, a production control can be carried out with this computer system, with the articles produced in particular forming safety-related devices.

Particularly advantageous is the incorporation of functions of a PDM system article data and feature management feasible.

In particular, the data management system has grouping, sorting and filtering modules for supporting the feature management.

By integrating functions of an ERP system, it is also advantageously possible to produce a relationship between produced articles and the respective customers, and it is possible to trace articles.

The integration of these functionalities ensures that the right items and the correct customer data are automatically assigned to the item produced in an automated production control.

In particular, in the production of safety-related devices is achieved with the data management system according to the invention that the device produced the correct nameplate is assigned and the device is shipped with the correct items also to the right customers.

With the data management system of the computer system according to the invention, the functionalities of an MES, ERP and PDM system are combined in an integral system, wherein the data management provides a common database for these functions.

The following functions of an MES system are implemented in the data management system.

A first feature of the MES system is the creation of a production plan that includes the creation of manufacturing processes and process plans. Furthermore, an automatic or manual detection of the individual production steps takes place. On this basis, an automatic production control is also carried out. Advantageously, different production steps for the production of an article can be controlled on the basis of an identifier associated therewith. Also, functions for a process lock can be provided for the process control in case of errors in the production process. Next carried out a production data collection and also an administration of production data and product data, in particular for a statistical analysis of this data. Article and customer-order-related data provision, in particular for special articles, that is to say device configurations or specific final checks, is part of the MES system, with data from the PDM and / or ERP system in particular also being required for this purpose. Finally, in the MES system, the provision of nameplates for the manufactured articles takes place. By including data from the PDM system and the ERP system, type plates contain the correct characteristics and customer data assigned to the article.

BOMs are transferred from the PDM system via an interface and used for the production control of the MES system. Furthermore, from the PDM system, a provision of technical features, which not only individual articles, ie devices, but series, which include a number of devices of a family may be assigned. In the case of articles designed as security sensors, for example, such characteristics may be technical data such as their range. In general, the interface to the PDM system can be designed such that a parallel use of lockable data records is made possible, and, if appropriate, management of the processing history is also possible.

The ERP system transfers customer and order data, which are assigned to the respective production order in the MES system. Furthermore, by means of the data from the ERP system, a tracing of articles or individual assemblies of the articles and also an article maintenance, in particular a management of repairs of articles.

The computer system according to the invention advantageously forms a computer network with at least one server and associated customer computer. On the server, a data management system forming database is implemented.

Advantageously, the customer computers serve to process different functions and / or are arranged at different production sites.

The computer system according to the invention can be extended to include an interface to other data management systems.

In addition, this computer system has at least one Internet interface via which functions of the data management system are available via the Internet.

The invention will be explained below with reference to an embodiment shown in a drawing. It shows:

1 : Schematic representation of the structure of the computer system according to the invention.

1 shows an embodiment of the computer system according to the invention 1 , The computer system 1 is designed as a computer network, which in this case a server 2 and several connected to this customer computer, called clients.

The server 2 represents a database and application server, on which as the central unit of a data management system of the computer system according to the invention 1 a central database 3 is provided, which in the present case is formed by an Oracle database.

Via an interface 4 is the central database 3 with other external databases 5 connected to a PDM system and an ERP system. the interface 4 is designed as a Java database interface.

The server 2 is to an external computer 6 who performs monitoring or back-ups connected.

The server 2 also has an application logic 7 , which is formed by a Java program module, and a client interface 8th , which is formed by a CORBA interface on. About these units is the central database 3 to the different clients of the computer system 1 tethered.

The data management system of the computer system 1 forms a common database and functional basis for selected functions of an MES system, a PDM system and an ERP system. The computer system thus formed 1 enables traceable, customer-related and process-automated production of articles, which in the present case are formed by safety sensors.

The individual functions of the MES, PDM and ERP systems are on the individual clients and the server 2 distributed and are in the central database 3 merged or controlled by this.

A first client is as an administration client 9 educated. In this, the first steps are necessary to produce a safety sensor. The administration client 9 is via an interface 10 to an external system 11 , in particular a PDM system and an EPP system, connected so that data from the external systems 11 in the administration client 9 can be taken over.

In a first module 9a of the administration client 9 is based on data from the external system 9 the definition of physical characteristics of the safety sensor and, where appropriate, the formation of classes of characteristics. In addition, product-specific OEM data from the external system 11 accepted. The advantage here is that the data management system has only feature management only grouping, sorting and filtering modules. Thus, features can be assigned not only to individual articles but to entire families of an article, including different versions. For example, with a change process, a feature for an entire article family can be changed or updated. For the production process, which is controlled by the MES system, workstations, production processes incl. Any process interlocks in case of errors are defined. These determinations are made by an application administrator of the respective company in which the production of the article takes place. In a second module 9b and in a third module 9c of the administration client 9 an article management takes place, whereby in the second module 9b an import of data from the central database 3 followed by editing this data. In the third module 9c A release of material features for the article to be produced as well as the release for the producibility of the article takes place. These definitions are preferably carried out by the respective product manager.

For the subsequent steps for the production of the article, several clients arranged in the production area are provided, wherein the individual clients assume certain functions of the MES system.

In a montage client 12 A production preparation takes place for the production of the article. For this purpose, a customer assigned assignment of an order number and an article number, optionally provided with a version number. For this purpose, data from the PDM or ERP system are used.

Furthermore, an order for the production of an article is assigned a specific identifier, a so-called tracking slip, for example by reading a corresponding barcode. The tracking slip forms a clear identification of the article to be manufactured, by means of which the production process of the article can be controlled. These specifications are made by the product manager.

In a verification client 13 is a plausibility check of the data specified in the order to manufacture the article. For this purpose, the tracking slip is scanned on the order, whereupon the correct assemblies are assigned to the article to be produced, in this case the safety sensor, on the basis of the tracking slip. The tracking slip is then applied to the empty housing and the respective modules of the safety sensor. The PDM system assigns data assigned to the order, such as parts lists, and the correct software version for operating the safety sensor. These definitions are made by the manufacturing personnel.

In a metric client 14 A recording of measured values that define the function of the safety sensor to be produced takes place. For example, the laser powers emitted by transmitted light rays are detected by the transmitters in the form of laser diodes as relevant measured values. This is done by the production staff.

After the production of the safety sensor is carried out in a nameplate client 15 the assignment of a nameplate for the finished safety sensor. By assigning the relevant data from the ERP and PDM system to the MES system, it is ensured that the correct device information, characteristics and customer data are contained on the nameplate. The nameplate is assigned by the production personnel.

In a packaging client 16 the preparation of the manufactured safety sensor for the shipment takes place, ie the packaging of the safety sensor is carried out, whereby the correct customer data is contained on a packaging sticker. Responsible for this is the production staff.

As additional, optional units are a special purpose client 17 and a product information client 18 intended. In the offprint client 17 If necessary, ie in the case of loss or damage of type plates, new type plates are created as offprints. Responsible for this are the product manager and the production staff.

In the product information client 18 Data can be retrieved that defines the status of the manufactured articles. The administration is responsible for the product information.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

computer system

2

server

3

central database

4

interface

5

external database

6

computer

7

application logic

8th

Client Interface

9

Administration client

9a

module

9b

second module

9c

third module

10

interface

11

external system

12

Installation client

13

Verprobungs client

14

Data Logging Client

15

Nameplate client

16

Packing client

17

Special print client

18

Product Auskunfts client

Claims (11)

Computer system ( 1 ) with a data management system in which selected functionalities of a product data management (PDM) system, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and a manufacturing execution system (MES) are combined. Computer system according to claim 1, characterized in that this is a computer network with at least one server ( 2 ) and this assigned customer computer (client), wherein on the server ( 2 ) a data management system forming database ( 5 ) is implemented. Computer system according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that with this production control is feasible, the articles produced in particular form safety devices. Computer system according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the incorporation of functions of a PDM system, an article data and feature management is feasible. Computer system according to claim 4, characterized in that the data management system has grouping, sorting and filtering modules to support the feature management. Computer system according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that by the integration of functions of an ERP system, a reference of produced articles to the respective customers can be produced and an article tracking is possible. Computer system according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that different production steps for the production of an article are controllable on the basis of an identifier associated therewith. Computer system according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that as a means for production control, a process lock in the event of an error in the manufacture of an article is provided. Computer system according to one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that the customer computers are used for processing different functions and / or are arranged at different production sites. Computer system according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that this an interface ( 4 ) to other data management systems. Computer system according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises at least one Internet interface via which functions of the data management system via the Internet are available.

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