Abstract: Provided is a manufacturing management system making it possible to respond flexibly in accordance with a production status. This manufacturing management system comprises: a stationary device that is installed inside a work space; a mobile device able to move within the work space; and a server for extracting at least operational state data of the stationary device and the mobile device, and monitoring a production status on the basis of the operational state data. The server derives a deviation between the production status and a predetermined production plan as a production deviation, and corrects the operational state of the stationary device and/or the mobile device so as to reduce the production deviation.

Abstract: A robotic gripping device includes a base part attached to a tip of a wrist of a robot; finger parts, at least one of which is movably supported on the base part so that the finger parts can move toward and away from each other; and a driving mechanism that drives the finger parts. In at least one of the finger parts, flexibility of at least a gripping surface is switchable.

Abstract: A robotic gripping device includes a base part attached to a tip of a wrist of a robot; finger parts, at least one of which is movably supported on the base part so that the finger parts can move toward and away from each other; and a driving mechanism that drives the finger parts. In at least one of the finger parts, flexibility of at least a gripping surface is switchable.

Abstract: A production control apparatus includes a workpiece position detection unit, an ID generation unit, an ID notification unit, a data receiving unit, and a storage unit. The data receiving unit receives the unique IDs generated by the ID generation unit and the traceability data (actual production information) when the workpieces for which the unique IDs have been generated are processed, from the manufacturing machines to which the unique IDs have been notified by the ID notification unit. The storage unit records the unique IDs and the traceability data received by the data receiving unit in association with each other.

Abstract: In a spare part sharing system, a server includes: a storage unit that stores at least the company codes of registered enterprises and the identification information and the quantities of registered spare parts; a value calculation unit that calculates, based on at least the identification information of the registered spare parts, the values of the registered spare part; a first output unit that outputs the values calculated by the value calculation unit as the usable values of the registered enterprises to the registered enterprises; and a second output unit that outputs the spare parts that are stored in the storage unit and that are registered as shared spare parts by all the enterprises.

Abstract: A manufacturing data processing system includes a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses, a plurality of data processing devices for processing manufacturing data associated with the plurality of manufacturing apparatuses, a plurality of communication channels for communicating the manufacturing data between the plurality of manufacturing apparatuses and the plurality of data processing devices, and a management device. The management device determines a combination of the data processing device that processes the manufacturing data associated with each of the plurality of manufacturing apparatuses and the communication channel that communicates the associated manufacturing data between each of the plurality of manufacturing apparatuses and the data processing device, based on the communication speed of the communication channel and the data processing capability of each of the plurality of data processing devices.

Abstract: A manufacturing system comprises plural types of manufacturing apparatuses driven by operation programs of which language specifications differ from each other. The manufacturing system comprises a cell control apparatus which generates the operation program to be executed in the manufacturing apparatus and communication apparatuses which send the operation programs generated by the cell control apparatus to the respective manufacturing apparatuses. A language specification common to the manufacturing apparatuses of which the types differ from each other is predetermined. The cell control apparatus includes a reading part which reads a common program generated based on the common language specification and a conversion part which converts the common program into the operation programs for the respective manufacturing apparatuses.

Abstract: A cell control system including a communication device for communicating with a manufacturing cell including a plurality of manufacturing machines configured to manufacture a product, an obtaining module for obtaining first manufacturing information in a manufacturing cell unit associated with the manufacture of the product, a first generation module for generating a plurality of pieces of second manufacturing information for the plurality of manufacturing machines, based on the first manufacturing information, a transmission module for transmitting the plurality of pieces of second manufacturing information to the plurality of manufacturing machines, a reception module for receiving manufacturing machine-specific, third manufacturing information corresponding to the second manufacturing information from the plurality of manufacturing machines, a second generation module for generating fourth manufacturing information in the manufacturing cell unit, based on the third manufacturing information from the plural

Abstract: A manufacturing system comprises plural types of manufacturing apparatuses driven by operation programs of which language specifications differ from each other. The manufacturing system comprises a cell control apparatus which generates the operation program to be executed in the manufacturing apparatus and communication apparatuses which send the operation programs generated by the cell control apparatus to the respective manufacturing apparatuses. A language specification common to the manufacturing apparatuses of which the types differ from each other is predetermined. The cell control apparatus includes a reading part which reads a common program generated based on the common language specification and a conversion part which converts the common program into the operation programs for the respective manufacturing apparatuses.

Abstract: A manufacturing data processing system includes a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses, a plurality of data processing devices for processing manufacturing data associated with the plurality of manufacturing apparatuses, a plurality of communication channels for communicating the manufacturing data between the plurality of manufacturing apparatuses and the plurality of data processing devices, and a management device. The management device determines a combination of the data processing device that processes the manufacturing data associated with each of the plurality of manufacturing apparatuses and the communication channel that communicates the associated manufacturing data between each of the plurality of manufacturing apparatuses and the data processing device, based on the communication speed of the communication channel and the data processing capability of each of the plurality of data processing devices.

Abstract: A production control apparatus includes a workpiece position detection unit, an ID generation unit, an ID notification unit, a data receiving unit, and a storage unit. The data receiving unit receives the unique IDs generated by the ID generation unit and the traceability data (actual production information) when the workpieces for which the unique IDs have been generated are processed, from the manufacturing machines to which the unique IDs have been notified by the ID notification unit. The storage unit records the unique IDs and the traceability data received by the data receiving unit in association with each other.

Abstract: A cell control system including a communication device for communicating with a manufacturing cell including a plurality of manufacturing machines configured to manufacture a product, an obtaining module for obtaining first manufacturing information in a manufacturing cell unit associated with the manufacture of the product, a first generation module for generating a plurality of pieces of second manufacturing information for the plurality of manufacturing machines, based on the first manufacturing information, a transmission module for transmitting the plurality of pieces of second manufacturing information to the plurality of manufacturing machines, a reception module for receiving manufacturing machine-specific, third manufacturing information corresponding to the second manufacturing information from the plurality of manufacturing machines, a second generation module for generating fourth manufacturing information in the manufacturing cell unit, based on the third manufacturing information from the plural

Abstract: A human-robot interactive system in which a robot and a human share an area for performing interactive work, the human-robot interactive system including a force sensor which is set at an end effector attached to a front end of the robot or which is set at the robot and, when a detected value of the force sensor exceeds a predetermined value, is configured to stop the robot or controlling operation of the robot so that a detected value of the force sensor becomes smaller, the system further including a limiter which limits a work area of said human so as to prevent contact by the human with the first robot portion of the robot that is positioned further from the human than a set position of the force sensor during operation even when the robot approaches the human.

Abstract: A production system in which a human and a robot may simultaneously perform a cooperative task in the same area while ensuring human's safety. A robot is positioned at one side of a working table, and an operator is positioned at the other side of the working table. The reachable area of the operator is limited by the working table. An area of the working table is divided into an area where only the operator may perform a task, an area where only the robot may perform a task, and an area where both the operator and the robot may enter. In a cooperation mode, the maximum movement speed of a component of the robot is limited lower than when the component of the robot is outside the cooperative task area, and, the motion of the robot is limited so that the robot does not enter a robot entry-prohibited area.

Abstract: A human-robot interactive system wherein a robot and a human share an area for performing interactive work, characterized by being provided with a force sensor which is set at an end effector attached to a front end of the robot or which is set at the robot and stopping the robot or controlling operation of the robot so that a detected value of the force sensor becomes smaller when the detected value of the force sensor exceeds a predetermined value, by the robot including a first robot portion which is positioned further from the human than a set position of the force sensor and a second robot portion which is positioned closer to the human than the set position of the force sensor, and, furthermore, by the robot system being provided with a limiter which limits a work area of the human so as to prevent contact by the human with the first robot portion of the robot during operation even when the robot most approaches the human.

Abstract: A production system in which a human and a robot may simultaneously perform a cooperative task in the same area while ensuring human's safety. A robot is positioned at one side of a working table, and an operator is positioned at the other side of the working table. The reachable area of the operator is limited by the working table. An area of the working table is divided into an area where only the operator may perform a task, an area where only the robot may perform a task, and an area where both the operator and the robot may enter. In a cooperation mode, the maximum movement speed of a component of the robot is limited lower than when the component of the robot is outside the cooperative task area, and, the motion of the robot is limited so that the robot does not enter a robot entry-prohibited area.

Abstract: A force-controlling robot having a function of drawing a fitting part from a receiving part. A fitting part held by a robot hand is moved form an approach start position in a set approach direction under speed and force control. When the fitting part comes in contact with a receiving part and a reaction force thereof exceeds a set threshold value, the fitting part is moved under speed and force control with the set target speed and force and in the set inserting/fitting direction so as to perform fitting. If stoppage occurs before the fitting is completed, the fitting part is moved under speed and force control in the set drawing direction and with the set target drawing speed and drawing force, to draw the fitting part from the receiving part. As the drawing operation is automatically performed, restoration is automatically made without manual operation even if stoppage occurs in the fitting operation. Further, assembled parts can be automatically disassembled.

Abstract: A force-controlling robot having a function of drawing a fitting part from a receiving part. A fitting part held by a robot hand is moved form an approach start position in a set approach direction under speed and force control. When the fitting part comes in contact with a receiving part and a reaction force thereof exceeds a set threshold value, the fitting part is moved under speed and force control with the set target speed and force and in the set inserting/fitting direction so as to perform fitting. If stoppage occurs before the fitting is completed, the fitting part is moved under speed and force control in the set drawing direction and with the set target drawing speed and drawing force, to draw the fitting part from the receiving part. As the drawing operation is automatically performed, restoration is automatically made without manual operation even if stoppage occurs in the fitting operation. Further, assembled parts can be automatically disassembled.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus capable of accurately measuring the three-dimensional position and orientation of an object in a short data processing time are provided, wherein a first slit light is projected from a first light projector for scanning an object, and each light image is obtained by a CCD camera. Similarly, a second slit light is projected from a second light projector for scanning the object and each light image is obtained by the CCD camera. The first and second slit lights are perpendicular to each other. The individual images obtained are processed to find a bent point and a disconnection point in each slit-light scan image. From among these points, a group of points which are reckoned to be lying on the same straight line is extracted, and the obtained straight line of points is used as edge information of the object. Based on the edge information and shape data of the object, three-dimensional position/orientation data is obtained.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of generating data indicative of robot control axis position. The method has a step of inputting data specifying the shape of a workpiece (WK) and data (.alpha., .beta., .gamma.) specifying the attitude of a tool (TL) conforming to a task to be executed by a robot, a step of calculating a position (X, Y, Z) of a tip (P) of the tool in the workpiece coordinate system X-Y-Z by using the data specifying the workpiece shape, a step of specifying the position of each axis constituting the robot by using the tool tip position and the tool attitude data, and a step of successively specifying positions of each control axis of the robot along a tool path (PT).