EP-4740074-A1 - METHOD FOR OPERATING A MANUFACTURING LINE OR A MATRIX PRODUCTION IN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION, MOBILE PRODUCTION TRANSPORT DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING AND PROVIDING MATERIAL, EQUIPMENT, AND WORKPIECES IN THE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION PROCESS, AND METHOD FOR COUPLING A MODULE TO A MOBILE PRODUCTION TRANSPORT DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a manufacturing line or a matrix production (10) in industrial production, having the steps of: - providing a manufacturing line or a matrix production (10) for an industrial production, comprising at least one manufacturing workspace (11), a control unit (12) with a communication device (121) for transmitting and receiving data, a mobile driverless production transport device (1), which can be controlled by means of the communication device (121), for material, equipment, and workpieces, and a module support device (2) comprising different modules (21) for material, equipment, and workpieces, said module support device being designed to be directly coupled to a receiving unit (3) of the mobile production transport device (1); - selecting a module (21) from a selection of different modules (21) for material, equipment, and workpieces; - directly coupling the selected module (21) for material, equipment, and workpieces to the receiving unit (3) of the mobile production transport device (1); and - providing the module (21) for material, equipment, and workpieces at the manufacturing workspace (11).

Inventors

• BÄR, Dipl.-Ing. Ralf

Assignees

• Bär Automation GmbH

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20240621

Claims (20)

1. 1 . Method for operating a production line or matrix production (10) in industrial production, comprising the steps: - Providing a production line or matrix production (10) for industrial production comprising at least one production workstation (11), a control unit (12) with a communication device (121) for sending and receiving data, a mobile driverless production transport device (1) for material, operating resources and workpieces which can be controlled by means of the communication device (121), and a module storage device (2) comprising different modules (21) for material, operating resources and workpieces for direct coupling to a receiving unit (3) of the mobile production transport device (1); - Selection of a module (21) from a selection of different modules (21) for material, equipment and workpieces; - direct coupling of the selected module (21) for material, equipment and workpieces to the receiving unit (3) of the mobile production transport device (1); and - Provision of the module (21) for material, equipment and workpieces at the production workstation (11).
2. 2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the module (21) for material, operating resources and workpieces is permanently provided as a coupled module (21) at the production workstation (11) during a complete production work order.
3. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the coupled module (21) for material, operating resources and workpieces at the production workstation (11) is exchanged during a complete production work order.
4. 4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the production line or matrix production (10) comprises at least two production workstations (111, 112, 113, 114) and the mobile production transport device (1) is moved between the at least two production workstations (11).
5. 5. Method according to claim 4, wherein the mobile production transport device (1) couples another module (21) for material, operating resources and workpieces during the movement between the at least two production workstations (11).
6. 6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the mobile production transport device (1) does not couple a new module (21) for material, operating resources and workpieces when moving between the at least two production workstations (11).
7. 7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (12) with a communication device (121) for sending and receiving data corresponding to a selection of predetermined manufacturing processes provides control data for the mobile production transport device (1).
8. 8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (12) with a communication device (121) for sending and receiving data corresponding to current data from a manufacturing process provides control data for the mobile production transport device (1).
9. 9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (12) with a communication device (121) for sending and receiving data corresponding to a predetermined module inventory provides control data for the mobile production transport device (1).
10. 10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one module (21) of the module storage device (2) is a module (21) for an operating means which is operable and operated by means of the direct coupling to the receiving unit (3).
11. 11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the different modules (21) of the module storage device (2) are selected from the following modules (21) for material and workpieces: - storage rack; - Roll container; - floor rollers; - Shooter shelf or replacement shelf; - pallet; and the following modules (21 ) for equipment: - conveyor belt; - Robot arm; - Telescopic device; - mounting system; - Loading and unloading system for exchanging tool pallets; - lifting device.
12. 12. Mobile production transport device (1) for transporting and providing material, operating resources and workpieces in the industrial production process, comprising a transport unit (5) for moving the production transport device (1), a receiving unit (3) for receiving and/or coupling a module (21) for material and/or operating resources.
13. 13. Mobile production transport device (1) according to claim 12, wherein the module (21) is a material transport unit, a conveyor device, an assembly device, a material supply unit, a robot unit or a loading and unloading unit.
14. 14. Mobile production transport device (1) according to claim 12 or 13, which comprises an AGV.
15. 15. Mobile production transport device (1) according to one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the receiving unit (3) has a coupling unit (31) and a counter-coupling unit (32) which can be fastened or is fastened to the module (21), and wherein the counter-coupling unit (32) is designed to be complementary to the coupling unit (31) in order to be detachably coupled to the coupling unit (31) along a coupling direction (R), and wherein the coupling unit (31) has a first coupling element (312a) and a second coupling element (312b), and wherein the first coupling element (312a) and the second coupling element (312b) are spaced apart from one another in a transverse direction (Q).
16. 16. Mobile production transport device (1) according to claim 15, wherein the first coupling element (312a) and the second coupling element (312b) are each designed as a pin (315) with a ball head (316a, 316b), and wherein the counter-coupling unit (32) has a first recess (321a) which is designed to at least partially enclose the ball head (316a) of the first coupling element (312a), and wherein the counter-coupling unit (32) has a second recess (321b) which is designed to at least partially enclose the ball head (316b) of the second coupling element (312b).
17. 17. Mobile production transport device (1) according to claim 16, wherein the first recess (321a) and the ball head (316a) of the first coupling element (312a) have an equal diameter (D1), and wherein the second recess (321b) has at least one diameter (D2) which is larger than a diameter (D1) of the ball head (316b) of the second coupling element (312b).
18. 18. Mobile production transport device (1) according to claim 17, wherein the coupling unit (31) has a projection (313) arranged between the first coupling element (312a) and the second coupling element (312b).
19. 19. Mobile production transport device (1) according to one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the coupling unit (31) is controllably displaceable relative to the transport unit (5) in a lifting direction (H).
20. 20. Method for coupling a module (21) to a mobile production transport device (1) comprising the steps: - Providing a mobile production transport device (1) according to one or more of claims 15 to 18 and according to claim 19; - Providing a module (21) for material and/or operating resources, wherein the module (21) has a counter-coupling unit (32) attached thereto for coupling to the coupling unit (31) of the receiving unit (3) of the mobile production transport device (1), and wherein the module (21) has at least two front wheels (211a) and at least two rear wheels (211b); and either - Positioning the coupling unit (31) on the counter-coupling unit (32) such that the coupling unit (31) is coupled to the counter-coupling unit (32) by a first lifting movement of the coupling unit (31) relative to the transport unit (5) in the lifting direction (H) and the at least two front wheels (211a) and the at least two rear wheels (211b) of the module (21) maintain ground contact; or - Positioning the coupling unit (31) on the counter-coupling unit (32) in such a way that the coupling unit (31) is coupled to the counter-coupling unit (32) by a first lifting movement of the coupling unit (31) relative to the transport unit (5) in the lifting direction (H) and by a second lifting movement the at least two front wheels (211a) of the module (21) lose contact with the ground and the at least two rear wheels (211b) of the module (21) retain contact with the ground, wherein the at least two rear wheels (211b) of the module (21) are designed as castors.

Description

DESCRIPTION Method for operating a production line or matrix production in industrial production, mobile production transport device for transporting and providing material, operating resources and workpieces in the industrial production process and method for coupling a module to a mobile production transport device The invention includes a method for operating a production line or matrix production in industrial production. The invention also includes a mobile production transport device for transporting and providing material, operating resources and workpieces in the industrial production process. The invention also includes a method for coupling a module to a mobile production transport device. The invention lies in the technical field of internal logistics in an industrial environment indoors, where many goods or stacked pallets and boxes with goods, as well as operating materials and workpieces are transported on movable floor rollers of driverless transport vehicles (FTF). Known driverless transport vehicles are omnidirectional, surface-moving vehicles with two drive/steering roller units that can be driven via drive and steering units and one non-driven steering roller unit, with object recognition that can recognize objects such as floor rollers, trolleys or the like and use them to align and approach the surface and thus pick up and transport the object/floor roller in a precise position. These floor rollers are driven under by driverless transport vehicles (FTF) and are thus used for the automatic transport of goods. It is also possible for the driverless transport systems to drive the floor rollers completely lift out. In this way, the AGV transports workpieces from one assembly station to the next. This enables time-saving production of products along an assembly line/production line or matrix production. In a fully automated assembly line/production line or within a fully automated matrix production, the components are assembled exclusively by machines. State-of-the-art AGVs include an undercarriage/fork unit connected to the base unit, on which a lifting table is arranged. AGVs of this type pick up objects such as boxes of goods or stacked pallets, but also shelving systems. The lifting table enables the picked up object to be completely lifted out and, for example, raised to a certain height in order to set the object down again at this height. The disadvantage of known AGVs is that they can usually pick up and transport floor rollers or objects such as shelves or roll containers for storing material. The present invention is based on the object of specifying a method for operating a production line or matrix production in industrial production, with which the automatic transport and provision of different operating resources, materials and workpieces within production is optimized. Furthermore, the present invention has the object of specifying a mobile production transport device for transporting and providing material, operating resources and workpieces in the industrial production process, which enables the variable provision of various operating resources, workpieces and material. Furthermore, the present invention has the object of specifying a method for coupling a module to a mobile production transport device, which optimizes the variable provision of various operating resources, workpieces and material. The method according to the invention for operating a production line or matrix production in industrial production is given by the features of independent claim 1. Furthermore, the object is achieved by a mobile Production transport device according to claim 12. Furthermore, the object is achieved by the method for coupling according to claim 20. Advantageous aspects form the subject matter of the respective subclaims. The invention comprises a method for operating a production line or matrix production in industrial production, comprising the steps: - Providing a production line or matrix production for industrial production comprising at least one production workstation, a control unit with a communication device for sending and receiving data, a mobile driverless production transport device for material, operating resources and workpieces that can be controlled by means of the communication device and a module storage device comprising different modules for material, operating resources and workpieces for direct coupling to a receiving unit of the mobile production transport device; -Selection of a module from a selection of different modules for material, equipment and workpieces; - direct connection of the selected module for material, equipment and Workpieces to the receiving unit of the mobile production transport device; and - Provision of the module for material, equipment and (or) workpieces at the production workstation. This enables the variable provision of various equipment by incorporating different modules and thus making different materials and equipment availab