Assembly Prompting System

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved prompting system for assembly lines with a minimal number of workstations and a large number of tasks assigned to each workstation.

Another object is to provide a prompting system for an assembly line which reminds a worker at a workstation of the correct order of tasks to be completed at the workstation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an assembly prompting system which permits a worker to repeat a prompt for a particular task within a sequence of tasks at a workstation.

Still another object is to provide an assembly prompting system with instructional prompts adapted to a particular task and customized for particular employees.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an assembly prompting system at a workstation, which permits free movement of a worker at a workstation.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The assembly prompting system of the present invention includes a method for prompting an operator during assembly of a product, including the initial step of recording a list of tasks for the operator to complete in a sequential order to assemble the product. The operator then plays the recording of each task as a prompt to assemble the product. The operator repeats the playing of each recorded task as necessary during the assembly of the product. The method also includes the operator activating a first switch on a remote module which transmits a signal to a control apparatus, activating the playback of the recorded tasks, which are transmitted to a receiver in the remote module.

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of the assembly prompting system of the present invention, with a worker using the system;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of an operator remote module, utilized with the prompting system of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the computer used in the central control apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the "CREATE A TASK LIST" routine;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the "ASSIGN WORKSTATION TASK LISTS" routine; and

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the "EDIT" routine.

Referring now to the drawings, in which similar or corresponding parts are identified with the same reference numeral and more particularly to FIG. 1, the assembly prompting system of the present invention is designated generally at 10, and includes a control apparatus 12 and an operator remote module 14, which is carried by an operator 16 remote from the control apparatus 12.

The control apparatus 12 includes a computer, designated generally at 14, with an antenna 20 electrically connected thereto to permit communication with remote module 14 via an antenna 22 on the remote module. As discussed in more detail hereinbelow, a headset 24 is connected to remote module 14 for audio reception of instructions communicated to module 14.

Referring now to FIG. 2, remote module 14 includes a lightweight portable housing 26 having a forward wall 26a, an end wall 26b, and a top wall 26c. Antenna 22 is attached to housing 26 on top wall 26c, and is electrically connected to an electrical circuit within the housing, including a transmitter and receiver for communicating with the control apparatus (shown in FIG. 1). A wheel-type switch 28 is provided on top wall 26c, and is electrically connected to the electrical circuit within housing 26. Switch 28 serves as an on/off switch, and is rotatable for volume adjustment.

Three snap/action type switches 30, 32 and 34 are provided on housing 26, and are electrically connected with the electrical circuit within housing 26 to transmit distinct signals to the control apparatus. The first switch 30 transmits a "play next prompt" message to the control apparatus. Thus, an operator will depress and release first switch 30 once a particular task has been completed, so as to receive the next set of instructions, or "prompt" for the next sequential task to be performed at that workstation.

Second switch 32 is operable to transmit a signal to the control apparatus requesting that the current "prompt" be repeated. In particularly complex individual tasks, it may be necessary to repeat the "prompt" more than once, in order to ensure that the task has been completed accurately. Upon completion of that task, the operator will then depress the first switch 30, to proceed with the next task.

Activation of the third switch 34 transmits a third distinct signal to the control apparatus indicating a need for assistance at the workstation. Activation of third switch 34 will cause the control apparatus 12 to respond in any one of the variety of different procedures. First, the signal may simply activate a timer which records the amount of time which passes between the pressing of third switch 34 and the subsequent pressing of switch 34 again.

Third switch 34 may also be utilized to trigger a more immediate response such as the activation of an alarm light or audio alarm. This type of response may be desired where a breakdown along the assembly line has occurred, thereby affecting the overall operation of the assembly line.

Referring once again to FIG. 1, computer 18 preferably includes a central processing unit (CPU) 36 with a block of memory for storing a master list of prompts therein. A monitor 38, keyboard 40 and disk drives 42 are interconnected with CPU 36 in a conventional manner.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a block diagram shows the interrelationship of the various components of the computer. The CPU 36 is programmed with a master task list, which includes all of the sequential tasks for a particular workstation. This master task list may be entered via keyboard 40, to provide a written description of the task, which may then be subsequently displayed on monitor 38. A microphone 44 is also connected to CPU 36 to provide an audio task description. A video input 46 may also be connected to CPU 36 to provide either still photographs of a particular task or a video tape showing the task to be performed, both of which may be displayed on monitor 38 in addition to, or instead of, written text. A transceiver 47 is connected to CPU 36 to communicate with remote modules 14 (see FIG. 2).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the method of creating and recording a master list of tasks. The first step 48 in creating a task list is to identify the product to be assembled. The first task to be performed is then described in text and entered into the memory of the CPU, in step 50. This text will be displayed on monitor 38. The description of the task to be performed is then recorded in either video, photographic, or audio form, in step 52. The recording is then reviewed for accuracy and understandability, in step 54. If the recording is inadequate, then the task is recorded once again. If the recording is found to be sufficient, the recording is saved to memory. in step 56. Upon completion of recording of the first task, the program will repeat the steps of typing the next task text, recording the task, reviewing the recording and saving the recording, until all tasks have been recorded, as shown by step 58.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the task list created by the procedure described above and shown in FIG. 4, is then subdivided into separate and individual tasks lists for each workstation along an assembly line. The first step in assigning workstation tasks lists is to "determine number of workstations" 60. Once this determination has been made, the workstations are saved as individual and separate stations, in step 62, to receive independent tasks lists. In step 64, the particular station for which tasks will be listed is highlighted. The master task list is then displayed, in step 66 and the individual tasks to be copied is highlighted, in step 68. The highlighted task is then inserted in the task list for the highlighted station, in step 70. In step 72, it is determined whether the particular workstation list is complete. If not, then an additional task is highlighted and inserted into the highlighted station list according to steps 68 and 70. If the particular station list is complete, then a determination is made as to whether all station lists are complete, in step 74. If not, the program returns to step 64 and highlights a new stations and continues through steps 66, 68, 70 and 72 once again. Upon completion of all workstations, the workstation task assignment routine is ended, as shown in step 76.

Once the production of a particular product has occurred, according to the master task list originally created for the product, it may be necessary to edit the master task list and/or individual workstation task lists, or edit the number of workstation utilized for the assembly process. The procedure for editing is shown in more detail in FIG. 6. The first determination to be made in the edit routine, is whether the number of workstations is to be modified, as shown in step 78. If the number of workstations will remain the same, then the master list is displayed, at step 80. If additional tasks are to be added to the master list, then the program proceeds to steps 50-56 of the "create a master list" routine, as shown by step 82. Once the new tasks are added to the master list, the system then moves to steps 64-74 of the "assigned workstation tasks lists" routine, as shown by step 84. A determination is then made as to whether further editing is to be accomplished, in step 86. If not, the routine is ended. If additional editing is to occur the routine returns to step 80 of the edit routine wherein the master list is displayed. If a task is to be either modified or deleted, then the next step in the sequence is to highlight the particular task to be modified, in step 88. If the step is to be deleted, the delete key is pressed in step 90 and the operator may must then consider whether other steps are to be edited, in step 92. If not, the routine ends. If other steps are to be modified, the routine returns to step 88 and highlights the particular task to be edited. If a particular task description or recording is to be modified, the edit key is pressed, according to step 90. This step takes the operator to steps 50-56 of the create a task routine wherein a particular task is replaced with new text or a new recording, according to step 96. Upon completion of step 96, the routine returns to step 92 to determine whether other editing should occur.

The number of stations may be modified by either adding or deleting stations. If a station is to be added, then the routine moves to step 98 and adds one of more stations to the workstation list, as desired. Tasks are added to the new stations by either moving tasks already accomplished at other workstations, or by adding new tasks to the master list, as described hereinabove. If a station is to be eliminated, the particular station is first highlighted, in step 102, and then the tasks of that station's task list are either moved to other station task lists or deleted, in step 104. The highlighted station is then deleted in step 106 and the routine returns to step 78.

In operation, the assembly prompting system of the present invention is utilized to arrange, assign tasks, and prompt operators to assemble a product in a predetermined order at a predetermined number of workstations in order to efficiently produce complex mechanisms. In one example, the manufacture of a robot, may require 300 individual tasks to be accomplished by five operators in a particular sequence of steps. Thus, a master task list is first created utilizing the "create a task list" routine of steps 48-58. In this example, five operators will be utilized, so five workstations are identified and assigned particular sequences of tasks from the master task list, according to the "assigned work station task list" routine of steps 60-74. It should be noted that each individual task requires a different period of time to accomplish. Thus, a first operator may have 100 short tasks to complete, a second operator may have 70 intermediate length tasks to complete, a third operator may have 120 short tasks to complete and the last two operators may have five long tasks to complete.

Once the various workstations have been assigned a sequence of tasks, each operator will receive a remote module 14 with an accompanying headset 24 to wear while completing the tasks of that workstation, as shown in FIG. 1. Operator 16 will depress first switch 30 in order to receive the first "prompt" as to the first task to be completed at that workstation. Upon completion of that task, switch 30 is again depressed (as shown in FIG. 2) to proceed to the next subsequent task. As noted hereinabove, switch 32 is depressed by an operator in order to repeat the current tasks being performed, and switch 34 is depressed in order to call for assistance.

Because many products are "seasonal" and are thus subject to greater or lesser demand throughout a year, it is often necessary to either add or reduce the number of operators in order to increase or decrease the number of units produced per day. The assembly prompting system of the present invention permits the addition or deletion of workstations from the production of a product. In addition, the sequence of tasks performed by each operator at the various workstations may be easily modified to increase the number of tasks performed, to add additional tasks, or to delete tasks performed by a particular operator.

Whereas the invention has been shown and described in connection with the preferred embodiment thereof, many modifications, substitutions and additions may be made which are within the intended broad scope of the appended claims.