Development of a robot control method for curved seal extrusion for high productivity in an advanced Toyota production system

摘要

Recent Japanese enterprises have been promoting global production to realize uniform quality worldwide and production at optimal locations for survival amid severe competition. The authors considered the necessity of including the above method in the strategic application of the Toyota production system (TPS), and clarified Advanced TPS as the global production by manufacturing technology. In the future, reformation of the production workshops transformed by robotics and IT will be necessary in order to keep the same quality worldwide and production at optimum locations. Thus manufacturing technology had to be improved for mass production by developing the latest robot control methods. So far, the authors have established a robot control method for global production called RCM-EPC. RCM-EPC contains a three-core robot control method with (i) locus and speed control of the external point (-LSC), (ii) simulation for optimizing the operation position (-SOP) and (iii) constant speed control for robot movement (-CSC). Furthermore robots are applied to several applications in order to improve productivity and achieve a high-quality appearance. In particular, the authors here introduce an up-to-date glass-integrated curved seal extrusion (CSE), which is a new technology for use in manufacturing: the automobile-window mole as an example for Toyota – one of the most advanced automotive manufacturing enterprises in the world. With the demonstration of a 50% reduction in manufacturing costs using Advanced TPS, the authors have achieved high productivity and quality assurance in global production.