Process control system and process control method

A process control method for controlling, using a computer, an assembling process for assembling a plurality of parts to manufacture an assembled product, the process control method comprising:

• converting, into an image, a time-varying waveform of each of inspection data of the assembled product, inspection data of the plurality of parts, and inspection data in a plurality of sub-assembling processes that constitute the assembling process;
• performing matching between an inspection waveform image of the assembled product and a predetermined deterioration pattern image showing a tendency of a deviation from a standard and determining whether the inspection waveform image of the assembled product is similar to the deterioration pattern image;
• performing, when the inspection waveform image of the assembled product is similar to the deterioration pattern image, a first determination for performing matching between an inspection waveform image of each of the plurality of sub-assembling processes and the deterioration pattern image and determining whether there is a sub-assembling process similar to the deterioration pattern image;
• performing, when there is a sub-assembling process similar to the deterioration pattern image in the first determination, a second determination for performing matching between an inspection waveform image of each part assembled in the sub-assembling process similar to the deterioration pattern image and the deterioration pattern image and determining whether there is a part similar to the deterioration pattern image;
• and
• specifying a deterioration factor of the inspection data of the assembled product based on results of the first and second determinations,
• wherein, when (i) the inspection waveform image of the assembled product is similar to the deterioration pattern image, and (ii) there is no sub-assembling process similar to the deterioration pattern image in the first determination, an inspection facility for the assembled product is specified as the deterioration factor.