Visualization system

A visualization apparatus comprising:

• a first storage section configured to store manufacturing log information about manufacturing of products grouped in manufacturing units, products of each unit being manufactured through a plurality of manufacturing processes in order, the manufacturing log information including a start time and an end time of each of the manufacturing processes;
• a second storage section configured to store chronological history information of process characteristic factors corresponding to factors affecting quality characteristics in the manufacturing processes;
• a first creation section configured to create a time axis for the process characteristic factors in synchronization with a time course of the manufacturing log information, create a display object representing a state or a change of each of the process characteristic factors based on the chronological history information, and place the display object on the time axis to create a timeline object of each of the process characteristic factors;
• a second creation section configured to create, for each of the product manufacturing units, a line segment connecting a start time or an end time of a first process on a time axis of the first process to a start time or an end time of a second process subsequent to the first process on a time axis of the second process in parallel with the time axis of the first process;
• and
• a display control section configured to display, on a display apparatus, a process characteristic factor timeline screen including timeline objects of the respective process characteristic factors arranged in parallel,
• wherein the first creation section is configured to create the timeline objects of the process characteristics factors in synchronization with a time course of a selected one of the manufacturing processes.

A program for displaying a change in at least one of process characteristic factors caused in a manufacturing line of products, each of the products being manufactured through a plurality of manufacturing processes in order, the program comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform:

• a first function of storing manufacturing log information including a start time and an end time of each of the manufacturing processes for each product manufacturing unit;
• a second function of storing chronological history information of the process characteristic factors corresponding to factors affecting quality characteristics in the manufacturing processes;
• a third function of creating a time axis for the process characteristic factors in synchronization with a time course of the manufacturing log information, create a display object representing a state or a change of each of the process characteristic factors based on the chronological history information, and place the display object on the time axis to create a timeline object of each of the process characteristic factors;
• and
• a fourth function of creating, for each of the product manufacturing units, a line segment connecting a start time or an end time of a first process on a time axis of the first process to a start time or an end time of a second process subsequent to the first process on a time axis of the second process in parallel with the time axis of the first process;
• and
• a fifth function of displaying, on a display apparatus, a process characteristic factor timeline screen including the timeline objects of the respective process characteristic factors arranged in parallel,
• wherein the third function creates the timeline objects of the process characteristics factors in synchronization with a time course of a selected one of the manufacturing processes.