Production control with centralized physical distribution control between storage and production cells

A production control system for a printed circuit board production line for producing a variety of products containing printed circuit boards, comprising:

• a host computer including a charge control system having a database;
• a plurality of production cells including an identification labeler, a solder printer, at least one part mounting machine and a reflow furnace;
• said database storing data for operating said production cells;
• storage means for temporarily storing parts accommodating a plurality of printed circuit boards and a plurality of elements to be mounted to said plurality of printed circuit boards;
• transportation means coupled to said storage means and said cells for transporting said parts both between said cells and between said cells and said storage means;
• said parts for accommodating a plurality of printed circuit boards including a plurality of racks for storing a plurality of printed circuit boards, and said parts for accommodating a plurality of elements including a plurality of pallets holding cartridges for storing a plurality of elements to be mounted to said plurality of printed circuit boards according to each of the variety of products being produced;
• a single physical distribution control unit directly coupled to said charge control system of said host computer and being common to all said production cells for controlling said transportation means in response to a transportation command received from said charge control system of said host computer;
• and
• a plurality of cell controllers each operatively connected with a respective one of said plurality of cells and all coupled with said charge control system of said host computer, for transporting data from the database of said charge control system to the respective one of said plurality of cells for controlling said cells, each of said plurality of cell controllers detecting status information of said respective one of said plurality of cells and transmitting the status information to said charge control system;
• said charge control system comprising a first command distribution means coupled to said cell controllers, for issuing said transportation command to said physical, distribution control unit in response to one of a request for sending in one of said parts, received from said plurality of cell controllers, and a request for taking out one of said parts, received from said plurality of cell controllers, a second command distribution means, coupled to said physical distribution control unit, for issuing said transportation command in response to a notice of completion of transportation received from said physical distribution control unit, and a route master for storing information on routes in the production line through which said racks are transported according to a product being produced, so that said charge control system issues said transport command to said physical distribution control system in accordance with the information stored in said route master.