DE102022125524A1 - Methods for designing machine systems - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for designing machine systems, wherein a digital representation (18, 20), in particular a digital twin, of a machine system is created by at least one user (10, 12) by means of an instance of a system design tool (14, 16) executed on a computer. The digital representation (18, 20) has at least one module (22, 24, 26) as a component, wherein the system design tool (14, 16) generates a module (22, 24, 26) in which a copy of an already existing module (22, 24, 26) is generated. When a module (22, 24, 26) is generated as a copy of a copied module (22, 24, 26), a reference (30, 32) of the copied module (22, 24, 26) to the copy of the module (22, 24, 26) and/or the copy of the module (22, 24, 26) to the copied module (22, 24, 26) is generated, which enables the system design tool (14, 16) to access one of the Modules (22, 24, 26) to carry out a check as to whether, in particular since the creation of the copy, a change has taken place in the other module (22, 24, 26).

Description

The invention relates to a method for designing machine systems according to the preamble of claim 1.

Modern machine systems are often designed using an instance of a system design tool running on a computer. The system design tool creates a digital representation of the machine system. The digital representation can in particular be a so-called digital twin.

System design tools of the type in question have made the design of machine systems easier in particular by making it possible to make the digital representations created using the system design tools modular. In other words, modern system design tools make it possible to assemble the digital representation of the machine system, at least in part, from existing modules. This can save the user a considerable amount of work, because modules of a digital representation that have been created once can be reused. To do this, the system design tool can create a copy of an existing module.

In practice, this means that when a new digital representation of a machine system to be designed is created, a module is created as part of the digital representation, in which a copy of a module of another digital representation is created.

The obvious practical benefit of this approach means that certain modules are used comparatively frequently in different digital representations of a large number of designed machine systems. Although this saves work for developers of machine systems, it also encourages people to reuse a particular module over and over again in an unchanged form. However, this in turn can also turn out to be a “brake on progress” in the design of machine systems.

This is particularly due to the fact that modules that are often used in digital representations are often not only used by one user, but are often modules shared among users. If a user further develops such a module, other users of such system design tools usually do not find out about it. Rather, it is often the case that a user who has once created a copy of another user's existing module creates further copies based on this first copy. This results in these users using modules in their designs that may be considered “deprecated” due to other users' advancements. This can, for example, lead to the potential of a company's developers not being fully exploited because some of the developers use outdated modules in their designs because they are simply unfamiliar with the newer version, which may have already been created by a colleague.

The attempt to save manpower by sharing modules when using a system design tool of the type in question can in this way have a detrimental effect on the timeliness of the designed machine systems and thus on the work result.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method for designing machine systems in which the disadvantages described above do not occur or at least occur to a lesser extent.

The task is solved by a method for designing machine systems with the features of claim 1. The features of the dependent claims relate to advantageous embodiments.

The method for designing machine systems provides that at least one user creates a digital representation of a machine system using an instance of a system design tool running on a computer. In other words, the machine system is designed by a user creating a digital representation of the machine system using the system design tool. The system design tool is run on a computer. This can basically be any computer architecture with regard to the specific use of the hardware, i.e. the system design tool can be run as an executable program on a user's workstation computer, and it is also conceivable for the user to access an instance of software running on a server via a data connection.

The digital representation can in particular be a digital twin of the designed machine system. Such digital twins can serve in particular as simplified images of the represented machine systems. But the digital twin can in particular: also contain software that is intended for use by the real machine system, such as firmware.

The digital representation created by the system design tool according to the method has at least one module as a component. In the context of the present invention, a module of the digital representation is understood to be a component of the digital representation that can be identified and delimited by the system design tool.

The method provides that a module is created by the system design tool by creating a copy of an existing module. In this way, it is basically possible to use modules in a plurality of digital representations or, if necessary, to save them as a template, in particular independently of a specific digital representation of a machine system.

The task is solved in particular by generating a reference of the copied module to the copy of the module and/or the copy of the module to the copied module, which enables the system design tool to carry out a check when the system design tool accesses one of the modules whether there has been a change to the other module, particularly since the copy was created.

In other words, a reference is created that allows the system design tool to find the copy of a module and/or the "original" associated with a copy. Using such a reference, the system design tool can check whether changes have been made to copies of this module whenever it accesses a module. This makes it possible to use current modules even in complex environments in which a large number of users may work with a large number of instances of the system design tool and correspondingly large numbers of modules and digital representations are created and used.

The method can in particular provide that a copy of a module that is part of a digital representation of a machine system is stored in a module library by the system design tool. Alternatively and/or additionally, the method can provide that a copy of a module that is stored in a module library is used by the system design tool as part of a digital representation of a machine system. A method that enables the system design tool to access modules in module libraries in order to either store them there or to use the modules stored there as a "copy template" for those modules that are part of a digital representation significantly increases the ease of use for users. In particular, it enables users to collect all those modules that they typically use frequently in a module library. There, the modules can be sorted according to defined criteria and made accessible to the user in an appropriately structured form. This enables the user to find the modules more quickly than if they had to search for them in existing digital representations. The module libraries can be assigned to individual users, whereby in particular a module library assigned to a specific user can only be used by this user using the system design tool. Alternatively and/or additionally, module libraries can also be assigned to user groups. Such module libraries can in particular only be used by users from the specific user group to which they are assigned. In this context, the system design tool can in particular include user management that enables the assignment of access rights to individual users and/or user groups. In this way, for example, the shared use of module libraries within a company can be enabled.

The method can in particular provide that if a change is made to a module by the system design tool, a change note is saved. The change note can be saved as part of the changed module and/or as part of a data structure that is independent of the changed module. Such automated generation of corresponding change notes by the system design tool enables the system design tool to easily determine whether a change to a respective module has occurred. Saving the change note as part of the changed module has the advantage that when the module is checked for changes, additional data structures do not have to be accessed or stored. During a further copying process of the modified module, the change note in particular is automatically copied in this way, so that further copies of this module created in this way can be easily recognized as being changed compared to an “original version” without an external data structure being maintained by the system design tool and must be kept up to date. Saving the change note as inventory part of a data structure that is independent of the changed module has the advantage that the module itself is not influenced by the change notice. This can be useful, for example, if the module is a software component that is not intended to accommodate such change notes and whose function could therefore no longer be guaranteed if a corresponding change note was inserted into this software component.

The reference can be stored as a component of the respective module, from which a reference is made to another module, and/or as a component of a data structure that is independent of the modules and in which references between modules that are created as copies of one another are stored . Storing the reference as part of the respective module has the advantage that when searching for copies of a module, additional data structures do not have to be accessed or stored. Storing the reference as part of a data structure that is independent of the modules has the advantage that the module itself is not influenced by the reference. This can be useful, for example, if the module is a software component that is not intended to accommodate such references and whose function could therefore no longer be guaranteed if a corresponding reference was inserted into this software component.

The method may provide that the system design tool enables a specific user to access a module created by a specific other user using the system design tool, used by a specific other user in a digital representation and/or stored by a specific other user in a module library access. This allows users to specifically share the modules they develop with other users. In this context, the method can in particular provide that the system design tool enables the specific user to access the corresponding modules only with the consent of the other user. In this way, a user who makes his modules available to others using the system design tool can specifically control which users can access “his” modules.

The method can alternatively and/or additionally provide that the system design tool enables a specific user to access a module used in a specific digital representation and/or stored in a specific module library. In this way, users can be enabled to share the digital representations and/or module libraries they have developed with other users in a targeted manner. In this context, the method can in particular provide that the system design tool enables the specific user to access the modules in the corresponding digital representations and/or libraries only with the consent of another user. In this way, a user who makes modules available to others using the system design tool can specifically control which users can access modules in “his” digital representation and/or module library.

Accessing the respective module is understood in particular to mean creating a copy of this module and using it as part of a digital representation. Alternatively and/or additionally, accessing the module in this context is understood in particular to mean creating a copy of this module and saving it in a module library.

The method can in particular provide that when a further module is created as the last link in a chain of copies of an original module, a reference of the further module to the original module and/or a reference of the original module to the further module is created. The reference enables the system design tool to check whether a change has taken place in the other module when the system design tool accesses the further or the original module. The check for the existence of a change is carried out in particular as to whether a change has taken place since copies of the original module were created that affect the chain of copies between the original and the further module. In particular, the check can relate to whether a change has taken place in the original module since the further copy was created. In this way, changes can also be traced across chains of copies. In practice, this can be particularly important when modules are shared and passed on across multiple users in larger user groups. The references, which in such chains of copies “skip” the “intermediate links”, can nevertheless ensure that new versions of modules that are created at the “other” end of the chain of copies can also be made available to the users there. In other words, the procedure can in particular provide that if By copying a module, which is itself a copy of a module, a chain of copies is created, and a reference is made from each module in this chain to every other module in this chain. In other words, the references between the modules form a fully meshed network.

The module and/or a component of the module may be software and/or data that are intended to be part of the digitally represented machine system. Digital representations of the type in question, in particular digital twins, often contain software that is intended to be used directly on a machine system, such as firmware and/or control software. Alternatively and/or additionally, such a digital representation can also contain data that is intended to be used directly by the represented machine system, such as configuration parameters, such as controller parameters, setpoints, maximum and/or minimum values of operating parameters. Such software or data is often transferred directly from the digital representation to the machine system, for example during commissioning. The method for designing machine systems is therefore particularly advantageous with regard to such modules of digital representation, since the method here not only affects the design, but also directly affects the resulting real machine system. In addition, added value can also be created here after the design phase, for example the references can be used to provide updates to the existing machine system after the design phase.

In particular, if the module is software, the method can provide that this software is assigned an identifier in a merchandise management system that is specific for the version of the firmware. A change to the module leads to a new version of the software. The new version of the software leads in particular to the assignment of a new identifier. The method can provide that the change in the identifier is used to detect the change to the module. In this context, the software can in particular be firmware. The identifier can be included in the module. The identifier can be, for example, an SAP material number.

The method can provide that if the result of the check when accessing a module shows that a copy of this module or a module whose copy the module being accessed is has undergone a change, the system design tool applies the change to the module being accessed by the system design tool. By applying the change to the module by the system design tool, the module can be updated. Such a variant of the method has the advantage that the modules are brought up to date as soon as the system design tool accesses them. The application of the change to the module by the system design tool can take place automatically. Alternatively and/or additionally, the method can provide that the system design tool only applies the change following user input. In this way, for example, the user's consent to the change to the module can be obtained.

Alternatively and/or additionally, the method can provide that the system design tool, if the result of the check when accessing a module shows that a copy of this module or a module whose copy is the module that is being accessed, a has undergone a change, the user accessing the module with the system design tool is informed of the change by the system tool. This enables the user to decide for themselves whether they want to update the module.

The method may provide that a plurality of instances of the system design tool can access modules stored in a common module library. In this context, access to the modules means in particular that the entities can make copies of these modules and use them as part of a digital representation. Alternatively and/or additionally, accessing modules stored in the module library is to be understood in particular as meaning that the instances can store copies of modules in the common module library. Such a method, in which a common module library is used by a plurality of instances of the system design tool, enables the exchange of modules between the instances. Technically, this can be solved, for example, by instances of the system design tool that are executed by users on workstations accessing a common module library stored on a server. The workstation computers can then access the common module library via suitable data connections, for example via the Internet.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung eines beispielhaften Verfahrens

Further practical embodiments and advantages of the invention are described below in connection described in connection with the drawings. They show:

• 1 a schematic representation of an exemplary process

An exemplary procedure is shown in 1 The method for designing machine systems can be carried out by a plurality of users as in the example shown, for example two users 10 and 12 as shown. In the example shown, each of the users 10 and 12 uses an instance 14 or 16 of a system design tool running on a computer. With the instances 14 and 16 of the system design tool, the users 10 and 12 can create digital representations 18 and 20, for example digital twins, of machine systems.

The digital representations 18, 20 can have modules 22, 24, 26 as components, and in the example shown, for example, the digital representation 18 has the module 22 and the digital representation 20 has the module 26. The method now provides that modules 22 are created by the system design tool , 24, 26 can be generated by making a copy of an already existing module 26, 24, 26. In this context, the exemplary method, in particular as shown, enables users 10 and 12 to share modules with each other. In practice, this can be done, for example, by user 12 granting user 10 access to a module library 28, which enables user 10 to copy a module 22 that is part of the digital representation 18 and thus generate module 24 , which it in turn stores in the module library 28. In this way, the user 10 can make the module 22 from a digital representation 18 available to the user 12 in the example shown, without having to allow the user 12 access to the digital representation 18.

The user 12 in turn can use the system design tool from the module 24 to generate the module 26 as a copy of the module 24 and add it to the digital representation 20.

The method now provides that, if, for example, the module 24 is created as a copy of the copied module 22, a reference 30, 32 of the copied module 22 to the module 24 and/or a reference 30 of the module 24 to the module 22 is created. The reference 30 can advantageously be a bidirectional reference, as in the example shown, i.e. a reference of the module 22 to the module 24 and of the module 24 to the module 22. Furthermore, the method provides, as in the example shown, that when the module 26 is created as a copy of the module 24, a reference 32 is created. In the example shown, the reference 32 is also a bidirectional reference, i.e. a reference from module 24 to module 26 and from module 26 to module 24. In the example shown, the references 30 and 32 make it possible, when the system design tool accesses one of the modules 22, 24 and/or 26, to check whether the other modules 22, 24 and/or 26 have been changed. In this way, the system design tool is enabled to inform the user 10, for example, when the user 12 has made a change to the module 26, which is a copy of the original module 22. The user 10 is thus enabled to apply corresponding changes to the original module 22 and thus also to develop it further.

The features of the invention disclosed in the present description, in the drawings and in the claims can be essential for the implementation of the invention in its various embodiments, both individually and in any combination. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described. It can be varied within the scope of the requirements and taking into account the knowledge of the responsible specialist.

List of reference symbols

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user

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user

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Digital representation

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Digital representation

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module

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library

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Claims (13)

Method for designing machine systems, wherein a digital representation (18, 20), in particular a digital twin, of a machine system is created by at least one user (10, 12) by means of an instance of a system design tool (14, 16) executed on a computer, wherein the digital representation (18, 20) has at least one module (22, 24, 26) as a component, wherein the system design tool (14, 16) generates a module (22, 24, 26) in which a copy of an already existing module (22, 24, 26) is generated, characterized in that when a module (22, 24, 26) is generated as a copy of a copied module (22, 24, 26), a reference (30, 32) of the copied module (22, 24, 26) to the copy of the module (22, 24, 26) and/or the copy of the module (22, 24, 26) to the copied module (22, 24, 26) is generated, which enables the system design tool (14, 16) to access one of the Modules (22, 24, 26) to carry out a check as to whether, in particular since the creation of the copy, a change has taken place in the other module (22, 24, 26). Procedure according to Claim 1 , characterized in that a copy of a module (22, 24, 26), which is part of a digital representation (18, 20) of a machine system, is stored in a module library (28) by the system design tool (14, 16) and / or through the system design tool (14, 16) uses a copy of a module (22, 24, 26) that is stored in a module library (28) as part of a digital representation (18, 20) of a machine system. Procedure according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that, when a change to a module (22, 24, 26) is made by the system design tool (14, 16), a change note is stored by the system design tool (14, 16) as a component of the changed module (22, 24, 26) and/or as a component of a data structure independent of the changed module (22, 24, 26). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reference (30, 32) is part of the respective module (22, 24, 26) from which reference is made to another module (22, 24, 26). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reference (30, 32) is part of a data structure independent of the modules (22, 24, 26), in which references (30, 32) between modules (22, 24, 26) which are generated as copies of one another are stored. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system design tool enables a specific user (10, 12) to access a module (22, 24, 26) generated by a specific other user (10, 12) by means of the system design tool (14, 16), used by a specific other user (10, 12) in a digital representation (14, 16) and/or stored by a specific other user (10, 12) in a module library (28), in particular exclusively with the consent of the other user (10, 12), in particular to generate a copy of this module (22, 24, 26) and to use it as part of a digital representation (18) and/or to generate a copy of this module (22, 24, 26) and to store it in a module library (28). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system design tool (14, 16) enables a specific user (10, 12) to access the modules (22, 24, 26) used in a specific digital representation (18, 20) and/or stored in a specific module library (28), in particular to generate copies of these modules (22, 24, 26) and to use them as part of a digital representation (18, 20) and/or to generate copies of these modules (22, 24, 26) and to store them in a module library (28). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that when a further module (22, 24, 26) is created as the last link in a chain of copies of an original module (22, 24, 26), a reference (30, 32) of the further module (22, 24, 26) to the original module (22, 24, 26) and/or a reference (30, 32) of the original module (22, 24, 26) to the further module (22, 24, 26) is generated, which enables the system design tool (14, 16) to carry out a check when the system design tool (14, 16) accesses the further or the original module (22, 24, 26) as to whether a change to the other Module (22, 24, 26) took place. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that when a chain of copies is created by copying a module (22, 24, 26), which in turn is itself a copy of a module (22, 24, 26), a reference (30, 32) is created from each module (22, 24, 26) of this chain to every other module (22, 24, 26) of this chain. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the module (22, 24, 26) and/or a component of the module (22, 24, 26) is software and/or data intended for this purpose are to be part of the digitally represented machine system, in particular being firmware, control software and/or configuration parameters. Procedure according to Claim 10 , characterized in that the module (22, 24, 26) is a software, in particular a firmware, to which an identifier in a merchandise management system, which is specific for the version of the firmware and in particular contained in the module, is assigned is, wherein a change in the module (22, 24, 26) leads to a new version of the software and thus to the assignment of a new identifier, the change in the identifier being used to detect the change to the module. Procedure according to one of the preceding Claims 11 , characterized in that the system design tool (14, 16), if the result of the check when accessing a module (22, 24, 26) shows that a copy of this module (22, 24, 26) or a module (22, 24, 26) of which the module (22, 24, 26) being accessed is a copy has undergone a change, the change is applied, in particular automatically, by the system design tool (14, 16) to the module (22, 24, 26) being accessed and/or the user (10, 12) accessing the module (22, 24, 26) with the system design tool (14, 16) is informed of the change by the system design tool (14, 16). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of instances of the system design tool (14, 16) access modules (22, 24, 26) stored in a common module library, in particular generate copies of these modules (22, 24, 26) and can be used as part of a digital representation (18, 20) and/or can store copies of modules (22, 24, 26) in the common module library.

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