JP2000010607A - Remote maintenance method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a remote maintenance method by which maintenance is quickly and correctly executed by grasping the state of a machine from a remote place and executing a countermeasure such as a program change. SOLUTION: The operation state of electric parts which are fitted to a machine is detected by electric measuring parts and the electric parts are controlled by processing in a programmable logic controller based on detected signal data in the remote maintenance method. In the method, a remote maintenance computer 8 at a remote place is connected to the programmable logic controller 1 by a public line or an exclusive line 7. Then, the reception of data which is preserved in the programmable logic controller 1, the designation and the change of a device to be preserved and the designation of data preservation timing are executed by the remote maintenance computer 8 or a terminal computer 4 at a site.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a remote maintenance method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 shows a control configuration diagram of a machine.
Conventionally, various machines are provided with various electric components 2 such as motors and actuators, and control of these electric components 2 is performed based on signal data obtained from electric measurement components 3 such as sensors and potentiometers. Logic Controller (Programmable Logic)
Controller 1 (hereinafter abbreviated as PLC), and the control signal is fed back to the electric component 2 again.

[0003]

In such an apparatus, when an error occurs, it is necessary to investigate data of the PLC 1, the electrical component 2, and the electrical measurement component 3. Conventionally, in such a case, data analysis must be performed by attaching the measuring device 16. For that purpose, it was necessary to go to the site, which required a great deal of labor and time. The obtained data is also a timing chart and a trend chart, and it takes time and knowledge to analyze the data and determine the cause of the error.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, makes it possible to grasp the state of a machine from a remote place or to perform data analysis more easily on site than before, and to perform maintenance such as a program change or the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide a remote maintenance method that can be performed quickly and accurately.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention detects an operating state of an electric component mounted on a machine by an electric measuring component, and performs a programmable operation based on the detected signal data. In a remote maintenance method for controlling the electric components by processing in a logic controller, a remote maintenance computer and a programmable logic
Connect the controller via a public line or a dedicated line, and receive data stored in the programmable logic controller, or specify or change the device to be stored, or specify the timing of data storage, using a remote maintenance computer or on-site terminal The purpose of the present invention is to perform analysis using a computer and using a failure tree analysis diagram. This makes it possible to program the remote maintenance computer from a remote location.
By analyzing the data of the logic controller, it is possible to control the electric components.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a remote maintenance device in a machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 2 and 3 show examples of display on the screen of the remote maintenance computer (including the terminal computer 4) 8 or the output of the printer 9 or the like.

In FIG. 1, an electric component 2 such as a motor and an actuator for operating the machine A, a sensor for monitoring the state of the electric component 2, an electric measuring component 3 such as a potentiometer, and control and monitoring thereof P doing
LC1 is connected by lines L1, L2, L3, respectively. The operating state of the electric component 2 such as a motor and an actuator refers to the speed, the number of revolutions, the torque of the motor and the like, and the on / off state of the motor, the photoelectric tube, the relay and the like. PLC
Electrical components 2 and electrical measurement components 3 that are stored in 1
And the device that stores control data inside the PLC 1 (devices are variables and constants used in programs inside the PLC). Stores data of multiple machines, stores more data than can be stored in PLC1, and installs terminal computer 4 on site to use the same function as remote maintenance computer, and establishes line with PLC1. L4
Connect with.

Next, the terminal computer 4 or the PLC 1 is connected to a remote maintenance computer 8 located at a remote place. The selector 5 is connected by a line L5 and a line L6 so that the remote maintenance computer 8 and the PLC 1 or the terminal computer 4 at a remote place can communicate. The PLC 1 or the terminal computer 4 is connected to the modem 6a via the line L7 via the selector 5. The modem 6a and a remote modem 6b are connected by a public line or a dedicated line 7, and a remote maintenance computer 8 connected to the modem 6b via a line L8 is connected.

Computer 8 for remote maintenance
Communicates with the PLC 1 or the terminal computer 4 to receive and store the stored data, specify and change the device to be stored, and specify the timing of data storage.
The data storage means that the status of the specified device is constantly monitored by the remote maintenance computer 8, and when one or more specified timing conditions are satisfied, the immediately preceding data is stored.

The remote maintenance computer 8 or the terminal computer 4 outputs the received storage device status to a screen, a printer 9 or the like.
FIGS. 2 and 3 show output examples at this time. FIG. 2 shows a failure tree analysis F in order to analyze the cause of the error from the stored data.
This is an example using a TA (Fault Tree Analysis) diagram. Error item 1 in the leftmost item on the screen
0A and 10K are shown, and the conditions that cause them are shown in the right-hand column in 11B, 11F, 11L, 11N, and 110.
It is shown as In the columns of causes B, F, L, N, and O, device names b, f, l, and
n, o and the states b, f, l, n, o that cause it are shown, and when this condition is satisfied, the color of this column changes to notify. In the right column, each cause B,
The causes C to E, G to J, and L to R for F, L, N, and O are hierarchically displayed, and the contents of the cause and countermeasures are shown in the rightmost column in the columns of 12A to 12I as explanations.

Also, the device and timing to be saved can be changed on the failure tree analysis FTA screen.
For example, if the device a of item 10A is selected, the device to be saved can be designated as a device to save all the devices b to j related thereto. 1
When the device b in the section 1B is selected, the devices are designated as devices to be stored by the devices c to e.
When a device is designated as timing, the selected device and its state are designated as timing.

As shown in FIG. 3, a device name to be displayed is entered in a column 13 and if it is digital data, a timing chart shown by reference numeral 14 in FIG. Analysis can be performed by displaying a trend diagram as indicated by reference numeral 15. In addition, by communicating with the PLC 1 from the remote maintenance computer 8, a program in the PLC 1 can be read and written. By installing the same software on the terminal computer 4, the remote maintenance computer 8 can perform all remote operations such as data analysis directly on site, such as data analysis.

As described above, according to the above embodiment,
Since the states of the electric component 2 and the electric measuring component 3 can be stored in the PLC 1, it is not necessary to attach the measuring device 16 from outside. The state of the machine can be investigated from a remote location without having to go to the site because the device designated to save from a remote location and the timing of saving can be changed.

Further, the data can be analyzed by using the failure tree analysis FTA diagram, so that the
The relation with the cause can be easily investigated, and the pursuit of the error cause can be easily performed. In addition, the device can be logically analyzed by designating and changing the device to be saved and designating and changing the timing of saving using the failure tree analysis FTA diagram. As described above, the state of the machine can be grasped from a remote place, and a countermeasure such as a program change can be taken, so that maintenance can be performed quickly and accurately.

[0015]

As described above, the remote maintenance method according to the present invention has the following effects. In a remote maintenance method for detecting an operation state of an electric component mounted on a machine by an electric measurement component, processing the detected signal data in a programmable logic controller and controlling the electric component, a remote maintenance method is provided. Connect the remote maintenance computer and the programmable logic controller in the ground with a public line or a dedicated line to receive data stored in the programmable logic controller.
Alternatively, the designation of the device to be saved, the change, or the designation of the timing of data saving is performed by the remote maintenance computer, so that the state of the machine can be grasped from a remote place, and that measures such as program change can be taken. Maintenance can be performed quickly and accurately. In addition, the present invention detects an operating state of an electric component mounted on a machine by using an electric measuring component, and performs a programmable operation based on the detected signal data.
In the remote maintenance method of controlling the electric components by processing in a logic controller, a remote maintenance computer and a programmable logic controller at a remote location are connected by a public line or a dedicated line and stored in the programmable logic controller. Since the data is received by the remote maintenance computer and analyzed using the fault tree analysis diagram by the remote maintenance computer, it is possible to grasp the state of the machine from a remote location and take measures such as changing programs. Thereby, maintenance can be performed quickly and accurately. Failure tree analysis F
Since the data can be analyzed using the TA diagram, it is easy to investigate the relationship between the error when the error occurs and its cause, and it is easy to pursue the cause of the error, and it is possible to perform a logical analysis.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a remote maintenance device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a screen display of a remote maintenance computer (personal computer).

FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram illustrating an example displayed on an output of a printer or the like.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a control system in the machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Programmable logic controller (PL
C) 2 electrical parts 3 electrical measuring parts 4 terminal computer 5 selector 6a, 6b modem 7 public or dedicated line 8 remote maintenance computer 9 printer

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Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A device inside a programmable logic controller for controlling an electric component based on operation states of an electric component attached to a machine and a measuring component of the electric component and data from the measuring component. Remote maintenance method to find the cause of the error
Connect the remote maintenance computer and the programmable logic controller at a remote location via a public line or a dedicated line, and save the above operation state and device to be stored in the programmable logic controller,
Alternatively, the remote maintenance method is characterized in that the remote maintenance computer specifies, changes, or specifies the timing of storage of a device to be stored. 2. Analyzing a device inside a programmable logic controller that controls the electric component based on each operation state of an electric component attached to the machine and a measuring component of the electric component and data from the measuring component. Remote maintenance method to find the cause of the error
Connect the remote maintenance computer and the programmable logic controller at a remote location via a public line or a dedicated line, and receive the above operating state and device to be stored in the programmable logic controller by the remote maintenance computer and perform remote maintenance. Remote maintenance method characterized in that analysis is performed using a failure tree analysis diagram by a computer for use.