JP2016032228A - Network system for industrial apparatus control - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network system for industrial apparatus control capable of determining the connection order of I/O apparatus exactly with a fixed configuration on the master controller side, without extending an unused extension port, while reducing the cost of the entire system.SOLUTION: In a network system 1 for industrial apparatus control having a network apparatus 3 for connection with the master controller 2 of upper layer over a communication network, and an I/O apparatus 4 of lower layer for connection with the network apparatus 3 via an extension port 32, the extension port 32 includes a slave unit ID setting element 35, and the network apparatus 3 has a slave unit ID acquisition unit 343, a connection state determination unit 344, and an output data transmission unit 345 for transmitting the output data, addressed to an I/O apparatus 4 connection of which is confirmed, to a corresponding I/O apparatus 4 according to the connection order, and not transmitting the output data addressed to an I/O apparatus 4 connection of which is not confirmed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an industrial equipment control network system for controlling industrial equipment such as machine tools operating in a factory or the like.

  Conventionally, as a technology for controlling industrial equipment such as machine tools operating in factories, etc., network equipment connected to the upper layer master controller via a communication network, and lower layer input / output connected to this network equipment A network system having devices is known. In this network system, a control signal for controlling an input / output device is transmitted from the master control device to the input / output device via a network device installed at a remote location or the like.

  For example, Japanese Patent No. 49488839 proposes a technique for allocating an address using an address selector switch to a device (network device) on a Profit IO network which is an industrial fieldbus standard ( Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 49488839

  However, since conventional network devices including the invention described in Patent Document 1 are equipped with a communication chip for communication via a fieldbus or the like, the cost is high. For this reason, the cost of the entire system is reduced by providing a plurality of expansion ports that can be attached to and detached from the network device and connecting as many input / output devices as possible within a range that does not reduce the communication speed.

  On the other hand, since industrial equipment such as machine tools is constituted by a wide variety of input / output devices, there are expansion ports to which no input / output devices are connected depending on the option configuration selected by the user. However, in order to reduce the development cost of the entire system, it is preferable to fix the configuration on the master controller side to the maximum configuration. To that end, the connection order of input / output devices to each expansion port of network devices is also fixed. Need to be.

  For example, a case where a system without the input / output device B is constructed using a network device in which the maximum configuration as shown in FIG. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5B, when the input / output device C is simply connected to the second expansion port by reducing the expansion port by one, the master control device side performs the operation based on the configuration. The input / output device C is regarded as the input / output device B. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 5C, an unused expansion port to which no input / output device is connected is second added so that the connection order (third) of the input / output device C in the maximum configuration does not change. There is a problem that the cost of the entire system increases.

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and has a configuration in which the configuration on the master control device side is fixed, but the input / output device can be used without adding an unused expansion port. It is an object of the present invention to provide an industrial equipment control network system that can accurately determine the connection order of the devices and reduce the cost of the entire system.

  An industrial equipment control network system according to the present invention includes a network equipment connected to an upper layer master control apparatus via a communication network, and lower layer input / output equipment connected to the network equipment via an expansion port; The expansion port includes a slave unit ID setting element for setting a slave unit ID that can identify a connection order of the input / output device to the network device, The network device determines the presence / absence of connection of the input / output device and the connection order based on the child device ID acquisition unit that acquires the child device ID from the child device ID setting element, and the acquired child device ID Of the output data addressed to each input / output device transmitted from the master control device, the connection status determination unit, and the input / output device whose connection has been confirmed Sends the output data addressed to the input and output devices corresponding in accordance with the connection order, the connection is an output data transmitting section does not transmit the output data of the addressed input and output devices that are not confirmed.

  Moreover, as one aspect of the present invention, the master control device includes a parent device ID list in which a parent device ID that can identify the network device and a type of the network device are associated with each other, and the network device includes: A master ID setting element for setting a name-validating master device ID that can validate the master device ID or a master device name arbitrarily set in the network device, and the master control device When the address of the network device is requested from the master device ID setting element, the master device ID acquisition unit that acquires the master device ID or the name validation master device ID from the master device ID setting element, and the master device ID acquisition unit When the master unit ID is acquired, the master unit ID is transmitted to the master control device, and when the master unit ID acquisition unit acquires the name validation master unit ID, the master unit ID is transmitted. It may have a base unit address notifying unit that transmits a name to the master controller.

  The network system for industrial equipment control according to the present invention includes a network device connected to an upper layer master controller via a communication network, and a lower layer input / output connected to the network device via an expansion port. The master control device includes a master device ID list in which a master device ID that can identify the network device and a type of the network device are associated with each other. The network device includes a parent device ID setting element for setting the parent device ID or a name enabling parent device ID that can validate a parent device name arbitrarily set in the network device. When the master control device requests the address of the network device, the master unit ID setting element A master device ID acquisition unit that acquires the master device ID or the name validation master device ID, and when the master device ID acquisition unit acquires the master device ID, transmits the master device ID to the master control device. And a master unit address notifying unit for transmitting the master unit name to the master control device when the master unit ID acquiring unit acquires the name validation master unit ID.

  According to the present invention, although the configuration on the master controller side is fixed, the connection order of input / output devices can be accurately determined without adding unused expansion ports, and the entire system can be determined. Cost can be reduced.

It is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a network system for industrial equipment control concerning the present invention. In this embodiment, it is a figure which shows an example of main | base station ID list. In this embodiment, it is a figure which shows an example of (a) output data and (b) example of input data. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the network system for industrial equipment control of this embodiment. It is a figure explaining the subject in the conventional network system.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a network system for industrial equipment control according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the industrial equipment control network system 1 of the present embodiment mainly includes an upper layer master control apparatus 2 that functions as a controller, and a network equipment 3 connected to the master control apparatus 2. The lower layer input / output device 4 connected to the network device 3 via the expansion port 32 is connected via a communication network. Hereinafter, each configuration will be described in detail.

  In the present invention, the communication network refers to communication between various devices constituting an industrial device such as PROFINET (registered trademark), PROFIBUS (registered trademark), EthernetIP (registered trademark), and EtherCAT (registered trademark). It is a concept that includes all communication networks used to

  Further, in FIG. 1, only one network device 3 and three input / output devices 4 are shown for simplicity of explanation, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. That is, a plurality of network devices 3 are connected to the master control device 2, and various input / output devices 4 are connected to each network device 3 according to the option configuration selected by the user. May be.

  The master control device 2 functions as a controller in industrial equipment. In the present embodiment, the master control device 2 is constituted by a computer such as a programmable logic controller (PLC) or a personal computer. As shown in FIG. 1, the master control device 2 mainly includes a master-side storage unit 21 and a master-side arithmetic processing unit. 22.

  The master-side storage unit 21 stores various data and functions as a working area when the master-side arithmetic processing unit 22 performs arithmetic processing. In the present embodiment, the master-side storage unit 21 includes a hard disk, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a flash memory, and the like, and a master program (not shown) is installed. The master-side arithmetic processing means 22 executes the master program so that the computer functions as the master control device 2.

  Moreover, the master side memory | storage means 21 has the main | base station ID list memory | storage part 211, as shown in FIG. The parent device ID list storage unit 211 stores a parent device ID list in which a parent device ID that can identify the network device 3 and a type of the network device 3 are associated with each other. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a number of “1” or more is used as a parent device ID, and various network devices 3 are associated with each other. As a result, as will be described later, addressing can be realized simply by allocating the parent device ID corresponding to the network device 3 as the value of the parent device ID setting element 31 mounted on each network device 3.

  The master storage unit 21 stores a configuration (not shown) indicating the maximum configuration of the industrial equipment control network system 1. In this configuration, the type and order of network devices 3 connected to the master control device 2 and the type and order of input / output devices 4 connected to each network device 3 are set.

  In this embodiment, for convenience, the network device 3 is expressed as a “master device” and the input / output device 4 is expressed as a “slave device”. However, these terms have no technical meaning. Absent.

  The master-side arithmetic processing means 22 is composed of an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a CPU (Central Processing Unit), etc., and executes various processes by executing a master program installed in the master-side storage means 21. It is something to execute. In the present embodiment, as will be described later, the master-side arithmetic processing means 22 performs processing for requesting a base unit address from the network device 3, processing for transmitting output data to the network device 3, and input / output device 4. The process of receiving the input data is executed.

  Next, the network device 3 mediates transmission / reception of input / output data between the master control device 2 and the input / output device 4. In the present embodiment, the network device 3 is configured by remote I / O or the like, and as shown in FIG. 1, mainly, a parent device ID setting element 31, an expansion port 32, a parent device storage means 33, And base unit side arithmetic processing means 34. Although not shown, a communication chip corresponding to the protocol of the communication network is mounted.

  The parent device ID setting element 31 is for setting a parent device ID that can identify the network device 3 or a name enabling parent device ID that can validate a parent device name described later. In the present embodiment, the base unit ID setting element 31 is configured by a DIP (Dual In-line Package) switch, a rotary selector switch, or the like, and a base unit for addressing the network device 3 by manual operation. A code corresponding to the ID or name-validating master unit ID can be selected as appropriate.

  The expansion port 32 is for connecting the input / output device 4 to the network device 3. In the present embodiment, the expansion port 32 is configured to be detachable from the network device 3 according to a predetermined connection order, as shown in FIG. Each expansion port 32 is provided with a handset ID setting element 35 as shown in FIG.

  The slave unit ID setting element 35 is for setting a slave unit ID that can identify the connection order of the input / output device 4 to the network device 3. In the present embodiment, the slave unit ID setting element 35 is configured by a DIP (Dual In-line Package) switch, a rotary selector switch, or the like, and appropriately selects a code corresponding to the slave unit ID by manual operation. It can be done.

  As described above, the parent device ID means the address of the network device 3, while the child device ID means the connection order of the input / output device 4 (expansion port 32). The meaning of is different. For this reason, in the same industrial equipment control network system 1, there is no problem even if the parent device ID and the child device ID are set to overlapping values.

  The base-side storage means 33 stores various data and functions as a working area when the base-side arithmetic processing means 34 performs arithmetic processing. In the present embodiment, the base-side storage means 33 is configured by a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a flash memory, and the like. As shown in FIG. It has a machine name storage unit 332 and a connection state storage unit 333.

  The program storage unit 331 is installed with a master program 3a for controlling the network device 3 of the present embodiment. Then, the base unit side arithmetic processing means 34 executes the base unit program 3a, thereby causing the computer as the network device 3 to function as each component described later.

  The parent device name storage unit 332 stores a parent device name for identifying the network device 3. In the present embodiment, only when the name validation parent device ID is set in the parent device ID setting element 31, the master device name is notified to the master control device 2 as the parent device address and is addressed. In the specification such as PROFINET, an arbitrary parent device name can be set in the parent device name storage unit 332 for each network device 3 from the address setting application on the master control device 2 side.

  The connection state storage unit 333 stores the connection state of the input / output device 4 with respect to the network device 3. In the present embodiment, the presence / absence of connection of the input / output device 4 determined by a connection state determination unit 344 described later and the connection order thereof are stored. Specifically, for example, in the case of the network device 3 in which three input / output devices 4 are set as the maximum configuration, whether or not the first input / output device 4 is connected or not is connected. Whether the third input / output device 4 is connected or not is stored.

  The base unit side arithmetic processing means 34 is composed of an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and the like, and by executing the base unit program 3 a installed in the base unit side storage means 33. As shown in FIG. 1, a parent device ID acquisition unit 341, a parent device address notification unit 342, a child device ID acquisition unit 343, a connection state determination unit 344, an output data transmission unit 345, and an input data transmission unit It functions as 346. Hereinafter, each component will be described in more detail.

  The master unit ID acquisition unit 341 acquires the master unit ID or the name validation master unit ID from the master unit ID setting element 31 when the master control device 2 requests the address (master unit address) of the network device 3. Is. Specifically, if the parent device ID setting element 31 is a DIP switch, a code represented by a hexadecimal number or the like is acquired based on the on / off state of each slide switch. Further, if the parent device ID setting element 31 is a rotary selector switch, a code corresponding to the rotational position is acquired.

  The base unit address notification unit 342 notifies the master control device 2 of the address (base unit address) of the network device 3. Specifically, the base unit address notification unit 342 transmits the base unit ID to the master control device 2 when the base unit ID acquisition unit 341 acquires the base unit ID. On the other hand, when the base unit ID acquisition unit 341 acquires the name validation base unit ID, the base unit address notification unit 342 reads the base unit name from the base unit name storage unit 332 and performs master control of the base unit name. The data is transmitted to the device 2. In the present embodiment, a numerical value of 1 or more is set as the parent device ID, and 0 (zero) is set as the name validation parent device ID.

  The slave unit ID acquisition unit 343 acquires the slave unit ID from the slave unit ID setting element 35. In the present embodiment, the slave unit ID acquisition unit 343 reads the slave unit IDs from the slave unit ID setting elements 35 of all the expansion ports 32 connected to the network device 3. Specifically, if the handset ID setting element 35 is a DIP switch, a code represented by a hexadecimal number or the like is acquired based on the on / off state of each slide switch. Further, if the slave unit ID setting element 35 is a rotary selector switch, a code corresponding to the rotational position is acquired.

  The connection state determination unit 344 determines the connection state of the input / output device 4 with respect to the network device 3. In the present embodiment, the connection state determination unit 344 determines whether or not the input / output device 4 is connected and its connection order based on the child device ID acquired by the child device ID acquisition unit 343. For example, when the acquired child device IDs are “1” and “3”, the connection state determination unit 344 is connected to the first and third input / output devices 4 connected in the maximum configuration, In addition, it is determined that the input / output device 4 connected second in the maximum configuration is not connected. Then, the determination result is stored in the connection state storage unit 333.

  The output data transmission unit 345 transmits the output data from the master control device 2 to the input / output device 4 based on the connection state stored in the connection state storage unit 333. In the present embodiment, the output data transmission unit 345 corresponds to the output data addressed to the input / output device 4 whose connection has been confirmed among the output data addressed to each input / output device 4 transmitted from the master control device 2 according to the connection order. To the input / output device 4 to be transmitted. On the other hand, the output data transmission unit 345 does not transmit the output data addressed to the input / output device 4 whose connection is not confirmed.

  The input data transmission unit 346 transmits the input data from the input / output device 4 to the master control device 2 based on the connection state stored in the connection state storage unit 333. In the present embodiment, the input data transmission unit 346 transmits the input data transmitted from each input / output device 4 to the master control device 2 as it is. On the other hand, the input data transmission unit 346 generates empty data corresponding to the input data transmitted from the input / output device 4 for the input / output device 4 whose connection is not confirmed, and transmits the empty data to the master control device 2. ing.

  Examples of output data and input data are shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b), respectively. As shown in FIG. 3, each data is composed of a mere bit string, and is associated with the board number and address of the network device 3 and the input / output device 4, and the digital output port state (DO b.xx) or the digital input It has a port status (DI b.xx). Note that b is a board number, and xx is a port number.

  The input / output device 4 is controlled by the master control device 2. In the present embodiment, the input / output device 4 is connected to the network device 3 via the expansion port 32. Specific examples of the input / output device 4 include magazines (single, double), cooling units (spindles, DD motors), lubrication units (ball screw lubrication, sliding surfaces, spindles), chip conveyors (in-machine conveyors, (External conveyor), coolant pump (blade edge, high pressure, chip removal, shower) and the like, but are not limited thereto.

  Next, the operation of the industrial equipment control network system 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, when the master-side arithmetic processing means 22 of the master control device 2 requests the master device address from the network device 3 (step S1), the master device ID acquisition unit 341 receives the master device ID from the master device ID setting element 31. Alternatively, the name validation master device ID is acquired (step S2).

  In the present embodiment, when the ID acquired by the parent device ID acquisition unit 341 is a parent device ID (1 or more) (step S3: YES), the parent device address notification unit 342 assigns the parent device ID to the master control device 2. (Step S4). Thereby, the master control device 2 determines the type of the network device 3 corresponding to the notified parent device ID based on the parent device ID list of the parent device ID list storage unit 211. For this reason, addressing can be realized simply by allocating the parent device ID corresponding to the network device 3 as the value of the parent device ID setting element 31 mounted on each network device 3.

  On the other hand, when the ID acquired by the parent device ID acquisition unit 341 is the name validation parent device ID (0: zero) (step S3: NO), the parent device address notification unit 342 sets in the parent device name storage unit 332 The master device name thus notified is notified to the master control device 2 (step S5). As a result, the master control device 2 realizes the addressing of the network device 3 by the parent device name. For this reason, the user can be released from the addressing rule based on the above-mentioned parent device ID only by setting the name validation parent device ID as the value of the parent device ID setting element 31 mounted on each network device 3. .

  In the present embodiment, if there is no name-validating parent device ID, the network device 3 is always addressed by the parent device ID set in the parent device ID setting element 31. For this reason, even when a new network device 3 is added in order to additionally connect a unique input / output device 4 or the like, the parent device name named in the above address setting application may be ignored and an operation error may occur. is there. In addition, the maximum connectable number of network devices 3 is limited to a numerical value that can be expressed by the parent device ID setting element 31. However, these problems are all solved by introducing the name-validating master unit ID of this embodiment.

  Next, the master-side arithmetic processing means 22 of the master control device 2 transmits output data addressed to each input / output device 4 to be controlled to the network device 3 (step S6). On the other hand, in the network device 3, the child device ID acquisition unit 343 acquires the child device ID from the child device ID setting elements 35 of all the expansion ports 32 to which the input / output device 4 is connected (step S7). Based on the machine ID, the connection state determination unit 344 determines the connection state of the input / output device 4 (step S8).

  Thus, when a system without the input / output device B is constructed using the network device 3 in which the maximum configuration as shown in FIG. 5A is set, as shown in FIG. Simply by subtracting 32 and setting the slave unit ID setting element 35 of the first expansion port 32 to "1" and setting the slave unit ID setting element 35 of the second expansion port 32 to "3" The state discriminating unit 344 discriminates the arrangement of the input / output devices A and C, and hence the arrangement of the output data.

  Subsequently, when the connection state of the input / output device 4 is determined (step S8), the output data transmission unit 345 confirms the connection among the output data transmitted from the master control device 2 to each input / output device 4. The output data addressed to the input / output device 4 is transmitted to the corresponding input / output device 4 in accordance with the connection order (step S9). At this time, the output data transmission unit 345 ignores and does not transmit the output data addressed to the input / output device 4 whose connection is not confirmed.

  When input data is transmitted from the input / output device 4 (step S10), the input data transmission unit 346 generates empty data corresponding to the input data from the input / output device 4 whose connection is not confirmed, and together with the input data. The data is transmitted to the master control device 2 (step S11).

  Therefore, it is not necessary to change the configuration at the maximum configuration on the master control device 2 side. Further, as shown in FIG. 5C, it is not necessary to add an unused expansion port 32 second so that the connection order (third) of the input / output device C in the maximum configuration does not change. Therefore, the cost of the entire system is reduced.

According to the present embodiment as described above, the following effects can be obtained.
1. Although the configuration on the master controller 2 side is fixed, the connection order of the input / output devices 4 can be accurately determined without adding an unused expansion port 32, thus reducing the overall system cost. can do.
2. The network device 3 can be easily addressed by the parent device ID setting element 31.
3. It can be released from the addressing rule by the base unit ID setting element 31, and even the network device 3 to be connected additionally is easy to operate and the number of connected devices is not limited.
4). Duplicate values can be used between the parent device ID setting element 31 and the child device ID setting element 35, and setting errors are unlikely to occur.

  The industrial equipment control network system 1 according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be changed as appropriate.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Industrial equipment control network system 2 Master control apparatus 3 Network equipment 3a Parent machine program 4 Input / output equipment 21 Master side memory | storage means 22 Master side arithmetic processing means 211 Parent | base station ID list memory | storage part 31 Parent | base station ID setting element 32 Expansion port 33 Master unit storage unit 34 Master unit calculation processing unit 35 Slave unit ID setting element 331 Program storage unit 332 Master unit name storage unit 333 Connection state storage unit 341 Master unit ID acquisition unit 342 Master unit address notification unit 343 Slave unit ID Acquisition unit 344 Connection state determination unit 345 Output data transmission unit 346 Input data transmission unit

Claims (3)

An industrial equipment control network system having a network device connected to an upper layer master control device via a communication network and a lower layer input / output device connected to the network device via an expansion port,
The expansion port includes a handset ID setting element for setting a handset ID capable of identifying a connection order of the input / output device to the network device,
The network device is:
A handset ID acquisition unit for acquiring the handset ID from the handset ID setting element;
A connection state determination unit that determines presence / absence of connection of the input / output device and the connection order based on the acquired child device ID;
Out of the output data addressed to each input / output device transmitted from the master control device, the output data addressed to the input / output device whose connection is confirmed is transmitted to the corresponding input / output device according to the connection order, and the connection is not confirmed. An industrial equipment control network system having an output data transmission section that does not transmit output data addressed to input / output equipment. The master control device includes a parent device ID list in which a parent device ID that can identify the network device is associated with a type of the network device;
The network device includes a parent device ID setting element for setting the parent device ID or a name enabling parent device ID that can validate a parent device name arbitrarily set in the network device,
A master device ID acquisition unit that acquires the master device ID or the name-validated master device ID from the master device ID setting element when an address of the network device is requested from the master control device;
When the base unit ID acquisition unit acquires the base unit ID, the base unit ID is transmitted to the master control device, and when the base unit ID acquisition unit acquires the name validation base unit ID The network system for industrial equipment control according to claim 1, further comprising: a parent device address notification unit that transmits the parent device name to the master control device. An industrial equipment control network system having a network device connected to an upper layer master control device via a communication network and a lower layer input / output device connected to the network device via an expansion port,
The master control device includes a parent device ID list in which a parent device ID that can identify the network device is associated with a type of the network device;
The network device includes a parent device ID setting element for setting the parent device ID or a name enabling parent device ID that can validate a parent device name arbitrarily set in the network device,
A master device ID acquisition unit that acquires the master device ID or the name-validated master device ID from the master device ID setting element when an address of the network device is requested from the master control device;
When the base unit ID acquisition unit acquires the base unit ID, the base unit ID is transmitted to the master control device, and when the base unit ID acquisition unit acquires the name validation base unit ID A network system for industrial equipment control, comprising: a master unit address notification unit for transmitting the master unit name to the master control device.

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