JP3595139B2 - Control program test run auxiliary device and control program test run method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a control program test operation assisting device and a control program test operation method used for test operation of a control device, and in particular, to a control device that is controlled by an old control device having at least a certain track record and is already operating, a new control device. The present invention relates to a control program test run auxiliary device and a control program test run method that can reduce downtime in which the control device cannot operate by shortening the use time by test run.
[0002]
[Prior art]
An old control device that has a track record may be updated to a new control device due to system deterioration, service life, or the like. In such an update, particularly in a large-scale control device, a large profit is lost when the operation of the equipment is stopped during the test operation. Therefore, it is important how efficient the trial operation of the new control device can be. The test operation method of the new control device can be classified, for example, as follows.
[0003]
The old control device 12 in the old control panel 10 shown in FIG. 1 inputs and outputs a control signal to and from a control device to be controlled by a field signal S1 taken in by a signal line passing through a distribution board A. I have. It is assumed that the old control device 12 is updated to the new control device 22 accommodated in the new control panel 20.
[0004]
First, as a first test operation example, the signal line is removed from the distribution board A of the old control panel 10, and the connection is changed to the distribution board B of the new control panel 20, and the connection is changed as shown by the arrow in FIG. Will be in the state shown in FIG. On a large scale, this reconnection usually takes several days. In this example, the old control device 12 is replaced with the new control device 22 at the equipment stop timing once, and after that, a trial operation is performed before the actual operation is started. In this case, once the switching work is started, basically, it is not possible to return to the old control device 12.
[0005]
Next, as a second test operation example, a signal changeover switch 24 is installed between the input / output signal of the field signal S1 and the old control device 12 as shown in FIG. To enable connection of the field signal S1. Switching of the signal switch 24 takes several hours in a large scale. In this example, the signal of the old control device 12 or the new control device 22 can be switched at the equipment stop timing that can be performed at any time, and the new control device 22 can be tested or operated, or the old control device 12 can be operated. Until the test operation of the new control device 22 is completed, the operation is restarted by the old control device 12. This operation is repeated several times, and the operation of the new control device 22 is started as soon as the trial operation of the new control device 22 is completed.
[0006]
As a third test operation example, JP-A-6-225364 discloses that the old control device 12 and the new control device 22 are both connected to an external control device for a certain period of time using a communication line or the like. A technique of selectively performing a test operation or an operation by the old control device 12 is disclosed.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the first test operation example described above, once the connection is changed, basically the old control device 12 cannot operate. If the user dares to do so, there is a problem that the connection of the field signal S1 to the old control device 12 is switched again over several days.
[0008]
In the second test run, the new control panel 20 needs to be newly installed while the old control panel 10 is installed, and there is a problem that an installation space is required. In addition, when the scale becomes large, the number of field signals S1 increases to several hundreds, and there is a problem that a large cost is required for a switch for individually switching such a large number of signals. Further, as the number increases, a problem of reliability of the switch itself arises.
[0009]
Further, in each of the first test operation example to the third test operation example described above, the test operation of the new control device is performed only at the equipment stop timing, and the larger the equipment size, the larger the control device size. Therefore, the equipment stoppage time required for the trial operation of the new control device becomes longer. Too long equipment downtime will immediately reduce production volume.
[0010]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described conventional problems, and is intended to reduce the use time of a new control device for a control device that is controlled by an old control device that has at least a certain track record and that is already in operation. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a control program test run auxiliary device and a control program test run method that can suppress downtime in which the control device cannot operate.
[0011]
First, the control program test run auxiliary device of the first invention of the present application has a first input / output port for connecting to a control device external to the control object, and a certain performance of operation of at least a part of the control function related to the control device. Let's test run the second input / output port for connecting to the input / output port to which the control device was connected and the input / output signal from the first input / output port of the old control device for executing a certain control program. to respect the new control unit, a transmission processing unit that passes as the transmission input and output signals, the output port of the output port and the transmission input and output signals of the second input port of the input signal of the first input-output port and transfers both have a test operation mode function of transferring an input signal of the second input port to an output port of the first input-output port, and the input of the first input-output port And transfers to the output port of the transmission input and output signals of No., the output control section having the operation mode function of transferring an input signal of said transmission input and output signals to an output port of the first input-output port, the commissioning In the mode, a maintenance function unit for comparing the input signal of the second input / output port and the input signal of the transmission input / output signal is provided, and these are used by using a sequencer control device having a signal amplification function of a hard relay. This has solved the above-mentioned problem.
[0012]
Further, the control program test run method of the second invention of the present application is a method for controlling the control device from an old control device that executes a control program having a certain record of operation of at least a part of the control function of the control device outside the control target. An electrical connection is removed, and the control device, the old control device, and the old control device to be tested for operation are electrically connected to the control program test operation auxiliary device of claim 1, and the new control device is connected to the new control device. When performing the test operation, first, the input / output control unit of the control program test operation auxiliary device is set to the test operation mode, and while controlling the control device with the control program of the old control device, the output signal of the new control device, The output signal of the old control device is compared with the maintenance function of the control program test run assist device, and the operation of the new control device is performed based on the comparison result. By you to confirm, it is obtained by solving the above problems.
[0013]
Hereinafter, the operation of the present invention will be briefly described.
[0014]
Before SL control program commissioning auxiliary equipment control program commissioning method uses the first invention of the second invention includes a first output port for connection to a control target of the external control device. A second control for connecting to the input / output port to which the control device was connected, of an old control device for executing a control program having at least a certain track record of the operation of at least a part of the control function related to the control device. It has an input / output port. Further, a transmission processing device is provided for transferring an input / output signal from the first input / output port as a transmission / input signal to a new control device to be tested.
[0015]
The control program test run auxiliary device includes an input / output control unit that performs processing on the first input / output port, the second input / output port, and the transmission processing device, and a maintenance function unit.
[0016]
First, the input / output control unit has a test operation mode function and a main operation mode function that are selected. All of these functions transfer a predetermined portion of the input signal to a different predetermined portion of the output signal between the first input / output port, the second input / output port, and the portion of the transmission processing device. That is, in the test operation mode, first, the input signal of the first input / output port is transferred to both the output signal of the second input / output port and the output signal of the transmission input / output signal, and the input signal of the second input / output port is input. A signal to an output signal of the first input / output port. On the other hand, in the present operation mode function, the input signal of the first input / output port is transferred to the output signal of the transmission input / output signal, and the input signal of the transmission input / output signal is output to the output signal of the first input / output port. Transfer to
[0017]
Further, the maintenance function unit compares the input signal of the second input / output port with the input signal of the transmission input / output signal in the test operation mode. According to the comparison result, the operation of the new control device can be confirmed. For example, if the old control device and the new control device have a common operation function, the comparison result should at least basically match at least for the common operation function. It is possible to test whether the operation of the new control device is correct. It should be noted that neither the first invention nor the second invention of the present application specifically limits the use method and form of the comparison result, the comparison timing, and the like.
[0018]
In the present invention, for example, the test operation of the new control device can be performed without stopping the equipment during the normal operation of the old control device. That is, in the test operation mode of the input / output control unit, the input signal of the first input / output port is transferred to the output signal of the second input / output port to which the old control device is connected. The device can be operated and normal operation of the equipment can be performed. Further, in the test operation mode, the input signal of the first input / output port is also transferred to the output signal of the transmission input / output signal to which the new control device is connected. Therefore, the new control device can be operated as a trial operation without stopping the equipment during the normal operation of the old control device.
[0019]
For example, an input signal that is also input to the old control device is taken into the new control device, and the new control device performs calculations, calculations, and the like, and outputs the result. Next, the old control device output signal collected in advance is compared with the output signal of the new control device, and it is determined whether or not the result of calculation, calculation, or the like of the new control device is correct. If the output results of both are the same, the calculation, calculation, control logic, and the like of the old control device and the new control device are equivalent, and if expected, the test run can be completed.
[0020]
As described above, according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, it is possible to perform the test operation of most of the new control device without stopping the equipment during the normal operation of the old control device, for example. This eliminates the need for many test runs with equipment stopped. Therefore, by reducing the use time of the control device that is controlled by the old control device that has at least a certain track record and is already operating by the trial operation of the new control device, downtime in which the control device cannot operate can be suppressed. .
[0021]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0022]
Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration for performing the control program commissioning method according to prior Symbol second invention.
[0023]
In this figure, an old control panel 10 and a new control panel 50 are shown in addition to the control program test run auxiliary device 30 of the embodiment according to the first invention. First, the control program test run auxiliary device 30 has an input / output processing device 32 and a transmission processing device 34. The old control panel 10 has an old control device 12. The new control panel 50 has a monitor device 54 in addition to the new control device 52.
[0024]
Here, in the present invention, a signal which was directly input / output to the old control device 12 of the old control panel 10 before the test operation, that is, the field signal S1, is once collected in the control program test operation auxiliary device 30 using the sequencer control device. After signal amplification, the signal is distributed to the old control device 12 as a field signal S2 and to the new control device 52 as a LAN signal S3. Therefore, the processing speed of the sequencer control device becomes important. Therefore, a small-sized, high-speed, general-purpose sequencer is used for the sequencer control device. Specifically, the sequencer control device whose calculation cycle is about five times or more the calculation cycle of the old control device 12 is selected.
[0025]
Note that, instead of the sequencer control device, there is also a method of amplifying a signal using a hard relay or the like. However, if the old control device 12 has thousands of input / output points, it is necessary to prepare an enormous number of relays, which is not an appropriate method due to the problem of deterioration of the relay contacts and the like.
[0026]
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control program test run auxiliary device 30 of the present embodiment.
[0027]
As shown in this figure, the input / output processing device 32 previously connected the first input / output port 42 for connecting to an external control device to be controlled and the control device of the old control device 12. It has a second input / output port 44 for connecting to an input / output port, and a transmission input / output port 46. Further, the input / output processing device 32 has an input / output control unit 36 and a maintenance function unit 38 for performing processing on the first input / output port 42, the second input / output port 44, and the transmission input / output port 46. .
[0028]
In the present embodiment, the transmission processing device of the first invention is constituted by the transmission input / output port 46 and the transmission processing device 34, and the input / output signal from the first input / output port 42 is transmitted to the new control device for trial operation. The signal is transferred to the device 52 as a transmission input / output signal via the LAN 55. In addition, the old control device 12 executes a control program that has a certain performance of the operation of at least a part of the control function related to the control device.
[0029]
Here, first, the input / output control unit 36 transfers the input signal of the first input / output port 42 to both the output port of the second input / output port 44 and the output port of the transmission input / output signal, and A test operation mode function of transferring an input signal of the first input / output port to an output port of the first input / output port , transferring an input signal of the first input / output port to an output port of the transmission input / output signal, This operation mode function transfers the input signal of the first input / output port to the output port of the first input / output port 42. In the test operation mode, the maintenance function unit 38 compares the input signal of the second input / output port 44 with the input signal of the transmission input / output signal.
[0030]
In the control program test run method according to this embodiment, when the input / output control unit 36 is in the test run mode, the input signal of the first input / output port 42 is transferred to the output signal of the second input / output port 44 to which the old control device 12 is connected. Therefore, the old control device 12 can be operated first, and normal operation of the equipment can be performed. Further, in the test operation mode, the input signal of the first input / output port 42 is transferred to the new control device 52 as an output signal of the transmission input / output signal of the LAN signal S3 transmitted through the LAN 55.
[0031]
Therefore, as described above, according to the control program test operation method of the present embodiment, the new control device 52 can be operated as a test operation without stopping the equipment during the normal operation of the old control device 12. Therefore, by reducing the use time of the control device that is controlled by the old control device that has at least a certain track record and is already operating by the trial operation of the new control device, downtime in which the control device cannot operate can be suppressed. .
[0032]
The control device was updated as described below using the present embodiment as described above.
[0033]
In the case of a control device in which the number of input / output points of the field signals S1, S2 and the LAN signal S3 is about 10,000, in the case of the conventional method similar to the above-described first test operation example, the equipment stoppage time is required about 30 days. On the other hand, in the case of the present embodiment, the switching of the control device could be performed with the facility stoppage time of about 1/10 of the three days. That is, according to the present embodiment, switching of a large-sized control device that conventionally required a large amount of equipment downtime can be realized with about 1/10 of the equipment downtime. In this case, since the number of input / output points of the control device is very large at about 10,000, a total of 15 large control devices are used.
[0034]
After the operation of the new control device 52 has been verified in the test operation, the old control panel 10 and the old control device 12 can be removed, as shown in FIG. In this case, the second input / output port 44 used for signal input / output with respect to the old control device 12 can be used as spare input / output of the new control device. Alternatively, it can be used for an input / output signal of the field signal S1 increased for a new control device, and there is an advantage in such a point.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, at least to a certain extent, the old control device is controlled by the old control device, and by using the new control device for test operation of the control device that is already in operation, the downtime during which the control device cannot operate can be reduced. Can be suppressed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a device configuration in a first conventional test operation example. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a device configuration after the first test operation example. FIG. 3 is a device configuration in a second conventional test operation example. the block diagram of FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration for performing the control program commissioning method according to the block diagram Figure 5 second aspect of the present invention showing the device configuration after the second commissioning example 6 FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control program test operation assisting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention used in the control program test operation method. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration after the control program test operation method is performed.
10 Old control panel 12 Old control devices 20 and 50 New control panels 22 and 52 New control device 24 Signal switch 30 Control program test run auxiliary device 32 Input / output processing device 34 Transmission processing device 36 Output control unit 38 Maintenance function unit 42 First input / output port 44 Second input / output port 46 Transmission input / output port 54 Monitor device 55 LAN
S1, S2: field signal S3: LAN signal

Claims (2)

A first input / output port for connecting to an external control device to be controlled;
A second input / output port for connecting to the input / output port of the old control device for executing a control program having at least a partial track record of the operation of at least a part of the control device related to the control device, to which the control device was connected When,
A transmission processing device for passing an input / output signal from the first input / output port as a transmission input / output signal to a new control device to be tested;
An input signal of the first input / output port is transferred to both an output port of the second input / output port and an output port of the transmission input / output signal, and an input signal of the second input / output port is transmitted to the first input / output port. a test operation mode function of transferring to the port of the output port, also transfers the input signal of the first input port to the output port of the transmission input and output signals, the input signal of said transmission output signal a An input / output control unit having a main operation mode function of transferring to an output port of one input / output port ;
In the test operation mode, a maintenance function unit that compares an input signal of the second input / output port with an input signal of the transmission input / output signal,
A control program test run auxiliary device characterized by realizing these using a sequencer control device having a signal amplification function of a hard relay. The operation of at least a part of the control function related to the external control device to be controlled, from the old control device that executes a control program having a certain degree of performance, disconnect the electrical connection to the control device,
The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control device, the old control device, and the old control device to be tested are electrically connected,
When performing the test operation of the new control device, first, the input and output control unit of the control program test operation auxiliary device to the test operation mode,
While controlling the control device with the control program of the old control device, the output signal of the new control device and the output signal of the old control device are compared by the maintenance function unit of the control program test run auxiliary device,
A control program test run method, wherein the operation of the new control device is confirmed based on the comparison result.

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