JPH0895624A - Actuator controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an actuator controller which can accurately judge the operation of plural actuators and then can perform quick processing jobs. CONSTITUTION: A controller OS part 28 monitors the state signal sent from an actuator 30 and judges the state as abnormality based on the time needed for reception of the state signal. Under such conditions, the part 28 sets the actuator 30 in a prescribed state via a motor drive circuit 36. Then, the part 28 actuates a drive power relay 34 to cut the supply of power to the actuator 30.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an actuator controller capable of controlling a plurality of actuators and monitoring the operation thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the operation of an electric actuator such as a motor, a driver (motor drive device) and a controller (positioning control device) are connected to each other and automatically operated by a program inside the controller. Under automatic driving conditions, it is necessary to safely and automatically deal with the occurrence of an abnormality such as a failure.

Conventionally, many methods of detecting abnormalities and safety measures have been proposed. For example, the driver constantly monitors for overcurrent, overspeed, overload, motor disconnection abnormality, encoder abnormality, etc. If the driver detects an abnormality, the motor is stopped and the drive circuit is cut off, and an alarm or other abnormality occurs. Some output signals to the outside.

By the way, the actuator is operated in synchronization with many other devices due to its character as a multi-point positioning device, and forms a device group for performing one unit of work. With the recent development of electronic technology, a controller can control a device (hereinafter, referred to as a peripheral device) that operates in synchronization with these actuators. In this case, each peripheral device is connected to and controlled by a general-purpose input / output circuit which is provided in the controller and whose input / output operation can be programmable.

Here, in order to ensure the stability and safety of work in a group of devices in which a plurality of devices are operated in synchronization, it is necessary to take appropriate measures automatically when an abnormality occurs in each of the constituent devices. There is.

FIG. 11 shows an example in which the controller 4 controls the electric driver 2 having a self-diagnosis function via the general-purpose input / output circuit 6. In this case, the electric driver 2 is controlled by a dedicated electric driver controller 8. When the electric driver controller 8 receives the operation start signal from the controller 4, the electric driver controller 8 operates the electric driver 2. The controller 4 monitors the operation completion signal and the alarm signal from the electric driver controller 8. When the screw tightening is completed and the operation completion signal from the electric driver controller 8 is sent to the controller 4, the controller 4
Completes the operation routine of the electric driver 2, and moves to execution of the next routine (for example, operation of the electric actuator). On the other hand, when an abnormality occurs during the screw closing operation and the alarm signal is output from the electric driver controller 8, the controller 4 performs a routine corresponding to the screw tightening cancellation (for example, displaying an alarm occurrence to the user, retracting the actuator, Stop, discharge work etc.). In this way, if the peripheral device has a self-diagnosis function,
It becomes possible to execute a routine corresponding to the abnormality of the peripheral device, and it is possible to ensure the stability and safety of the work of the entire device group.

However, the function of self-diagnosis and the like of such a constituent device is limited to a relatively large-scale and sophisticated device because of problems of structure and cost.

FIG. 12 shows an example in which the controller 12 controls the air chuck 10 which does not have a self-diagnosis function in the peripheral device via the general-purpose input / output circuit 14. The general-purpose input circuit 14 outputs the solenoid valve 1 according to the output from the controller 12.
Activate solenoid 6 With the operation of the solenoid valve 16, pressurized air is supplied to the air chuck 10, and the claw of the air chuck 10 is closed. With the closing operation of the claw, the claw closing confirmation switch is activated, and a signal indicating the claw closing is sent to the controller general-purpose input circuit 14. When the controller 12 confirms the claw closing signal, the controller 12 ends the operation routine of the air chuck 10 and proceeds to the execution of the next routine (for example, the actuator operation routine). In this case, if an abnormality occurs in the solenoid valve 16 or the confirmation switch, normal operation is not performed, and the claw closing signal is not obtained, the above air chuck operation routine is delayed on the way. Of course, the controller 12 does not detect any abnormality, and the controller 12 continues to wait for the claw closing signal. As described above, when the peripheral device does not have the self-diagnosis function, the controller 12 cannot effectively deal with the occurrence of the abnormality. Moreover, in order to detect abnormalities in peripheral devices, it is necessary to provide a dedicated sensor for detecting abnormalities, which not only directly increases costs, but also requires an increase in the number of wires and the creation of new control programs. To do.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is to detect an abnormality in the peripheral device and to promptly detect the abnormality when the peripheral devices are controlled through a general-purpose input / output circuit. It is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive actuator controller capable of taking measures.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an actuator controller for controlling the operation of a plurality of actuators, wherein an operation state signal for receiving a predetermined operation state signal from each of the actuators. Receiving means, time measuring means for measuring the time until the operation state signal is received, and permissible time setting means for setting the permissible time of the time until the operation state signal is received,
Monitoring means for monitoring whether the time measured by the time measuring means is outside the allowable time, and predetermined when the time measured by the time measuring means is judged to be outside the allowable time And an error processing unit that performs the error processing of.

[0011]

According to the present invention, a predetermined operation state signal from each actuator is monitored, and the operation of the actuator is judged to be abnormal or normal according to the timing of reception of the signal. It becomes possible to take appropriate measures promptly.

[0012]

[Example] Generally, when a peripheral device is operated in synchronization with an electric actuator or another device by a controller,
Write general-purpose I / O instructions in the operation program. By executing this instruction described in the program, an operation instruction is sent from the general-purpose input / output circuit to the peripheral device, and the operation synchronized with the actuator and other peripheral devices is realized. On the other hand, when it is desired to operate the actuator and other peripheral devices in synchronization with the completion of the operation of the peripheral device, the input condition judgment command of the general-purpose input / output circuit is described in the operation program. Execution of this instruction described in the program causes the controller to start monitoring the state of the general-purpose input / output circuit. When the state of the general-purpose input / output circuit satisfies the condition indicated in the instruction, the controller executes the processing when the condition described in the instruction is satisfied.

As described above, the control of the peripheral device constitutes a control loop of operation instruction → execution → confirmation of completion signal → next operation instruction. Here, if an abnormality occurs in the peripheral device, there is a problem in execution, completion, and transmission of the completion signal.
The controller cannot obtain the completion signal or the time to obtain the completion signal increases. Therefore, if the completion signal is not obtained within the specific time, it is considered that the peripheral device is abnormal. The delay time of the completion signal until it is recognized that an abnormality has occurred in the peripheral device is obviously different depending on the case, and can be freely set by the user.

The actuator controller of this embodiment shown in FIG. 1A is composed of functional modules independent of each other in terms of hardware and software. The functional modules are classified into a power supply, a driver, a control unit, an external memory, an interface (communication and general-purpose input / output circuit), and an operation display unit, and are connected to each other by a common standard communication / power supply line. These can be freely recombined and can meet various specifications at low cost. In addition, the capacity can be easily changed by partially upgrading the system by replacing the module. Furthermore, it is also possible to partially divide and separate, and connect between them with a cable satisfying the above-mentioned common standard for operation.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1B, the power source and the driver are separated from the control unit, and they are provided together with the servo motor of the actuator to concentrate the high-voltage circuit, which can be effective for safety. Further, as shown in FIG. 1C, a plurality of drivers can be connected to a single control unit to easily make the system multi-axis.

The control function configuration required by the user varies depending on the situation in which the controller is used. It is possible to realize a system with a fundamentally different control function configuration with a single controller. This controller significantly realizes the functions that were previously configured by hardware with software, increasing the software dependency of all functions. In the initial state, the control unit is equipped with an OS configured only with memory management and communication functions, and does not have a control function as an actuator controller. In order to realize the control function, it is necessary to externally install the OS of the control system. The installation method is as follows.
There is a seed. 1. Method to connect ROM board directly (factory default). 2. How to insert a ROM card into an external memory module. 3. A method of transmitting from an external computer via the communication port of the interface module.

In the case of the above two or three methods, the ROM of the control unit
By using a flash memory for this (when the external memory module is equipped with a hard disk in a large-scale system configuration, it is stored in that part), the user can easily change the control configuration.

The controller provides six representative control function configurations. System 1: When the controller is used in a stand-alone manner and the actuator and peripheral devices are controlled by the controller, it has peripheral device control capability similar to a sequencer and a high level instruction set (Fig. 2A). System 2: When the controller is the main control unit and the operation of the entire device is to be described by a controller program, the general-purpose input / output functions as parallel data in order to allow the sequencer to control the peripheral device in routine units (Fig. 2B). . System 3: When the controller executes a plurality of actuator operation routines under a device configuration that performs overall control by the sequencer, the sequencer enables execution of a specific program (FIG. 2C). System 4: If the actuator is to be operated as a multi-point positioning cylinder under a device configuration that performs overall control by the sequencer, the stop position of the actuator can be handled as an output device from the sequencer (Fig. 2).
D). System 5: When the multi-axis control is performed and the trajectory complement is not particularly performed, it is possible to realize by connecting the system hardware of the single-axis configuration. System 6: When multi-axis control is required and trajectory complement is required, a dedicated high-speed arithmetic unit is required.
Allows the ability of the unit to select a complementary ability.

In addition to this, a special function module, a high function instruction set, an additional memory, and communication (network) software are prepared, and the function can be expanded as needed. In addition, most of the functions have been realized by software, so function selection by parameters,
The degree of freedom of capacity adjustment is greatly increased, and it becomes possible for the user to easily configure the function conventionally supported as a custom-made application.

On the other hand, in order to easily set the greatly increased parameter, this controller prepares dedicated software for parameter setting. This software sets parameters from a general-purpose personal computer via a communication port (for example, RS422). In order to easily set a large number of parameters without prior knowledge, the parameter data is provided in a matrix that is classified for each typical usage environment. The user has some YES provided by the software
It is possible to easily reach the required parameter matrix simply by answering the questions in the / NO format, and no prior knowledge is required to set the parameters (FIG. 3).

In order to partially change the parameter matrix thus obtained, the parameter matrix is composed of blocks divided for each function. Each functional block has a plurality of subtly different but substitutable parameter matrices of the same kind, and the required parameter matrix can be easily reached by answering similar questions.

As described above, as shown in FIG. 3, the parameter matrix hierarchically constructed in a tree diagram can be finely changed each time the depth is increased, but at the same time requires deep knowledge. However, it is possible to easily reach the required parameter matrix by an interactive method at any depth. With such a method, it is possible to set and change a huge number of parameters without prior knowledge.
The deepest layer of the tree of the parameter matrix that can be changed by the user is an individual parameter, but there is a system parameter that can be selected only by the manufacturer in the deeper layer. System parameters include parameters that are prohibited from being selected by the user for safety reasons, parameters that select maintenance functions such as inspections, tests, and diagnostics, and parameters that are located at the core of the system configuration. Direct writing of data to the area is required.

The structure and structural outline of the controller have been described above. This controller has enormous variations due to the module configuration and software changes.

Next, as a typical configuration, each part will be described by taking the single-axis electric actuator controller shown in FIG. 4 as an example. This controller is AC power supply module, AC servo motor driver module, single axis control module,
It is composed of an RS232C serial interface module and a general-purpose input / output module, and is equipped with a control OS.

The AC power supply module is composed of two power supply circuits. One is a control power supply circuit 20 that supplies a weak DC power to a control circuit, such as a control module, an interface module, a general-purpose input / output module, and an AC servo motor module, and the other is a motor that supplies a high voltage and a large current for driving the motor. The drive power supply circuit 22.
For both, the power supply terminal 2 provided in the power supply module
4 (AC 100 V. in FIG. 4) is collectively supplied with power. A drive power cutoff relay 26 is provided between the motor drive power supply circuit 22 and the power supply terminal 24 via a power switch 25, and is turned on / off by a controller OS unit 28 (single axis control module) described later. Controlled. This is: 1) As a final measure when an abnormality occurs, the motor drive power is shut off to ensure a high degree of safety. 2) By incorporating a disconnection relay and a disconnection routine, no special external device is required for the above measures. This is especially effective when used alone as a standalone. 3) It is possible to synchronize the shutoff routine with other control routines when an abnormality occurs, and it is possible to perform power shutoff at a timing that cannot be realized by shutoff measures from an external device. For example, the motor is stopped by the instantaneous maximum torque, and the drive power supply is shut down. And so on.

Further, this power supply module supplies a release power for the electromagnetic brake 32 provided in the electric actuator 30. The electromagnetic brake 32 is released by energization. The release power source (AC100 in the illustrated example) is controlled by the electromagnetic brake release relay 34 controlled by the controller OS unit 28, but the power source upstream side is connected to the rear of the drive power source cutoff relay 26 and the above-mentioned drive power source is connected. When the power is cut off, the release power is automatically cut off, the electromagnetic brake 32 is activated, and the actuator 30 is fixed.

The AC servo motor driver module is composed of a motor drive circuit 36 and a driver control circuit 38. The motor drive circuit 36 drives the motor 40 by the power source obtained from the motor drive power source circuit 22, and drives the motor by the motor power lines (U, V, W). The driver control circuit 38 calculates a servo loop, controls the motor drive circuit 36, and monitors motor abnormality. The driver control circuit 38 may be included in the control module depending on the configuration of the controller. For example, in the case of a small-scale configuration, one controller control and one driver control
One controller is enough. When performing multi-axis complement processing,
Since a multi-axis high-speed servo operation is required, a driver control unit is installed in the control module.

The general-purpose input / output module has a plurality of input / output terminals for controlling the peripheral equipment.
It is controlled by the S unit 28. The general-purpose input / output terminal 44 is controlled in the following situations. 1) Execution of command in program Single output: ON / OFF, inversion, air device control command. M code output: Outputs parallel data from multiple terminals and outputs data to peripheral devices such as sequencers. Expansion module control output: A general-purpose I / O circuit output is used as a parallel data output port, and a module controlled by parallel data is expanded.

Expansion 1 / O module (general-purpose input / output terminal 8
When bit, it is possible to add up to 255 points).

D / A conversion module (air balancer control by voltage command type electro-pneumatic proportional valve). 2) Forced output: Controlled by manual operation without using a program to check the operation of peripheral devices and connection. 3) Virtual input: In order to confirm the operation of the program, the input data of general-purpose input / output is ignored and the program is executed by the virtual input data. 4) General-purpose input / output state designation: In order to ensure the safety of the peripheral device, the general-purpose input / output terminal 44 takes an initial state and a specific state predetermined by the parameter when an abnormality occurs.

The single-axis control module forms the center of the controller function, and comprises a controller OS section 28, a buffer memory 46, and a control terminal 48. The controller OS unit 28 performs peripheral module control, memory management, communication control, control terminal management, buffer memory management, program execution, and abnormal routine execution. The control terminal 48 is a terminal for operating the controller from an external sequencer, operation panel or the like. The control terminal 48 has the following basic operation input terminal and controller-state output terminal. Input terminal 1) Start preparation input terminal (SET-UP) Terminal for preparing the actuator operation, drive power ON,
Automatically perform the work necessary for the actuator to execute the program, such as servo ON and home return. Conventionally, the terminals for the above-mentioned operations, which exist individually, are automated and unified to reduce the number of terminals, and external devices (sequencer etc.)
It is possible to prevent a logical contradiction (reciprocal instruction) with the same type of operation by a program, a program device, etc. 2) Program number designation terminal (Pro-No.) This is the terminal that designates the program to be executed among the multiple programs built in the controller. 3) Step number designation terminal (Stp-No.) This is designated when only a specific step (line) is executed in the above program. 4) Start input (RUN) Terminal to start execution of specified program (specified step). 5) Pause input (HOLD) A terminal for temporarily stopping the execution of the program, immediately or after step execution. The stopping method can be selected by parameters. 6) Emergency stop (STOP) According to the routine at the time of the abnormality occurrence of the controller OS unit 28,
Stop program execution and stop the actuator quickly and safely. Output terminal 1) Controller ready output (REDY) This terminal indicates that the controller function is active. 2) Start preparation completion output (SET-UP) Terminal indicating that start preparation is completed and the program can be executed. 3) In-motion signal (BUSY) A terminal that indicates that the program and actuator are operating. 4) Alarm output (ALM) Terminal that indicates the occurrence of an abnormality.

The buffer memory 46 (data transfer memory) is a dedicated memory space for exchanging data between the controller OS section 28 and an external device connected to the controller via the interface module (or controller common bus).

In the buffer memory 46, a register having a specific function at a specific address is arranged.
Peripheral devices can be freely accessed through the controller OS unit 28 and the interface module.

The buffer memory 46 can be roughly classified into the following four areas according to its function. 1) Operation data area A data area that enables controller operation and management and monitoring from peripheral devices, programmer operation data that has the same function as the control terminal, and a monitor where the operating status is always written from the controller OS section 28. It is roughly divided into data for use. 2) Program data area The part that stores the operating programs for actuators and peripheral devices and the controller are programmed by writing program data in this area. 3) Parameter area The area for storing parameters for function selection and adjustment during actuator operation, actuator type (stroke, ball screw lead, presence / absence of brake, etc.), operating conditions (load, speed limit, return to origin direction, etc.) Make settings. 4) System constant area A part that stores parameters for selecting and adjusting the configuration of the controller control function.

The RS232C serial interface module is a module for connecting the buffer memory and an external device. The controller executes a program by writing data in a program data area from an external device via the interface 50.

Next, a programming device for programming the controller will be described.

This controller prepares two kinds of dedicated program devices (programmers). 1) Teaching box A special-purpose programming device that has limited functions, is easy and inexpensive. 2) PC software Dedicated software that runs on the OS of a commercially available PC,
We have realized a programmer function that makes full use of the PC's functions such as abundant memory, large current screen, and various output devices.

The programmer has the following functions. 1) Parameter mode (setting of controller function) Set and change parameters. In order to easily set a large number of parameters without prior knowledge, we provide parameter data in a matrix that is classified according to typical usage environments. The user has some YES provided by the software
It is possible to easily reach the required parameter matrix simply by answering the questions in the / NO format, and no prior knowledge is required for questioning the parameters. 2) Actuator operating environment design mode (actuator selection) A function that selects the optimum actuator function under specific operating conditions and a function that calculates the expected performance of a specific actuator under specific operating conditions. Determined by the load carrying capacity of the linear motion guide. In other words, the maximum acceleration and reachable speed (that is, the shortest movement time) that can be realized by the payload and the driving posture (vertical, horizontal, etc.) are limited. The life of the linear motion guide is limited. This mode easily provides detailed performance design based on the performance data specific to the actuator. 3) Actuator operation adjustment mode A mode for making various adjustments for optimal operation of the actuator. Gain tuner: Adjusts the gain of the servo motor equipped with an actuator. Each gain value (position, speed loop gain, speed loop integration time) is estimated by inputting the approximate load weight, and the actuator speed and torque information is monitored from the controller under actual operation in the estimated gain value setting status. Monitor the shoot, undershoot, and servo vibration and set the optimum loop gain. Tact timer: A function to make adjustments to shorten the tact time of the actuator. The execution time of a specific section of the program is measured and the execution time is predicted by calculation from the program, parameters, various conditions (speed, acceleration, load, driving posture, external force) and the like. The user can simulate takt time before execution and set optimum values for various adjustments (in-position, gain, acceleration method, starting bias, etc.).

The adjustment items of these actuators can be determined for each specific section of the operation pattern, and can be changed during operation in response to the ever-changing operating environment (load fluctuation, demand system or tact time change). It is possible to replace them freely. 4) Programming mode Data is written to the controller, read, changed, and programs are created and edited. In addition, so-called JOG teaching is performed in which the actual address of the actuator (actual table position) is taken into the position data in the program.

The input man-hours can be greatly reduced by inputting the input data in each of the modes 1) to 4) by a bar code or a G code. It is a parameter matrix, actuator specific values, actuator operation data samples, sample programs, special instructions, and the like. These are described in instruction manuals, application casebooks, special function booklets, etc., and can be used as a basis for various settings including programming.

For example, the user can easily make a setting by selecting a similar use example from the above booklet and inputting the code data described. 5) Test mode It has a function to perform an operation test of a device group consisting of a controller, an actuator, and peripheral devices, and a function to perform an operation test of programs, actuators, and peripheral devices. Single block operation: A function to execute the program while pausing the execution at each step. You can test the flow of program execution. Intermediate program start: The program can be executed from the middle and the specific part of the program can be tested. I / O command cancellation: Cancels execution of general-purpose input / output control commands and executes only those related to actuator operation in the program.

Partial test of the program is possible when the peripheral device cannot operate. Override specification: A function that operates the speed of the actuator in the program at a percentage of the speed specified in the program. The actuator is safe because it can be tested at a low speed, and the moving speed of several actuators can be easily tested, which is useful for determining the moving speed. Virtual input designation: A function that executes a program according to the virtually set input terminal state, regardless of the actual general-purpose input terminal state.

Insufficient peripheral devices or no connection of general-purpose input terminals,
Allows testing of programs under special input conditions. Step designation operation: Executes only a specific step (line) of a specific program. JOG operation: Performs manual fine advance operation of the actuator. Actuator status operation: A function to lock / free the actuator table for manual adjustment of the actuator table position. With this controller, for safety,
Servo lock for holding the actuator table,
A variety of ON / OFF manual operations such as driving epicenter and holding brake are abolished, and the operation state related to the holding is automatically controlled by the actuator table state instruction to realize the actuator table state required by the operator. There is. Forced output: General-purpose output and control output are forcibly turned ON / OFF for peripheral device wiring and operation tests.
Function to let. 6) Operation mode Executes a specific program in the controller. 7) Monitor mode Monitors various states of the actuator and controller. Status monitor, scroll monitor (program execution status monitor), I / O monitor (control, general-purpose input / output status monitor), error monitor (displays past error history and content, cause).

The reset of the error state of the controller requires execution of this mode of the programming device.
This is because the error state indicating the occurrence of an abnormality is not released by an automatic means (such as an error reset terminal), and the user must always be present and the situation must be recognized (a certain fuel safe).

Next, a programming method, which is a method for realizing a specific function, will be described.

The dedicated controller attached to this controller describes a program in a special programming language. This programming language (hereinafter, G-MOLA: Grap
hical-Motion-Language) was developed for the following purposes. 1) To be able to intuitively recognize the program contents. 2) Beginners can easily program without a manual. 3) It should be an environment where beginners do not have a weakness in programming. 4) Easy programming in the field environment. 5) Significantly reduce the number of input keys on the teaching box, which is a dedicated programming device. 6) To combine the ladder language for sequencers and the programming language for actuators. 7) It is easy to recognize the operation when scrolling.

G-MOLA has the following features. 1) Actuator operation commands are expressed as arrows in multidimensional space. 2) Represent general-purpose I / O control commands with figures that conform to the ladder language. 3) Express the entire program by lines (routes) and circuits. 4) Program control commands are expressed by symbols that express functions such as route change and connection. 5) Symbolize programming functions. 6) Programming is possible only by mouse operation input. 7) A program written in G-MOLA can be converted into a program written in mnemonic. 8) On the scroll monitor, the position of the program being executed is represented by a star. 9) Input / output contacts (terminals), program branches, and contacts are displayed on the scroll monitor.

Further, the programming device equipped with G-MOLA has the following functions in order to maximize its functions. 1) Window operation is possible (mouse operation of function operation is possible.) 2) Multiple program functions can be operated at the same time (simultaneous operation of programming and test, monitor function).

Hereinafter, examples of G-MOLA are shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. 5 is a diagram showing the entire G-MOLA, FIG. 6 is an enlarged view on the left side of FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged view on the right side of FIG.

A symbolized programmer function selection switch is displayed at the top of the display section. When the programmer function selection switch is selected with a mouse or the like, a window for realizing the selected function is opened. In the illustrated example, GM
The windows for OLA programming (scroll monitor), X-axis actuator status monitor, Y-axis actuator status monitor, I / O monitor, and actuator operation adjustment mode (gain tuner) are open. The window of the monitor function is always displaying information in the open state. To operate each window, the window must be activated. The X-axis actuator status monitor is currently active.

The G-MOLA programming window displays an execution state during programming and scroll monitor. The top row shows the mode of the G-MOLA programming window. At the second stage, symbolized function switches necessary for programming are arranged. From the left, G-MOLA: Program notation is performed by G-MOLA. Mnemonic: Program is written in mnemonic. File: Manages files of programs in the programmer and controller memory. Print: Output (printout) from a printer connected to the programmer. Edit: Edit the program. Data: Position, address when G-MOLA is displayed,
Display of numerical information such as speed and acceleration. Size: Selection of display size when G-MOLA is displayed.

A symbolized instruction set is displayed on the right side of the window. For program notation, select this instruction set and move it to the required position in the program with the mouse. After the move, the programmer interactively enters the information required for the instruction set. Instruction sets are classified into 6 categories.

DIMENSION has an instruction set for the actuator work area. RET ORG: Return to origin. M-ORG: Change of origin position during program execution. SIZE: Setting of actuator working space (software stroke limit setting).

MOVE has an instruction set for moving actuators.

Absolute linear movement from the top left hand: Performs a linear interpolation movement on absolute coordinates. It is necessary to enter the absolute coordinates of the destination. Absolute arc complement: Moves arc complement on absolute coordinates. It is necessary to enter the absolute coordinates of the destination and the passing point or the destination and the arc radius. Absolute PTP complementation: Complementary movement (PTP) via a passing point on absolute coordinates is performed. It is necessary to input the absolute coordinates of the destination and each passing point.

Incremental straight line movement from the left hand of the next stage: Incremental straight line complementary movement is performed. It is necessary to enter the relative coordinates of the destination. Incremental arc complement: Performs incremental arc complement movement. It is necessary to enter the relative coordinates of the destination. Input or destination and arc radius are required. Incremental PTP complementation: Complementary movement (PTP) via an incremental passing point is performed. It is necessary to enter the relative coordinates of the destination and each passing point.

Input of each point of the above-mentioned movement command is performed by moving the cursor with the mouse. At that time, the coordinate data of the cursor is displayed. A ten-key (software key) input is also possible. An arrow representing the movement trajectory of the actuator is automatically generated according to each input point. In addition, the velocity and acceleration can be input interactively at the time of input, the width of the arrow expresses the velocity, the tip angle expresses the acceleration, and assists the intuitive recognition of the actuator movement command. The above-mentioned speed / acceleration changing function switch is arranged at the lowermost stage to allow later correction.
In PROGRAM, an instruction set related to program control is arranged.

From the top left hand, START: indicates the beginning of the program. You need to enter the program name. END: Indicates the end of the program route. Required at the end of programs and branch routes. TAG: indicates a label. It is necessary to enter the label name. JMP: Unconditional jump, input of jump destination is required. FOR: Indicates the beginning of loop processing. It is necessary to enter the loop processing count. NEXT: Indicates the end of loop processing. Input at the beginning of loop processing is required. GOSUB: Indicates execution of a subroutine. It is necessary to enter the name of the subroutine. SUB: Indicates the beginning of a subroutine. It is necessary to enter the name of the subroutine. RET: Indicates the end of the subroutine.

In INPUT, an instruction set relating to a program branch by general-purpose input is arranged.

From the top left hand O: Continues program execution when the input conditions are met. N. C: The program execution is temporarily stopped when the input condition is satisfied. IF: IF-THEN-ELSE instruction execution.

The above-mentioned command requires the description of the following input conditions. AND: AND logical operator. The condition is met when the designated input terminal is ON. ANI: NAND logical operator. Designated input terminal is ON
When, the condition is satisfied. ANB: AND combination of adjacent logical operators is performed. OR: OR logical operator. The condition is met when the designated input terminal is ON. ORI: NOR logical operator. Specified input terminal is OFF
When, the condition is satisfied. ORB: Performs OR combination of logical operators that are vertically adjacent to each other.

The input condition is satisfied when the rightmost input element (triangle symbol) and the branch instruction are connected. OUTPUT
Is provided with an instruction set related to control of external equipment by general-purpose output. OUT: Output instruction. It is necessary to describe the output contents. <SET>: Turns on the designated output terminal. <RES>: Turns off the designated output terminal. <RET>: Logically invert the state of the designated output terminal (ON
If so, turn it off. If it is off, turn it on.

The following are dedicated control commands for pneumatic equipment.
With the operation of the solenoid valve connected to the output terminal, the input of the operation confirmation switch connected to the input terminal is automatically confirmed. Conventionally, this is specifically described in the program, and the operation output and the operation confirmation input are automatically controlled to simplify the labor of the program. CYL OUT: The cylinder extension routine is executed. That is, the solenoid valve on the cylinder compression side is stopped, the solenoid valve on the cylinder extension side is operated, and after the operation is confirmed, the program returns to the program route. CYL IN: The cylinder reduction routine is executed. That is, the solenoid valve on the cylinder expansion side is stopped, the solenoid valve on the cylinder compression side is operated, and after confirming the operation, the program returns to the program route. EJC VAC: Executes a vacuum suction operation routine. The vacuum ejector pressure air supply valve is activated and the adsorption confirmation switch is activated to return to the program route. EJC REL: Executes a vacuum breaking routine. The operation of the pressure air supply valve is stopped and the vacuum break valve is operated for a certain period of time.

The control instruction for the pneumatic equipment is described as a kind of subroutine, but the subroutine branch is automatically generated.

Instructions in categories other than the above are arranged in SPECIAL. TIM: Timer instruction. Stop program execution for a certain period of time.

At the bottom of the G-MOLA window, the window status and operation guidance are displayed.

Next, the contents of the program will be described by taking the two-axis control program display in the G-MOLA window as an example.
Programs are divided into three structures.

First, in the left hand side of the program in FIG. M.
D (Actyuetor-Motion-Diagram) is described. A.
M. D has a model of the multidimensional working area space. For example, uniaxial A. M. D is a straight line, 2 axes is a plane, 3
If it is an axis, it has a rectangular parallelepiped space model. Each space model takes a dimensional ratio proportional to the software limit of the aforementioned actuator. Actuator operation commands are represented as arrows in the spatial model. Accurate numerical data of coordinates, speed, and acceleration of each point of the arrow can be displayed by the above-mentioned data switch. The arrow represents the moving speed by its width, and the acceleration by the angle of the arrow tip. Absolute operation commands are expressed in a format in which the parts other than the arrow base are fixed in space. Incremental operation commands are represented as a floating body (plane) in the space occupied by the arrow. The arrow base of the absolute instruction and the arrow occupied space of the incremental instruction are executed immediately before that (description)
It is automatically fixed in the space based on the arrow tip of the movement command. In addition, when the immediately preceding move command termination part cannot be limited in a subroutine or the like, the space model is not provided.

From the above, A. M. D makes it possible to intuitively recognize the motion notation of the actuator.

At the center of the program display, a straight line called the program root, which is the main trunk of program execution, is displayed. The program route is a structural representation of the flow of program execution, and the user can easily understand the flow of the program by following the program route. A. M. The right end of each spatial model of D is connected to the program root. When the execution of the program reaches the connecting portion of the program root, the actuator movement command described in the connected space model is executed. Further, the various instructions described above are arranged in the program root, and are executed in the same manner.

On the right side of the program display, a branch route by a branch instruction, an input / output route by an I / O instruction, and functional notation of various instructions (for example, label, timer display, loop count, etc.) are displayed.

The program root of the program shown in FIG. 6 starts with START (declaration of program head) and starts with E.
It ends with ND (program end declaration). During this time, the programs are sequentially executed along the program route. Such a program is called a time operation program, and a series of operations are sequentially executed with time when the operation starts.
It is a programming method suitable for a sequence whose execution procedure is determined. In addition, multitasking can be easily realized by setting a plurality of program routes in parallel.

On the other hand, this G-MOLA can easily describe a conditional operation program for executing a specific sequence according to a specific general-purpose input condition. In this case, the predecessor of the program route starts with the input condition route, and END
Or it ends with the output operation route. This is G-MOL
This is because the input / output operator of A conforms to the sequence ladder language. M. This is because the development of D has made it possible to write an actuator operation program together with a ladder circuit diagram, which is a graphic description programming language in the past.

By the way, in G-MOLA, input judgment naming with a time limit function is expressed as a set of a plurality of instructions. This is because the program root notation of G-MOLA can intuitively recognize the function of this instruction. However, at the time of programming, the selection symbol of the input judgment command with the time limit function is displayed at the same time as the selection of the IF symbol, and the command set is automatically generated with the selection of the descriptor (GOSUB command when the pneumatic device control command is selected. Similar to the automatic generation of sets).

In the illustrated example, the establishment of the input operator is monitored as the IF operator is executed. If the condition is not met,
A timer placed on the branch route operates. If the condition does not fire within the timer time, the unconditional jump instruction is executed. If the conditions are satisfied within the time, the program execution will follow the program main route.
The monitoring time of the input condition is specified by the timer instruction, and the execution contents at the time of timeout are described in the branch route. As described above, in G-MOLA, the input determination command with the time limit function is expressed by dividing the functional structure of the command into units by the program route and the command set.

As described above, all the operations of the programmer can be performed by the mouse operation, and the trackball and pen inputs can be made on the personal computer, and J can be made on the teaching box.
It is operated by the OG key etc. and does not require a keyboard etc. Not only is it easy to operate, but it is also easy to input on-site, such as in a factory environment.

The G-MOLA window of FIG. 5 is executing the scroll monitor. The scroll monitor displays the execution line of the running program. The execution position of a program is expressed by moving a symbol called a star on the program route. The speed and acceleration of the actuator are A. M. It is simply displayed graphically on the arrow indicating the actuator movement locus on D. In the illustrated example, the star is moving on the velocity / acceleration graphic of the movement trajectory arrow. Instructions such as input / output and branch are displayed by automatically switching the contacts according to the situation. The graphic representation of the program by G-MOLA is extremely effective for displaying on the program execution monitor, and the user can easily recognize the execution state of the program.

Further, if the function of the scroll monitor is stopped, it is possible to immediately change or correct the program. As described above, since it is possible to operate a plurality of programmer functions at the same time, it is possible to change the program, gain, and tact time while monitoring the test operation and observing the situation, and it becomes easy to start the operation.

Next, the actual functional operation of the controller configured as described above will be described by taking an apparatus group composed of a plurality of controllers and actuators as an example.

FIG. 8 shows a part of an automatic packing device for an extruded structure (aluminum profile). The X-axis actuators 60a and 60b are actuators based on timing belts and are driven by one servo motor 62, and the structure 66 that constitutes the Y-axis straddles the tables 64a and 64b of these X-axis actuators 60a and 60b. Are connected. One actuator 68 is installed on the Y-axis structure 66. The Y-axis actuator 68 is an actuator composed of a servo motor 70 and a feed screw (not shown), and a Z-axis actuator 74 is arranged on the moving table 72. This Z-axis actuator 74 is connected to the rod 7 by a servomotor 76 and a feed screw.
8 is an electric cylinder for moving the. The Z-axis actuator 74 is provided side by side with the air cylinder 80, and is connected at the tip of the rod 78. The Y-axis structure 66 has a second
The Z-axis actuator 82 is installed immovably in the Y-axis direction. Air chucks 84 and 86 are installed at the tips of the Z-axis actuators 74 and 82, respectively.

At the base of the actuator structure thus constructed, the first and second belt conveyors 88,
90 is installed.

This device operates as follows.

The aluminum profile A is carried from the right hand by the first belt conveyor 88. The X-axis actuators 60a and 60b move the Y-axis structure 66 to the profile A
Move above. The Y-axis actuator 68 moves the Z-axis actuator 74 above the center of the profile A. First and second Z-axis actuators 74, 8
4 synchronously moves downward, and holds the profile A by each air chuck. After gripping, reverse the procedure to Z
The axis actuators 74 and 84 are moved upward, and the X-axis actuators 60a and 60b are moved to the second belt conveyor 9
Move to top 0 to align and stack profile A. When the alignment of the profile A on the second belt conveyor 90 forms a specific unit, the belt conveyor 90 moves the alignment of the profile A in the left-hand direction in the drawing.

The structure of the apparatus has the following features. 1) Since the profile A has a large weight, the first Z-axis actuator 74 performs air balance by the air cylinder 80. 2) The first Z-axis actuator 74 has profile A
It is necessary to grasp near the center of gravity of. The Y-axis actuator 68 uses the first Z-axis actuator 74 as the profile A.
It is to move near the center of gravity of. Due to the nature of the product, Profile A has a different total length depending on the work lot.
The gripping position of the Z-axis actuator 74 (moving position of the Y-axis actuator 68) must be adjusted according to the work lot. 3) First and second Z-axis actuators 74, 82
Must operate synchronously to raise and lower profile A horizontally. 4) In order to shorten the working time, the X-axis actuators 60a and 60b and the Z-axis actuators 74 and 82 are complemented to optimize the movement path.

The device has two controllers 92, 94 shown in FIG.

The first controller 92 includes X-axis and Z-axis actuators 74, 80 and 82 and the air chuck 8.
4 and 86 are controlled. The second controller 94 controls the Y-axis actuator 68. The first controller 92 is mainly composed of a three-axis control module 96.
The three-axis control module 96 controls the motor drivers 98, 100, 102 for the actuators, and performs the synchronous operation of the actuators 60a, 60b, 74, 82 and the complementary operation of the actuators 74, 82.

The air cylinder 80 provided side by side with the actuator 74 is the D cylinder added to the general-purpose input / output module 104.
It functions as an air balancer by the electropneumatic proportional pressure control valve by the / A conversion board 116 (FIG. 10). These constitute the air balancer module 118. The general-purpose input / output module 104 also controls opening / closing of air chucks at the tips of the actuators 74 and 82. The controller also has a serial interface module and a power supply module, but their illustration is omitted here.

The second controller 94 includes the 1-axis module 106 and the Y-axis actuator driver module 10.
8 controls the Y-axis actuator 68. This one
The axis control module 106 has an external teaching function (OT function) capable of directly changing the positioning point of the Y-axis actuator 68 from the outside without using a program,
A general-purpose input / output module 110 for that purpose is provided.
A setting switch board (OT device 112) is connected to the general-purpose input / output.

First and second controllers 92, 94
Connects the general-purpose input / output modules 104 and 110 to each other in order to execute the programs synchronously with each other. Further, a sequencer 114 is prepared for the integrated control of these controllers 92, 94 and the belt conveyors 88, 90. Similarly, the first and second controllers 92,
It is connected to the control terminal of 94.

Next, in order to understand the operations of the controllers 92 and 94, the special functions and modules will be described below.

In the case of the AIR balancer module 118,
There are roughly three types of methods for performing air servo control in a broad sense in this controller system. One is a method of providing a dedicated air servo module. This module can achieve a high degree of control. On the other hand, it is relatively expensive and requires a large modification of the control module before installation. The other is to use an air balancer dedicated control module. This module has an analog output for air pressure control that is controlled in relation to the servo loop of the motor, and is most suitable for controlling the servo of the motor and air. Since the eigenvalue affects the loop, its use is limited to actuators with an air balancer. Finally, a D / A conversion board is added to the general-purpose input / output module, and control is performed by the air balancer software. Although the capacity is low, it can be easily realized by making a small change in the controller that takes a general actuator control configuration, and is most suitable when a general-purpose air cylinder is retrofitted to the electric actuator to provide air support.

In this embodiment, the air balancer control is performed by the added D / A conversion board 116. The general-purpose input / output module 104 of the controller connects the continuous input / output of each 8 points to the D / A conversion board 116. D
The / A conversion board 116 converts 8-bit parallel data into analog output, and conversely converts analog input into 8-bit data and outputs it. The balance air pressure of the air cylinder 106 is adjusted by the electropneumatic proportional pressure adjusting valve 118. The electropneumatic command pressure adjusting valve 118 adjusts the pressure on the secondary side according to the voltage input, and at the same time outputs the pressure state on the secondary side as a monitor output by voltage. 8-bit data from the general-purpose input / output of the controller is the D / A conversion board 116.
Is output as an analog signal, and is monitored by the electropneumatic proportional pressure adjusting valve 118 according to the voltage value. The analog output is input as 8-bit data to the general-purpose input / output module 104 of the controller 92 by the D / A conversion board 116. This allows the controller 92 to set and monitor the supply pressure of the air cylinder 80.

The air balancer software is functional software for operating the air cylinder 80, which is operated in parallel with the actuator, as an air balancer, and has the following functions. Balance pressure auto tuning: A function to set the air pressure to balance the actuator load. The air pressure is increased / decreased while the actuator drive power is cut off, and the vertical movement of the load is detected by the encoder output to calculate the optimum balanced air pressure.
The balance air pressure is the average value of the pressure at both times when it is lowered). Load fluctuation correction (auto drift): A function that corrects the balance air that accompanies fluctuations in load and resistance during operation. The motor torque of the actuator is monitored to detect the torque drift under the same operating conditions, and the balance air is corrected. Balance pressure step setting: A function to adjust the balance pressure to the specified balance pressure by the command in the program. When the load fluctuation of the actuator such as transportation is large,
Uses several types of balance pressure. Air alarm: A function to detect abnormalities in balanced air. When the secondary pressure monitor data of a predetermined level (such as 90% of the set value) cannot be obtained within a predetermined time after outputting the balance pressure data (that is, waiting for input with a time limit), an alarm occurs.

The air chuck control is controlled by a pneumatic equipment control command via a general-purpose input / output. Here, the operation confirmation switch of the air chuck is waiting for a time-limited input.

In the OT device 112, when the work position of the actuator has to be changed according to the type of work, the work for changing the program is generally required.
However, for that purpose, a programmer needs to be connected and modification work requires specialized knowledge. This device makes it possible to directly change data by JOG teaching without the need for a programmer for the above-mentioned changes that are frequently required for operation. For this function, the control module has JOG (+), JOG (-) operation input terminals,
Equipped with dedicated terminals for point number specification input terminal, setting command input terminal and setting completion output terminal. The actuator is moved to the desired position by JOG operation and the point number to be changed is specified. When the setting command terminal is turned ON, the position data of the designated point number is changed to the address of the actuator in that state. After the change, the setting completion signal is output.

In this embodiment, the operation is performed by the programs of the first and second controllers 92 and 94, but the programmer is connected to the respective controllers and programming is performed at the same time.

The basic forms of the two controllers 92 and 94 are shown below.

First and second controllers 92, 94
Are operated synchronously via each other's universal input / output modules 104, 110. Therefore, the two programs are displayed with the general-purpose input / output routes facing each other inside the programmer. The specific routine of the first program is completed, the second
When the operation of the program is to be executed, the general-purpose output route is extended from the first program and the corresponding general-purpose input route of the second program is described. When the execution of the second program is completed and the operation of the first program is to be restarted, the general-purpose output route is extended from the second program, and the general-purpose input route of the first program is described, contrary to the above.

When it is desired to operate a plurality of controllers synchronously as described above, several methods can be considered for coping with the mutual occurrence of an abnormality. One is to use the alarm output of the controller, and the other is to add a time limit function to the general-purpose input route and monitor the program execution time of the other controller. If you use the alarm output,
The controller's response is limited to the abnormality handling routine. This means that in the event of an abnormality, safety measures will be taken by stopping. In this example, the alarm output of the controller is connected to the sequencer, which is the overall control device for the equipment group, and enables a safe response for the entire equipment.

On the other hand, the time limit start of general-purpose input is the first
And included in the synchronous operation program of the second controller 92, 94. In the case of this example, the first controller 92 becomes the core of control because of its role. Therefore, the first program causes the second controller 94 to
Will be monitored, and the input determination command with the time limit function will be described at the base of the general-purpose input route.

As described above, there are three places where the input judgment command with the time control function is used in the device group realized by the plurality of actuators and the controller.
The first is a pneumatic device control command for controlling the air chucks 84 and 86. The second is time-limited monitoring of the pressure monitor input of the air balancer control. Third is the second controller 94
Is the execution state monitoring of.

The case where an abnormality occurs in the operation of the second controller 94 will be described below.

In the following example, the operating area of the actuator drifts with respect to the mechanical coordinates due to mechanical failure, and actuator limit out occurs, which causes the second controller to take measures against the occurrence of an abnormality and at the same time One controller detects an execution abnormality of the second controller and executes a save routine.

First, the limit-out sequence of the actuator will be described. Electric actuators are usually
Stroke deviation detection means is provided to prevent damage to the device due to deviation of the stroke. For example, if a limit switch is installed, the actuator is stopped by shutting off the driving force by the switch operation associated with limit out, or a mechanical stopper is provided at the stroke end to increase the motor torque due to table stop and increase the deviation counter. The drive force is cut off by. However, stopping by cutting off the driving force basically means stopping by an external force such as a stopper,
The mechanical impact force accompanied therewith involves a risk of damaging not only the actuator but also the equipment mounted on the actuator.
Therefore, the ideal stop is preferably an active stop due to the instantaneous maximum torque of the motor. However, a sufficient deceleration stop section is required to take such a stopping means. Naturally, this damping stop section is provided adjacent to the outside of the stroke area, and this section becomes a so-called dead stroke which cannot be used by the program as it is. This actuator and controller perform special limit-out management to solve the above problems.

A limit switch is installed near the stroke end. The latter half of the operating point of the limit switch coincides with the end of the actuator operable area. The distance between the rear end of the operating point and the mechanical stroke limit is set to the maximum deceleration stop section from the maximum speed of the operation that does not depend on the program such as manual operation or home return operation.

In the case of the operation mode not based on the above program, the trailing end of the operating point triggers the stroke limit stop. However, since it is a stop section from a speed much lower than the maximum speed during normal program operation, a deceleration section much shorter than the conventional actuator is sufficient, and the dead stroke can be greatly reduced. The front end of the operating point of the limit switch is the calculation start trigger (pre-limit signal) of the limit routine. The front end of the operating point of the limit switch is the calculation start trigger (pre-limit signal) of the limit routine. The limit routine is a limit-out prediction routine provided in the controller OS section 28 by high-speed calculation, and compares the remaining movement distance of the moving actuator with the front and rear ends of the operating point of the limit switch. By comparison, if the remaining movement distance of the actuator is larger, it is predicted that stroke out will occur, so the controller performs maximum deceleration stop by the motor.

Now, the stroke out occurs in this way, and the program execution of the second controller 94 is stopped. Normally, the peripheral devices (first controller 92, sequencer 114) are stopped at the same time by sending and receiving an alarm signal. However, in this example, the subroutine of the first controller 92 is executed by the input determination command with the time limit function described above, and the X-axis and Y-axis actuators 60a, 60b, 74, 82 and the balance pressure, The evacuation measures for the air chucks 84 and 86 are executed. In an actual device group of a plurality of devices, it may be preferable in safety to execute the evacuation routine rather than to immediately stop the device group.

When the execution of the second controller 94 is stopped, the general-purpose output route of the second program is not executed, and the first controller 92 continues to wait for the condition of the general-purpose input route to be satisfied. In such a case, if the function command according to the present embodiment does not exist, there is no choice but to take a stop action by the alarm signal as described above. However, according to the input judgment command with the time limit function according to the present embodiment, the first controller 92 monitors the satisfaction of the condition of the general-purpose input route for a certain period of time, and if the condition is not satisfied within the time, the safety measure at the time of abnormality is described. Execution will be transferred to the subroutine.

Naturally, since this subroutine is described by a program, it is possible to execute a fine saving routine that faithfully reflects the intention of the user.

Depending on the type of abnormality, the execution of the program may be moved to another sentence in the program instead of the subroutine. For example, it is effective when it is desired to restart or retry work. Since the user can freely select and describe the action at the time-out, the degree of freedom in programming to cope with the occurrence of an abnormality is very large.

[0111]

As described above, according to the present invention,
There is an effect that the operations of a plurality of actuators can be accurately determined and rapid processing can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C are schematic configuration diagrams of an actuator controller.

2A to 2D are system configuration diagrams including an actuator controller.

FIG. 3 is a dendritic block diagram of a parameter matrix.

FIG. 4 is a configuration block diagram of an actuator controller.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an operation screen for creating an actuator operation program.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged explanatory diagram of a left side portion of the operation screen shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged explanatory diagram of a right side portion of the operation screen shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a system to which an actuator controller is applied.

9 is a configuration block diagram of an actuator controller used in the system of FIG.

10 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration including the air balancer module shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a system using a conventional actuator controller.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of a system using a conventional actuator controller.

[Explanation of symbols]

20 ... Control power supply circuit 22 ... Motor drive power supply circuit 26, 34 ... Relay 28 ... Controller OS section 30 ... Actuator 36 ... Motor drive circuit 38 ... Driver control circuit 44 ... General-purpose input / output terminal 46 ... Buffer memory 48 ... Control terminal

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Office reference number FI Technical display location G05B 19/18 23/02 X 7618-3H 302 Y 7618-3H V 7618-3H G05D 3/00 X 3/12 P G05B 19/18 C

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An actuator controller for controlling the operation of a plurality of actuators, wherein an operation state signal receiving means for receiving a predetermined operation state signal from each actuator, and a time until the operation state signal is received are measured. Time measuring means, permissible time setting means for setting the permissible time of the time until the operation state signal is received, and monitoring means for monitoring whether or not the time measured by the time measuring means is outside the permissible time. An actuator controller comprising: an error processing unit that performs a predetermined error process when the monitoring unit determines that the time measured by the time counting unit is outside the allowable time.