WO2012072179A1

WO2012072179A1 - Method and device for configuring a working machine in a virtual environment

Info

Publication number: WO2012072179A1
Application number: PCT/EP2011/005613
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sebastian Krauskopf; Bartosz Korajda
Original assignee: Robert Bosch Gmbh
Priority date: 2010-12-04
Filing date: 2011-11-09
Publication date: 2012-06-07
Also published as: CN103370663A; DE102010053485A1; CN103370663B

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a working machine, wherein the working machine has at least one machine unit (2) having driving apparatuses (22) and each machine unit (2) has at least one control apparatus (4) for controlling the machine unit (2) and said control apparatus (4) has a memory apparatus, in which programs required for the operation of the respective machine unit (2) are stored, and wherein interfaces (8) for exchanging data are associated with each of the machine units (2). According to the invention, in order to create or change a machine configuration of the working machine (1), a virtual environment (30) independent of the working machine (1) is provided and a configuration is created in said virtual environment (30) and then said configuration created in the virtual environment (30) is transferred to the working machine (1).

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONFIGURING A WORK MACHINE IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT

description

The present invention relates to a method for operating a

Working machine, as well as a working machine. The present invention may find particular application in packaging machines, printing machines,

Textile processing machines, textile manufacturing machines and automation systems. Furthermore, applications are also conceivable for systems with electric, hydraulic or pneumatic drives.

Such machines are usually of a particular configuration such as

For example, delivered with different machine units. Often, however, it is necessary to change this machine configuration at later times,

For example, add more aggregates or updates the

Perform data processing programs. Such extensions or

Configuration changes are relatively cumbersome in the prior art. It usually has to be carried out separately on the individual units in each case the change. Usually, the individual machines are delivered with a specially tailored to this purpose program. This means, for example, that compatibility with other machines is limited and by each

different programs changes to configurations are relatively cumbersome.

The present invention is therefore based on the object to create a generally valid project or program for the work machine, this program is also executable on several differently configured or equipped machines. In the prior art, there is a fixed programmed coupling between the individual application programs and the underlying hardware. A change in the machine configuration or the machine hardware components usually requires a complete rewriting of the application program. This results in a high modification effort and also a low reusability and maintainability.

It would therefore be desirable to have a flexible coupling between the application program and the underlying hardware. Furthermore, it would be advantageous if the application program would not be influenced by a change in the machine configuration or the machine hardware components. These above mentioned

Problems are solved by the subject matters of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments and further development will be apparent from the dependent claims.

In a method according to the invention for operating a work machine, this work machine has at least one machine unit with drive devices, and this machine unit has at least one control device for controlling the machine unit. Furthermore, this control device has a memory device in which programs required for the operation of the respective machine unit are stored. In this case, the machine unit or the machine units are each assigned interfaces for data exchange.

According to the invention, to create or change a machine configuration of the work machine, a virtual environment independent of the work machine is provided, and in this virtual environment, a configuration is generated, and then this configuration generated in the virtual environment is set to

Transfer work machine or the control device.

By virtue of the procedure proposed according to the invention, a flexible design of machines is achieved through the reuse of virtual machine parts. In particular, the individual virtual or generally defined devices of the

Application program - in particular via a defined abstraction layer - the real machine hardware assigned. This is done advantageously transparent to the virtual machine itself. Due to the proposed procedure, it is possible to create a generally valid project, in which case, in particular, programming with virtual devices takes place independently of the final configuration of the machine. In the preferred method, the above-mentioned transmission of the configuration takes place via a so-called hardware mapping. It is possible that this mapping of the devices or to the physical devices takes place only during the download or the final configuration. Furthermore, it is also possible that several virtual machines run independently of each other on a hardware.

In an advantageous method, the said virtual environment is split into environmental parts, these environmental parts being characteristic of machine parts of the

Are working machine. If, for example, the work machine has a plurality of machine parts which interact in a predefined manner for a specific process, it is advantageous for each of these machine parts to be assigned an environment part in the virtual environment, such that the complete machine is represented in the virtual plane or

can be simulated. Thus, said virtual environment parts correspond to the virtual machines.

The creation of the configuration preferably takes place in at least one environment part independently of the creation of the configuration in at least one other

Environment part. In this way, a separate engineering of the individual machine parts is possible and in particular in this way more freedom in the creation of the

Entire projects possible. It looks like every machine part or each

Environment part of an ideal and abstracted machine configuration. These

Machine configuration contains only the parts that are relevant to the solution of his task. In this way a strong cohesion is achieved.

This "local" machine configuration will later on actually existing

Assigned machine configuration. This transfer can be transparent for the respective machine part. For example, in a virtual machine part, the

Drive addresses 1, 2 and 3 and lie in the actual machine configuration these on 5, 12 and 18. In addition, other bus participants may be present, but these are preferably hidden from the machine part. In a similar way, this can also be done for the main memory or for other peripherals, for

Communication interfaces, for input and output images of the PLC, for read-only memory and the like. This means that advantageously the relevant machine part only sees its usual environment.

In a further advantageous method, the configuration for a specific environmental part is limited to those aspects which are decisive for the machine part for which this environmental part is characteristic. In this way, the corresponding environment part is personalized to the respective corresponding one

Machine part adapted or the respective environment parts are customized

programmed according to their tasks or aspects.

In a further advantageous method, at least two environmental parts communicate with one another. Virtual machines can also communicate with each other via these loosely coupled "channels." A specific piece of equipment automatically runs when its (more abstract) virtualized machine configuration meets the concrete one

Machine configuration can be mapped.

In this way, the machine parts are transferable without changes to an actually existing machine configuration. All you have to do is meet the minimum requirements. However, it would be conceivable without the minimum requirements emulation of the missing component by the control platform. It can be a

Control or control device also as a platform for several independent

Serve machines and machine parts.

In a further advantageous method, a framework program is created which can run on different machine configurations. In a further advantageous method, a virtual machine management is provided, which manages the said environment parts. In this case, virtual projects preferably do not access the hardware directly, but the interface that is used by the virtual machine

Machine management is managed. Such a virtual project advantageously consists of the user program (eg a PLC code), data such as tables, Recipes or databases, HMIs (input / output screens for control), bus configurations of the peripherals with actuators and sensors (addresses, structure, function) and the like. The said virtual machine management can thereby one or more virtual

Provide machine environments.

Preferably, the virtual machine management manages resources of the work machine, such as their computing time, their memory, their inputs / outputs (I / O),

connected devices, buses and interfaces.

In a further advantageous method, a real machine is transformed into a virtual machine

Transferred environment. It is thus possible, for example, to image the real machine in this virtual environment.

Advantageously, said virtual machine management for the virtual project itself is largely transparent. As mentioned, hardware mapping advantageously allocates the actual hardware and peripherals to the configured hardware in the virtual projects.

In another advantageous method, the virtual machine management

executed deterministic and / or real-time capable. Furthermore, the hardware on which the virtual machine management is running advantageously corresponds in structure to the automation system or the working machine. The virtual project also corresponds advantageously to the structure of an automation system.

Furthermore, it is also advantageously possible for virtual projects to be started and stopped independently of one another. The above-mentioned hardware mapping is advantageous as a separate artifact to the virtual project and can be particularly preferably reassigned without changing the virtual project.

Furthermore, it is possible that the virtual machines do not see each other. Furthermore, virtual machine management can completely isolate a security-related virtual project from other virtual projects. That way is one isolated processing possible. It is also possible that a virtual project can be protected, for example encrypted, and only then by the virtual one

Machine management with valid keys is decrypted and executed. In a further advantageous method requires a change to the real

Machine configuration resources, such as adding and / or removing further components or machine parts, will not change a virtual machine part, but it will preferably be hidden from the virtual machine part by virtual machine management.

In this case, the hiding or even this change by the virtual

Machine management done automatically or by a configuration change in the virtual machine management itself. Thus, for example, a change of the mapping table can be made.

The present invention is further directed to a work machine having at least one work unit, said work unit having at least one drive means and this work unit or each of these work units each one

Control device is assigned to control the working unit. Furthermore, the control devices each have memory devices in each of which are required for the operation of the respective working units programs are stored and the

Machine units are each assigned interfaces for data exchange.

Advantageously, the working machine has at least two working units and more preferably a plurality of working units. In this case, different tasks can be assigned to each of these several work units, for example as part of a

Press. Advantageously, also has at least one working unit and preferably several working units each have a plurality of drive devices. According to the invention, a virtual environment independent of the working machine is available for creating or changing a machine configuration of the work machine, in which a configuration can be generated. Furthermore, one is

Transmission device is provided, which transmits this configuration to the working machine. Advantageously, the mentioned virtual environment is split into a plurality of environmental parts. These environment parts can be separate from each other or separated and independently programmed or edited. Advantageously, the work machine is selected from a group of work machines which

Packaging machines, printing machines, textile manufacturing machines,

Automation systems, combinations thereof and the like.

Further advantages and embodiments will be apparent from the attached drawings:

Show:

Fig. 1: a schematic representation for illustrating a working machine; Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration for illustrating the prior art; 3 shows a schematic representation for illustrating the virtualization; 4 shows a schematic flow diagram for the virtualization; and

5 shows another illustration to illustrate the virtualization.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation for illustrating the present

Invention. A working machine designated in its entirety by 1 here has 2 machine units 2. These machine units 2 each have a plurality of drive means 22, which may be, for example, servo drives, hydraulic or pneumatic drives here. Reference numerals 26 each refer to drive amplifiers which are connected to the respective control devices 4 via real-time buses 24. The reference numeral 16 denotes a visualization unit which allows the user to handle the

Systems allowed or facilitated. By means of this visualization unit 16, for example, characteristic data for the respective configuration can be output. About an input / output device 18 can be entered on the part of the user commands. This input / output device 18 can be connected via a field bus 28 to the controller 4. The control devices 4 each have uniform interfaces 8, via which configuration changes are possible. For this purpose, a control level 20 is provided here, on which, for example, individual program modules can be stored.

In a configuration change, these program modules can be the individual

Interfaces 8 and thus also the individual control devices 4 are supplied. Accordingly, it would also be possible for the corresponding intelligence to be located in the respective drive amplifiers 26 and the program modules in each case

Drive amplifier 26 are loaded. The program modules can be made available via Ethernet 27 or the Internet 25. The reference numeral 14 denotes an engineering module, which allows editing of the individual software modules.

Fig. 2 shows a rough schematic representation for illustrating the prior art. In the prior art is usually a fixed coupling between the

Control device 8 and the respective machine units or drive means 22 are provided. In this case, a control device usually includes a

Application program or application data and operates a machine unit. The drives and the I / O are addressed in their known fixed addressing.

The user program therefore only works if there is physically exactly the expected machine configuration. Bus subscribers can not be inserted as addresses shift. Also, control hardware can not be replaced by a functionally compliant variant.

This means that an extension or change of the machine configuration requires the modification of the application program or the application data. For example, a new translation of the SPS project, an adaptation of the

Bus configuration, merging the data and expanding the control unit count. Even if the extension is actually functionally independent of one

Basic function is or could work with this over a defined or manageable interface, the above-mentioned modifications are required. From the prior art known machines can be decoupled step by step into individual from each other according to the principle of functional decomposition

Machine parts are decomposed, such. B. machines for molding, printing and

Packaging. From these individual machine parts can turn different

Machine types create such. B. Machines for forming and printing without packaging or for forming and packaging without printing. This variance of a machine can currently not be mapped efficiently with engineering tools. These always depict the final completion of the entire machine project.

If, therefore, the physical final configuration of the machine changes, the project also has to be adapted. Depending on the final configuration, the peripherals and the bus users have different addresses. Variant wealth of these machines also leads to unnecessary complexity. However, this means that maintainability and

Reusability of the individual machine parts in different projects only consuming possible. Also bug fixes have to be entered manually. This means that changes in machine parts caused by a tight coupling unpredictable side effects in the final stage. Fig. 3 illustrates the idea according to the invention. Here again, the work machine 2 is shown with the operating system 42. The reference numeral 30 indicates in its entirety a virtual environment in which three virtual environment parts 32, 34 and 36 are shown. In these virtual environment parts 32, 34 and 36 respectively

Programming is done and provided as virtual projects with hardware, operating system and application. This is the virtual one

Environment 30 around a virtualized machine environment, which is used to engineer the respective machine parts. In this way, a separate engineering of the individual machine parts in the respective virtualized environments or environment parts 32, 34 and 36 can take place here.

Virtualization is generally the decoupling of the operating system from the underlying hardware. The primary goal is to provide the user with an abstraction layer that takes him from the actual hardware computing power and Storage space - isolated. A logical layer is introduced between user and resource to extend the physical realities of the hardware.

Each user is taught that he is the sole user of a resource, or several (heterogeneous) hardware resources are merged into a homogeneous environment.

4 shows a flow diagram for the representation of the engineering. Reference numerals 32 and 34 again refer to virtual environment parts which are initially programmed out. Subsequently, these virtual projects 32 and 34 are transmitted via an abstracted interface 44 into a virtual machine management 40. As mentioned above, the virtual machine management 40 also manages the individual resources of the actual machine 2 as well as possibly its periphery 46. Thus, the machine can be assembled in this virtual machine management and then transferred via a hardware mapping 48 to the actual existing hardware. Also, the corresponding periphery 46 can in this way

co-managed and co-managed.

It is also possible that the above-mentioned implementation, with which the actually existing hardware and connected peripherals are assigned to the configured hardware in the virtual projects, is concealed. It is also possible that the actually existing hardware 2 and peripheral 46, on which the virtual

Machine Management 40 runs can differ from the expected hardware and peripherals in the virtual project 32 and 34 in terms of scope and also the severity. A change of the real hardware 2 and / or the periphery 46 does not require a change of the virtual project, it may be sufficient to re-allocate via the

Hardware mapping 48 perform.

In the manner shown here scalability upwards is possible, i. H. a

Control device for n logical projects or the transmission of a logical

related project on multiple controllers that are responsible for the virtual

Represent machine as a single control. In addition, scalability downwards is possible, ie one project and several logical controls. It is also possible to "freeze" the virtual machine, transfer it to another hardware and continue working from this "frozen" state (hardware replacement). The single machine part is displayed in the engineering project 32, 34 as a unit. The structure and the solution are closer to the problem domain and thus easier to understand and more logical.

Fig. 5 shows again in a summary of the procedure according to the invention. Thus, the application program is decoupled from the underlying hardware and programming is done with virtual devices. Subsequently, a mapping is made to the physical devices on the actual machine. Hardware are included

Control devices 62 and drive means 22 shown.

By the method proposed according to the invention, the machine project itself can be relieved of the change effort in variant-rich series machines and centrally located. An essential role is played here by the virtual

Machine management whose task is to provide for the "virtual" machine project despite external influences and changes an always same environment for the virtual

Machine project. In this way, maintenance, adjustment and care expenses can be avoided.

In this way, even non-existent real resources can be emulated or simulated by a virtual machine environment. In this regard, reference is made to patent application entitled "Method of Operating a Work Machine and Work Machine" filed concurrently with this patent application The disclosure of this application is also fully incorporated by reference into the disclosure of the present application. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

working machine

machine unit

control device

interface

Engineering module

visualization unit

Input / output device

control level

driving means

Real-time bus

Internet

drive amplifier

Ethernet

fieldbus

virtual environment

Environment parts, virtual projects virtual machine management

operating system

abstracted interface

periphery

control devices

Claims

claims

A method of operating a work machine, the work machine

at least one machine unit (2) with drive means (22) and this machine unit (2) each have at least one control device (4) for controlling the machine unit (2) and this control device (4) has a memory device, in each case for the operation the programs of the respective machine units (2) are stored, and wherein the machine units (2) are each assigned interfaces (8) for data exchange,

characterized in that

for creating or changing a machine configuration of the work machine (1) one of the working machine (1) independent virtual environment (30) for

Is provided and in this virtual environment (30) a configuration is generated and then this configuration generated in the virtual environment (30) is transmitted to the work machine (1).

2. The method according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the virtual environment (30) is split into environment parts (32, 34, 36), these environment parts (32, 34, 36) being characteristic of machine parts of the

Are working machine.

3. The method according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the configuration is carried out in at least one environment part (32, 34, 36) independently of the creation of the configuration in at least one further environment part.

4. The method according to claim 2,

characterized in that the configuration for a particular environment part (32, 34, 36) is limited to those aspects which are determinant for the machine part for which this environment part (32, 34, 36) is characteristic.

5. The method according to claim 3,

characterized in that

at least two environmental parts (32, 34, 36) communicate with each other.

6. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

a framework program is created, which on different

Machine configurations is executable.

7. The method according to at least one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

a virtual machine management (40) is provided, which manages the environment parts.

8. The method according to claim 7,

characterized in that

the virtual machine management (40) manages resources of the working machine (1).

9. The method according to claim 7,

characterized in that

the virtual machine management (40) is executed deterministically and / or real-time capable.

10. Work machine (1) with at least one working unit (2), wherein these

Working unit (2) has at least one drive device (22) and this working unit or each of these working units (2) each have a

Control device (4) for controlling the working unit (2) is assigned and these control devices (4) each have memory devices in each of which are required for the operation of the respective machine units programs are stored, and wherein the machine units (2) respectively Assigned to interfaces for data exchange,

characterized in that

for creating or changing a machine configuration of the work machine (1) one of the working machine (1) independent virtual environment (20) for

Is available, in which a configuration can be generated and further provided a transmission device, which this configuration on the

Work machine (1) transfers.

1 1. Work machine according to claim 10,

characterized in that

the real machine is transferred to a virtual environment (30).

12. Work machine according to claim 10,

characterized in that

the virtual environment (30) is split into a plurality of environment parts (32, 34, 36).

13. work machine (1) according to claim 10,

characterized in that

the working machine is selected from a group of working machines, which include packaging machines, printing machines, textile production machines,

Automation systems, combinations thereof and the like.