Flexible production line deployment method and system

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a flexible production line deployment method and system, access equipment broadcasts equipment information to terminal equipment through a multicast DNS protocol so as to automatically register an equipment identifier, calculates and generates a hash value of a current version when the configuration of a flexible production line is modified each time, stores the hash value in a version chain table, and sends the version chain table to the terminal equipment; the method has the advantages that the method is simple and convenient, version restoration, version combination and branch creation are supported, the problems of a traditional production line in the aspects of rapid adjustment, equipment replacement, troubleshooting and the like are solved, incremental management is conducted on hardware topology, network configuration and ladder diagram program / IO configuration, and an efficient and flexible solution is provided for flexible production by combining the branch and combination functions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automated production technology, and particularly to a flexible production line deployment method and system. Background Art

[0002] With the development of science and technology, the market's requirements for product functions and quality are increasing day by day. The product replacement cycle is getting shorter and shorter, and the complexity of products is also increasing. The traditional mass production method has been challenged. This challenge not only poses a threat to small and medium-sized enterprises, but also troubles large and medium-sized state-owned enterprises. Because, in the mass production method, flexibility and productivity are contradictory. As is well known, only when the variety is single, the batch is large, the equipment is specialized, the process is stable, and the efficiency is high, can economies of scale be achieved; on the contrary, for multi-variety and small-batch production, the equipment has low specificity. In the case of similar processing forms, the work clamps are frequently adjusted, and the difficulty of process stability increases, and the production efficiency is bound to be affected. In order to improve the flexibility and production efficiency of the manufacturing industry at the same time, shorten the product production cycle, reduce the product cost on the premise of ensuring product quality, and ultimately enable small and medium-batch production to compete with mass production, a flexible automation system came into being.

[0003] However, when the flexible automation system adds / deletes some production line functions as needed during each automated adjustment of the production line, it is necessary to correspondingly add / delete the network connections of the programmable logic controller (PLC) configuration corresponding to that part of the redundant functions, etc. However, if it is necessary to restore to a previous production line state, it is necessary to redeploy again. This process is not only time-consuming and error-prone, but also greatly affects the flexibility and efficiency of the production line.

[0004] Therefore, in the process of adjusting the automated production line, how to quickly and accurately deploy and restore the production line state has become an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to solve the problem that the flexible production line in the prior art cannot quickly and accurately deploy and restore the production line state. This application provides a flexible production line deployment method and system, which ensures the uniqueness and integrity of the version through the management and control of the hardware topology, network configuration, ladder diagram program, and input / output configuration, and combines a hash value verification mechanism.

[0006] An embodiment of this application provides a flexible production line deployment method, including:

[0007] Registration steps: The access device broadcasts device information to the terminal device through the Multicast DNS protocol to automatically register the device identifier. The access device represents a device joining the flexible production line. The terminal device contains program software and programs for controlling the flexible production line.

[0008] Version saving steps: Each time the configuration of the flexible production line is modified, calculate and generate the hash value of the current version, and save the hash value to the version linked list. At the same time, save the current version and its corresponding device identifier, hardware topology information, network configuration, ladder diagram program, and input / output configuration to the version library.

[0009] Version restoration steps: Select the version of the target configuration from the version library, and check the hardware topology information of the access device and the historical version according to the matching relationship between the device identifier and the network configuration.

[0010] If they match, automatically restore the ladder diagram program and input / output configuration of the corresponding version, and send the ladder diagram program and input / output configuration to the access device.

[0011] If they do not match, prompt the user to manually edit the corresponding relationship between the device identifier and the network configuration, and save the updated configuration to the version library.

[0012] Version merging steps: When merging the configurations of two or more different versions, automatically check for hardware conflicts and network configuration conflicts, modify the conflicting parts until they are resolved, generate a new merged configuration version, and store it in the version management system.

[0013] Branch creation steps: For different production conditions, create branches based on the existing version, save the incremental modifications in the branches, and support the merging and version rollback of the branches.

[0014] Adopting the above technical solution, after registration through the Multicast DNS protocol, version saving, restoration, merging can be achieved through the hash value, and branch creation is supported, realizing the comprehensive management and traceability of the flexible production line, as well as improving the flexibility and robustness of the network deployment and maintenance process in the flexible production line, and enabling the rapid and accurate deployment and restoration of the production line state of the flexible production line.

[0015] In some embodiments, the version saving steps include:

[0016] Each time the configuration of the flexible production line is submitted for modification, generate and save the hash value of the hardware topology file, the hash value of the network configuration file, the hash value of the ladder diagram program file, and the hash value of the input / output configuration file.

[0017] The hash value of each version is calculated jointly by the hash values of the hardware topology file, network configuration file, ladder diagram program file, and input / output configuration file of the current version, the hash value of the previous version, and the hash value of the submission time;

[0018] Store the configuration of each version and its corresponding hash value in the version linked list.

[0019] Adopting the above technical solution, version saving is achieved through hash values, ensuring that each version can be uniquely identified, preventing tampering or accidental modification, and improving data integrity.

[0020] In some embodiments, save the incremental data, parent node information, and submission time of each version submission. The incremental data includes the new, modified, or deleted parts of the hardware topology information, network configuration, ladder diagram program, and input / output configuration;

[0021] Generate a complete configuration version according to a preset period. The complete configuration version includes the incremental data and the cumulative data of all historical versions. The preset period is set according to the actual needs of the flexible production line.

[0022] In some embodiments, the preset period is determined by the version interval, estimated data volume, number of submissions, or fixed time.

[0023] Adopting the above technical solution, storing incremental data and combining with the most recent complete version reduces storage requirements and improves version management efficiency at the same time.

[0024] In some embodiments, the version restoration steps include:

[0025] When a certain historical version needs to be restored, select the historical version from the version library, and check the hardware topology information of the access device according to the matching relationship between the device identifier and the network configuration;

[0026] If the access device is consistent with the hardware topology information of the historical version, automatically restore the corresponding ladder diagram program and input / output configuration, and send them to the access device;

[0027] If the access device is inconsistent with the hardware topology information of the historical version, manually adjust the device identifier and network configuration to ensure that the restored configuration is correct. Automatically identifying the relationship between the device and the configuration through the hash value can accurately restore to the historical version, avoiding the complexity and errors of manual configuration.

[0028] Adopting the above technical solution, after a failure occurs, it can quickly roll back to a stable historical version, reducing the production line downtime. Automatically identifying the relationship between the device and the configuration through the hash value can accurately restore to the historical version, avoiding the complexity and errors of manual configuration.

[0029] In some embodiments, the differences between different versions are checked through a branch comparison function, and the production line configuration problems are located by using the results of the difference analysis.

[0030] Adopting the above technical solution, multiple branches are supported, and production line management can be carried out in parallel, improving the flexibility and scalability of the flexible production line.

[0031] In some embodiments, through an automatic device registration mechanism, for a newly added device, only the device identifier in the network configuration needs to be updated to access the flexible production line;

[0032] The latest versions of the network configuration, ladder diagram program, and input / output configuration are sent to the flexible production line in real time.

[0033] Adopting the above technical solution, when a newly added device accesses the production line, through the automatic device registration mechanism, only the device identifier needs to be updated to quickly access the production line, avoiding the cumbersome process of manually configuring the network configuration, ladder diagram program, and input / output settings. The addition of a newly added device no longer depends on manual adjustment or a complex pairing process, reducing the risk of configuration errors, ensuring automatic adaptation of network communication between devices, improving the connection stability of the production line and the system integration degree. After each device access or production line configuration change, the latest versions of the network configuration, ladder diagram program, and input / output configuration will be immediately sent to the relevant devices on the production line to ensure that all devices always run in the latest configuration state. When a device is replaced or upgraded, only the corresponding device identifier needs to be updated in the network configuration to automatically adapt to the existing configuration, eliminating the complex manual operations and configuration processes.

[0034] The embodiment of the present application also provides a flexible production line deployment system, including:

[0035] Registration module: The access device broadcasts device information to the terminal device through the multicast DNS protocol to automatically register the device identifier. The access device represents the device joining the flexible production line, and the terminal device contains the program software and program for controlling the flexible production line;

[0036] Version saving module: When the configuration of the flexible production line is modified each time, calculate and generate the hash value of the current version, save the hash value to the version linked list, and at the same time save the current version and its corresponding device identifier, hardware topology information, network configuration, ladder diagram program, and input / output configuration to the version library;

[0037] Version restoration module: Select the version of the target configuration from the version library, and check the hardware topology information of the access device and the historical version according to the matching relationship between the device identifier and the network configuration;

[0038] If there is a match, the ladder diagram program and the input / output configuration of the corresponding version are automatically restored, and the ladder diagram program and the input / output configuration are sent to the access device;

[0039] If there is no match, the user is prompted to manually edit the correspondence between the device identifier and the network configuration, and the updated configuration is saved to the version library;

[0040] Version merging module: When merging two or more different versions of configurations, automatically check for hardware conflicts and network configuration conflicts, modify the conflicting parts until resolved, generate a new merged configuration version, and store it in the version management system;

[0041] Branch creation module: For different production conditions, create branches based on the existing version, save the incremental modifications in the branches, and support the merging and version rollback of the branches.

[0042] In the embodiments of the present application, through version control, device registration, and self-configuration, the flexible production line can flexibly add or delete functional modules according to actual needs, quickly adapt to different production processes and production scales, and improve the deployment efficiency of the production line: Through automated steps such as device registration, configuration saving, and restoration, the possibility of manual intervention and configuration errors is reduced, thereby improving the deployment efficiency of the production line; enhancing the flexibility of the production line: Through steps such as configuration merging and branch creation, the process and functions of the production line can be conveniently adjusted to adapt to changes in different working conditions and production requirements; improving the maintainability of the production line: Through functions such as version control and historical records, the reasons and processes for configuration changes can be conveniently traced and found, thereby improving the maintainability and reliability of the production line. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0043] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the flexible production line of the present application;

[0044] Figure 2 It is an interaction flowchart of the edge controller and the terminal device communicating through mDNS in the present application;

[0045] Figure 3 It is a specific step diagram of version submission and SHA-1 hash value calculation in the present application;

[0046] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the hardware topology structure of different regions (Region E, Region D, Region C) in the flexible production line of the present application;

[0047] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the merged branch in the present application. Detailed Embodiments

[0048] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation manners of the present application. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present application from the content disclosed in this specification. Although the description of the present application will be introduced in combination with some embodiments, this does not mean that the features of this application are limited to this implementation manner. On the contrary, the purpose of introducing the application in combination with the implementation manner is to cover other alternatives or modifications that may be extended based on the claims of the present application. In order to provide a deep understanding of the present application, many specific details will be included in the following description. The present application can also be implemented without using these details. In addition, in order to avoid confusing or obscuring the key points of the present application, some specific details will be omitted in the description. It should be noted that, without conflict, the embodiments in the present application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0049] It should be noted that in this specification, similar reference numerals and letters indicate similar items in the following drawings. Therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent drawings.

[0050] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation to the present application. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0051] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that unless otherwise clearly specified and defined, the terms "mounted", "connected", and "coupled" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to specific situations.

[0052] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that in the present application, "electrical connection" can be understood as physical contact and electrical conduction between components; it can also be understood as a form in which different components in the circuit structure are connected through physical lines such as printed circuit board (PCB) copper foil or wires that can transmit electrical signals. "Coupled through..." can be understood as electrical conduction through air by indirect coupling. Indirect coupling can be understood as contactless coupling, in which it can be understood by those skilled in the art that the coupling phenomenon refers to the phenomenon that there is close cooperation and mutual influence between the input and output of two or more circuit elements or electrical networks, and energy is transmitted from one side to the other through interaction. In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present application clearer, the implementation method of the present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0053] With the acceleration of product replacement and the diversification of product types, the traditional mass production method can no longer meet the growing market demand, especially in the process of small and medium batch production, it is often difficult to achieve both production line flexibility and production efficiency. Frequent adjustments to production line equipment and process changes have caused great pressure on small and medium-sized enterprises, especially medium-sized enterprises. Therefore, flexible automation systems came into being, which can meet the needs of product diversity while ensuring production efficiency through appropriate configuration adjustments.

[0054] However, when a production line needs to be adjusted or expanded, it usually involves reconfiguring equipment, adjusting production processes, and redeploying the production line's control system. The recovery process after each adjustment usually requires manual configuration of a large number of parameters, and complex steps are required to restore the production line to a certain historical configuration. This process is not only time-consuming and error-prone, but also greatly affects the flexibility and efficiency of the production line.

[0055] Therefore, the embodiment of the present application utilizes the cache history of device configuration, combined with the management of network configuration, so that the production line can be quickly restored to a certain historical state, thereby reducing the manpower investment and error risk in the configuration modification and recovery process.

[0056] The embodiments of the present application provide a flexible production line deployment method and system. By caching the history of network configuration and device configuration, the network status and device status can be restored to the historical configuration status only by accessing the corresponding device, thereby realizing fast and accurate deployment and restoration of the production line status of the flexible production line.

[0057] In the embodiments of the present application, the faulty device can be directly used by replacing it and directly downloading the corresponding version of the configuration. If there are abnormal problems, it can roll back to the previous version to check for errors. For newly connected devices, they only need to change the device identifier (ID) in the corresponding network configuration to join the historical version control. Modifying the production line process as needed is simple, and it can roll back to a previous processing process. It supports managing production lines under various working conditions in the current factory, and combines functions, adds functions in parallel, only submits incremental code, and reduces the total data volume.

[0058] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of a flexible production line provided by the embodiments of the present application, as Figure 1 shown, the embodiments of the present application provide a flexible production line deployment method, including: a registration step, a version saving step, a version restoration step, a version merging step, and a branch creation step. It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present application, there is no fixed sequence for the steps. When a certain step needs to be performed, the corresponding step can be directly carried out. Exemplarily, if a version restoration is required, the version restoration step can be directly carried out, as long as the prerequisite conditions for the version restoration step are met.

[0059] The following will elaborate on the steps in the embodiments of the present application in detail.

[0060] Registration step: The access device broadcasts device information to the terminal device through the multicast DNS protocol to automatically register the device identifier. The access device represents the device joining the flexible production line, and the terminal device contains the program software and programs for controlling the flexible production line.

[0061] Specifically, the access device represents the device that needs to newly join the flexible production line. When the access device joins the flexible production line, it needs to access the network of the flexible production line. When the access device accesses the network, it will automatically register the device identifier (ID) by accessing the fixed hostname of the terminal device (PC) where the programming software is located through the multicast DNS protocol (mDNS protocol).

[0062] In the embodiments of the present application, there is no restriction on the type of the terminal device. Exemplarily, it can be a computer terminal (desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer), an industrial device terminal (industrial control terminal, edge controller, PLC (programmable logic controller), HMI (human-machine interface)), a mobile terminal, etc.

[0063] Version saving step: Each time the configuration of the flexible production line is modified, calculate and generate the hash value of the current version, and save the hash value to the version linked list. At the same time, save the current version and its corresponding device identifier, hardware topology information, network configuration, ladder diagram program, and input / output configuration to the version library.

[0064] Among them, the hash value is the hash value of Secure Hash Algorithm 1 (SHA-1); the Ladder Diagram Program (LD program) is commonly used in industrial automation systems, especially in Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), for controlling and monitoring control logics of mechanical equipment, production lines, etc.

[0065] In some alternative embodiments, the version saving step includes: each time a configuration modification to the flexible production line is submitted, generating and saving the hash values of the hardware topology file, network configuration file, ladder diagram program file, and input / output configuration file; the hash value of each version is jointly calculated by the hash values of the hardware topology file, network configuration file, ladder diagram program file, and input / output configuration file of the current version, the hash value of the previous version, and the hash value of the submission time; storing each version's configuration and its corresponding hash value into the version linked list. Implementing version saving through hash values ensures that each version can be uniquely identified, prevents tampering or accidental modification, and improves data integrity.

[0066] Specifically, the programming software modifies the configuration and the corresponding ladder diagram function blocks, distributes the configuration to each module constituting the flexible production line, and simultaneously generates the SHA-1 hash value of the current status batch and saves it to the corresponding version linked list. The version linked list will associate the data packets of the current corresponding device ID and the network setting relationship corresponding to the device, the data packets of the current corresponding device ID and the corresponding ladder diagram program, as well as the input / output (IO) configuration.

[0067] In some alternative embodiments, save the incremental data, parent node information, and submission time of each version submission. The incremental data includes the newly added part, modified part, or deleted part of the hardware topology information, network configuration, ladder diagram program, and input / output configuration; generate a complete configuration version according to a preset period. The complete configuration version includes the incremental data and the cumulative data of all historical versions. The preset period is set according to the actual needs of the flexible production line.

[0068] In the embodiments of this application, there is no specific limitation on the setting of the preset period, which can be set according to actual needs. Exemplarily, the preset period is determined by the version interval, estimated data volume, submission times, or fixed time.

[0069] In the embodiments of this application, by storing the incremental data and combining it with the most recent complete version, the storage requirement is reduced while the version management efficiency is improved.

[0070] Version restoration steps: Select the version of the target configuration from the version library. According to the matching relationship between the device identifier and the network configuration, check the hardware topology information of the access device and the historical version. If they match, automatically restore the ladder diagram program and input / output configuration of the corresponding version, and send the ladder diagram program and input / output configuration to the access device. If they do not match, prompt the user to manually edit the corresponding relationship between the device identifier and the network configuration, and save the updated configuration to the version library.

[0071] Among them, the target configuration represents the configuration that needs to be restored, which can be determined according to specific needs.

[0072] Specifically, select the configuration status of any batch. The programming software will check the corresponding relationship between the current network configuration and the device ID. If the corresponding relationship is consistent, automatically restore the ladder diagram program and IO configuration of the corresponding batch and send them to the device for restoration. If the corresponding relationship is inconsistent, it is necessary to manually edit the corresponding relationship between the current device ID and the network settings, and replace all the network configurations in the corresponding branch that are consistent with the previous version with the latest device ID.

[0073] In some optional implementation manners, the version restoration steps include: when it is necessary to restore a certain historical version, select the historical version from the version library. According to the matching relationship between the device identifier and the network configuration, check the hardware topology information of the access device and the historical version. If the hardware topology information of the access device is consistent with that of the historical version, automatically restore the corresponding ladder diagram program and input / output configuration, and send them to the access device. If the hardware topology information of the access device is inconsistent with that of the historical version, manually adjust the device identifier and the network configuration to ensure that the restored configuration is correct. By automatically identifying the relationship between the device and the configuration through the hash value, it is possible to accurately restore to the historical version and avoid the complexity and errors of manual configuration.

[0074] In the embodiments of the present application, after a failure occurs, it is possible to quickly roll back to a stable historical version, reduce the downtime of the production line. By automatically identifying the relationship between the device and the configuration through the hash value, it is possible to accurately restore to the historical version and avoid the complexity and errors of manual configuration.

[0075] Version merging steps: When merging two or more different versions of configurations, automatically check for hardware conflicts and network configuration conflicts, modify the conflicting parts until they are resolved, and generate a new merged configuration version and store it in the version management system.

[0076] Specifically, selecting two batches of configuration branches will prompt for configuration conflicts. After resolving the configuration conflicts, the ladder diagram program and IO configuration can be merged. If there are conflicts, it will prompt to manually modify the conflicting parts. After the modification is completed, the merged ladder diagram program and IO configuration will be merged into a new branch, and then deployed to the current flexible production line according to the process of the version restoration steps, which can connect different production processes and form new process requirements.

[0077] Branch creation steps: For different production conditions, create branches based on the existing version, save the incremental modifications in the branches, and support the merging and version rollback of the branches.

[0078] Specifically, create different incremental branches for the production lines under different conditions in the same factory, modify different process functions on the existing production line and manage them, save each modification, and can merge or modify the functions when needed in the future.

[0079] In some optional embodiments, the differences between different versions are checked through the branch comparison function, and the production line configuration problems are located using the difference analysis results. Multiple branches are supported in this application, enabling parallel production line management and enhancing the flexibility and scalability of the flexible production line.

[0080] Exemplarily, when an exception occurs, the problem can be quickly located and fixed by rolling back to a historical version and comparing the different parts (i.e., the difference analysis results).

[0081] In the embodiments of this application, through the automatic device registration mechanism, a new device only needs to update the device identifier in the network configuration to access the flexible production line; the latest versions of the network configuration, ladder diagram program, and input / output configuration are sent to the flexible production line in real time.

[0082] In the embodiments of this application, when a new device accesses the production line, through the automatic device registration mechanism, only the device identifier needs to be updated to quickly access the production line, avoiding the cumbersome process of manually configuring the network configuration, ladder diagram program, and input / output settings. The addition of new devices no longer depends on manual adjustment or complex pairing processes, reducing the risk of configuration errors, ensuring automatic adaptation of network communication between devices, enhancing the connection stability of the production line and system integration. After each device access or production line configuration change, the latest versions of the network configuration, ladder diagram program, and input / output configuration will be immediately sent to the relevant devices on the production line to ensure that all devices are always running in the latest configuration state. When a device is replaced or upgraded, only the corresponding device identifier needs to be updated in the network configuration to automatically adapt to the existing configuration, eliminating the complex manual operations and configuration processes.

[0083] In summary, after registration through the Multicast DNS protocol in the embodiments of the present application, version saving, restoration, merging can be achieved through hash values, and branch creation is supported, realizing comprehensive management and traceability of the flexible production line, as well as improving the flexibility and robustness of the network deployment and maintenance process in the flexible production line, and the production line status of the flexible production line can be deployed and restored quickly and accurately.

[0084] This will be described below through specific embodiments.

[0085] First, an edge controller is introduced. The edge controller usually refers to a key hardware device located in the industrial Internet of Things architecture, between operational technology and information technology. It is mainly responsible for data collection, processing, and transmission between field devices and cloud systems. In a production line, the edge controller monitors the device status in real time, executes predefined control logic, and ensures the stability and efficiency of the production process. In the embodiments of the present application, the edge controller refers to a hardware device for connecting and controlling production line devices. It is usually located at the edge of the production line and is responsible for managing and coordinating each device or module on the production line. The edge controller acts as a bridge connecting field devices (such as sensors, actuators, etc.) and cloud or remote systems by receiving, processing, and forwarding data.

[0086] Embodiment 1

[0087] Figure 2 It is an interaction flowchart of communication between an edge controller and a terminal device through mDNS provided by the embodiments of the present application. Figure 3 It is a specific step diagram of version submission and SHA-1 hash value calculation provided by the embodiments of the present application. As Figure 2 and Figure 3 shown, take the example that the terminal device is connected to 3 edge controllers through the network.

[0088] Specifically, step A: When the edge controller accesses the network, it will register the current temporary IP and device ID by accessing the PC (terminal device) where the programming software is located through mDNS broadcast. Step B: The programming software modifies the hardware topology, network configuration, corresponding ladder diagram program, IO configuration, etc. of the edge controller. Step C: Submit it as a version and add it to the version library. Each version stores a complete hardware topology relationship table, network configuration, and the incremental content of the differences between the ladder diagram program and IO configuration and the previous version, as well as the parent node and commit time information. Step D: The hash value (SHA-1 hash value) of each version is calculated from the hash value of the hardware topology file of the current version, the hash value of the network configuration file, the hash value of each modified ladder diagram program file and IO configuration file, the hash value of the previous version, and the hash value of the commit time. Step E: After submitting several versions, a complete version of the ladder diagram program and IO configuration file will be automatically uploaded. Each time a version is merged, a complete version of the ladder diagram program and IO configuration file will also be generated and marked as a complete version. It is possible to set how many versions to submit the complete code after, or it can be set according to the estimated data volume, fixed number of times, or fixed time. Step F: The programming software can choose to restore a certain version. If the hardware topology of the connected device is the same as the device ID in the selected version, directly download the corresponding network configuration, ladder diagram program, and IO configuration according to the device ID and the network address corresponding to the current device ID. The ladder diagram program and IO configuration are composed of the most recent complete version in the current version chain plus the incremental changes of each time to form the complete data deployment of the current version. Step G: If the hardware topology of the connected device is inconsistent with the selected version, it means the hardware does not match. Check the hardware connection or if the wrong version is selected. If the hardware is the same, but the ID in the network configuration does not match, it means the device has been replaced. Manually correspond the device ID, modify the corresponding relationship between the device ID and network facilities in the network configuration, update it again, and then download the network configuration, program, and IO configuration according to the new corresponding relationship. At the same time, form the corresponding data deployment for the corresponding version according to step F. Step H: The functions of two versions can be merged into a new version. It will check for hardware conflicts and network configuration conflicts and prompt for manual modification. After setting, check for conflicts according to the ladder diagram program file and IO configuration file. If there are no conflicts, modify and directly merge and replace the data of the latest version. If there are conflicts, prompt the operator to modify and select the correct corresponding program and IO configuration. Finally, generate a complete version and automatically upload the version. Step I: It is possible to create a new branch under the currently submitted branch and submit the corresponding program version and IO configuration in parallel. When there are exceptions in the new version, the old version can be rolled back and the differences can be compared to help check for faults and errors (bugs).

[0089] The following is a detailed description with a specific operation process.

[0090] Embodiment 2

[0091] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware topology structure in different areas (Area E, Area D, Area C) of a flexible production line provided by an embodiment of this application. As Figure 4 shown, each area of the production line has an edge controller, which connects multiple stepping motor conveyors through Ethernet control automation technology (EtherCAT), and uses a serial communication module (Serial Communication Module, RS module) and a digital input module (Digital Input Module, DI module) to connect a radio frequency identification sensor (Radio Frequency Identification Sensor, RFID sensor) and a photoelectric sensor. The edge controller is responsible for controlling the direction of the conveyor belt according to the data read by the RFID, and uses the photoelectric sensor to monitor the position of the object on the conveyor belt.

[0092] Specifically, as Figure 4 shown, taking the flexible production line for producing an item (1 - 31) as an example, the roller path includes motors, cylinders, baffles, etc. The production line for the item is divided into Area A (101 - 113), Area B (201 - 212), Area C (301 - 318), Area D (401 - 423), and Area E (501 - 523). Among them, the buffer area, RFID reader head, and loading point are named after the roller path numbers. Here, the production lines in Area C, Area D, and Area E are taken as examples for illustration.

[0093] Among them, in the production line of Area E, under one edge controller, the stepping motor conveyors of 530, 505, 508, 523, 519, 522, 518, 521, 517, 520, 516 are connected through EtherCAT. Five RS modules are connected to the RFID sensors of 503, 507, 510, 513, 515. The 8-bit DI module is connected to the photoelectric sensors of 502, 506, 509, 512, 514. The Digital Output (DO) module controls the baffle, etc.; in the production line of Area D, under one edge controller, the stepping motor conveyors of 430, 405, 408, 412, 421, 419, 422, 418, 421, 417, 420, 416 are connected through EtherCAT. Four RS modules are connected to the RFID sensors of 403, 407, 410, 415. The 8-bit DI module is connected to the photoelectric sensors of 402, 406, 409, 413. The DO module controls the baffle, etc.; in the production line of Area C, under one edge controller, the stepping motor conveyors of 330, 305, 308, 312, 315, 316, 317, 318 are connected through EtherCAT. Four RS modules are connected to the RFID sensors of 303, 307, 310, 314. The 8-bit DI module is connected to the photoelectric sensors of 302, 306, 309, 313. The DO module controls the baffle, etc.

[0094] For each production line, the tags of the objects on the conveyor belt are read and controlled by RFID, and the transportation direction is determined according to the built-in program logic of the edge controller. The photoelectric sensor judges whether the object on the conveyor belt has passed the current node.

[0095] Preliminary preparation:

[0096] When the edge controllers 1, 2, and 3 are connected to the network, they will access the PC where the programming software is located through mDNS broadcast to register the current temporary IP and device ID.

[0097] Version submission:

[0098] The submission is added to the repository as a version. Each version contains a complete hardware topology relationship table, network configuration, and the incremental content of the differences between the program and IO configuration and the previous version, as well as the parent node and submission time information.

[0099] The SHA-1 hash value of each version is calculated from the hash value of the current version's hardware topology file, the hash value of the network configuration file, the hash values of each modified program file and IO configuration file, the hash value of the previous version, and the hash value of the submission time.

[0100] After submitting several versions, a complete program and IO configuration file version will be automatically uploaded. Each time a version is merged, a complete program and IO configuration file version will be generated and marked to indicate that it is a complete version. You can set the interval between versions to submit the complete code, which can be set according to the estimated amount of data, a fixed number of times, or a fixed time.

[0101] For example: Zone E data consists of the hardware topology: 1 EtherCAT submodule + 5 RS modules + 8-bit DIDO module, corresponding to the network configuration and the program in the edge controller and the DIDO configuration.

[0102] The data in area D and area C consists of the hardware topology: 1 EtherCAT sub-module + 4 RS modules + 8-bit DIDO module, corresponding to the network configuration and the program in the edge controller and the DIDO configuration.

[0103] Version Restore:

[0104] The programming software can choose to restore a certain version. If the hardware topology of the connected device is consistent with the device ID in the selected version, the corresponding network configuration, program and IO configuration are directly downloaded according to the network address corresponding to the device ID and the current device ID. The ladder diagram program and IO configuration are composed of the most recent complete version in the current chain plus the previous increments to form the complete data deployment of the current version.

[0105] If the hardware topology of the access device is inconsistent with the selected version, it means that the hardware does not match. Check the hardware connection or select the wrong version. If the hardware is consistent, but the ID in the network configuration does not correspond, it means that the device is replaced and you need to manually match the device ID. Modify the device ID according to the correspondence between the device ID and the network facilities in the network configuration. After re-updating, download the network configuration, program and IO configuration according to the new correspondence. At the same time, follow the version submission process to compose the corresponding data and deploy the corresponding version.

[0106] For example: when expanding the production line in area C to the production line mode in area D, you can add corresponding hardware equipment and then directly deploy a corresponding functional version code in area D to quickly change the production process.

[0107] Create a branch:

[0108] You can create a new branch under the currently submitted branch and submit the corresponding program version and IO configuration in parallel. When the new version has an exception, you can roll back the old version and compare the differences to help check for faults and bugs.

[0109] Merge branches:

[0110] Figure 5A schematic diagram of merging branches provided by an embodiment of the present application is as follows Figure 5 As shown, it shows the production line equipment in Area E, the production line equipment in Area D, and the production line equipment in Area C. In the present application, the functions of two versions can be merged into a new version, and hardware conflicts and network configuration conflicts will be checked, and manual modification will be prompted. After the settings are completed, conflicts will be checked according to the program file and the IO configuration file. If there are no conflicts, the data of the latest version will be directly merged and replaced. If there are conflicts, the operator will be prompted to modify and select the corresponding correct program and IO configuration. Finally, a complete version will be generated and the version will be automatically uploaded.

[0111] Exemplarily, the code of the equipment in Area C and the equipment in Area D in Figure 5 can be merged. The merge will check the code of each module part. If it is the merge of the first version of the equipment in Area D and the code of the equipment in Area C, since the equipment in Area C is directly branched from the first version of the equipment in Area D, the previous version of the code in Area C is the first version of the equipment in Area D, so there are no conflicts during the merge and it can be directly merged. After the merge, it is the code of the first version of the equipment in Area C.

[0112] If the code of the first version of the equipment in Area C is merged with the equipment code of the second version of the equipment in Area D, the code of the incremental part will be checked. The non-conflicting parts will be directly merged, and for the conflicting parts (for example, the logic of the (415) RFID and (314) RFID connected to the fourth RS module is different), it will be prompted that this part of the code cannot be merged, and the correct branch needs to be selected for replacement, and a new version of the program will be merged, and the functions will be selected as needed to merge into new code.

[0113] The flexible production line deployment method and system provided by the embodiments of the present application solve the pain points of traditional production lines in aspects such as rapid adjustment, equipment replacement, and troubleshooting by introducing network deployment version control technology on the flexible production line. Its core lies in the incremental management of hardware topology, network configuration, and program / IO configuration, and combines branch and merge functions to provide an efficient and flexible solution for flexible production. The technical effects include: rapid deployment and adjustment: with version control and branch management functions, users can easily add or delete function modules and quickly switch different production processes according to requirements; efficient troubleshooting: when an exception occurs, the problem can be quickly located and repaired by reverting to a historical version and comparing the different parts; support for flexible production: when equipment is replaced or upgraded, only the device ID in the network configuration needs to be adjusted to restore to the corresponding historical version configuration, simplifying the maintenance process; efficient version merge: by automatically detecting and resolving conflicts, users can safely merge the functions of different branches into the current production line, avoiding duplicate development and configuration errors.

[0114] The embodiments of the present application also provide a flexible production line deployment system, including:

[0115] Registration module: The access device broadcasts device information to the terminal device through the Multicast DNS protocol to automatically register the device identifier. The access device represents the device joining the flexible production line. The terminal device contains the program software and programs for controlling the flexible production line.

[0116] Version saving module: When the configuration of the flexible production line is modified each time, calculate and generate the hash value of the current version, save the hash value to the version linked list, and at the same time save the current version and its corresponding device identifier, hardware topology information, network configuration, ladder diagram program, and input / output configuration to the version library.

[0117] Version restoration module: Select the version of the target configuration from the version library, check the hardware topology information of the access device and the historical version according to the matching relationship between the device identifier and the network configuration; if they match, automatically restore the corresponding version of the ladder diagram program and input / output configuration, and send the ladder diagram program and input / output configuration to the access device; if they do not match, prompt the user to manually edit the corresponding relationship between the device identifier and the network configuration, and save the updated configuration to the version library.

[0118] Version merging module: When merging two or more different versions of configurations, automatically check for hardware conflicts and network configuration conflicts, modify the conflicting parts until they are resolved, generate a new merged configuration version, and store it in the version management system.

[0119] Branch creation module: For different production conditions, create branches based on the existing version, save the incremental modifications in the branches, and support the merging and version rollback of the branches.

[0120] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various changes and deformations to this application without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Thus, if these modifications and deformations of this application fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalent technologies, this application is also intended to include these modifications and deformations.

Claims

1. A flexible production line deployment method, characterized in that: include: Registration step: the access device broadcasts device information to the terminal device through the multicast DNS protocol to automatically register the device identifier, the access device represents the device joining the flexible production line, and the terminal device contains program software and programs for controlling the flexible production line; Version saving step: each time the configuration of the flexible production line is modified, a hash value of the current version is calculated and generated, and the hash value is saved to a version list, and the current version and its corresponding device identifier, hardware topology information, network configuration, ladder diagram program and input / output configuration are saved to a version library; Version restoration step: selecting a version of the target configuration from the version library, and checking the hardware topology information of the access device and the historical version according to the matching relationship between the device identifier and the network configuration; If they match, the ladder diagram program and the input / output configuration of the corresponding version are automatically restored, and the ladder diagram program and the input / output configuration are sent to the access device; If they do not match, prompting the user to manually edit the correspondence between the device identifier and the network configuration, and saving the updated configuration to the version library; Version merging step: When merging two or more different versions of configurations, automatically check for hardware conflicts and network configuration conflicts, modify the conflicting parts until they are resolved, generate a new merged configuration version and store it in the version management system; Branch creation step: Create branches based on existing versions for different production conditions, save incremental changes in the branches, and support merging and version rollback of the branches.

2. The flexible production line deployment method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The version saving step includes: Each time a modified configuration of the flexible production line is submitted, a hardware topology file hash value, a network configuration file hash value, a ladder diagram program file hash value, and an input-output configuration file hash value are generated and saved; The hash value of each version is calculated by the hash value of the hardware topology file, the hash value of the network configuration file, the hash value of the ladder program file and the hash value of the input and output configuration file of the current version, the hash value of the previous version, and the hash value of the submission time; The configuration of each version and its corresponding hash value are stored in the version linked list.

3. The flexible production line deployment method according to claim 2, characterized in that: Saving the incremental data, parent node information and submission time of each version submission, wherein the incremental data includes the newly added, modified or deleted parts of the hardware topology information, network configuration, ladder diagram program and input and output configuration; A complete configuration version is generated according to a preset deadline, the complete configuration version including the incremental data and the accumulated data of all historical versions, and the preset deadline is set according to the actual needs of the flexible production line.

4. The flexible production line deployment method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The preset deadline is determined by version interval, estimated data volume, number of submissions or fixed time.

5. The flexible production line deployment method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The version restoration step includes: When a certain historical version needs to be restored, the historical version is selected from the version library, and the hardware topology information of the access device and the historical version is checked according to the matching relationship between the device identifier and the network configuration; If the hardware topology information of the access device is consistent with that of the historical version, the corresponding ladder diagram program and the input and output configuration are automatically restored and sent to the access device; If the hardware topology information of the access device is inconsistent with that of the historical version, the device identifier and the network configuration are manually adjusted to ensure that the restored configuration is correct.

6. The flexible production line deployment method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Use the branch comparison function to check the differences between different versions and use the difference analysis results to locate production line configuration problems.

7. The flexible production line deployment method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Through the automatic device registration mechanism, new devices can be connected to the flexible production line by simply updating the device identifier in the network configuration; The latest versions of the network configuration, the ladder diagram program and the input / output configuration are sent to the flexible production line in real time.

8. A flexible production line deployment system, characterized in that: include: Registration module: the access device broadcasts device information to the terminal device through the multicast DNS protocol to automatically register the device identifier, the access device represents the device joining the flexible production line, and the terminal device contains program software and programs for controlling the flexible production line; Version saving module: each time the configuration of the flexible production line is modified, a hash value of the current version is calculated and generated, and the hash value is saved to the version list, and the current version and its corresponding device identifier, hardware topology information, network configuration, ladder diagram program and input and output configuration are saved to the version library; Version restoration module: selects a version of the target configuration from the version library, and checks the hardware topology information of the access device and the historical version according to the matching relationship between the device identifier and the network configuration; If they match, the ladder diagram program and the input / output configuration of the corresponding version are automatically restored, and the ladder diagram program and the input / output configuration are sent to the access device; If they do not match, prompting the user to manually edit the correspondence between the device identifier and the network configuration, and saving the updated configuration to the version library; Version merging module: When merging two or more different versions of configurations, it automatically checks for hardware conflicts and network configuration conflicts, modifies the conflicting parts until they are resolved, generates a new merged configuration version and stores it in the version management system; Branch creation module: Create branches based on existing versions for different production conditions, save incremental changes in the branches, and support merging and version rollback of the branches.

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