Methods for configuring and commissioning one or more field devices of automation technology

Abstract

The invention discloses a method for configuring and commissioning one or more field devices for automation technology, comprising: calculating a model based on at least one first parameter and at least one second parameter; calculating at least one third parameter from the model; creating an expected input-output table for the measurement process from the model; commissioning the one or more field devices in an industrial plant; in response to the commissioning of the one or more field devices in the industrial plant; creating an actual input-output table for the measurement process; and comparing the one or more actual measured values ​​with the one or more expected measured values ​​on a case-by-case basis.and evaluating the state of one or more field devices, the state of at least one first, second, and / or third parameter, and / or the state of the measurement process.

Description

Technical FieldThe invention relates to a method for configuring and commissioning one or more field devices in automation technology.Prior ArtIn the automation industry, the engineering phase is a decisive phase in the development and implementation of automation projects. This phase includes the design, planning and preparation of the automation system to meet the specific requirements of the project. A design is often carried out during the engineering phase on the basis of various process and environmental parameters, in particular if the process is a measurement process which requires more than one field device.In order to ensure seamless functionality, safety and operational readiness of a newly installed or changed automation system or device, the automation industry generally takes the following procedure:• An expert for an industrial process plans using engineering software and selects one or more suitable field devices on the basis of a product manual of the manufacturer;• During planning, the expert may have to simulate the measurement site and find out the properties of the measurement material and measurement site that are important for the measurement;• The expert prints paper to later communicate the field device parameterization parameters to a service technician (who is to build the field devices) of the manufacturer;• The expert orders field devices from the manufacturer and the manufacturer constructs these in production;• The customer is supplied with components of the field devices from the manufacturer;• The service technician installs the field devices at the measurement site provided with the print on paper on which the properties of the measurement site are noted;• The service technician must perform some calculations using a spreadsheet and transmit the results (e.g., device-specific parameters) manually to the field devices until start-up is complete.Technical ProblemSeveral errors can occur in the method described above, for example: the expression from the expert is not present or is present in a wrong version, the wrong field devices are installed at the wrong location, the calculation of the parameters is incorrect, or the device-specific parameters are transmitted incorrectly.The object is to provide a method for performing a processThe object of the invention is to develop a method for simplified configuration and commissioning of one or more field devices of automation technology.This object is achieved by the method specified in independent claim 1.The method comprises:calculating a model based on at least one first parameter and at least one second parameter, wherein the at least one first parameter is a process parameter measured by the one or more field devices during the measurement process, wherein the at least one second parameter relates to environmental parameters taken into account when starting up the one or more field devices,calculating at least one third parameter from the model, wherein the at least one third parameter is device-specific,creating an expected input output table for the measurement process from the model, wherein the expected input output table comprises one or more input values and one or more expected measurement values corresponding to the respective value or values of the at least one first parameter,starting up the one or more field devices in an industrial plant in which the measurement is carried out, wherein the at least one third parameter is loaded onto the one or more field devices before or during the start-up of the one or more field devices, wherein a parameterization of the one or more field devices takes place using the at least one third parameter;in response to the initiation of the one or more field devices in the industrial plant, creating a real input output table for the measurement process, wherein the real input output table comprises the one or more input values and one or more real measurement values corresponding to the respective value or values of the at least one first parameter,comparing the one or more real measurements with the one or more expected measurements on a case-by-case basis; andevaluating a state of the one or more field devices, a state of the at least one first, second, and / or third parameter, and / or a state of the measurement process.Advantageously, the method further comprises computing an envelope from the model.In one embodiment, the at least one first parameter is a measurement substance property, comprising: flow rate, fill level, temperature, pressure, viscosity, density, pH value, redox potential, conductivity, turbidity, sludge level, concentration, and moisture.In an embodiment, the at least one second parameter is a measurement location property comprising: shape of the tank, shape of the connected pipes, materials of the tank, materials of the pipes, type of the measurement material, and properties of the obstacles in the tank.In one embodiment, the expected and real input-output tables are linearization tables.In one embodiment, the one or more field devices are installed on one or more encoded flange connections.In one embodiment, the one or more field devices are installed on one or more standard flanges on which one or more connections are located, with which the one or more field devices themselves check their installation positions.In one embodiment, the at least one third parameter is loaded onto the one or more field devices by device configuration software, wherein the device configuration software receives an expected field device group and checks whether the one or more field devices have been correctly connected to one or more expected ports.In one embodiment, one or each of the plurality of field devices communicates with and exchanges information with other field devices and / or with / via a cloud platform and determines whether the installation positions, the parameterization, and / or the one or more real measured values have been correctly observed.In one embodiment, the at least one first parameter and the at least one second parameter are stored in the cloud platform and are accessible for the configuration and / or the commissioning of the one or more field devices.This is explained in more detail with reference to the following figures. Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the claimed method. FIG. 2 shows an example for measuring the fill level of a tank filled with cement powder with five field devices. FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of the claimed method.In the figures, identical features are identified by identical reference numerals.FIG. 1 shows a first example of a method for configuring and commissioning field devices in an industry.To measure a physical quantity in the industrial process, the customer determines at least one first parameter and at least one second parameter during product selection 11. the at least one first parameter and at least one second parameter are then sent to the manufacturer, e.g. at a cloud platform 15 or database from the manufacturer.The at least one first parameter is a process parameter measured by the one or more field devices during the measurement process; and the at least one second parameter relates to environmental parameters taken into account at startup 14 of the one or more field devices.The products are field devices; the one or more field devices are then configured 12 by the manufacturer and delivered to the customer; subsequently, a service technician constructs 13 the field devices for the customer in the industrial plants; and finally, the service technician adjusts the field devices to ensure that the newly installed field devices are fully operational, safe, and operational 14.In the cloud platform 15, a model is calculated that is formed on the basis of the at least one first parameter and at least one second parameter. At least one third parameter is calculated from the model, which is device-specific. In addition, an expected input-output table for the measurement process is created from the model, wherein the expected input-output table comprises one or more input values and one or more expected measurement values that correspond to the respective value or values of the at least one first parameter.At startup 14, the at least one third parameter is loaded onto the field devices and the field devices are thus parameterized.In response to the bringing into operation 14 of field devices, a real input-output table is created for the measurement process, wherein the real input-output table comprises the one or more input values and one or more real measured values which correspond to the respective value or the respective values of the at least one first parameter,The one or more real measured values are compared, if applicable, with the one or more expected measured values; and a state of the one or more field devices, a state of the at least one first, second, and / or third parameter, and / or a state of the measurement process are evaluated.Referring to FIG. 2, in order to measure the level of a tank 20 filled with cement powder 21, the customer, who is an expert of the cement industry, simulates the measurement site using engineering software and finds it to need five radiometric level gauges 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 (each 20% level steps) for five different measurement points. The five radiometric fill level measurement devices 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 can be, for example, five compact radiometric transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205.A radiometric measurement direction typically consists of at least one gamma emitter 211, 212 which is installed in a radiation protection container and at least one compact transmitter 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 which calculates measurement values of the fill level. The gamma emitter 211, 212 is usually a 137 Cs or 60 Co preparation. Gamma emitters 211, 212 of different activity are selected to adapt to the respective application. The gamma emitter 211, 212 is installed in a radiation protection container which allows the radiation 210 to exit only in one direction and shields it in all other directions. Different radiation protection containers differ in size and radiation exit angles. The compact transmitter 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 contains a scintillator, a photomultiplier and the evaluation electronics. Incident gamma radiation 210 generates light flashes in the scintillator. These are passed to the photomultiplier where they are converted into electrical pulses and amplified. The pulse rate (number of pulses per second) is a measure of the intensity of the radiation 210. The pulse rate is converted by the evaluation electronics into a fill level signal.During product selection 11, two gamma emitters 211, 212, the associated radiation protection container, and the five compact transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 are ordered by the expert via a manufacturer. At the same time, it determines the first parameter and a plurality of second parameters and sends them to the cloud platform 15 and to the manufacturer.The first parameter is the level of cement in the tank. The plurality of second parameters are environmental parameters that must be taken into account when starting up 14 the field devices, e.g. the shape of the tank, the materials of the tank, the type of measurement material, and the properties of the obstacles 22 in the tank. The properties of the obstacles 22 in the tank must be taken into account with respect to the radiation 210, because a stronger radiation source 211, 212 can then be required for a relevant measurement point.A model is calculated based on the information about the first parameter and the second parameter. A plurality of third device-specific parameters are calculated from the model. The third device-specific parameters are later made available to the service technician for the parameterization of the compact transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205. In addition, an expected input-output table is created from the model, which table comprises a plurality of input values and a plurality of expected measurement values of the fill level. The plurality of input values are, for example, the pulse rates.The manufacturer configures 12 the field devices ordered by the expert in production. The customer is supplied with components of the field devices from the manufacturer.A service technician installs 13 the field devices at the measurement site, he does not have to manually calculate the device-specific parameters for the parameterization of the compact transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, because the device-specific parameters have already been calculated by the model. During the startup 14, the device-specific parameters are loaded onto the compact transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, and the parameterization of the compact transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 is complete.However, the device-specific parameters can also be loaded onto the compact transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 (FIG. 3 ) before the startup 34, e.g. during the configuration 32 of the compact transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205.In response to the startup 14, 34 of the compact transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, the compact transmitter 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 creates a real input-output table for the measurement process of the fill level. The real input-output table comprises a plurality of input values of the pulse rates and a plurality of real measured values of the fill level.The real measurement values and the expected measurement values of the fill level are compared on a case-by-case basis. If there is no deviation between the real measured values and the expected measured values of the fill level, or the deviation lies within the expected range, the installation 13, 33 of the compact transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 is in order. If the deviation is too large or not plausible, the installation 13, 33 is not in order.The reason for a large or non-plausible deviation may be the use of incorrect parameters in the calculation. For example, if the fill level of a material to be measured deviates from that of the cement, or if the obstacle 22 in the tank is not correctly taken into account, the calculated device-specific parameters may also be incorrect. The reason for a large or non-plausible deviation can also be a faulty installation 13, 33 of the compact transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, this including the use of a wrong compact transmitter. Another reason may be an intermediate change to the process, e.g. if during the process a part of the cement has been blocked at a location in the tank, creating a new obstacle.An envelope curve is advantageously calculated from the model.Advantageously, the expected and real input-output tables are linearization tables.Advantageously, the compact transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 are installed on a plurality of coded flange connections. A flange has, for example, a colored line and a compact transmitter 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 has the same colored line. In the case of the installation 13, 33, the colored lines must coincide. Or, there is a notch on the flange and the compact transmitter 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 has a material bump on the flange side, so the compact transmitter 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 can be installed only on the mating flange (otherwise, it does not physically fit on the flange if bump / notch differ on flange). Or instead of colors, a number at the flange and a number at the compact transmitter 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 are to match (number may be attached to the shield or lasered onto the flange to the device / tube).The compact transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 are advantageously installed on a plurality of standard flanges on which a plurality of connections are located, with which the compact transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 themselves check their installation positions. The terminals may be electrical, inductive, or optical, but are not limited thereto. For example, there may be contact on a flange and a mating plug on a compact transmitter 201, 202, 203, 204, 205; once the compact transmitter 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 is connected to the flange and properly installed, a colored light illuminates.Advantageously, the third device-specific parameters are loaded onto the compact transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 by device configuration software, wherein the device configuration software receives an expected compact transmitter group and checks whether the compact transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 have been correctly connected to the expected ports.The compact transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 advantageously exchange information with one another and determine whether the installation positions, the parameterization and / or the real measured values have been correctly observed. The compact transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 may also communicate with and exchange information with the cloud platform 15, 35.Advantageously, the first parameter and the second parameter are stored in the cloud platform 15, 35 and are accessible for the configuration 12, 32 and / or the startup 14, 34 of the compact transmitters 201, 202, 203, 204, 205.A second example of the method is continuous fill level measurement according to the radar runtime method. In this case, the input values of the expected and real input-output tables are the signal transit times.The examples shown are methods for measuring the fill level, but the invention is also applicable for measuring other physical parameters such as flow, temperature, pressure, viscosity, density, pH, redox potential, conductivity, turbidity, sludge level, concentration and moisture.The configuration 12, 32 includes establishing and adapting the soft and hardware components of the one or more field devices to the specific requirements of the application.The installation 13, 33 comprises the physical installation and the connection of the components (e.g. numerous field devices) of the automation system in the factory or in the industrial plant.Commissioning 14, 34 is understood to mean the process that ensures that a newly installed or modified automation system or device (e.g., replacement of the field devices due to a failure or newer technology) is fully operational, safe, and operational. During startup, the automation system is tested, verified and put into operational readiness.List of reference characters11, 31 Product selection for specific measurement scenario 12, 32 configuration of field devices 13, 33 installation of field devices 14, 34 commissioning 15, 35 cloud platform 20 tank 21 cement powder 22 obstacle 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 compact transmitter 211, 212 gamma emitter

Claims

Method for configuring (12, 32) and commissioning (14, 34) one or more field devices (201, 202, 203, 204, 205) of automation technology, comprising - calculating a model on the basis of at least one first parameter and at least one second parameter, wherein the at least one first parameter is a process parameter measured by the one or more field devices (201, 202, 203, 204, 205) during the measurement process, wherein the at least one second parameter relates to environmental parameters taken into account during commissioning (14, 34) of the one or more field devices (201, 202, 203, 204, 205), - calculating at least one third parameter from the model, wherein the at least one third parameter is device-specific, - creating an expected input-output table for the measurement process from the model, wherein the expected input-output table comprises one or more input values and one or more expected measurement values corresponding to the respective value or the respective values of the at least one first parameter, - bringing the one or more field devices (201, 202, 203, 204, 205) into operation (14, 34) in an industrial plant in which the measurement is carried out, wherein the at least one third parameter is loaded onto the one or more field devices (201, 202, 203, 204, 205) before or during the startup (14, 34) of the one or more field devices (201, 202, 203, 204, 205), wherein a parameterization of the one or more field devices (201, 202, 203, 204, 205) takes place with the at least one third parameter; - in response to the one or more field devices (201, 202, 203, 204, 205) in the industrial plant being put into operation (14, 34), creating a real input output table for the measurement process, wherein the real input output table comprises the one or more input values and one or more real measurement values corresponding to the respective value or values of the at least one first parameter, - comparing the one or more real measurement values with the one or more expected measurement values on a case-by-case basis, and - evaluating a state of the one or more field devices (201, 202, 203, 204, 205), a state of the at least one first, second, and / or third parameter, and / or a state of the measurement process.The method of claim 1, characterized in that the method further comprises computing an envelope from the model.Method according to at least one of claims 1 to 2, characterised in that the at least one first parameter is a measurement substance property, comprising: flow, fill level, temperature, pressure, viscosity, density, pH, redox potential, conductivity, turbidity, sludge level, concentration, and moisture.The method according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the at least one second parameter is a measurement location property comprising: shape of the tank, shape of the connected pipes, materials of the tank, materials of the pipes, type of measurement material, and properties of the obstacles in the tank.Method according to at least one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the expected and real input-output tables are linearization tables.Method according to at least one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the one or more field devices (201, 202, 203, 204, 205) are installed on one or more coded flange connections.Method according to at least one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the one or more field devices (201, 202, 203, 204, 205) are installed on one or more standard flanges on which one or more connections are located, with which the one or more field devices (201, 202, 203, 204, 205) themselves check their installation positions.Method according to at least one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the at least one third parameter is loaded onto the one or more field devices (201, 202, 203, 204, 205) by means of device configuration software, wherein the device configuration software receives an expected field device group and checks whether the one or more field devices (201, 202, 203, 204, 205) have been correctly connected to one or more expected ports.Method according to at least one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the one or more field devices (201, 202, 203, 204, 205) communicate with one another and / or with / via a cloud platform (15, 35) and exchange information and determine whether the installation positions, the parameterization and / or the one or more real measured values have been complied with correctly.Method according to at least one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the at least one first parameter and the at least one second parameter are stored in the cloud platform (15, 35) and are accessible for the configuration (12, 32) and / or the commissioning (14, 34) of the one or more field devices (201, 202, 203, 204, 205).

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