Data management device, data management system, data collection method and program

Abstract

A data management device (1) that shares time with multiple industrial devices that operate in multiple linked processes and collects operation data of the multiple industrial devices includes a communication unit (11) that performs cyclic communication with each of the multiple industrial devices via a network and receives operation data with time information added, a data collection unit (13) that collects the operation data of the multiple industrial devices received by the communication unit at a fixed period that matches the communication period of the cyclic communication, and a data storage unit (14) that stores the operation data collected by the data collection unit in chronological order.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a data management device, a data management system, a data collection method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] At production sites where FA (Factory Automation) is used to automate production processes, there is a need to analyze and utilize operational data from industrial equipment that handles the production process for quality control, loss cost reduction, etc. For example, data such as the position, speed, acceleration, joint temperature, and current consumption of a robot arm used on a product assembly line can be collected in real time, and if any of these values ​​exceed a threshold, abnormal robot behavior or an overload state can be detected. By adjusting parameters and checking for replacement parts at the time abnormal behavior or an overload state is detected, it is possible to prevent breakdowns, manufacturing defects, etc. from occurring in advance.

[0003] In factories where many of the production processes are automated, the systems are large in scale and the amount of collected operation data is enormous, so the collected operation data is managed in a database. In order to analyze and utilize the operation data managed in a database, it is necessary to build a database that associates the operation data with the product ID of the manufactured product, the source of the data, etc., which places a heavy burden on the system design and development work. For preventive maintenance, to predict future failures and detect abnormalities early, it is useful to analyze the operation data managed in a database in chronological order.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which a field device and a control device execute cyclic communication at regular intervals, and the control device writes data to a database according to the execution period of the cyclic communication. The control device manages the collected communication data in chronological order by arranging row data including time information and actual communication data. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-151726 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The technology described in Patent Document 1 relates to building a database within a single industrial device consisting of a programmable logic controller (PLC) and a group of field devices controlled by the PLC. However, in an actual production line, industrial devices responsible for multiple processes work together to produce a single product. For example, a material supply device supplies the necessary parts and materials in the required quantities. These materials are then processed and mixed by processing equipment. The processed materials are then moved to an assembly / molding station using a robot arm, conveyor, or automatic guided vehicle (AGV), where they are assembled and molded into a product. Once assembled and molded, the product is then sent to an inspection device. In the inspection device, various sensors check various quality-related aspects of the product, such as dimensions, shape, and vibration, to ensure that it meets quality standards. Defective products are detected based on the inspection results and removed from the line.

[0007] When a defective product occurs in such a system, it can be difficult to analyze the cause of the defect using only the data handled by the inspection device. For example, suppose that during a processing process, the temperature and humidity inside the processing device on that day change the characteristics of the material, affecting the processing accuracy. In such cases, it is difficult to identify the cause of the defect by analyzing only the data handled by the inspection device. Instead, it is necessary to identify the cause by integrating and managing the operational data of the industrial equipment in each process, such as the data handled by the processing device and the supply volume data when feeding materials handled by the supply device, and to analyze it comprehensively.

[0008] When attempting to collect and manage operation data from multiple industrial devices in an integrated manner using the technology described in Patent Document 1, an integration process is required to aggregate the operation data stored in the time-series database of each industrial device. Furthermore, for example, when a host system connected to each industrial device via a network aggregates the operation data stored in the time-series database of each industrial device, the host system accesses each industrial device on a one-to-one basis to acquire the operation data, integrates the operation data, processes it into analytical data, and then performs analysis, resulting in poor real-time utilization of the operation data.

[0009] The present disclosure has been made to solve the problems described above, and aims to improve the ease of collecting operational data from industrial equipment that operates in multiple processes linked together at production sites where FA is in operation, and to improve the real-time nature of data utilization. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To achieve the above object, a data management device according to the present disclosure shares time with a plurality of industrial devices operating in a plurality of linked processes, and collects operation data of the plurality of industrial devices. The data management device includes a communication unit, a data collection unit, and a data storage unit. The communication unit performs cyclic communication with each of the plurality of industrial devices via a network, and receives operation data with time information added. The data collection unit stores the operation data of the plurality of industrial devices received by the communication unit. In the order of linked processes The data is collected in a fixed cycle that matches the communication cycle of the cyclic communication. The data storage unit stores the operational data collected by the data collection unit in chronological order. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present disclosure, by sharing time with industrial equipment, collecting operation data with time information added from multiple industrial equipment received via cyclic communication, collecting it at a fixed period that matches the communication cycle of the cyclic communication, and storing it in chronological order, it is possible to improve the ease of collecting operation data from industrial equipment that operates in multiple processes that are linked together at a production site where an FA is in operation, and to improve the real-time nature of data utilization. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a data management system according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the data management system according to the embodiment; [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a data management device according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a method for transmitting and receiving data according to an embodiment; [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a data collection method according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is a flowchart showing an example of a data collection process according to an embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a data management device according to a modified example; [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a data management device according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The data management device, data management system, data collection method, and program according to the present embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the same or corresponding parts in the drawings are given the same reference numerals, and their description will not be repeated in principle.

[0014] The configuration of a data management system 100 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of the data management system 100. The data management system 100 includes industrial equipment 3A to 3C that operate in linked first to third processes, respectively, and a host system 2 that controls the industrial equipment 3. The industrial equipment 3A to 3C are, for example, supply equipment, processing equipment, and inspection equipment. The host system 2 includes a data management device 1 that collects operation data from the industrial equipment 3A to 3C. The operation data includes, for example, data indicating the amount of material supplied by the supply equipment when it is being supplied, various sensor data such as vibration, temperature, and load of the processing equipment, and data indicating the inspection results of the inspection equipment.

[0015] An application that functions as a user interface for setting the data collection function of the data management device 1 is installed in the higher-level system 2. Hereinafter, the application that functions as a user interface for setting the data collection function of the data management device 1 will be referred to as a setting tool. Furthermore, when referring to industrial devices 3A to 3C collectively, they will be referred to as industrial devices 3. The industrial devices 3 and the higher-level system 2 are connected via an industrial network that is capable of cyclic communication. The industrial network is one example of a network. Note that the number of processes is not limited to three, as long as there are multiple linked processes.

[0016] The industrial devices 3A to 3C each include a control device 30A to 30C that controls a group of field devices via an industrial network or a field bus. Hereinafter, the control devices 30A to 30C will be collectively referred to as the control device 30. The control device 30 is, for example, a PLC, and the field devices are, for example, relays, sensors, servo drivers, etc. If the control device 30 is located remotely from the group of field devices, the control device 30 may control the group of field devices via a remote device.

[0017] FIG. 2 shows another example of the configuration of the data management system 100. In the example of FIG. 2, the data management system 100 includes industrial equipment 3A to 3C that operate in linked first to third processes, a data management device 1 that collects operation data from the industrial equipment 3A to 3C, and a host system 2 that controls the industrial equipment 3. The data management device 1 is connected to the host system 2 and the industrial equipment 3, and links the host system 2 with each industrial equipment 3. The host system 2 controls the industrial equipment 3 via the data management device 1. The industrial equipment 3 and the data management device 1 are connected via an industrial network. In the example of FIG. 2, a terminal 5 on which a setting tool is installed is connected to the data management device 1, and a user configures the data collection function using the terminal 5. Alternatively, the setting tool may be installed in the data management device 1.

[0018] For example, if an external system controls the industrial devices 3A to 3C and the data management system 100 does not include a configuration for controlling the industrial devices 3A to 3C, the data management system 100 does not need to include the upper system 2.

[0019] The functional configuration of the data management device 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 will be described with reference to Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, the data management device 1 has a communication unit 11 that communicates with the control device 30 of each industrial device 3 via an industrial network, a setting reception unit 12 that receives settings for the data collection function made by a setting tool 40, a data collection unit 13 that collects operation data from the control device 30 of each industrial device 3 in accordance with the settings for the data collection function made by the setting tool 40, and a data storage unit 14 that stores the collected operation data.

[0020] The data management device 1 and the control devices 30 of each industrial device 3 synchronize their time via an industrial network. Specifically, the communication unit 11 of the data management device 1 shares time with the communication function unit of each control device 30 using a time synchronization protocol. The time synchronization protocol is a protocol for synchronizing the time of devices on a network with high precision. For example, when IEEE802.1AS is applied as the time synchronization protocol, a grandmaster clock corresponding to one node on the network periodically distributes a high-precision reference clock via the network. In addition, transmission delays are calculated by sending data back and forth between the grandmaster and other nodes, and the other nodes obtain reference clocks that have been corrected for this transmission delay. This allows the time with the transmission delay corrected to be shared.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 1, in a configuration in which the data management device 1 is included in the host system 2, the host system 2 and the data management device 1 are time synchronized with the control devices 30 of each piece of industrial equipment 3, thereby achieving time synchronization between the host system 2 and the control devices 30 of each piece of industrial equipment 3. As shown in Fig. 2, in a case in which the host system 2 and the data management device 1 are provided separately, the host system 2 is included in the scope of time synchronization.

[0022] Note that time sharing and time synchronization mean that the clocks of multiple devices each keep the same time and that this time is shared among the multiple devices. Hereinafter, the time synchronized and shared among multiple devices will be referred to as the shared time.

[0023] The communication unit 11 operates by sharing time with the communication function unit of the control device 30 of each industrial device 3, and transmits and receives data with time information attached via cyclic communication. Cyclic communication guarantees the arrival time of data and transmits and receives data at regular intervals, making it possible to synchronize data between devices and systems. Furthermore, by adding time information to the transmitted and received data, the data management device 1 and the control device 30 of each industrial device 3 can always share the same data at the same time. The time information added to the transmitted and received data is, for example, information indicating the transmission time of the data. The communication unit 11 communicates with the control device 30 of each industrial device 3 in accordance with, for example, the IEEE 802.1 TSN (Time Sensitive Networking) standard. Hereinafter, the IEEE 802.1 TSN standard will be abbreviated as the TSN standard.

[0024] Here, the method of transmitting and receiving data between each device will be described with reference to FIG. 4. Each device transmits and receives data according to a predetermined schedule based on the shared time. As shown in FIG. 4, the host system 2, the data management device 1, and the control devices 30A to 30C each communicate using time division multiplexing in communication cycle n and communication cycle (n+1) based on the shared time. Communication cycle n and communication cycle (n+1) are adjacent to each other. In other words, communication cycle (n+1) is set immediately after communication cycle n, and the end time of communication cycle n coincides with the start time of communication cycle (n+1).

[0025] 4 shows two representative communication cycles, n and (n+1), but communication cycles equivalent to communication cycle n and (n+1) are provided consecutively before communication cycle n and after communication cycle (n+1). The length of communication cycle n and communication cycle (n+1) is, for example, 1 microsecond or 1 millisecond.

[0026] Communication cycle n and communication cycle (n+1) each have time slot TS1 and time slot TS2 adjacent to each other. As shown in Figure 4, when time slot TS1 is arranged first in communication cycle n and then time slot TS2, the start time of time slot TS1 coincides with the start time of communication cycle n, the end time of time slot TS1 coincides with the start time of time slot TS2, and the end time of time slot TS2 coincides with the end time of communication cycle n. Time slot TS1 of communication cycle (n+1) is arranged immediately after time slot TS2 of communication cycle n.

[0027] The time slots TS1 and TS2 are time segments for transmitting different types of predetermined data, and are provided for communication of a predetermined format, channel, or protocol, respectively.

[0028] As indicated by the dashed arrows in FIG. 4, in time slot TS1, a control command for industrial equipment 3 is transmitted from host system 2, which corresponds to a grandmaster, to the communication function unit of control device 30 included in industrial equipment 3 in accordance with a real-time communication protocol. As indicated by the solid arrows in FIG. 4, in time slot TS2, operation data of industrial equipment 3A to 3C, each with time information added, is transmitted from the communication function units of control devices 30A to 30C to data management device 1 in accordance with a real-time communication protocol. The communication function unit of control device 30 may be a PLC unit, an implemented function, or another method. In the example of FIG. 4, a host system 2 including data management device 1 is depicted, but the method of transmitting and receiving data is similar even when data management device 1 and host system 2 are provided separately.

[0029] The operational data transmitted in time slot TS2 is assigned period information indicating the communication period of the operational data by the communication function units of the control devices 30A, 30B, and 30C. The data management device 1 identifies the communication period during which the operational data is expected to be received by referencing the period information assigned to the operational data. The data management device 1 sets a cyclic period for collecting the operational data based on the identified communication period. For example, the cyclic period is a period that is a positive integer multiple of the identified communication period. The cyclic period is an example of a fixed period that matches the communication period of cyclic communication. The period information may be information that distinguishes the communication period from other communication periods using an integer that is incremented from the start of communication, information that indicates the date and time or system time that indicates the timing at which each communication period starts, or other information that can identify a communication period.

[0030] 4, a control command for the industrial device 3 is transmitted from the host system 2 to the communication function unit of the control device 30, but if the data management system 100 does not include the host system 2, only time slots for data collection may be used. Also, in each time slot, other data, such as general-purpose communication data, can be transmitted and received according to a non-real-time protocol such as IP (Internet Protocol) communication.

[0031] Returning to FIG. 3 , the setting reception unit 12 receives settings for the data collection function made by a setting tool 40 included in the higher-level system 2 or the terminal 5, and sends the settings to the data collection unit 13. If the data management device 1 has the setting tool 40, the setting reception unit 12 receives settings for the data collection function made by the user. Note that if the data collection function has been set in advance, the data management device 1 does not need to include the setting reception unit 12. The settings for the data collection function made by the setting tool 40 include, for example, setting the operation data of the industrial equipment 3 to be collected and setting the buffer size. The buffer size to be set is a capacity that can accommodate at least all of the operation data of the industrial equipment 3 to be collected that is received per communication cycle.

[0032] The data collection unit 13 collects data shared with the control devices 30 of each industrial device 3 in accordance with the settings of the setting tool 40. The data collection unit 13 periodically collects a set buffer size of operation data to be collected together and continuously buffers it in the data storage unit 14. Hereinafter, the operation data buffered in the data storage unit 14 will be referred to as buffered data. Note that the functional configuration of the data management device 1 shown in FIG. 3 is an example and is not limited to this.

[0033] Here, a data collection method performed by the data collection unit 13 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The data collection unit 13 stores the operation data and period information received by the communication unit 11 from the communication function unit of the control device 30 of each industrial device 3 for each communication period defined by the shared time with multiple industrial devices 3 in the data storage unit 14 for each cyclic period. As shown in Fig. 5, the data storage unit 14 stores cyclic communication data of a set buffer size line by line in the order of the cyclic periods. The cyclic communication data is the operation data and period information received by the communication unit 11 from the communication function unit of the control device 30 of the industrial device 3.

[0034] The data collection unit 13 adds time information for the cyclic cycle n to data A1, data B1, and data C1 collected from industrial equipment 3A, industrial equipment 3B, and industrial equipment 3C, respectively, in cyclic cycle n, and buffers the data in the data storage unit 14. In the next cyclic cycle (n+1), the data collection unit 13 adds time information for the cyclic cycle (n+1) to data A2, data B2, and data C2 collected from industrial equipment 3A, industrial equipment 3B, and industrial equipment 3C, respectively, and buffers the data in the data storage unit 14. In the next cyclic cycle (n+2), the data collection unit 13 adds time information for the cyclic cycle (n+2) to data A3, data B3, and data C3 collected from industrial equipment 3A, industrial equipment 3B, and industrial equipment 3C, respectively, and buffers the data in the data storage unit 14.

[0035] Data A1, data B1, and data C1, data A2, data B2, and data C2, and data A3, data B3, and data C3 are operation data and cycle information of industrial equipment 3A, industrial equipment 3B, and industrial equipment 3C received in communication cycle n, communication cycle (n+1), and communication cycle (n+2), respectively. The time information of the cyclic cycle is, for example, information indicating the start time of the cyclic cycle. In other words, data in which the time information of the cyclic cycle is added to the operation data and cycle information collected from industrial equipment 3A, industrial equipment 3B, and industrial equipment 3C is stored in chronological order of the cyclic cycles as buffered data in the data storage unit 14.

[0036] 5, the data collection unit 13 collects cyclic communication data while the clock is at a high level, and collects general-purpose communication data while the clock is at a low level. Even if the communication cycle n and the cyclic cycle n are out of sync, the data collection unit 13 acquires the cyclic communication data for the communication cycle n while the clock is at a high level in the cyclic cycle n. In addition, the data collection unit 13 stores the cyclic communication data for the latest cycle in the data storage unit 14 as latest cycle data, separate from the buffered data.

[0037] The above-described data collection method is an example, and the communication standard is not limited to the TSN standard as long as the data management device 1 and each industrial device share a time and can receive operation data at a set communication cycle based on the shared time. Also, the data stored in the data storage unit 14 may be only buffered data.

[0038] The data management device 1 and the control device 30 of each piece of industrial equipment 3 are time-synchronized, communicate cyclically, and send and receive operation data with time information attached, so that at least one data management device 1 can collect time-series operation data of multiple pieces of industrial equipment 3. If the upper system 2 is equipped with a data analysis application that performs data analysis such as analysis and diagnosis using the operation data of the industrial equipment 3, performing data analysis using the buffered data stored in the data storage unit 14 eliminates the need for processes to build a database and to integrate and process multiple pieces of data in chronological order, thereby improving the real-time nature of data analysis.

[0039] As shown in Figure 5, if a buffer for the latest cycle data is prepared in the data storage unit 14 separately from that for the buffered data, the data analysis application can detect that the latest cycle data has been stored and read out the latest cycle data, allowing the operating data to be used for data analysis processing more quickly than if it were extracted from the buffered data.

[0040] For example, when performing high-load processing using AI (Artificial Intelligence), the processing is generally entrusted to a high-performance computer. Due to environmental and size constraints, high-performance computers are often installed in locations far from the industrial equipment (e.g., in a server room on a different floor), and receive operation data from the industrial equipment via a network. In this configuration, data is typically collected from the industrial equipment using a general-purpose network such as Ethernet (registered trademark) and stored in a database. By using an industrial network, the data management device 1 can synchronize and cyclically communicate with each piece of industrial equipment 3, even when installed in a remote location. This eliminates the need to consider the time lag that occurs when receiving data via other networks that do not perform cyclic communication, and enables real-time analysis of the operation data of the industrial equipment 3.

[0041] Furthermore, the data management device 1 references the period information assigned to the operation data and sets the cyclic period based on the identified communication period, thereby enabling data to be sent and received in accordance with the control period of the control device 30 without being affected by the data collection period of the PC (Personal Computer). For example, when collecting operation data of each industrial device using a PC, the data collection period of the PC is generally longer than the control period of the PLC, which can cause gaps in the collected data and a lack of data for analysis, making accurate analysis impossible. However, the above configuration is expected to solve this problem.

[0042] Returning to FIG. 1 , in the data management system 100, if the host system 2 includes a data analysis application, the analysis results of the data analysis application may be fed back to the industrial equipment 3. For example, if the industrial equipment 3 is a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) processing machine and the data analysis application calculates optimal processing condition parameter values, a feedback buffer for buffering the optimal processing condition parameter values ​​is provided in the host system 2, and the communication unit 11 of the data management device 1 transmits the optimal processing condition parameter values ​​to the CNC processing machine in the next communication cycle. The CNC processing machine updates its processing conditions with the received optimal processing condition parameter values ​​and applies them in the next control cycle. This allows the processing conditions of the CNC processing machine to be automatically optimized in real time while monitoring the abnormality trend in the industrial equipment 3.

[0043] Furthermore, the host system 2 may use cyclic communication to feed back the analysis results of the data analysis application to the control device 30 of the industrial equipment 3 in the next communication cycle after the data analysis process is completed, thereby improving the autonomy of the manufacturing system. If the processing time for data analysis by the data analysis application is constant, the feedback communication cycle may be set to match the processing time for data analysis. This allows the analysis results to be sent immediately after the data analysis process is completed, resulting in efficient feedback. Similarly, the data management system 100 shown in FIG. 2 may also be configured to feed back the analysis results of the data analysis application of the host system 2 to the industrial equipment 3 via the data management device 1.

[0044] For example, in a manufacturing system in which multiple pieces of industrial equipment 3 responsible for upstream and downstream processes operate in coordination, if a production plan is changed based on operation data acquired from the multiple pieces of industrial equipment 3, and the host system 2 receives the changed production plan and wants to execute variable changes for the multiple pieces of industrial equipment 3 at the same time according to that plan, the host system 2 and all of the multiple pieces of industrial equipment 3 that are the targets of the change are synchronized, so the variable changes can be executed without any variation in the timing of reflection. This makes it possible to avoid variations in cooperative operation, timing discrepancies, and interference between field devices, and is expected to reduce downtime and loss costs.

[0045] For example, suppose the data management device 1 is applied to a manufacturing system in which the industrial equipment 3 is a CNC processing machine that processes objects and a quality inspection machine that inspects the processing quality of the processed objects. The system includes a front-end process for processing metals, a back-end process for dimensional and surface inspection using the quality inspection machine, and a host system 2 for quality monitoring. In the front-end process, the control device 30 that controls the CNC processing machine associates a product ID with sensor data related to processing, such as processing time, temperature, pressure, cutting speed, and feed rate, and transmits the data to the data management device 1 via cyclic communication. In the back-end process, the quality inspection machine inspects the dimensions and surface of parts in real time, associates the product ID with inspection data indicating inspection results such as the reject rate, dimensional deviation, and surface roughness, and transmits the data to the data management device 1 via cyclic communication. The data management device 1 buffers various sensor data and inspection data in a chronological order. The data analysis application in the host system 2 analyzes trends in processing errors based on the buffered sensor data and inspection data and calculates optimal processing conditions to minimize processing errors.

[0046] The communication unit 11 of the data management device 1 uses cyclic communication to feed back optimal machining conditions to the CNC machine so that they are ready for the next control period (machining cycle). The control device 30 receives the feedback and automatically adjusts the cutting speed, tool position, and other parameters of the CNC machine based on the optimal machining conditions. This enables the CNC machine to manufacture parts with minimal machining errors from the next machining operation onwards.

[0047] The data analysis application of the host system 2 may use the Mahanobis-Taguchi (MT) method to compare a reference model created in advance by learning normal inspection data with the inspection data buffered in the data management device 1, score the degree of anomaly, and analyze the trend. In this case, for example, an optimization algorithm for processing conditions, such as reinforcement learning or Bayesian optimization, is applied to the data analysis application of the host system 2, and the optimal processing conditions are calculated when the degree of anomaly exceeds a threshold.

[0048] The parameter values ​​for the optimal machining conditions calculated by the data analysis application of the host system 2 are buffered in the feedback function buffer of the host system 2 and sent to the CNC machine in the next communication cycle. The CNC machine updates the machining conditions and applies them in the next control cycle. This makes it possible to monitor the trend of abnormality and automatically optimize the machining conditions of the CNC machine in real time if the abnormality exceeds the threshold. The above learning method and trend analysis method are examples and are not limited to these.

[0049] The flow of the data collection process executed by the data management system 100 will now be described with reference to FIG. 6. The data collection process shown in FIG. 6 starts, for example, when the data management system 100 is powered on. The data management device 1 and the control devices 30 of each industrial device 3 synchronize their time via an industrial network (step S11). The setting acceptance unit 12 of the data management device 1 accepts settings for the data collection function made by the setting tool (step S12) and sends the settings to the data collection unit 13. The communication unit 11 receives operation data with time information added from the control devices 30 of each industrial device 3 through cyclic communication (step S13). The data collection unit 13 collects the same data shared with the control devices 30 of each industrial device 3 at the same time according to the settings of the setting tool (step S14), and continuously buffers the data of the set buffer size in the data storage unit 14 (step S15). If the power is not turned off (step S16; NO), the process returns to step S13, and steps S13 to S16 are repeated. When the power is turned off (step S16; YES), the process ends.

[0050] According to the data management device 1 of the embodiment, the time is shared with the industrial devices 3, and the operation data of multiple industrial devices 3 received via cyclic communication, to which time information is added, is collected at a fixed period that matches the communication period of the cyclic communication, and stored in chronological order, thereby improving the ease of collecting operation data of industrial devices 3 that operate in multiple processes that are linked together at a production site where an FA is operated, and improving the real-time nature of data utilization.

[0051] In the above embodiment, the case where the higher-level system 2 includes a data analysis application has been described. However, the data management device 1 may also include a data analysis unit that performs data analysis of the above-mentioned data analysis application. This modification will be described with reference to FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 7, the data management device 1 includes, in addition to a communication unit 11, a setting reception unit 12, a data collection unit 13, and a data storage unit 14, a data analysis unit 15 that performs data analysis in real time using buffered data, and a feedback storage unit 16 that temporarily stores feedback data indicating the analysis results of the data analysis unit 15. Once the analysis result data is stored in the feedback storage unit 16, the communication unit 11 transmits the data to the industrial equipment 3 in the next communication cycle.

[0052] In the above embodiment, the data management device 1 includes the data storage unit 14, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the data storage unit 14 may be provided outside the data management device 1.

[0053] The hardware configuration of the data management device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. As shown in Fig. 8, the data management device 1 includes a temporary storage unit 301, a storage unit 302, a calculation unit 303, an input unit 304, a transmission / reception unit 305, and a display unit 306. The temporary storage unit 301, the storage unit 302, the input unit 304, the transmission / reception unit 305, and the display unit 306 are all connected to the calculation unit 303 via a BUS.

[0054] The calculation unit 303 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The calculation unit 303 executes the processes of the data collection unit 13 and the data analysis unit 15 in accordance with the control program stored in the storage unit 302.

[0055] The temporary storage unit 301 is, for example, a random-access memory (RAM). The temporary storage unit 301 loads the control program stored in the storage unit 302 and is used as a work area for the calculation unit 303.

[0056] The storage unit 302 is a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, a hard disk, a DVD-RAM (Digital Versatile Disc - Random Access Memory), or a DVD-RW (Digital Versatile Disc - Rewritable). The storage unit 302 pre-stores a program for causing the calculation unit 303 to perform the processing of the data management device 1, and also supplies the data stored by this program to the calculation unit 303 in accordance with instructions from the calculation unit 303, and stores the data supplied from the calculation unit 303. The data storage unit 14 is configured in the storage unit 302.

[0057] The input unit 304 is an interface device that connects input devices such as a keyboard, a pointing device, and a voice input device to the BUS. Information input by the user is supplied to the calculation unit 303 via the input unit 304. In a configuration in which the data management device 1 has a setting tool and the setting reception unit 12 receives settings for the data collection function made by the user, the input unit 304 functions as the setting reception unit 12.

[0058] The transmitting / receiving unit 305 is a network termination device or a wireless communication device that connects to the network, and a serial interface or a LAN (Local Area Network) interface that connects to them. The transmitting / receiving unit 305 functions as the communication unit 11 and the setting reception unit 12.

[0059] The display unit 306 is a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), an organic EL (Electroluminescence) display, etc. In a configuration in which the data management device 1 has a setting tool and the setting reception unit 12 receives settings for the data collection function from the user, a setting input screen is displayed.

[0060] The processing of the communication unit 11, setting reception unit 12, data collection unit 13 and data storage unit 14 of the data management device 1 shown in Figures 1 and 7 is executed by a control program using the temporary storage unit 301, calculation unit 303, storage unit 302, input unit 304, transmission / reception unit 305 and display unit 306 as resources.

[0061] Furthermore, the above hardware configuration and flowchart are merely examples and can be changed and modified as desired.

[0062] The core processing components of data management device 1, such as calculation unit 303, temporary storage unit 301, storage unit 302, input unit 304, transmission / reception unit 305, and display unit 306, can be realized using an ordinary computer system rather than a dedicated system. For example, a computer program for executing the above operations may be stored and distributed on a computer-readable recording medium such as a flexible disk, CD-ROM (Compact Disc - Read Only Memory), or DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc - Read Only Memory), and the computer program may be installed on a computer to configure data management device 1 for executing the above processing. Alternatively, the computer program may be stored in a storage device of a server device on a communication network, such as the Internet, and downloaded by an ordinary computer system to configure data management device 1.

[0063] Furthermore, when the functions of the data management device 1 are realized by sharing the functions between an OS (Operating System) and an application program, or by cooperation between the OS and the application program, only the application program portion may be stored in a recording medium or storage device.

[0064] It is also possible to superimpose a computer program on a carrier wave and provide it via a communication network. For example, the computer program may be posted on a bulletin board system (BBS) on the communication network and provided via the communication network. The computer program may then be started and executed under the control of an OS in the same way as other application programs, thereby enabling the above-mentioned processing to be performed.

[0065] It should be noted that the present disclosure allows various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are intended to explain the disclosure and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. That is, the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, not the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and within the meaning of the disclosure equivalent thereto are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1 Data management device, 2 Upper system, 3A, 3B, 3C Industrial equipment, 5 Terminal, 11 Communication unit, 12 Setting reception unit, 13 Data collection unit, 14 Data storage unit, 15 Data analysis unit, 16 Feedback data storage unit, 30, 30A, 30B, 30C Control device, 40 Setting tool, 100 Data management system, 301 Temporary storage unit, 302 Storage unit, 303 Calculation unit, 304 Input unit, 305 Transmission / reception unit, 306 Display unit.

Claims

1. A data management device that shares time with a plurality of industrial devices that operate in a plurality of linked processes and collects operation data of the plurality of industrial devices, a communication unit that performs cyclic communication with each of the plurality of industrial devices via a network and receives the operation data to which time information is added; a data collection unit that compiles the operation data of the plurality of industrial devices received by the communication unit in the order of linked processes and collects the data at a constant cycle that matches the communication cycle of the cyclic communication; a data storage unit that stores the operation data collected by the data collection unit in chronological order; A data management device comprising:

2. Further, a data analysis unit is provided that performs data analysis using the time-series operational data, The communication unit transmitting feedback data indicating an analysis result of the data analysis unit to the plurality of industrial devices; The data management device according to claim 1 .

3. The plurality of industrial devices are a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) processing machine that processes an object and a quality inspection machine that inspects the processing quality of the processed object, The communication unit receiving, via the cyclic communication, sensor data relating to machining from the CNC machining machine and inspection data indicating inspection results from the quality inspection machine; The data collection unit storing the sensor data and the inspection data in the data storage unit in chronological order; The data analysis unit Analyzing the tendency of machining errors based on the sensor data and the inspection data stored in the data storage unit in chronological order, and calculating optimal machining conditions that minimize the machining errors; The communication unit transmitting the feedback data indicating the optimum machining conditions to the CNC machining device; The data management device according to claim 2 .

4. The communication unit transmitting the feedback data to the CNC machining machine by using the cyclic communication so as to be in time for the next control cycle of the CNC machining machine; The data management device according to claim 3 .

5. When the processing time of the data analysis by the data analysis unit is constant, The communication unit a communication cycle for transmitting the feedback data to the CNC processing machine is set in accordance with a processing time for the data analysis by the data analysis unit; 5. The data management device according to claim 3 or 4.

6. The data analysis unit A reference model created in advance by learning normal inspection data is compared with the inspection data stored in the data storage unit using the Mahanobis-Taguchi (MT) method, the degree of abnormality is scored, the trend is analyzed, and an optimization algorithm is applied to calculate optimal processing conditions when the degree of abnormality exceeds a threshold value.

5. The data management device according to claim 3 or 4.

7. The data management device according to claim 1 or 2; the plurality of industrial devices; Equipped with each of the plurality of industrial devices shares a time with the data management device, performs the cyclic communication with the data management device via the network, and transmits the operation data to which the time information has been added; Data management system.

8. Further, a host system for controlling the plurality of industrial devices is provided, The data management device The host system is included in the host system, or is connected to the host system and the plurality of industrial devices, and cooperates with the host system and the plurality of industrial devices. The data management system of claim 7 .

9. A data collection method executed by a data management device, Sharing time with multiple industrial devices operating in multiple linked processes, performing cyclic communication with each of the plurality of industrial devices via a network, and receiving operation data of the plurality of industrial devices with time information added thereto; The received operation data of the plurality of industrial devices is collected in a sequence of linked processes, and collected at a fixed cycle that matches the communication cycle of the cyclic communication; Storing the collected operational data in chronological order; Data collection methods.

10. A computer that shares time with multiple industrial devices operating in multiple linked processes. a communication unit that performs cyclic communication with each of the plurality of industrial devices via a network and receives operation data of the plurality of industrial devices with time information added thereto; and a data collection unit that collects the operation data of the plurality of industrial devices received by the communication unit in the order of linked processes at a constant cycle that matches the communication cycle of the cyclic communication; A program that functions as a

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