Method for producing an electrical switchgear system or control system

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing an electrical switchgear system, comprising the steps: a) providing planning data concerning an electrical switchgear system to be produced, which planning data comprises at least geometric data of the electrical switchgear system to be produced; b) determining required processing steps for producing the electrical switchgear system in accordance with the planning data; c) assigning the processing steps to at least one processing machine of a plurality of processing machines in accordance with at least one selection criterion; and d) carrying out the processing step by means of the at least one processing machine to which the processing step has been assigned.

Description

[0001] Process for the manufacture of an electrical switchgear or control system

[0002] The invention relates to a method for producing an electrical switchgear or control system.

[0003] EP 3705961 Ai discloses a computer-implemented method for monitoring multiple cable processing machines and a corresponding monitoring system. Several cable processing stations are connected to a common control server, and for monitoring purposes, production parameters are sent from the cable processing machines to the control server. The production parameters further include settings of the cable processing machines for processing the cables by the respective cable processing machine. The control server is accordingly configured to receive production parameters and store them in a central database.

[0004] The methods known from the prior art have the disadvantage that the input parameters for controlling the processing machines used to manufacture electrical switchgear and control systems—which may include, for example, wiring machines, cable assembly machines, systems for machining flat parts, and assembly machines—are production parameters, i.e., machine data, which must be directly suitable for controlling a processing machine. However, these parameters must first be generated based on the planning stage. Thus, the process-related link between the usually software-supported planning of the electrical switchgear or control system and the control of the processing machines used to manufacture the planned switchgear or control system is missing.It is therefore the object of the invention to automate a method for the production of an electrical switchgear or control system to such an extent that, after completion of the planning of the electrical switchgear or control system, no human interaction is required until its production.

[0005] This object is achieved by a method having the features of claim i. The dependent claims each relate to advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0006] Accordingly, the method for producing an electrical switchgear or control system comprises the steps of: a. providing planning data relating to an electrical switchgear to be produced, which planning data comprise at least geometric data of the electrical switchgear to be produced; b. determining required processing steps for producing the electrical switchgear according to the planning data; c. assigning the processing steps to at least one processing machine of a plurality of processing machines according to at least one selection criterion; and d. carrying out the processing step with the at least one processing machine to which the processing step has been assigned.

[0007] The invention is therefore based on the idea of ​​deriving the necessary processing steps for manufacturing the electrical switchgear based on the planning data, which includes geometric data of the electrical switchgear to be manufactured. Planning data can be provided, for example, as AutomationML (Automation Markup Language) data, which can naturally include the required geometric data. This data can include data relating to the mechanical design, the electrical design, and other geometric data that can be used to determine the required processing steps.The required processing steps derived from the geometric data can then be assigned to a suitable one of the plurality of processing machines depending on the processing step. For this purpose, the processing machines can be connected, for example, via a data interface to a data processing system on which at least the above-mentioned steps a. to c. can be executed. In this respect, the method according to the invention can be implemented as a computer-implemented method.

[0008] For example, for the control of a placement machine with which, for example, electrical components are plugged onto a top-hat rail or mounted directly onto a mounting plate, the provision may include the provision of planning data relating to a parts list of the electrical switchgear to be manufactured.

[0009] The determination may involve comparing the actual state of the electrical switchgear or control system or a component of the electrical switchgear or

[0010] Control system with a target state of the electrical switching or

[0011] Control system, whereby the target state is specified by the planning data.

[0012] Assigning the processing steps may include matching the processing capability of at least one of the processing machines with a processing requirement for performing the processing step.

[0013] Comparing the processing capability can involve comparing at least one technical-functional processing capability and preferably also at least one temporal processing capability with the processing requirement. Comparing the technical-functional processing capability can, for example, include checking the presence of a tool required for the processing step to be carried out by the respective processing machine. For this purpose, the processing machine can transmit its technical-functional processing capabilities ("skills"), for example, to a data processing system, which, based on its knowledge of the processing capabilities, carries out the allocation of the processing steps according to method step c., wherein the aforementioned processing capabilities can, for example, be a selection criterion.The temporal processing capability relates, for example, to the utilization of the processing machine to which the processing step has been or is to be assigned. In particular, if several technically and functionally equivalent processing machines are available for the assignment of the processing step, to which the processing step could be assigned in the sense of a positive optional validation, the assignment can be made based on the additional selection criterion of utilization.

[0014] The method may further comprise recording at least one technical-functional processing capability for each processing machine. The recorded processing capability and its assignment to the associated processing machine can be stored in a memory, which is also accessed for assigning the processing steps. The memory can, for example, be part of the aforementioned data processing system for executing at least steps a. to c.

[0015] After assignment and before execution of the processing step, an actual validation may also be performed by the processing machine designated for the processing step. This may involve checking the availability of at least one component required for the manufacture of the electrical switchgear and one processing tool for performing the processing step.

[0016] In the event that the actual validation reveals no or insufficient availability, it may be stipulated that another, technically and functionally equivalent processing machine be designated to perform the processing step. Alternatively, the geometric data of the switchgear to be manufactured can be redesigned, taking into account the actual availability of tools for the processing machine designated for performing the processing step and / or the actual availability of components required for the manufacture of the electrical switchgear.

[0017] In the event that the actual validation shows that a required machining tool is available, but that using the tool would require a tool change, the machining step can, if possible, be assigned to another machining machine with equivalent technical and functional machining capability.

[0018] The allocation of the processing steps can comprise the following according to at least one selection criterion for at least one and preferably for several of the plurality of processing machines: determining the availability of at least one component or at least one tool required for the processing step; and allocating the processing step to that of the processing machines which has the lowest utilization given the availability.

[0019] Steps a. to c. can be performed by a data processing system to which the plurality of processing machines are connected via a data interface. The processing machines can be configured to send a machine profile comprising at least one processing capability of the respective processing machine to the data processing system after being connected via the data interface.

[0020] The machine profile can be used as its selection criterion for assigning the processing steps to at least one of the plurality of processing machines, wherein the processing machine preferably sends, after connecting and sending the at least one processing capability, periodically, continuously or upon request of the data processing system, an availability of at least one component required for the processing step or at least one tool required for the processing step to the data processing system, which is preferably used as a further selection criterion for assigning the processing steps.

[0021] If at least steps a. to c. are performed using a data processing system, the processing machines can be configured to monitor the assigned processing step for completeness and / or correct execution and send a corresponding processing log to the data processing system. Determining the required processing steps can involve extracting processing data from the planning data, for which purpose the planning data is preferably provided as AutomationML (Automation Markup Language) data.

[0022] Machine data for controlling the processing machine to which the processing step is assigned can be generated from the processing data. For this purpose, the processing machine communicates the machine data required for its operation to a data processing system via a data interface, so that the data processing system can generate and provide the machine data required for operation in a suitable form.

[0023] Further details of the invention are explained with reference to the following Figure 1. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a method according to the invention for producing an electrical switchgear.

[0024] In principle, the process can be implemented entirely in software, with the exception of the processing machines i, thus being designed as a computer-implemented process. Planning software 100, for example, the commercially available Eplan Pro Panel software for 2D and 3D planning in switchgear and control system construction, can be used to create a fully automated, computer-protected, comprehensive plan for an electrical switchgear or control system. The engineering data generated in this way can be provided as AutomationML data (AML data) and stored, for example, in a cloud 200, such as a decentralized server, for remote access. This allows central access to the planning data and the creation of a production order locally, independent of the switchgear manufacture.

[0025] The AML data naturally also include, in particular, geometric data of the electrical switchgear to be manufactured. This can be geometric data relating to the electrical components of the electrical switchgear to be manufactured. The geometric data can also contain information relating to the wiring, for example, cable lengths, cable assemblies, routing paths, and the like. The geometric data can contain air conditioning information, for example, relating to a planned switchgear cabinet air conditioning infrastructure, air ducting, and assembly data. The geometric data can include the mechanical processing of a switchgear housing, a flat part, a mounting plate, or the like, for example, the creation of drill hole patterns for the installation of top-hat rails and components, or cutouts for the installation of filter fans, and the like.

[0026] This geometric data, preferably provided as ALM data, can be used to determine the required processing steps for manufacturing the electrical switchgear or control system using a data processing system 300. The data processing system 300 has access to the cloud 200. The determination can, in particular, include extracting processing data from the geometric data or ALM data. The data processing system 300 is not limited to any particular embodiments and can be cloud-based (software as a service) or implemented on a local server.

[0027] Because the computer-implemented process or data processing system can be essentially cloud-based, the extracted data can be accessed from anywhere, and a production order can be created for it. The data can be analyzed decentrally, and suitable processing processes can be determined from it.In accordance with the aforementioned geometric data, these relate to processing data, for example for the machining or laser-assisted introduction of cutouts, borehole patterns and the like, assembly data, for example in relation to the robot-assisted positioning and assembly of control cabinet components, as well as wiring information for the preferably fully automated wiring of the components including cable laying paths, cable end feed paths in relation to components, as well as quality assurance measures, for example the determination of a pull-off strength of a manufactured electrical wiring.

[0028] Once the required processing steps for manufacturing the electrical switchgear have been determined from the geometric data, these processing steps can be assigned to at least one of several processing machines that are connected to the data processing system via a data interface. The assignment can be made using at least one selection criterion. The selection criterion can, for example, be the capacity utilization of the processing machine in question and can preferably include a potential validation and an actual validation. During the potential validation, it is determined whether the processing machine in question is fundamentally, i.e. technically functionally capable, of carrying out the required processing steps. For example, a breakout can be created using a metal-cutting processing machine or a laser processing system.However, the breakout cannot be produced with a wiring robot, which, in addition to the aforementioned processing machines and a large number of other processing machines required in switchgear and control system construction, is connected to the data processing system for central control in a network of processing machines.

[0029] Actual validation can involve determining on a processing machine, which, for example, has an interchangeable tool, whether the processing machine in question has a suitable tool equipped at the moment of assignment and / or execution of the processing step, so that changing over to a different tool is not necessary and setup times can be eliminated. Particularly in larger processing systems, in which several technically and functionally equivalent processing machines are optimized for maximum utilization, actual validation can lead to a situation where, in the event of a positive optional validation or a negative actual validation, the processing step is assigned to an alternative processing machine, for which not only the optional validation but also the actual validation is positively determined.

[0030] The method may further comprise a quality check in that the processing machines record the process sequences they carry out, including movement sequences and other processing sequences, and transmit a corresponding protocol data record to the data processing system in which the protocol data record is stored for quality assurance and can be retrieved as needed.

[0031] Finally, it can be provided that in the network already described consisting of a large number of processing machines, some of which may be similar to one another but also differ from one another in terms of technical and functional aspects, when a processing machine is reassigned to the network, the new processing machine registers itself in the system, for example informing the data processing system which technical and functional scope of functions it comprises and, if applicable, with which type of machine data it can be controlled, so that the central data processing system can use the scope of functions of the machines as a selection criterion for the allocation of the processing steps and can provide the conditioning of the machine data in a suitable manner.

[0032] To achieve even utilization of processing machines with the same or similar technical and functional scope, it can be planned to split the processing steps and the resulting processing orders so that several sub-orders can be distributed to different processing machines. The distribution of the order can, in turn, depend on various selection criteria, for example, the tool used on the different processing machines. Optimization can be achieved to ensure that, where possible, retooling the respective tool on the two processing machines is not necessary to execute the order.

[0033] After the processing machine has been assigned the processing step, it performs an actual validation. In addition to the aspects already mentioned, the actual validation can also include a check for material availability, for example, if the processing machine is a component placement system or a wiring robot. In the event of a negative actual validation, the processing step or the order derived from it can be sent back to the data processing system. There, the order or the processing step can either be modified manually to achieve automated processing of the processing step by at least one of the processing machines. Alternatively, the processing step can also be made available for reassignment to an alternative processing machine.

[0034] The status of all processing steps, or at least a subset of them, can be continuously or periodically monitored to determine whether the processing task was successfully assigned to a processing machine and whether the task was properly executed by the processing machine, including any error log generated by the processing machine. The log can document the movement sequences and processing steps of the processing machine. In the case of a cutting / drilling processing machine, this could, for example, be the recorded drill hole images and breakouts, which are compared with corresponding drill hole images and breakouts in the geometric data, and a sufficient or exact match is acknowledged if necessary.In the case of a wiring robot, this may include proper wiring according to a wiring plan in the design data, including adherence to a specified routing path, contacting, pull-off testing, resistance testing, etc.

[0035] The features of the invention disclosed in the above description, in the drawings and in the claims may be essential for the realization of the invention both individually and in any combination.

Claims

Claims: A method for manufacturing an electrical switchgear assembly, comprising the steps of: a. providing planning data relating to an electrical switchgear assembly to be manufactured, which includes at least geometric data of the electrical switchgear assembly to be manufactured; b. determining the necessary machining steps for manufacturing the electrical switchgear assembly according to the planning data; c. assigning the machining steps to at least one machining center or a plurality of machining centers according to at least one selection criterion; and d. performing the machining step with the at least one machining center to which the machining step has been assigned. The method according to claim i, wherein the provision comprises providing a bill of materials relating to the electrical switchgear assembly to be manufactured.A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the determination comprises comparing an actual state of the electrical switchgear or a component of the electrical switchgear with a target state of the electrical switchgear, the target state being specified by the planning data. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the assignment of the processing steps comprises comparing the processing capability of at least one of the processing machines with a processing requirement for carrying out the processing step. The method of claim 4, wherein the matching of the processing capability comprises matching at least one technical-functional processing capability and preferably further at least one temporal processing capability with the processing requirement. The method of any of the preceding claims, further comprising the acquisition of at least one technical-functional processing capability per processing machine, wherein the acquired processing capabilities are stored in a memory, assigned to the corresponding processing machine, which is accessed for the assignment of the processing steps.A method according to one of the preceding claims, which, after the allocation and before the execution of the processing step, further comprises the performance of an actual validation by the processing machine intended for the execution of the processing step, wherein at least one of the availability of at least one component required for the manufacture of the electrical switchgear and a processing tool for the execution of the processing step is checked.A method according to claim 7, wherein, in the event that the actual availability reveals no or insufficient availability, another machine tool is selected for performing the machining step, or the geometric data of the electrical switchgear to be manufactured are redesigned taking into account the actual availability of tools for the machine tool selected for performing the machining step and / or the actual availability of the components required for manufacturing the electrical switchgear. A method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein, in the event that the actual availability reveals that a required tool is available but that a tool change would be necessary for its use, the machining step is assigned, if possible, to another machine tool with equivalent technical and functional machining capabilities. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the allocation of the machining steps according to at least one selection criterion for at least one and preferably for several of the plurality of machining centers comprises: determining the availability of at least one component or at least one tool required for the machining step and allocating the machining step to the machining center that has the lowest utilization given the availability. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least steps a. to c.the operation is carried out with a data processing system to which the majority of processing machines are connected via a data interface, wherein the processing machines are equipped to send a machine profile comprising at least one processing capability of the processing machine in question to the data processing system after being connected via the data interface.A method according to claim n, wherein the machine profile is used as a selection criterion for assigning the machining steps to at least one of the plurality of machining machines, wherein the machining machine preferably, after being connected and transmitting the at least one machining capability, periodically, continuously, or upon request of the data processing system, sends an availability of at least one component or at least one tool required for the machining step to the data processing system, which is preferably used as a further selection criterion for assigning the machining steps. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least steps a. to c.This is carried out with a data processing system to which the majority of processing machines are connected via a data interface, the processing machines being set up to monitor the assigned processing step for complete and correct execution and to send a corresponding processing protocol to the data processing system. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein determining the required machining steps comprises extracting machining data from the planning data, for which purpose the planning data is preferably provided as AutomationML (Automation Markup Language) data. A method according to claim 14, wherein machine data for controlling the machining machine to which the machining step is assigned is generated from the machining data, wherein the machining machine communicates the machine data required for its operation to a data processing system via a data interface.

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