System for determining a fault and / or a cause of a fault in a conveyor installation

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for determining a cause of a fault in a conveyor installation, wherein the conveyor installation comprises a conveyor path and mobile units which can be moved along the conveyor path, wherein a segment controller of the conveyor installation is designed to transmit travel commands and authorisation signals to mobile units, wherein the segment controller is connected to a first network for data exchange, wherein a second network is connected to the first network for data exchange, and wherein a data evaluation control device is designed to acquire data and to cause the data, in particular data from the data evaluation control unit, to be transmitted via the first network and the second network to a data storage device which is connected to the second network.

Description

[0001] System for determining a fault and / or a fault cause in a conveyor system

[0002] Description:

[0003] The invention relates to a system for determining a fault and / or a fault cause in a conveyor system.

[0004] It is generally known that a conveyor system can malfunction due to faulty programming.

[0005] The invention is therefore based on the objective of making it easier to find the cause of a fault or malfunction of the conveyor system.

[0006] According to the invention, the problem is solved in the system according to the features specified in claim 1.

[0007] Key features of the invention for the system for determining a fault and / or a fault cause in a conveyor system are that the conveyor system has a conveyor section and mobile units which are movable along the conveyor section, wherein a segment control of the conveyor system is set up to send travel commands and releases to mobile units, wherein the segment control is connected to a first network for data exchange, wherein a second network is connected to the first network for data exchange, wherein a data evaluation control unit is set up to acquire data and initiate the transmission of the data, in particular from the data evaluation control unit via the first network and the second network, to a data storage device which is connected to the second network, in particular so that the state sequence of the system, i.e. the conveyor system, is archived and traceable.

[0008] ISI \ EIDOPAT 22.07.2025 in particular where the state of the system is defined by the tuple of values ​​of physical quantities, where the physical quantities include positions, velocities and / or accelerations of the mobile devices.

[0009] The advantage here is that the data—that is, the values ​​of physical quantities measured by the conveyor system's sensors and / or the values ​​of physical quantities from the conveyor system's actuators, as well as the travel commands for the mobile units—are stored and thus available for evaluation. In this way, the stored data can be fed into a digital twin, allowing the conveyor system's state sequence to be compared with the state sequence modeled in the digital twin. This makes it possible to detect an unacceptably large deviation and trace it back to a fault, or to identify the cause of the fault.

[0010] In an advantageous configuration, the conveyor track is divided into segments arranged sequentially along its length. The advantage here is that the conveyor system's operation can be easily controlled, as travel commands can only be issued segment by segment, and the mobile units within each segment execute their commands autonomously. Only when a mobile unit reaches the end of a segment does it report this to the segment controller and / or receive clearance to enter the next segment along the track. In the latter case, the mobile unit only needs to indicate its current location in the segment to the segment controller.

[0011] In a preferred configuration, the data evaluation control unit is set up to evaluate the acquired data and determine results, which are also fed into the data storage. An advantage of this is that, for example, a speed profile over time can be determined and stored from acquired position data.

[0012] In an advantageous configuration, a third network is connected to the second network for data exchange. A central computer, an operational status controller, a service computer, and / or another computer are connected to the third network, particularly as network participants, for data exchange. The advantage here is that the operational sequence can be monitored and / or predefined by a higher-level computer, especially the central computer. Furthermore, not only the conveyor system but also its digital twin can be monitored from this computer.

[0013] In an advantageous embodiment, a computer is connected to the second network for data exchange. This computer is configured to create a digital twin of the conveyor system, which, upon receiving the data stored in its memory, replicates the conveyor system's state sequence. The advantage here is that, following a failure or malfunction of the conveyor system, the stored data, which includes the values ​​of physical quantities of the conveyor system as well as travel commands, can be fed into the digital twin, which then reconstructs the state sequence. In this way, the cause of the failure or malfunction can be identified.

[0014] In a favorable configuration, data storage is implemented in the cloud. The advantage here is that while increased risks are acceptable, costs can be saved.

[0015] In an advantageous configuration, the computer is set up to determine the state sequence modeled in the digital twin by calculating individual state sequences for different acceleration and / or velocity profiles of each mobile unit and then averaging these sequences. A key advantage is that changes in the mechanical structure of the conveyor system, particularly its mobile units, due to aging and / or corrosion can be taken into account. This is because the digital twin not only includes mobile units with mathematically identical acceleration and / or velocity profiles, but also considers deviations from the ideal target data of the mobile units or other components.

[0016] In an advantageous embodiment, the computer is configured to determine the state sequence replicated in the digital twin by determining a first state sequence for a first acceleration and / or speed profile of each handset, and a second state sequence for a second acceleration and / or speed profile of each handset. The state sequence replicated in the digital twin is then calculated as the average of the first and second state sequences. This approach offers the advantage of easily and cost-effectively accounting for deviations caused by corrosion or aging.

[0017] In an advantageous embodiment, the first acceleration profile differs from the second by a factor, in particular by a time-constant factor.

[0018] Acceleration profile or that the first acceleration profile differs by a first factor, in particular by a time-constant first factor, from a target acceleration profile specified in the driving instructions and the second acceleration profile differs by a second factor, in particular by a time-constant second factor, from the specified target acceleration profile, wherein the second factor is smaller in absolute value than the first factor, in particular wherein the first or factor is one.

[0019] The advantage here is that it is easy and cost-effective to take into account deviations caused by corrosion or aging.

[0020] In an advantageous embodiment, the computer is configured to monitor the state sequence replicated in the digital twin for deviations from the state sequence stored in the data memory during operation of the conveyor system, and to display and / or forward a corresponding warning if this limit is exceeded. An advantage of this is that the cause of an error or malfunction can be determined.

[0021] Key features of the method for operating a system comprising a conveyor system are that a fault or fault cause is determined by exceeding a permissible deviation between a state sequence modeled in a digital twin of the conveyor system and a state sequence stored in the system's data memory during operation. A key advantage is that the reason for the deviation can be identified, thus revealing the cause of the fault or malfunction.

[0022] Further advantages arise from the dependent claims. The invention is not limited to the combination of features of the claims. For those skilled in the art, further meaningful combinations of claims and / or individual claim features and / or features of the description and / or the figures will become apparent, in particular from the problem statement and / or the problem arising from a comparison with the prior art.

[0023] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to schematic illustrations:

[0024] Figure 1 schematically shows the network structure of a conveyor system according to the invention, in particular a transport system according to the invention.

[0025] The conveyor system has a conveyor track along which mobile units can travel. The mobile units exchange data via a first network, particularly with network participants. The conveyor track is divided into segments, with a segment controller 4, connected to the first network 1 for data exchange, sending movement commands to the mobile units located in the respective segment and receiving information from the mobile units that assigns each mobile unit to the segment in which it is located. In particular, the segment controller 4 grants each mobile unit permission to enter the respective, and especially the nearest, segment.

[0026] The first network 1 also connects a data evaluation control unit 5 and a central control unit 6. The data evaluation control unit 5 acquires all data available from the conveyor system and evaluates it to enable the storage of the data and the results obtained through evaluation. This process uses data from both stationary sensors and actuators of the conveyor system and data received by the mobile device via the first network 1.

[0027] In particular, the data includes the position, speed, and / or acceleration of the respective handset. A second network, 2, is connected to the first network 1 for data exchange, and a data storage device is also connected to this second network, either directly or indirectly, i.e., via an intermediary device.

[0028] The data acquired by the data evaluation control unit 5 and the results obtained through evaluation are, at the instigation of the data evaluation control unit 5, transmitted from the first network 1 via the second network 2 to the data storage. This ensures that the state sequence of the system, i.e., the conveyor system, is archived and traceable.

[0029] To enable secure and efficient storage of the large amounts of data generated, the data storage can also be implemented as cloud storage.

[0030] Each state of the conveyor system is characterized by the temporal profiles of the values ​​of the physical quantities of the conveyor system, such as positions and / or speeds of the mobile units, segments traversed by the respective mobile unit, pending travel orders and releases for the mobile units, voltages present in the respective segments, and the like.

[0031] A third network 3 is connected to the second network 2 for data exchange, with a central computer 7, an operating state control 8, a service computer 9 and further computers 10 being connected to the third network 3.

[0032] This now makes it possible for mobile units to execute transport commands during the operation of the conveyor system, particularly for transporting objects, while simultaneously recording the temporal sequence of the conveyor system's states. Specifically, this includes recording the chronological sequence of all transport commands and other instructions sent to the conveyor system during operation.

[0033] If, for example, an error occurs during the operation of the conveyor system, traceability makes it possible to reconstruct the past sequence of states of the conveyor system and thereby find out the cause of the error.

[0034] For this purpose, a so-called digital twin of the conveyor system is created using a computer connected to the second network 2. This digital twin, which digitally represents the conveyor system, is then fed the same specifications, in particular travel commands and approvals, as were originally supplied to the conveyor system itself. This allows the behavior of the digital twin under the influence of these specifications to be observed and the cause of the error to be identified.

[0035] However, due to mechanical unpredictability such as friction, corrosion, aging, and the weight of the objects being transported, the mobile unit in the actual conveyor system does not move along a precisely predictable position over time. To account for this in the digital twin, the state sequence of the digital twin is determined for different respective acceleration and / or velocity profiles of each mobile unit over time, and a corresponding average is calculated to determine a state sequence that is highly probable.

[0036] To determine this expected sequence of states with minimal computational effort, a first acceleration profile is preferably used, in which the acceleration over time is always lower than the specified target acceleration profile by a first factor, and a second acceleration profile is used, which is equal to or exceeds the specified target acceleration profile by a second factor. However, the second factor is smaller in magnitude than the first factor.

[0037] In further embodiments according to the invention, the conveyor section is designed as a rail section and the mobile parts are guided by rails, in particular wherein the mobile parts are designed as rail vehicles.

[0038] Reference symbol list

[0039] 1 first network 2 second network

[0040] 3 third network

[0041] 4-segment control

[0042] 5 Data evaluation control unit

[0043] 6 Central control 7 Main computer

[0044] 8 Operating state control

[0045] 9 service computers

[0046] 10 more computers

Claims

- 9 - Patent claims:

1. System for determining a fault and / or a fault cause in a conveyor system, wherein the conveyor system has a conveyor section and mobile units which are movable along the conveyor section, wherein a segment control system of the conveyor system is set up to send travel commands and releases to mobile units, wherein the segment control system is connected to a first network for data exchange, wherein a second network is connected to the first network for data exchange, wherein a data evaluation control unit is set up to acquire data and initiate the transmission of the data, in particular from the data evaluation control unit via the first network and the second network, to a data storage device which is connected to the second network, in particular so that the state sequence of the system, i.e. the conveyor system, is archived and traceable.in particular wherein the state of the system is defined by the tuple of values ​​of physical quantities, where the physical quantities include positions, velocities and / or accelerations of the mobile devices.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveying path is divided into segments arranged one after the other along the conveying path.

3. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data evaluation control unit is configured to evaluate the recorded data and determine results, which are also supplied to the data storage.

4. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a third network is connected to the second network for data exchange, wherein a control computer, an operating state controller, a service computer and / or another computer is connected to the third network for data exchange, in particular as a network participant.

5. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a computer is connected to the second network for data exchange, which is configured to form a digital twin of the conveyor system, to which the sequence of states of the conveyor system is replicated when the data stored in the data storage is supplied.

6. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data storage is implemented in a cloud. - 11 - 7. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the computer is configured to determine the sequence of states replicated in the digital twin by determining respective sequences of states for different respective temporal acceleration profiles and / or speed profiles of each mobile unit and performing a corresponding averaging.

8. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the computer is configured to determine the state sequence replicated in the digital twin by determining a first state sequence for a first temporal acceleration profile and / or a first speed profile of each mobile unit, determining a second state sequence for a second temporal acceleration profile and / or a second speed profile of each mobile unit, and forming the state sequence replicated in the digital twin as the mean of the first state sequence and the second state sequence. - 12 - 9. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first acceleration profile differs from the second acceleration profile by a factor, in particular by a time-constant factor, or that the first acceleration profile differs from a target acceleration profile specified in the driving commands by a first factor, in particular by a time-constant first factor, and the second acceleration profile differs from the specified target acceleration profile by a second factor, in particular by a time-constant second factor, wherein the second factor is smaller in absolute value than the first factor, in particular wherein the first factor or the second factor is one.

10. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the computer is configured to detect the sequence of states replicated in the digital twin for exceeding a permissible degree of deviation from that observed during operation of the To monitor the state sequence stored in the data storage system of the conveyor system and to display and / or forward a corresponding warning if it is exceeded. - 13 - 11. Method for operating a system comprising a conveyor system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a fault or a fault cause is prevented by exceeding a permissible level of The deviation between a sequence of states replicated in a digital twin of the system's conveyor system and a sequence of states stored in the system's data storage during operation of the conveyor system is determined.

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