Management method for industrial machine

Abstract

Provided is a management method for an industrial machine that provides device software with an authentication and approval procedure, regardless of the type and manufacturer of the industrial machine, even if the device software does not originally include an authentication and approval procedure. This management method for an industrial machine comprises the steps of: acquiring work data for identifying work details from a work terminal 16 connected via a network 12; transmitting the work data via the network 12 to approver terminals 18, 21 owned by approvers 17, 19; constructing a virtual machine 31 in accordance with access via the network 12 once the work data is approved; installing, in the virtual machine 31, device software 35a, 35b..., 36a, 36b... associated with selected manufacturing devices 13a, 13b...; and connecting the target manufacturing devices 13a, 13b... to the virtual machine 31 on the basis of the device software.

Description

Method for managing industrial machines

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for managing industrial machines.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a PLC (programmable logic controller) system that changes a program incorporated in an industrial machine from an engineering tool connected via a network. The engineering tool (equipment-oriented software) is installed on a computer. The computer is shared by multiple people.

[0003] Japanese Patent No. 7462848

[0004] Since the maintenance of control and safety systems has a very serious impact on the characteristics of the target industrial machine, strict security functions are required for engineering tools and temporary consoles. Strict operation such as prior instructions on work content and work timing and reports on work results are required for operations. Introducing strict security functions into existing facilities requires a great deal of cost and labor such as updating the PLC system. When various control and safety systems are combined in a facility or equipment, it is difficult to realize a unified authentication and approval mechanism.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for managing industrial machines that can impart authentication and approval procedures to equipment-oriented software regardless of the type or manufacturer of the industrial machine, even if the equipment-oriented software originally does not have authentication and approval procedures.

[0006] The method for managing industrial machinery according to the present invention comprises the steps of: acquiring work data that identifies the work content from a work terminal connected via a network; transmitting the work data via the network to an approver terminal owned by an approver; constructing a virtual machine in response to network access once approval is obtained for the work data; installing equipment software associated with a selected industrial machine on the virtual machine; connecting the target industrial machine to the virtual machine based on the equipment software; providing a user interface for the equipment software executed on the virtual machine to a work terminal connected via a network; and changing a program incorporated into the industrial machine in response to the operation of the user interface.

[0007] Based on the above, even if an approval procedure is not originally provided for the software used for the equipment, an approval procedure will be granted to the software regardless of the type or manufacturer of the industrial machinery.

[0008] This is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of an industrial machine system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a flowchart showing the procedures for worker and approver authentication and work approval. This is a flowchart showing the operation of the remote control device during worker work.

[0009] One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0010] Figure 1 schematically shows the configuration of an industrial machine system 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The industrial machine system 11 comprises an OT network (operational technology network) 12 constructed in a production facility such as a factory or plant, and manufacturing equipment 13a, 13b, 13c installed in a factory and connected to the OT network 12. Each piece of manufacturing equipment 13a, 13b, 13c has a PLC (programmable logic controller) 14a, 14b, 14c connected to the OT network 12. The PLCs 14a, 14b, 14c numerically control the manufacturing equipment 13a, 13b, 13c based on a built-in control program. The manufacturing equipment 13a, 13b, 13c as industrial machines include, for example, NC machine tools, welding robots, painting robots, and the like.

[0011] The OT network 12 is connected to a work terminal 16 operated by an operator 15, an approval terminal 18 operated by the first approver 17, and an approval terminal 21 operated by the second approver 19. The work terminal 16 and the approval terminals 18 and 21 are, for example, composed of IPCs (industrial PCs). A remote management device 22 is connected to the OT network 12. The remote management device 22 manages the connection and isolation between the work terminal 16 and the approval terminals 18 and 21 and the individual PLCs 14a, 14b, and 14c.

[0012] The OT network 12 is connected to, for example, the internet 25. The work terminals 16 or approval terminals 18, 21 may access the OT network 12 via the internet 25. Here, the work terminals 16 or approval terminals 18, 21 consist of, for example, personal computers (PCs). The remote management device 22 manages the connection and isolation between the work terminals 16 and approval terminals 18, 21 and the individual PLCs 14a, 14b, 14c via the internet 25. Preferably, a firewall is established between the OT network 12 and the internet 25.

[0013] The remote management device 22 includes a virtual machine configuration unit 32 that constructs the virtual machine 31, and a remote desktop control unit 33 that provides a user interface for the software executed on the virtual machine 31. The virtual machine configuration unit 32 constructs the virtual machine 31 within the remote management device 22 (in this embodiment, it is shown as a physical server in Figure 1, but it may also be a cloud server) in response to access via the OT network 12. The virtual machine configuration unit 32 installs equipment software linked to the selected manufacturing equipment 13a, 13b, and 13c on the virtual machine 31. The equipment software is executed on the virtual machine 31. The target manufacturing equipment 13a, 13b, and 13c are connected to the virtual machine 31 based on the equipment software. The virtual machine configuration unit 32 retrieves the equipment software from the storage unit 34. The storage unit 34 stores equipment software for each individual manufacturing equipment 13a, 13b, and 13c. The software for the equipment includes, for example, consoles 35a, 35b, and 35c that are specific to each individual manufacturing machine 13a, 13b, and 13c and used for operating the manufacturing machines 13a, 13b, and 13c, and engineering tools 36a, 36b, and 36c that are specific to each individual manufacturing machine 13a, 13b, and 13c and used for rewriting control programs.

[0014] The remote desktop control unit 33 creates a remote desktop 37 of the virtual machine 31 on the work terminal 16 via the OT network 12. In creating the remote desktop 37, the remote desktop control unit 33 obtains image data 38 from the storage unit 34. The image data 38 contains an image of the desktop. The virtual machine 31 is operated based on the desktop of the work terminal 16. The console 35a, 35b, 35c or engineering tools 36a, 36b, 36c operate according to the operation.

[0015] The remote management device 22 includes a change management unit 39 that records changes to the control programs incorporated into individual manufacturing equipment 13a, 13b, and 13c. The change management unit 39 generates change history data 41 that identifies the recorded changes. The change history data 41 is stored in a storage unit 34. The change history data 41 is retrieved from the storage unit 34, for example, in response to an operation of a work terminal 16 or approval terminals 18 or 21. The retrieved change history data 41 is displayed on the work terminal 16 or approval terminals 18 or 21.

[0016] The remote management device 22 includes an authentication unit 43 that verifies access rights based on information supplied from the work terminal 16 and approval terminals 18 and 21, and an approval unit 45 that verifies the approval of approvers 17 and 19 to work data 44 acquired from the work terminal 16. The authentication unit 43 acquires IDs and passwords from the work terminal 16 and approval terminals 18 and 21. In acquiring IDs and passwords, the authentication unit 43 provides a user interface to the work terminal 16 and approval terminals 18 and 21. The acquired IDs and passwords are compared with ID data 46 and authentication data 47 that have been previously registered in the storage unit 34. The ID data 46 identifies an ID for each worker 15 and approvers 17 and 19. The authentication data 47 identifies the password associated with each ID. Biometric information such as fingerprints or facial recognition may be used in place of passwords in the authentication data 47. When the authentication unit 43 authenticates worker 15, it grants access rights to the approval unit 45 and the remote desktop 37 to the work terminal 16. When the authentication unit 43 authenticates the approvers 17 and 19, it grants the approval terminals 18 and 21 access rights to the approval unit 45.

[0017] The approval unit 45 acquires work data 44 that identifies the work content from the work terminal 16. The acquired work data 44 is stored in the storage unit 34. The approval unit 45 transmits the work data 44 to the approval terminals 18 and 21. For each piece of work data 44, the approval unit 45 confirms the approval of approvers 17 and 19 and then issues access rights to the virtual machine 31 to the work terminal 16 associated with the work data 44. These access rights include the worker's ID and the date and time of access.

[0018] Here, the virtual machine configuration unit 32, the remote desktop control unit 33, and the change management unit 39 are implemented by a processing unit (processor) 48. In implementing the virtual machine configuration unit 32, the remote desktop control unit 33, and the change management unit 39, the processing unit 48 obtains software programs from, for example, a mass storage device. The processing unit 48 executes the software programs while storing the software programs and data in temporary storage devices. Such a processing unit 48 is incorporated into a computer, for example, a cloud server. The authentication unit 43 and the authorization unit 45 can be implemented similarly based on software programs.

[0019] Next, the operation of the remote management device 22 will be explained. As shown in Figure 2, in step S1, the worker 15 accesses the remote management device 22. If accessed via the OT network 12, the worker 15 uses, for example, an IPC as the work terminal 16. If accessed via the internet 25, the worker 15 uses, for example, a personal computer as the work terminal 16. In step S2, the virtual machine configuration unit 32 deploys the virtual machine 31. In step S3, the remote desktop control unit 33 displays an authentication user interface on the screen of the work terminal 16. When the worker 15 enters an ID and password, the authentication unit 43 verifies access rights based on the ID and password. In step S4, if access rights are granted, the worker 15 logs in to the virtual machine 31 from the work terminal 16. If access rights are denied, the process returns to step S3.

[0020] When worker 15 logs in, in step S5 the remote desktop control unit 33 displays an approval user interface on the screen of the work terminal 16. Worker 15 applies for work based on the submission of work data 44. The work data 44 is stored, for example, in the storage unit 34.

[0021] Similarly, in step S6, approvers 17 and 19 access the remote management device 22. If via the OT network 12, approvers 17 and 19 use, for example, an IPC as their approval terminals 18 and 21. If via the internet 25, approvers 17 and 19 use, for example, a personal computer as their approval terminals 18 and 21. The virtual machine 31 is deployed. In step S7, the remote desktop control unit 33 displays an authentication user interface on the screens of the approval terminals 18 and 21. When approvers 17 and 19 enter their IDs and passwords, the authentication unit 43 verifies access rights based on the IDs and passwords. If access rights are granted in step S8, approvers 17 and 19 log in to the virtual machine 31 from their approval terminals 18 and 21. If access rights are denied, the process returns to step S7.

[0022] When approvers 17 and 19 log in, in step S9 the remote desktop control unit 33 displays an approval user interface on the screens of approval terminals 18 and 21. The necessary images based on the work data 44 are displayed on the screens of approval terminals 18 and 21. When approvers 17 and 19 approve the work, in step S10 the approval unit 45 issues access rights to the target consoles 35a, 35b, 35c or engineering tools 36a, 36b, 36c. The access rights are notified to the worker 15 on the work terminal 16.

[0023] As shown in Figure 3, once access rights are issued, worker 15 accesses the remote management device 22 at a predetermined date and time (step T1). If access is via the OT network 12, worker 15 uses, for example, an IPC as their work terminal 16. If access is via the internet 25, worker 15 uses, for example, a personal computer as their work terminal 16. In step T2, the virtual machine configuration unit 32 deploys the virtual machine 31. In step T3, the remote desktop control unit 33 displays an authentication user interface on the screen of the work terminal 16. When worker 15 enters their ID and password, the authentication unit 43 verifies the access rights based on the ID and password. In step T4, if access rights are granted, worker 15 logs in to the virtual machine 31 from the work terminal 16. If access rights are denied, the process returns to step T3.

[0024] Once worker 15's login is confirmed, the virtual machine 31 launches the remote desktop 37. In step T5, the virtual machine 31 deploys the target console 35a, 35b, 35c or engineering tools 36a, 36b, 36c. Worker 15 performs their tasks based on the remote desktop 37. The control programs on the manufacturing equipment 13a, 13b, 13c are modified. When the work is completed, worker 15 logs out of the virtual machine 31 in step T6.

[0025] When the change management unit 39 confirms that the worker 15 has logged out, it generates change history data 41 in step T7. The change history data 41 records the changes to the control program. The change history data 41 is stored in the storage unit 34. Then, in step T8, the virtual machine configuration unit 32 undeploys (shuts down) the virtual machine 31.

[0026] The control programs embedded in the manufacturing equipment 13a, 13b, and 13c are modified from a work terminal 16 connected via the OT network 12. When modifying the control programs, the worker 15 accesses consoles 35a, 35b, and 35c and engineering tools 36a, 36b, and 36c for each piece of manufacturing equipment 13a, 13b, and 13c via the OT network 12. Since the use of consoles 35a, 35b, and 35c and engineering tools 36a, 36b, and 36c can be limited to a single console 35a, 35b, and 35c or engineering tools 36a, 36b, and 36c when modifying the programs, the management of changes made to the programs is centralized.

[0027] In this embodiment, the virtual machine 31 is shut down in response to a logout from the virtual machine 31. After shutdown, access to consoles 35a, 35b, 35c and engineering tools 36a, 36b, 36c is blocked. Unauthorized access to consoles 35a, 35b, 35c and engineering tools 36a, 36b, 36c is prevented. The security of the manufacturing equipment 13a, 13b, 13c is well ensured.

[0028] The virtual machine 31 has consoles 35a, 35b, 35c and engineering tools 36a, 36b, 36c installed for each individual manufacturing machine 13a, 13b, 13c. The consoles 35a, 35b, 35c and engineering tools 36a, 36b, 36c are provided for each model and manufacturer of the manufacturing machine 13a, 13b, 13c. Prior to building the virtual machine 31, the remote management device 22 verifies access rights to the virtual machine 31 based on information transmitted from the work terminal 16.

[0029] In the industrial machine system 11, the worker 15 obtains approval for the work from approvers 17 and 19 prior to actually performing the work. The worker's work is then ratified by a third party. Even if the worker 15 makes a mistake, the work can be corrected. Since the virtual machine 31 has consoles 35a, 35b, 35c and engineering tools 36a, 36b, 36c installed for each individual manufacturing machine 13a, 13b, 13c, even if approval procedures are not originally provided for the consoles 35a, 35b, 35c and engineering tools 36a, 36b, 36c, approval procedures are ensured for all consoles 35a, 35b, 35c and engineering tools 36a, 36b, 36c. Moreover, since the approval procedures are provided in common for all manufacturing machines 13a, 13b, 13c regardless of type or manufacturer, the worker 15 and approvers 17 and 19 only need to remember one approval procedure. The burden on those involved is reduced.

[0030] Here, prior to approval by approvers 17 and 19, the access rights of approvers 17 and 19 are verified based on information transmitted from approval terminals 18 and 21 owned by approvers 17 and 19. Access rights management is simplified.

[0031] The remote management device 22 according to this embodiment generates change history data 41 that records changes to the control program. Since program changes are managed by a single console 35a, 35b, 35c and engineering tools 36a, 36b, 36c, all changes are reliably recorded. Moreover, prior to the change, access rights to the virtual machine 31 are confirmed based on information transmitted from the work terminal 16. The worker 15 is identified when the control program is changed. Identifying the worker 15 creates a sense of psychological responsibility in the worker 15 when making changes. The reliability of the work is enhanced.

[0032] In the embodiments described above, the invention was limited to cases where manufacturing equipment 13a, 13b, and 13c, including NC machine tools, welding robots, and painting robots, were applied as industrial machinery. For example, other industrial machinery that may be applied includes power generation equipment installed in power generation facilities such as thermal power plants and hydroelectric power plants, conveying equipment for transporting materials, disaster prevention equipment including building fire alarms, building fire extinguishers, and sprinklers, video equipment, audio equipment, and various other industrial machines.

[0033] 12 Network (OT Network) 13a, 13b, 13c Manufacturing Equipment (Industrial Machinery) 15 Worker 16 Work Terminal 17, 19 Approver 18, 21 Approval Terminal 25 Network (Internet) 31 Virtual Machine 35a, 35b, 35c Equipment Software (Console) 36a, 36b, 36c Equipment Software (Engineering Tools) 41 Change History Data 44 Work Data

Claims

1. A method for managing an industrial machine, comprising: acquiring work data that identifies the work content from a work terminal connected via a network; transmitting the work data via the network to an approver terminal owned by an approver; constructing a virtual machine in response to network access once approval is obtained for the work data; installing equipment software associated with a selected industrial machine on the virtual machine; connecting the target industrial machine to the virtual machine based on the equipment software; providing a user interface for the equipment software executed on the virtual machine to a work terminal connected via a network; and changing a program incorporated into the industrial machine in response to the operation of the user interface.

2. The method for managing an industrial machine according to claim 1, further comprising the step of confirming access rights to the virtual machine based on information transmitted from the work terminal prior to constructing the virtual machine.

3. The method for managing industrial machinery according to claim 2, further comprising the step of verifying the approver's access rights based on information transmitted from a terminal owned by the approver, prior to the approver's approval.

4. The method for managing an industrial machine according to claim 1, further comprising the step of shutting down the virtual machine in response to a logout from the virtual machine.

5. The method for managing an industrial machine according to claim 4, wherein the software for the equipment is a console used for operating the industrial machine.

6. The method for managing an industrial machine according to claim 4, wherein the software for the equipment is an engineering tool used for rewriting the program.

7. The method for managing an industrial machine according to claim 1, further comprising the step of generating change history data for recording changes to the program.

8. The method for managing an industrial machine according to claim 7, further comprising the step of confirming access rights to the virtual machine based on information transmitted from the work terminal prior to the aforementioned change.

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