Automation Object Modeling for Integrated Industrial IDE Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems require integrated development environments (IDEs) that can efficiently design, program, and configure multiple aspects of automation systems using a common design environment and data model, addressing the piecemeal design approach and significant testing and debugging efforts due to disparate programming efforts.
Innovation Solution
An integrated development environment (IDE) that supports integrated, multi-discipline programming of control, visualization, and other aspects of industrial automation systems through a common design environment and data model, utilizing automation objects as building blocks, and propagating changes to ensure consistency and dynamic updates of industrial assets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a common design environment and data model are used for integrated programming, then development efficiency and consistency are improved, but device complexity and implementation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into distinct modular components including a user interface component for interaction, a project generation component for code creation, a library of automation objects for reusable elements, and a memory component for data storage. This segmentation allows each component to be developed and maintained independently while working together through the common data model, resolving the complexity issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The common data model serves multiple functions simultaneously: it stores project information, defines automation objects, establishes functional relationships between objects, and enables generation of different types of code (control programs, visualization applications, device configuration). This multi-functionality improves productivity without requiring separate systems for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
An industrial integrated development environment (IDE) provides a development framework for designing, programming, and configuring multiple aspects of an industrial automation system using a common design environment and data model. Projects creating using embodiments of the IDE system can be built on an object-based model rather than, or in addition to, a tag-based architecture. To this end, the IDE system can support the use of automation objects that serve as building blocks for this object-based development structure. Project data models defining collections of automation objects and their functional relationships can be stored in a model library for selective inclusion in system projects.