Clamping Control Redundancy for Reliable Inductive Signal Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machine tools with inductive coupling between the machine control and clamping device face challenges in ensuring the accurate transmission of safety-critical signals, such as the STO signal, due to shared transmission paths, leading to increased risks of data loss and communication disturbances.
Innovation Solution
A machine tool design featuring a coupling unit that connects the machine control to the clamping device without contact, utilizing at least two redundant microprocessors to independently receive, evaluate, and transmit process data records, including safety signals, ensuring secure operation by verifying signatures and identification numbers, and using inductive or hydraulic coupling for energy and signal transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single transmission path via inductive coupler is used for communication between machine control and clamping device, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability of safety-critical signal transmission deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The communication system is segmented into multiple independent transmission paths. The patent implements at least two separate communication channels between the machine control and the clamping device control, allowing redundant transmission of safety-critical signals. This segmentation ensures that if one path fails, the other can still transmit critical data such as STO signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for potential failures by implementing redundant communication paths in advance. The patent configures multiple transmission channels before any failure occurs, so that when a failure happens, the system already has backup paths ready to maintain safe operation without interruption.
2Reliability
If redundant microprocessors are introduced to independently evaluate process data, then reliability of data processing is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is divided into multiple independent microprocessors that each independently evaluate process data. The patent implements at least two microprocessors in the clamping device control that separately process and evaluate data, ensuring that a failure in one processor does not compromise the entire control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The redundant microprocessors provide mutual feedback verification. Each processor independently evaluates process data and can cross-check the other's evaluations, creating a feedback mechanism that enhances reliability while managing complexity through systematic comparison of independent evaluations.
3Ease of operation
If inductive coupling is used for contactless communication, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability of safety signal transmission deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The inductive coupling communication is segmented into multiple independent channels. The patent implements at least two separate inductive communication paths, allowing the ease of contactless operation to be maintained while providing redundancy to compensate for the inherent reliability limitations of inductive coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for potential inductive coupling failures by establishing redundant communication paths in advance. The patent configures multiple inductive coupling channels before operation begins, so that when interference or failure occurs in one channel, backup channels are already available to maintain reliable safety signal transmission.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances data security and communication reliability by detecting errors and preventing unsafe machine operation, ensuring the workpiece is securely clamped and preventing unintentional restarts or damage.
Implementation Method 1
the coupling unit connects the machine control to the clamping device control in a contactless manner
Data Source
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AI summary
It is already known in the art to provide machine tools with a clamping device in which part of the control is transferred to the clamping device. This simplifies the connection to the existing machine control and allows for a simplified coupling of the clamping device with the machine tool. However, despite the inductive coupling between the machine control and the clamping device control, it is not guaranteed that process data sets reach their destination. The present invention solves this problem by assigning a clamping device control to the clamping device, comprising two redundant microprocessors which evaluate received process data sets independently of each other and, in the event of a fault, put the clamping device into a safe state.