Industrial Controller Skill Matching for Machine Interface Compatibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual matching of interfaces and processes between industrial production machines and controllers often results in significant downtime due to hidden parameter and skill incompatibilities, requiring hundreds of engineering hours to resolve.
Innovation Solution
Automated skill matching system that uses a matching processor to compare parameters and processes between production machines and controllers, employing augmented unification and synchronous cross-product methods to identify and address incompatibilities, thereby reducing manual engineering time and downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual matching of interfaces and processes is performed between production machines and controllers, then compatibility issues can be identified, but significant downtime and engineering hours are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs skill matching checks before the actual machine replacement or upgrade is implemented. The system compares the process model and interface parameters of the new machine against the controller in advance, identifying any incompatibilities before they would cause production downtime. This preliminary verification allows compatibility issues to be resolved beforehand, ensuring smooth integration when the machine is actually replaced.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates digital copies or models of the machine interfaces and process parameters that can be analyzed without affecting the actual physical systems. By working with these virtual representations, the system can perform extensive compatibility checking and simulation without causing any real production disruption, thereby identifying issues without incurring downtime penalties.
2Reliability
If manual matching of interfaces and processes is performed between production machines and controllers, then compatibility issues can be identified, but hundreds of engineering hours are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical processes of comparing interface parameters and process models with an automated computational system. The skill matching processor automatically retrieves interface definitions, compares parameters, and identifies incompatibilities without human intervention in the actual matching process. This substitution of automated information processing for manual engineering work dramatically reduces the time and labor required while maintaining or improving the accuracy of compatibility assessment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the machine and controller interfaces to self-verify their compatibility through automated comparison of their respective process models and parameter sets. The skill matching processor allows the system to perform its own compatibility assessment without requiring external manual verification, thereby eliminating the need for hundreds of engineering hours while ensuring thorough compatibility checking.
3Loss of time
If hidden parameter and skill incompatibility is not detected, then machine replacement is faster, but operational errors and failures occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by proactively identifying and flagging potential incompatibilities before they can cause operational problems. The skill matching processor detects hidden parameter mismatches and process synchronization issues in advance, allowing engineers to correct these problems before the machine goes into service. This prevents the very operational errors that would otherwise occur due to undetected incompatibilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs compatibility verification as a preliminary step before machine installation or replacement. By checking interface parameter compatibility and process model synchronization in advance, the system ensures that all potential issues are identified and resolved before the machine begins operation, thereby guaranteeing both speed of implementation and operational reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Automated skill matching is provided in industrial control. The interfaces (12, 17) and/or the production processes (13, 18) of the controller (16) and machine (11) are matched. The matching of the interfaces (12, 17) links parameters except for optional parameters to check for incompatibility. The matching of the production processes (13, 18) uses a cross-product of the process (13) of the machine (11) with the process (18) of the controller (16) to check for incompatibility. The skill checking guides manual confirmation of compatibility, reducing downtime and reducing engineering or programming time. The machine (11) is more likely to operate correctly with the controller (16) due to the automated skill matching.