FA Program Transfer Management for Synchronized HMI and PLC Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing factory automation (FA) systems require significant time and effort to transfer updated Human Machine Interface (HMI) and control programs to their respective devices, as current solutions do not simultaneously transfer both programs during editing, leading to potential omissions and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A support device and program that edit and simultaneously transfer both HMI and control programs to their target devices, including a determination part to compare edited programs with executed versions and a transfer management part to ensure only changed programs are transferred, along with user-selectable transfer options and activation instructions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If HMI program and control program are transferred separately to HMI device and PLC, then each program can be transferred independently, but it takes more time and effort and increases the risk of omission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the transfer processes of HMI program and control program into a single unified transfer operation. The transfer execution unit simultaneously transfers both programs to their respective devices (HMI device and PLC) in one action, eliminating the need for separate transfer operations and reducing the risk of omission while saving time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection of program changes before transfer. The detection unit identifies which programs have been modified, and this information is used to prepare the transfer operation in advance, ensuring that only necessary programs are transferred while maintaining the combined transfer approach.
2Reliability
If all edited programs are transferred automatically, then omission of transfer is prevented, but users cannot selectively control the transfer process
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides feedback to users about which programs have been detected as changed and are ready for transfer. The display unit shows this information, allowing users to review and make informed decisions about whether to proceed with automatic transfer or to select specific programs, thus maintaining both reliability and operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The transfer mechanism is designed to be dynamic, allowing it to adapt between automatic and selective modes based on user input. The transfer execution unit can operate in automatic mode when users want complete transfer, or switch to selective mode when users want to control which specific programs are transferred, providing flexibility while maintaining reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If integrated development environment is used for HMI program and control program, then development is simplified, but transfer to different devices becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer execution unit is designed with multi-functionality to handle both HMI program and control program transfers through a single interface. This universal transfer mechanism manages the complexity of transferring to different devices (HMI device and PLC) while keeping the development environment simple and unified for users.
Data Source
AI summary
The objective of the present invention is to simplify the transfer of a program that has been edited. A support device, which assists in the development of a program executed by a target device provided in factory automation (FA), carries out a transfer process for transferring the program to the target device. The program includes a control program for controlling a machine and an HMI program for processing a variable used by the control program. When the control program or the HMI program has been edited, the support device simultaneously transfers the control program and the HMI program respectively to a control device and an HMI device.