Low-Code Function Orchestration for Industrial Machine Reconfiguration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current industrial automation systems lack flexibility to adapt to changes in plant, machine, or production processes, requiring skilled users and specific computing devices for reconfiguration, which limits access and adaptability.
Innovation Solution
A low-code web-based platform that allows configuration of automation systems across various devices, enabling non-developers to access and customize automation functions through a user-friendly interface, using a web application and API to configure and monitor industrial systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional automation systems use hard-wired configurations with vendor-specific programming languages and APIs, then system reliability and control precision are maintained, but system adaptability and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a web-based configuration interface as an intermediary layer between operators and the automation system's engineering module. This web interface translates user-friendly configuration actions into the vendor-specific programming language instructions that the automation system requires, eliminating the need for operators to directly write complex code while maintaining system control precision and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal web-based configuration platform that can interface with multiple vendor-specific automation systems through standardized web protocols. This allows a single configuration interface to control diverse automation equipment from different vendors, enhancing system adaptability without sacrificing the specialized control capabilities of each vendor's ecosystem.
2Ease of operation
If automation systems require skilled users and specific computing devices for configuration, then manufacturing precision and system reliability are maintained, but accessibility and ease of operation worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The web-based configuration interface acts as an intermediary that shields operators from the complexity of vendor-specific programming languages while ensuring configuration precision is maintained. The interface provides standardized, user-friendly configuration options that automatically translate into precise control instructions for the automation system, eliminating the need for operators to master complex programming languages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical approach of direct programming with text-based code editors and specialized engineering software with a web-based interface using standardized HTTP protocols and JSON data formats. This substitution maintains configuration precision through structured data exchange while dramatically improving accessibility through familiar web browsing capabilities.
3Ease of operation
If operators can directly reconfigure automation systems without engineering expertise, then ease of operation improves, but system reliability may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The web-based configuration interface serves as a controlled intermediary that allows operators to autonomously reconfigure the automation system through user-friendly options while maintaining system reliability. The interface enforces valid configuration parameters and translates operator actions into properly formatted instructions that the engineering module can safely execute, preventing erroneous configurations that could compromise system stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the engineering module validates configuration requests from the web interface before applying them to the automation system. This feedback loop ensures that only valid, safe configurations are accepted, maintaining system reliability while enabling operator autonomy. The system can provide feedback to operators about configuration validity and system state without requiring engineering expertise.
Data Source
AI summary
An industrial system includes a plurality of machines that define respective hardware and automation functions associated with the hardware. The industrial system further includes an engineering module hosted within the industrial system, and an application programming interface (API) communicatively coupled to the engineering module. The industrial system can further include a web application communicatively coupled to the engineering module via the API. A computing device can be configured to access the engineering module via the web application and the API, and the engineering module can be configured to configure the plurality of machines based on instructions received by the web application.