Movable Stage Actuator Control With Selectable Safety Levels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stage technologies face challenges in integrating movable parts safely and flexibly for entertainment productions, as industrial applications often compromise safety when multiple movements and solutions are combined, and safety cannot be guaranteed when carrying people.
Innovation Solution
A stage system with fixed and movable parts, utilizing actuators connected to a server with a central communication module, a controller with operator interface, and safety parameters to manage and verify movements, ensuring safe operation by activating different safety levels and monitoring activity signals against verification signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple actuators and movements are integrated in a stage system, then the versatility and functionality of the stage is improved, but the safety and reliability deteriorate due to increased complexity and difficulty in guaranteeing safe operation
Solution Approach 1:
The stage system is segmented into multiple independent actuators, each with its own communication module and safety verification mechanism. This allows the system to maintain high versatility through multiple movements while ensuring safety through decentralized verification of each actuator's activity signals against verification signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring activity signals from each actuator and comparing them against pre-calculated verification signals. This feedback mechanism ensures that any deviation from expected behavior is detected, maintaining safety even as the system's versatility increases with multiple integrated actuators.
2Ease of manufacture
If industrial applications are used for stage movements, then the ease of manufacture and operational simplicity is improved, but the safety deteriorates because safety cannot be guaranteed when carrying people
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-calculating verification signals for each actuator before operation. These verification signals represent the expected activity signals under normal operation. By establishing these reference values in advance, the system maintains the simplicity of industrial actuators while adding a layer of safety through pre-established verification criteria.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system acts as an intermediary between the industrial actuators and the safety verification mechanism. It receives activity signals from the actuators, compares them against verification signals, and determines whether to permit operation. This intermediary function allows industrial-grade actuators to be used while ensuring safety through additional verification layers.
3Ease of operation
If centralized control of multiple actuators is implemented, then the operational coordination and integration is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for server and communication modules
Solution Approach 1:
The server and communication modules perform multiple functions: they coordinate control signals to multiple actuators, monitor activity signals from each actuator, calculate verification signals, and manage safety verification. This multi-functionality allows centralized coordination of complex multi-actuator systems without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the same infrastructure serves multiple purposes.
4Reliability
If safety verification through signal comparison is implemented, then the safety and reliability is improved, but the computational requirements and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system compares activity signals against verification signals for each actuator individually and only when necessary, rather than continuously processing all possible combinations of actuator movements. This partial verification approach maintains high safety through targeted signal comparison while reducing computational requirements by focusing verification efforts on relevant actuator states and transitions.
Data Source
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AI summary
Device for constructing a stage, comprising fixed stage parts and movable stage parts, wherein the device comprises: a set of actuators, each provided to be physically connected to the movable stage parts and each comprising a communication module for communicating with a server; the server, which comprises a central communication module for communicating with communication modules of the actuators; a controller connected to the server, wherein the controller has an operator interface comprising input means and visualizing means, wherein the controller and server are configured to generate control signals for each actuator on the basis of an input via the input means; wherein control signals comprise a safety parameter which indicate a safety level and wherein an operator can activate different safety levels with different keys, wherein the device is provided to execute control signals with a safety parameter which corresponds to the activated safety level.