Mover Track Anomaly Detection for Positioning Reliability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mover systems in industrial automation often experience undesirable movement or positioning issues due to faults in the track, mover assemblies, or control systems, leading to suboptimal operation and potential damage to components.

Innovation Solution

A control system that receives datasets from a mover system, identifies normal operating states, detects anomalies by comparing sensor data to established signatures, and adjusts operations to prevent further issues or suspend operation if anomalies are unknown.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the control system continuously monitors and adjusts mover assembly operations to prevent faults, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors and control logic

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemover system operation reliabilityVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system performs preliminary actions by continuously monitoring mover assemblies and predicting potential faults before they occur. The system uses sensor data to identify anomalies and adjusts operations proactively to prevent faults, rather than reacting after failures happen. This is evident in the continuous monitoring and prediction logic that operates throughout the mover system lifecycle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously collecting sensor data from mover assemblies, comparing it against predicted values, and using the differences to adjust operations. The control system receives feedback from multiple sensors, processes the data through prediction algorithms, and sends corrective commands back to the mover assemblies to maintain optimal operation and prevent faults.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Manufacturing precision

If the control system independently controls each mover assembly to maintain precise positioning, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to individual control of each assembly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemover assembly positioning precisionVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system applies segmentation by independently controlling each mover assembly as a separate entity. Each mover assembly has its own control logic that processes sensor data and adjusts positioning independently, allowing precise control of individual components while maintaining overall system coordination. This segmented approach enables precise positioning without requiring complex centralized control for every aspect of each assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements dynamics by allowing each mover assembly to adapt its control parameters in real-time based on current operating conditions. The control system dynamically adjusts positioning commands, speed profiles, and operational parameters for each mover assembly based on sensor feedback and predicted states, enabling precise positioning while maintaining flexibility and responsiveness to changing conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4339722A1Systems and methods for monitoring and adjusting operation of a mover system
Publication Date: 2024.03.20 ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECH INC
  • EP4339722A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4339722A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4339722A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A non-transitory computer-readable medium includes instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to receive a first dataset associated with a mover system having a track and a plurality of mover assemblies independently movable along the track, identify a subset of the first dataset associated with a normal operating state of the mover system based on state data associated with the mover system, receive a second dataset associated with the mover system after receiving the first dataset and having a first set of differences from the subset of the first dataset, determine whether the second dataset is indicative of an anomaly state of the mover system based on a relationship between an anomaly signature dataset and the second dataset, and adjusting operation of the mover system in response to determining that the second dataset corresponds to the anomaly signature dataset.