OOP-Based PLC Mapping for Custom Manufacturing Process Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In complex or distributed manufacturing environments, issues such as incorrect addressing, data types, hardware configuration, scaling, and communication mapping during the PLC mapping routine inhibit the accurate monitoring and control of manufacturing processes by PLCs.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using an object-oriented programming (OOP) routine to define manufacturing processes, generating manufacturing area tables and OOP-based collections based on area parameters and state data, and storing these in a relational database. The system includes a client computing device, a relational database, and a PLC, where the PLC maps objects from the database to its nontransitory computer-readable medium, enabling efficient execution of complex manufacturing processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional PLC programming languages are used, then the PLC can control manufacturing processes, but the accuracy and efficiency of complex operations and data processing are inhibited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer between the PLC and the manufacturing process equipment. This intermediary uses object-oriented programming concepts (classes, objects, inheritance) to handle complex data processing and control logic, while the PLC itself continues to use traditional programming languages. The intermediary translates high-level OOP concepts into PLC-executable instructions, thereby improving accuracy without requiring the PLC to directly handle complex operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the control system into multiple hierarchical levels: the PLC layer for basic control functions using traditional programming languages, and an upper-level application layer using object-oriented programming for complex data processing and control logic. This segmentation allows each layer to operate independently with appropriate complexity, improving overall system accuracy while maintaining PLC simplicity.
2Reliability
If PLC mapping routine is performed manually, then addressing can be customized, but the process is time-consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by automatically generating PLC addressing mappings during the system configuration phase rather than during runtime or manual setup. The object-oriented program structure pre-defines data types, addresses, and communication mappings based on the manufacturing process requirements, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual PLC mapping routines and reducing errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service through automated PLC mapping routines that use the object-oriented program structure to automatically generate addressing information. The system scans and identifies required addresses and data types autonomously, eliminating the need for manual intervention in the PLC mapping process while ensuring accuracy and consistency.
3Productivity
If object-oriented programming is implemented, then abstraction and encapsulation improve data processing efficiency, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by creating reusable object-oriented classes and methods that can be instantiated multiple times with different parameters. Common manufacturing operations and data processing functions are encapsulated in universal classes that can serve multiple purposes across different parts of the system, improving productivity through code reuse while managing complexity through standardization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds another dimension to the PLC programming model by introducing object-oriented concepts (objects, classes, inheritance hierarchies) that organize code in a multi-dimensional structure rather than traditional linear programming. This allows for more efficient data processing through object instantiation and method calls while managing complexity through the structured nature of OOP paradigms.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes generating a manufacturing area table based on at least one area parameter associated with a manufacturing area of the manufacturing environment, generating a plurality of OOP-based collections based on state data associated with the manufacturing area and the manufacturing area table, storing the manufacturing area table and the plurality of OOP-based collections in a relational database, and selecting a target manufacturing process from among the plurality of manufacturing processes. The method includes, for each step of the manufacturing process, selecting, based on the manufacturing area, an image and a fixture indicator that are stored in the relational database, assigning at least one target OOP-based collection to the step based on at least one step parameter, and generating an object from among a plurality of objects stored in the relational database based on the image, the fixture indicator, and the at least one target OOP-based collection.