Safety Program Creation Assistance Device for Disabling Function Configuration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The creation of safety programs for industrial machines is complicated, making it difficult to implement a disabling function that satisfies safety standards, which can pose risks to workers during maintenance operations.
Innovation Solution
A program creation assistance device that includes a creation unit for safety programs with input blocks and functional blocks, and an addition unit that simplifies the configuration of disabling functions by allowing users to easily add and connect blocks to disable safety inputs when specific conditions are met, ensuring safety standards are met in a simplified procedure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a disabling function is implemented using traditional function block diagrams, then the safety program can control access to hazardous areas, but the configuration becomes complicated and difficult to design
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the disabling function configuration from the complex function block diagram environment and creates a dedicated, simplified configuration interface. This allows users to configure disabling functions through a specialized workflow that separates this specific task from general program creation, reducing complexity while maintaining safety functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary configuration process that mediates between the user and the safety program. This intermediary layer provides guided configuration steps, automatic generation of necessary function blocks, and validation of safety requirements, simplifying the user's task while ensuring proper safety implementation.
2Reliability
If safety programs are designed with detailed function blocks to meet safety standards, then safety compliance is achieved, but the design process becomes time-consuming and burdensome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by automatically generating the necessary function blocks and connections when a disabling function is requested. Instead of requiring users to manually configure each function block from scratch, the system pre-prepares the structural framework and guides users through only the essential customization steps, significantly reducing design time while maintaining compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the configuration parameters from detailed function block-level settings to higher-level disabling function parameters. Users configure the disabling function in terms of safety inputs, conditions, and behavior rather than manually adjusting individual function block parameters, simplifying the design process while ensuring safety standards are met.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a mechanism for adding a disabling function that satisfies a safety standard to a safety program in a simplified procedure. A program creation assistance device that assists in creation of a safety program to be executed by a safety controller creates a safety program including an input block to which a safety input signal from an input device is assigned, a functional block that implements a safety function, and an output block that outputs a safety output signal, and adds, to the safety program created, a plurality blocks and connections between the plurality of blocks in accordance with an instruction from a user, the plurality of blocks and the connections between the plurality of blocks being configured to implement a disabling function that disables the safety input signal when a predetermined condition is satisfied in the safety program.