Schedule-Based Program Generation for Industrial Device Sequencing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Generating programs for operating multiple industrial devices in a predetermined order is laborious and inefficient, particularly when using ladder charts.
Innovation Solution
A program generating device that displays a schedule screen to specify the execution order of processes and generates a system program to operate industrial devices based on the specified order and associated variables, simplifying the process by eliminating the need for manual ladder chart generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If ladder charts are used to generate programs for operating multiple industrial devices, then the program can be generated with detailed control logic, but the generation process becomes laborious and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the program generation process into two distinct parts: (1) process programs that define individual process logic, and (2) system programs that define the execution order and coordination between processes. This segmentation allows each part to be developed independently and automatically integrated, reducing the laborious manual ladder chart generation while maintaining detailed control logic capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a schedule screen as an intermediary tool that visually represents the execution order of processes without requiring manual ladder chart programming. This intermediary interface automatically translates the scheduled execution order into system programs, eliminating the time-consuming manual programming work while preserving the ability to define complex control logic.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual ladder chart generation is used to control industrial devices, then precise control logic can be implemented, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the control program into process programs (handling precise control logic) and system programs (handling execution coordination), the patent maintains manufacturing precision in the process programs while reducing device complexity in the overall generation process. Each segment can be developed with appropriate detail without overwhelming complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses template-based process programs that can be copied and reused across different processes. This copying mechanism preserves precise control logic patterns while simplifying the generation process, as standardized templates can be replicated and adapted rather than manually programmed each time.
3Reliability
If detailed process control is implemented through traditional programming methods, then operational reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The schedule screen acts as an intermediary that provides an intuitive visual interface for specifying execution orders while automatically generating the reliable system programs underneath. Users can easily operate the system by dragging and dropping process names to define execution sequences, while the underlying detailed control logic and reliability mechanisms are automatically generated and maintained.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically generating system programs from the schedule configuration without requiring manual programming intervention. This self-service mechanism maintains operational reliability through automated code generation while significantly improving ease of operation, as users only need to configure the high-level schedule rather than write detailed control code.
Data Source
AI summary
A program generating device comprising circuitry configured to: display a schedule screen, in which, for each of a plurality of processes executed in a system including a plurality of industrial devices, at least a name of a process is associated with a variable that is at least either referenced or changed in a process program representing an operation of one or more of the plurality of industrial devices and executed in the process, a plurality of names of the plurality of processes obtained from a process database that is stored as process information are included, and an execution order of the plurality of processes can be specified; receive a specification of the execution order on the schedule screen; and generate a system program based on the execution order and the variable of each process included in the execution order.