Virtual Control Synchronization for Low-Load Industrial Data Capture
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial process and machine control systems face inefficiencies due to additional burdens from data acquisition, leading to reduced productivity and increased downtimes, as they require significant resources and computing power, making it challenging to maintain optimal production quality and detect harmful trends in a timely manner.
Innovation Solution
A control system comprising a real control for industrial processes or machines and a virtual control that simulates the control, synchronized through a higher-level processor unit, allowing data to be transferred from the virtual control to minimize the loading on the real control, enabling efficient data acquisition and processing without affecting the actual control tasks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If data acquisition is implemented in the real control system, then process quality monitoring is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to increased computational load
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides data acquisition and processing into two separate segments: the real control system handles only essential control tasks to maintain productivity, while a separate virtual control system handles comprehensive data acquisition and analysis for quality monitoring. This segmentation allows both functions to operate independently without interfering with each other's performance.
Solution Approach 2:
A virtual control system is created as a digital copy of the real control system. This virtual replica performs comprehensive data acquisition and process monitoring tasks that would otherwise burden the real control system. The virtual control mirrors the real system's operations and parameters, enabling thorough quality monitoring without impacting the real system's productivity.
2Loss of information
If comprehensive data acquisition is performed in the real control system, then process transparency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual control system acts as an intermediary between the real control system and the comprehensive data acquisition requirements. It receives essential data from the real system and performs detailed analysis and monitoring tasks independently, then provides insights back to operators or higher-level systems. This intermediary approach achieves full process transparency without adding complexity to the real control system.
Data Source
AI summary
When carrying out an industrial process or during the operation of an industrial system or machine, relevant data is to be detected without additionally loading the control of the industrial process or the system or machine in question. For this purpose, the invention provides a control system (1, 4, 5; 1′, 4′, 5′; 1″, 4″, 5″) with a real control (1; 1′; 1″) for controlling an industrial process, a system or a machine; a virtual control (4; 4′; 4″) for simulating the control of the industrial process, the system, or the machine; synchronization means for synchronizing the real control (1; 1′; 1″) and the virtual control (4; 4′; 4″); and a higher-level processor unit (5; 5′; 5″) for detecting and/or generating operating data and/or state data with respect to the process, the system, or the machine, wherein the operating data and/or state data is based on data originating from the virtual control (4; 4′; 4″). By requesting the data from the virtual control (4; 4′; 4″), the real control (1; 1′; 1″) is not additionally loaded.