Yard Spindle Transit Control Using MES and PLC Coordination

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Solution Overview

Problem

The smooth flow of yard spindles through chemical fiber production assembly lines is a bottleneck affecting productivity and efficiency, necessitating rapid transit control to enhance production pace.

Innovation Solution

An automatic yard spindle transit control system integrating RFID technology, MES, and PLCs, with a first PLC acting as an intermediary to manage communication and data processing, ensuring efficient and accurate transit management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual control methods are used for yard spindle transit, then system complexity is low, but productivity and transit efficiency are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveyard spindle transit efficiencyVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system is segmented into multiple PLCs (first PLC and second PLCs) with divided responsibilities: the first PLC handles MES communication and overall coordination, while second PLCs control individual workstations. This segmentation enables scalable complexity management while achieving high productivity through coordinated automation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The first PLC acts as an intermediary between the MES and second PLCs, managing data flow and coordination. This intermediary structure allows the system to achieve high productivity through automated MES integration while managing complexity by centralizing communication logic in the first PLC.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If automated transit control is implemented, then productivity increases, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction paceVSAvoidcontrol architecture
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The automated control system is divided into modular PLC units that can be independently configured and maintained. Each second PLC controls a specific workstation, allowing the system to achieve high production pace while managing complexity through modular, scalable architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The PLCs are designed with universal communication capabilities to interface with MES and standardize control across multiple workstations. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve high productivity through automated coordination while managing complexity through standardized protocols and interfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If real-time data integration is implemented, then transit accuracy improves, but information processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransit condition determination accuracyVSAvoiddata processing load
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Data collection and preliminary processing are segmented to individual second PLCs at each workstation, which generate business data locally. This reduces the information processing load on central systems while maintaining high transit condition determination accuracy through distributed data generation and centralized analysis by the first PLC.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system improves transit efficiency, reduces human error, minimizes material waste, and enhances production stability and scalability by automating spindle transit, enabling real-time data integration and centralized management.

Implementation Method 1

RFID information read from a RFID site corresponding to the target workstation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRFID: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP4718189A1Automatic yard spindle transit control method and apparatus, and storage medium
Publication Date: 2026.04.01 ZHEJIANG HENGYI PETROCHEMICAL CO LTD
  • EP4718189A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4718189A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4718189A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Provided are an automatic yard spindle transit control method and apparatus, and storage medium, relating to the field of intelligent chemical fiber technology. The method includes: when a control button of a first PLC is in an online mode and communication between the first PLC and an MES is normal, obtaining second business data of a target workstation from second PLCs and sending first business data to the MES by the first PLC, to enable the MES to determine an online transit condition based on the first business data and return transit indication information to the first PLC (S201); and when the first PLC receives the transit indication information, sending an analysis result of the transit indication information to the second PLCs by the first PLC, to enable the second PLCs to control the target workstation to perform a transit task based on the analysis result (S202).