Method for controlling a production machine, in particular a machine tool, with the controller associated with a production machine

• US 7,302,302 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2004
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Dolansky, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Thomas K.
• Application Number:
  US10/965,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20050090910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 700/19, 700/24, 700/5, 700/79, 700/20, 709/213, 709/214, 709/245
• US Class Current: 700/19
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/056 Programming the PLC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41845 characterised by system universality, reconfigurability, modularity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A production machine has a controller and a plurality of components that include link addresses associated with a memory region of a separate computer that can be connected with the controller via a computer-to-computer link. Parameter data for the components are stored in the memory region. The link addresses are stored either in the components themselves or in component associated with these components. The controller accesses the link addresses and then uses the link addresses to access parameter data. The controller executes a control program to determine control commands for components, such as actuators, of the production machine, with the control commands depending on the parameter data, and transmits the control commands to the production machine.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a production machine having plurality of components, the method comprising the steps of:

storing in or in association with each of the components a corresponding link address linked to a memory region of a computer, with the memory region storing parameter data for the components;

transmitting, upon connection of a component, from the component the link address to the controller disposed between the component and the computer;

accessing with the controller the corresponding memory region of the computer corresponding to the link address; and

obtaining with the controller the parameter data for the component based on the link address;

determining with a control program resident on the controller from the parameter data control commands for the corresponding component; and

transmitting the control commands to the corresponding component of the production machine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the components is an electrical component.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the electrical component comprises a component selected from the group consisting of input unit, output unit, motor, power supply, converter, sensor and actuator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the components is a mechanical component.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the mechanical component comprises a gear.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the link address comprises a type address adapted for recalling from the computer configuration-specific parameter data of the corresponding component, and an individual address adapted for recalling from the computer component-specific, user-specific or application-specific parameter data, or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the components is a sensor and wherein the controller measures with the at least one sensor a component state of at least one of the components and transmits at least occasionally the measured component state or information derived from the measured component state to the computer via a link address associated with this component.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer-computer link is implemented as a LAN or an Internet link.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the production machine is a machine tool.

10. A control system for a production machine having plurality of components, said control system comprising

a computer with a memory region storing parameter data for at least one of the components, wherein each of the components includes a corresponding link address to the memory region of the computer, said link address being stored in or in association with a component and further comprising

a controller disposed intermediate between a component and the computer, said controller receiving a corresponding link address from a component, obtaining from the memory region of the computer the parameter data based on the link address, determining from the parameter data control commands for the component, and

transmitting the control commands to the component of the production machine.

11. A production machine comprising

a controller and a plurality of components,

a computer with a memory region storing parameter data for at least one of the components, wherein each of the components includes an address memory having stored therein a corresponding link address to the memory region of the computer, said address memory being located in or in association with a component, with the controller disposed intermediate between a component and the computer, with the controller receiving a corresponding link address from a component,

obtaining from the meows region of the computer the parameter data based on the link address, determining from the parameter data control commands for the component, and

transmitting the control commands to the corresponding component of the production machine.

12. A control program stored on a computer-readable storage medium and enabling a controller of a production machine having a plurality of components to cause the production machine to perform the following steps when executed on the controller:

storing in or in association with each of the components a corresponding link address to a memory region of a computer, with the memory region storing parameter data for the components;

transmitting, upon connection of a component, from the component the link address to a controller disposed between the component and the computer;

accessing with the controller the corresponding memory region of the computer corresponding to the link address;

obtaining with the controller the parameter data for the component based on the link address;

determining with the control program resident on the controller from the parameter data control commands for the corresponding component; and

transmitting the control commands to the corresponding component of the production machine.