RU2726769C1 - System for monitoring parameters of robotic installations - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: control and regulating systems.SUBSTANCE: system for monitoring parameters of robotic installations comprises a network-integrated information gathering subsystem, an information processing subsystem and an information display subsystem. Data collection subsystem includes data collection devices, and information processing subsystem comprises data storage and processing unit, a unit for diagnosing errors and issuing notifications, a unit for collecting statistics and generating reports, a unit for archiving and storing data, an access control unit and an HTTP server unit for processing and delivering messages. Information display subsystem includes a unit for displaying parameters of the current state, a unit for indicating errors in operation, a unit for sending notifications, a unit for generating requests and reports on parameters of operation for a given period, a unit for plotting the parameters of operation, a unit for storing archive data on operation parameters and a unit for controlling access to the information display subsystem.EFFECT: expanded range of monitoring means.1 cl, 3 dwg, 1 tbl

Description

The invention relates to the field of regulatory and control systems, namely to systems for monitoring parameters of robotic installations (RU), collecting data on their operation and condition. The declared monitoring system of the reactor plant parameters unites several manufacturers, such as KUKA, ABB, FANUC, into a single information network of the reactor plant.

From patent RU No. 2689639 [IPC G05B 19/042, publ. 05/28/2019] a system for monitoring and control of an industrial plant is known. In this patent, an industrial plant is understood to mean an assembly line of a known type, for example for structures or components of motor vehicles, which contains a plurality of processing and / or assembly stations ST, for example connected in series, each ST station being configured to perform a certain operation. In the aforementioned ST stations, one or more industrial robots are provided for performing operations. An industrial robot is an automated, reprogrammable, multifunctional manipulator often used in industrial automation to carry out a production process. In a monitoring and control system of an industrial plant, the human-machine interface module contains a laptop computer with a wireless transceiver. Said computer is programmed to perform a variety of functions, including general monitoring of an industrial plant, local monitoring of at least one of said stations, and local control of at least one of said stations. The system contains means for providing a laptop computer access to a communication network via a wireless transceiver so that the computer can send monitoring and / or control commands to electronic monitoring and processing modules. The system contains a plurality of identification devices, with each controlled area associated with a corresponding identification device to recognize the presence of a laptop in a specific controlled area. The system monitors if the laptop and a specific station are located in the same monitored area. The advantages of the system include the convenience of monitoring an industrial installation, and the disadvantages of the system being unable to monitor an industrial installation assembled from RPs of various manufacturers.

The common essential features with the claimed invention are the presence of three subsystems: an information collection subsystem (a human-machine interface module configured to monitor and / or control stations (ST)), an information processing subsystem (a controlling and processing module (PLC) for monitoring and / or station control (ST)) and the information display subsystem (a programmable terminal of the SCADA type of supervisory control and data collection, providing the ability to remotely monitor the entire assembly line), as well as a communication network connecting the mentioned subsystems together.

The objective of the proposed solution was to create a system that allows to combine robotic installations of different manufacturers into a single information and control network, which has the ability to collect, process and display information related to the state of all switchgears, as well as generate and send control commands to the switchgear in order to improve the efficiency of the entire network equipment, optimize the production process, reduce overall energy costs, reduce downtime.

The technical result of the proposed solution is to expand the arsenal of monitoring and control tools for industrial equipment, consisting of robotic installations from various manufacturers, by combining them into a single network.

The technical result is achieved by the fact that the system for monitoring the parameters of robotic installations, characterized by the presence of three interconnected subsystems: an information collection subsystem, an information processing subsystem and an information display subsystem, as well as the presence of a communication network connecting the mentioned subsystems together, includes at least two collection devices in the information collection subsystem data, the inputs of each of which are connected via the RS-485 network interface to the controllers of robotic installations, and the outputs to one of the inputs of the network communication unit, the output of which via the Ethernet network is connected to the input of the information processing subsystem in the form of a server, the output of which is also connected via the Ethernet network with the input of the information display subsystem, while the data collection device includes: a unit for interaction with a robotic installation via a TCP protocol, a data processing unit configured to extract a robotic unit from TCP messages setting information about the controller version, firmware version, as well as the ability to read the specified parameters of the robotic installation during its operation, with the ability to process incoming requests from other subsystems, decrypt and broadcast them to the robotic installation controller, a block for generating HTTP messages in JSON format; The server includes: a data storage and processing unit, which includes metadata bases of the main parameters of robotic installations of various manufacturers, databases about users of robotic installations, a block for diagnosing errors and issuing notifications, a block for collecting statistics and generating reports, a block for archiving and storing data, a control unit access to robotic installations, an HTTP server block for processing and delivering messages in JSON format; The information display subsystem includes: a unit for displaying the parameters of the current state of a robotic unit, a unit for indicating errors in the operation of a robotic unit, a unit for sending notifications by e-mail, a unit for generating requests and reports on the parameters of a robotic unit's operation for a given period, a unit for plotting graphs by parameters operation of a robotic installation, a block for storing archived data on the parameters of the operation of a robotic installation, a block for controlling access to the information display subsystem.

It is advisable to include metadata bases of the main parameters of robotic installations from manufacturers: KUKA, ABB, FANUC in the system for monitoring the parameters of robotic installations in the data storage and processing unit of the information processing subsystem.

The integration of RUs of different manufacturers into a single network is achieved through the joint operation of a data collection device containing a data processing unit capable of extracting information about the controller version, firmware version from the TCP messages of the robotic installation, reading the specified parameters of the robotic installation during its operation and the server, containing metadata bases of the main parameters of robotic installations of various manufacturers, which provides the ability to collect data from controllers of RU by accessing the required memory cells in the required format.

An increase in the efficiency of equipment operation is achieved due to the operational control of the reactor plant based on information about the workload, the current technical condition of the reactor plant, and stages of the programs being executed by the reactor plant.

Reducing the total energy consumption and optimizing the production process is a consequence of processing current information on the energy consumption of individual reactor plants, reducing downtime due to processing information about the current and total reactor load, timely elimination of errors that occur during the operation of equipment, based on information about the reasons for their occurrence and the fact of correction.

The invention is illustrated by drawings, where:

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the claimed monitoring system of the reactor plant parameters;

Fig.2 database structure of the parameters of the RU;

Fig. 3 is an algorithm for fulfilling requests of the monitoring system of the reactor parameters.

The monitoring system of the reactor plant parameters (Fig. 1) consists of three main subsystems: information gathering subsystem 1, information processing subsystem 2, information display subsystem 3.

The information collection subsystem 1 consists of two or more data acquisition devices (DAC) 4, the inputs of which are connected via the RS-485 network interface to the RU controllers of various manufacturers, for example, such as KUKA, ABB, FANUC. The outputs of each of the DRC 4 via the Ethernet network interface are connected to the inputs of the network communication block 5. Each DRC includes: a block for interaction with the RU via TCP (TCP client block) 6, a data processing block 7, an HTTP client block for messaging in JSON format (HTTP client block) 8. Information processing subsystem 2 (server) is sequentially connected to information collection subsystem 1 via the Ethernet interface. The server (data storage and processing unit 9) includes: an HTTP server unit for processing and delivering messages in the JSON format 10, a unit for managing a database of the main parameters of RU from various manufacturers (DBMS unit) 11, a unit for diagnosing errors and issuing notifications 12 , unit for collecting statistics and generating reports 13, unit for archiving and storing data 14, unit for controlling access to RU 15. Information display subsystem 3 is sequentially connected via Ethernet interface with information processing system 2 and consists of operator terminals 16, on which the software interface is displayed system support, a block of HTTP-client for exchanging messages in JSON format (block of an HTTP-client) 17, a block for displaying cells and the current state of RU 18, a unit for indicating errors in the operation of the RU and issuing notifications by e-mail 19, a unit for indicating reports and graphs 20 , an indication unit of archived data (values of the RU parameters) 21, a unit for registration of new users and authorization t current in the system 22.

The system works as follows.

The robotic installation is controlled by the RP controller included in it, which executes the programs loaded by the manufacturer and monitors the main characteristics and parameters of the RP. The RU controller, depending on the type, can simultaneously monitor and record the performance of up to 500 indicators, the main of which are the values of currents, moments, voltages, speed, energy consumption. The number and composition of the measured parameters is determined by the manufacturer of the RU. All modern RU controllers have network interfaces that allow connecting devices to the controller and reading the required parameters. The manufacturer that supplies the RU to the enterprise provides the ability to connect the RU controller to output devices using the available application programming interface (API), and offers its own software for monitoring their operation. Such software, as a rule, has limited functionality and works only with the switchgear of the given manufacturer.

In the claimed system, when the USD 4 is first connected to the RC controller, the RC type is identified by the HTTP client 17 of the operator's terminal 16 according to the formats approved by the RC manufacturers, for example, KUKA, FANUC, ABB. In this case, the block of the HTTP client 17 of the terminal of the operator 16 forms a number of requests for identification of the type of installation, which are sequentially sent through the block of the HTTP server 10 and the block of network communication 5 to USD 4. The HTTP client block 8 sends information to the data processing unit 7, which transforms requests to the TCP protocol and through the TCP client block sends them to the RU controller, to which the USD 4 is connected. Requests are sequentially processed by the RU controller, which sends responses in the same way to the operator terminal 16 to the HTTP client unit 17. In case of a request according to a format that is not supported by the connected switchgear, the switchgear controller issues a corresponding message. If the request comes in the correct format, then the RC controller sends a message with the name of the RC manufacturer, the type, extension and version of the controller firmware, the number and date of the request. Thus, the RU is identified, after which, according to a similar scheme, the system user sends a number of requests to configure the data collection parameters: the name of the parameters, the frequency of collection, the format of data presentation. Then the program is loaded into the RU controller, the RU starts to execute it.

Further, after determining the type of RU, the system operates as follows.

From the primary sensors of the RU control system, the values of various parameters determined by the manufacturer and the user are sent to its controller in the form of signals. The signals are processed and stored by software (SW) installed in the RU controller. The software of the RU controller extracts the values of the variables defined by the user with the time intervals specified by him, generates a unified data packet, converts the message into TCP format for transmission via the RS-485 interface and transfers it from the output of the RU controller via a wire communication line via the RS-485 network interface to the input DRC 4, into the TCP client block 6, which receives data packets in TCP format and transmits to the data processing block 7. Data processing block 7 converts data from TCP format to HTTP format and encrypts data in SSL format using its own encryption protocol. Encrypted data from the data processing unit 7 goes to the output of the USD 4, to the HTTP client unit 8, from where, via a wired communication line, via the Ethernet network interface, it is fed to the input of the network communication unit 5, which, in turn, distributes the packets received from different USD in turn and sends from the output via a wired communication line via the Ethernet network interface to the input of the data storage and processing unit 9, to the HTTP server unit 10. The HTTP server unit 10 receives data packets and sends them to the DBMS unit 11, which records and stores system parameter values. At a predetermined frequency, data from the DBMS unit 11 through the HTTP server unit 10 (output of the data storage and processing unit 9) via a wired communication line via the Ethernet network interface is transmitted to the HTTP client unit 17 (to the input of the operator's terminal 16). The block of the HTTP client 17 of the information display system 3 decrypts the data and displays it on the operator terminal 16 using the display side of the cells and the current state of the RU 18. When errors appear during the execution of the RU program, the error diagnosis and notification unit 12 diagnoses the type of error and through the HTTP server block 10 sends a notification with an error code to the HTTP client block 17, which displays errors on the operator's terminal 16 or sends an e-mail to the interested person using the error indication unit and e-mail notification 19. The system also works in reverse direction, i.e. when the request for the parameter value from the operator's terminal 16 is executed, the request according to the indicated scheme reaches the RU controller or one of the blocks of the information processing system, if the data is already known and is returned with the required value. So, according to the above scheme, the system user, using the operator's terminal 16, sends a request to generate a report on the required parameters (for example, for a day, week, month, quarter, year, etc.), the request is processed by the statistics collection and reporting unit 13, returns to the operator terminal 16 and is displayed using the display unit for reports and graphs 20. When a request is sent to receive data from the archive or enter data into the archive by the system user, the data archiving and storage unit 14 executes the request and returns a response to the operator terminal 16 and displays using the archive data display unit 21. In the same way, to register new users or authorize the current one, the user sends a corresponding request to the access control unit 15, which sends the request to the DBMS unit 11, receives data from it and displays the processes on the operator terminal 16 using the unit registration of new users or authorization of current 22.

A distinctive feature of the claimed system is the software installed in the USD 4 (data processing unit 7). The list of classes of software (SW) of the USD, which ensures the interaction of the software of the RC controller with the software of the USD when using RCs of various manufacturers, for example, such as KUKA, FANUC, ABB, contains:

1) JSON class, which contains methods for generating message text in JSON format

2) Classes KRC4_JSON, Sunrise_JSON, Fanuc_JSON, ABB_JSON, designed to generate text messages in JSON format containing information about system variables depending on the RC manufacturer and / or the RC controller type

3) The ClientHTTP class, which is responsible for interacting with the Server via the HTTP protocol

4) RobotHTTPClient class intended for exchanging data with the Server via the HTTP protocol, presented in the required format

5) The Robot class, which contains the necessary methods for receiving data via the TCP protocol from the TCP server block of the RU controller, methods for interacting with the Server through a representative (object) of the RobotHTTPClient class and other necessary fields

6) Classes KRC4, Sunrise, Fanuc, ABB, which are inheritors of the Robot class and intended for data exchange directly between the RU with the corresponding controller and server.

The RU controller records and stores information about the parameter values in its own memory. The value of each parameter is stored in a separate register (memory location). Depending on the type of controller, the same parameter can be stored in different registers, as a result of which the request format is different. After identification of the RU brand and the type of its controller, the data processing unit 7 (own DRC software), depending on the type of RU, accesses the required register via the controller software in the format of the specified type. Having received the data from the RU controller in the form of a unified packet, the data processing unit 7 of the USD encrypts the packet and sends it to the server. Each package has a key that contains information about the RU brand, controller type, controller firmware version. Thus, the data processing unit of the USD is universal and allows the operation of switchgears from different manufacturers. At the moment, it is possible to work with all controllers of the largest manufacturers of switchgear and control systems KUKA, FANUC, ABB.

The structure of the RI parameters database (DBMS Block 11) and the algorithm for executing queries of the RI parameters monitoring system are shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, respectively.

DBMS block 11 consists of the following tables: users, robots, robot_roles, robot_application_area, token_bd, working_programm. Key information about system users is stored in the users table. It contains user data: name (users.name), creation date (users.create_date), mailbox (users.email), password (users.password) and comments (users.comment). Also, information about his user rights is stored for each user (table user_roles through id_user_roles).

Basic information about RU from different manufacturers is stored in the robots. It contains information about the name of the RU (robots.name), creation date (robots.create_date) and comments (robots.comment).

DBMS block 11 also contains the following information:

1. table robot_roles contains information about the roles of the RU (robot_roles.name), which can be used for group control, that is, when several RUs are running one program, and comments (robot_roles.comment);

2. table robot_application_area contains information about the field of application of the RC, namely, what type of RC is (robot_application_area.kind_robot), the way of its movement (robot_application_area.wat_to_travel) comments (robot_application_area.comment). This table also contains other characteristics, such as manufacturer or location.

3. the token_bd table contains information about tokens - software-generated cryptographic keys of a complex structure used as an access key for each RU integrated into the system. The table contains information directly about the token itself (token_bd.token_name), the start date of the token (token_bd.start_time) and the end time of its functioning (token_bd.end_time);

4. table working_programm contains information about the beginning of the execution of a specific RU program (working_programm.start_time) and about the end (working_programm.end_time), if necessary, you can leave comments (working_programm.comment). This table is related to the parametrs table, which stores data on the parameters of the switchgear during program execution. For example, parametrs.work_time stores the total operating time of the switchgear, parameters.characteristics store all parameters coming from the switchgear, the rest of the table values store specific information about the operation of the switchgear.

Access to the database is implemented only for registered users of the system. For authorization, you need to make a request containing the username (username) and password (password). The server consults the database and looks for a match for these parameters in the publuc.users table. If a match is found, the user is given a temporary identifier - token (token), which allows access to other functions of the system. If the user does not exist or an error was made when entering the password, the message {'error': 'unauthorized access'} will be returned

To protect the system from unauthorized access, the token functions only for 1 minute and then is deleted. For further actions, you need to re-receive the token. To increase performance, the token for the user is stored not in the main database, but in the network-based journaling data store Redis (Remote dictionary server, a common database located in RAM, focused on achieving maximum performance), where the key is the user ID, and the value is the token itself ...

To access other system functions, you need to send the received token in the request header. The server will check for the token in Redis, and either get the user ID value, or display a message that the user is not authorized {"error": "unauthorized access"}. Using the obtained user ID, it will execute a query in the database to determine access rights to the public.user_roles table.

There are only two types of rights for users:

• administrator (admin) with maximum rights to edit the database;

• the user (user) can only receive information about the operation of the RU and cannot make changes to the database.

Access to the functions available to RU, for example, writing operating parameters to the database also goes through the token (robot_token), which is passed to the headers. However, the token for RU is created for one year and is stored in the database in the public.token_bd table.

Depending on the access rights, users can perform the following queries (table 1).

An example of the practical implementation of the system.

In the industrial robotics laboratory of the Tomsk Polytechnic University, RU of manufacturers KUKA 40PA, controller KR C4, extension KUKA Ethernet KRL, version 2.2 were combined into a single network; FANUC LrMate 200id, controller R30iB Mate extension, FANUC, version V.8.30P / 40; ABB IRB1200-7 / 0.7, irc 5 controller, version 5.6.

When the USD 4 was first connected to the RU controllers for identification of the RU type by the HTTP client 17, a number of requests were formed, which were successively sent to the USD 4 through the HTTP server unit 10 and the network communication unit 5. The HTTP client unit 8 sent information to the data processing unit 7 , which transformed the requests into a TCP protocol and, through the TCP client block, sent them to the RC controllers to which the USD 4 is connected. The requests were sequentially processed by the RC controller, which sent replies in the same way to the operator terminal 16. The correct request came to the KUKA RC after the third attempt, in FANUC RC after the first and in ABB RC after the second. When requests were received in the wrong format, corresponding messages were received from the RU controllers.

After receiving the correct requests, the RC controllers sent messages with the name of the RC manufacturer, the type, extension and version of the controller firmware, the number and date of the request. Thus, the identification of the reactor was carried out, after which the user of the reactor, according to a similar scheme, sent a number of requests to configure the parameters of data collection: the name of the parameters, the frequency of collection, the format of data presentation. Then, operators loaded programs into RU controllers to move an object from one point to another using SHUNK grippers. RU started to execute programs.

Then the system worked as follows.

The RU controllers software extracted the values of the variables defined by the user during setup: current on the axes (A), moments on the axes (M), current coordinates of the axes (X, Y, Z), power consumption along the axes (W) with specified time intervals: 1 once a second. The RU controller software generated unified data packets, converted the packets into TCP format for transmission via the RS-485 interface and from the outputs of the RU controllers transmitted them via a wired communication line via the RS-485 network interface to the USD 4 inputs, to the TCP client 6 units, which received data packets in TCP format and transmitted to data processing units 7. Data processing units 7 converted data from TCP format to HTTP format and encrypted the data in SSL format using their own encryption protocol. Encrypted data from data processing units 7 came to the outputs of the USD 4, to the units of HTTP clients 8, from where they were sent via a wired communication line via the Ethernet network interface to the inputs of the network communication unit 5, which, in turn, distributed the packets received from the USD to queue and sent from the output via a wired communication line via the Ethernet network interface to the input of the data storage and processing unit 9, to the HTTP server unit 10. The HTTP server unit 10 received the data packets and sent them to the DBMS unit 11, which recorded the values of the required parameters ... With a frequency of 1 second, data from the DBMS unit 11 through the HTTP server unit 10 (output of the data storage and processing unit 9) were transmitted via a wired communication line via the Ethernet network interface to the HTTP client unit 17 (at the input of the operator's terminal 16). The HTTP client block 17 of the information display system 3 decrypted the data and displayed the parameter values on the operator's terminal 16 using the block displaying cells and the current state of RU 18.

To authorize the user of the system, using the block 22 for registering new users or authorizing the current users, the required fields with data (mail, password) were filled in and the request was sent to the DBMS Unit 11 for data verification, after which the response was transmitted to the access control unit 15, which opened access to the user to the program.

The system user, using the operator's terminal 16, sent a request to generate a report on the daily total energy consumption of all RUs. The request was processed by the statistics collection and reporting unit 13, which contacted the DBMS Unit 11, received data on the energy consumption of all RU drives for the day at the current moment, calculated the values using the embedded formulas and displayed it on the operator terminal 16 in the reporting and graph display unit 20 No reports were sent to receive archived data. Errors did not appear when the RC programs were executed.

The introduction of the claimed system at the enterprise will allow assessing the efficiency of equipment loading by obtaining up-to-date information about the current technical state of robotic installations and the programs they perform, about the energy consumption of individual and complex RP, about the total workload and downtime of individual and complex RP, about errors arising in the process equipment operation with information about the causes of their occurrence and the fact of correction.

The claimed monitoring system of the reactor plant parameters allows monitoring and analysis of a large number of parameters required for the operator of robotic installations of various manufacturers (from 30 to 253), storing their values and generating reports.

Table 1. Executed queries and access rights

No. Operation Access group 1 Adding RU Admin 2 Adding a user Admin 3 Obtaining information on the operation of the reactor plant for a given time interval Admin, user 4 Obtaining information about the last RC session Admin, user five Deleting a given RU session Admin 6 Deleting all RU data Admin 7 Getting an identifier to start a session Robot 8 Data recording of the reactor operation Robot

Claims (2)

1. A system for monitoring the parameters of robotic installations (RU), characterized by the presence of three interconnected subsystems: an information collection subsystem, an information processing subsystem and an information display subsystem, as well as a communication network connecting the mentioned subsystems together, characterized in that the information collection subsystem includes at least two devices data collection, the inputs of each of which are connected via the RS-485 network interface to the RU controllers, and the outputs are connected to one of the inputs of the network communication unit, the output of which via Ethernet is connected to the input of the information processing subsystem in the form of a server, the output of which is connected to the input of the information display subsystem, while the data collection device includes: a unit for interaction with the RU via TCP protocol, a data processing unit capable of extracting information about the controller version, firmware version from the RU TCP messages, as well as with the ability to read specified parameters of RU in the course of its operation, processing incoming requests from other subsystems, decrypting and translating them into the RU controller, a block for generating HTTP messages in JSON format; The server includes: a data storage and processing unit, which includes databases of metadata of the main parameters of RU from various manufacturers, databases on RU users, a unit for diagnosing errors and issuing notifications, a unit for collecting statistics and generating reports, a unit for archiving and storing data, an access control unit RU, an HTTP server block for processing and delivering messages in JSON format; The information display subsystem includes: a block for displaying the parameters of the current state of the reactor, a block for indicating errors in the operation of the reactor, a block for sending notifications by e-mail, a block for generating requests and reports on the parameters of the reactor's operation for a given period, a block for constructing graphs by the parameters of the reactor block for storing archived data on the parameters of the reactor plant, block for controlling access to the information display subsystem. 2. The monitoring system of the reactor plant parameters according to claim 1, characterized in that the data storage and processing unit of the information processing subsystem includes the metadata bases of the main parameters of the reactor plant made by KUKA, ABB, FANUC.

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