DE10238098A1 - Procedure for automatic control of fabrication of electro-technical and electronic modules, requires formulating and requesting attributes, pages and data from project according to requirements of fabrication installation - Google Patents

Abstract

A procedure for automatic control of fabrication processes involves initially making the CDP (CAE/CAD data provider)-interface available, and then connecting the fabrication installation via the CDP-interface to the project for ascertaining the available number of definite names of the named attribute from the conformance level. The named attributes, pages and data are formulated and requested from the project according to the necessities of the fabrication installation. Control signals for the fabrication step to be carried out are then generated from the answers to the requests, and the fabrication step is carried out.

Description

Automatic control method the manufacture of electrical and electronic assemblies.

The invention relates to a method for automatic control of manufacturing processes based on the data from any CAD or CAE processing including the required test processes, as well as the storage and ordering processes during production of electrotechnical and electronic assemblies, the Data from any CAD or CAE processing of a project won for the construction of electrical / electronic circuit diagrams become.

As is known, they consist of one CAD or CAE software for a documents produced by electrotechnical / electronic device / system from several drawing pages, these on the one hand the circuit diagrams according to the corresponding Norms and on the other hand certain summaries and overviews for interconnecting the individual components (terminal plans, cable pull lists) as well as the parts lists contain. In general, there is no single page unrelated to other sites, all through so-called cross-references are interconnected. In the simplest case, there is a cross-reference from a breaking point, i.e. a circuit is made for the sake of Space or clarity continued on another page, but it must the fact that there is an electrical connection consists. At least one cross-reference appears.

In more complex cases, a cross-reference can be used Connection between a built in the circuit design context Terminal point, its representation in the terminal diagram, the graphic expression in the Control cabinet layout and its commercial and technical attribution (Current, voltage, price, manufacturer) included. All this information about that entire project represent the project information.

From the point of view of manufacturing electrotechnical / electronic Construction stages are according to the requirements of the individual manufacturing steps certain information from this project at defined times needed. These are usually stored as files in the format of the respective manufacturer CAD / CAE software. That a procedure must be used be the data from the files that contain the project information required for the manufacturing facility included in one for the manufacturing plant understandable Extracted information extracted.

Implementations of such a "translation" or "extraction" With the help of DV technology, there are currently at least three parts. Part one: extracting the information from the project into an intermediate format, second part: processing of this information together with information about the manufacturing process, third Part: Introducing the data into the receiving machine / system.

Any of those on the market today CAE systems masters construction, evaluation and representation of electrotechnical / electronic Planning issues, i.e. plans and compile their lists according to the required regulations. However, as I said, effort and language difficulties arise there, where this information is seamlessly transferred to a manufacturing facility which should be the "language" used does not understand.

The project engineering electrotechnical / electronic schematics using CAD or CAE software, as well their exact documentation requires considerable technical and time expenditure, since the documents are very complex. Everyone Manufacturer of a CAD or CAE software therefore tries to get one achieve high data security and its economic position to secure its own format for to define his data, which he applies to the respective user of the Adjusts the results of his calculations.

The requirement of extracting information for Automated production from such projects has so far been always within proprietary process schemes Fulfills. Software and plant manufacturers assemble and create own problem-related data storage and configuration models, their validity consequently only one software, one machine, one technological Process and / or whose sub-steps relate. The entire cycle must be for each other The combination must always be repeated. In addition, these processes naturally prone to errors because Data storage (format conversion) operated in at least two places must become. This is on the one hand in the project itself and on the other hand in the intermediate format the manufacturing plant

While meanwhile in the field of word processing export and Import filters have become known and generally already in the different word processing programs are implemented, shows in the field of CAD / CAE software that the data formats continue to diverge. Every manufacturer of CAD / CAE software fits meet the requirements of users and every user of CAD / CAE Software is limited to certain manufacturers of the CAD / CAE software and a change is usually associated with economic risks.

Some efforts have been made standardize the data formats. Such standards became Example suggested in STEP7 and VNS, but have so far no success.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to propose a method by means of which the control data for an existing automatic production of electrical / electronic assemblies from the results of any one CAD / CAE software can be obtained.

• a) Bereitstellen der CDP-Schnittstelle aus der entsprechenden CAD-/CAE-Software, die der Fertigungsanlage einen hierarchischen Zugriff zu jeder Information des Projektes und einen hierarchischen Zugriff auf alle Aggregationsebenen des Projektes im Rahmen eines vorgegebenen Conformance Level (definierte Anzahl und Darstellung von benannten Attributen pro Hierarchiestufe) erlaubt;
• b) Verbinden der Fertigungsanlage über die CDP-Schnittstelle mit dem Projekt;
• c) Ermitteln der bereitgestellten Anzahl und konkrete Namen der benannten Attribute aus dem Conformance Level;
• d) Formulieren und Anfordern von benannten Attributen, Seiten und Daten aus dem Projekt gemäß den Notwendigkeiten der Fertigungsanlage;
• e) Übernahme der Antworten auf diese Anforderungen aus dem Projekt;
• f) Erzeugen der Steuersignale für den auszuführenden Fertigungsschritt aus den Antworten;
• g) Durchführen des Fertigungsschrittes.

The object is solved by the features of the main claim. The procedure for the automatic control of the production of electronic parts based on the data from a project of any CAD or CAE software using a digital processing system includes the steps:

• a) Provision of the CDP interface from the corresponding CAD / CAE software, which gives the manufacturing plant hierarchical access to all information about the project and hierarchical access to all aggregation levels of the project within the framework of a predetermined conformance level (defined number and representation of named Attributes per hierarchy level) allowed;
• b) connecting the production plant to the project via the CDP interface;
• c) determining the number provided and concrete names of the named attributes from the conformance level;
• d) Formulating and requesting named attributes, pages and data from the project in accordance with the needs of the production plant;
• e) taking the answers to these requirements from the project;
• f) generating the control signals for the manufacturing step to be carried out from the responses;
• g) performing the manufacturing step.

This procedure for automatic Control of production can be done in the same way for the steps for control, monitoring and securing the system in the event of a fault. This can in step d) the requirements of the control system, monitoring, Management of the automatic production of electronic assemblies or The same can be formulated in step f) from the adopted Answer the control signals for the Control system, monitoring, Management of the automatic production of electronic assemblies or the like are generated and in step g) the corresponding Control step, monitoring step, Decision step, etc. is performed.

As already mentioned, they consist of a CAD or CAE software for a documents produced by electrotechnical / electronic device / system from several drawing pages, the individual pages by Cross-references are linked. Since the documents are a very high complexity own, the project planning is electrotechnical / electronic schematics using CAD or CAE software and their exact documentation with a considerable technical and time expenditure. Every manufacturer of CAD or CAE software therefore tries to its own format for to define his data, which he applies to the respective user of the Adjusts results from his calculations.

This is where the invention comes in. she describes a procedure for making data out in a uniform manner the existing CAE systems to extract and this the manufacturing plant for the corresponding manufacturing steps to disposal to deliver.

• 1. Die Fertigungsanlage muß hierarchischen Zugriff zu jeder Information des Projektes erhalten,
• 2. Die Fertigungsanlage muß hierarchischen Zugriff auf alle Aggregationsebenen des Projektes erhalten, und
• 3. Die Schnittstelle muß eine vorgegebene Anzahl von benannten Attributen pro Hierarchiestufe unterstützen.

To do this, the requirements of the manufacturing plant with regard to its content and temporal determinateness must first be known. The complex project information from the results of the CAD / CAE software is electronically saved in the appropriate format of the software manufacturer. So that the complex project information of any software manufacturer can be processed by any manufacturing system, a software component must be supplied that is capable of exposing a CDP interface from the proprietary format of the respective manufacturer. The requirements for this interface are:

• 1. The production plant must have hierarchical access to all information about the project,
• 2. The production plant must have hierarchical access to all aggregation levels of the project, and
• 3. The interface must support a specified number of named attributes per hierarchy level.

The aggregation levels set the following hierarchy: the project, the pages, a specific page, the assembly and the graphic element of the representation. Besides, is the layout of the project as an aggregation of the logical information of the project. The layout contains all cross references between the sides. In complex cases can a cross-reference link between one in circuit design Context built-in terminal point, its representation in the terminal diagram, the graphic expression in the control cabinet layout and its commercial and technical attribution contain. The layout table is hierarchically below the layout, which in turn consists of the layout cells. Each of these levels of aggregation, as well as the graphic elements and the layout cells each have a number of named Attributes. The number and the spellings, as well as the meaning these attributes are defined in the so-called conformance level. He is a list of names related to specific functions of individual interfaces, the ever passed to this function can be as well as the range of values and the type of variable expected as the answer can be. The conformance level allows for a secure one Determine the version of the interface and secondly sets the Scope of possible Attributions fixed.

The interface defined in this way is the basis for the way in which the production system is connected to the project. A special requirement of the production plant for the project, for example for fitting a bar, is accordingly given the invention to the interface starting from the top level of aggregation. Depending on the requirements, it can be forwarded directly to a specific page, for example a milling or drilling plan, or to the layout. The data of the milling or drilling plan are then transferred to the production plant after the corresponding control signals for executing the production step have been generated with the software of the production plant, and the production step is carried out.

Will the layout requirement passed on, must first layout table corresponding to the assembly can be requested. this table contains all logical information of the assembly and the layout cells contain, if available, the necessary references to the corresponding Positions in the circuit diagram. The information thus obtained is after the control signals required to execute the manufacturing step generated, passed to the manufacturing plant and the manufacturing step can be executed.

Access to the data is like this exclusively through one or more sentences of related Functions achieved. This sentences of functions call interfaces and the functions of one Interface return defined values. That way the project information is transferred to the machine / system, who requested this information after the required Control signals for execution of the production step were transferred to the production system.

The starting point of the present Invention is thus the reversal of the previously usual procedure in relating to the active and passive part of a project-manufacturing communication. Not the CAD / CAE software is now the active part that exports its information, but the software takes over even the role of the server. Instead of providing data, the opportunity ready to get questions answered. Now a computer-controlled Manufacturing process through formulation the relevant questions at any time take from the project. It does not apply the export of the data and the need to format it for the purpose of reading into the production machines.

First, it is a process which does not have to rely on its own data storage and second a random access procedure since there is no serialized data assumes that in turn processed in a serial process should be. The Process is therefore reduced to data storage, which inevitably increases a reduction in the possibility of errors leads.

The basis of the available Software technologies leaves here solutions to give plant builders the freedom to choose their CAD / CAE software would let the extraction of problem-related information without reprogramming allowed and the sources of error due to formatting processes excludes.

The invention is intended to: an embodiment explained become.

1 shows the object model of the interface;

2 shows a page from a project

3 shows the structure of a terminal block;

4 shows a cable pull list;

5 shows a layout table.

1 shows the object model of the interface according to the requirements for implementing the method of the present invention. It allows hierarchical access to all information about the project 2 (Aggregation level 0 ) and the hierarchical access to all aggregation levels I, II, III, IV of the project 2 , A special requirement of the manufacturing plant 1 to the project 2 is according to the invention to the interface starting from the top level of aggregation 0 given. Depending on the requirements, it can be accessed directly via pages 3 (aggregation level I) or a specific pages 4 (aggregation level II), eg to a circuit symbol 5 (Aggregation level III) and then to a certain graphic element 6 or directly to a graphic element 6 how to pass a milling or drilling plan (aggregation level IV). The lowest aggregation level IV then becomes the data of the graphic elements 6 , the milling or drilling plan, such as the position and size of the holes or the course of the contours for the milling, are passed to the production system.

Will the layout requirement 7 (Aggregation level V) must first pass the layout table corresponding to the assembly 8th (Aggregation level VI) can be requested. This layout table 8th contains all logical information of the module. The layout cells 9 (Aggregation level VII) contain, if necessary, the necessary references to the corresponding places in the circuit diagram. That from the layout cells 9 Information obtained (position, construction type and article number of a clamping point on a terminal strip) is sent to the production system 1 transferred and the corresponding manufacturing step can be carried out. Each aggregation level I to VII including the graphic elements and the layout cells each have a number of named attributes. These are properties that are identified by a name that were defined in the conformance level. Here are a few examples:
CdpELine line = straight connection between 2 points with the properties:
"Color" - color of the element as RGB (COLORREF)
"LineStyle" - type of line, here limited to the pen types of the Windows GDI system
"X @ EndPoint" - X - coordinate of the end point
"Y @ EndPoint" - Y - coordinate of the end point
CdpEArcus arc = geometrical location of all points at the same distance from a center, starting in the east (0 °) and counterclockwise to 360 ° with the properties:
"Color" - color of the element as RGB (COLORREF)
"LineStyle" - type of line, here limited to the pen types of the Windows GDI system
"Radius" - radius of the arc
"StartAngle" - start angle in accordance with the definition
"EndAngle" - end angle in accordance with the definition
CdpEPolyline polyline = connection via n points with the properties:
"Color" - color of the element as RGB (COLORREF)
"LineStyle" - type of line, here limited to the pen types of the Windows GDI system
"Points" - SafeArray of n * 2 double, corresponds to n pairs of point coordinates (1: X, 2: Y)
CdpEEllipse Ellipse = geometric location of all points at the same distance from 2 focal points, starting in the east (0 °: here extension of the vector of the connection between the two focal points) and counterclockwise to 360 ° with the properties:
"Color" - color of the element as RGB (COLORREF)
"LineStyle" - type of line, here limited to the pen types of the Windows GDI system
"RadiusX" - radius in the direction of the extension of the vector of the connection between the two focal points of the ellipse
"RadiusY" - radius 90 ° to RadiusX
"StartAngle" - start angle in accordance with the definition
"EndAngle" - end angle in accordance with the definition

In 2 is a page 4 from a project 2 shown. In the right and left lower area of the illustration, simple cross-references can be seen as a continuation of potential rails. The upper part of the illustration shows a typical connection of an analog PLC and its outputs 11 and 12 in pairs via a terminal (X4 :) and the MK003 cable is connected to the corresponding control component.

In 3 the structure of a terminal strip is shown. Here is in the lines 5 and 6 the in 2 shown circuit diagram from the point of view of the wiring of the terminal block. The information is summarized in such a way that a fitter or even an automatic production could actually carry out the part terminal connection X4: afterwards.

The same applies to the in 4 shown cable drawing plan, which summarizes the information related to the cables. Again, the same facts as in 3 in line 5 ,

The 5A and 5B show examples of layout tables B. The first line of layout table 8 describes the presence of the individual elements of the corresponding assembly of the layout in the circuit diagram. For distributed assemblies, such as contactors and PLCs, there is generally a mother part ( 5A ), for cables, terminals ( 5B ) and the like not. The second line of the layout table 8th refers to the parent part references, if available, and the third line shows the graphic representation of the module (s) in the control cabinet. The fourth line holds the information on the parts list for the entire assembly ( 1 , Column) and / or their elements (corresponding column).

CAD

computer Aided design

CAE

computer Aided engineering

CDP interface

CAE / CAD Data provider

SPS

Programmable logic controller

1

manufacturing plant

2

Project

3

pages

4

concrete page

5

Operating symbol

6

graphic element

7

layout

8th

Layout table

9

Layout cell

10

attributes

I to VII

aggregation levels

Claims (2)

Process for automatic control of the production of electronic Parts according to the data from a project of any CAD or CAE software using a digital processing system, with the steps: a) Provide the CDP interface the corresponding CAD / CAE software that unites the production system hierarchical access to all information of the project and one hierarchical access to all aggregation levels of the project within a given conformance level (defined number and representation of named attributes per hierarchy level) allowed; b) Connect the manufacturing plant via the CDP interface with the project; c) Determine the provided Number and concrete names of the named attributes from the conformance Level; d) formulating and requesting named attributes, Pages and data from the project according to the needs of the manufacturing facility; e) Takeover the answers to these requirements from the project; f) Generate of control signals for the one to be executed Manufacturing step from the answers; g) performing the Production step. Method for automatic control of production according to claim 1, in which in step d) the requirements of the control system, monitoring, management the automatic production of electronic assemblies or the like are formulated in step f) from the responses taken over the control signals for the Control system, monitoring, Management of the automatic production of electronic assemblies or the like are generated and in step g) the corresponding control step, monitoring step, Decision step, etc. is performed.