WO2020084354A1 - A system and method for testing industrial equipments and automatic updation of performance report - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for testing industrial equipments and automatically updating a performance report and diagnosing fault is provided. The system includes a Program Logic Controller (PLC), a control systemand a mobile device. The control system includes a Human Machine Interface (HMI) which is connected to the PLC in order to test each of the one or more of industrial equipments and a database to store (i) threshold value for each of the one or more of industrial equipments and (ii) the performance report of each of the one or more of industrial equipments. The mobile device is connected (i) to the control system through a first communication network in order to access GUI in the HMI, and (ii) to a central server through a second communication network. The mobile device is adapted to seamlessly and simultaneously receive and transmit data from the first communication network and the second communication network.

Description

A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TESTING INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENTS

AND AUTOMATIC UPDATION OF PERFORMANCE REPORT

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present embodiment relates to a system and method for testing industrial equipments in an industrial environment, and, more particularly relates to the system and method for automatic updation of a performance report and diagnosing error in the industrial equipments by seamlessly and simultaneously interfacing across the multiple secured networks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Most of the original equipment manufacturers build machines for efficient manufacturing in automation industries. Industrial automation is the use of control systems, such as Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC’s) and drives for handling different processes and field devices (i.e. industrial equipments). Before commissioning a machine, machine functional and Input/output (I/O) testing is mandatory.

[0003] Machine testing and commissioning primarily includes functional verification and I/O testing. During I/O testing, Input devices e.g. proximity sensors, encoders and limit switches etc., and Output Devices e.g. solenoid valves, contactors and indication lamps etc., are verified by I/O module indications or by PLC program tags. During functional testing, Cylinders and Motors are actuated and their movements are checked as per desired function. Check Sheets are used to record the device status manually. On successful clearance of check sheet, testing completion status will be given. The existing system and method for testing and commissioning of the machine/industrial equipments is manual which is not effective, accurate and also time consuming.

[0004] Accordingly there is a need in that art to provide a solution to one or more of above said problems. The present embodiment solves one or more of these problems in a unique and economical manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The object of the present embodiment is to provide a system which substantially overcomes the one or more of the above mentioned disadvantages.

[0006] The main object of the present embodiment is to provide a system and method for testing industrial equipments and automatic updation of performance report in an industrial environment. The present embodiment also allows the user/operator to access the drawing sheets from a central server and diagnosis the industrial equipment in case of fault/error occurred while testing. [0007] In one aspect of the present embodiment, a system for testing industrial equipments and automatically updating a performance report and diagnosing fault is provided. The system includes a Program Logic Controller (PLC), a control system and a mobile device. The industrial equipments are adapted to sense and send operational parameters to the PLC. PLC is adapted to control the one or more of industrial equipments based on the operational parameters. The control system includes a Human Machine Interface (HMI) which is connected to the PLC in order to test each of the one or more of industrial equipments and a database to store (i) threshold value for each industrial equipments and (ii) the performance report of each industrial equipments. The mobile device is connected (i) to the control system through a first communication network in order to access the Graphical User Interface (GUI) in the HMI, and (ii) to a central server through a second communication network.

[0008] The mobile device is adapted to seamlessly and simultaneously receive and transmit data from the first and second communication networks. The mobile device is adapted to (a) access the GUI via the first communication network which has a control button for each of the one or more of industrial equipments (b) establish a secure communication with the central server for accessing a drawing sheet stored in the central server. The operational parameters are read from the industrial equipment when a user triggers the control button in the GUI. The performance report in the database is automatically updated when the operational parameters are within the threshold value and warning indication is displayed in the GUI when the operational parameters read from the industrial equipment is not within the threshold value, and upon displaying error indication, the user diagnose the industrial equipments by referring the drawing sheet corresponds to the industrial equipment. The first communication network and the second communication network are different from each other. The first communication network and the second communication network are internet, Wi- Fi etc., The mobile device includes a first interface device for establishing communication with the first communication network and a second interface device for establishing communication with the second communication network. The mobile device establishes the secure communication with the central server through a VPN tunnel established by a VPN router. The drawing sheet is accessed at mobile device through the VPN tunnel and the drawing sheet cannot be copied or stored at the mobile device.

[0009] In another aspect, method for testing and diagnosing industrial equipments by a mobile device and automatic updation of a performance report is provided. The method includes steps of (i) establishing, by the mobile device, a communication with a control system through a first communication network, (ii) establishing, by the mobile device, a secure communication with a central server through a second communication network, (iii) accessing, by the mobile device, a Graphical User Interface (GUI) in the control system, (iv) triggering a control button at the GUI, (v) reading operational parameters of industrial equipment corresponds to the control button via a Program Logic Controller, (vi) updating a performance report when the operational parameters are within a threshold value, (vii) displaying a warning indication when the operational parameters are not within the threshold value; and (viii) diagnosing the industrial equipments with a help of the drawing sheet accessed via the central server.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

[0010] The advantages and features of the embodiment will become more clearly apparent from the following description which refers to the accompanying drawings given as non-restrictive examples only and in which:

[0011] Figure 1 illustrates a high level block diagram of a system for testing industrial equipments and updating a performance report stored in a central server in accordance to one embodiment herein;

[0012] Figure 2 illustrates a high level block diagram of a system as illustrated in Figure 1 with data-flow during testing of the industrial equipments in accordance to one embodiment herein;

[0013] Figure 3 illustrates a screen- shot of a Graphic User Interface of a control system in the system as illustrated in Figure 1 in accordance to one embodiment herein; and

[0014] Figure 4 illustrates a flow diagram for method for testing industrial equipments by a mobile device and updating a performance report in accordance to one embodiment herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The present embodiment will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. A system and method for testing industrial equipments and an automatic updation of performance report in an industrial environment is described herein.

[0016] The following description is of exemplary embodiment of the invention only, and is not limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention. Rather, the following description is intended to provide a convenient illustration for implementing various embodiments of the invention. As will become apparent, various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of the structural/operational features described in these embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth herein. It should be appreciated that the description herein may be adapted to be employed with alternatively configured devices having different shaped, components, and the like and still fall within the scope of the present invention. Thus the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation.

[0017] Figure 1 illustrates a high level block diagram of a system 100 for testing industrial equipments 13, 14, 15 and 16 and updating a performance report stored in a central server 12 in accordance to one embodiment herein. The system 100 includes a Program Logic Controller (PLC) 1, a control system 6 and a mobile device8. The control system 6 incorporates a database and a Human Machine Interface (HMI) 4 which is connected to the PLC. In another embodiment, the HMI 4 and database can be located away from the control system 6 and they can be connected to the control system 6 via wired/wireless connection. The industrial equipments 13, 14 are adapted to sense and send operational parameters to the PLC 1. The PLC 1 is a device made of electronic chips which will monitor and control the field devices e.g. Sensors, Motors etc. connected to it based on a predefined program. The industrial equipments 13, 14 are realized/implemented by Analog sensor and/or digital sensor. For example, digital Sensors 13 such as proximity, pushbuttons and limit switches etc. are sense the presence of the material and gives feedback to PLC 1 as a digital value. Similarly, the analog sensors 14 such as Encoders, LVDT etc. are sense the motion of the material gives feedback as analog value.

[0018] Input module 2 and output module 3 are the interface between PLC 1 and the industrial equipments. The input module 2 and output module 3 will do the analog to digital or digital to analog conversion i.e. A digital output of ‘1’ from PLC 1 is converted to 24V using output module 3. The PLC 1 receives the operational parameters from the industrial equipments 13, 14 through an input module 2 and the PLC modifies the operational parameters of the industrial equipments 15, 16 through an output means 3. The industrial equipments 13, 14, 15, 16 are connected to the input module 2 and output module 3 using various industry cables and wires.

[0019] The HMI 4 is a user interface for machine operation. The HMI 4 has a Graphical User Interface (GUI) which indicates values of the operational parameters and status of the industrial equipments as well as control button in order to initiate the testing of the industrial equipments. The control system 6 (for e.g., Laptop) having the database which stores the performance report associated to each industrial equipments as well as threshold value for the operational parameters associated to each industrial equipments. Ethernet Switch 5 is a hub to connect Ethernet cables from various devices in order to establish Ethernet communication between connected devices. The control system 6 is used for initial communication setting and program downloading in the PLC 1. A router 7 is used to create a Wi-Fi medium of machine network as a cable from Ethernet Switch 5 is connected to it. The Input Modules 2, Output Module 3, PLC 1, control system 6 and Router 7 are connected to an Ethernet Switch 5 through Ethernet Cable.

[0020] The mobile device 8 is a windows tablet which is connected to machine network through Internal Wi-Fi Adapter 9 (i.e. first interface device). Internal Wi-Fi Adapter 9 is an electronic chip embedded to the mobile device’s mother board and it is used to connect to a Wi-Fi network. The mobile device 8 is connected to the control system 6 through a first communication network i.e. the machine network. The mobile device 8 is also connected to a central server 12 through a second communication network via an External Wi-Fi Adapter 10 (i.e. second interface device). The External Wi Fi Adapter 10 is an electronic device which can be externally attached to the mobile device 8. The external Wi-Fi Adapter 10 is used to connect the Mobile Device 8 to internet through which files from the central Server 12 can be accessed using secure VPN tunnel established by VPN Router 11.

[0021] The mobile device 8 is connected to machine network through Wi-Fi created by Router 7. The PFC 1, Control system 6 and Mobile Device 8 are connected to the same network and the data transfer is possible between these devices. The mobile Device 8 can be connected to internet using External Wi-Fi Adapter 10. VPN Router 11 creates a secured path in the internet through which specific data from the central Server 12 can be accessed. The Mobile Device 8 connected to both machine network and internet so it can access both machine devices and industry files.

[0022] The Mobile Device 8 is a centralized device which will monitor industrial equipments 13, 14 through GUI and update the performance report which includes device status in check sheets stored in the database. The mobile device 8 also can access drawings stored in the central server 12. The mobile device 8 can read/write PFC 1 data via the GUI and the control system 6, thereby it can monitor/control field devices (i.e. industrial equipments 13, 14, 15, 16). The performance report in the control system 6 is automatically updated during testing operation performed in the Mobile Device 8. The

Mobile Device 8 is connected to both machine network and internet so it can access drawings from local HMI 4 and industry Server 12.

[0023] The present embodiment adopts Web-HMI technology to accomplish testing, check sheet update and drawing sheet access. A HMI program contains graphical interfaces will be loaded into HMI 4. Specific graphical interfaces can be assigned for testing, check sheet updation and drawing access based on user convenience. The HMI 4 will convert the HMI pages in to web pages and it will host those web pages in machine network. A web browser in the Mobile Device 8 can access those web pages as the Mobile Device 8 connected to machine network. Industrial equipments can be accessed, Check sheets can be updated.

[0024] When the industrial equipments 13, 14 senses the machine operation then the input module 2 will see a voltage at a point where industrial equipments 13, 14 connected to it. Presence of voltage can be identified by the indications at the input module 2. The present embodiment uses Web-HMI graphical indications instead of module indications. Accordingly, the available voltage at the input module 2 will be converted to a digital value and this value gets updated in PLC I/O Tags. The PLC I/O Tags are program variables assigned to I/O Modules. Graphical Interfaces in Web- HMI page can read this tags, thereby monitoring/testing operational parameters of the industrial equipments is achieved.

[0025] A group of predefined PLC tags are assigned to store the status of each industrial equipments. During testing specific graphical interfaces in Web-HMI can be used to update these predefined PLC tags i.e. when the user/operator triggers the control button displayed in the GUI at the mobile device 8 then the corresponding PLC tags are activated. At any point of testing these tag values can be retrieved to check sheets of the performance report automatically. These tag values are retrieved using PLC Communication Software installed in Control System 6. The PLC Communication Software contains a group of drivers which are used to establish communication between PLC 1 and the control system 6. The PLC tag values are fetched from PLC 1 to control system 6 using PLC Communication Software which is installed in the control system 6. These tag values are transferred to Data Manipulation Software installed in the control system 6 using Dynamic Data Exchange Protocol. The Dynamic Data Exchange Protocol is a real time data transfer protocol between two applications in this case it is between PLC Communication Software and Data Manipulation Software. As the tags are updated, device status is recorded in check sheets. Check Sheets can be formatted as per user interest using Data Manipulation Software.

[0026] Figure 2 illustrates a high level block diagram of a system as illustrated in Figure 1 with data-flow during testing of the industrial equipments in accordance to one embodiment herein. Figure 3 illustrates a screen-shot of a Graphic User Interface of the control system 6 in the system as illustrated in Figure 1 in accordance to one embodiment herein. The GUI has five columns wherein first column includes the list of function associated to the industrial equipments, second column includes the name or identification of the industrial equipments in the industrial environment, third column is an indication column, fourth column includes control button to initiate/trigger testing operation, fifth column includes result buttons. The GUI as shown in Figure 3 is displayed in the mobile device 8. When the user/operator triggers any one of the control button in the fourth column then the testing is performed for the function at the industrial equipment as defined in the first column and second column respectively at the corresponding row.

[0027] The control system 6 checks the value of operational parameter read from the PLC 1 with the corresponding threshold value associated to the operational parameters stored in the database. If the operational parameter read from the industrial equipment is within the threshold value then the indication button as shown in third column adapted to glow in green color. The control system 6 also adapted to update the performance report in the database with a predefined text (For example, “TESTED”). If the operational parameter read from the industrial equipments is not within the threshold value then the indication button as shown in third column adapted to glow in red color. The control system 6 also adapted to update the performance report in the database with a predefined text (For example,“FAILED”). In addition to automatic updation of performance report, the user/operator can also update the performance report manually using result button as shown in fifth column. The GUI also includes a button“Drawing sheet”. When the user/ operator clicks the button“drawing sheet” then the mobile device 8 retrieves the drawing sheet from the central server 12 pertain to industrial equipment which is selected at column 2. The mobile device 8 securely interfaces with the central server 12 via the external Wi-Fi adapter 10. The drawing sheet retrieved from the central server 12 is displayed in the mobile device 8 and the user/operator will refer the drawing sheets in order to confirm whether the connections between different field devices in the industrial equipments are accurate. Thus diagnosis the fault or error occurred during the testing process.

[0028] Figure 4 illustrates a flow diagram 400 for method for testing industrial equipments by a mobile device and updating a performance report in accordance to one embodiment herein. In step 402, a communication with a control system 6 through a first communication network is established by the mobile device 8. In step 404, a secure communication with the central server 12 through a second communication network is established by the mobile device 8. In step 406, the GUI in the control system 6 is accessed by the mobile device 8. In step 408, the control button at the GUI is triggered by the operator/user. In step 410, operational parameters of industrial equipment correspond to the control button is read via a Program Logic Controller (PLC) (1). In step 412, the performance report in database is updated when the operational parameters are within a threshold value. In step 414, a warning indication is displayed in the GUI when said operational parameters are not within a threshold value. In step 416, the industrial equipments are diagnosed with a help of said drawing sheet accessed via the central server

12.

[0029] It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading and understanding the above description. Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it will be recognized that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described, but can be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than a restrictive sense. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

Claims

Claims

1. A system for testing industrial equipments (13, 14, 15, 16) and automatically updating a performance report and diagnosing fault comprising:

a Program Logic Controller (PLC) (1) which is connected to said plurality of industrial equipments,

wherein said industrial equipments (13, 14) adapted to sense and send operational parameters to said PLC, and

wherein said PLC is adapted to control said plurality of industrial equipments (15, 16) based on said operational parameters;

a control system (6) comprising:

a Human Machine Interface (HMI) (4) which is connected to said PLC in order to test each of said plurality of industrial equipments,

a database to store (i) threshold value for each of said plurality of industrial equipments and (ii) said performance report of each of said plurality of industrial equipments

a mobile device (8) which is connected

(i) to said control system through a first communication network in order to access a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of said HMI, and

(ii) to a central server through a second communication network, wherein said mobile device is adapted to seamlessly and simultaneously receive and transmit data from said first communication network and said second communication network , and wherein said mobile device is adapted to:

access said GUI via said first communication network which has a control button for each of said plurality of industrial equipments,

establish a secure communication with said central server for accessing a drawing sheet stored in said central server,

wherein said operational parameters are read from said industrial equipment when an user triggers said control button in said GUI,

wherein said performance report in said database is automatically updated when said operational parameters are within said threshold value and warning indication is displayed in said GUI when said operational parameters read from said industrial equipment is not within said threshold value, and

upon displaying error indication, said user diagnose said industrial equipments by referring said drawing sheet corresponds to said industrial equipment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first communication network and said second communication network are different from each other.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said mobile device (8) comprises a first interface device (9) for establishing communication with said first communication network and a second interface device (10) for establishing communication with said second communication network.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said mobile device establishes said secure communication with said central server through a VPN tunnel established by a VPN router

(11).

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said drawing sheet is accessed at mobile device through said VPN tunnel and said drawing sheet cannot be copied or stored at said mobile device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said first communication network and said second communication network are internet, Wi-Fi etc.,

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said PLC receives said operational parameters from said industrial equipments (13, 14) through an input means (2) and said PLC modifies said operational parameters of said plurality of industrial equipments (15, 16) through an output means (3).

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said PLC (1), said HMI (4), said control system (6), said input means (2) and said output means (3) are connected through an Ethernet switch (5).

9. A method (400) for testing and diagnosing industrial equipments (13, 14, 15, 16) by a mobile device (8) and updating a performance report comprising the steps of: establishing (402), by said mobile device, a communication with a control system (6) through a first communication network,

establishing (404), by said mobile device, a secure communication with a central server through a second communication network;

accessing (406), by said mobile device, a Graphical User Interface (GUI) in said control system;

triggering (408) a control button at said GUI;

reading (410) operational parameters of industrial equipment corresponds to said control button via a Program Logic Controller (PLC) (1);

updating (412) a performance report when said operational parameters are within a threshold value;

displaying (414) a warning indication when said operational parameters are not within said threshold value; and

diagnosing (416) said industrial equipments with a help of said drawing sheet accessed via said central server.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said first communication network and said second communication network are different from each other and wherein said first communication network and said second communication network are internet, Wi-Fi etc.,