A controller device may connect to one or more expansion modules for capability expansion. The controller device may be configured to automatically detect and identify connected expansions modules. The controller device may be configured to further automatically detect an order in which the expansion modules are connected. A graphical user interface may be provided including a visualization of the system configuration including the order of the expansion modules.

To improve integrity of time synchronization, a node in the safety rated system takes steps to ensure the time to which it is synchronized has not become corrupted. The node receives a synchronize request message from an adjacent network device, which includes the master time, and the node generates an offset value corresponding to a difference between a local time and the master time. The node stores the offset time into a safety memory to ensure that the offset value has data integrity and does not become corrupted. The node performs periodic skew detection between two devices to verify that the clocks remain synchronized. In addition, the node performs a local drift detection to detect if the frequency of the local oscillator on which the local clock value is based begins to change.

Provided is a method and system for detection of anomalous work pieces that includes computing at least one deviation data signal for a target data signal of a target work piece with respect to reference data signals recorded for a corresponding production process step of a set of reference work pieces, performing a stepwise anomaly detection by data processing of the at least one computed deviation data signal and a process type indicator indicating a type of the production process step using a trained anomaly detection data model to calculate for each time step or path length step of the production process step an anomaly probability that the respective time step or path length step is anomalous, and classifying the target work piece and/or the production process step as being anomalous or not anomalous on the basis of the calculated anomaly probabilities.

A method for actuating a valve with an electromagnetic valve drive through which electric current is conducted to open or close the valve or to hold the valve in an open or closed position includes receiving an opening signal, determining an adapted opening signal which is adapted to physical limits of the valve or valve drive, and determining a feed-forward signal for feed-forward control of an electric current to drive the electromagnetic valve drive to open the valve in reaction to the adapted opening signal. The method further includes calculating an actuation signal for actuating the valve drive using the feed-forward signal, and outputting the actuation signal.

A system includes a first asset disposed in an industrial environment configured to perform one or more operations, a second asset disposed in the industrial environment, and a server device communicatively coupled to the first asset and the second asset. The server device is configured to receive a first set of stream-based data from the first asset, receive a second set of stream-based data from the second asset, wherein the first set of stream-based data and the second set of stream-based data are received in real time or near real time, determine whether the one or more operations are within a threshold based on a comparison of the first set of stream-based data with respect to the second set of stream-based data, and send a command to the first asset or the second asset in response to the one or more operations being outside the threshold.

A computer-implemented method is provided for guiding a robot in a robotic system, by creating a refined path, based on an initial path in a three-dimensional space. The method includes receiving data related to creating the initial path, including a start point and an endpoint, and generating the initial path by interpolating the start point and the endpoint. The method also includes receiving inputs for at least one support point that defines a coordinate in the three-dimensional space for altering the initial path, and adjusting the initial path to generate the refined path by modifying a set of one or more polynomial functions, such that the refined path interpolates the at least one support point between the start point and the endpoint. The method further includes providing the refined path to a second computing module for guiding the robot.

A method for performing quality control on a diagnostic analyzer includes receiving control measurement values from each of a plurality of diagnostic analyzers. A quality control measurement value is received from a target diagnostic analyzer. The quality control measurement value is compared with statistical criteria associated with the plurality of quality control measurement values received from the plurality of diagnostic analyzers. A comparison result is communicated to a user interface associated with the target diagnostic analyzer.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for computer aided design of physical structures using generative design processes. A method includes obtaining a design space for a modeled object, one or more design criteria for the modeled object, and one or more in-use load cases; iteratively modifying a generatively designed three dimensional shape of the modeled object in the design space in accordance with the one or more design criteria and the one or more in-use load cases for the physical structure, comprising: performing numerical simulation of the modeled object in accordance the one or more in-use load cases, computing shape change velocities for an implicit surface in a level-set representation of the three dimensional shape, changing the shape change velocities in accordance with a polynomial function, and updating the level-set representation using the shape change velocities to produce an updated version of the three dimensional shape.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for computer aided design of physical structures using generative design processes. A method includes obtaining a design space for a modeled object, one or more design criteria for the modeled object, and one or more in-use load cases; iteratively modifying a generatively designed three dimensional shape of the modeled object in the design space in accordance with the one or more design criteria and the one or more in-use load cases for the physical structure, comprising: performing numerical simulation of the modeled object in accordance the one or more in-use load cases, computing shape change velocities for an implicit surface in a level-set representation of the three dimensional shape, changing the shape change velocities in accordance with a polynomial function, and updating the level-set representation using the shape change velocities to produce an updated version of the three dimensional shape.

A method and processing system are provided for independent temperature and hydration control for an etching solution used for treating a wafer in process chamber. The method includes circulating the etching solution in a circulation loop, maintaining the etching solution at a hydration setpoint by adding or removing water from the etching solution, maintaining the etching solution at a temperature setpoint that is below the boiling point of the etching solution in the circulation loop, and dispensing the etching solution into the process chamber for treating the wafer. In one embodiment, the dispensing includes dispensing the etching solution into a processing region proximate the wafer in the process chamber, introducing steam into an exterior region that is removed from the wafer in the process chamber, and treating the wafer with the etching solution and the steam.