A checking apparatus can test at least one first closed-loop control unit. The checking apparatus can include a first timing transmission unit which can generate a first periodic timing signal from a first time signal, and which can output the first periodic timing signal to a first PLL. The check device can further include a first oscillator which can generate a second periodic timing signal and which can output the second periodic timing signal to a second PLL. The checking device can additionally include a first clock, and can forward a first clock signal to a first input/output unit, and/or to a first computation unit. A first changeover signal can be used to control a first multiplexer such that depending on a state of the first changeover signal, the first multiplexer can forward either a first frequency-stabilized timing signal or a second frequency-stabilized timing signal to the first clock.

A method for testing at least one control unit. At least two separate networks are provided on a simulator, wherein the control unit under test is connected to the simulator via a first network and a first control unit interface. The control unit under test is intended to communicate with at least one further control unit. The communication of the first further control unit is at least partly in the form of recorded messages. A playback unit for playing back the recorded messages is connected via at least one playback interface to the second network or a third network on the simulator. The playback unit is connected to the simulator via the playback interface.

A method and a device for testing a control unit, in which sensor data are transmitted over a network connection to a real or simulated control unit, which data are calculated by a data processing system using simulation, in which the simulation of the sensor data takes place at least in part with at least one graphics processor of at least one graphics processor unit of the data processing system. The simulated sensor data are encoded in image data that are output via a visualization interface to a data conversion unit that simulates a visualization unit connected to the visualization interface. Via the data conversion unit the received image data are converted into packet data containing the sensor data through the network connection to the control unit.

A method for generating a technical system model executable on a test unit, wherein the test unit and the executable model are designed for real-time-capable testing of a control unit connected to the test unit, and wherein the executable model is constructed from a plurality of executable submodels communicating with each other, wherein each executable submodel has a separate address space and/or is executed on a separate processor or separate processor core when a test of a control unit connected to the test unit is being run.

Apparatuses, methods and storage medium associated with monitoring or assisting in monitoring of an equipment process are disclosed herein. In embodiments, an apparatus may comprise an analyzer to: receive a plurality of simulation results of a plurality of control limit and alert zone combinations for potential use with a control chart to monitor the equipment process, and calculate a plurality of performance metrics for each of the plurality of control limit and alert zone combinations, using the plurality of simulation results. The apparatus may further select an optimal combination of control limits and alert zones, based at least in part on the plurality of performance metrics, and configure an equipment process monitor with the selected optimal combination of control limits and alert zones for use with a control chart to monitor the equipment process. Other embodiments may be described or claimed.

A hardware-in-loop simulation experiment platform of multiple input and multiple output loop control for MSWI process includes a real equipment layer and a virtual object layer, where in the real equipment layer and the virtual object layer realize communication through hard wirings and data acquisition cards, the real equipment layer and virtual object layer realize communication in OPC mode through Ethernet; the real equipment layer comprises monitoring equipment and control equipment, and the virtual object layer comprises an MSWI actuator model, an MSWI instrument device model and an MSWI process object model which are respectively operated in different industrial personal computers. The hardware-in-loop simulation experiment platform of multiple input and multiple output loop control for MSWI process provided by the invention is used for providing a reliable engineering verification environment for MSWI process control.

A configuration management interface system is provided for standardizing communication between an external application and one or more hardware or emulated industrial controllers. The interface system reads one or more industrial control programs and presents available data tags defined by the control programs to a user via an interface screen. The user can select a subset of the available data tags that are to be exposed to the external application for data communication. Based on the selected data tags, controller configuration information read from the control programs, and additional configuration information provided by the user, the interface system generates a control unit file that acts as a communication bridge between the external application and the selected data tags residing on the industrial controllers. The control unit file can be used to interface the application (e.g., an industrial simulation or another type of application) with either hardware controllers or emulated controllers.

A method for operating an automation facility, wherein and to an the automation facility includes a simulation server, which has a simulation framework for simulation of the process behavior of sensors and/or actuators in accordance with a simulation model, where a large number of simulation models is stored in the simulation server, which can be loaded into the simulation framework, includes a simulation interface for simulating the communication behavior of the sensors and/or actuators and for connecting the modelled process behavior to a controller, and includes an operator system for process control and process operation such that it becomes possible to verify, in a simplified manner within the context of what is known as a Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) during the test or during the verification of functionality, whether testing was performed with the simulation models provided for this purpose.

A system and method for conveyor configuration and testing. The system is configured to execute the method, which includes: receive input data relating to configuration of a conveyor system; prepare a simulation of the configured conveyor system; operate the simulation of the conveyor system; determine at least one operational parameter related to the conveyor system to be monitored; monitor the at least one operational parameter during operation of the simulation of the conveyor system; determine if the configuration of the conveyor system needs to be adjusted based on the monitored operational parameter; if the configuration needs to be adjusted, automatically make an adjustment and return to operate the simulation of the conveyor system; and continue the simulation until otherwise terminated. In some cases, the monitoring operational parameters uses a machine learning model based on actual data from operating conveyors.

Magnetic bearings are used to support high speed machinery, for example, pumps, compressors, motors and generators, and require active electronics and an automatic feedback control system to realize their function. This invention pertains to improvements of the design of automatic control systems for magnetic bearings to enable system performance validation without requiring all the external components of the rotating apparatus to be present.