Methods are provided of automatically evolving a process model including process-elements and relationships between process-elements. The method comprises receiving user input defining one or more new constraints to be satisfied by the evolved process model. The method further comprises performing an optimization method to find a best solution of a cost function depending on a set of optimization conditions, over a solution space of possible consistent and/or sound process models derivable from the process model to be evolved depending on the one or more new constraints. The set of optimization conditions comprises maximization of constraints satisfaction corresponding to satisfaction of the one or more new constraints and of previous constrains from previous executions of the method. The method still further comprises updating the process model with the obtained best solution. Computer programs and systems are also provided that are suitable for performing such methods.

A cloud-based modeler component that generates interactive models of an industrial automation system(s) (IAS(s)) is presented. An interactive model facilitates remote viewing of, interaction with, troubleshooting of problems with, or optimization of industrial assets of an IAS. The modeler component polls industrial assets via cloud gateways to obtain information relating to the industrial assets to identify industrial assets of the IAS and relationships with other industrial assets or can receive information from a communication device that obtains information relating to legacy industrial assets to identify those legacy assets and their relationships. The modeler component generates an interactive model of the industrial assets of the IAS based on the information. The modeler component also can discover new industrial assets added to the IAS, can receive a pre-deployed model of an industrial asset from the industrial asset or another source, and can incorporate the pre-deployed model in the interactive model.

A method for evaluating a simulation model. In the method, for selected test cases, a first performance index is calculated in the simulation model. For the same test case, a second performance index is ascertained in a real test environment. For each of the test cases, a difference is calculated between the first performance index and the second performance index, and a signal metric is determined. For each of the signal metrics, an interrelation between the difference and the respective signal metric is investigated. The signal metric that exhibits the closest interrelation with the difference is selected.

Provided is an analysis apparatus comprising: a variation model storage unit configured to store a plurality of variation models indicating variation in characteristics of a plant corresponding to an operating condition of the plant; a model extraction unit configured to acquire structure information indicating a structure model of an analysis target plant and to extract the variation model corresponding to the structure model; and an analysis unit configured to analyze the analysis target plant, based on the structure model of the analysis target plant and the variation model extracted by the model extraction unit.

A sequence control program and an HMI control program are synchronized and simulated. A program development support unit includes a calculation unit and a storage unit. A sequence control editing program for achieving a sequence control editing unit, an HMI control editing program for achieving an HMI control editing unit, and an integration simulation management program for achieving an integration simulation management unit are stored in the storage unit. The integration simulation management unit manages the synchronization of simulation of the sequence control program and simulation of the HMI control program. The integration simulation management unit executes variable management process. In the variable management process, common variables are exchanged between the sequence control program and the HMI control program during execution of the simulation of the sequence control program and the simulation of the HMI control program.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a conveyance device capable of accurately completing the conveyance device imagined by a customer in a relatively short time. In a method for manufacturing a conveyance device, one or a plurality of operation confirmation devices that visually confirms an operation of the conveyance device is used, the method includes exhibiting a desired operation of the conveyance device in a video by the operation confirmation device and confirming a required operation of the conveyance device in a specification confirmation step, inputting data for realizing the required operation or realizing an operation similar to the required operation to the operation confirmation device, and exhibiting the operation of the conveyance device in a video based on the data that has been input in a virtual operation confirmation step, and inputting the data to an actual individual controller of the conveyance unit in a data input step.

The disclosure describes a method associated with a simulation model of a process module configured to execute at least one module service. The process module is interlinkable or interlinked with further process modules to carry out a technical process in a cascade of module services, and includes Providing a process logic specification of the technical process, a control logic specification of the process module, a state engine of the process module from a configuration of the at least one service, and a process connection information of the technical process; Generating at least a part of the simulation model from a combination thereof, and Linking at least a part of the generated simulation model to a module type package for the process module, or extending a module type package for the process module by at least a part of the generated simulation model.

A system and method for online simulation of a controlled machine or process utilizes a simplified model of the system dynamics and may be used with hardware in the loop to evaluate performance of the controlled system or with software in the loop to perform commissioning of the control program prior to completion of the mechanical installation. The simplified model includes dominant order dynamics of the controlled system such as the inertia of the system and a damping factor. Further, the online simulation is scheduled to execute at an update rate slower than the update rate of the control loops within the motor drive. The simplified model and reduced update rate reduce the computational burden on the processor such that the simulation may be performed either on the industrial controller or on the motor drive.

A device for computing data models, in particular comprising the possibility to detect errors occurring during the computation, has at least two processing units, at least one of the at least two processing units being designed to compute a main data model as a function of at least one state of a system, at least one other of the at least two processing units being designed to compute, as a function of this at least one state of the system, an approximation data model associated with the main data model, the main data model comprising at least one property of the system as a first data model, the approximation data model comprising at least the same property of the system approximately as a second data model, a comparator unit being designed to compare a first result of a first computation of the main data model with a second result of a second computation of the approximation data model associated with the main data model, in order to determine information about a deviation between the first result and the second result, the comparator unit being designed to detect an error as a function of the information about the deviation if the deviation exceeds a maximum admissible deviation.

One or more aspects of the present invention relate to a computer-implemented method for part analytics, in particular for analyzing the quality, the machining process and preferably the engineering process, of a workpiece machined by at least one CNC machine. According to these aspects, the method may include providing a digital machine model of the CNC machine with realtime and non-realtime process data of the at least one CNC machine, the realtime and non-realtime process data being recorded during the machining process of the workpiece under consideration; and subsequently simulating the machining process under consideration by means of the digital machine model based at least partially on the recorded realtime and non-realtime process data.