SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MOUNTING AN ITEM OF SWITCHGEAR CABINET EQUIPMENT OF MODULAR CONSTRUCTION

Abstract

A system and method for mounting a modular switch cabinet equipment in a switch cabinet housing (6) includes a computer-aided assistance unit (1) for determining a production-efficient assembly step sequence. The system and method further include at least one display unit (11-11′) for image and/or text information, which is installed at the assembly site for at least one fitter (M) in order to visualize manual assembly steps (A; B; D) of the determined assembly step sequence. The system and method further includes at least one input unit (12-12′) for acknowledgement of the completed assembly step (A; B; D) by the fitter (M).

Claims

1.-12. (canceled)

13. A method for mounting a modular switch cabinet equipment in a switch cabinet housing (6), which is equipped with at least one of fastening means for several electrical or electronic installation modules (5-5′″), the method comprising the following steps: a) Provision of a planned design (2) for an application-specific configuration of the switch cabinet equipment to a computer-aided assistance unit (1), b) preparation for assembly by analysis of the planned construction (2) and disassembly into individual assembly steps (A, B, C, D) which build on one another and are to be carried out by a fitter (M) or a robot device (R) by the computer-aided assistance unit (1) for determining an efficient assembly step sequence, wherein in the case (I) where the fitter (M) is designated to carry out an assembly step (A; B; D) of the assembly step sequence, the following steps are carried out: c) Visualization of a manual assembly step (A) of the determined assembly step sequence by a display unit (11-11″) installed at the assembly site for the fitter (M) for image and/or text information as assembly instructions, d) Performance of the manual assembly step (A) by the fitter (M) in accordance with the displayed image and/or text information, e) Acknowledgement of the completed assembly step (A) via an input unit (12-12″) installed for the fitter (M) at the assembly site for logging the completion and for calling up a next planned assembly step (B) by the computer-aided assistance unit (11-11″), wherein, in addition to the individual steps c) to e) to be carried out manually by the fitter (M) according to case (I), at least one automated assembly step (C) to be carried out with the aid of a robot is defined in a case (II) as a result of the analysis by the computer-aided assistance unit (1), which automated assembly step: c′) is issued by the assistance unit (1) in the form of machine-readable assembly instructions for the assembly of the switch cabinet equipment to a robot device (R), after which d′) the robot device (R) carries out an automated assembly step (C) in accordance with the robot control, and e′) after completion of the automated assembly step (C), the assistant unit (1) acknowledges the automated assembly step (C) to log its completion and to call up the next planned assembly step (D).

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the assistance unit (1) determines an efficient assembly step sequence on the basis of an alignment of available production resources of assemblers (M) or the robot device (R) for carrying out the assembly steps (A, B, C, D) in order to convert a planned automated assembly step (C) into a manual assembly step (C) if the robot device (R) required for the automated execution is not available.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the assistance unit (1) makes a selection between different variants of assembly step sequences on the basis of the shortest possible assembly time or the required assembly resources (assembler/robot) assembly of the switch cabinet equipment

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein after acknowledgement e) or e′) of the completion of a manual or automated assembly step: f) installation tolerances of the mounted installation module (5-5′″) are checked by sensors, which g) are passed on as tolerance information by the assistant unit (1) to the next assembly step, so that h) an evaluation of the permissibility of deviations within a specified tolerance field is carried out before the next assembly step is released.

17. A system for mounting electrical or electronic built-in modules (5-5′″) for the completion of a modular switch cabinet equipment in a switch cabinet housing (6) equipped with fastening means for the several electrical and/or electronic built-in modules (5-5′″) and further optional technical components, with a method according to claim 13, comprising: the computer-aided assistance unit (1) for determining a production-efficient assembly step sequence by analysis of the planned design (2) and disassembly into the individual assembly steps (A, B, C, D) which build on one another and are to be carried out by an assembler (M) or the robot device (R), the display unit (11-11′) for image or text information, which is installed at an installation site for the fitter (M) to visualize manual installation steps (A; B; D) of the determined installation step sequence, the input unit (12-12′) for at least acknowledgement of the completed assembly step (A; B; D) by the fitter (M) so that the assistant unit (1) records the completion and calls up the next scheduled assembly step.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein an analysis algorithm (10) is implemented in the computer-aided assistance unit (1), which analyses the planned design (2), at least comprising a digitized three-dimensional layout (3) and a parts list information (4) of the planned installation modules (5-5′″), into the individual assembly steps (A, B, C, D) which build on one another, in that the analysis algorithm (10), by accessing at least one knowledge database (W), assembles the installation modules (5-5′″) to be assembled in a defined sequence to an assembly step (A; B; C; D) and an associated assembly instruction in a defined order.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein the computer-aided assistance unit (1) accesses a visualization database (V), on which data objects of an assembly step library are stored, in which image or text information for individual assembly steps (A, B, C, D) is stored.

20. The system according to one of the above claim 17, wherein the computer-aided assistance unit (1) for step sequence control interacts with a tolerance evaluation device (T) for checking actual installation positions of the mounted installation modules (5-5′″) detected by sensors with a nominal specification taking into account specified installation tolerances.

21. The system according to one of the above claim 17, wherein the computer-aided assistance unit (1) processes information from a production control system (9) about operationally available production resources of fitters (M) or robot devices (R) to determine an assembly step sequence (A, B, C, D) matched to the current production capacity utilisation.

22. A computer program product with program code means for carrying out a completion procedure according to claim 13, if the computer program product runs on the computer-aided assistance unit (1) of the system according claim 17 or is stored on a computer-readable data carrier or in a cloud memory.

Description

[0017] Further measures to improve the invention are described in more detail below together with a description of an example of how to implement the invention using the figures. It shows:

[0018] FIG. 1: a schematic block diagram of a system for the assembly of a modular control cabinet equipment,

[0019] FIG. 2: a flow chart of individual steps of the assembly procedure to be carried out with the system,

[0020] FIG. 3a: an exemplary data set output by the computer-aided assistance unit to initiate an assembly step A, and

[0021] FIG. 3b: An example data set that is output by the computerized assistance unit to initiate an assembly step D.

[0022] According to FIG. 1, a system for the assembly of a modular control cabinet equipment includes a computer-aided assistance unit 1 for the determination of a production-efficient assembly step sequence. This is done on the basis of a planned design 2, which is fed to the assistant unit 1 in file form. The planned design 2 contains information regarding a three-dimensional layout 3 and a parts list 4 of all installation modules 5 to 5′″ and other components, which are to be mounted in a switch cabinet housing 6 on fasteners 7, e.g. top-hat rails.

[0023] To determine the production-efficient assembly step sequence, the computer-aided assistance unit 1 breaks down the planned construction 2 into individual assembly steps which build on each other and which are to be carried out either by a fitter M or by a robot device R. For this purpose, an analysis algorithm is implemented in the computer-aided assistance unit 1 within the scope of an analysis 10, which assigns the installation modules 5 to 5′″ to be mounted according to the planned construction 2 in a defined sequence to an assembly step A-D as well as to a respective assembly instruction. The analysis is carried out with access to a connected knowledge database W, in which information about the necessary process knowledge—for example assembly contents, assembly sequence, assembly expertise—is stored.

[0024] Furthermore, the computer-aided assistance unit 1 includes a visualization database V, in which data records of an assembly step library are stored. These data sets contain image and/or text information for the individual assembly steps A-D, which are made available to the fitter M at the assembly site to assist him in carrying out the assembly step instructed there.

[0025] Furthermore, the computer-aided assistance unit 1 is equipped with an evaluation device 8, which interacts an examination of actual installation positions of the mounted installation modules 5 to 5′″, which are recorded by sensors via a camera unit 13, with a target specification taking into account specified installation tolerances.

[0026] In addition, the computer-aided assistance unit 1 also receives information about operationally available production resources from a higher-level production control system 9 in the form of an ERP/PPS to assemblers M and/or robot equipment R in order to determine an efficient assembly step sequence. Against the background of this information, the computer-aided assistance unit 1 determines an assembly step sequence A to D that is adapted to the current production capacity utilization of the plant.

[0027] If the computer-aided assistance unit 1 determines that assembly steps A, B and D are to be carried out manually by a fitter M, a corresponding work instruction in the form of a picture and/or text information is displayed on a display unit 11 installed at the assembly site. Subsequent display units 11′ and 11″ are provided to visualize other manual assembly steps C and D of the assembly step sequence determined by the computer-aided assistant unit 1. Furthermore, an input unit 12 to 12″ is also installed at the installation site for manual installation by a fitter, whereby the fitter must at least acknowledge a completed installation step so that the computer-aided assistant unit 1 can, for example, log the completion of installation step A as a result of this information in order to then call up the next planned installation step B. This can be carried out at the same assembly site or at an adjacent assembly site in the workshop.

[0028] The basic sequence of an assembly procedure performed by the system is explained below using FIG. 2:

[0029] As part of an initial step a), a planned design created using software such as EPLAN Pro Panel® is made available to the computer-aided assistance unit for analysis. The planned design includes at least data on the three-dimensional layout and the associated bill of materials information on the enclosure equipment of the enclosure to be mounted. The file of the planned design thus describes the application-specific configuration of the control cabinet.

[0030] In a step b) the data of the planned construction is processed by using an analysis algorithm in order to split the planned construction into individual assembly steps A, B, C, D which are built up one into the other. The analysis algorithm determines in the context of the decomposition by recourse to a knowledge data base whether an assembler or a robot device should carry out the respective assembly step and makes a corresponding allocation.

[0031] If the analysis shows that an assembly step A resulting from the disassembly of the planned construction has to be carried out manually, step c) is followed by a visualization of the manual assembly step A of the determined assembly step sequence for the assembler on a display unit installed at his workplace. The display unit contains image and/or text information as assembly instructions which have been taken from a visualization database by the computer-aided assistance unit.

[0032] Then, in step d), the fitter carries out the displayed manual fitting step A, in which, for example, a device adapter for a programmable logic controller is attached to a top-hat rail of the control cabinet as a built-in module.

[0033] If the assembly step A is completed by the assembler, the assembler acknowledges in one step e) the professionally executed assembly via an input unit installed at the assembly site, which in this execution example is designed as a keyboard in order to be able to enter not only the binary acknowledgment information but also comments on special situations in the course of the executed assembly, which are fed back to the computer-aided assistance unit. This information is fed back to the computer-aided assistance unit. Such a mounting difficulty can be caused by the fact that an electrical installation module to be placed in the top left corner of the housing is difficult to attach to the top-hat rail of the mounting plate attached to the rear wall of the switch cabinet due to possible large geometric dimensions. With this and similar information, the knowledge database of the computer-aided assistance unit can then be enriched in terms of information technology so that the planning of future assembly steps can be improved. If the aforementioned feedback information on the mounting difficulty is assessed as relevant, it can be ruled out in future that identical or similar installation modules of this critical installation position in the switch cabinet will be provided. In this respect, this feedback also has an effect on future CAD designs with the software-supported planning tool mentioned at the beginning.

[0034] Once the installation has been completed, acknowledged and commented on if necessary, the installation tolerances of the mounted installation module are checked sensor technically in the following step f). This can be done, for example, by means of a camera unit of an image acquisition system, which records the actual installation position of the mounted built-in module.

[0035] In the following step d), the tolerance information is taken into account by the computer-aided assistant unit during the next assembly step after the target/actual comparison, and passed on if necessary. In this way, a subsequent assembly step, especially an automated assembly step, can receive the information as to whether this step can be performed at all by a robot device due to the actual installation position or whether it must be reworked first.

[0036] This assessment of the admissibility of deviations within a specified tolerance field is carried out in step h) of the assembly step sequence. The next assembly step B is then called up.

[0037] If one of the assembly steps A, B, C, D is defined as automated assembly step C in step b), this automated assembly step C is output by the assistant unit in step c′) to a robot device in the form of machine-readable assembly instructions for equipping the switch cabinet equipment. Such a robot device can be, for example, a wiring robot for the electrical and electronic installation modules. With the assembly of these built-in modules the position of the electrical connection pins is known due to the planned construction, in particular the known layout. These pins can be automatically wired inside the cabinet according to a wiring diagram which also belongs to the planned construction.

[0038] This is done in the following step d′), in which the robot device carries out the automated assembly step C according to the robot control. The control commands of the robot control unit are obtained from the machine-readable assembly instructions of the assistance unit.

[0039] After completion of the automated assembly step C, it is also acknowledged in step e′) so that the computer-aided assistance unit can log the completion of the automated assembly step C and call up the next scheduled assembly step D.

[0040] Before this, however, the installation tolerance test is carried out in accordance with steps f) to h).

[0041] In FIG. 3a an exemplary output data set of the computer program product is illustrated, which, as a result of the analysis performed by the computer-aided assistance unit, breaks down the planned design into individual assembly steps A, B, C, D. In order to describe the assembly step sequence, the data format of the output data set comprises at least one key identifier for the exemplary assembly step “A”, to which a designation of the assembly object is assigned “Installation module xy” and—in the case of an assembly step to be executed manually—the assembly instruction to be used for this purpose in the form of image and/or text information “Scheme” as well as an identifier for the fact that this assembly step is assigned to a manual assembly “M” at a specific assembly location.

[0042] According to FIG. 3b, the output data set for an assembly step to be performed automatically by a robot device consists of the key identification of assembly step “C”, the designation of the assembly object “installation module yz”, the associated assembly instruction in the form of a machine-readable information “code” and an identification for the assignment to the automated assembly R by a specific robot device.

[0043] The invention is not limited to the preferred design example described above. For example, other sequences of manual and automated assembly steps can also be carried out. Even a purely manual sequence of assembly steps or a purely automated sequence of assembly steps can be implemented according to the principle of the solution according to the invention.