Failsafe Automation System

Abstract

An input system and failsafe automation system, wherein the failsafe automation system includes a motion controller connected to multiple failsafe processors that are each respectively associated with a safety level, and wherein the motion controller includes at least one associated drive, where the respective drive is respectively associated with areas and each respective area has an associated safety level that indicates the level of (fail)safety level with which the respective area needs to be established such that the failsafe automation system allows individual areas in spaces such as production halls to be easily equipped with the necessary (fail)safety level.

Claims

1. A failsafe automation system, comprising: a motion controller for at least one of (i) controlling and (ii) regulating a plurality of drives, each of said plurality of drives being respectively associated with an area; and at least one failsafe processor; wherein each respective area includes a respective assigned safety level; and wherein respective areas are respectively arranged physically adjacently to one another.

2. The failsafe automation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a respective area includes an associated failsafe processor.

3. The failsafe automation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of (i) a respective drive of the plurality of drives and (ii) a respective failsafe processor are connected via a failsafe data connection.

4. The failsafe automation system as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of (i) a respective drive of the plurality of drives and (ii) a respective failsafe processor are connected via a failsafe data connection.

5. The failsafe automation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the respective assigned safety level includes an assigned action time; wherein a monitoring time comprises a period of time from a trigger signal to an action of a respective drive of the plurality of drives.

6. The failsafe automation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one failsafe processor comprises one of (i) a failsafe IO controller and (ii) a DP-l slave.

7. The failsafe automation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein failsafe processors are respectively connected to one another via a data connection.

8. The failsafe automation system as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least one of (i) each drive of the plurality of drives and (ii) the failsafe processors are respectively associated with a zone.

9. The failsafe automation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of (i) the at least one failsafe processor, (ii) the motion controller and (iii) each drive of the plurality of drives are in a redundant form.

10. The failsafe automation system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: an input system for providing signals for the failsafe automation system; wherein the input system is configured to assign the respective assigned safety level for a respective drive of the plurality of drives.

11. An input system for a failsafe automation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein an input mask is utilizable to assign at least one of (i) a safety level, (ii) the at least one failsafe processor and (iii) a monitoring time to at least one drive of the plurality of drives.

12. An installation having the failsafe automation system as claimed in claim 1.

13. An installation having the input system as claimed in claim 11.

14. The installation as claimed in claim 12, wherein the installation comprises one of (i) a production machine, (ii) a machine tool and (iii) an industrial installation.

15. The installation as claimed in claim 13, wherein the installation comprises one of (i) a production machine, (ii) a machine tool and (iii) an industrial installation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0071] The invention is described and explained in more detail below based on figures. In this regard, the figures depict schematic or advantageous embodiments of the invention. It goes without saying that individual features of the individual embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention presented here, in which:

[0072] FIG. 1 shows a failsafe automation system in accordance with the invention;

[0073] FIG. 2 shows a further failsafe automation system in accordance with the invention;

[0074] FIG. 3 shows a further failsafe automation system in accordance with the invention;

[0075] FIG. 4 shows an input system in accordance with the invention; and

[0076] FIG. 5 shows zones of a network of a failsafe automation system in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0077] FIG. 1 shows a failsafe automation system in accordance with the invention. The failsafe automation system includes a motion controller BS, where the motion controller BS is connected to drives A1, A2, A3. The motion controller BS is connected to the respective drive A1, A2, A3 by means of a data connection BUS, where the data connection BUS advantageously comprises a failsafe data connection BUS. The drives A1, A2, A3 are respectively associated with an area S1, S2, S3. Here, a first drive A1 is associated with a first area S1. In addition, a second drive A2 is associated with a second area S2 and a third drive A3 is associated with a third area S3. The respective area S1, S2, S3 is respectively associated with a failsafe processor F-CPU. The failsafe processor F-CPU is used to monitor the respective area S1, S2, S3. The failsafe processors F-CPU may also be integrated in the motion controller BS and/or in the respective drive A1, A2, A3.

[0078] FIG. 2 shows a further failsafe automation system in accordance with the invention. In the case of the failsafe automation system shown here, the motion controller BS is respectively connected to a drive A1, A2, A3 via a connection An1, An2, An3. For the purpose of connecting the motion controller BS to the respective drive Al, A2, A3, the data connection BUS is used, advantageously configured as a failsafe data connection BUS. Additionally, failsafe processors F-CPU are connected to the motion controller BS. The failsafe processors F-CPU and the motion controller BS are advantageously likewise connected using a data connection BUS, where the data connection BUS particularly comprises an (industrial) Ethernet. The failsafe processors F-CPU may be provided for the purpose of providing failsafety for the respective connection An1, An2, An3 of the motion controller BS.

[0079] FIG. 3 shows a further failsafe automation system in accordance with the invention. In the case of the failsafe automation system shown here, a motion controller BS is configured to control drives A1, A2, A3. For the purpose of connecting the motion controller BS to the drives A1, A2, A3, a data connection BUS is used, where the data connection BUS advantageously comprises a failsafe data connection BUS. The drives A1, A2, A3 are arranged in areas S1, S2, S3 of a space, particularly of a production hall or of an installation. The individual drives respectively comprise a motor M.

[0080] In this arrangement, the respective area S1, S2, S3 includes an associated safety level F1, F2, F3. The individual areas are optionally separated from one another (not shown) by boundaries such as light barriers, access doors, in conjunction with partitions. The safety level F1, F2, F3 (in this case) indicates the level of failsafety with which the respective drive A1, A2, A3 needs to be configured or needs to operate. The failsafety of the individual drive A1, A2, A3 and/or the respective area S1, S2, S3 is indicated by an action time t1, t2, t3. The action time t1, t2, t3 is (in this case) used to stipulate how quickly a drive A1, A2, A3 needs to be slowed down to a standstill or to a rated speed. In the presently depicted example, two first drives A1 are associated with a first area S1, where the first area S1 is associated with a first safety level F1. In this example, the first area S1 is configured to have the highest safety level Fl. The motion controller BS is further used to drive a second drive A2, where the second drive A2 is associated with a second area S2 and is located in this area. The second area S2 has an associated second safety level F2. The safety level F2 is (in this case) lower than the first safety level F1. Hence, the second monitoring time t2 is also advantageously configured to be longer than the first monitoring time t1. The motion controller BS is further used to drive a third drive A3, where the third drive A3 is associated with a third area S3. The third area S3 is associated with a third safety level F3.

[0081] The third area S3 is characterized by a third action time t3, the action time t3 being able to be configured to be longer than the second monitoring time t2 and even longer than the first monitoring time t1. The safety level F1, F2, F3 is (in this case) oriented to the monitoring time t1, t2, t3, where a short monitoring time t1, t2, t3 characterizes a high safety level F1, F2, F3. To monitor failsafety in the individual areas S1, S2, S3, failsafe processors F-CPU are associated with the respective safety levels F1, F2, F3 and the individual areas S1, S2, S3. Here, the failsafe processors F-CPU advantageously comprise failsafe HOST modules. The safety relevance of the first area S1 is highest in this case. The first failsafe processor F-CPU is formed redundantly. The failsafe processors F-CPU comprise failsafe host modules F-HOST. The numbering 1, 2 and 3 among the applicable reference symbols (F-HOST) merely indicates that the redundantly formed failsafe processor may be the same host model. The other two host models may be configured differently.

[0082] FIG. 4 shows an input system in accordance with the invention. The input system has an input mask EM, where the input mask EM lists the individual drives A1, A2, A3 and schematically depicts their respective connection to the motion controller BS. As a parameter, the input mask has the respective safety level F1, F2 for the respective drive A1, A2, A3. The respective area S1, S2, S3 can further be allocated a respective safety level F1, F2. The respective drive A1, A2, A3 can likewise be allocated a respective action time t1, t2, t3. The input mask is used for inputting the safety levels Fl, F2 and the areas S1, S3 for the individual drives A1, A2, A3. The data that are input are transferred from the input system to the motion controller BS, where the motion controller BS is also advantageously able to use the relationships input in the input mask to take action in a checking capacity. The allocation of the first drive A1 and the second drive A2 to the safety level S1 and the allocation of the safety levels F1 and F2 to the area S1 are meant to indicate that it is also possible for multiple parameters to be allocated to one another.

[0083] FIG. 5 shows zones Z1, Z2, Z3 of a network of a failsafe automation system in accordance with the invention. Here, the zones Z1, Z2, Z3 comprise network planes, where a first network plane comprises the motion controller, the second network environment or the second zone Z2 includes at least one failsafe processor and a third zone or a third network plane includes the respective drives A1, A2, A3. For the purpose of connecting the individual planes, a data connection BUS is advantageously used. Individual zones Z1, Z2, Z3 may also be distinguished and/or connected by failsafe data connections BUS.

[0084] In summary, one aspect of the invention relates to a failsafe automation system. A further aspect of the invention relates to an input system. In the case of the failsafe automation system, a motion controller BS is connected to multiple failsafe processors F-CPU. The failsafe processors F-CPU are respectively associated with a safety level S1, S2, S3. The motion controller BS has at least one associated drive A1, A2, A3, where the respective drive A1, A2, A3 is respectively associated with areas S1, S2, S3 and the respective area S1, S2, S3 has an associated safety level F1, F2, F3. The safety level F1, F2, F3 indicates the level of (fail)safety with which the respective area S1, S2, S3 needs to be configured. The failsafe automation system allows individual areas S1, S2, S3 in spaces such as production halls to be easily equipped with the necessary (fail)safety.

[0085] The invention is not limited by the embodiments described above which are presented as examples only but can be modified in various ways within the scope of protection defined by the appended patent claims.

[0086] Thus, while there have been shown, described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the methods described and the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.