Method for Operating a Plant Apparatus and Plant Device

Abstract

A method for operating a plant apparatus having at least one first plant device and at least one second plant device separate from the first plant device, in which a first error message is generated by the first plant device and a second error message is generated by the second plant device, and the first error message and the second error message are transmitted to an electronic computing device of the plant apparatus for monitoring the plant apparatus, wherein at least one first procedural relevance is assigned to the first plant device and one second procedural relevance is assigned to the second plant device by the electronic computing device depending on a decision-making criterion and, depending on the respective assigned procedural relevance, a prioritization of the respective error messages is generated.

Claims

1. A method for operating a plant apparatus having at least one first plant device and at least one second plant device separate from the first plant device, in which a first error message is generated by the first plant device and a second error message is generated by the second plant device, and the first error message and the second error message are transmitted to an electronic computing device of the plant apparatus for monitoring the plant apparatus, the method comprising: assigning at least one first procedural relevance to the first plant device and assigning one second procedural relevance to the second plant device by the electronic computing device depending on a decision-making criterion; and generating a prioritization of the respective error message depending on a respective assigned procedural relevance.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plant apparatus comprises a production plant for producing a product and a current generation step at which the product situated is determined as a decision-making criterion; and wherein depending on the current generation step, the electronic computing device performs a check to determine whether at least one of the first plant device and the second plant device is still required to produce the product, and depending on a result of said determination, a respective procedural relevance is determined.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plant apparatus comprises a production plant for producing a product and an evaluation of a respective plant device is performed as the decision-making criterion as a function of a frequency of use of a respective plant device during the production process of the product.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first error message, the second error message and the generated prioritization of the first and second error messages are displayed on a display device of the electronic computing device.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first error message, the second error message and the generated prioritization of the first and second error messages are displayed on a display device of the electronic computing device during operation of the plant apparatus.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein a first pictogram for the first plant device and a second pictogram for the second plant device are additionally displayed on the display device; and wherein the respective error message and the generated prioritization are displayed as additional information of at least one of the first pictogram and the second pictogram.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein a first pictogram for the first plant device and a second pictogram for the second plant device are additionally displayed on the display device; and wherein the respective error message and the generated prioritization are displayed as additional information of at least one of the first pictogram and the second pictogram.

8. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one of the first error message and the second error message are one of masked and inserted on the display device depending on the generated prioritization.

9. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least one of the first error message and the second error message are one of masked and inserted on the display device depending on the generated prioritization.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least one of the first error message and the second error message are one of masked and inserted on the display device depending on the generated prioritization.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first error message and the second error message are evaluated via a respective diagnostic tree for each of plant device.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: starting a third plant device of the plant apparatus a function of the generated prioritization; wherein at least one of the first plant device and the second plant device is replaced by the third plant device during operation of the plant apparatus.

13. A plant apparatus comprising: at least one first plant device; at least one second plant device; and an electronic computing device; wherein the plant apparatus is configured to: assign at least one first procedural relevance to the first plant device and assign one second procedural relevance to the second plant device by the electronic computing device depending on a decision-making criterion; and generate a prioritization of the respective error message depending on a respective assigned procedural relevance.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Further features and advantages will be apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying figures where, the same reference characters designate the same features and functions, and where the exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit this, and where the invention is now explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying diagrams, in which:

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a display device of an embodiment of a plant apparatus in accordance with the invention;

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a further schematic view of an embodiment of a display device of an embodiment of the plant apparatus in accordance with the invention;

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the plant apparatus in accordance with the invention; and

[0025] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the method in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0026] The exemplary embodiments illustrated in more detail hereinafter represent preferred embodiments of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows in a schematic view an embodiment of a display device 1 of an embodiment of a plant apparatus AV. In the present exemplary embodiment, the plant apparatus AV has a first plant device AE1, a second plant device AE2 and a third plant device AE3. In the present exemplary embodiment, two possibilities for optical display are shown in each case. On the left side of FIG. 1, it is shown that a respective plant device AE1, AE2, AE3 can show respective error messages 2, 3. A first error message 2 can be generated by the first plant device AE1, a second error message 3 can be generated by the second plant device AE2 and in the present exemplary embodiment a third error message can be generated by the third plant device AE3, which corresponds to the first error message in the exemplary embodiment. In other words, the first error message 2 has an influence on the first plant device AE1 and on the third plant device AE3.

[0028] In other words, the procedural plant devices AE1, AE2, AE3 are brought into respective relation to one another so that, depending on the respective generated error messages 2, 3, these can be prioritized and repair or maintenance of the respective plant devices AE1, AE2, AE3 can be performed in an improved manner, so that only a slight restriction of the plant apparatus AV is to be noted. Thus, an architecture and an implementation is generated, based on which dynamically, in particular at runtime of the plant apparatus AV, the procedural relevance of the error messages 2, 3 can be determined and made graphically accessible for the purpose of coordination of remedy and operation and observation. Operators, who can be considered as operators of the plant apparatus AV, of the plant, as well as maintenance personnel, can arrange the operation and observation as well as the maintenance of the current procedural plant devices AE1, AE2, AE3 more efficiently on this basis and thus prevent production losses or production restrictions.

[0029] Furthermore, this has the advantage that, during operation and observation of the plant apparatus AV by an operator, device-specific restrictions with an impact on the process technology can be seen immediately and troubleshooting can be performed thereafter accordingly. Furthermore, the method in accordance with the invention can also be provided so that maintenance personnel can better prioritize 7 and better coordinate the elimination of device errors, in particular with respect to procedural side effects of a respective device error or of a respective error message 2, 3.

[0030] The respective plant devices AE1, AE2, AE3 can be evaluated with the aid of a respective diagnostic tree 5 of the respective plant devices AE1, AE2, AE3.

[0031] It is provided that for operating the plant apparatus AV with at least the first plant device AE1 and the at least second plant device AE2 separate from the first plant device AE1, the first error message 2 is generated by the first plant device AE1 and the second error message 3 is generated by the second plant device AE2 and the first error message 2 and the second error message 3 are transmitted to an electronic computing device 6 of the plant apparatus AV for monitoring the plant apparatus AV.

[0032] It is provided that, depending on a decision-making criterion, at least one first procedural relevance is assigned to the first plant device AE1 and one second procedural relevance to the second plant device AE2 by the electronic computing device 6 and depending on the respectively assigned procedural relevance, a prioritization 7 of the respective error messages 2, 3 is produced.

[0033] FIG. 1 shows the expansion of an equipment hierarchy online configuration here by way of example, as it is applied, for example, generated by the engineering or the organization in a production process of a product, in particular at runtime. In this case, which procedural plant devices AE1, AE2, AE3, represented in particular in the equipment hierarchy online by structure folders, are automated and observed by which devices is recorded here.

[0034] FIG. 1 now shows that the error messages 2, 3 to determine the procedural relevance can be displayed accordingly. Overlaying can occur, for example, by an operator by folding out, as shown on the right side of FIG. 1, or by folding in, as can be seen on the left side of FIG. 1.

[0035] In FIG. 1, it can be seen on the right side that further information 4, is assigned to the respective error message 2, 3. In particular, it can be seen that a first pictogram and a second pictogram for the second plant device AE2 are displayed on the display device 1, where the respective error message 2, 3 and prioritization 7 are displayed as additional information 4 of the first pictogram and/or the second pictogram.

[0036] Furthermore, FIG. 1 shows that, depending on prioritization 7, the first error message 2 and/or the second error message 3 can be masked on the display device 1.

[0037] Furthermore, FIG. 1 shows that, depending on the generated prioritization 7 in the third plant device AE3, the plant apparatus AV can be started, where the first plant device AE1 and/or the second plant device AE2 is replaced by the third plant device AE3 during operation of the plant apparatus AV. In particular, the third plant device AE3 is thus provided as an alternative within the plant apparatus AV. For example, in a batch process, in other words, via a batch processing script, the third plant device AE3 can then be started accordingly, where no device alarm exists, in particular for the third plant device AE3, so that the third plant device AE3 can replace the first plant device AE1 and/or the second plant device AE2. This makes it possible for reduced losses to occur during the operation of the plant apparatus AV because the third plant device AE3 can replace the faulty first plant device AE1 and/or the faulty second plant device AE2 accordingly. In particular, depending on the prioritization 7, the third plant device AE3 will then replace the first plant device AE1 or the second plant device AE2. In particular, the plant device AV with the more highly prioritized procedural relevance is correspondingly replaced by the third plant device AE3. This makes it possible for production losses to be reduced, as a result of which improved operation of the plant device can be realized.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a further embodiment of a display device 1 of an embodiment of the plant apparatus AV. In the present exemplary embodiment, in particular, the integration of the equipment hierarchy is displayed online in a view. In particular, the equipment hierarchy is represented online with the inserted and combined error messages 2, 3, which are now possible through the method in accordance with the invention with the respective representation of an alarm source in the form of the plant device AE1, AE2, AE3. It can be seen that several error messages 2, 3 relevant to the process are present at the same time, where the first error message 2 is more significant in the present case because it has an effect on two procedural plant devices AE1, AE2, AE3. This error should accordingly be addressed first. Furthermore, the operator could, for example, start the alternative of the third plant device AE3, for example, a batch process on a procedural plant component, if the error message 2, 3 is present.

[0039] Furthermore, FIG. 2 shows how, for example, the display device 1 is accessible to the operator. The operator can now check online immediately during operation and during observation in the course of navigation with the equipment hierarchy, whether during operation and observation of the respective plant devices AE1, AE2, AE3 an error message 2, 3 is present that must be taken into account accordingly and how prioritization 7 should look in troubleshooting of the respective error messages 2, 3, based on the respective procedural relevance.

[0040] FIG. 2 additionally shows that the plant apparatus AV is configured as a production plant for producing a product and a current generation step at which the product finds itself is determined as a decision-making criterion, where depending on the current generation step, the electronic computing device 6 performs a check to determine whether the first plant device AE1 and/or the second plant device AE2 is still required to produce the product and depending thereon, the respective procedural relevance is determined. In other words, the procedural relevance is decided by whether the first plant device AE1 and/or the second plant device AE2 are still required for production of the product. If, to produce the product for example, initially the first plant device AE1 is required and then the second plant device AE2 is required and it is determined that the product is already in the second plant device AE2, where then, for example, the first error message 2 is generated by the first plant device AE1 and the second error message 3 is generated by the second plant device AE2, it can thus be provided, for example, that the second procedural relevance for the second plant device AE2 is rated higher as the second plant device AE2 is still required for producing the product while the first plant device AE1 is no longer required. In accordance with the present production process and in particular as a function of the respective generation step of the current production process, it is thereby possible to determine the procedural relevance, i.e., the procedural relevance of the respective plant device AE1, AE2, AE3 and depending on the current generation step, the procedural relevance is then assigned to the respective plant device AE1, AE2, AE3 and prioritization 7 is performed as a function thereof. This makes it possible for production losses and production restrictions to be kept as low as possible, allowing for improved operation of the plant apparatus AV.

[0041] Furthermore, FIG. 2 shows that the plant apparatus AV is configured as a production plant for producing a product and an evaluation of the respective plant device AE1, AE2, AE3 is performed as a decision-making criterion as a function of the frequency of use of the respective plant device AE1, AE2, AE3 during the production process of the product.

[0042] FIG. 2 further shows that the first error message 2 and/or the second error message 3 and/or the generated prioritization 7 of the error messages 2, 3 are displayed on the display device 1 of the electronic computing device 6. In particular, it can be seen that the first error message 2 and/or the second error message 3 and/or the prioritization 7 of the error messages 2, 3 are displayed on a display device 1 of the electronic computing device 6 during the operation of the plant apparatus AV.

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a plant apparatus AV for integrating the equipment hierarchy online in an Operation Station Server 8 that can also be referred to as an operator server, and the display device 1. The Operation Station Server 8 has a visualization device 9 for this purpose. The visualization device 9 in turn comprises the equipment hierarchy 10, a display hierarchy 11 and a process object 12. The equipment hierarchy 10 in turn is coupled to a diagnostic manager 13 of the Operation Station Server 8 and to the display device 1. Furthermore, the equipment hierarchy 10 has access to corresponding resources 14. The Operation Station Server 8 in turn is coupled to a bus system 15 with the display device 1. Furthermore, for controlling the respective plant devices AE1, AE2, AE3, the operation station server 8 is coupled to a further bus system 16. Furthermore, in particular the diagnostic manager 13 is equipped with the diagnostic trees 5. In particular, it can also be provided that the Operation Station Server 8 can have the electronic computing device 6, via which, for example, corresponding displays or events can be managed.

[0044] Furthermore, the visualization device 9 has an alarm DS 17 and a tag DS 18. The Operation Station Server 8 in turn has in particular an AS driver 19.

[0045] FIG. 3 shows in particular the architecture and integration of the equipment hierarchy 10 in the Operation Station Server 8 and the display device 1 to enable the determination of the procedural relevance of device diagnostic data at runtime for efficient coordination of maintenance procedures. As already explained, the equipment hierarchy online configuration, which is extended automatically in engineering and device assignment, is correspondingly loaded on the operation station server 8, which in turn can be consumed and correspondingly visualized by the software component, in particular by the equipment hierarchy 10. In addition, the equipment hierarchy 10 obtains the assigned plant devices AE1, AE2, AE3 and the respective device diagnostic data from the diagnostic tree 5 from the diagnostic manager 13 so that they can be visualized accordingly on the display device 1.

[0046] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the method for operating a plant apparatus AV having at least one first plant device AE1 and at least one second plant device AE2 separate from the first plant device AE1, in which a first error message 2 is generated by the first plant device AE1 and a second error message 3 is generated by the second plant device AE2, and the first error message 2 and the second error message 3 are transmitted to an electronic computing device 6 of the plant apparatus AV for monitoring the plant apparatus AV.

[0047] The method comprises assigning at least one first procedural relevance to the first plant device AE1 and assigning one second procedural relevance to the second plant device AE2 by the electronic computing device 6 depending on a decision-making criterion, as indicated in step 410.

[0048] Next, a prioritization 7 of the respective error message 2, 3 is generated depending on a respective assigned procedural relevance, as indicated in step 420.

[0049] 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 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 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.