Packaging Plant Data Exchange and Method for Operating a Packaging Plant Data Exchange

Abstract

Packaging plant data exchange comprising at least one intermediate store for packaging plant status data comprising status values, at least one data input interface, the data input interface communicating with at least one program module adapted to a packaging device of the packaging plant, characterized in that the program module creates a machine data object comprising at least metadata of the packaging device via a data input interface.

Claims

1. A system comprising, a packaging plant data exchange with at least one buffer for packaging plant condition data comprising condition values, at least one data input interface, and at least one program module adapted to a packaging device of the packaging plant wherein the program module is arranged for communicating with the packaging pant data exchange via the data input interface, characterized in that the data input interface provides means with which the program module instantiates at the data input interface a) a machine data object, comprising at least metadata of the packaging device, and/or b) a status data object comprising at least metadata of a status object and a status value of a status date of the packaging device.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the program module receives the metadata of the packaging device via a machine interface of the packaging device and makes the received metadata of the packaging device available for the machine data object.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the metadata of the packaging device are preset, in particular programmed, in the program module, and the program module provides the programmed metadata of the packaging device for the machine data object.

4. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the program module assigns preset, in particular programmed metadata of the status object to the status values received via the machine interface of the packaging device and makes them available for the status data object.

5. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the program module receives the status value via the machine interface of the packaging device and provides the received status value for the status data object.

6. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the program module receives metadata of the status data object via the machine interface of the packaging device and provides the metadata received for the status data object.

7. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the metadata of the status data object comprises the data type, the data unit, the data source, the scaling of the data and/or the data category.

8. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the program module assigns an identifier to the status data object as a function of the received and/or preset metadata of the status data object, with which identifier the status data object is to be assigned to a group of status data objects.

9. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the data input interface is set up to obtain, receive, create and/or instantiate machine objects and status data objects in a uniform data model.

10. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the data input interface is set up for communication with a program module which determines at least one packaging plant parameter.

11. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that direct communication is prevented between at least two program modules.

12. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the packaging plant data exchange is provided by one or more server devices and/or by one or more virtual servers.

13. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one status value of the packaging installation represents a measured value detected by a sensor of the packaging device.

14. A method comprising: receiving packaging plant status data by a data input interface of a packaging plant data exchange, wherein the packaging plant status data represent at least one status value of a packaging plant; wherein at least one program module adapted to a packaging device of the packaging pant communicates with the packaging plant data exchange via the data input interface, characterized in that the data input interface provides means with which instances of a) a machine data object, comprising at least metadata of the packaging device, and/or b) a status data object comprising at least metadata of a status object and a status value of a status date of the packaging device are instantiated by the program module.

15. The method according to claim 14 comprising: detecting at least one first measured value by a sensor of the packaging device; and communicating and/or effect the communication of packaging plant condition data to the data input interface via the program module.

16. A computer program comprising program instructions which cause a processor to execute and/or control the method according to claim 14 when the computer program is executed by the processor.

17. A server device or a server system comprising a plurality of server devices and/or virtual servers arranged to execute and/or control the method according to claim 14.

Description

[0072] In the following, the subject matter is explained in more detail using a drawing showing embodiments. In the drawing show:

[0073] FIG. 1 a packaging plant data exchange according to an embodiment;

[0074] FIG. 2 a data model of a machine data object;

[0075] FIG. 3 a data model of a data object unique identifier;

[0076] FIG. 4 a data model of a status data object.

[0077] The embodiment of the present invention described in this specification should also be understood as being disclosed in all combinations with each other. In particular, the description of a feature covered by an embodimentunless explicitly stated otherwise should not be understood in the present case to mean that the feature is indispensable or essential for the function of the embodiment. The sequence of the process steps described in this specification in the individual flow diagrams is not mandatory, alternative sequences of the process steps are conceivable. The process steps can be implemented in different ways, e.g. an implementation in software (by program instructions), hardware or a combination of both to implement the process steps is conceivable. Terms used in patent claims such as include, exhibit, include, contain and the like do not exclude other elements or steps. The expression at least in part covers both the case in part and the case in full. The wording and/or should be understood as meaning that both the alternative and the combination should be disclosed, i.e. A and/or B means (A) or (B) or (A and B). A plurality of units, persons or the like means, in the context of this specification, several units, persons or the like. The use of the indefinite article does not exclude a plurality. A single entity may perform the functions of several entities mentioned in the patent claims. The reference signs indicated in the patent claims are not to be regarded as limitations of the means and steps used.

[0078] FIG. 1 shows a packaging plant data exchange 2. Packaging plant data exchange 2 can be executed in a runtime environment, a server, a virtual server or the like. Here, in a switching network 4, which can be part of the packaging plant data exchange 2, a buffer memory 6, a data input interface 8, a database interface 10 and an access interface 12 can be implemented.

[0079] In addition, packaging plant data exchange 2 has an environment in which program modules 14.1, 14.2 as well as database modules 16 (or respective instances thereof) can be executed.

[0080] It can be seen that the program modules 14.1 can be configured as system program modules 14.1 and can each communicate with a packaging device 18a-c. In addition, a database module 16 can communicate with a database 20.

[0081] Program modules 14.1 can be individually adapted to a wide range of packaging equipment 18a-c. For example, a packaging device 18a may be a filling device provided by a first manufacturer, whereas a packaging device 18b may be a filling device provided by a second manufacturer. A packaging device 18c, for example, can be a tray packer or another device that can be operated within a packaging plant and that can output status data. The packaging devices 18a-c each have individual machine interfaces to be able to output their status data. The status data can be retrieved from the packaging equipment 18a-c in various data formats via various machine interfaces and in different ways so that uniform access to them is impossible. Changes may also occur at the machine interfaces of the packaging device 18a-c in the course of further developments, which must be mapped.

[0082] Program modules 14.1 are provided for this purpose. Each program module 14.1 can be individually adapted for a single 18a-c packaging device. Thus, a program module 14.1 can be used to individually access a machine interface of a respective packaging device 18a-c and read out its respective status data.

[0083] Using a defined data model, the program modules 14.1 can create the condition data received from the packaging facilities 18a-c as packaging facility condition data or instances of condition data objects and machine data objects in packaging facility data transfer 2. Both metadata and status values can be made available in a uniform data format. The data format can define variables, machines or lines. Depending on the data format, the status data can contain metadata and status values. For example, metadata can contain a name, an origin, a target, an origin, synonyms, or tags. This allows the various status data to be described in a uniform data format.

[0084] Using variables, data points, in particular status values of various sensors, can be mapped. Machines can be used to map properties of machines and lines can be used to define links between machines and the layout of the packaging plant.

[0085] The buffer 6 can store current instances of status data objects and machine data objects. For persistent storage, it may be useful to store the status data in a database.

[0086] Similar to the packaging equipment 18a-c, there are 20 different databases with different database protocols and database interfaces. In order to provide the highest possible flexibility for the packaging plant data transfer 2 or a system integrator, database modules 16 can be provided, which are individualized for each database 20. It goes without saying that both the program modules 14.1 and the database modules 16 must only be made available for the packaging equipment 18a-c and databases 20 available in the packaging plant Individualisation can be based on the equipment, components and applications available in the packaging plant, so that program modules 14.1 and database modules 16 only have to support what is available.

[0087] In addition to the database modules 16 and the program modules 14.1, further program modules 14.2 can be provided with which, for example, information about the packaging plant can be calculated from status values. Such applications can also be provided as program modules 14.2 in packaging plant data exchange 2.

[0088] Various additional functions can be made available within the switching network 4. For example, a safety function can be provided. This can be used to monitor write/read rights for various status data. It can be monitored which of the interfaces 8-12 can access status data. It is also possible to monitor which of the program modules 14.1, 14.2 can access data. Furthermore, a user management system is available with which access rights can be assigned to users and users can log in or log out. In addition, a logbook function can be provided for logging actions within the switching network 4. In addition, standard functionalities can be provided, such as handling exceptions, loading program modules, debugging or the like.

[0089] For example, a packaging device 18a may be a machine having a machine interface through which data can be exchanged in a standardised format. This format can work according to the PackML standard, for example. The machine interface can also support the transport protocol OPC UA. A first program module 14.1, which communicates with the packaging device 18a via the known machine interface, can be provided to connect such a packaging device, which has a standardized machine interface. In order to integrate the packaging device 18a into the packaging plant data exchange 2, the program module 14.1 can first retrieve information about the machine itself from the packaging device 18a.

[0090] Using this information, program module 14.1 then creates an instance of a machine data object using the data input interface 8 and fills this instance with the information retrieved from packaging equipment 18a. For this purpose, a corresponding method can be provided at the data input interface 8 which can be used to create the instance of the machine data object.

[0091] A second packaging unit 18b can also be connected to the packaging plant data exchange 2. For this a second program module 14.1 can be provided, which is adapted to the packaging device 18b. Since the packaging device 18b, for example, unlike the packaging device 18a, does not have a standardized machine interface, the second program module 14.1 cannot access machine parameters in a standardized form either. In particular, the packaging device 18b may be such that no machine information can be retrieved via its machine interface. In this case, the second program module 14.1 may contain coded, entered, parameterized and/or edited knowledge about the machine. At the data input interface 8, the second program module 14.1 can now also instantiate an instance of a machine data object and enter the coded information about the machine in this instance.

[0092] It turns out that for each type of machine or packaging device, an instance of a machine data object can be created by a program module 14.1 via the data input interface 8.

[0093] FIG. 2 shows a machine data object 22. The machine data object 22 can have different property fields that are defined in the data model. The data types of the property fields 24a-f are fixed in the definition of the data model. When instantiating an instance of a machine data object 22, these property fields 24a-f can be filled with values from program module 14.1.

[0094] A first property field 24a, for example, can be a name field which has the data type String. For example, a second data field 24b can be a string and contain a serial number. For example, a third data field 24c can be an object data field that contains an object of type enumeration. In such an object, for example, machines can be stored in categories.

[0095] A data model of such an enumerated object is also shown. In this enumeration object 26, various machine types can be predefined and an instance of such a data object can contain one of the predefined values. For example, values can describe packaging equipment such as filling equipment, applicators, storage tables, conveyor belts, robots, tray packers, printers, switches, scanners or the like. The corresponding machine properties can be predefined in the data model.

[0096] A further property field 24d can, for example, contain the name of the program module (plug-ins) and be specified as a string. An additional property field 24e can, for example, indicate whether the machine is connected to the program module or communicates with the program module or not and can be coded as a boolean value, for example. For example, another property field 24f may contain a unique identifier and may be defined as a unique identifier object.

[0097] FIG. 3 shows a data model of an object unique identifier 28. Such a data object 28 can contain both functions 30 and properties 32. Possible functions of such a data object can be, for example, a function that is passed another data object 28 and that returns whether the passed data object matches the data object 28. The return value can be a boolean value. A function can also contain the return of a hash code of the data object 28, whose value can be defined as an integer. Finally, a function can also contain a conversion of the data object 28 into a string, for example for serialization.

[0098] In addition to the functions 30, the properties Name and Type can be defined in a data object 28, whereby the name can be defined as a string and the type can be an object of type Enumeration.

[0099] A data object of the enumeration type for the Type property can be, for example, a machine, setup, program module, or external system. This can be used to determine how the corresponding data object was introduced into the system.

[0100] At the runtime of the packaging plant data transfer 2, an instance of the data object 22 is created and during this creation, in addition to the properties 24a-d, an instance of an enumerated object 26 with a corresponding value and an instance of an object unique identifier 28 with the corresponding values is instantiated. This instance of data object 22 then represents a machine or packaging device 18a, b.

[0101] During operation of packaging equipment 18a, b, for example for packaging 18.a, program module 14.1 can first instantiate one or more data objects of the type status data. Program module 14.1 instantiates a corresponding instance at the data input interface 8 for this purpose.

[0102] Via the machine interface of the packaging device 18a, both metadata of the status object and status data are available to the program module 14.1. First, the metadata of the status object is read from machine 18a and entered in the instance of the status data object. In addition, program module 14.1 can create an identifier (tag) which can also be read out via the machine interface of the packaging device 18a.

[0103] A proprietary machine interface is available for the packaging device 18b. In this case, program module 14.1 can be programmed to retrieve the states via the proprietary interface. Knowing the retrievable information, the program module 14.1 can transfer this metainformation or metadata of the respective instance via the data input interface 8 when instantiating corresponding status data objects.

[0104] For both the packaging device 18a and the packaging device 18b, a set of status data objects can then be instantiated via a respective program module 14.1, while metadata is either provided via the machine interface or stored in a program module 14.1.

[0105] FIG. 4 shows a data model of a status data object. A status data object can contain a metadata object 34 with both functions 36 and properties 38.

[0106] A method 36, for example, could be checking for equality. A status data object or an instance thereof can be passed to this method and a Boolean return value can specify whether the passing data object matches the actual data object.

[0107] Properties 38 can contain the name of the status data object as string and the name of the program module 14.1, which instantiated the object, as string.

[0108] In addition, as properties 38, as instances of data objects 28, the source of the data object can be, namely who has introduced this data object into the system and the target of the data object, namely to whom the data object belongs within the system.

[0109] Another property can be a value object, which can contain an instance of an enumerated object. For example, a value category can contain a raw signal, a raw time series, a calculated time series or a calculated signal.

[0110] Another property can be a data type that comes from an enumerated data type object and can be encoded as a word, double word, or string, for example.

[0111] Finally, synonyms and identifiers can be provided, each of which can be instances of corresponding data objects. For example, synonyms may contain descriptions for the measurement unit. The identifiers can, for example, be freely definable strings.

[0112] In addition to the data object 34 for the metadata, another data object 40 can be provided for the status value. This data object 40 can also contain functions 42 and values 44.

[0113] Functions 42 may contain an equality check and a return function of a value. The return function can pass filter information about certain values and return lists of values corresponding to the filter function.

[0114] A value can be an object of an instance of a value object in which, for example, a time stamp and/or an actual measured value can be stored. Such a data object can also contain a function that can check for equality.

[0115] Using the data model described, it is possible for various program modules 14.1 to create 8 instances of machine objects and status objects at the data input interface.

[0116] If a program module 14.1 detects a change in value at the machine interface of the packaging device 18a, you can change the value at the data input interface 8 using the corresponding instance of the status object using a corresponding method. The same can be done by a second program module 14.1 which is connected to a proprietary packaging device 18b. Here, too, value changes can be transferred via corresponding methods to the data input interface 8 using the instances of the respective status data objects.

[0117] Program modules 14.2 can, for example, calculate a key figure OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness). A program module 14.2 can do this regardless of the machine type of the packaging device 18a, 18b, since the machine data as well as the status data can be made available as standardized data objects via the access interface 12 and the buffer 6.

[0118] First, the program modules can instantiate a status data object with a tag (status) at the data input interface 8. The Target property of the respective status data object is created using the unique identifier of the respective machine. Thus the program modules can address the status data objects with the type status for each of the machines.

[0119] If value changes now take place at the corresponding machines or status data, this is communicated to the program module 14.2 via the access interface 12. The program module can then read the value from the buffer via a read interface. In the program module 14.2 a new value of the state can be calculated. Via the data input interface 8, the value of the status within the status data object can be overwritten or supplemented with a new corresponding method.