Method and system for producing a sensor

Abstract

System and method for producing a sensor for a processing machine/plant, wherein a digital twin sensor is provided that is related to the sensor, wherein the digital twin sensor is stored in a database (10), wherein the digital twin sensor forms a data model of the sensor, wherein the data model comprises at least one data building block with data for a sensor housing, for an electronic system, for a control and evaluation unit, for a primary sensor element and/or for mechanical components of the sensor, wherein the digital twin sensor is loaded into a construction program for the processing machine/plant, wherein the digital twin sensor is configured in the construction program, wherein the digital twin sensor is adapted to the processing machine/plant and the adapted digital twin sensor is produced as a real adapted sensor.

Claims

1. Method of producing a sensor for a processing machine/plant, comprising: providing a sensor comprising a sensor element or electronics receiving a sensor input; providing a digital twin sensor that is related to the sensor and stored in a database; using the digital twin sensor to form a data model of the sensor, wherein the data model comprises at least one data building block with data for a sensor housing, for an electronic system, for at least one of a control and evaluation unit, for a primary sensor element and mechanical components of the sensor, loading the digital twin sensor into a construction program for the processing machine/plant, wherein the digital twin sensor is configured in the construction program provided for the processing machine/plant as domain specific software, wherein the digital twin sensor is adapted to the processing machine/plant, and the adapted digital twin sensor is produced as a real adapted sensor, wherein the sensor and the digital twin sensor are connected to one another via an interface, wherein data can be transferred at least from the sensor to the digital twin sensor via the interface, and wherein the sensor and the digital twin sensor each have an unambiguous identification number which are linked to one another in order to unambiguously associate the digital twin sensor with at least one of the sensor and the sensor with the digital twin sensor; and during an operating phase of the sensor, continuously transmitting the data of the sensor or transmitted or transmitting the data at fixed intervals to the digital twin sensor.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the data model comprises at least one of construction data, functional data and design data of the digital twin sensor.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the data model includes at least production specific pieces of information of the digital twin sensor.

4. The method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the production specific pieces of information comprise at least one of comparison values and alignment values.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein data of the data model are at least one of parameterization data and key figures of the digital twin sensor.

6. System for producing a sensor output for a processing machine/plant, comprising: a sensor comprising a sensor element or electronics receiving a sensor input; and a digital twin sensor is provided that is related to the sensor, wherein the digital twin sensor is stored in a database, wherein the digital twin sensor is provided that is related to the sensor, wherein the digital twin sensor forms a data model of the sensor, wherein the data model comprises at least one data building block with data for a sensor housing, for an electronic system, for at least one of a control and evaluation unit, for a primary sensor element and mechanical components of the sensor, wherein the digital twin sensor can be loaded into a construction program for the processing machine/plant, wherein the digital twin sensor can be configured in the construction program provided for the processing machine/plant as domain specific software, wherein the digital twin sensor is adapted to the processing machine/plant and the adapted digital twin sensor is produced as a real adapted sensor, wherein the sensor and the digital twin sensor are connected to one another via an interface, wherein data can be transferred at least from the sensor to the digital twin sensor via the interface, wherein the sensor and the digital twin sensor each have an unambiguous identification number which are linked to one another in order to unambiguously associate the digital twin sensor with at least one of the sensor and the sensor with the digital twin sensor, and wherein, during an operating phase of the sensor, the data of the sensor is continuously transmitted or transmitted at fixed intervals to the digital twin sensor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be described in the following also with regard to further advantages and features with reference to the submitted drawings by means of embodiments. The Figures in the drawing show:

(2) FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 a respective system and method in accordance with the invention for producing a sensor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) In the following Figures identical parts are provided with identical reference numerals.

(4) FIG. 1 shows a system 1 and/or a method for producing a sensor 2 for a processing machine/plant 8, wherein a digital twin sensor 9 is provided that is related to the sensor 2, wherein the digital twin sensor 9 is stored in a database 10, wherein the digital twin sensor 9 forms a data model 11 of the sensor 2, wherein the data model 11 comprises at least one data building block 17 with data for a sensor housing 3, for an electronic system 4, for a control and evaluation unit 5, for a primary sensor element 6 and/or for mechanical components 7 of the sensor 2, wherein the digital twin sensor 9 can be loaded into a construction program 13 for the processing machine/plant 8, wherein the digital twin sensor 9 can be configured in the construction program 13, wherein the digital twin sensor 9 is adapted to the processing machine/plant 8 and the adapted digital twin sensor 9 is produced to provide adaptations to sensor 2, as a real adapted sensor.

(5) The sensors 2 to be produced are made available to a plant designer in the form of the digital twin sensor 9 in the construction program 13. The construction program 13 is a domain specific software, such as, for example, SolidWorks, Siemens NX Designer or similar software. A digital model 14 of the processing machine/plant is present in the construction program 13. Furthermore, also a digital model 16 of objects 15 is present.

(6) The digital twin sensor 9 enables all setting possibilities of the sensor 2.

(7) In accordance with FIG. 1 configuration parameters and certain hardware parameters can, for example, be automatically detected in the construction program 13 and converted into a production parameter in the digital twin sensor 9.

(8) By way of example, a distance 18 along the optical axis of a digital twin sensor 9 to a digital model 16 of an object 15 to be detected is detected in the construction program 13 and is converted to a teaching value and/or a learning value in the digital twin sensor 9. For example, if the distance 18 is too large for the used digital twin sensor 9, then a notification appears which recommends the use of a different sensor and, for example, offers a selection of the associated digital twin sensor 9.

(9) Furthermore, for example, a required cable length can be automatically determined in the construction program 13, as soon as the digital twin sensor 9 is positioned and the position for the sensor connections is known. The required cable length of the connection cable is noted in the digital twin sensor 9.

(10) The construction program 13 can also be a program in which the digital twin sensor 9 can be adapted, wherein the construction program 13 has an export function in order to make available the adapted digital twin sensor 9 to a different construction program 13.

(11) In accordance with FIG. 1 the data model 11 has construction data, functional data and/or design data of the digital twin sensor 9.

(12) In accordance with FIG. 1 the data model 11 includes at least production specific pieces of information of the digital twin sensor 9, namely comparison values and/or alignment values. By way of example, a sensitivity of the digital twin sensor 9 and/or of the sensor 2 can thus be set or, for example, optical axes of the digital twin sensor 9 and/or of the sensor 2 can be adjusted.

(13) In accordance with FIG. 1, the data are configuration data, parameterization data and/or key figures of the digital twin sensor 9. Parameterization data or configuration data are, for example, a set range, a number of protective fields, a detection field etc. of the sensor 2 and/or of the digital twin sensor 9.

(14) In accordance with FIG. 2, the sensor 2 and the digital twin sensor 9 are connected one to another via an interface 12, wherein data can be transmitted at least from the sensor 2 to the digital twin sensor 9.

(15) Deviations between the digital twin sensor 9 and the real sensor 2 can be determined in the real sensor 2 or in the digital twin sensor 9 thereby that a comparison between the real sensor 2 and the digital twin sensor 9 is carried out via the interface 12.

(16) In accordance with a non-illustrated embodiment the sensor and the digital twin sensor each have an unambiguous identification number which are linked with one another in order to unambiguously associate the digital twin sensor with the sensor and/or the sensor with the digital twin sensor.

(17) Following the adaptation of the digital twin sensor in the construction program and/or in the plant design software each digital twin sensor receives an unambiguous identification number in the processing machine/plant of the user and/or customer and an unambiguous identification number in the sensor production. With this unambiguous identification number, the digital twin sensor is sent to the sensor production as a production order.

(18) In the sensor production the sensor is produced with the corresponding cable lengths and parameterizations, as for the digital twin. The newly produced sensor includes the identical identification number as its digital twin.

(19) In accordance with FIG. 2 the data of the sensor 2 are continuously transmitted or transmitted at fixed intervals to the digital twin sensor 9 during an operating phase of the sensor 2.

(20) Following a new installation of the sensor 2, the data can, for example, be continuously transmitted between the sensor 2 and the digital twin sensor 9, as the sensor 2 is subjected to environmental conditions for the first time at this point in time and an influencing of the sensor 2 takes place with a high probability. In this way the digital twin sensor 9 is adapted to the real sensor 2.

(21) The sensors 2 in accordance with FIGS. 1 to 2 can be light barriers, light scanners, light curtains, light grids, cameras, 3D cameras, barcode readers, laser scanners, inductive sensors, magnetic sensors, capacitive sensors or the like.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

(22) 1 system 2 sensor 3 sensor housing 4 electronic system 5 control and evaluation unit 6 primary sensor element 7 mechanical components 8 processing machine/plant 9 digital twin sensor 10 database 11 data model 12 interface 13 construction program 14 digital model of the processing machine/plant 15 object 16 digital model of the object 17 data building blocks 18 distance