Discussion on runtime configuration technology

- Free process programming in a dedicated human machine interface

First, the question is raised

Runtime configuration is a new concept proposed by configuration software technology in recent years. Runtime configuration refers to editing a project in a running environment, or modifying an existing project to add new features. In other words, the runtime configuration is to modify the project directly in the configuration software runtime environment. The runtime configuration changes the history of engineering applications that have to go into complex configuration and control environments, which brings new vitality to the configuration software and indicates a new development direction of the configuration software.

Let's take the practical application of the development of the injection molding robot as an example to explain what is the runtime configuration and why it is necessary to apply the technology of the runtime configuration.

The injection molding robot is an automatic equipment specially used for processing such as picking and discharging materials in conjunction with the molding process of the injection molding machine. The working environment is demanding and requires long time and high precision and high speed operation. More importantly, the production process of the injection molding robot varies a lot compared to the way that the general automation equipment runs step by step in a fixed process mode. If programmed in the traditional fixed process mode, the engineering and control systems must be modified once new processes need to be modified or added. This may be feasible for simple process equipment, but it is time consuming and error-prone for equipment with complex processes such as injection molding robots.

The traditional configuration process is such that after the project is configured and delivered to the user, the functions included in the project are fixed. If you want to expand and modify the function of the project, you must familiarize the engineer who entered the project into the configuration or control environment to modify it.

What if we change to a programming style? For example, to provide such an engineering environment: the engineer has foreseen the design of all the basic functions (basic actions) of the project. In actual application, the on-site process personnel will combine the production processes according to actual needs to achieve the ultimate control.

If you really do this, it's really more flexible and simpler than the way the engineer pre-programmed the process. This mode of switching from a fixed process to a free process programming is what the runtime configuration technique has to solve.

It must be noted that although this runtime configuration technology has more or less applications on some general-purpose human-machine interfaces, these are based on configuration software such as Microsoft Windows, which is a high-level programming environment, such as Zijin. Bridge monitoring configuration, Kunlun state and so on. However, the human-machine interfaces commonly used in some devices, such as got, preface, etc., are dedicated human-machine interface, which are not supported by rich software interfaces, link libraries or databases like the human-machine interfaces of advanced configuration environments.

Therefore, what this paper needs to solve is to apply the ideas, methods and techniques of runtime configuration to realize the transition from the traditional man-machine interface to the free process programming mode.

Second, the advantages of runtime configuration

1, reduce the amount of programming work. For a specific project, if the functions (or actions) used in the project can be summarized into modules, then we don't have to wait until we understand the entire project and finish it before we can put it into operation. That is, as long as the required modules in the project are ready, you can let the end users (such as craftsmen, equipment operators, etc.) add and edit the modules themselves in the field application, so that the users can modify and improve in the operating environment to meet the actual situation. Process requirements. This working mode gives full play to the advantages of configuration engineers and technicians to complete the project quickly.

2, solve the problem of uncertainty of action and operating parameters. Some projects inherently have such uncertainties. It is impossible for us to use the conventional methods to exhaust various situations in advance. It is also impossible for technicians to enter the complex development environment for modification every time they change, and the runtime configuration ideas. This is very suitable for this.

3, easy to maintain. The traditional meaning of the configuration is that after the engineering is completed, the function of the application has been solidified. If you need to modify or add new features, you must also go into the development environment to reconfigure. This generally requires an engineer who is proficient in the development environment and who is familiar with the project. If the project is not completed by the unit, it will involve the cost of upgrading and even setting up a separate project. With the running configuration technology, it can be done by the general technicians of the plant.

4, to achieve software standardization. Automated control software standardization is the goal that management, developers, maintenance and even application personnel are constantly pursuing. The various modules established during the configuration process are the basis for standardization of software development.

Third, security issues

In fact, one of the most important problems to be solved in the running configuration technology is security. It is very dangerous to add, modify, or delete modules or parameters in the project at runtime. If there is no protection, the runtime will bring a lot of trouble. We can protect the runtime project with the following two security measures.

1, control system protection. At the control system level, some actions that are dangerous to each other are shielded and even exclusive. Do basic security protection, such as interlocking between software and hardware.

2, process configuration protection. Since the runtime modules are all generated by the configuration engineer, the freedom of runtime configuration is completely at the disposal of the configuration engineer. This requires the configuration engineer to limit the means provided by the runtime without providing excessive, unnecessary flexibility. At the same time, it provides necessary protection measures for the editing process, such as error prompts, and the process cannot be saved after configuration.

In short, the configurator must provide the user with the means to extend the function, and must be adequately limited to ensure the safe operation of the system.

Fourth, the implementation of the runtime configuration

The human-machine interface used in automation is the most basic and most commonly used configuration technology. Although it is not as feature-rich and has a wide range of applications as the specialized configuration environment software, it still has an unshakable position in the field of automation with high stability, strong adaptability and low price. Good, expensive is not necessarily the most useful or most effective. Regardless of how computing technology (especially software technology) develops, the PLC technology platform will never be outdated in the field of automation.

Although technology and ideas are not only developed, but this does not mean that the old technology platform needs to be eliminated. In fact, what we have to do is to use new ideas and technologies to transform and upgrade these old platforms. Therefore, these tasks require the automation engineers to do it themselves. The human-machine interface configuration environment does not provide ready-made templates for runtime configuration applications. This modification is of course a time-consuming task.

We know that the human-machine interface is an electronic interface that implements the operation of the field operator and controls the device. It mainly provides virtual button control, data input, status monitoring and other functions. Although the human-machine interface also provides some data processing functions, it does not have the same powerful data processing capabilities as a personal calculator. Therefore, the human-machine interface can only be regarded as a static processing technology, and it cannot be regarded as a dynamic processing technology.

Fortunately, the general human-machine interface is provided with a secondary system development interface, such as a scripting language (some called macro). These secondary development interfaces provide a programming environment similar to a high-level programming language. Seeing familiar variables, arrays, functions, statements, and even pointers, do we see the dawn of victory?

Yes, we have reason to believe that we are at least half successful. With these "instructions" we can realize the background processing capability of human-machine interface objects; realize various interface editing (such as insert, delete, etc.), logic judgment, data calculation, status reminder and other functions. It is also possible to achieve some of the basic processing power necessary for in-service configuration.

To be more step-by-step, to achieve a friendly and simple configuration interface, we must fully apply the indexing (or indexing) function, recipe function, etc. that the human-machine interface configuration environment itself provides.

With all these technologies and functions combined, plus new concepts such as in-service configuration, we have reason to believe that the ultimate goal of running configuration can be achieved (at the very least, similarly) on traditional human-machine interfaces.
It must be added that the use of recipe functions to achieve data management is a commonly used technique or method, such as saving individual process recipe data. But these processes are static rather than dynamic, which is not the same as the idea of ​​running configuration. But, in fact, it is precisely because of this recipe processing function that we find a window to success.

The following injection molding robot cases basically implement or apply some of the techniques and concepts described above.

Fifth, the application of free process programming mode in injection molding robot

The following is the main editing screen for the application of the runtime configuration technology in the free-process programming mode in the injection molding robot control system .

The process program editing screen consists of four areas: the process code selection area (right side), the process program display area (left side), the process editing function area (lower side), and the editing error display area (top side). The code selection area can be turned up and down, and other process codes are selected, as shown in the following figure, which is different from the code selection area shown in the above figure.

The process codes selected from the "code selection area" on the right are displayed one by one in the process program display area on the left. The process program you have edited is displayed here. The red cursor flashes where you are currently editing. When you program a process code, you go to the next editing step, and the cursor automatically moves down one step. When you touch a process step or through the edit key "+" below the screen, "-" can be moved to where you need to edit, and the cursor is also moved here. The example above shows a 5.7” touch screen. Up to 12 process codes can be displayed on one screen. You can display or view other edited process codes by moving the cursor.

The lower area of ​​the process editing screen is a few “editing keys” for process editing, which allow you to easily edit, modify or save the current process. As shown in the red cursor above, you can insert a new code by pressing the “Insert” function key and a space appears. Press the “Delete” button to delete the code at the cursor and press the “Back” button to return to the “Process Edit” main screen. Press the "Save" button to enter the "Save Process" screen and so on.

As mentioned earlier, the editing environment automatically checks to see if the current process meets the programming specifications while the process is being stored. Only the basic specifications can be saved to save the current process, otherwise the process storage screen cannot be entered, and the current editing error information is displayed on the process editing screen, such as the serial number of the first error process, the wrong process name and the cause of the error. Re-edit and correct the current process according to the error message and actual process requirements as prompted above, and then save the process.

You can actually define a process with a maximum of 100 process codes, and each step has a maximum of 8 process codes, and each step must end with the process code "Next Step", which means that there are at most 7 different actions at the same time. Execution, empty code or no code indicates the end of a process cycle.

The process program is edited and saved, and can be downloaded from the program download screen to the program controller (such as PLC ). The downloaded process is the process number selected in the main screen of the process edit. Press “Download Confirmation” and the selected process will be downloaded to the program controller.

The configuration environment not only provides the configuration functions of the individual modules, but also provides the parameter configuration (if required) for each module. As the above configuration, the sixth module "receiving the main material", you can freely modify the configuration parameters of the module at any time during the configuration process, such as position and speed, you only need to click this module.

The above screen is equipped with flexible editing functions. The “module” object, the corresponding serial number, the guidance cursor, the up and down movement display page, etc. can all be flexibly used according to the actual editing needs of the user, that is, the so-called “what you see is what you get” editing environment. At the same time, the configuration environment also provides automatic monitoring of the configuration process, and the error judgment function is provided for reference or provides configuration security protection when the user configures.

The following illustration is an example of a PLC subroutine corresponding to the process code "main arm flattening" (referring to the flipping mechanism of the main arm flipped to the horizontal state). This is a standard subroutine structure, and the subroutine P11 corresponds to the process code in the process program: the main arm is flattened. This means that when this subroutine is executed, it is determined by the process program.

Further, we can also use this method or idea to realize the free definition and configuration of the actual physical I/O address, that is, the user determines the access address of the component, which is one of the concrete manifestations of modular and standardized programming. Moreover, its flexibility and convenience have high application value.

Six, summary

The configuration software is generally referred to as a general configuration software. The term "universal" means that it can be adapted to a variety of applications. Although there are many common things in different application fields, the differences in applications, especially processes, are objective. Differences are expressed in the organization of the picture, the components, the construction logic, and so on. If the configuration software can be used to adapt to a variety of applications, the software presented to the user will be too complicated, and ultimately the configuration software itself is too poor to lose its meaning. As mentioned earlier, the dynamically generated elements of the runtime are generated in the configuration environment. The automation engineer can build the modules required for the application domain in the configuration environment, and then let the technicians build their own at runtime using the well-known processes. Applications.

Deviating from the specific PLC control software, understanding the automatic control system from a macroscopic point of view, designing the control system for the process is the goal that automation engineers should pursue. We know that the PLC program is just a process to realize your design project. If there are process requirements, there may be a program. The program is only a specific reaction of the equipment process. Understanding the process requirements is equivalent to understanding the program. Programming is just a rule. You need to use this rule to write out the equipment process. Therefore, it is important to understand the process of the equipment and the specific use of the PLC brand. When you fully understand the equipment process and design the electrical drawings, your design tasks can be basically completed. The rest is to look at the PLC programming rules and write the program according to the process.

The use of runtime configuration concepts or methods is the concrete manifestation of this goal.

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