Method and configuration system for configuring hardware modules in an automation system

A method for configuring hardware modules in an automation system includes the steps opening or creating a project in a project configuration software package, opening or generating, in the project, where a station has a number of slots, opening a hardware catalog that includes a plurality of hardware module master data records, inserting at least one hardware module master data record for a hardware module from the hardware catalog (into the station, wherein a customization step is performed for the at least one hardware module master data record, where at least one environmental parameter is specified which represents the ambient conditions at the deployment location of the at least one hardware module, and saving the station having the at least one hardware module master data record inserted into the station and with its at least one environmental parameter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to configuration systems and, more particularly, to a method for configuring hardware modules in an automation system, comprising opening or creating a project in a project configuration software package, opening or generating, in the project, a station having a number of slots, opening a hardware catalog comprising a plurality of hardware module master data records, and inserting at least one hardware module master data record for a hardware module from the hardware catalog into the station.

2. Description of the Related Art

Automation systems have one or more interconnected stations. Each of the stations preferably has a modular construction and can comprise different hardware modules. As a general rule, the hardware modules form the smallest unit of the automation system and are combined in a hardware catalog for a plant commissioning engineer. In the catalog, each hardware module is assigned an order number, for example. The project management and configuration of hardware modules in the automation system can be performed, for example, by a project configuration software package, such as Step 7 from Siemens, for example. This means that after the project configuration software package is called a corresponding user interface is opened. A project is then generated for the plant to be automated, for the machine or for each station. The hardware modules are then configured in this project, in other words, a slot in the station is assigned to the hardware modules to be parameterized. Following successful configuration and parameterization, this configuration is saved and loaded into the automation system. The corresponding methodology is known, for example, from the “Einführung in den SIMATIC-Manager” (Introduction to the SIMATIC Manager) by Walter, 14.05.2003.

EP 1 480 092 B1 also discloses a method for project management of an automation system.

Special requirements apply to the technology employed for hardware modules in the automation technology sector. The hardware modules are normally installed directly in a production environment, for example in control cabinets or directly on a machine.

On account of the deployment location of the hardware modules, special requirements exist, for example, with respect to electromagnetic compatibility, shock, vibrations, as are also described inter alia in International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard 61131-2. It has furthermore become established as a quality standard that automation components or the hardware modules are capable of being used at high ambient temperatures up to 60° C. or even 65° C. On account of the harsh industrial environment, free convection cooling is resorted to as a general rule for heat dissipation from the hardware modules because built-in fans in the device tend, on the one hand, to suffer from soiling and, on the other hand, significantly reduce the MTBF of the devices. In addition to the high ambient temperatures and the requirement for passive cooling, the requirements relating to shock and vibration also render the design of the cooling for powerful electronic components considerably more difficult in the industrial environment.

Electrical and electronic components built into the hardware modules, such as for a multi-core processor system, are frequently only specified up to ambient temperatures of 85° C. or housing temperatures of less than 100° C. Accordingly, on account of the high ambient temperatures permitted in industrial environments only slight temperature differences from the specified maximum temperatures of the components used are therefore available. A maximum permissible power loss in the system is thereby also greatly limited. A limitation of the maximum permissible power loss directly limits the available computing power of the processor system employed in each case or of the entire hardware module.

From the product world of personal computers, it is known to dynamically customize the computing power of a system to the currently prevailing conditions. These methods referred to, for example, as turbo modes, on the one hand, or as throttling, on the other hand, are employed, for example, with laptops and other mobile devices.

With this known method it is, however, disadvantageous that these methods result in considerable fluctuations in the available computing power depending on the currently prevailing conditions. Such types of methods are not as a rule suitable for hardware modules in the automation technology sector because a constant computing power and therewith a stable cycle time or constant response times for the production process are of vital importance for the applications running in the hardware modules.

Hardware modules for the automation technology sector are, as a rule, currently designed such that with respect to a processor clock, the number of processor cores used and the memories used can be reliably cooled in the event of maximum guaranteed ambient conditions. At lower ambient temperatures and therewith a higher permissible power loss the hardware modules could be operated at a considerably higher performance level.

A dynamic customization of the computing power based on the currently prevailing ambient conditions is not performed in the case of industrial modules. This is intended to avoid the situation in which the computing power of the hardware module, and thus also of the production process to be automated, is not influenced by the ambient conditions and problems are therefore avoided in the production process.

A maximum achievable computing power of the hardware module or of an automation component employed is therefore influenced essentially by the maximum guaranteed ambient temperature. Even a slight reduction in the maximum ambient temperature for a particular application enables a significant increase in the computing power of the hardware module.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it is therefore an object of the present to increase the computing power of hardware modules in the automation technology sector without having a negative influence on reproducibility when a program is executed under dynamically changing ambient conditions (temperature). The foregoing object should, however, be achieved without an increase in the production costs of hardware modules that are implemented through additional complex heat dissipation measures.

These and other objects and advantages are achieved in accordance with the invention by providing a method in which in addition to project management steps, a customization step for the at least one hardware module master data record is performed, where at least one environmental parameter is specified that represents the ambient conditions at the deployment location of the at least one hardware module, where in a subsequent save step the station having the at least one hardware module master data record inserted into the station and its at least one changed environmental parameter is saved in the new configuration in the automation system and onto a hard disk.

The automation components or the hardware modules are as a rule designed for very high ambient temperatures and passive cooling. As a result, with respect to their maximum power loss and their maximum processor clock they are configured for the maximum ambient temperatures. This is a maximum temperature value of, for example, 60° C., for which the hardware modules are designed in the as-delivered state. There may, however, also be applications in which the maximum ambient temperature is not reached.

In order to limit the variance in a range of modules, as a rule, manufacturers do not as a rule produce module variants having finely graduated ambient temperature classes. The present inventor has recognized that it makes good sense to introduce into a parameterization range of the automation system or of the automation stations configuration parameters that specify the ambient conditions at a deployment location. The entry of additional configuration parameters accordingly constitutes part of a configuration and project management method for hardware modules in an automation system. The parameterization is normally performed in a parameterization interface of an engineering system.

By preference, a maximum temperature value for an ambient temperature parameter defined in the as-delivered state of the hardware module is changed in the direction of lower temperature values in the customization step. The method, the project configuration software package or the engineering system used now has a program component for module configuration in respect of an ambient temperature. By choosing a lower maximum ambient temperature, it is possible, for example, to increase a processor clock rate as a function of the ambient temperature. The storage of the temperature information for a particular application of the hardware module remains in the configuration file of the project for the automation system. Although the maximum ambient temperature thus specified by a user for an automation component or for the individual hardware module is retained in a default as-delivered state, it can however be customized for the respective plant configuration.

A further optimization of the method provides that in addition to the at least one ambient temperature a configuration is set and saved for the number of processor cores to be operated in the case of a multi-core processor.

In order to further facilitate the project management of the hardware modules for the automation system for a user of an engineering system or a commissioning engineer, based on the currently configured ambient temperature parameter and a stored hardware-module-specific heat dissipation table a configuration that gives the number of processor cores to be operated in the case of a multi-core processor is automatically chosen when the automation system is started up or in the event of a change in the parameterization. As a result, the hardware modules offer the best possible computing power for the currently specified ambient temperature parameter and nevertheless are reliably cooled on account of the ambient conditions at the deployment location. For this purpose, a user of the project configuration software package needs no detailed knowledge of the hardware modules used. The user must merely ensure that the ambient temperature into which he is introducing the projected hardware module does not exceed the parameterized temperature value.

In order to further facilitate the project management for a user or a commissioning engineer, in addition to the project configuration software package the customization step can also be performed from a web server or an operating panel directly on the hardware module.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a configuration system for configuring hardware modules in an automation system designed using a project configuration software package having a creation tool for creating a project, generation tool for generating a station having a number of slots, a hardware catalog comprises a plurality of hardware module master data records, an insertion tool for inserting at least one hardware module master data record for a hardware module from the hardware catalog into the station, a customization tool for customizing the at least one hardware module, where the customization tool is configured to customize at least one environmental parameter that represents the ambient conditions at the deployment location of the at least one hardware module, and a storage tool for saving the station with the at least one hardware module master data record inserted into the station and its at least one customized environmental parameter.

To enable user-friendly modification of the environmental parameters, the customization tool has a parameterization interface that is configured to display a maximum temperature value specified in an as-delivered state of the hardware module, where an input tool for an ambient temperature parameter is configured within the parameterization interface to change the ambient temperature parameter in the direction of lower temperature values while preventing the maximum temperature value from being exceeded.

With regard to a computing power of the hardware modules to be customized, the configuration system is further enhanced in that the parameterization interface has a configuration tool which is configured to set and to save a configuration for the number of processor cores to be operated in the case of a multi-core processor.

In a further embodiment of the configuration system, an optimization tool that is configured based on the currently configured ambient temperature parameters and a stored hardware-module-specific heat dissipation table to automatically make available, when the automation system is started up or in the event of a change in the parameterization, a configuration that gives the number of processor cores to be operated in the case of a multi-core processor and with which the hardware modules offer the best possible computing power for the currently specified ambient temperature parameter and nevertheless are reliably cooled on account of the ambient conditions at the deployment location.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1illustrates a configuration system1for configuring hardware modules11,12,13in an automation system100. The configuration system1is configured, for example, as an industrial computer and has a project configuration software package2. The project configuration software package2is subdivided into different software components, comprising a creation tool3for creating a project101, a generation tool4for generating a station10having a number of slots10a,10b,10c, an insertion tool6for inserting a hardware module master data record51, . . . ,510for a hardware module11,12,13from a hardware catalog into the station10.

In order to configure the automation system100, after the project configuration software package2has been started an existing project101must be opened or a new project generated. In an interface that subsequently appears, either the already existing project101can be opened or a new project can be created. Within the project101, a station10is then to be created or an already existing station10is to be opened. The opened station10is then displayed on the interface in a separate window, for example, as is known from Windows interfaces. In addition, the slots10a,10b,10cavailable for the station10are displayed in the window. A first hardware module11can be parameterized or inserted onto the first slot10a, a second hardware module12onto the second slot10band a third hardware module13onto the third slot10c.

With the customization tool7, the hardware module master data records51, . . . ,510associated with the hardware modules11,12,13can be customized from the hardware catalog5. A first hardware module master data record51is assigned to the first hardware module11, a second hardware module master data record52to the second hardware module12and a third hardware module master data record53to the third hardware module13.

With the customization tool7, a maximum temperature value for an ambient temperature parameter defined in the as-delivered state of the hardware modules11,12,13can be changed in the direction of lower temperature values T1,T2,T3,T4(seeFIG. 2) in the customization step.

When the configuration of the hardware modules11,12,13has been completed for the automation system100, on the one hand, the project101with its station10is then saved in a data storage unit33, for example a hard disk and, on the other hand, the project101with its station10is saved as a configuration file for the automation system100in the hardware modules11,12,13or in a central component via an interface30that is connected by way of a field bus to a counter-interface31of the automation system100.

A storage tool8provides for secure storage in the data storage unit33or in the automation system100.

In an as-delivered state of the hardware modules11,12,13, a maximum temperature value is defined for an ambient temperature at the deployment location of the modules, which is specified with a default value of 65° C. Since in this particular case the automation system100is operated in part in an air-conditioned control cabinet32, where in particular the first hardware module11, the second hardware module12and the third hardware module13are situated in the air-conditioned control cabinet32, this ensures that a maximum ambient temperature in the air-conditioned control cabinet32of 45° C. is not exceeded.

In view of the fact that the automation system100, in particular the hardware modules11,12,13employed, are deployed in the air-conditioned control cabinet33and the ambient temperature in the air-conditioned control cabinet33does not exceed 45° C., a commissioning engineer or project engineer of an automation system100can advantageously use the customization tool7, which has a parameterization interface70, to customize an ambient temperature parameter20.

FIG. 2shows the customization tool7with its parameterization interface70. Temperature value T0=65° C. defined in an as-delivered state of a hardware module11,12,13is displayed. The as-delivered state temperature value T0can optionally be customized via an input tool71to a first temperature value21, T1=60° C., a second temperature value22, T2=55° C., a third temperature value23, T3=50° C. or a fourth temperature value24, T4=45° C. For the information of the commissioning engineer or the project engineer, in addition to the displays for the temperature values21, . . . ,24, corresponding output fields A1,A2,A3,A4are displayed in the input tool70. “Performance enhancement at T1=60° C. equals 10%” is displayed in a string in a first output field A1, “Performance enhancement at T2=55° C. equals 15%” is displayed in a string in a second output field A2, “Performance enhancement at T3=50° C. equals 30%” is displayed in a string in a third output field A3, and “Performance enhancement at T4=45° C. equals 50%” is displayed in a string in a fourth output field A4.

In the application described with respect toFIG. 1, with the knowledge that a maximum ambient temperature in the air-conditioned control cabinet32is 45° C. a commissioning engineer would now customize the ambient temperature parameter20of T0=65° C. to T4=45° C. in the input tool71, thereby achieving a gain in computing power of 50% in his hardware modules or in a particular hardware module. This change made using the customization tool7is saved via the storage tool8in the project101or in the station10. On account of its special deployment in an air-conditioned control cabinet32the automation system100configured in such a way can now be operated with its computing power increased by 50% compared with the maximum limited computing power in its as-delivered state.

FIG. 3illustrates a further simplification for configuration by the user. The customization tool7is now extended by its parameterization interface70such that it comprises a configuration tool72, where in addition to the displays for different temperature levels T1,T2,T3and the output fields further options for configuration via checkboxes CB1, . . . , CB33are now available.

The user or commissioning engineer is now informed by way of output fields A1,A2,A3not only what gain in performance is to be expected but on choosing temperature level T3of 45° C. a further choice of three checkboxes CB31,CB32,CB33is made available to him. A first checkbox CB31can be selected for the case that “one active processor core should bring a performance enhancement of 50%”. A second checkbox CB32can be selected if “two active processor cores should bring a performance enhancement of 30% per core” and a third checkbox CB33can be selected if “four active processor cores, where four cores should be operated with normal performance” are desired. This means that the parameterization interface70has a configuration tool72that is configured to set and save a configuration for the number of processor cores to be operated cases of a multi-core processor.

FIG. 4illustrates the configuration system1ofFIG. 1, but with an extension. The extension relates to an optimization tool9, where the optimization tool9functions with an optimization calculation90. The input variables used for the optimization calculation90are the configuration file from the project101and data from a module-specific heat dissipation table73. The optimization tool9is configured to automatically provide, based on the currently configured ambient temperature parameter20and a stored hardware-module11,12,13specific heat dissipation table73, a configuration that gives the number of processor cores to be operated in cases of a multi-core processor when the automation system100is started up or in the event of a change in the parameterization, and as a result of which the hardware modules11,12,13offer the best possible computing power for the currently specified ambient temperature parameter20and nevertheless are reliably cooled on account of the ambient conditions at the deployment location.

As an optional way to extend and facilitate the operability,FIG. 1additionally shows a web server80by means of which, in addition to the project configuration software package2the customization step can be performed. The web server80is connected by way of a data line (dashed) to the field bus. It is also possible to carry out the customization step by means of an operating panel81connected to the automation system100.

FIG. 5is a flowchart of a method for configuring hardware modules in an automation system. The method comprises opening or creating a project in a project configuration software package, as indicated in step510. Next, a station having a number of slots is opened or generated within the project, as indicated in step520.

A hardware catalog comprising a plurality of hardware module master data records is now opened, as indicated in step530. Next, at least one hardware module master data record for a hardware module from the hardware catalog is inserted into the station, as indicated in step540.

At least one environmental parameter representing ambient conditions at a deployment location of the at least one hardware module is specified to provide customization for the at least one hardware module master data record, as indicated in step550. Next, a station having the at least one hardware module master data record inserted into the station and with its at least one environmental parameter is now saved, as indicated in step560.