US-12617628-B2 - Control system for conveying line, conveying line and control method

US12617628B2US 12617628 B2US12617628 B2US 12617628B2US-12617628-B2

Abstract

The embodiments of the present application provide a control system for a conveying line, a conveying line and a control method for a conveying line, the conveying line includes at least one conveying unit, the control system includes: at least one unit controller, a general controller and an upper computer, the unit controller one-to-one corresponds to the conveying unit, the unit controller is fixed in the corresponding conveying unit, the upper computer generates conveying path data according to a material conveying requirement and layout data of the conveying unit, the general controller is configured to receive the conveying path data, and is further configured to receive material location data sent by the unit controller and generate a control instruction for the unit controller according to the material location data and the conveying path data, and the unit controller controls the conveying unit according to the control instruction.

Inventors

Cheng Wang
Yuqin TANG
Chao Lu
Ruiting XIONG
Xiong Zhang

Assignees

DELTA ELECTRONICS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20211124
Priority Date: 20201214

Claims (15)

1 . A control system for a conveying line, wherein the conveying line comprises at least one conveying unit and each of the at least one conveying unit comprises a sensor and an actuator, and the control system comprises at least one unit controller, a general controller and an upper computer; the unit controller one-to-one corresponds to the conveying unit, the unit controller is fixed in the corresponding conveying unit, the general controller is in communication with the unit controller, and the general controller is in communication with the upper computer; the upper computer is configured to generate conveying path data according to a material conveying requirement and layout data of the conveying unit; the general controller is configured to receive the conveying path data, and is further configured to receive material location data sent by the unit controller and generate a control instruction for the unit controller according to the material location data and the conveying path data; and the unit controller controls the conveying unit according to the control instruction to convey a material according to a preset conveying path; wherein an input port of the unit controller is configured to electrically connect with the sensor, an output port of the unit controller is configured to electrically connect with the actuator; the upper computer generates interface configuration information according to an electrical connection mode between the sensor and the unit controller and an electrical connection mode between the actuator and the unit controller; and the general controller generates an interface configuration instruction, an interface query instruction and an interface control instruction according to the interface configuration information; wherein the interface configuration instruction is configured to configure an interface parameter of the input port of the unit controller and an interface parameter of the output port of the unit controller, the interface query instruction is configured to query interface status information of the input port of the unit controller, and the interface control instruction is configured to control the actuator connected with the output port of the unit controller.
2 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the general controller and the upper computer are independent devices, or the general controller and the upper computer are integrated into one device.
3 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the unit controller comprises an analog signal input interface circuit and a digital signal input interface circuit; if there is an electrical connection between the analog signal input interface circuit and the sensor, the upper computer generates interface configuration information for configuring the analog signal input interface circuit; or if there is an electrical connection between the digital signal input interface circuit and the sensor, the upper computer generates interface configuration information for configuring the digital signal input interface circuit; or if there is an electrical connection between the analog signal input interface circuit and the sensor and there is an electrical connection between the digital signal input interface circuit and the sensor, the upper computer generates interface configuration information for configuring the digital signal input interface circuit and the analog signal input interface circuit.
4 . The control system according to claim 3 , wherein the unit controller further comprises an analog signal output interface circuit and an digital signal output interface circuit; if there is an electrical connection between the analog signal output interface circuit and the actuator, the upper computer generates interface configuration information for configuring the analog signal output interface circuit; or if there is an electrical connection between the digital signal output interface circuit and the actuator, the upper computer generates interface configuration information for configuring the digital signal output interface circuit; or if there is an electrical connection between the analog signal output interface circuit and the actuator and there is an electrical connection between the digital signal output interface circuit and the actuator, the upper computer generates interface configuration information for configuring the digital signal output interface circuit and the analog signal output interface circuit.
5 . The control system according to claim 4 , wherein the unit controller further comprises a unit processor and a unit communication circuit; the unit communication circuit is configured to upload the material location data received by the analog signal input interface circuit and/or the digital signal input interface circuit to the general controller, and is further configured to receive the control instruction sent by the general controller; and the unit processor is configured to convert the control instruction into a control signal for controlling the actuator, and transmit the control signal to the actuator through the analog signal output interface circuit and/or the digital signal output interface circuit.
6 . The control system according to claim 5 , wherein the general controller comprises a general processor and a general communication circuit; the general communication circuit is configured to receive the material location data sent by the unit communication circuit, and is further configured to receive the conveying path data sent by the upper computer; and the general processor is configured to generate the control instruction for the unit controller according to the material location data and the conveying path data.
7 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein, the unit controller is configured to receive a fault data of the conveying unit and send the fault data to the general controller; the general controller is configured to send the fault data to the upper computer; and the upper computer is configured to update the conveying path data according to the fault data.
8 . A conveying line, comprising the control system according to claim 1 and at least one conveying unit, and the control system is configured to control the at least one conveying unit to convey a material according to a preset conveying path.
9 . A control method for a conveying line, wherein the control method is applied to a general controller, the conveying line comprises at least one conveying unit and each of the at least one conveying unit comprises a sensor and an actuator, and the control method comprises: receiving a conveying path data sent by an upper computer, wherein the conveying path data is generated according to a material conveying requirement and layout data of the conveying unit; receiving material location data sent by a unit controller, wherein the unit controller one-to-one corresponds to the conveying unit, and the unit controller is fixed in the corresponding conveying unit; generating a control instruction for the unit controller according to the material location data and the conveying path data; and sending the control instruction to the unit controller, so that the unit controller controls the conveying unit according to the control instruction to convey a material according to a preset conveying path; wherein the control method further comprises: receiving interface configuration information sent by the upper computer; wherein the interface configuration information is generated according to an electrical connection mode between the sensor and the unit controller and an electrical connection mode between the actuator and the unit controller; and generating an interface configuration instruction, an interface query instruction and an interface control instruction according to the interface configuration information; wherein the interface configuration instruction is configured to configure an interface parameter of an input port of the unit controller and an interface parameter of an output port of the unit controller, the interface query instruction is configured to query interface status information of the input port of the unit controller, and the interface control instruction is configured to control the actuator connected with the output port of the unit controller.
10 . A control method for a conveying line, wherein the control method is applied to an upper computer, the conveying line comprises at least one conveying unit and each of the at least one conveying unit comprises a sensor and an actuator, and the control method comprises: obtaining a material conveying requirement and layout data of the conveying unit; generating conveying path data according to the material conveying requirement and the layout data of the conveying unit; and sending the conveying path data to a general controller; wherein the conveying path data is configured to generate a control instruction for a unit controller, the control instruction is configured to control the conveying unit to convey a material according to a preset conveying path, wherein the unit controller one-to-one corresponds to the conveying unit, and the unit controller is fixed in the corresponding conveying unit; wherein the control method further comprises: generating interface configuration information according to an electrical connection mode between the sensor and the unit controller and an electrical connection mode between the actuator and the unit controller; and sending the interface configuration information to the general controller, so that the general controller generates an interface configuration instruction, an interface query instruction and an interface control instruction according to the interface configuration information.
11 . The control method according to claim 10 , wherein the unit controller comprises an analog signal input interface circuit and a digital signal input interface circuit; the generating interface configuration information according to electrical connection mode between the sensor and the unit controller specifically comprises: if there is an electrical connection between the analog signal input interface circuit and the sensor, generating interface configuration information for configuring the analog signal input interface circuit; or if there is an electrical connection between the digital signal input interface circuit and the sensor, generating interface configuration information for configuring the digital signal input interface circuit; or if there is an electrical connection between the analog signal input interface circuit and the sensor and there is an electrical connection between the digital signal input interface circuit and the sensor, generating interface configuration information for configuring the digital signal input interface circuit and the analog signal input interface circuit.
12 . The control method according to claim 10 , wherein the unit controller comprises an analog signal output interface circuit and a digital signal output interface circuit; the generating interface configuration information according to electrical connection mode between the actuator and the unit controller specifically comprises: if there is an electrical connection between the analog signal output interface circuit and the actuator, generating interface configuration information for configuring the analog signal output interface circuit; or if there is an electrical connection between the digital signal output interface circuit and the actuator, generating interface configuration information for configuring the digital signal output interface circuit; or if there is an electrical connection between the analog signal output interface circuit and the actuator and there is an electrical connection between the digital signal output interface circuit and the actuator, generating interface configuration information for configuring the digital signal output interface circuit and the analog signal output interface circuit.
13 . The control method according to claim 10 , wherein the control method further comprises: receiving fault data of a conveying unit sent by the general controller, wherein the fault data is collected by a sensor; and updating the conveying path data according to the fault data.
14 . A control method for a conveying line, wherein the control method is applied to a unit controller, the conveying line comprises at least one conveying unit and each of the at least one conveying unit comprises a sensor and an actuator, the unit controller one-to-one corresponds to the conveying unit, the unit controller is fixed in the corresponding conveying unit, and the control method comprises: sending material location data, so that a general controller generates a control instruction according to the material location data and conveying path data which is generated by an upper computer according to a material conveying requirement and layout data of the conveying unit; and controlling the conveying unit according to the control instruction to convey a material according to a preset conveying path; wherein interface configuration information received by the general controller is generated according to an electrical connection mode between the sensor and the unit controller and an electrical connection mode between the actuator and the unit controller; an interface configuration instruction generated by a general controller is configured to configure an interface parameter of an input port of the unit controller and an interface parameter of an output port of the unit controller; an interface query instruction generated by the general controller is configured to query interface status information of the input port of the unit controller, and an interface control instruction generated by the general controller is configured to control the actuator connected with the output port of the unit controller.
15 . The control method according to claim 14 , wherein the general controller and the upper computer are independent devices, or the general controller and the upper computer are integrated into one device.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202011467060.6, filed on Dec. 14, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present application relates to the field of industrial manufacturing technology, in particular, to a control system for a conveying line, a conveying line and a control method. BACKGROUND In the mass production of products, the traditional customized conveying line can effectively improve production efficiency at the expense of limited costs. However, as the industrial manufacturing changes from large quantities and standardization productions to small quantities and diversified personalized productions, in view of manufacturing cost of highly customized conveying lines for specific usage scenarios and time cost of design, transformation and debugging and maintenance have increased, the traditional conveying lines cannot adapt to use requirements and development trends of flexible layout of the conveying lines and dynamic adjustment of conveying function. Traditional customized conveying line manufacturers only provide conveying modules with different functions, such as: linear conveying modules, arc conveying modules, 45-degree shunt modules. This type of conveying modules include a motor and pulley sets, where the pulley sets need to be designed according to the needs of a drive mechanism. The programmable logic controller (Programmable Logic Controller, PLC) can control the start and stop, the direction of rotation, and the acceleration and deceleration of the motor. When the conveying tasks of a specific function, for example, shunting and merging, reversing or buffering functions, etc. is to be realized, it is necessary to make shunt modules or reverse modules according to the demands, and it is necessary to write a fixed logic control program on the corresponding PLC. Therefore, if functions of the conveying lines need to be changed and adjusted, it is necessary to re-plan functions of the conveying module and rewrite the control logic program of the PLC, which leads to too long adjustment time of production lines, thereby affecting normal production and high adjustment costs. SUMMARY The embodiments of the present application provide a control system for a conveying line, a conveying line and a control method, to solve the problems of the prior art that the functions of the conveying modules need to be re-planned and the logic program needs to be rewritten due to changes in the functional requirements of the conveying lines, resulting in long adjustment time and high adjustment cost. In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a control system for a conveying line, the conveying line includes at least one conveying unit, and the control system includes: at least one unit controller, a general controller and an upper computer; the unit controller one-to-one corresponds to the conveying unit, the unit controller is fixed in the corresponding conveying unit, the general controller is in communication with the unit controller, and the general controller is in communication with the upper computer;the upper computer is configured to generate conveying path data according to a material conveying requirement and layout data of the conveying unit;the general controller is configured to receive the conveying path data, and is further configured to receive material location data sent by the unit controller and generate a control instruction for the unit controller according to the material location data and the conveying path data; and the unit controller controls the conveying unit according to the control instruction to convey a material according to a preset conveying path. Optionally, the general controller and the upper computer are independent devices, or the general controller and the upper computer are integrated into one device. Optionally, the conveying unit includes a sensor and an actuator; an input port of the unit controller is configured to electrically connect with the sensor, an output port of the unit controller is configured to electrically connect with the actuator;the upper computer generates interface configuration information according to an electrical connection between the sensor and the unit controller and an electrical connection between the actuator and the unit controller;the general controller generates an interface configuration instruction, an interface query instruction and an interface control instruction according to the interface configuration information;where the interface configuration instruction is configured to configure an interface parameter of the input port of the unit controller and an interface parameter of the output port of the unit controller, the interface query instruction is configured to query interface status information of the input port of the unit controller, and the interface control instruction is config