Abstract:
The present invention relates generally to a method and an apparatus for operating an automation system. The method for operating an automation system comprises the method steps of: a) providing a learning-based prediction model (M) for the automation system trained by process data (D) comprising context of an automation process, b) receiving information about current context of the automation process, c) verifying context change by comparing the current context to the context of said process data, d) in the case of any context change verifying a concept drift by comparing pre-drift process data and post-drift process data, e) in the case of any concept drift re-training said model (M) with post-drift process data, f) in the case of no context change testing for random concept drift not detected by verifying context change, g) in the case of any random concept drift extend the current context by using data comprising previous context changes, h) otherwise no further method steps are required.
Abstract:
A CNC machine shaping tool is efficiently used by monitoring human audible sound during shaping. A sound information set is created for a tool shaping a workpiece. Shaping sounds are recorded and sliced into short term units. A human operator assigns tool condition labels to each slice. Short term units are combined into mid term units. Noise is reduced by profiling. Mid term sound related features of time and frequency domains are extracted. Dimensionality is reduced by robust principal component analysis. The principal component set is balanced, e.g. by SMOTE. A classifier and principal components are selected. An information set of patterns of values of selected principal components for the tool is created. In an industrial setting, shaping sounds are recorded, noise reduced and select principal component vector values are compared to the tool condition labeled patterns of values in the information set to identify tool condition before deterioration.
Abstract:
An object oriented approach to virtual motion programming utilizes generic motion identifiers to construct universal generic motion descriptions (102) of complex motien events. A virtual motion controller (110) receives generic motion descriptions and breaks down the descriptions into their constituent parts. The controller (110) expands the generic motion identifiers into general acceleration profiles and processes the general acceleration profiles with the modifiers to generate ideal acceleration profiles that define the acceleration components for the generic motion description with reference to an ideal motion platform (38) having unlimited mechanical movement. The controller (110) translates the ideal acceleration profiles into customized position commands for the motion platform based upon the controller's knowledge of the platform's capabilities.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus is disclosed for "intelligent" control (410) of production processes such as machining, casting, heat treating and welding. The key enabler of such control is of an electro-optical (25, 95, 305, 405) or other suitable sensor type. The sensor is generally of non contact type, capable of rapidly and accurately acquiring data from parts and the tools used to produce the parts in a production "in-process" environment. Systems are disclosed to control not only the instant operation, but those processes connected therewith, both upstream and downstream. Data bases are generated and knowledge bases are used. Application of the invention can improve quality and productivity, and allow the production of parts which have unusual or individual material characteristics (1000-1008).
Abstract:
A method of automatically retrieving working conditions in an electric discharge machine, wherein the said method is built up on the basis of an expert system and, even by an unskilled operator, optimal working conditions in the electric discharge machine can be set. A source knowledge base (6) prepared on the basis of the knowledge and experience of an expert (5) an including data on working conditions and production rules is converted into an object knowledge base (3) by a compiler (4), and subsequently, the knowledge base (3) together with an inference engine (2) are stored in a computer-incorporating type numerical control device (10) equipped on the electric discharge machine. When the operator (1) inputs the retrieving conditions including the diameter of the wire, the material quality of the work, the plate thickness of the work, the desirable mean working speed, the surface roughness, the working accuracy and the like via a manual input data device (25) in order to perform automatic retrieving of the working conditions, the inference engine successively processes the production rules relating to the retrieving conditions while utilizing the data on the working conditions relating to the production rules, retrieves the working conditions suitable for the retrieving conditions and displays them on a display screen.
Abstract:
A system and a method for generating instructions for an automated machine adapted for performing a given process on an object are disclosed. The method comprises providing process data representative of the given process to perform; acquiring 3D geometrical data of a portion of the object; generating a model of the portion of the object using the acquired 3D geometrical data; generating a set of instructions for the automated machine according to the generated model and the process data; and providing the set of instructions to the automated machine for performing the given process on the portion of the object. The method may be adapted for cost-effectively automating the manufacturing of a unitary object while taking into consideration actual deformations of the object prior to generate the instructions for the automated machine.
Abstract:
The present document describes a method, a processor platform and a processor readable medium for controlling a supply chain for moving goods by agents according to orders. The method is for controlling globally and/or individually, and for optimizing based on live events, in real-time, in a single or multi company environment, simultaneously many well known business activities such as customer relationship management (CRM), pickup calls phone services, scheduling, monitoring of picking up and delivery of parcels and operations status, of transfer, of terminal, of interleaving and of deliveries, human resource management, pricing, maintenance, engine monitoring, device monitoring and invoicing, offering thus integrated solutions to each segment of the market of goods transportation in a single system. The method comprises: updating a knowledge base populated with statuses of the goods; statuses of the agents; rules for establishing expected behaviors of the goods and of the agents; and the orders. The method further comprises: determining, based on the knowledge base, instructions to be executed by the agents for moving the goods to achieve the orders, each one of the instructions having an expected completion duration; sending the instructions to the agents; receiving the instructions for execution by the agents; upon completion an instruction by an agent or when an event affects an instruction executed by an agent, the same agent sending the status of a good or its own status to the knowledge base; and returning to the updating a knowledge base, wherein each elapsed time between each agent sending the status of a good or its own status to the knowledge base and the same agent receiving an instruction is smaller that the expected completion duration of the same instruction.
Abstract:
A method is provided for invoking condition monitoring among a plurality of machines, comprising establishing a network of automated local experts at generally fixed locations and interconnected by at least one network connection ,configuring each of the local experts to receive vibration data from at least one of the plurality of machines which is located in relative physical proximity thereto and configuring each of the local experts to analyze the received vibration data and to diagnose a condition of the machine providing the received vibration data based on the received vibration, and configuring each of the local experts to transmit diagnostic information relating to the condition of the respective machines via the at least one network connection.
Abstract:
Adaptive control apparatus and method for the adaptive control of a machining apparatus such as discharge machining apparatus, wherein a plurality of methods for realizing desired machining conditions such as machining know-how are independently described and stored as knowledge bases, and control operation is carried out based thereupon in order to maintain machining conditions easily and desirably.