JP5485751B2 - Ladder diagram contact comment information input method and computer having the method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a contact comment information input method for creating a ladder diagram on a screen and a computer having the method.

  The programmable controller is used by being incorporated in a control system that controls a large number of production machines. The programmable controller is attached to various production apparatuses and equipment in addition to a CPU that controls and controls the entire programmable controller, a program ROM that stores a ladder program that is a user program, a work RAM that the CPU uses for work, and the like. An I / O unit is provided for inputting a signal from an input device such as a switch or a sensor or outputting a control output to an output device such as an actuator or a motor. The input and output devices connected to the I / O unit are constructed and arranged by the user in accordance with the production machine to constitute a user circuit device.

  In the control system incorporating the above programmable controller, the ladder diagram program edited and created by the ladder diagram creation tool comprising a personal computer is downloaded to the programmable controller, and the user circuit device, for example, the motor, for example, is driven ON / OFF by this program. It is designed to control some kind of control machine.

  For the electrical equipment in the factory that is controlled by such a programmable controller, user circuit devices such as sensors and motors are incorporated, and these user circuit devices are the I / O section of the programmable controller. Connected to a certain input / output contact.

  In carrying out this wiring, the electrical designer draws an electrical connection wiring diagram using the design screen with the electrical facility design tool. One of the electrical connection wiring diagrams may include a PLC connection diagram. The PLC connection diagram is a diagram showing connection wiring of the user circuit device for each contact in a plurality of contact arrangements provided in the actual PLC.

  The worker who actually performs the connection wiring performs the connection wiring work with reference to the electrical connection wiring diagram and the PLC connection diagram. In this case, the electrical designer uses the contact information as contact comment information, such as what kind of input / output device is connected to the PLC contact and what kind of control is performed for the worker who looks at the PLC connection diagram. wear. The above operations are performed by electrical connection wiring diagram creation software including PLC connection diagram creation.

  On the other hand, the ladder program is a program for determining a control sequence by the programmable controller and is described in a ladder diagram. In this ladder diagram, a plurality of program elements including contact points constituting a ladder program are drawn in a vertical ladder shape between two vertical bus lines at both left and right ends. In order to create and edit such a ladder diagram, for example, a ladder diagram creation tool comprising a computer is used, and ladder diagram creation software is downloaded to the tool.

  The electrical connection wiring diagram creation software and ladder diagram creation software described above are separate, and the contact comment information entered in the electrical connection wiring diagram is copied onto the ladder diagram by the ladder diagram creator. .

  Regardless of whether or not the electrical designer and the ladder diagram creator are different persons, this transcription is troublesome and troublesome, and it is easy to mistake the transcription of the contact comment information.

  Note that Patent Documents 1 and 2 can be referred to for contact comment information.

JP-A-9-330107 JP-A-11-327616

  Therefore, in the present invention, the contact comment information of the programmable controller input by the electrical designer or the like can be automatically input as the contact comment information in the ladder diagram when creating the ladder diagram, making the ladder diagram creation easy, and the contact comment information So that you can eliminate typing mistakes.

  In the method according to the first aspect of the present invention, contact comment information regarding the contact points of the PLC connection diagram and the ladder diagram is shared and managed on the database, and at least a ladder diagram is created among the PLC connection diagram creation tool and the ladder diagram creation tool. The tool side is characterized in that the contact comment information can be used from the database.

  In the first aspect of the present invention, the ladder diagram creation tool side can use the contact comment information input by the PLC connection diagram creation tool side in a database, so the contact comment information input by the PLC connection diagram creation tool is bothered. This eliminates the need for input on the ladder diagram creation tool side, making it easy to create a ladder diagram and eliminating input mistakes in contact comment information.

  In a preferred embodiment, when a PLC connection diagram is created by a PLC connection diagram creation tool, if contact comment information for a PLC contact is input and written to the PLC connection diagram, the contact comment information is automatically displayed in the database. On the other hand, when the ladder diagram is created by the ladder diagram creation tool, the contact comment information in the database can be used as the contact comment information on the ladder diagram.

  In this mode, it is not necessary to input the contact comment information input with the PLC connection diagram creation tool on the ladder diagram creation tool side, making it easy to create a ladder diagram and eliminating the input mistake of the contact comment information. It becomes like this. In particular, this aspect is preferable because the contact comment information is input without being conscious on the ladder diagram creation tool side, that is, without forgetting to input the contact comment information.

   A preferred mode is that a ladder diagram creation tool displays a PLC connection diagram in a window on a ladder diagram creation screen, and touches an area on the PLC connection diagram provided corresponding to the ladder diagram contact, the contact Contact comment information is read from the database and displayed on the ladder diagram.

  In this aspect, the ladder diagram creator can select whether or not to display the PLC connection diagram in a window on the ladder diagram creation screen. Then, when the PLC connection diagram is displayed in a window, and the contact area on the PLC connection diagram corresponding to the ladder diagram contact is touched on the window display screen, the contact comment information of the contact is read from the database, Since the contact comment information is displayed on the ladder diagram, it is very easy to input the contact comment information without making an input error.

  In a preferred embodiment, when one contact comment information on the ladder diagram creation screen and the PLC connection diagram is corrected, the other contact comment information and the contact comment information in the corresponding database are automatically corrected. The above two figures are linked.

  In this aspect, when the contact comment information is corrected on either one of the above-mentioned drawings, it is not possible to forget the operation for correcting the contact comment information corresponding to the correction on the other side.

  The computer according to the second aspect of the present invention has a tool function capable of creating a PLC connection diagram and a ladder diagram with the same software, and a database function shared and managed by both the tools, and creates a PLC connection diagram. Contact comment information related to the contact can be written to the database by the tool function, and contact comment information can be used from the above database when creating a ladder diagram using the ladder diagram creation tool function. It is characterized by this. The name of this computer does not matter. For example, even a PLC connection diagram creation tool or a ladder diagram creation tool is included in the second computer of the present invention.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to automatically input the contact comment information of the programmable controller input by the electrical designer or the like as the contact comment information in the ladder diagram at the time of creating the ladder diagram. It is possible to eliminate mistakes in inputting contact comment information.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a computer that implements a system according to an embodiment of the present invention and a programmable controller connected thereto. FIG. 2A is a diagram showing an example of electrical wiring of manufacturing equipment in a factory, and FIG. 2B is a diagram showing an example of displaying the electrical wiring of FIG. 2A on a computer screen. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a PLC connection diagram on a computer screen. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a database conceptually displayed on the computer screen. FIG. 5 shows a ladder diagram created on the computer screen. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of inputting contact comment information in the ladder diagram of FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of inputting contact comment information in the ladder diagram of FIG. FIG. 8 is a flowchart used to explain the input of contact comment information. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the link of the PLC connection diagram, the database, and the ladder diagram.

  Hereinafter, a ladder diagram contact comment information input method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  This embodiment is intended to embody the technical idea of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention. This embodiment does not limit the elements constituting the system described in the claims.

  The system according to the present embodiment is a system for creating and editing a ladder diagram format program (ladder program), input / output, display, calculation, communication and other processes related to editing of a ladder program in terms of hardware. It is not limited to. An apparatus that implements the system of the present embodiment in terms of software is also included in the scope of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, a system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring to FIG. 1A, application software for creating an electrical wiring diagram, creating a PLC connection diagram, and creating a ladder diagram is downloaded to the computer 1.

  The electrical wiring diagram is a diagram showing electrical wiring for sequence-controlling manufacturing equipment in a factory by a programmable controller. The programmable controller is abbreviated as PLC.

  The PLC connection diagram is a diagram showing the connection between the PLC contacts and input / output devices such as sensors and motors.

  As described above, the ladder diagram is a program in which a PLC control sequence is described in a ladder language.

  The computer 1 is a general-purpose computer and includes a display screen 3, a keyboard 4, and a mouse 5. As shown in FIG. 1B, the computer 1 includes a CPU 1a, a memory 1b, a display control unit 1c, an operation signal processing unit 1d, an external storage unit 1e, a communication interface 1f, and the like in a circuit block.

  The CPU 1a is a control unit that can perform control and arithmetic processing of each unit when the software is executed on an OS (operating system) installed in the computer 1.

  The memory 1b includes a memory such as a RAM and a ROM, and is a memory that can provide application software and data storage, temporary data storage, and a work area during the arithmetic processing of the CPU 1a.

  The display control unit 1c is a control unit that controls display on the display screen 3 under the control of the CPU 1a.

  The display screen 3 is preferably, for example, a CRT, LCD, or a flat screen such as a liquid crystal panel or EL panel.

  The operation signal processing unit 1d receives and processes operation signals from a keyboard, a mouse, etc. and inputs them to the CPU 1a. The CPU 1a executes the program in response to this operation signal.

  The external storage unit 1e is a storage unit configured by a device such as a magnetic disk drive such as a hard disk device or an optical disk drive such as a CD-ROM drive.

  The communication interface 1 f is an interface that performs data communication with the PLC 2.

  The ladder diagram created by the above software is transferred to the PLC 2 via the communication interface 1 f and downloaded to the memory in the PLC 2.

  In the computer 1 according to the embodiment, an electrical wiring diagram creation tool, a PLC connection diagram creation tool, and a ladder diagram creation tool are executed by referring to FIG. 2 and subsequent drawings by application software for these tools. Can be done.

  First, with reference to FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b), electrical wiring in a factory and creation of an electrical wiring diagram on a computer display screen will be described. FIG. 2A shows a work transfer line 6, a non-defective product transfer line 7, and a defective product transfer line 8 in a production line in the factory. Each of these transport lines 6-8 is provided with a sensor 9-11 for performing various detections on the container 14 and motors 12a-12c for performing various operations in response to the detections. Electrical wiring 20 is provided for connecting to the PLC 2.

  The container presence / absence detection sensor 9 is a sensor used for detecting the presence / absence of a container.

  The container passage speed detection sensor 10 is a sensor used for detecting the container speed passing through the transport line.

  The good / bad container detection sensor 11 is a sensor used for detecting good / bad of the container 14.

  The line drive motor 12a is a motor M1 used for driving the transport line, and drives the transport line 6-8.

  The transfer line switching motor 12b is a motor M2 used for controlling whether the container 14 is switched from the work transfer line 6 to the non-defective product transfer line 7 side or to the defective product transfer line 8 side.

  The defective product discharge motor 12c is a motor M3 that discharges defective products from the transport line.

  The sensors 9-11 are respectively connected to the input contacts X0-X2 of the PLC2, and the motors 12a-12c are respectively connected to the output contacts Y0-Y2 of the PLC2.

  The PLC 2 inputs the signal from each of the sensors 9-11 via the input contacts X0-X2 and performs a logical operation on this signal internally. From the calculation result, the PLC 12 outputs the motor 12a- via the output contacts Y0-Y2. By outputting a control signal to 12c, the rotation of the motors 12a-12c is controlled to control the conveyance of the container 14 on the conveyance line 6-8.

  FIG. 2B shows a computer screen 15 displaying the electrical wiring diagram. The computer screen 15 includes a title bar 15a, a menu bar 15b, a tool bar 15c as a user interface screen, and a drawing area 15d. Note that the screen configuration of the screen 15 can be changed as appropriate. The image corresponding to FIG. 2B is denoted by the same reference numeral as that of FIG. 2A for convenience of illustration.

  In the electrical wiring diagram displayed on the screen 15, along the conveying line, the container presence / absence detection sensor 9 is at the input contact X0 of the PLC 2, the container passage speed detection sensor 10 is at the input contact X1, and the good / bad detection sensor 11 is. Is connected to the input contact X2, the motor 12a (M1) is connected to the output contact Y0, the motor 12b (M2) is connected to the output contact Y1, and the motor 12c is connected to the output contact Y2.

  The PLC 2 controls the rotation of the motors 12a-12c in accordance with the output signals of these sensors 9-11 to perform speed control and switching control of the transport line 6-8. Has been.

  The PLC connection diagram displayed in the PLC connection diagram creation display window on the computer screen 15 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 shows a front view of a vertically placed PLC. The PLC connection diagram creation display window 15e is displayed by the file operation on the menu bar 15b. The PLC connection diagram displayed as an image in the window 15e includes a main body display area 15f of the PLC 2 and a vertical line on each of the left and right sides of the main body display area 15f. The input contacts X0, X1,. , Y1... Image display areas 15g, 15h are arranged. Further, contact comment information input / display areas 15i and 15j are arranged on the left and right sides in the figure. In the contact comment information input / display areas 15i and 15j, the input contact X0 is a container presence / absence detection sensor 9, the input contact X1 is a container passage speed detection sensor 10, the input contact X2 is a good / bad container detection sensor 11, and an output contact It is displayed that Y0 is connected to the transfer line drive motor 12a, the output contact Y1 is connected to the transfer line switching motor 12b, and the output contact Y2 is connected to the defective product discharge motor 12c.

  Contact comment information is input and displayed in the contact comment information input / display areas 15i and 15j by the electrical designer. The electrical designer operates the mouse, the keyboard, and the like to input the sensor type, the motor type, and the like in the contact comment information input / display areas 15i and 15j. The contact comment information input to the contact comment information input / display areas 15 i and 15 j is stored in the database 16 in the computer 1. This storage operation is performed by clicking on the database storage operation button 17 on the toolbar 15c.

  In FIG. 4, the database 16 is displayed in a window 15p called on the computer screen 15. The contact comment information is stored in the area 16a in the database 16 and displayed.

  After the storing operation to the database 16, a ladder diagram creation display window 15k is called on the computer screen 15 by a file operation of the menu bar 15b in order to create a ladder diagram as shown in FIG. A ladder diagram creation display area is displayed in the called window 15k. The ladder diagram creation display area will be described with reference to FIG. 5. The ladder diagram creator creates a ladder diagram on this area. In FIG. 5, input contacts X0-X2 and output contacts Y0-Y2 are shown. In the ladder diagram creation area, bus lines 18 are displayed in the vertical direction, row lines 19 are displayed in the horizontal direction from the bus lines 18 to the ladder diagram row numbers 1, 2,..., And contact numbers X0-X2, on each row line 19. Y0-Y2 and contact symbols are displayed.

  The spaces 15i and 15j, which are contact comment information input areas in the PLC connection diagram of FIG. 3, the contact comment information display area 16a in the database 16 conceptually shown in FIG. 4, and the ladder diagram of FIG. In the contact number X0, X1... Area, a contact comment information link for linking between them is embedded.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the contact comment information input button 21 on the toolbar 15c of the computer screen 15 is clicked with the mouse, and then the contact number for displaying the contact comment information is clicked with the mouse in the ladder diagram displayed in the window 15k. Then, the contact comment information corresponding to the contact number is called from the database 16, and the contact comment information is input and displayed in the area above the contact number in the ladder diagram in the window 15k.

  Next, a ladder diagram creation display window 15k and a contact comment information display window 15q are displayed on the computer screen 15 shown in FIG. When the collective contact comment information input button 22 on the toolbar 15c of the computer screen 15 is clicked with the mouse, the contact comment information is collectively called from the database 16, and all the contact comment information display window 15q is displayed. The contact comment information corresponding to the contact number is input and displayed.

  From the above, as shown in FIG. 8, the electrical designer creates an electrical wiring diagram, and then creates a PLC connection diagram. At this time, the electrical designer inputs contact comment information with a mouse or the like, and registers it in the database. Next, the ladder diagram creator creates a ladder diagram. In this ladder diagram creation, when contact comment information is input to each contact, the contact comment information is read from the database, and the contact comment information is automatically input and displayed at each contact on the ladder diagram.

  As described above, in the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the contact comment information stored in the database 16 is converted into the PLC connection diagram in the PLC connection diagram creation display window 15e and the ladder diagram creation display window 15k. Since the ladder diagram is shared and linked, for example, the contact comment information link button 22 is provided on the toolbar of the computer screen 15, and the contact X0 on the ladder diagram displayed in the ladder diagram display window 15k is clicked with the mouse. Then, when the link button 22 is operated, the contact comment information in the database 16 can be input and displayed in a predetermined area of the contact X0.

  The operation includes various pointing device operations such as a slide pad, a track point, a tablet, a joystick, a console, a jog dial, a digitizer, a light pen, a numeric keypad, and a touch pad in addition to the mouse click. Further, a touch screen or a touch panel function may be provided on the computer screen itself so that the user can directly input the contact comment information by touching the screen directly by hand.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the contact comment information on the contact points of the PLC connection diagram and the ladder diagram is shared and managed on the database, and at least of the PLC connection diagram creation tool and the ladder diagram creation tool. Since the ladder diagram creation tool side can automatically use contact comment information from the database, the ladder diagram creation tool side uses the contact comment information input by the PLC connection diagram creation tool side in the database. Therefore, it is no longer necessary to input the contact comment information entered with the PLC connection diagram creation tool on the ladder diagram creation tool side, making it easier to create a ladder diagram and eliminating input mistakes in the contact comment information. Will be able to.

  In the embodiment, when the contact comment information for the PLC contact is written at the time of creating the PLC connection diagram, the contact comment information is automatically stored in the database. On the other hand, the ladder diagram is created. In some cases, the contact comment information in the database can be automatically used as the contact comment information on the ladder diagram.

  This eliminates the need to re-enter the contact comment information entered with the PLC connection diagram creation tool on the ladder diagram creation tool side, making it easier to create a ladder diagram and eliminating input mistakes in contact comment information. Will be able to.

  In the embodiment, when the ladder diagram creation tool displays a PLC connection diagram on the ladder diagram creation screen in a window and touches the contact area on the PLC connection diagram corresponding to the ladder diagram contact, the contact Contact comment information is read from the database, and the contact comment information is displayed on the ladder diagram.

  In such a case, it is no longer necessary to re-enter the contact comment information entered with the PLC connection diagram creation tool, and the ladder diagram creation tool can be easily rewritten, and mistakes in the contact comment information can be eliminated. It becomes like this. In addition, the contact point comment information is input without being conscious on the ladder diagram creation tool side, that is, without forgetting to input the contact point comment information.

  Furthermore, in the embodiment, when one contact comment information on the ladder diagram creation screen and the PLC connection diagram is corrected, the other contact comment information and the contact comment information in the corresponding database are automatically displayed. The ladder diagram and the PLC connection diagram are linked together with the database so as to be corrected accordingly.

  In such a case, when the contact comment information is corrected on either side of the above figures, the contact comment information corresponding to the correction is also corrected on either side, so it is necessary to be aware of the correction operation. This makes it easier to create ladder diagrams.

1 Computer 2 PLC

Claims (5)

  The contact comment information on the contact points of the PLC connection diagram and ladder diagram is shared and managed on the database, and at least the ladder diagram creation tool side of the PLC connection diagram creation tool and ladder diagram creation tool is the database. Ladder diagram contact comment information input method that makes contact comment information available from.   When contact comment information for PLC contacts is written when creating a PLC connection diagram, the contact comment information is automatically stored in the database. On the other hand, when creating a ladder diagram, the database The method according to claim 1, wherein contact comment information in a network can be used as contact comment information on a ladder diagram.   With the ladder diagram creation tool, the PLC connection diagram is displayed in a window on the ladder diagram creation screen, and when the area on the PLC connection diagram provided corresponding to the ladder diagram contact is touched, the contact comment information for that contact is displayed. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is read from a database and displayed on a ladder diagram.   When one contact comment information on the ladder diagram creation screen and the PLC connection diagram is corrected, the other contact comment information and the contact comment information in the corresponding database are automatically corrected. The method of claim 1, wherein the are linked.   It has a tool function that can create a PLC connection diagram and a ladder diagram with the same software, and a database function that is shared and managed by both of the above tools. A computer in which information can be written to a database, and contact comment information can be used from the database when a ladder diagram is created by a ladder diagram creation tool function.

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