Ambiente de programação e integração para manufatura virtual “APIMV”

Abstract

The constant industrial evolution and the variety of technologies generate an increasing demand of qualified professionals for the flexibility of solutions related to the requirements and problems of the companies. Therefore, a universal system of simulation to make possible reproduction, programming, integration and control of different objects and instruments in a computer screen is important, to form a true idea of the reality of a project, before its implementation. With this vision, the Center of Reference in Technology of the Information (CRTi), at Federal University of Itajubá (UNIFEI), with support of the National Center of Research (CNPq), is developing a system of virtual manufacturing system to simulate industrial processes. The project can be used by institutions of education or by directed for companies, with intention to transmit the real idea of a idealized context for an industrial system serving as base of professionals training and support for specialists in taking of decisions in the planning of the production. The system counts on: virtual mockups, that simulate the real world using graphical animation based on virtual reality techniques, and an programming environment for developing the control logic. The programming environment is the subject of this work. It describes a standardized software, for development of programs that use the defined by IEC61131-3. Totally integrated in the virtual mockups for simulation of manufacturing processes, it is responsible for the programming of control logics that command the movement of objects, sensors and actuators, in the represented ones, thus creating a virtual reality. Destined, initially, to the development of control logics using Ladder language, was developed in this work a graphical tool of programming with edition resources, interpretation and simulation of the logic based on symbols of relays and function blocks. The programming tool developed offers a set of instructions that it allows to program the logic of functioning of a process or of a machine with the boolean functions (And, Or, Negation), timers, counters, comparators and arithmetical functions. This set is formed by some elements of programming, between them, the symbols of contact of relay: normal opened and normal closed, that when adequately combined in linkings series and parallel executes the boolean functions AND and OR respectively. Together to viii the functions of each element of programming, managed by an algorithm of interpretation and management, the dynamic of screen and images (illustrative figures), that are necessary to compose the logical relation between objects, had been created to implement the command lines. So that an element composes the diagram, is presented a generic image according to type of chosen component. This image can be moved in the edition space to determine the point of attachment of the component. It settled in the screen, characteristics datas are attributed to the component to allow its identification inside of the logic. The positioning in the screen specifies connection points establishing the linking between the elements, while the graphical symbologies define the behavior of the elements in the control logic. Manipulation commands of the environment are completely graphical, activated with buttons or tree of options. Elements of programming and lines of command can be edited, a complete diagram or individual lines can be executed or be simulated and there is the possibility of integration with virtual mockups of an industrial process. The variables can be recognized of the mockup, loaded of the entailed simulator to this environment or declared by the user. This environment is a simple software, easy of to be used and to apply, independent of equipment or supplier, and it has the advantage of to adapt itself to any machine, therefore it is an open software and to count on a flexible architecture. The logics implemented in it can be stored in archive as diagrams (complete program) or logic bit (independent lines of command) in a way chosen for the user. It possess resources that the majority of softwares similar it does not present, as: simulator module of entrances and exits, including the possibility of individual simulation of each line of command; options of regulated industrial languages of programming; and the most important, it must keeps link of communication with virtual mockups.