Method and system for operating a multi-axis machine, in particular a robot

A system for operating a multiple axis machine, said system comprising:

• a machine control system for controlling the drives of the machine;
• a fail-safe control system configured for monitoring the machine and that comprises a first channel and a redundant, second channel;
• a storage medium including program code that, when executed by the fail-safe control system, causes the fail-safe control system to:
• in the first channel:
• receive first input target values and first input actual values from the machine control system,
• compare first reference target values, which depend on the first input target values, with first reference actual values, which depend on the first input actual values, with each other, and
• trigger a fault reaction when a deviation between the first reference target values and the first reference actual values exceeds a specified tolerance;
• and
• in the second channel:
• receive first input target values and first input actual values from the machine control system,
• compare first reference target values, which depend on the first input target values, with first reference actual values, which depend on the first input actual values, and
• trigger a fault reaction when a deviation between the first reference target values and the first reference actual values exceeds a specified tolerance;
• wherein the first input target values and the first input actual values comprise at least one of reference position values of a machine-fixed reference of the machine or, time derivatives of the reference position values;
• and
• wherein the machine control system determines at least one of target reference position values or actual reference position values based on a transformation between the reference position values of the machine-fixed reference and axial position values of the machine.

A computer program product for use with a multiple axis machine, wherein the machine includes a machine control system that controls drives of the machine, and a fail-safe control system that includes a first channel and a redundant, second channel which monitor the machine, the computer program product having programming code stored on a non-transitory machine readable data medium, the programming code configured to, when executed by the fail-safe control system, cause the fail-safe control system to:

• in the first channel:
• receive first input target values and first input actual values from the machine control system,
• compare first reference target values, which depend on the first input target values, with first reference actual values, which depend on the first input actual values, with each other, and
• trigger a fault reaction when a deviation between the first reference target values and the first reference actual values exceeds a specified tolerance;
• and
• in the second channel:
• receive first input target values and first input actual values from the machine control system,
• compare first reference target values, which depend on the first input target values, with first reference actual values, which depend on the first input actual values, and
• trigger a fault reaction when a deviation between the first reference target values and the first reference actual values exceeds a specified tolerance;
• wherein the first input target values and the first input actual values comprise at least one of reference position values of a machine-fixed reference of the machine, or time derivatives of the reference position values;
• and
• wherein the machine control system determines at least one of target reference position values or actual reference position values on the basis of a transformation between the reference position values of the machine-fixed reference and axial position values of the machine.