Automatic evaluation of a machine behaviour

A system program for a control device of a machine, wherein the system program is embodied on a non-transitory storage medium and comprises machine code which when loaded into a memory of the control device and executed by the control device, causes the control device to:

• control a first actuator of the machine with a controller structure implemented in the control device of the machine, wherein the first actuator is embodied as a position-controlled or speed-controlled axis;
• cyclically specify to the controller structure, both in a normal operating mode and in a special operating mode of the machine, a setpoint value for an action to be executed by the first actuator selected from a sequence of setpoint values;
• wherein in the normal operating mode, the setpoint value is determined with the control device using a utility program and, in the special operating mode, the setpoint value is determined using a system program different from the utility program;
• accept with the controller structure the specified setpoint value and an actual value for the action executed by the first actuator, determine from the specified setpoint value and the actual value a control signal for the first actuator, and control the first actuator according to the determined control signal;
• and
• in the special operating mode, capture the actual values corresponding to the sequence of setpoint values, determine a frequency characteristic for the first actuator from the sequence of setpoint values specified in the special operating mode and associated captured actual values, determine based on the frequency characteristic and on parameters of the controller structure, an evaluation for the first actuator and/or of the controller structure, and decide depending on the evaluation whether to transmit a message, and, if applicable, which type of message, to an operator of the machine or to a computing device over a computer network.

A control device for a machine, wherein the control device is programmed with a system program embodied on a non-transitory storage medium and comprising machine code which when loaded into a memory of the control device and executed by the control device causes the control device to:

• control a first actuator of the machine with a controller structure implemented in the control device of the machine, wherein the first actuator is embodied as a position-controlled or speed-controlled axis;
• cyclically specify to the controller structure, both in a normal operating mode and in a special operating mode of the machine, a setpoint value for an action to be executed by the first actuator selected from a sequence of setpoint values;
• wherein in the normal operating mode, the setpoint value is determined with the control device using a utility program and, in the special operating mode, the setpoint value is determined using a system program different from the utility program;
• accept with the controller structure the specified setpoint value and an actual value for the action executed by the first actuator, determine from the specified setpoint value and the actual value a control signal for the first actuator, and control the first actuator according to the determined control signal;
• and
• in the special operating mode, capture the actual values corresponding to the sequence of setpoint values, determine a frequency characteristic for the first actuator from the sequence of setpoint values specified in the special operating mode and associated captured actual values, determine based on the frequency characteristic and on parameters of the controller structure, an evaluation for the first actuator and/or of the controller structure, and decide depending on the evaluation whether to transmit a message, and, if applicable, which type of message, to an operator of the machine or to a computing device over a computer network.

A machine, such comprising:

• a first actuator embodied as a position-controlled or speed-controlled axis;
• and
• a control device comprising a controller structure controlling the first actuator, wherein the control device is configured to:
• cyclically specify to the controller structure, both in a normal operating mode and in a special operating mode of the machine, a setpoint value for an action to be executed by the first actuator selected from a sequence of setpoint values, wherein in the normal operating mode, the setpoint value is determined with the control device using a utility program and, in the special operating mode, the setpoint value is determined using a system program different from the utility program;
• accept with the controller structure the specified setpoint value and an actual value for the action executed by the first actuator, determine from the specified setpoint value and the actual value a control signal for the first actuator, and control the first actuator according to the determined control signal;
• and
• in the special operating mode, capture the actual values corresponding to the sequence of setpoint values, determine a frequency characteristic for the first actuator from the sequence of setpoint values specified in the special operating mode and associated captured actual values, determine based on the frequency characteristic and on parameters of the controller structure, an evaluation for the first actuator and/or of the controller structure, and decide depending on the evaluation whether to transmit a message, and, if applicable, which type of message, to an operator of the machine or to a computing device over a computer network.