Analysis apparatus, control method thereof, and analysis system

An analysis system capable of communicating with a server apparatus and a programmable logic controller, the programmable logic controller including:

• a basic unit having a processor that executes a user program using a symbol including a device or a variable;
• and one or more expansion units each expanding a function of the programmable logic controller, the basic unit and the one or more expansion units are connected to and communicated with each other via a bus, the analysis system comprising:
• a memory that stores programmable logic controller (PLC)-specific information different from a symbol value among pieces of information associated with the programmable logic controller, the PLC-specific information including at least one of a unit configuration of the basic unit and the one or more expansion units, information associated with the symbol defining a reference timing of each operating cycle, number of uses of the symbol used in the user program, information associated with the symbol added with a comment, information associated with an input contact of the symbol, and type information of a symbol value of the symbol;
• and
• one or more processors configured to execute instructions that cause the one or more processors to
• acquire operation record data for an operation record saved in response to a saved event, the operation record including a plurality of time-series symbol values of a plurality of symbols collected around the saved event for reproducing a status around the saved event, the time-series symbol values of each symbol in the operation record data being periodically collected by execution of the user program,
• analyze the plurality of time-series symbol values of the plurality of symbols collected around the saved event in the operation record data to generate an analysis report including information associated with an abnormal symbol based on the PLC-specific information stored in the memory, the abnormal symbol that does not satisfy a normal condition in the plurality of symbols, and
• output the analysis report.

A control method of an analysis apparatus included in, or communicatively connected to a programmable logic controller, the programmable logic controller including:

• a basic unit having a processor that executes a user program using a symbol including a device or a variable;
• and one or more expansion units each expanding a function of the programmable logic controller, the basic unit and the one or more expansion units are connected to and communicated with each other via a bus, the control method comprising:
• storing programmable logic controller (PLC)-specific information different from a symbol value among pieces of information associated with a programmable logic controller, the PLC-specific information including at least one of a unit configuration of the basic unit and the one or more expansion units, information associated with the symbol defining a reference timing of each operating cycle, number of uses of the symbol used in the user program, information associated with the symbol added with a comment, information associated with an input contact of the symbol, and type information of a symbol value of the symbol;
• acquiring operation record data for an operation record saved in response to a saved event, the operation record including a plurality of time-series symbol values of a plurality of symbols collected around the saved event for reproducing a status around the saved event, the time-series symbol values of each symbol in the operation record data being periodically collected by execution of the user program;
• analyzing the plurality of time-series symbol values of the plurality of symbols collected around the saved event in the operation record data to generate an analysis report including information associated with an abnormal symbol based on the PLC-specific information, the abnormal symbol that does not satisfy a normal condition in the plurality of symbols;
• and
• outputting the analysis report.