Apparatus and method for controlling functional units in a manufacturing installation

A method for operating a manufacturing installation, comprising:

• (a) providing a plurality of functional units each carrying out at least one function and cooperating in said manufacturing installation to process an article according to a manufacturing sequence, wherein each of said functional units comprises at least one actuator and at least one sensor for function control and/or function monitoring;
• (b) providing, for each functional unit, at least one respective intelligent control unit (ICU) having a function control program to operate the ICU independently of any central computer;
• (c) providing, for each ICU, a dedicated power module, a dedicated sensor module, and a dedicated basic module which together control at least one actuator and/or evaluate signals of at least one sensor of the associated functional unit;
• (d) providing power to the basic module of each ICU from a power supply network external to the functional unit;
• (e) providing power from the basic module of each ICU to the power module of that ICU;
• (f) each ICU controlling the associated at least one actuator by applying power thereto from the power module of the ICU;
• (g) providing low voltage from the basic module of each ICU to the sensor module of that ICU;
• (h) each ICU powering the associated at least one sensor by applying said low voltage thereto from the sensor module of that ICU;
• and
• (i) each ICU evaluating signals from the associated at least one sensor by receiving said signals via the sensor module of that ICU.

A decentralized control system for controlling a plurality of functional units that each carry out at least one respective function and cooperate in a manufacturing installation to process an article according to a manufacturing sequence, each of said functional units comprising at least one actuator and at least one sensor for controlling and/or monitoring a function to be performed, said control system comprising:

• at least one intelligent control unit (ICU) for each functional unit, said ICU having a function control program to operate the associated functional unit independently of any central computer, said ICU also having a dedicated power module, a dedicated sensor module, and a dedicated basic module which together control the at least one actuator and/or evaluate signals of the at least one sensor of the associated functional unit;
• wherein:
• the basic module receives power from a power supply network external to the functional unit;
• the power module receives power from said basic module;
• the ICU controls the actuator of the associated functional unit by applying power thereto from said power module;
• the sensor module receives low voltage from said basic module;
• and
• the ICU (i) powers the sensor of the associated functional unit by applying said low voltage thereto from the sensor module, and (ii) evaluates signals of the sensor of the associated functional unit by receiving said signals via the sensor module.

A method for controlling, in a decentralized manner, a plurality of functional units that carry out at least one respective function and cooperate in a manufacturing installation to process an article according to a manufacturing sequence, each of said functional units comprising at least one actuator, and at least one sensor for function control and/or function monitoring, said method comprising:

• (b) providing, for each functional unit, at least one respective intelligent control unit (ICU) having a function control program to operate the ICU independently of any central computer;
• (c) providing, for each ICU, a dedicated power module, a dedicated sensor module, and a dedicated basic module which together control the at least one actuator and/or evaluate signals of the at least one sensor of the associated functional unit;
• (d) providing power to the basic module of each ICU from a power supply network external to the functional unit;
• (e) providing power from the basic module of each ICU to the power module of that ICU;
• (f) each ICU controlling at least one associated actuator by applying power thereto from the power module of the ICU;
• (g) providing low voltage from the basic module of each ICU to the sensor module of that ICU;
• (h) each ICU powering at least one associated sensor by applying said low voltage thereto from the sensor module of that ICU;
• and
• (i) each ICU evaluating signals from at least one associated sensor by receiving said signals via the sensor module of that ICU.