WinMOD Report - 06.

29 - Page 1

WinMOD

Mewes & Partner

WinMOD Add-On: WinMOD-EngineeringAssistance Automatic Creation of WinMOD Simulation Projects

The Efficient Way to WinMOD Projects: creation of simulations from available engineering data strong reduction of manual efforts high consistency of WinMOD Projects and engineering data
tions exactly meet the specification of the installation.
How to use the WinMODEngineeringAssistance ?

Software Testing and Process Simulation with WinMOD

The data required to create WinMOD Projects are often already available in an engineering database. With the WinMOD EngineeringAssistance, these data are imported to WinMOD and WinMOD simulation files are generated from them automatically. Manual efforts are reduced to the one-time specification of component design and the configuration of the automatic import. From these data, the WinMOD EngineeringAssistance generates the simulation files. Changes in the engineering data are easily updated by re-import. In this way, the simulation corresponds to the engineering data in a one-to-one fashion. The WinMOD EngineeringAssistance is the basis for future WinMOD Project Standards that intensify the integration of the complete settlement of projects.
Fast and Correct Up to now, WinMOD simulation files were configured manually. For this purpose, WinMOD provides fairly efficient methods for manual editing. But manual editing still consumes time and involves errors. Both can be avoided if the already available engineering data of an installation are re-used and the WinMOD simulation files are automatically generated from them by a tool. This task is performed by the WinMOD-EngineeringAssistance (Figure 1). It configures simulation files for technological applications based on lists of components with their I/O-signals and their parameters and process signals. The WinMOD-EngineeringAssistance shows clear advantages: With component design and data base available, the simulation is created "at the push of a button". Efforts for manual editing are strongly reduced.

The WinMOD-EngineeringAssistance generates the components of the new simulation files based on WinMOD Component Libraries (Figure 2). In the libraries, the behavior and layout for each type of component are pre-defined in detail. The creation of the simulation files is controlled by the engineering data, which are imported into WinMOD in the form of signal lists. The signal lists consist of entries for the I/O signals of the components to be generated. The entries define also the arrangement and the sequence of the components in the files, for example sorted by item designation. In case of committed data, default arrangements are used. As file format for the import, the proven table format already used for the import and export of signal lists was extended in a suitable manner. As a result, the import format for the engineering data is widely system in-

Already existing data is efficiently

re-used.

Changes in engineering data are

updated fast and easily.

The procedure is comprehensible

and easily reproduced.

The automatically created simulaTest of the Automation Software

WinMOD-EngineeringAssistance
Automatic Creation of Simulation Files

RUN-P RUN STOP MRES

abc def ghi jkl

SIMATIC S7 - 400 SIMATIC S7 - 400

XYZ XYZ XYZ UVW

i21 i43 q65 q87

Control System

WinMOD-Simulation Project

Engineering Database

Figure 1: The WinMOD EngineeringAssistance creates WinMOD Simulation Projects from already available engineering data. Thus the projects are quickly available for use, for example for testing automation software.

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Flexible Application

WinMOD Component Library

Engineering Data

The WinMOD-EngineeringAssistance conforms with a wide spectrum of workflows and approaches for simulation engineering and usage. This ensures maximum applicability. Typical proceedings are as follows: Use Case A, Creating WinMOD simulation projects from external data bases: The installation design is specified in the engineering data base and exported to text files, for example by a report generator. The text files are imported by the WinMOD-EngineeringAssistance and the simulation files are generated.Then the simulation is directly started. Use Case B, Updating WinMODsimulation projects after changes of the database: The database is modified caused by changes in the design of the installation. The concerned text files are exported again and imported by the WinMOD-EngineeringAssistance. The updated simulation is started. This workflow is in especially important for parallel engineering, in order to follow the continuous changes of data created and modified during the different parallel activities. Use Case C, Creating simulations from manually created databases: A spread-sheet tool, like MS-Excel, is used as data base. With systematic naming conventions, much data can be generated there. The resulting tables are imported to the WinMOD-EngineeringAssistance and the simulation files are created. What is enabled ?

WinMODEngineeringAssistance
WinMOD Simulation Projects
Figure 2: With an optimal workflow, the WinMOD-EngineeringAssistance creates Simulation Projects from engineering data and component libraries.

dependent and easy to create. The mode of operation of the WinMOD-Engineering-Assistance is once configured in a comfortable dialog.Then the WinMODEngineering-Assistance only has to be started. The simulation files are generated almost without delay. They can be started immediately without any further steps.
Full Integration

As input format for the signal lists, text files with comma separated values were chosen. In this way, the signal lists are easily exported from the engineering database. Alternatively, the signal lists are edited manually in a spread-sheet tool like MSExcel. With no engineering database available this is a very efficient and widely used procedure. The import tables are organized in data columns, with one line per signal. The columns of the import table can be freely assigned to the columns of WinMOD extended operand lists. Hence simulation import is fully compatible with the operand import and export of WinMOD. But the imported data can as well directly generate the extended operand lists. As a result, the workflows of the WinMOD-EngineeringAssistance are completely integrated into the handling of operands. Actually, both can take place in a single step. Consequently, in addition to the technical integration, the WinMODEngineeringAssistance leads also to a seamless integration into company data and operating procedures.

The WinMOD-EngineeringAssistence is integrated into the user interface of WinMOD in a consistent way. It is stated from the main menu and comfortably guides the user through the steps of configuration (Figure 2). The WinMOD-EngineeringAssistence flawlessly integrates with all concepts for WinMOD-Component Libraries. As sources for Components, one or more of the WinMODLibrary Concepts can be chosen: WinMOD Macros from the WinMOD Element Library, single WinMOD Component Libraries, and directory trees with WinMODComponent Libraries

With the WinMOD-EngineeringAssistance, WinMOD Projects are created much faster, more efficiently and compliant to agreed standards. This results in a tighter integration into over-all project settlement. Where WinMOD is already in use, the WinMOD-EngineeringAssistance brings a clear increase in efficiency and a reduction of costs. Further utilizations and new applications can now be developed and made available.

Mewes & Partner GmbH

Neuendorfstr. 15 D-16761 Hennigsdorf e-mail: WinMOD@Mewes-Partner.de
Winmod_report_06.29_EngineeringAssistance_en.cdr

More Information ?
Phone: +49 (0)3302 / 2097-0 Telefax: +49 (0)3302 / 2097-111 http://www.winmod.de

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