Abstract: A method and apparatus for provisioning an alternative energy source generator operable with a gateway in communication with a web portal. In one embodiment, the method includes entering system information into the gateway, and transmitting the system information to the web portal. The method also includes validating the system information, determining configuration information for the alternative energy source generator in response to validation of the system information, and transmitting the configuration information to the gateway. The method also includes initiating a discovery process to ascertain discovery information for the alternative energy source generator in response to the configuration information, and transmitting the discovery information to the web portal.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for supporting predictive and preventative maintenance are disclosed. One embodiment includes manufacturing cells within a manufacturing environment, where each manufacturing cell includes a cell controller and welding equipment, cutting equipment, and/or additive manufacturing equipment. A communication network supports data communications between a central controller and the cell controller of each of the manufacturing cells. The central controller collects cell data from the cell controller of each of the manufacturing cells, via the communication network. The cell data is related to the operation, performance, and/or servicing of a same component type of each of the manufacturing cells to form a set of aggregated cell data for the component type. The central controller also analyzes the set of aggregated cell data to generate a predictive model related to future maintenance of the component type.

Abstract: The invention relates to a safety device (5) and a safety method for a production station (2) for vehicle body parts (4), and for a conveying means (18) moving into and out of the production station (2) for transporting the workpieces into and out of the production station (2). The production station (2) and the conveying means (18) each have their own controller (13, 21) and their own security circuit (22, 23), wherein the security device (5) connects the security circuits (22, 23) of the production station (2) and of the conveying means (18) located in the production station (2). The security device (5) influences and thereby changes a protection region (29) of a protection device (27) of an intrinsically secure conveying means (18) when moving in and out and within the production station (2).

Abstract: A computer device configured to monitor control signals from more than one adjustment system indicating a need to adjust operation of at least one energy storage; convert the control signals into current values; compare the control signals and select the one with the smallest current value; and control operation of at least one control device configured to regulate the current of the energy storage based on the selection by dispatching an adjustment signal by internet based communication.

Abstract: Methods for controlling an integrated renewable energy source (RES) and energy storage system (ESS) of a RES-ESS facility having a point of grid interconnect (POGI) limit are provided. A forecast for energy production of the RES as well as a state of charge (SOC) schedule are used to calculate a SOC target-based POGI cap that is less than the POGI limit, with the SOC target-based POGI cap representing as low a peak power output value as possible while still ensuring satisfaction of the SOC schedule. The forecasted RES production, SOC schedule, and SOC target-based POGI cap are used to generate a time-varying charge/discharge control signal for the ESS that ensures the SOC schedule is satisfied.

Abstract: A control loop for a double-acting pneumatic actuator is configured to generate two control signals, one for each of the two pneumatic chambers for the purpose of controlling the actuator position in view of operating constraints on the chamber pressures or the stiffness of the actuator. A numerical indicator of the stiffness may be computed in a variety of ways, for example, as the average of the two chamber pressures. In one embodiment a numerical indicator of stiffness is treated as an output of the system along with the position of the actuator. A multi-input multi-output control loop with position and pressure feedback may be used to simultaneously control the position and the stiffness of the actuator.

Abstract: A field device and method for starting up an industrial automation network, wherein to allow virtual start-up of at least one field device, an field device integration package is provided, whose user interface plug-in has an extension that allows a software tool to access a simulation model for the behavior of the at least one field device, and upon virtual start-up, the simulation model is used to reproduce the response of the field device, where a process model or interfacing of an external process model via a co-simulation coupling can also be used to stimulate the reproduced field device behavior, and where because the models with the FDI package are provided by the field device manufacturer, correct simulation and hence minimization of the risks upon start-up of industrial installations can be expected.

Abstract: A system and a method are provided including a system controller for a refrigeration or HVAC system having a compressor rack with a compressor and a condensing unit with a condenser fan. The system controller monitors and controls operation of the refrigeration or HVAC system. A rack controller monitors and controls operation of the compressor rack. The system controller determines a flood-back discharge temperature corresponding to a flood-back condition, receives an actual discharge temperature associated with the compressor rack, compares the actual discharge temperature with the flood-back discharge temperature, and generates a notification to the rack controller based on the comparison.

Abstract: A system to receive data representing agronomic responses based on randomized replicated treatments conducted in test plots of agronomic environments, aggregate the data representing the agronomic responses into subsets of the data representing the agronomic responses, each subset of the data representing the agronomic responses associated with one of a number of performance zones, receive characteristics associated with a portion of a field and determine that the portion of the field represents a particular performance zone of the number of performance zones based on the characteristics associated with the portion of the field, recommend a particularized treatment level for a crop located in the portion of the field based on the particular performance zone, and communicate the particularized treatment level to a machine, the particularized treatment level to be applied to the portion of the field by the machine to optimize an agronomic response based on the particular performance zone.

Abstract: A method of making a custom acetabular implant for a patient. The method comprises acquiring and analyzing tomography data of the patient, and obtaining geometry and measurement parameters of the patient's pelvic anatomy. A standard acetabular prosthesis blank is selected from a plurality of pre-manufactured blanks, and includes a cup portion and at least one flange. The method includes shaping the blank acetabular prosthesis using a custom deforming fixture such that the shaped acetabular prosthesis has a final shaped geometry and measurement parameters to substantially match the patient's pelvic anatomy relative to the patient's acetabulum.

Abstract: A fan control device for controlling a fan includes a communication-processing processor, a fan-controlling processor, and a detection processor. The communication-processing processor receives a fan-controlling instruction from an external system to generate a control signal, generates a detection signal according to a detection request of the external system, and provides state information for the external system. The fan-controlling processor controls the speed of the fan according to the control signal and transmits a control result to the communication-processing processor. The detection processor detects the ambient state and the fan state of the fan according to the detection signal, and generates the state information according to the ambient state and the fan state. The communication-processing processor, the fan-controlling processor, and the detection processor are physically separated from one another.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for shaping the load of a building for more efficient sizing and/or economics of an energy storage and/or microgrid system. Shaping the load of a building can include identifying a plurality of core hours of a time period increasing a load of the building, a plurality of different increase instances, by interfacing with a BAS and an ESS during the plurality of core hours, and decreasing the load of the building, a plurality of different decrease instances, by interfacing with the BAS and the ESS during the plurality of core hours, wherein each increase instance from the plurality of different increase instances of the load profile is followed by a decrease instance from the plurality of decrease instances of the load profile.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed that includes first and second hardware components. The first component includes at least one first input configured to receive at least one first data or power signal, at least one voltage clamping circuit configured to limit a voltage of the at least one first data or power signal, and at least one first output configured to provide the at least one voltage-limited first data or power signal. The second component includes at least one second input configured to receive at least one second data or power signal, at least one limiter circuit configured to limit an amount of energy in the at least one second data or power signal, and at least one second output configured to provide the at least one energy-limited second data or power signal.

Abstract: Described is a method for determining when to transition devices between different states based on determined potential activity in an area near the devices. When the potential for activity near an input device is below a threshold, the device is maintained in an inactive state. When the potential for activity near the device exceeds the threshold, the device is transitioned to an active state before the potential activity can occur near the device. Likewise, when the device is in an active state, the implementations described herein provide the ability to determine when to begin and end transmission of data from the device to a remote computing resource for processing. For example, obtained video may be processed locally to determine if an activity is occurring. If an activity is occurring, relevant data is sent to a remote computing resource to determine if an action has been performed during the activity.

Abstract: A method for computer-supported control of the power in an electrical power supply network, including a plurality of nodes which are connected to one another via power lines, each containing a first energy generator and/or a second energy generator and/or an energy consumer is provided. A power estimation is provided for each node, which is composed of an estimation of the future load of the energy consumer and an estimation of the future power of the second regenerative energy generator in the respective node. Fluctuations of a first type of the power estimations for the respective nodes are permitted in a first predetermined tolerance region, and fluctuations of a second type of the power estimations are permitted in a second predetermined tolerance region. The fluctuations of the first type are compensated by primary balancing power and the fluctuations of the second type are compensated by secondary balancing power.

Abstract: An energy management apparatus according to an embodiment is used in a management system including an information device management apparatus which has a first storage storing an information device table indicating a relationship between an information device identifier for identifying at least one information device and a zone identifier for each of zones and controls the information device based on the information device table and data received from the energy management apparatus. The energy management apparatus has an acquisitor, a data processor, a second storage and a communicator. The acquisitor acquires, regarding the zones, presence-absence information indicating a presence or absence of a person in each of the zones. The data processor generates the data based on the presence-absence information acquired by the acquisitor and the zone identifier.

Abstract: A temperature control method of controlling a temperature of a semiconductor wafer mounted on a mounting table includes a supply process of supplying, in a state that a supply of a power to a heater configured to heat the mounting table is stopped or the power is maintained to be constant, a heat transfer gas into a gap between the semiconductor wafer and the mounting table; a measurement process of measuring a temperature variation of the mounting table due to heat exchange between the semiconductor wafer and the mounting table through the heat transfer gas; a calculation process of calculating a correction value based on the temperature variation of the mounting table; and a control process of starting the supply of the power and controlling the power such that the temperature of the mounting table reaches a target temperature corrected with the correction value.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling injection and absorption of reactive power in a wind power plant (WPP). In addition to wind turbine generators (WTG), the wind power plant comprises reactive power regulating devices, such as MSU and STATCOM devices. The reactive power regulating devices are controlled by wind power plant controller so that the combined amount of reactive power produced by the wind turbine generators and the reactive power regulating devices satisfies a desired amount of reactive power. In case of communication fault between the power plant controller and one of the reactive power regulating devices, the power plant controller is reconfigured so as to compensate the capability of the reactive power regulating device to inject or absorb the amount of reactive power.

Abstract: A method and controller for creating a digital twin of a pump. The method includes receiving, by a controller, a specification curve corresponding to a centrifugal pump. The method includes building and executing, by the controller, a first model of the centrifugal pump, based on the specification curve. The method includes receiving sensor data corresponding to and during the operation of the pump. The method includes updating the first model according to the sensor data to produce an updated model, and storing the updated model as a digital twin of the centrifugal pump.

Abstract: Methods for control of post-design free form deposition processes or joining processes are described that utilize machine learning algorithms to improve fabrication outcomes. The machine learning algorithms use real-time object property data from one or more sensors as input, and are trained using training data sets that comprise: i) past process simulation data, past process characterization data, past in-process physical inspection data, or past post-build physical inspection data, for a plurality of objects that comprise at least one object that is different from the object to be fabricated; and ii) training data generated through a repetitive process of randomly choosing values for each of one or more input process control parameters and scoring adjustments to process control parameters as leading to either undesirable or desirable outcomes, the outcomes based respectively on the presence or absence of defects detected in a fabricated object arising from the process control parameter adjustments.