Abstract: The invention relates to an automation device, in which a plurality of spatially distributed functional units communicate with one another by means of a common transmission protocol. The device has a microcontroller (110) which has at least one associated clock generator (120) and a memory unit (150) and which is connected at least to a data source (140), which is designed to output a data byte stream to be transmitted. A first program for conversion of a data byte stream to be transmitted to a sequence of sample values of an adequate frequency-modulated line signal, and a second program for identification of a frequency-modulated line signal and for its sequential conversion to a received data byte stream are stored in the memory unit (150), with these programs being associated with the microcontroller (110). The first and the second program can be run alternately.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automation device, with which a multiplicity of physically distributed functional units communicate with each other by means of a common transmission protocol. The device has a microcontroller (110), which is assigned at least one clock generator (120) and one memory unit (150), and which is connected at least to one data source (140), which is designed to output a data bit-stream to be transmitted.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and device for operating an electropneumatic valve for driving a pneumatic actuator drive to activate fittings in automation systems. The valve has at least one electropneumatic transducer and a pneumatic booster. The pneumatic booster has at least one 3/3 way valve with a blocking center position for optionally connecting an air inflow duct or an air outflow duct to a connecting duct, which connects to the actuator drive. The ducts are activated as a function of an electrical actuation signal by the electropneumatic transducer. At least one position of the 3/3 way valve with a blocking center position is measured and a correction value of a variable of the actuation signal is determined based on the measured value and the electrical actuation signal.

Abstract: A method and an electronic device are disclosed for testing drive parameters of an electropneumatic valve which is inserted into a closed control loop for position regulation of a switching element of a pneumatic actuating drive for a fitting which can be operated thereby. The electropneumatic valve can be driven by an alternating signal of a specific amplitude, such that the control loop will oscillate about a nominal position value to be regulated by alternate ventilation and venting of the valve, such that hysteresis present in the pneumatic actuating drive can be overcome. The trajectory of the position oscillation that is produced can, at the same time, be detected at the switching element using sensors, from which a characteristic of the control loop for the selected amplitude can be determined to confirm whether an opening point which is suitable for the control loop has been found.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an arrangement for contactlessly measuring a position using a magnetoresistive sensor, the displacement-proportional transfer characteristic of which has a plurality of ranges which are suitable for a position measurement and associated characteristic curve sections of which have both positive and negative gradients. The arrangement can be included in a position regulator which has control electronics which, with the aid of a microcontroller, receive one or more input signals and output actuating signals for controlling the actuating drive. A method is also disclosed for operating the arrangement. For example, to uniquely associate the direction of movement of the displacement pick-off shaft with the effective direction of the drive, at least one range sensor for detecting the characteristic curve range of the magnetoresistive measuring system, which is in the form of a magnetoresistor potentiometer, in which the position is measured, is proposed.

Abstract: A method and an electronic device for compensation of the hysteresis of a pneumatically driven fitting having an electropneumatic valve. The electropneumatic valve is driven by a position regulator and is used in a closed control loop for position regulation of a switching element of an pneumatic actuating drive for operation of the fitting. Hysteresis of the pneumatically driven fitting is compensated for by the position regulator via at least one hysteresis correction factor. The control-engineering compensation for the hysteresis is carried out separately for a first basic case of starting or reversing a switching element and for a second basic case of continuous movement of the switching element, such that a dominant static friction is compensated for in the first basic case and the dominant sliding friction is compensated for in the second basic case, and the pneumatic actuating drive operates the switching element matched thereto.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automation device, with which a multiplicity of physically distributed functional units communicate with each other by means of a common transmission protocol. The device has a microcontroller (110), which is assigned at least one clock generator (120) and one memory unit (150), and which is connected at least to one data source (140), which is designed to output a data bit-stream to be transmitted. A sequential sequence of equidistant samples of a trapezoidal time profile is stored in the memory unit (150), such that it can be called up, in such a manner that the samples can be output either using the clock of the first clock generator or using the clock of the second clock generator, depending on the data bit-stream.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for testing the functionality of armatures, e.g., of safety armatures, in process control systems which are assigned a test device for implementing partial stroke testing and which are connected to a control device, which brings about actuation, in accordance with regulations, of the safety armature in an emergency. Prior to the start of the implementation of the partial stroke testing, a request signal is transmitted from the test device to the control device which is answered by the control device with an enable signal, the enable signal being issued as a function of the current process sequence at the armature.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automation device, with which a multiplicity of physically distributed functional units communicate with each other by means of a common transmission protocol. The device has a microcontroller (110), which is assigned at least one clock generator (120) and one memory unit (150), and which is connected at least to one data source (140), which is designed to output a data bit-stream to be transmitted.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a system and method for identification of pneumatic drives. The pneumatic actuating drive is controlled by an electro-pneumatic position regulator, which is equipped with a microcontroller, at least one electro-pneumatic transducer for controlling the pressure-medium flow to and from the drive, and a communication interface. After the position regulator has been started up with an initial setting, a nominal value profile and an actual value profile can be analyzed during operation and, if a control error exceeds a predeterminable minimum value, the manipulated variable from the position regulator can be temporarily replaced by a test signal during which operating parameters of the controlled system are recorded from which current regulator parameters are determined.

Abstract: A method and an electronic device are provided for logging process variables of a bus-controlled automation system in which process variables which are relevant to evaluation are buffered in at least one digital field device and are subsequently read, for the purpose of evaluation, by a central computer unit which is connected to the field device via a data bus. Process variable values which are relevant to evaluation are buffered in the field device in the form of a message, a plurality of equidistantly successive process variable values are recorded as messages, where the first process variable value is assigned a time stamp recorded for each message, and further process variable values are stored in further identical messages.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automation device (100, 100?), with which a multiplicity of physically distributed functional units communicate with each other by means of a common transmission protocol. The device has a microcontroller (110), which is assigned at least one clock generator (120) and one memory unit (150), and which is connected at least to one data source (140), which is designed to output a data bit-stream to be transmitted.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an arrangement for contactlessly measuring a position using a magnetoresistive sensor, the displacement-proportional transfer characteristic of which has a plurality of ranges which are suitable for a position measurement and associated characteristic curve sections of which have both positive and negative gradients. The arrangement can be included in a position regulator which has control electronics which, with the aid of a microcontroller, receive one or more input signals and output actuating signals for controlling the actuating drive. A method is also disclosed for operating the arrangement. For example, to uniquely associate the direction of movement of the displacement pick-off shaft with the effective direction of the drive, at least one range sensor for detecting the characteristic curve range of the magnetoresistive measuring system, which is in the form of a magnetoresistor potentiometer, in which the position is measured, is proposed.

Abstract: A method and an electronic device are disclosed for testing drive parameters of an electropneumatic valve which is inserted into a closed control loop for position regulation of a switching element of a pneumatic actuating drive for a fitting which can be operated thereby. The electropneumatic valve can be driven by an alternating signal of a specific amplitude, such that the control loop will oscillate about a nominal position value to be regulated by alternate ventilation and venting of the valve, such that hysteresis present in the pneumatic actuating drive can be overcome. The trajectory of the position oscillation that is produced can, at the same time, be detected at the switching element using sensors, from which a characteristic of the control loop for the selected amplitude can be determined to confirm whether an opening point which is suitable for the control loop has been found.

Abstract: A method and an electronic device are disclosed, for finding an opening point for an electropneumatic valve, which method or electronic device can be used in a closed control loop for position regulation of a switching element of a pneumatic actuating drive for a fitting which can be operated thereby. An exemplary method can include: a) energizing the electropneumatic valve by a drive signal which corresponds to an estimated opening point; b) measuring control-loop characteristics for this drive signal by using sensors to detect movement of the switching element; c) if determined control-loop characteristics for a present opening point do not correspond to nominal presets, then varying the drive signal based on an evaluation result to produce a better-matched opening point, and the finding process then starts again with step a).

Abstract: A method and an electronic device for compensation of the hysteresis of a pneumatically driven fitting having an electropneumatic valve. The electropneumatic valve is driven by a position regulator and is used in a closed control loop for position regulation of a switching element of an pneumatic actuating drive for operation of the fitting. Hysteresis of the pneumatically driven fitting is compensated for by the position regulator via at least one hysteresis correction factor. The control-engineering compensation for the hysteresis is carried out separately for a first basic case of starting or reversing a switching element and for a second basic case of continuous movement of the switching element, such that a dominant static friction is compensated for in the first basic case and the dominant sliding friction is compensated for in the second basic case, and the pneumatic actuating drive operates the switching element matched thereto.

Abstract: A method and an electronic device for compensation of the drift behavior during operation of a pneumatic actuating drive whose electropneumatic valve is operated in order to produce a control pressure in a closed control loop for position regulation of a switching element on the basis of a position regulator. A velocity profile v(t) of the switching element is recorded along the time axis during operation of the regulation, and at the same time, the opening cross-section profile A(t) of the fitting which is predetermined for the position regulator as a nominal value, is also recorded. The velocity profile v(t) and the corresponding opening cross-section profile A(t) are converted by elimination of the time to a velocity opening cross-section characteristic (v-A-characteristic).

Abstract: The invention relates to an electropneumatic valve for driving a pneumatic actuator drive to activate fittings in automation systems. The valve has at least one electropneumatic transducer and a pneumatic booster, which has at least one 3/3 way valve with a blocking center position for optionally connecting a connecting duct, which can be connected to the actuator drive, to at least one of an air inflow duct and an air outflow duct. The electropneumatic transducer can be configured to activate the duct(s) in accordance with an electrical actuation signal. The pneumatic booster can include at least one sensor for sensing the position of the 3/3 way valve with a locking center position, and outputting a signal indicating the sensed position as feedback to the electrical actuation signal.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and device for operating an electropneumatic valve for driving a pneumatic actuator drive to activate fittings in automation systems. The valve has at least one electropneumatic transducer and a pneumatic booster. The pneumatic booster has at least one 3/3 way valve with a blocking center position for optionally connecting an air inflow duct or an air outflow duct to a connecting duct, which connects to the actuator drive. The ducts are activated as a function of an electrical actuation signal by the electropneumatic transducer. At least one position of the 3/3 way valve with a blocking center position is measured and a correction value of a variable of the actuation signal is determined based on the measured value and the electrical actuation signal.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for testing the functionality of armatures, e.g., of safety armatures, in process control systems which are assigned a test device for implementing partial stroke testing and which are connected to a control device, which brings about actuation, in accordance with regulations, of the safety armature in an emergency. Prior to the start of the implementation of the partial stroke testing, a request signal is transmitted from the test device to the control device which is answered by the control device with an enable signal, the enable signal being issued as a function of the current process sequence at the armature.