Abstract: A method is disclosed for automatic estimation of backlash in a control system which includes a controller and a process to be controlled, wherein said controller is capable of performing integrating control of said process using one or more controller parameters to control a process output signal of said process with respect to a setpoint value thereof. The method involves monitoring said process output signal to determine a value reflecting momentary differences between setpoint value and actual value of said process output signal during a time interval; and estimating the backlash from said determined value and said one or more controller parameters.

Abstract: A system architecture for communication between devices connected through a network including a hierarchy. Each device has at least one service for controlling and/or monitoring the device. At least one communication module enables a first device service to detect a second device, to detect a second device service, to retrieve information about functions of the second device service, arrange with the first device services and second device services into the hierarchy, wherein one of the devices is the parent of the other, generate messages with at least one device and transmit the messages to another device, wherein the information about functions and messages are received only by devices that have a same parent as one of the devices and by the parent of the devices, and to invoke a function of the second device service, wherein the devices are interchangeable at least to detect, to retrieve information and to invoke.

Abstract: A method for casting of metal. A mold is provided including two broad sides and two narrow sides. A molten metal is introduced into the mold. There is a meniscus at a top of the molten metal. Additional molten metal is supplied into the molten metal via a casting tube below the meniscus. At least one stirrer including an iron core and a coil applied around the iron core is arranged around the mold. A length of the iron core in relation to a length of the broad side of the mold is between 50% and 80% of the length of the broad side. An upper part of the iron core is positioned from 50 mm above to 195 mm below the surface of the meniscus. A magnetic field is applied to the molten metal with the at least one stirrer to stir the molten metal.

Abstract: A contactor has two contact elements (1, 2) each having a contact member (3, 4) adapted to bear with the contact side (5, 6) thereof against a said contact side of the other contact member for enabling an electric current to flow between said to contact elements. The contact sides of both contact members are provided with serration's (11, 12) extending so that elongated ridge-like peaks (13) of serration's of one said contact side intersect such peaks of the other said contact side while forming a plurality of spots of mutual contact of these contact sides distributed over the area of said contact sides.

Abstract: A method for controlled reclosing of branch elements in an electric power system that has been subjected to a disturbance and that includes at least one branch element and at least one circuit breaker connected thereto. The angular difference between voltage vectors on both sides of the circuit breaker or at two end points of the branch element is detected and compared with a comparison value. In dependence on a magnitude of a deviation of the angular difference from the comparison value, the reclosing is either completed or blocked. The comparison value is updated automatically and regularly in such a way that an adaptive value is obtained. A system includes an element arranged to update the comparison value automatically and regularly in such a way that an adaptive value is obtained.

Abstract: A method to provide access to Aspects of Aspect Objects from a standard web browser. A web browser sends a request of access to a certain Aspect of an Aspect Object. The request includes a URL address. The URL address specifies the Aspect, the Aspect Object. The method enables the use of thin clients to access Aspects of Aspect Objects representing functions of real world objects connected to a control system.

Abstract: A method in an automated system for handling at least two versions of an application. The system includes a controller for automation of a process with the application stored thereon in bidirectional connection with a communication server. The communication server is in bidirectional connection with at least two clients. The method improves communication between a communication server and several clients. Graphics and images can be displayed without reconfiguration when a new version of an application is used.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for measuring the thickness of a metal layer. The metal layer has a resistivity (?1) that differs from the resistivity (?2) of the metal object. The apparatus includes a first device arranged to generate a magnetic field in close vicinity of the metal layer, and to generate a variation of the magnetic field so that a current is induced in the surface of the metal layer, a second device arranged to measure the changes of the magnetic field outside the metal layer due to the induced current during a time period that is longer than the time it takes for the current to propagate through the metal layer, and a computing unit to determine the thickness of the layer based on a mathematical relation between the thickness of the layer and the measured values of the changes of the magnetic field.

Abstract: A continuous casting device, including a mould, an electromagnetic device arranged outside the mould and arranged to provide an electromagnetic field acting on a melt in the mould, the electromagnetic device being supplied with electric current includes a base frequency and harmonics, and thereby providing a first electromagnetic field based on the base frequency and a second electromagnetic field based on the harmonics, and an inductive sensor, arranged at the mould for the purpose of sensing the position of a meniscus of the melt, and operating at frequencies corresponding to the harmonics. The continuous casting device includes at least one screen between the electromagnetic device and the sensor, and the screen is arranged so as to prevent the second electromagnetic field from disturbing the operation of the sensor but to permit the first electromagnetic field to act on the melt in the region of the meniscus.

Abstract: A software object is positioned in structures, such as a functional structure, location structure and order structure, where each structure consists of a hierarchy of software objects. In each structure the software object inherits security from other software objects in the hierarchy. Since the software object is inserted into multiple hierarchical structures the security of the software object is inherited from software objects in multiple hierarchical structures. The user authority to interact with a software object is, in addition to the identity of the user logged in, dependent on the inherited security of the software object. As a software object is inserted, deleted and moved in a hierarchical structure the security of the software object changes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for comparing variable values obtained from different versions of an application program in an automated system. An input signal obtained from an automated process is inputted to at least two different versions of the application program residing within a same controller. The same tasks are executed based on the input signal for the different versions, and process related variable values obtained from the execution of the versions are stored in memory locations known by the controller. Variable values from the different versions and derived from corresponding execution steps of the versions are retrieved from the memory locations, and compared during an idle time. An improved way of revising an automation system is thereby achieved. The invention also relates to such controller and an automation system.

Abstract: A method for communication between a plurality of devices connected to each other through a network. Each device includes at least one service that provides a set of functions for controlling and/or monitoring the device. A service of a first device detects the presence of a second device, detects the presence of a service of the second device, retrieves information about the functions of the service of the second device, and invokes a function of the service of the second device. A system architecture for communication between the devices includes a communication module configured to enable a service of a first device to detect the presence of a second device, to detect the presence of a service of the second device, to retrieve information about the functions of the service of the second device and to invoke a function of the service of the second device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for evaluating an application for controlling a process within an automation system. The application is stored within a controller, and at least two versions of it are present within the controller. The method comprises the steps of: inputting to the different versions of the application an input signal obtained from the process; executing, in the controller, tasks based on this input signal for the different versions; generating a report comprising comparisons of the outputs from the different versions of the application; and evaluating, based on the generated report, the version(s) not used for controlling the process. An improved way of revising an automation system is thereby achieved. The invention also relates to such controller and an automation system.

Abstract: An industrial robot for moving an object in space. A platform is arranged for carrying the object. A first arm is arranged for influencing the platform in a first movement. The first arm includes a first actuator and three links. Each link includes an outer joint connected to the platform and an inner joint connected to the first actuator. A second arm is arranged for influencing the platform in a second movement. The second arm includes a second actuator and two links. Each link includes an outer joint connected to the platform and an inner joint connected to the second actuator. A third arm is arranged for influencing the platform in a third movement. The third arm includes one link including an outer joint connected to the platform. At least one of the links is arranged with an adjustable length and includes a linear actuator for controlling the length of the link.

Abstract: A control system for controlling an industrial robot and a method thereof. A control unit generates a control signal for controlling the motor. At least one drive unit controls the motor. The drive unit includes a switching unit adapted to convert DC current to alternating current to the motor in dependence on the control signal. A safety unit generates a stop signal for stopping the robot upon occurrence of a safety event. The drive unit disables the switching unit upon receiving the stop signal. The safety unit generates the stop signal with a time delay with respect to the safety event. The control unit generates the control signal in such a way that the motor is electrically braked during the time delay.

Abstract: A method of controlling a current of a three-phase electric motor with a three-phase controller. The firing angles are adjusted so as to leave a range of firing angles in which DC components appear.

Abstract: A method and device are provided for demodulation of an output signal from a transducer (1) driven by an alternating excitation signal having an excitation frequency. The transducer produces an amplitude-modulated output signal (y(t)) containing the quantity to be measured. The device has sampling units (5,6,7) to sample the output signal from the transducer and the output signal from the excitation unit, and a computation unit (8) to compute a first complex valued quantity ( Y) including information on the amplitude and phase of the output signal at the excitation frequency based on sampled values of the output signal from the transducer, compute a second complex valued quantity (?, ?) including information on the amplitude and phase of the excitation signal at the excitation frequency based on sampled values of the excitation signal, forming a complex valued output quotient between the first and second complex valued quantities, and compute the demodulated output signal (Od) based on the output quotient.

Abstract: A method and a device for optimization of flatness control in the rolling of a strip using any number of mill stands and actuators. A mill model is used represented by a mill matrix that includes information of the flatness effect of each actuator. Each actuator's flatness effect is translated into a coordinate system having a dimension less than or equal to the number of actuators used. The actual flatness values are monitoring/sampling across the strip. A vector of the flatness error/deviation is computed as the difference between the monitored/sampled strip flatness and a reference flatness vector. The flatness error is converted into a smaller parameterized flatness error vector. A dynamic controller is used to calculate optimized actuator set-points in order to minimize the parameterized flatness error, thereby achieving the desired strip flatness. Also a system for optimization of flatness control in rolling a strip.