FB_CMA_IntegratedRMS

Calculates (optionally integrated) RMS values for single- and multi-channel real-valued time series.

Calculates the RMS value for single- and multi-channel time series; both the frequency range used and the integration order of the time series can be defined. For an acceleration signal this results in RMS values for the vibration acceleration, vibration velocity and the vibration amplitude, each in a defined frequency range.

The function block treats the input signal as a signal with several independent channels. For each channel the values for up to three different integration orders within the frequency range are integrated over a defined frequency interval, and the RMS values are then calculated. The function block is suitable for vibration assessment according to DIN ISO 10816 and DIN ISO 7919 or DIN ISO 20816, see Vibration assessment.

The sampling rate and the limits of the integrated intervals can be parameterized. In order to obtain reproducible scaling, the input signals and the frequencies must be transferred scaled in SI units, i.e. 1 m/(sec)² for acceleration values and 1/sec = 1 Hz for frequencies. The maximum order of the integration can be configured between zero and two. The number of integrated RMS values to be calculated is to be specified by means of (nOrder+1). The result is forwarded as an array of these values with the corresponding indices.

In many cases the underlying short-term power spectrum is not a good statistical estimator for the spectrum of a signal, so that the values can fluctuate despite averaging over frequencies. It is therefore advisable to use a sufficiently large window length. In many cases it may additionally be advisable to reduce the fluctuation by calculating the geometric mean over several consecutive values.

Memory properties

Due to the use of the Welch method, the current input data buffer, together with the last-transferred buffers, is used for the calculation. The number of buffers incorporated depends on the selected overlap (nOverlap).
The frequency analysis takes step changes in the time series into account. In order to achieve a correct result, therefore, the input data buffers used must be concatenated without gaps and without jumps.

NaN occurrence

If the input vector contains one or more NaN (Not a Number) values, the entire output sector is filled with NaN. See separate section for further information on NaN values.

FB_CMA_IntegratedRMS 1:

Handling of NaN values

If the situations described above, which lead to NaN values, cannot be ruled out or safely neglected, the application program must be able to handle these error values.

Behavior when processing multi-channel input data

When processing several channels (nChannels > 1), there is a possibility of each channel having different return values. In this case, return values can be queried separately on the function block. If the results from one or more channels are impermissible, but not all channels, the value on the function block corresponds to eCM_InfRTime_AmbiguousChannelResults. If the results of all channels are impermissible, then the value on the function block corresponds to eCM_ErrRTime_ErrornousChannelResults.

A list of return values of all channels can be queried using the method GetChannelErrors().

Inputs and outputs

The input and output buffers correspond to one of the following definitions (input / output shape). The variable parameters are part of the function block input stInitPars.

Versions

Input buffer (MultiArray input stream)
Element type, number of dimensions, dimension sizes

Output buffer (MultiArray output stream)
Element type, number of dimensions, dimension sizes

Standard version
(nMaxBands = 1)

LREAL, 2,
nChannels x nWindowLength-nOverlap

LREAL, 2,
nChannels x nOrder+1

Versions for several frequency bands
(nMaxBands > 1)

LREAL, 2,
nChannels x nWindowLength-nOverlap

LREAL, 3,
nChannels x nOrder+1 x nMaxBands

VAR_INPUT
    stInitPars       : ST_CM_IntegratedRMS_InitPars;     // init parameter
    nOwnID           : UDINT;                            // ID for this FB instance
    aDestIDs         : ARRAY[1..cCMA_MaxDest] OF UDINT;  // IDs of destinations for output
    nResultBuffers   : UDINT := 4;                       // number of MultiArrays which should be initialized for results (0 for no initialization)
    tTransferTimeout : LTIME := LTIME#500US;             // timeout checking off during access to inter-task FIFOs
END_VAR

Input parameters

The input parameters of this function block represent initialization parameters and must already be assigned in the declaration of the FB instance! (Alternatively: Init() method). They may only be assigned once. A change at runtime is not possible.

Output parameters

VAR_OUTPUT
    bError         : BOOL;                           // TRUE if an error occurs. Reset by next method call.
    hrErrorCode    : HRESULT;                        // '< 0' = error; '> 0' = info; '0' = no error/info
    ipErrorMessage : I_TcMessage := fbErrorMessage;  // Shows detailed information about occurred errors, warnings and more.
    nCntResults    : ULINT;                          // Counts outgoing results (MultiArrays were calculated and sent to transfer tray).
END_VAR
  • bError: The output is TRUE if an error occurs.
  • hrErrorCode: If an error occurs, a corresponding error code of the type HRESULT is output. Possible values are described in the List of error codes.
  • ipErrorMessage: Contains more detailed information on the current return value. Refer here to the section Error description and information. This special interface pointer is internally secured so that it is always valid/assigned.

Methods

Call():

The method is called each cycle in order to apply the algorithm to the current input data. The function block waits for input data if the method indicates neither new results nor an error. This is a regular behavior in the process of the analysis chain.

  • Return value: If an error occurs, a corresponding error code of the type HRESULT is output. Possible values are described in the List of error codes.
METHOD Call : HRESULT
VAR_OUTPUT
    bNewResult   : BOOL;       // TRUE every time when outgoing MultiArray was calculated and sent to transfer tray.
    bError       : BOOL;       // TRUE if an error occurs.
    hrErrorCode  : HRESULT;    // '< 0' = error; '> 0' = info; '0' = no error/info
END_VAR
  • bError: The output is TRUE if an error occurs.
  • hrErrorCode: If an error occurs, a corresponding error code of the type HRESULT is output. Possible values are described in the List of error codes. This output is identical to the return value of the method.
FB_CMA_IntegratedRMS 2:

If a timeout occurs or no MultiArray buffer is available for the result, then neither the input data nor the result data are lost. They are forwarded on the next call.

Configure():

On calling this method, the frequency bands must be configured at the beginning. The corresponding PLC array must be defined as follows. The Configure() method can also be used for a new configuration with a different set of arguments.

  • Return value: If an error occurs, a corresponding error code of the type HRESULT is output. Possible values are described in the List of error codes.
METHOD Configure : HRESULT
VAR_INPUT
    pArg     : POINTER TO LREAL; // pointer to array (LREAL) of arguments
    nArgSize : UDINT;            // size of arguments buffer in bytes 
END_VAR

The input buffers correspond to one of the following definitions (input shape). The variable parameters are part of the function block input stInitPars. The two parameters to be configured per frequency band and channel are [fLowerFrequencyLimit, fUpperFrequencyLimit].

Versions

Input buffer (MultiArray input stream)
element type, number of dimensions, dimension sizes

Identical configuration of all channels

LREAL, 1,
2

Frequency band-specific configuration
(nMaxBands >= 1)

LREAL, 2,
nMaxBands x 2

Channel-specific configuration
(nMaxBands = 1)

LREAL, 2,
nChannels x 2

Channel and frequency band-specific configuration

LREAL, 3,
nChannels x nMaxBands x 2

METHOD Init : HRESULT
VAR_INPUT
    stInitPars      : ST_CM_IntegratedRMS_InitPars;     // init parameter
    nOwnID          : UDINT;                            // ID for this FB instance
    aDestIDs        : ARRAY[1..cCMA_MaxDest] OF UDINT;  // IDs of destinations for output
    nResultBuffers  : UDINT := 4;                       // number of MultiArrays which should be initialized for results (0 for no initialization)
END_VAR

Init():

This method is not usually necessary in a Condition Monitoring application. It offers an alternative to the function block initialization. The Init() method may only be called during the initialization phase of the PLC. It cannot be used at runtime. You are referred to the use of an FB_init method or the attribute 'call_after_init' (see TwinCAT PLC reference). In addition, this facilitates the function block encapsulation.

The input parameters of the function block instance may not be assigned in the declaration if the initialization is to take place using the Init() method.

  • Return value: If an error occurs, a corresponding error code of the type HRESULT is output. Possible values are described in the List of error codes.

ResetData():

The method deletes all data records that have already been added, see Memory property of the function block. If the Call() method is called again after a ResetData(), the internal memory must be replenished in order to calculate a valid result.

  • Return value: If an error occurs, a corresponding error code of the type HRESULT is output. Possible values are described in the List of error codes.
METHOD ResetData : HRESULT
VAR_INPUT
END_VAR

PassInputs():

As long as an FB_CMA_Source instance is called and signal data are thus transferred to a target block, all further function blocks of the analysis chain have to be called cyclically as explained in the API PLC Reference.
Sometimes it is useful not to execute an algorithm for a certain time. For example, some algorithms should be executed only after prior training or configuration. The function block must be called cyclically, but it is sufficient for the data arriving at the function block to be forwarded in the communication ring. This is done using the PassInputs() method in place of the Call() method. The algorithm itself is not called here, and accordingly no result is calculated and no output buffer generated.

  • Return value: If an error occurs, a corresponding error code of the type HRESULT is output. Possible values are described in the List of error codes.
METHOD PassInputs : HRESULT
VAR_INPUT
END_VAR

GetChannelErrors():

The method enables the querying of a list of the channel-specific return values when processing several channels (nChannels > 1). A call is useful in the case that the return value of the function block corresponds to one of the values eCM_InfRTime_AmbiguousChannelResults or eCM_ErrRTime_ErrornousChannelResults.

  • Return value: Information on the reading process of the list of error codes. The value is set to TRUE if the query was successful, otherwise to FALSE.
    METHOD GetChannelErrors : BOOL
VAR_IN_OUT
    aChannelErrors : ARRAY[*] OF HRESULT;
END_VAR
  • aChannelErrors: Error list of the type HRESULT of the length nChannels.

Similar function blocks

The function block FB_CMA_MultiBandRMS calculates RMS values for single and multi-channel real-valued time series for configurable frequency bands.

Requirements

Development environment

Target platform

PLC libraries to include

TwinCAT v3.1.4022.25

PC or CX (x86, x64)

Tc3_CM, Tc3_CM_Base

FB_CMA_IntegratedRMS 3:

Limited functional scope already available with CM 3.1. See section Compatibility.