Automation system and method for clock time, process, and/or machine optimization

1. An automation system with computerized numerical control, comprising:

at least two data processing levels, each data processing level having a time domain and at least one subsystem;

at least one clock time-registering means assigned to each of the at least two data processing levels and configured to register clock times of the subsystems of the at least two data processing levels with respect to the time domains of the at least two data processing levels, each clock time-registering means being configured to operate synchronously with each other clock time-registering means, each clock time-registering means being configured to store the clock times in an alternating buffer;

means for comparing the clock times and relating them to each other in terms of time for the at least two data processing levels; and

means for graphic and clock-synchronous visualization with microsecond accuracy of said clock times that were registered, wherein said clock times are arranged in a comparative view in said visualization,

wherein said subsystems include systems selected from the group consisting of drive systems, Statistical Process Control (SPC) systems, Numerical Control (NC) systems, robotic control (RC) systems, and combinations thereof.

2. An automation system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising means for acting upon the clock time-registering means such that clock times can be registered anew, in a manner selected from the group consisting of regularly acting and selectively acting.

3. An automation system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising means for querying the clock time-registering means such that clock times can be registered anew, in a manner selected from the group consisting of regularly querying and selectively querying.

4. An automation system as defined in claim 1 , wherein said clock times include interpretation times, block preparation times, and interpolation times.

5. An automation system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the at least two data processing levels are a data block preparation level and a data block processing level.

6. A method for optimizing an automation system having at least two data processing levels, each data processing level having a time domain and at least one subsystem, the method comprising:

assigning clock times to the subsystems of the at least two data processing levels with respect to the time domains of the at least two data processing levels;

registering the clock times assigned to the at least two data processing levels using clock time-registering means assigned to each of the at least two data processing levels, each clock time-registering means being configured to operate synchronously with each other clock time-registering means, each clock time-registering means being configured to store the clock times in an alternating buffer;

comparing the clock times registered for the data processing levels with each other and relating to each other in terms of time; and

graphically visualizing with microsecond accuracy the clock times that were registered in a graphic and clock-synchronous visualization, wherein said clock times are arranged in a comparative view in said visualization,

wherein said subsystems include systems selected from the group consisting of drive systems, Statistical Process Control (SPC) systems, Numerical Control (NC) systems, robotic control (RC) systems, and combinations thereof.

7. A method as defined in claim 6 , wherein the at least two data processing levels include a data block preparation level and a data block processing level.

8. A method as defined in claim 6 , further comprising registering the clock times anew in a manner selected from the group consisting of regularly and selectively.