Companies want technologies that allow the gradual upgrade of new and existing machinery into a digital value chain. The way to effect this is often easier than at first anticipated.
Smart factories meet the specific demands for ever shorter production cycles, growing cost pressures and more tailored products. Machine-to-machine communication (M2M) via standardised interfaces enables continuous data collection, analysis and visualisation to implement real-time condition monitoring and predictive maintenance mechanisms. We need to ensure that these smart factories have the required level of digital infrastructure to produce even more quickly, individually and cost effectively than others.
Smart devices form the basis
A basic prerequisite for a smart factory is that it is equipped with machinery that can provide as much information as possible on its general condition and throughput. Fieldbus connections deliver data for complex components, such as control systems, servo drives and variable frequency drives. “For simple sensors, switching devices, pushbuttons and other field devices, device-level intelligent wiring systems, such as Eaton’s SmartWire-DT, are available,” explains Chris Pack, field product manager at Eaton UK. “The newer generation machines are generally modular in design – and operate using Cyber Physical Systems (CPS). These independently perform all functions for data acquisition and processing, as well as execution of process steps.
“There is no longer the need to send every piece of information to a superordinate control system. Each CPS can act autonomously, negating addressing the machine as a whole, but the smart factory’s control centre can control sub-processes separately.”
Open communications
The smart factory delivers open communications whereby everyone will communicate easily, even in international projects. All machinery and even individual CPS sub-processes speak a common language. This applies equally to all communication partners: M2M, as well as machines, with the factory manager and with the cloud (M2Factory, M2Cloud). “Not only does this reduce the amount of time required to set up and replace equipment, it also simplifies, and therefore improves, the required communication interfaces of all hardware and software components involved,” Pack adds. “The OPC Unified Architecture (OPC-UA) standard, of the OPC Foundation, has practically established itself as today’s data exchange standard for secure, reliable, manufacturer- and platform-independent industrial communication.”
Launch predictive maintenance
With seamless, free data flow between all communication levels established, the next step is effective data analysis. Intelligent production, for example, can provide a wide range of additional information; this could be about products, linked factories, supply chains or customer behaviour. The resulting data, or ‘Big Data’, can be analysed further with new technologies, and used as the basis for managing smart factories and for new fields of business. Cloud is available to store big data over longer periods and makes it accessible to other parties, such as service partners and data analysts.
A consistent cybersecurity approach from the automation component up to the cloud, as well as the highest security levels for cloud data centres, minimises the number of potential weak points and provides the basis for a trusted platform.
“Eaton, with its partner T-Systems, offers machine and system builders secure end-to-end communication,” he explains. “Data is collected from all machine components through various connection systems and outputted to control and visualisation components via OPC-UA. At this point, data transfer is direct to the cloud via secure, local networks – and via mobile communication in the case of distributed machines – via T-Systems, T-Mobile or telecom networks. The data is stored in a highly secure data centre monitored by security specialists from T-Systems. Only a few large companies can guarantee a similarly high level of security for their data.”
IoT-ready with retrofitting
Even though a smart factory uses state-of-the-art technologies, it is not necessary to build from the ground up. In many cases, the expansion of an existing production facility to include digital functions makes sense, even if done gradually, and, initially, integrating new machines only. A retrofit will often make existing machines and systems ‘IoT-ready’. If this requires replacing the entire control system, however, the business case to justify such a measure is unprofitable. In many cases, a simple visualisation unit added to the existing control system suffices, communicating with the machine and acting as a cloud interface.
“The operating and control devices in Eaton’s XV series offer a cost-efficient option for this, whereby various interfaces allow simple connection within the machine,” Pack continues. “The devices are equipped with Ethernet, USB (host and device), RS232, RS485 and CAN as standard. Connection to the SmartWire-DT intelligent wiring system is also an option. Moreover, the XV300 offers multi-touch technology, with precision gesture control and intuitive operation. Familiar operating habits gained from using smartphones and tablets in everyday life transfer directly to the human-machine interface (HMI).” Version 10 of the visualisation software Galileo is compatible with most commercially available controllers because of extensive integrated communication protocols. The controllers use CoDeSys and the IEC61131 international standard for programming.
The simple interface configuration in Galileo and the integrated OPC-UA interface allow even older machines or systems to become part of a smart factory quickly and cost effectively. Plant operators can therefore benefit from the advantages a smart factory presents, without having to replace their existing machinery.