Intelligent manufacturing-from vision to realization path

Smart manufacture is the hottest topic at the moment. It indicates that smart manufacturing will become the future of industry.

Manufacturing is so complicated that it feels like a blind person. Internet companies understand smart manufacturing more from new business models, and propose a shift from "production to warehouse" mode to "production to order". Cloud platform companies develop various cloud services to encourage "enterprise cloud access." Communications companies are generally propagating "enable smart manufacturing with 5G and IoT technologies as the center." Traditional automatic control integrators understand intelligent manufacturing from the perspective of robots and automated production lines, while AI experts talk about AI empowerment in intelligent manufacturing.

Reading foreign articles, Western companies started from the pressure brought by globalization and discussed how to realize the transformation from "mass manufacturing" to "mass customization" through intelligent manufacturing. Improve the competitiveness of the manufacturing industry in developed countries, and realize the return of the manufacturing industry through intelligent manufacturing. There are many types of terms, architectures, platforms, and standards. Dazzling.

All this is normal. The emergence of a new technology must be accompanied by the emergence of various new ideas and perspectives. People want things to change in their favor. One thing is clear, intelligent manufacturing does not completely represent advanced manufacturing. The product design, materials, and processing technology of the manufacturing industry are "hard core technologies". Smart manufacturing cannot improve hard core technology.

If you are one of the stakeholders, you can't follow the trend blindly. Two main issues must be clear:

1. What is the purpose of implementing intelligent manufacturing?
2. What kind of path is being taken to achieve the goal?

Vision and roadmap are two crucial issues for many companies. Different regions and different companies have different visions and roadmaps.

 

Why smart manufacturing?

What kind of problems intelligent manufacturing should solve can be roughly summarized as follows:

Long-term goal

• New production models and mass customization ( New production models and mass customization )

  Meet the individual needs of customers.

• Industry reflux ( Production's Reshoring )

        Bring product manufacturing close to innovators and designers.

•     Close to the raw material ( Proximity Sourcing )

     Manufacturing should be close to the source of raw materials.

• Human-centred manufacturing ( Human-centred manufacturing )

     From manual labor to intellectual labor, pay attention to the safety and happiness of workers.

Short-term benefits

1. Flexibility in Automation Architectures and Configuration (Flexibility in Automation Architectures and Configuration )
2. Turned to predictive maintenance ( the Shift towards the Predictive Maintenance )
3. Zero-defect quality management and manufacturing ( at Quality Management Excellence and Zero Defect Manufacturing (ZDM) )
4. Digital Simulations and Digital Twins
5. Seamless between the supply chain and accurate flow of information ( The Seamless Information Flows and Accurate across catena alberghiera The Supply )
6. Worker training, safety and health and peace ( Worker Training, Safety andWell Being )

The technology behind smart manufacturing

   The technical means of intelligent manufacturing is to use the latest technology in the IT field to realize the digitization and networking of various assets in the manufacturing industry. Improve their intelligence capabilities. They include smart products, smart manufacturing equipment, smart production lines and smart workshops, and smart factories.

1. Cyber-Physical System and Industrial Internet of Things ( CPS and Industrial Internet of Things )
2. 5G Communications ( 5G Communications )
3. Low power consumption Wide Area Network ( Low Power Wide Area Networks )
4. Cloud computing ( Cloud Computing )
5. Calculating an edge ( Edge Computing )
6. Large data ( Big the Data )
7. AI ( Artificial Intelligence )
8. Augmented Reality ( Augmented Reality )
9. Blockchain ( Blockchain Technologies )
10. Information Security ( Cyber ​​Security )
11. 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing ( 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing )

Characteristics of Intelligent Manufacturing Technology

1. Holistic, Integrated and End-to-End ( Holistic, Integrated and End-to-End )

Digitalization as a whole, not partial digitalization

1. Predictive Predictive and Anticipatory
2. Fast and real-time Fast and Real-Time
3. Flexible adaptation Flexible and Adaptive
4. Standard (based Standards-Based )
5. Openness ( Open )
6. Cost - Efficiency ( Cost-as Effective )
7. People-oriented Human-Centric (Human-in- the-Loop)
8. Continuous improvement ( the Continuous Improvement )

The backbone of the digital workshop

1. Digitally enhanced manufacturing equipment (Digitally enhanced manufacturing equipment)
2. Interoperable digital components and technologies
3. Experimental facilities including pilot lines and testbeds (Experimentation facilities including pilot lines and testbeds)
4. Open Innovation Processes

Realize

The ultimate goal of intelligent manufacturing is to build the digitization of manufacturing assets and realize intelligence. Where does it all start? What is the roadmap for realizing the vision?

The realization of intelligent manufacturing is a gradual evolution process, and an agile method will be adopted to iterate gradually. Every milestone needs to be profit-driven. Let early participants gain commercial benefits. Otherwise, the driving force to promote intelligent manufacturing will be lost. Every participant in the realization of intelligent manufacturing needs to have a clear roadmap, taking into account both short-term and long-term benefits.

RAMI 4.0 Reference Architecture Model

The manufacturing system is extremely complex, involving many fields. Almost no company can cover a full range of fields, but only choose the fields and technical expertise that one is familiar with, and focus on professional fields. From the RAMI 4.0 Reference Architecture Model Industry 4.0 of "Industry 4.0", it can be seen that the industry is divided into a 3D three-dimensional model with three dimensions:

Y axis: the system level ( your Hierarchical Levels )

In this dimension, the industry is divided into products, field devices, control devices, stations, factories, enterprises, and the connected world.

X-axis: the lifetime value stream ( Cycle & Value Stream )

Product development -> development, use and maintenance, production -> use and maintenance.

Z axis: functional layer (layer)

From the perspective of function, it is divided into assets, integration, communication, information, function, and business.

 

Three dimensions cut the 3D RAMI4.0 model into small cubes like a Rubik's cube. Each cube is an entry point into intelligent manufacturing.

1. From the business layer to study the business model of intelligent manufacturing.
2. Study the Industrial Internet from the Communication Level
3. Research the digital model of various equipment from the functional level. Import various new IT technologies.
4. Study the process reengineering and industrial optimization of the production line from the field equipment dimension, modular manufacturing and automatic control technology.
5. From the product dimension to study product life cycle management.

 

Cyber ​​Physics System ( CPS )

An important concept proposed in Industry 4.0 is the so-called Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS Cyber-Physical Systems). Its basic concept is to merge the physical assets and information (computing and network) of the manufacturing industry. CPS becomes the basic module of manufacturing, and they are connected to each other through the network.

Under the concept of CPS, the future production workshop will be composed of many CPS networking. The CPS has also become a modular manufacturing unit. CPS can communicate with each other and exchange information. As small as sensors, actuators, and a large number of mechanical mechanisms, as large as machine tools, robotic arms, and conveyor belts, after adding CPS software and network interfaces, they will become CPS systems.

At the same time, traditional production methods may also change. For example, in a traditional mechanical processing plant, the CNC workshop is a single CNC machine tool. After the processing is completed, it is sent to the measurement room (sometimes called the quality inspection room) for measurement, and then returned to the CNC workshop. After the parts are processed, they are sent to the deburring machine. Taiwan, uniform deburring. This production line is suitable for mass processing. For small batches, customized manufacturing may be unreasonable. We need to reconstruct the layout of the manufacturing workshop. In the intelligent manufacturing workshop, several CNC equipment, geometric measuring equipment, deburring machines, conveyor belts, and robotic arms can form a production unit. The MES in the workshop issues processing tasks and technical documents of parts to the production unit. The processing tasks are completed independently by this production unit.

The layered architecture of the traditional workshop automation system has also changed, from the original layered architecture to a distributed CPS system

 

Realizing smart manufacturing also has three dimensions

1. Manufacturer company
2. Manufacturing equipment, software, integrator
3. Industry Association, Standardization Organization

Manufacturer company

For manufacturing companies, gradually realize the modularization of production lines and build more flexible production lines. The use of more digital intelligent CPS systems and the use of various network technologies to network equipment is the interconnection of production factors. And the introduction of various intelligent software systems (such as digital simulation, digital twin) is their roadmap towards intelligent manufacturing. The benefits will be to improve the overall efficiency of manufacturing, speed up order submission time, quickly respond to customer needs, reduce manufacturing costs, improve product quality, achieve zero defects, reduce manpower and energy costs, achieve predictive equipment maintenance, and reduce equipment downtime and many more.

The digitalization plan of the workshop is determined by the company's product characteristics and processing methods. After the physical equipment is converted into CPS nodes, the establishment and change of production modes will be more rapid and flexible.

At present, the common problems of processing enterprises are: small and medium-sized mechanical processing enterprises are deployed according to mass production, small batch production is expensive, the delivery time is long, and generally it is not profitable. On the one hand, customer communication, product manufacturing process, and preparation work have a long preparation cycle, which is mainly due to the default of product life cycle management software. , Did not adopt standard design documents and formats. For example, the format and version of the customer's CAD design drawing and the factory are inconsistent. Usually need to be converted, on the other hand, the material flow in the workshop, personnel communication is not smooth. The low level of informatization of the production line has caused a lot of useful data to not be collected, stored, analyzed and fed back.

At present, enterprises generally focus on physical equipment rather than software and networks. Most companies are almost "bare-metal procurement." In addition to basic control software, programming and download tools, they rarely purchase network interface cards and upper-level management interface software. As a result, the upper layer software (such as MES) cannot be connected with it. MES just stays at the level of production information management and Kanban system. Further implementation of data analysis, simulation and digital twins, AI cannot be implemented. After the purchase, the supplier's accessories are expensive, which is prohibitive for enterprises.

 

Equipment, software, system integrator

The vision to help the manufacturing industry establish smart manufacturing is the responsibility and opportunity of equipment, industrial software, and system integrators. It is very complicated and long to provide a complete intelligent manufacturing system for the manufacturing industry. Equipment, industrial software, and system integrators must balance current and future goals. It is necessary to allow manufacturing to create value in the early stages of intelligent manufacturing, but also to not deviate from the intelligent manufacturing system and the overall architecture. Realize the reusability of the software and maintain the sustainability of the system.

In order to achieve this goal, equipment, industrial software, and system integrators need to set up a suitable framework and technical standards from the beginning to solve the current technical pain points of the manufacturing industry under the large system architecture. Start locally. The current situation is:

Companies in the information technology field build various platforms and architectures based on their own technical background and interests. Anxious to sell immature technologies, products and services to the manufacturing industry. There is no in-depth research and integration of the manufacturing industry. For example, the current relatively lively "Enterprise Cloud", industrial Internet of Things platform, handling robot arm, AGV trolley and other projects. Just transplant the cloud platform and operation and maintenance technology in the IT field to the manufacturing industry, and connect the PLC controller in the manufacturing industry to the cloud through the modbus gateway. It does not solve the pain points of manufacturing, which is far from intelligent manufacturing. The acceptance of manufacturing companies is not high.

Information technology companies develop proprietary industrial software and application systems for specific fields and companies. Lack of large technical framework guidelines. The result is that the system lacks flexibility and scalability, and the software's reusability, scalability and interconnectivity are not high. Repeatedly hovering at a low level. It is not compatible with the technology and products of major foreign advanced control systems. Over time, its products and services cannot match those of major international manufacturers.

A more appropriate way is to establish or follow a large technical architecture of intelligent manufacturing, under which a " bottom-up" development strategy is adopted . Start with small devices and proprietary devices at the bottom to achieve interconnection and compatibility with large systems. Then develop to the top. This can create value for manufacturing in the early stages of system development.

In the application field, the focus is to address the "hard core" needs of the manufacturing industry to reduce costs and improve quality. Let the manufacturing industry obtain the value brought by intelligent manufacturing.

Projects funded by the European "Horizon 2020" program-DAEDALUS

At present, the intelligent manufacturing architecture is in the development stage, and various technical architectures of CPS have been proposed. One of the more important structures is the industrial automation project-DAEDALUS, funded by the European Horizon 2020 program. It is an international standard based on the IEC61499 distributed industrial control system. In addition, there are two projects , FAR-EDGE and MAYA.

The cooperation between DAEDALUS and FAR-EDGE stems from the natural complementarity of the two projects. In fact, although DAEDALUS particularly focuses on real-time automation of distributed smart devices based on the IEC-61499 standard, FAR-EDGE believes that this type of automation is located in the "edge" (or "fog"). ), between the workstation level and the factory level. In addition, the typical method of "embedding" station-level automation Far-Edge in the service-oriented interface mechanism is naturally consistent with the object-oriented method of DAEDALUS. These two projects have recently joined forces to establish the "Digital Workshop Alliance" . The alliance aims to provide digital automation solutions based on cutting-edge and standards, as well as guidelines and blueprints for effective deployment, verification and evaluation. The proposed solutions include standards-based digital automation solutions that follow different deployment paradigms, such as cloud and edge computing systems.
In this case, MAYA provides a framework that can be used for the entire factory life cycle (from early design to production), in which multidisciplinary simulation tools can exchange and synchronize behavior models and data with automation equipment.

Here we discuss the DAEDALUS project

The biggest feature of IEC61499 is based on event function blocks. The so-called function block is essentially a componentization of industrial control software and encapsulated in the function block. Use the graphical way to write applications based on the function block network. Another feature of 61499 is that a function block application can be deployed to run on multiple devices, instead of writing a program like a PLC to run on one PLC.

The structure of a CPS roughly includes

1. Internal control procedures,
2. Interaction agreement with other CPS,
3. Parameter description (digital description of assets)
4. Management interface

The IEC61499 standard contains almost all parts. The CPS architecture based on IEC61499 is a lightweight CPS. A little more complicated, you may want to add elements such as automaticML and OPC UA. This is also what the function block can achieve,

The function blocks of IEC 61499 are not limited to low-level control, but can also be extended to EPR, SCADA, and MES high-level software. There are even applications such as digital simulation, big data, and AI. The industrial control system has also changed from a traditional layered architecture to a decentralized distributed system architecture based on the CPS network. EPR, SCADA, and MES high-level software components can also be encapsulated into IEC61499 functional blocks. These software components can also be accessed through the service interface function block.

We know that the traditional automatic control system is a layered architecture

DAEDALUS uses IEC61499 to establish CPS. The intelligent manufacturing system is composed of multiple CPSs through the network. Different functions of the traditional architecture can run in CPS at the same time. This is a decentralized, distributed architecture.

The functions in the traditional hierarchical architecture will be transformed into IEC61499 function blocks and function block applications, which will be distributed and run in different CPSs. A small CPS may run a sensor service function block, and a large CPS may run a real-time control application, while running EPR, a part of the MES function block network. All software in the intelligent manufacturing system runs and cooperates on these large and small CPSs.

Small-scale CPS may be realized by ARM microcontroller, while large-scale CPS may be realized by X86 or multi-core Arm.

 

Application market

DAEDALUS also proposed a concept similar to mobile apps. A digital space is formed, and various functional block apps are stored in the App market. Called by system integrators or enterprise users.

The function block applications running in CPS will be divided into two categories, one is real time (REAL TIME) control applications, and the other is Internet of things (ANY TIME) applications. CPS can be interconnected with existing control equipment through fieldbus.

CPS is a Linux OS device, running IEC61499 runtime (RUN TIME), its internal structure is as follows

On top of the operating system, there is an IEC61499 runtime-that is, a virtual machine environment for running function block applications. According to IEC61499, a runtime can have multiple resources, and each resource can run a function block network. You can think of resources as virtual machines that can run applications. More CPS’s demand for computing power, choose single-chip microcomputer, multi-core Arm, or X86 processor,

It can be seen that the DAEDALUS project gives us a clear context and roadmap to realize CPS. The realization of intelligent manufacturing can start from IEC61499.

For manufacturers of traditional equipment, sensors, and measuring instruments, you can add embedded software to your equipment to transform the equipment into a CPS system. Take the lead in realizing CPS for professional equipment, such as injection molding machines, packaging equipment, and three-dimensional warehouses. Build a small environment for intelligent manufacturing and integrate it into the open control system of an international manufacturer. System integrators can convert traditional equipment into CPS and build modular manufacturing units.

In the development process of intelligent manufacturing, it is necessary to take into account the existing control equipment, such as PLC-based control systems and equipment. In the concept of DAEDALUS, a small size, low-cost so-called CPS-izer can be developed to connect the traditional control system to the IEC61499 compatible cps network. Such equipment is necessary in the early development stage based on CPS intelligent manufacturing system.

       

IEC61499 Competence Center Network

In order to promote IEC61499's CPS DAEDALUS, a network of IEC61499 competence centers has also been established throughout Europe. -

The network aims to:

1. Establish a network of European competence centers and attract key stakeholders from institutions and industries interested in the application of IEC-61499 technology
2. Promote the transfer of technology from research to market in the field of industrial automation . The process is dedicated to interpretation, display and specific applications derived from the innovation of the IEC-61499 standard 
3. Establish an expert community that can share knowledge across Europe and support stakeholders to implement the technology in Europe , and provide automation participants interested in using the technology with information on the technical potential and applications to demonstrate the implementation of the technology in Europe 5 presenters
4. Provide technology providers with the possibility to contact IEC-61499 technology owners and purchase reference implementations that accelerate the transition to IEC-61499
5. Identify the main trends and challenges of IEC-61499 in innovation and industrial applications
6. Provide a collaborative portal to disseminate European project information and results related to the application of IEC-61499

 

It seems that they are serious and hard.

For the development of new smart devices such as big data and the Internet of Things, CPS functions can be directly integrated. Staying in place will never reach the other side. Only by taking the first step bravely can you find a suitable path.