www.ipesearch.com ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION 11
FEATURE
Leveraging the power of data
Efficient data management using the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is
increasingly important in ensuring the successful deployment of new and updated
automation systems. Jeremy Shinton looks at how the latest controllers designed to
manage this convergence of information technology (IT) and operational
technology (OT) can be used to ensure optimal data management and connectivity
KEY TO bridging the gap
between automation
systems processing large
volumes of data and
turning this into
intelligence that is shared with higher-level
enterprise systems is a new class
of controller. The latest PLCs, machine
controllers and industrial PCs built for
IIoT applications can be used for edge
computing, while also supporting high-speed
data logging to the cloud.
Beyond the factory floor
At the core of highly effective,
futureproof production facilities is the
Industrial Internet of Things. This is a
network of connected devices and
systems from the factory floor all the
way up to higher enterprise levels that
generates and shares large volumes of
data. The goal is to create unique,
actionable, manufacturing intelligence
to improve production and plant
activities, resulting in increased
productivity, uptime and flexibility.
Businesses that leverage the power of
data can therefore considerably
enhance their competitive edge in a
fast-changing market.
The creation of a successful IIoT
application requires automation
systems built on controllers with
cutting-edge processing power and
capacity, allowing data to be analysed
closer to where it is generated. State-of-the-
art PLCs, such as Mitsubishi
Electric’s MELSEC iQ-R series, address
these needs with powerful processors
and large data-handling capabilities.
IIoT-ready controllers like these help
advanced connectivity options play
their part in (continuously) delivering
data-driven information. The ability to
connect to the cloud using common
protocols directly on the PLC is a
growing trend: the ‘connect everything’
idea means that controllers can be
anywhere in the world and act as a
‘data pump’ to higher-level cloud
platforms. Commonly used operating
systems, such as Linux, can now be
hosted on PLC modules. This enables
the platform to use an open-source,
secure functionality that can easily be
installed into these environments. It
puts the already highly connected
plant-level PLC into areas using new
language terminology phrases, such as
JSON, REST API, MQTT, Python and the
rest of the buzz words and acronyms
that fill this space. These new PLC
capabilities open the door to IIoT
applications in all industries.
While these elements are crucial to
producing actionable insight to
improve production operations driven
by information technology (IT),
businesses will need solutions to
continuously bridge the divide between
the IT world and operational
technology (OT). This represents the
next step in ensuring highly productive,
flexible and responsive plants.
Automation at the edge
To achieve this, solutions need to be
implemented that can support data
analysis for time-critical operational
tasks and production-based analytics, as
well as for non-urgent but more
processing-intensive data mining. These
help build an in-depth understanding of
plant operations and develop actions on
how to improve them.
Mitsubishi Electric’s latest MELIPC edge
computing solution offers an ideal
IT/OT merger that supports both on-
and off-site data-analytics functions. It
features advanced analytical and
artificial intelligence functionality to
process data locally in real-time, using
shop-floor know-how with diagnostics
and predictive maintenance feedback.
As a result, the device can drive a
production system’s decisions based
on key data. MELIPC also pre-processes
and aggregates data for higher-level
insights. Thanks to OPC UA standard
connectivity, the information is then
shared to different platforms, to
improve plant operations.
A clear benefit of this hybrid solution
over conventional cloud-based systems
is a particularly secure, as well as
reliable, connection and ecosystem.
Highly regulated industries, such as the
pharmaceutical sector, can therefore be
included in the benefit of innovative
data-mining capabilities, while still
meeting regulatory compliance.
On-board with IIoT controllers
The future of manufacturing is here –
and it is based on an interconnected
IIoT framework. Key technology
solutions to realise this are already at
hand. By setting up an IIoT system that
leverages advanced controllers and
industrial PCs with high-speed, powerful
processing capabilities and connectivity
features, companies can truly enhance
manufacturing operations. This will lead
to data-driven applications that can
generate and share a comprehensive
understanding of plant and production
activities, supporting their continuous
improvement.
Jeremy Shinton is product manager
for edge computing technologies at
Mitsubishi Electric
For more information:
http://gb3a.mitsubishielectric.com
Tel: 01707 288 780
At the core of
highly
effective,
futureproof
production
facilities is the
Industrial
Internet of
Things
/www.ipesearch.com
/gb3a.mitsubishielectric.com
