How practical IIoT technologies help users create connected plants

Many in the manufacturing and processing industries have heard about the industrial internet of things (IIoT) and digital transformation. But from a practical standpoint, what do these technologies and initiatives mean for end users who are trying to solve problems and realize value?

My article in the April 2020 issue of Efficient Plant, IIoT Answers Connected Plant Questions, addresses how digital transformation helps people use IIoT technologies to optimize operations.

Digital transformation is not a single task, but rather a journey of:

·       Connecting to many different assets

·       Collecting and storing data

·       Transforming the data into information for visualization and analysis

·       Understanding the results and using them to optimize operations

Conventional Connectivity Challenges

Traditional industrial systems have been built from many hierarchical layers of hardware and software to connect field equipment and sensors via input/output signals to control systems, typically programmable logic controllers (PLCs). These operational technology (OT) systems interacted with information technology (IT) systems, perhaps using the cloud. There were many types of data “consumers”, and each often required its own tag definitions and asset models. Creating and synchronizing these models required substantial effort.

Flattening Hierarchies

Newer communication standards and protocols—such as OPC UA within plants and MQTT for connectivity to IT and cloud systems—make it possible to flatten the traditional information hierarchy. These platform agnostic protocols do so through:

·       Information modeling: Lets users create data representations of real-world objects so any consumer application “understands” context.

·       Discovery services: So applications can find compatible sources of data on the network.

·       Security: Implements certificate exchanges and encryption to ensure only authorized applications access the proper data.

The newest generation of edge controllers feature virtualized deterministic real-time and general-purpose operating systems, with built-in OPC UA and MQTT support.

MTP Standardizes Equipment Definitions

The Module Type Package (MTP) standard leverages protocols such as OPC UA, but takes things a step further by providing a standard language for defining production equipment:

·       Data characteristics

·       System capabilities

·       Graphical displays

For instance, OEMs who create MTP-based skid control automation using PLCs or edge controllers ensure their equipment software interfaces can be seamlessly imported into a host system, such as a distributed control system (DCS). The result is tight integration where the local skid performs necessary detailed operation, orchestrated by a host system.

Other Connected Advantages

IIoT-enabling communication protocols and standards like OPC UA, MQTT, and MTP are fundamental for creating a connected plant among automation platforms such as a DCS, PLCs, and edge controllers.

These technologies make it possible for users to create a reliable connectivity, data normalization, and persistent storage strategy, fundamental for helping plants reach stable operations while avoiding downtime surprises.

By creating a connected plant using IIoT concepts, users can apply their efforts to the greater task of improving production efficiency by implementing manufacturing intelligence.

Figures all courtesy of Emerson