Permanent machine optimisation through digitisation

The MICA.network, the user organisation for all things relating to Harting’s MICA® Edge Computing System, has come up with a number of ideas to show visitors at SPS IPC Drives (November 27-29, 2018) the benefits of digitising machines and systems. At the HARTING stand (Hall 10 / Booth 140), network partners akquinet, Assystem, PCO and PerFact Innovation will use demonstrators such as MICA digital twins, condition monitoring, OEE calculation, preventative maintenance, and secure external access to machinery to drive home the point of how these can lead to long-term significant machine optimisation.

When combined with service management software, the MICA provides the perfect foundation for a digital twin of a machine or plant. In cooperation with MICA.network member PerFact Innovation, this will be presented live at SPS IPC Drives using HARTING's Smart Factory "HAII4YOU". Very different solution expertises are brought together in the digital twin: the connection of machines with the most diverse interfaces over the "last mile", the definition of data structures, basic analysis functions, the visualisation of selected machine parameters, as well as secure outside access to a machine - all with the overall goal of sustainably optimising the OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) of machinery.

PerFact uses MICA® to map data from a machine into a digital twin.

This is where akquinet comes in. akquinet provides information on customer applications such as the process-controlled development of auto spare parts, fleet management and predictive maintenance of industrial trucks or the condition monitoring of machines. For Industry 4.0 projects in the areas of PPS, MES as well as Condition Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance, in addition to the MICA akquinet relies in particular on open source technologies from Red Hat and standards in M2M communication, frequently in conjunction with solutions from SAP and Microsoft.

Simple integration of hardware and software in machines and IT infrastructure

Assystem will use a demonstrator to show how data science and machine learning can realise cost and efficiency benefits and effectively support machine operators. Here, machines communicate with each other and access internal and external data. As a result, Assystem also demonstrates its in-depth experience in M2M communication with OPC/UA. The individual solutions from Assystem can be implemented in the area of existing machinery inventories from different manufacturers and can be retrofitted to every system.

PCO will be holding a live demonstration of the implementation of predictive maintenance and OEE analysis on existing machines. At a showcase equipped with the MICA, sensors, RFID and Microsoft Azure, the network partner will demonstrate how tool identification, machine and production order data are combined, visualised and analysed. The central role is played by the "pco integration layer" for easy integration of hardware and software in the machine and IT infrastructure.

PCO showcases how tool identification, machine and production order data are combined, visualised and analysed.