The Industry 4.0 is a transversal process that makes industrial production entirely automated and interconnected : machinery , people and devices communicate / talk each other for an intelligent management system .
allow Machine-to-Machine talking ( M2M ), reading information from the memory of the machine or plant CPUs , integrating them with data collected from the surrounding environment and means for Internet of Things ( IoT ) communication . Factory information could be stored in the Cloud and could be retrieved everywhere or from any personal device in order to have real-time data , production data , maintenance status , and alarms on-the-go .
CN : Something immediately available to an industrial customer ? AM : Sure , I can give you some examples of applications developed , fully tested and available by Automata :
· F3 Net : an intelligent system that acquires , collects , stores , manages and processes in real time a large number of information and events , making them available even on mobile devices .
· Cloud service : it collects and manages machine information and makes it available remotely , in real time and at different levels such as Apps and web dashboards .
· Smart Robot : it provides high flexibility in the robot path ' s programming activity , according to production requirements of the supply chain , either by operators or automatically .
· EDEA : a system developed to satisfy the electricity energy requirements , in terms of audit and analysis , allowing to know and keep under control the consumption of electricity . It creates a mapping of the inefficiencies of systems and processes and automatically implements efficiency improvements .
· Preventive Maintenance : starting with an accurate initial configuration , and using a limited number of on-board sensors detecting different phenomena , it is possible from a component malfunction , to prevent machine inefficiency . It would be possible to predict a component malfunction using sensors that analyze its physical behavior . As example , an anomaly in the analysis of the harmonics spectrum from a rotating element could indicate an incipient failure . A predictive system can intercept this fail and send an alarm message as well as an intervention request , much more before the system breakdown ; preventing machine major damage and loss of productivity .
CN : Which benefits can an industrial user of these systems get ? AM : The integration of these applications generate different advantages , both in terms of process and project :
· Efficiency of the entire process increases , sometimes dramatically .
· Cost savings are immediately accounted for , referred to increased processing time , reduced use of resources , reduction of downtimes , that reflects in a lower cost of products .
· Flexibility , since it ' s possible to adapt products according to the operator choice . The plant can adapt itself , integrating automatically parameter modification , according to the needs , reducing dramatically latency between the request from the market the new jobs production .
· Cross solution . The operator interaction is the same regardless the kind or type of control system architecture , the peculiarities of
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different plants are normalized through the Cloud Database ; the uniformity of the information is the main benefit for the user and a basis for the economy of the plants .
CN : Automata works both for the Cannon Group and for the market . Which Industry 4.0 projects did you already implemented with your sister companies ? AM : Automata has collaborated in several intercompany projects for both the Energy and the Plastics Processing businesses :
· With Bono Energia we made an advanced emissions monitoring system , an application customized on F3 Net solution , giving the realtime availability of data on the web or to remote station .
· With Cannon Afros we developed a Data Collection system for the Polyurethane injection and Carbon fiber preforming and impregnation processes , including a continuous machine state of service . Data are collected from the machine , stored and made available for future analysis : graphs over time , statistical information and quality reports of the pouring process .
· To Cannon Ergos we supply the Robot Plant Integration , an innovative programming module integrated in the SCADA HMI Automata , for real time robot program input and modifications . This allows Companies using hundreds of different programs to save a huge quantity of time , money and human resources ! We conceived a number of dedicated solutions , for specific Cannon needs , by integrating in one unique control system different plant functions for the
“ wet side ” ( Polyurethane and Epoxy dosing units ), for the “ dry side ” ( carousels , presses , thermoforming machines ) and for the robots ( ABB , Kuka , GE Fanuc ). We also provided an integration of controls , with which Cannon can enlarge its offer for turn-key solutions to the market , through the integration in the machine HMI , or in the plant production , of a control system able to manage along the production line different tools , such as RF ID , Bar Code readers , cameras and vision s y s t e m s , s c a l e s o r Q R p r i n t e r s . Such integration of plant functions in one unique control and is the basis for making data available to the operators and to the Cloud , which is the main concept of I4.0 ; rather than having more controls dedicated to single functions not talking among them .
CN : Then , is Automata ready to make with Cannon the Industry 4.0 revolution ? AM : You bet ! Just let us have the requests : some of the answers are available already … and the others can be easily developed !
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