A new web application called MIALinx enables machines, sensors and data in industrial environments to be connected to the corporate network. This involves not only the latest machines, but also older machines that have been modernised using sensors. By connecting data streams, it is not only possible to optimise the operation and maintenance of machines, but also to have automated actions performed based on specific measured values.
Machines and manufacturing facilities today create a large amount of data. For instance, many machines are equipped with sensors that collect information on machine status, fluid levels, energy consumption and temperature. By collecting and analysing these data streams, companies can optimise their production lines, including by performing preventive maintenance and avoiding unexpected machine downtime.
Collecting data streams centrally
However, bringing these data streams together is challenging in practice. For instance, in many cases machines not only store data in different file formats, but data is also collected in other locations. MIALinx, developed by the German Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA), offers a solution. This web application aims to connect all possible types of data streams and bring them together in a central location.
The web application is not tied to machines from specific manufacturers and allows data streams from all possible brands of machines to be connected. This is possible thanks to the Manufacturing Service Bus (MSB), which forms the basis of MIALinx and runs in the background. Fraunhofer IPA compares the MSB to a virtual patch panel, which connects different data sources and can convert file formats if necessary to make data streams compatible.
Automated actions
However, MIALinx not only connects devices, but also allows automated actions and operations to be performed based on collected insights. This uses so-called 'if-then' rules, which ensure that if a certain value is measured, a predefined action is performed. As an example, Fraunhofer IPA cites a colour sensor that continuously monitors the air filter of a machine. If the filter turns a certain colour, this indicates that the contamination in the filter has reached a critical level. If this colour is measured, MIALinx can automatically notify a person within the organisation. However, if required, MIALinx can also automatically place an order for a new air filter in the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
However, not every machine collects data by default; older machines in particular are often not equipped with sensors. However, if these older machines are equipped with sensors, MIALinx can also collect data from these machines.
"Machines, production systems and IT systems in advanced manufacturing environments need to be able to adapt quickly to changing conditions. MIALinx makes it easier to make adjustments while increasing the flexibility of the entire factory," explains Dominik Lucke, a professor at Fraunhofer IPA. "It can be intuitively managed and configured via a graphical user interface - without having to invest a lot of time in becoming familiar with the system and without requiring programming knowledge."
Virtual Fort Knox
MIALinx comes into its own best, according to Fraunhofer IPA, if integrated into a Virtual Fort Knox (VFK) platform. VFK is an open cloud platform that makes IT services available to companies in the manufacturing industry. "A company can flexibly combine services from different suppliers and use them as required," explains Daniel Stock, Group Manager Production IT Architectures and Integration at Fraunhofer IPA. Among other things, VFK allows companies to collaborate on a single platform, while their data remains stored separately. This uses a 'cell concept', where each partner stores its data in its own cell and can share it with third parties if necessary. VFK was also developed by Fraunhofer IPA and is marketed by the eponymous VFK, a spin-out of the research organisation.
More information about MIALinx can be found at mialinx.de
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (photo)
Source: MIALinx.de
