Integration of OT-IT for streamlined digitalization of manufacturing and enterprises

Smart Manufacturing and Smart Enterprise are the ultimate goals of digitalization. Smart manufacturing and smart enterprises rely on collecting real-time operating status and essential parameters of various environmental, safety, production, and testing equipment within the factory. In addition, manufacturers must facilitate the communication of relevant data with different internal IT systems, such as Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and third-party IT services. OT and IT have historically had different domain expertise, resulting in communication gaps affecting digital information connectivity. A new subject in digital transformation is how to connect OT data to IT systems and retrieve IT information for the OT efficiently and quickly.

Project challenges/goals

This application story focuses on an electronic component manufacturer integrating various production processes and testing equipment data. After completing the production data integration, the customer wanted to setup a small board room to display the instant factory environmental safety information, production information (output quantity, yield rate), and equipment status (utilization rate, production capacity utilization rate, through rate). In the board room, decision-makers could visually monitor the execution status of orders and the operation of productionequipment.

The next step was the integration of the IT system. It was requested that collected data be sent simultaneously to two different IT systems by the customer. The first purpose was to predict current orders by connecting to the company's internal MES/ERP database. Estimated completion times would allow real-time adjustments to
production schedules and improve equipment utilization.

Secondly, the big data from equipment operation databases was analyzed with third-party AI modules connected toeach Edge Server partition. Real-time AI analysis was used to optimize equipment production parameters instantly to improve Production Through Rate.to optimize equipment production parameters instantly to improve Production Through Rate.

Project Challenge:

• Integrate various controllers from different brands
• Achieve real-time production monitoring and real-time production efficiency calculation
• Provide low-cost and robust board room visualization
• Interconnect with the MES/ERP database
• Integrate AI services of third-party IT

Solution overview

Beijer Electronics X2 human-machine interface (HMI) integrated different production processes and testing equipment data without changing the controller or equipment controller program. Regardless of the PLC brand inside a customer's machine, Beijer Electronics' X2 HMI can provide support for over 95% of the controller communication protocols on the market. Customers do not need to modify the controller's hardware specifications or software settings regardless of the brand of PLC used.

Configuring the X2 HMI for data collection and controller parameter management was a simple and successful process. In some cases, the BoX2 Gateway served as a suitable solution because the customer's equipment didn't require a control screen. Beijer Electronics' X2 HMI and BoX2 Gateway both use the same iX Runtime software, making replacement a seamless process. With this solution, flexibility in usage and installation was enhanced, while costs were reduced and space was maximized.

Beijer Electronics' X2 HMI visualized real-time productionstatus and generated reports online. Besides collecting OT data, the X2 HMI allowed operators to view production results intuitively. For a comprehensive factory production review, a real-time report was generated in CSV or PDF format after production. Beijer Electronics' X2 HMI incorporates a built-in C# script for calculating key metrics such as utilization rates, yield rates, and pass-through rates. As a result, production managers were able to monitor the yield ratio in real-time, identify any increase in defect rates, find the problem, and make immediate corrections. The proactive approach resulted in a reduction in the cost of testing and maintenance.

The standard software in Beijer Electronics' X2 HMI is iX Runtime. iX Runtime can also be installed separately on the PC/Edge Server. In the current market, SCADA software is often expensive and requires high levels of customization to integrate with IT systems. With its integrated vector graphics, trend graphics, objects, and analysis graphics, iX Runtime provides an alternative that can be customized to match customer preferences. It eliminates the need for employees to spend time redesigning settings when customers need to adjust or optimize them. In this application story, the customer required only a small board room. A PC running Windows 10 was configured to run Beijer Electronics' iX Runtime as Lite SCADA.

In addition to numerous controller drivers, Beijer Electronics X2 HMI supports common communication protocols, such as Modbus, OPC UA Server, OPC UA Client, MQTT, and Rest API. Beijer Electronics' X2 HMI can collect data and transmit it via OPC UA to its Edge Server running iX Runtime and AI modules from third parties. By using the third-party AI module, the big data of the equipment operation database can be analyzed, and the results can be used to optimize the production parameters of the equipment.

Beijer Electronics' X2 HMI can also be connected to MES/ERP systems through Modbus, OPC UA Server, OPC UA Client, MQTT, or Rest API. Production-related information, such as online schedules, production quantity, yield rates, and other essential data, can be synchronized effectively with the X2 HMI. Additionally, customers can implement the 'Automatic production order dispatch' function in the future. Beijer Electronics' X2 HMI can simultaneously connect OT and IT systems. Using a barcode scanner, the operator can input the work order number into the X2 once they receive the work order information. The X2 will automatically connect to the MES system database, subsequently transferring and displaying the production formula and parameters. Operators simply need to verify the work order number and press the confirmation button to input the product recipe into the controller, initiating the equipment for production. Production efficiency can be enhanced by reducing communication time during production, improving preparation for production, and minimizing manual input errors. The X2 will transmit production information directly to the Edge Server's AI module, the boardroom, and the MES/ERP system.

The software also contains a reserved function called 'Automatic production order dispatch' that customers can integrate at a later time. Beijer Electronics' X2 HMI can connect OT and IT systems simultaneously. The operator can use a barcode scanner to input the work order number into the X2 once he receives the work order information. X2 will automatically connect to the MES system database, transferring and displaying the production formulas. Operators simply need to verify the work order number and press the confirmation button to input the product recipe into the controller, initiating the equipment for production. During production, customers can reduce communication time, improve preparation, minimize manual input errors,
and enhance production efficiency. The production information will be directly transmitted from the X2 to the Edge Server's AI module, the boardroom, and the MES/ERP system.

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