Factory Online 365
Factory Online 365 removes the burden of vendor specific integrations. This solution provides a unified flexible interface connecting assets and systems in real-time. By natively supporting key industry protocols one solution can replace dozens of integration suites.
Combining the power of Microsoft Edge and Cloud technologies Factory Online 365 leverages the best of Industry 4.0. It helps transform IoT data into actionable insights that drive new revenue opportunities, improve operational efficiency, and optimize resource allocation.
Overview
Industrial Internet of Things
Data collection and exchange are at the basis of Industry 4.0 evolution. Often referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT) or Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), it is transforming manufacturing all over the world. The goal of this transition is to achieve self-controlled production and optimization of the entire value chain. It does not allow for any data islands, connecting all systems via an ecosystem of smart devices.
The emergence of the Industry 4.0 does not mean that existing plants would have to completely discard technology they have invested heavily in the past, by upgrading and integrating networking components, they can enjoy the benefits of IIoT.
Factory Online 365 is an Industrial IoT solution that is leveraging existing infrastructure and follows “no rip and replace” strategy to reduce costs and implementation time by supporting over 100 industrial protocols: OPC UA, OPC, Modbus, Profinet, Ethernet/IP, CANopen, and etc.
Overall Equipment Effectiveness
OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) is a framework for measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of equipment that has become standard for manufacturing. OEE is a product of Availability, Performance, and Quality. It identifies the percentage of de facto productive manufacturing time. The higher each of these indicators is, the higher is the overall OEE. It allows drilling down to the individual aspect of manufacturing and gives valuable insights for improvement. However, the reality of manufacturing these days is that OEE is often measured manually, which leads to data that is neither timely nor actionable.
Factory Online 365 allows companies not only to measure OEE in real-time, but model potential improvements, without disrupting the manufacturing processes. Production flows can be visualized to allow engineering to understand points of failure and disruptions.
Predictive Maintenance
A significant part of Industry 4.0 is the promise of predictive maintenance. The cost of equipment in production lines is a substantial investment for the companies, and the price of stopping the line can be very significant. Maintenance done right prevents equipment malfunction and saves money. The idea of predictive maintenance is to be able to monitor and estimate the need for repairs based on the monitoring data and machine usage.
Combining data collection with modern Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Twins, and real-time big data processing,Factory Online 365 creates innovations that seemed impossible just a few years ago. By bridging the gap between Operational Technologies and Information Technologies, Factory Online 365 allows launching Predictive maintenance solutions in a matter of weeks with minimal R&D time.
Edge Computing
When talking about IIoT, Cloud and Cloud computing are often cited as the main prerequisite for the transformation. The power of the Cloud computation allows for the processing of large amounts of data and complex modeling. Cloud computing assumes that Data is sent to the cloud servers where the decisioning engine processes it, and actionable insights are produced.
However, it is often the case that the stability of the connection, the price of the delay of the decision, or cybersecurity implications make it impossible to reliably use the Cloud infrastructure for that purpose. This is the case where Edge computing has come into play. Edge computing refers to the computing infrastructure that exists close to the sources of data. In this case, data collection and analytics happens at the source, rather than at the centralized location.
Examples of Edge computing in action would include remote warehouses with unstable connections, sawmill, or vehicle fleets. In cases like these, reliability and the speed of the connection do not allow for Cloud to be a viable option. Another example would be large scale manufacturing, where a price of delay of insights into machine operations would be forbiddingly high.
Factory Online 365 is an Industrial IoT solution built on top of Microsoft Azure IoT Edge and Cloud technologies. It leverages modular architecture and was purposely designed to support data-driven manufacturing. Factory Online 365 Edge Modules provide connectivity to devices and sensors, as well as tools for real-time data ingestion and filtering, smooth integration with workflow rules/alert engines and different MES/ERP systems.