Lecture 5: Intelligent Manufacturing Flashcards
What is a generic smart sensor architecture (flowchart)?
Sensor detects physical parameter, signal conditioning renders the electrical signal to be compatible with converter, analogue to digital converter converts signal to a value of the physical quantity being measured, microcontroller handles linearisation, calibration, network protocols, local logic functions etc.
What are the two broad types of network?
- Wide Area Network - no geographic limitation eg. Internet (data is passed to and from by a router or gateway)
- Local Area Network - localised network eg. Factory network
What factors influence choice of network protocol?
Sensor power requirements, wiring requirements, operating environment, loss rate, network range, load and architecture, security, scalability
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Ethernet and why is Industrial Ethernet better?
Advantages:
- resistant to noise, good data transfer quality, speed, reliability, data security
Disadvantages:
- doesn’t work well in real time, speeds decrease with increased traffic, receivers don’t acknowledge reception of data packets
Answer: Industrial Ethernet which uses enhanced mechanisms to make transmission times more reliable
What are the advantages of wireless sensor networking?
- Reduces requirement for wiring
- Large numbers of highly distributed sensors easier to do
- Long range
- Supports flexibility in topology
What are the two domains of IIOT?
- The Edge (physical things enabling automation, directly connect to network, they can be smart with small processors that provide local computation making them more interactive to their local environment)
Application: Elements involved in realtime control of factory systems, requiring short lag times and ability to continue functioning during network outages
- The Cloud (compute and storage mechanisms together with applications like analytics, reporting, control and user interfaces, can also include strategic enterprise software like ERP)
Application: Those using data streams from shop floor in strategic planning and enterprise reporting
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Edge?
Adv - improved performance and reliability, especially when real time control is required
Dis - functionality and interoperability of software between devices must be managed and maintained
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Cloud?
Adv - easier maintenance, more scalable, can introduce new functions
Dis - must consider latency, bandwidth, reliability of connection
What requirements are there for IIOT architecture?
- Safety of people around them, keep operating condition safe
- Security against unauthorised access - hacking etc.
- Reliability to continue with intermittent internet access or shut down in a predictable way
- Future proofing against technological change
What is automated asset tracking?
- Automated, real time tracking of assets in a factory
- Known as an Indoor Position Service when used indoors (IPS)
- Supporting technologies include: passive RFID (requires use of scanners with limited range but low cost - not realtime), active RFID (powered RFID tags with longer range, higher cost but realtime capability).
What are the benefits of automated asset tracking?
- Optimised production eg. Track progress of parts and identify and eliminate bottlenecks
- Quality assurance eg. Track what tools are being used for what job and make sure correct one is being used and maintained properly
- Efficient resource allocation eg. Realtime visibility of availability and location of resources
- Safety assurance eg. Track location of staff and ensure dangerous equipment doesn’t affect them
What are cobots?
- Collaborative Robots (robot engineered to operate safely in proximity of staff)
- Cheaper and more flexible than traditional fully automated systems
What are automated guiding vehicles?
- Self driving robots that carry loads autonomously around a factory
- Frees up staff for more skills jobs, more workplace safety, cheaper and more flexible than conveyors, reduced human error
What is digital twinning?
- Concept of merging physical and digital worlds
- Real objects have a digital representation or twin
- Digital twin can be used to trial virtual effects of proposed changes to a system etc.
