Siemens
Mediator between OT and IT
Robur Automation used AI and edge computing to implement a parking solution without barriers and was one of the pilot users of an edge solution with an S7-1500 design. A field report.
There are no longer any barriers at the entrances to parking lots and parking garages. Instead, an artificial intelligence algorithm uses a camera to record the license plates of vehicles entering the car park.
© SiemensRobur Automation is one of the pilot users of the Scalance LPE local processing platform from Siemens. The abbreviation in Scalance LPE stands for 'Local Processing Engine'. The component is based on the design of the Simatic S7-1500 and collects data directly from the process, pre-processes it and makes it available to other systems, for example for predictive maintenance or anomaly detection in communication networks. The platform's operating system is based on Linux.
Users can therefore develop their own applications or use Docker applications. "In my view, the device fits in very well with the idea of edge computing - as a network component, Scalance LPE acts as an intermediary for OT/IT applications in OT, so it is right at the edge of the networks. The LPE platform is just right for us: not too big, not too small," says Andreas Kuhn, Head of Process Automation at Robur Automation.
From the idea to the application
One of the first customers for data preparation with Scalance LPE is EMB-Energieversorgung Miltenberg-Bürgstadt, for whom Robur Automation recently implemented a solution for parking space management. "The project was triggered by the fact that we wanted to replace the high-maintenance access control system with barriers to our parking spaces and multi-storey parking lots here in Miltenberg with a system that records parking space occupancy and parking duration based on vehicle license plates," explains Michael Frank, who works in the electrical engineering department at EMB.
To this end, EMB worked together with a start-up that uses camera data to identify the license plates of vehicles entering and leaving the car park using an artificial intelligence algorithm. The driver parks their car and can then, before leaving the parking area, pay the parking fee either simply using the app or, as usual, at the pay machine using their vehicle's license plate number. "This solution already works very well on its own, but we quickly asked ourselves how we could link this cloud application with our parking guidance system - and if possible, without costly modifications," Frank continues.
Together with the start-up's developers, the software and automation specialists at Robur Automation found the right solution: the data on parking space occupancy is transferred from the cloud application to the Scalance LPE via a REST interface, which then forwards this data to a Simatic S7-1500 as a parking control computer. Depending on the situation, the controller then switches the parking guidance system signs in the parking area and transfers the information to the EMB control system.
"In the beginning, we had some difficulties in implementing this OT/IT integration," recalls Andreas Kuhn. "The developers of license plate recognition are completely in the high-level language world, while at the automation level they tend to think in terms of switches and assemblies. It was important that we got the right teams around the table - also a kind of OT/IT integration."
Sustainable and cost-efficient
For EMB, the charm of the solution with Siemens components lies above all in the simple integration into the existing infrastructure. "First and foremost, we benefit from the fact that we only use secure and certified components here, so that we meet all requirements in terms of IT security. In addition, thanks to the link via the S7 controller with our control system, we also have the option of switching the signs manually in the event of a network failure. The new parking control computer fits easily and seamlessly into the Simatic WinCC environment and can therefore also be integrated into our reporting concept. And last but not least, we can continue to use all existing signs in this way," concludes Michael Frank.
And Robur Automation is also very satisfied with the results of the project: "The main part of the development work is in the software for connectivity to the cloud application via the REST interface, which we implemented as a C# application in a Docker container. The communication in the direction of automation and Simatic S7-1500 uses OPC UA, which was implemented in just under two days," says Kuhn.
In the control room, the Simatic WinCC SCADA system provides all relevant data from the parking guidance system.
© SiemensAs both the processing platform and the controller can be configured via the TIA portal, Robur Automation was able to make optimum use of its existing automation expertise in this project, as Kuhn explains. "Any other solution would have been considerably more complex to implement, especially in view of the high security requirements. Overall, we have certainly been able to save a week of engineering time because we are using an integrated system for SCADA, parking guidance system and network components."
Future-proof solution
Following the successful launch, Michael Frank is already thinking about expansions: "We can now link the relevant data on parking space usage with other information from the automation and use this information to consider whether we should add a traffic light system for certain situations to the "free"/"occupied" signs, for example. Other parking spaces and signage are also under discussion, which we will then connect with their own Scalance LPE." These new components can then be easily integrated into the existing system thanks to end-to-end engineering.
Tina Hain, Product Manager at Robur Automation, also sees a lot of potential in edge applications for her own company: "We can offer the Scalance LPE platform with our own Data Collector as a bundle and thus provide our users with a simple, robust and secure solution for data evaluation and edge applications in a process-related environment. One area that can benefit from this is isolated stations, such as many utilities and small waterworks without their own control system - the Scalance LPE is a good way to securely connect these systems to a control system."
The advantage for users is that this solution is reliable and has fixed costs: "You buy hardware as a secure component between the internet or cloud and the PLC that is suitable for continuous industrial use, with a correspondingly secure power supply so that data can also be buffered in case of doubt. At the same time, we can develop our own applications in high-level language for this platform and have more options in terms of storage space and interfaces. This creates new options for many applications."
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