The process industry is currently facing a number of challenges that are having a significant impact on its competitiveness and innovative strength. A key concern is reducing the time-to-market for new systems. In the face of rapid technological change and intense global competition, the ability to develop products quickly and bring them to market is crucial for success. At the same time, increased flexibility and scalability of production facilities is required in order to be able to react to market changes. This requires systems that can be adapted quickly and cost-effectively to changing production volumes and specifications.

Another trend is the application of IT patterns in the OT area (operational technology), which results in greater integration of IT (information technology) and OT. This integration promises not only new capabilities, but also cost savings through synergy effects. However, it presents the industry with the challenge of adapting existing systems and processes accordingly. These challenges call for solutions that are not only technologically advanced but also economically viable in order to increase efficiency, productivity and ultimately competitiveness in the process industry.

Four companies - one project

Under the term Industrial Control as a Service (ICaaS), four companies have come together in 2023 to form a development project with the aim of creating a scalable automation platform: Copa-Data, Flecs and Software Defined Automation are each contributing their automation expertise. As a user, Boehringer Ingelheim is contributing the practical use case and verifying that the solutions developed meet the real requirements of the process industry.

Copa-Data contributes central automation components with its IEC 61131 Runtime zenon Logic and the zenon Service Engine. They are also contributing their web-based HMI (Human-Machine Interface) and the zenon Engineering Studio, which includes a specially developed IEC 61131 IDE, to the project. Flecs complements the project with its Marketplace, which serves as a central source for all control components to be virtualized, as well as a cloud stack that fully virtualizes the infrastructure and control. Software Defined Automation extends zenon Engineering Studios to a web-based IDE (IDEaaS) and DevOps functions such as source code management and continuous deployment. In addition, SDA Secure Remote Access enables a secure connection between virtualized control and web-based engineering, bridging the gap between these two worlds. Everything together functions under the term Industrial Control as a Service (ICaaS). The first technical proof of concept developed in the course of 2023 has proven to be functional.

The automation architecture of the pilot project with the user Böhringer Ingelheim. The project is set to be expanded in 2024.

© Copa-Data

In a demonstration project at KIT - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology - the remote IOs of the demo machine were connected to the ICaaS platform via a suitable router. This made it possible to execute the entire control logic in the containerized COPA-DATA zenon Logic. Project planning was carried out entirely in the IDEaaS, the zenon Engineering Studio from Software Defined Automation. The demonstrated savings potential thus results from the replacement of all physical controllers as well as the widely used programming stations and their maintenance. This approach also demonstrated that there is indeed considerable potential to reduce the set-up time of an automation platform for a new system from up to 12 months to ideally one to two weeks.

Virtualized test environments

What are the specific benefits of virtualized control technology, i.e. the use of ICaaS? First of all, it enables the early testing of automation systems in a highly automated and virtualized environment. This approach transforms the traditional multi-stage process - from development to implementation in the production system - by using virtual models and simulations. The advantage lies in the significant reduction in the need for physical infrastructure, which in turn saves costs and time. Developers can test software and system updates in a controlled, simulated environment before they are applied to the real system. This not only increases security, but also enables more flexible and efficient troubleshooting and optimization. In addition, ICaaS offers the best conditions for operating a digital twin, the underlying system, thanks to the virtualized test environment. In order to realistically test possible scenarios and processes without affecting the productive system.

Hybrid operating mode

The concept of ICaaS does not exclude the use of physical controllers. Rather, it supports a hybrid operating mode in which both real and partially virtualized control systems can be used in parallel. This is particularly advantageous in situations where physical control systems are indispensable, such as in safety-critical applications or for equipment in remote locations. The zenon Service Engine with its more than 300 different drivers offers very good prerequisites for this, and this hybrid approach makes it possible to utilize the advantages of ICaaS while at the same time guaranteeing the integrity and reliability of the physical control systems.

Seamless integration and deployment

The automation architecture of the pilot project with the user Böhringer Ingelheim. The project is set to be expanded in 2024.

© Copa-Data

Another technical aspect of ICaaS is the seamless integration and deployment of systems. Developments and tests carried out in the virtualized environment can be transferred directly to physical control systems without extensive infrastructure changes or significant modifications. This process enables fast and efficient commissioning of new or updates to existing systems. The integration of standardized interfaces and protocols facilitates communication between the virtualized and physical environments, which in turn minimizes maintenance and updating efforts.

Security aspects and compliance

In an ICaaS solution, the consideration of security aspects and compliance is central. Virtualization offers the possibility of executing security updates and compliance requirements in the test environment before they are implemented in the real production environment. This also includes checking and adapting to current standards and laws, such as the Cyber Resilience Act. Security protocols and data encryption in the virtualized environment ensure the protection of sensitive information and the integrity of the control systems.

Optimized use of resources

The use of ICaaS allows optimized use of resources and offers excellent scalability. This is particularly relevant when expanding systems or integrating new technologies. The virtualized environment makes it possible to quickly adapt different configurations and capacities without having to replace or expand physical hardware. This supports an agile and adaptable production environment that is able to respond efficiently to changing requirements and market conditions.

The project status

As mentioned at the beginning, an initial technical proof of concept was carried out in the course of 2023. An ambitious expansion of this concept is planned for 2024. This extension aims to further expand continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) capabilities for automation engineers through the consistent use of cloud technologies familiar from IT. A particular focus is on simplifying processes for automation engineers to enable more efficient and user-friendly access to the creation of ICaaS. In the context of virtualization, Copa-Data plans to enrich its central components with additional functions in order to further optimize their operation in the cloud.

In addition, the integration of AI algorithms is planned at the engineering level. These are intended to help automation engineers analyze existing source code more effectively and develop new software components based on AI. These measures promise a significant increase in efficiency and user-friendliness in the automation industry. Over the course of this year, further companies are to be won over to the innovation project in order to demonstrate its capabilities beyond the process industry.