The cloud services of the four American technology giants Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Google can make everyday life much easier: No longer storing vacation photos on the limited smartphone memory, but in the personal online folder; synchronizing calendar entries and contacts on several devices at the same time; or working together on the planning document for the upcoming club party.
It is understandable that companies also want to take advantage of the benefits of cloud computing in industrial applications - with specific requirements, but a common goal: to use data efficiently without unnecessarily burdening the network and storage space.
For industrial clouds, it is important to filter out the relevant values in advance from the large amount of information collected by field devices such as sensors or RFID read/write heads - in other words, to reduce big data to smart data. With this data, the cloud becomes much more than just a storage location: for example, it supports users in the integration of newly connected devices, automatically warns of critical anomalies or visualizes the operating times of various tools. Thanks to end-to-end communication from the sensor to the cloud and back, as offered by Turck, for example, an intelligent exchange is created between the field level, controller, data cloud and - as soon as necessary - the responsible service employee.

Access to additional data

With the IO-Link communication standard, digitalization already begins in the direct machine environment. Many field devices now have processors that provide further information in addition to the user data - such as diagnostic data or device information. Parallel to the actual measured value, IO-Link enables higher-level systems to access these additional values. This turns an IO-Link device such as a sensor into a talking participant, which in turn increases the possible uses of cloud services at the other end of the automation pyramid.

Pre-processing of signals

The ultrasonic sensor provides dual status monitoring by checking not only the fill level but also whether foam is forming on the surface.

© Turck

Decentralized intelligence is required to limit data usage above fieldbus level to smart data. This means that signals are already pre-processed in the fieldbus module. In the TBEN-L-8IOL IO-Link master from Turck, for example, users can directly configure which variables are transferred to the cloud.
Decentralized evaluation of data also means that time-critical measurements can be
measurements on site in the module without placing additional strain on communication networks. In this way, even process sequences in millisecond intervals remain undisturbed, while only certain data is transferred for further use. There are several ways to access the cloud: wired via the TBEN-L5-PLC-10 IP67 controller or via a wireless connection using the TCG20 cloud gateway with WLAN or mobile radio.

Device identification including IODD synchronization

Turck's cloud service can be hosted either on the company's own server or as a public cloud in the central data center - communication takes place via an encrypted protocol.

© Turck

Where does the interaction between the cloud and IO-Link pay off? For example, when identifying devices, when technical personnel commission a sensor or carry out maintenance. Valuable time can quickly be lost here, and errors can occasionally occur. It makes more sense to connect the cloud to a central database with all IO-Link device descriptions. A newly connected device in the field then transmits its manufacturer and device ID to the cloud, including the parameters and communication properties. This is followed by a comparison with the database to identify the IODD belonging to the sensor. The cloud also visualizes device data and can adjust parameters in the device if necessary.

Fast sensor replacement in the event of a fault

The same applies to device replacement in the event of a fault. As soon as a sensor reports a fault, this information is sent directly to an employee via the cloud. In addition to visual notifications in the dashboard, alarms can also be linked for which notifications are automatically sent by email or text message. As the device configuration of the sensor can be saved in the cloud, the faulty IO-Link device can then be easily replaced. Thanks to the bidirectional exchange of information, the cloud identifies the type of connected replacement sensor and configures it with the intended parameters.

Warning in the event of mechanical wear

IO-Link additional data can also provide information about a faulty mechanical process. If an inductive sensor detects the movement of a bolt, for example, it provides information about the switching distance in addition to the switching pulse. As soon as the target reaches a critical distance from the sensor, this may indicate increasing wear in the application - the bolt has too much play. Maintenance technicians receive the corresponding information in the cloud and must act at the latest when the target is outside the measuring range. However, timely notification means that a service can be carried out before this condition is reached.

In the same way, a measuring ultrasonic sensor, for example, provides data on signal quality in addition to the distance value. This gives users the option of not only querying a fill level, for example, but also being alerted if foam forms on the surface of a liquid, which would falsify the measurement. In this case, IO-Link expands the status monitoring to include a second observation. At the same time, the cloud ensures that information about the fill level and surface condition reaches the responsible employees in good time, regardless of location or end device.

Keeping an eye on process parameters

Velco customers can diagnose machine statuses worldwide via their smartphone. In this way, the company helps with troubleshooting using 'Cloud Solutions' from Turck.

© Turck

Relevant process parameters can also be recorded in the cloud using additional information. If different tools are used in a machine, operators may have to take their respective prescribed service lives into account. In order to view or save this data in the cloud, the process parameters of each tool can be transferred. This is achieved with the help of Turck's inductive coupler, among other things. After a tool change, the tool and the cloud exchange values such as the operating time without contact. Users can then see in the cloud how many hours the individual tools have been used or how long the machine has been idle in the meantime.

IIoT in practice

Christian Knoop is Product Manager Factory Automation Systems at Turck in Mülheim.

© Turck

The example of Velco Gesellschaft für Förder-, Spritz- und Silo-Anlagen in Velbert shows how users can already benefit from an end-to-end sensor-to-cloud solution. Its pressure vessel, rotor spraying machines and injection systems are used worldwide in blast furnaces, steelworks, foundries and the refractory industry. In order to be able to help users quickly in the event of faults, the special machines have a remote monitoring function. As the previous solution no longer met modern requirements, Velco now relies on Turck's cloud offering.

The tool provides an overview of all machines on one page in the web browser. Nobody has to remember addresses, everything also works via smartphone thanks to the responsive design. Velco customers, who often rent their machines to end users, call up the Velco Cloud dashboard and see their machines in the navigation. If the employee clicks on one of the entries in the list, the dashboard clearly displays all relevant data. In addition to a number of analog values such as water pressure or material fill level, this includes digital displays such as operating status or the status of the emergency stop button. The user also sees an operating hours counter and other numerical displays. Users can configure the dashboard themselves with just a few clicks and without any programming knowledge. Specialists can even control the machines remotely via the dashboard if this becomes necessary in the course of troubleshooting. Support technicians can see from their desks whether the simplest faults such as 'missing water supply' or 'emergency stop pressed' can be ruled out. Thanks to the additional data, they can provide expert support for further root cause analysis.