In discrete and hybrid manufacturing environments, well-instrumented machines using Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies contain a wealth of information to keep them operating reliably and efficiently. Edge computing can turn this wealth of data into actionable information for operations and maintenance by using sophisticated analytics to uncover trends away from optimal performance.
A whitepaper, Edge Technology: Accessing and Integrating Critical Isolated Data, answers questions about the advantages IIoT technology brings, what it does, and who needs it. It guides users, systems integrators, and OEMs who want to explore these important automation advances.
The whitepaper opens by explaining that:
…every industrial control system connects and collects data from sensors and actuators, but there are some sensors and actuators that are not connected. These isolated production elements provide no data to the control systems and make it difficult for businesses to respond rapidly to complex problems or achieve desired business outcomes because they don’t have the whole picture. Getting data from these disparate machines that are not currently connected due to factors such as incompatibility or proprietary software is the benefit of the edge layer.
It takes:
…control system data and non-control system data and integrates it, so users have one view of the entire operation and make better decisions with this holistic view of the equipment than would be possible otherwise.
The whitepaper highlights the distinction among edge gateways, edge devices, and edge controllers. Edge gateways:
…would likely be sufficient if your application requires the collection of data at the machine and then offloads that data to the cloud or other higher-level computing systems for processing. Users need to do research, however, to be sure they’re not using an edge gateway where an edge device with the advantage of local processing would significantly reduce latency, improve security, reduce cloud storage costs, and enhance real-time decision-making.
Edge devices:
…allow processing at the machine level. The device is integrated with the current control system, consolidates additional IoT data from available sensors and smart devices, and is the choice in existing brownfield plants that don’t want to change control systems.
Edge controllers:
…integrate both PLC/PAC control and edge processing into a single system. Edge controllers offer a generational advancement to PLC- and PAC-based industrial control systems by enabling safe, secure communication between real-time deterministic control, and non-deterministic applications that leverage external data to analyze and optimize business operations. Edge controllers provide software-defined controls with enhanced optimization capabilities, while maintaining the stringent reliability, safety, and security required in industrial applications. The integration of control functions and edge processing makes edge controllers the obvious choice for greenfield projects. In addition, because of the controller’s other benefits, existing plants may want to evaluate an edge controller before choosing another edge device.
Download the whitepaper to better understand the advantages of edge control technology in simplifying analytics, enabling rapid startups, and enhancing security. It includes use cases to see examples of how this technology can be applied.
Visit the Industrial Edge Software & Solutions section on Emerson.com for ways to incorporate this technology into your discrete and hybrid manufacturing operations.
