In the 21st century, machines are more connected than ever before. This doesn’t just mean connectivity to the cloud or a factory network, but connectivity within the machine itself, like between the PLC and motion controller or robot controller.
Due to the different requirements for the performance of these connections, a single protocol is not suitable. Deterministic, motion-centric communications protocols are required to achieve the precision and speed that a robot or servo axes need, compared to the large data transfer protocols required for cloud connectivity.
The problem of many communication protocols
This can lead to a system with many separate devices using many communication methods to exchange data. Interfacing a PLC with a specialised robot controller or dedicated servo controller can add complexity in set-up and handshaking. Distinct devices can each have their own software interfaces to navigate as well.
This compatibility issue can also cause reliability issues down the line and make updates and bug fixes harder to achieve. From the IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) perspective, this lack of alignment is likely to make access to a machine’s overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) data more difficult to access.
One way around the challenge is the potential of a communications standard common to a PLC and robot controller. This could resolve some of the handshaking challenges but would mean sacrificing performance in robot or servo axis coordination compared to using a dedicated, motion-specific protocol.
A single controller for machine, motion, and robots
Alternatively, an emerging trend is to use a single controller capable of managing robot, motion, and PLC-based tasks. This approach still uses high-speed, deterministic communications to optimise motion performance, and integrates the logic functions and industrial network compatibility needed for an IIoT system.
Managing robot and motion axes as well as machine functions with one controller not only makes set-up a lot faster, and field deployment more reliable, but it also enables the embrace of wider IIoT advantages including the digital twin. By removing inter-device communication overhead and data access challenges, digital twin collaboration on systems involving robots and motion axes is made significantly easier.
Faster machine development
When an OEM design team is using just one design of controller with a common programming interface, connected with a digital twin, engineers in remote locations can work in coordination to develop systems in a much faster, easier way. Involving augmented reality viewing tools in this process can also enhance the efficiency of digital twin collaboration, and make commissioning and maintenance much easier too.
As global manufacturers look to offset risk by moving R&D and manufacture away from concentrated hubs to diverse and separated locations, as we see following covid’s aftermath, the collaborative advantages of the digital twin will become increasingly important. Streamlined architecture, including a single controller for robots and machine control, will help to achieve this.
Find out more here about controllers for machines, motion, and robots.
(Originally Posted to: https://blog.triomotion.com/integrating-machine-control-to-an-iot-system-what-should-you-consider/)