1 Overview

I am a network engineer and a web designer, I thought that the informatization in the industrial field was very advanced, but I didn't expect it to be similar to traditional website construction.

The most intuitive feeling of informatization is a few TVs in the workshop, which show some production-related data, and when I see through the essence of informatization, I suddenly feel that informatization is very LOW.

Informatization is no different from ordinary web pages. The data you see on the workshop TV is displayed through the browser, and the essence is the web page.

Automatic Production Line - Informatization(SCADA)

Figure 1 Information display

Informatization is simple. First, the workshop equipment is networked through various communication protocols to realize data transmission. Then the data is stored in the server-side database, and the client-side web page dynamically reads the data in the database and displays it in real time.

Although the information industry is not profitable, the profit margin far exceeds that of the mechanical and electrical industry. The hardware cost of factory-level informatization is not high, and 1 computer + 1 TV can be realized. The reason why the quotation of informatization is relatively high is mainly related to the Internet industry, and the so-called pigs standing on the vent can fly. The information quotations of different manufacturers vary greatly, from hundreds of thousands of yuan to tens of millions of yuan, and the water inside is very deep.

2 Definitions

The display screen used to display the real-time status of the production line, and the supporting servers, switches, handheld terminals, etc.

All walks of life are on the informatization, the so-called informatization is SCADA, SCADA full name Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition, that is, data acquisition and monitoring control system, informatization is a very general concept, you can also call it digital, intelligent, industry 4.0, etc.

It is imperative for enterprises to transform to digital informatization, but the focus of information software on the market is not actually the focus of the boss, and the boss wants SCADA + big data + decision-making support.

Automatic Production Line - Informatization(SCADA)

Figure 2 Information topology diagram

3 Who does informatization serve?

Informatization is for production management services, specifically the workshop data is not only fed back to production managers, but also to process management personnel, progress management personnel, quality management personnel and market developers, etc., through rapid feedback of informatization, to achieve closed-loop control of each link.

Informatization needs to provide fair and sunny data support for managers in each link, and each link analyzes and improves according to the data provided by informatization to achieve a completed PDCA domestic production.

In short, all data is to support production management, and through monitoring the implementation of each link, the planned and orderly production process is realized.

4 Status quo of production line information industry

The informatization of the production line is now a separate battle, mixed with dragons, because there are more software involved, and the informatization can be large or small, so the elasticity of the final quotation is very large. At present, mainly automation manufacturers are promoting informatization, while building a new production line, consider adding an information module, most of which are still at the production line level, and there is still a big gap from the workshop or the whole plant.

5 Informatization function module

The information module and the production links are closely related, the various problems faced in the production process are the problems to be solved by the information system, so the boss is most concerned about the process, quality, cost, schedule, resources, in fact, quality, cost, progress is also the key link in project management.

5.1 Process management functions

The process management module needs to realize the functions of process document issuance, summary feedback of process problems in the production process, process changes (including temporary changes), process assessment and evaluation.

The issuance of process documents means that process documents (electronic versions) should be issued to each station to achieve paperless management. In addition, according to the company's management requirements, the entire process file may need to be divided into different small files according to the corresponding station, and each station can only receive the process file corresponding to this station.

The summary feedback of process problems in the production process requires that the information system can timely feedback the process problems found by workers to the process management personnel to provide a basis for the process design of subsequent new products.

Process changes (including temporary) are generally more in the early stage of production, due to the supply of raw materials and equipment and other unstable factors, the need for process changes will inevitably occur in the early stage of production, so the information system is required to provide process change application, approval, issuance, confirmation and other functions.

Process assessment and evaluation is mainly used to assess the level ability of process designers, and according to the data, to achieve clear rewards and punishments.

5.2 Quality traceability function

Quality traceability eventually forms a quality file, each product corresponds to a quality file, and the corresponding quality file can be found by entering the product identification code. Quality files need to record key data in the production process in detail to provide data support for quality improvement and after-sales service. Regarding the data support of after-sales service, the purpose is that when the product has quality problems with customers, the responsibility can be sorted out, and whose problem is responsible for realization.

At this stage, the data collection of the information system, some links inevitably need manual assistance, of course, you can use scanning guns, handheld terminals, etc. to achieve rapid input of bar codes, two-dimensional codes, and characters.

In addition, the loss of labels will inevitably occur in the production process, such as cutting, heating, painting, etc. will cause label loss, so the key point of quality traceability is to do a good job in label transplantation.

5.3 Cost Management Features

The cost of the product involves the man-machine material of each link, etc., the customer provides the final cost calculation formula, and the information system needs to have the function of recording and classifying the cost of each process. Specifically, it involves labor hour statistics, equipment depreciation allocation, energy consumption statistics, raw material consumption, etc., to provide a cost basis for enterprises to receive orders.

5.4 Scheduling function

The information system provides real-time feedback on the capacity utilization of each process, and the production plan can be manually entered, but the system needs to provide reasonable suggestions to the scheduling personnel.

When entering the scheduling plan for a new order, it is necessary to make suggestions and optimize the feasibility of the scheduling plan according to the existing resource allocation and utilization.

5.5 Schedule Management

The system can record the production progress of the product.

The system displays the progress of the product in real time, and colors such as red, yellow and green can be considered to identify the progress status.

Set the time node of the key process, and before approaching the node, you need to issue a progress warning reminder in advance.

5.6 Device Status Management

The information system needs to collect equipment parameters corresponding to the process requirements.

5.7 Resource Allocation Management

Rationally allocate resources such as man, machine and materials on site, avoid the phenomenon of fighting with the same resource at the same time, reduce the idle time of resources, improve resource utilization, and improve the balance rate of the production line.

6 Information core software KEPServerEX

Networked equipment various, such as PLC, robots, machine tools, etc., followed by a variety of communication protocols, how to achieve data interaction with these equipment is the key to information work, here you need to use KEPServerEX software, all equipment connected to KEPServerEX, through KEPServerEX transit, to achieve data interaction between different devices.

KEPServerEX is no small start. KEPServerEX is a product of PTC, a world-class software called Cero (formerly Pro/E).

KEPServerEX is just one product in the Kepware product suite, which includes: Kepwear+, KEPServerEX, ThingWorx Kepware Serve, ThingWorx Kepware Edge, LinkMaster, RedundancyMaster.

Kepware is a portfolio of industrial connectivity solutions that help businesses connect a wide range of automation devices and software applications. Kepware leverages an extensible, unified architecture that provides the flexibility to combine drivers and use multiple protocols in a single server, while also having a simple interface for simplified installation, configuration, maintenance, and troubleshooting.

Kepware provides data access to industrial client applications such as MES and SCADA, IoT (Internet of Things), and big data analytics software through OPC, proprietary and IT protocols.

7 Major Hardware Components

In fact, the hardware composition of information technology is the same as the hardware of their own computer Internet access, but the product configuration used in industry is higher.

For example, the server used in industry is actually the same as your own computer, but the CPU, memory, hard disk, network card and other configurations are higher, and your own computer can also be used as a server if you install server software.

Similar hardware includes routers, switches, and the like.

8 Informatization Summary

Informatization brings efficient information exchange, fast processing process, efficient production management, although informatization is virtual, but it is also visible to the naked eye, just like we used the OA system before, after using it, it will feel good.

9 Artificial intelligence

Industrial robots already have force sensors and vision, equivalent to human touch and eyes, so far, industrial robots are only one step away from intelligent creatures, that is, artificial intelligence.

At present, the trajectory of industrial robots still needs to be programmed, and it is believed that with the development of artificial intelligence technology, industrial robots will achieve deep learning, self-evolution and self-decision-making, and eventually get rid of human dependence and automatically complete all the tasks assigned to it by humans.

Most popular AI assistants: ChatGPT, Copilot, Midjourney.

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