EPLAN and Sick: Machine Communication via OPC UA

EPLAN and Sick are presenting new possibilities for machine communication at this year’s SPS IPC Drives. At their joint stand, where “Automation meets IT”, both partners are presenting initial Industry 4.0 concepts. Set-up parameters are conveyed to a machine during commissioning via OPC UA, which supports faster commissioning processes and new maintenance scenarios. Nuremberg/Monheim, Germany, 24 November 2015 – Flexibility for manufacturing down to batch size 1 and machine communication – including the communication of process data via OPC UA protocols – are examples of important approaches for Industry 4.0’s implementation. EPLAN and sensor manufacturer Sick are presenting initial examples of these during this year’s SPS IPC Drives at their joint stand, where “Automation meets IT” in Hall 3A. In the interplay between hardware planning with a CAE system and software planning using the tools of the respective PLC manufacturer, attributes of OPC UA variables are being specified early on during the engineering phase, including those for actuators, sensors and also for the I/Os of the PLC. “Together with Sick we’re using this initial presentation at SPS IPC Drives to discuss with potential users and become more familiar with the practical engineering requirements,” says Thomas Michels, Head of Product Management at EPLAN Software & Service. “A further objective is to take the lessons learned in commissioning, production and service and make provisions for these earlier in the engineering phase.” Moving forward with this, EPLAN Data Portal lends itself as the backbone for defining the automation technology device data that is necessary for Industry 4.0.

Sensor technology as an example

Normally a plant or machine manufacturer uses EPLAN software to design the automation technology. This occurs in the engineering phase within the company’s own PLM processes, and also during commissioning at the customer. As such, parameter settings – for sensors as an example – can be pre-allocated during engineering within the CAE system. During commissioning, these parameters from the EPLAN documentation can be communicated to the production module via OPC UA. The correct parameter sets for a system are recorded only one time in the CAE system and the machines’ accompanying documentation, and can therefore be traced back to the engineering process. Subsystems are successfully configured just once, and can be used multiple times as clones. In addition, “documentation as built” is thus further developed to become “documentation as built and set up”. These represent added value for commissioning engineers and plant operators.

Reduced set-up times

With the help of OPC UA, parameter data sets can be transferred between the EPLAN documentation and the machine as well as selected process data as needed. These can be used in maintenance scenarios (remote servicing for instance) and in re-engineering phases in order to selectively prepare for modifications and optimisations. The new set-up parameters are conveyed directly to the system during the conversion phase and thus again reduce set-up times.

An overview of the benefits

• Complete documentation: the reading of sensor settings into the EPLAN documentation completes the machine and plant documentation with important selected component parameters at the push of a button
• Quick commissioning: the communication of the setting from the EPLAN documentation to the sensors spares manual input
• Multiplied benefits: the cloning of settings shortens engineering and commissioning times
• Better error analysis: companies obtain new possibilities for error analysis by monitoring operating conditions
• Analysing process data: display and evaluation of process data and the linking of schematic logic in CAE allows for additional analyses in maintenance and re-engineering
• Shorter set-up times: overwriting old settings with new ones reduces set-up times for conversions and optimisations
• Secured data: taking findings from production as feedback for engineering (presets for central device data in EPLAN Data Portal, for instance)

Supporting service and operation

The new pervasiveness of consistent documentation well into commissioning, maintenance and operations enables better and especially faster service – for instance when linking schematics and process data for optimisation of re-engineering as well as in new maintenance scenarios with mobile terminal devices. Maintenance personnel can utilise all relevant control information online, such as schematics and detailed device data. The wiring logic available in EPLAN and the information about devices thus serve as an important foundation for data analysis and for forecasting failure probabilities.