Mitsubishi e-F@ctory platform

e-F@ctory is the platform of automation of industrial enterprises. At the heart of the platform technologies IoT AI, AR and other digital technologies are used.

2017

On July 11, 2017 announced Mitsubishi Electric action of the e-F@ctory platform in the territory of Russia.

e-F@ctory is a technology basis of strategy of Society 5.0, the instrument of improving competitiveness of the Russian industry based on digital solutions. This technology allows to implement complex projects in cooperation with the Russian partners at the highest level. Andrey Gulakov, general manager of division of industrial automation of "Mitsubishi Electrician (RUS)"

One of the main e-F@ctory properties, according to developers – the distributed data processing (edge computing). With its help the platform precisely and quickly processes information streams on production that allows to make the correct management decisions. It increases productivity of the enterprises, gives operating control over processes and reduces costs.

The e-F@ctory platform is implemented at all enterprises of Mitsubishi Electric corporation in Japan, is implemented at the enterprises of Russia and the CIS countries. On the basis of this platform machine parks of engineering enterprises work, water utilities of the large cities, elements of the platform are used at the enterprises of a mining complex of Russia and Kazakhstan.

E-F@ctory means a combination of solutions for industrial automation, information and network technologies. It gives the chance to use results of processing of data bulks (Big Data) and their analysis. Due to smooth operation of modern communication networks in industrial equipment this platform allows to optimize processes, to increase productivity of the enterprises, to provide to their management operational more evident information access, to provide constant control over processes and to reduce costs, reducing total cost of ownership.

e-F@ctory is the concept of "the smart enterprise" from Mitsubishi Electric as a basis of long-term strategy Society 5.0

The main idea of the concept is simply displayed in the drawing. As we see, the ACS (automated control system) can be conditionally separated into levels. All levels from field to upper are combined among themselves with the help of the modern network technologies based, as a rule, on optical/copper Ethernet technologies and different high-speed serial interfaces. These industrial networks can will be applied as the corporate Mitsubishi Electric protocols (the CC Link IE), and other protocols of communication, widespread in the world. On lower - "field" - the level of structure there are elements which are established directly on "control object" (sensors, drives, actuators). Slightly higher, at "the controller level", the PLC (programmable logic controllers) which are quickly managing technology process are located. Their main distinctive features are reliability and the guaranteed time of a cycle of the scan of the program that allows to manage technology process in real time and to react timely to events or non-staff situations. At upper "IT level" there is a management system implemented, as a rule, based on group of industrial computers. It can be, for example, the redundant server with the operator stations connected to it and AJ (the automated jobs) of the operating services. On the server and stations SCADA the MAPS and DBMS system (database management system) is installed. If the enterprise large, then there are enterprise management ACS servers with MES (production management system) and/or ERP (enterprise management system) even above. At the enterprises entering into large corporation or group, the management system has communication with the uniform dispatching center or with a cloud service of management of all business. In such cases communication is implemented using the selected cable channels or through the ciphered Internet channels.

Advantage of the e-F@ctory platform are peripheral calculations or the distributed data processing (Edge Computing). It means that in the concept of e-Factrory calculations of mathematical models of technology processes and preprocessing of "crude data" are performed (raw data) directly on an object. They are implemented using specialized C-Controller which are established in the form of the add-on module to a common industrial PLC. Their plus is that they do not demand an extra space for placement, unlike the server, but at the same time Si-Kontroller is already capable to make serious calculations for the program written in the Si programming language, being near a control object. It allows to unload communication channels between the ACS levels, transferring upward results of primary calculations and data processing. It also significantly unloads the server of "top level", removing from it computing loading that is especially relevant when calculating processes difficult technology for their mathematical models.

For data processing as important addition serves MES Interface the module. It, as well as Si-Kontroller, is established in the form of expansion unit near a PLC and after setup allows to isolate from all array of information of the controller only the data necessary for a MES system. Further, on separate Ethernet to channel, MES Interface the module writes this information directly in the MES database of the server with time stamps. On a case of loss of communication the module has a volume buffer of memory in which the array of the latest data remains. They automatically are located in the MES database of the server right after recovery of a communication channel. Use of such modules is very convenient when a MES system is organized on the separate server. Then the way of information from an object is significantly reduced to the MES server.

At the top of hierarchy of management there can be, for example, an owner of business who on the computer or the gadget sees key parameters of functioning of all system. Certainly, such detailed data of operational management as, for example, operations of specific sensors and mechanisms are not interesting to it, but he sees the general diagrams of amount of the turned-out products, revenue, the planned expenses on fixed assets, changes of wage fund, tax deductions and so forth.

Thus, as a result of the coordinated work of the different enterprise levels and uninterrupted transfer of up-to-date data between them, we see complete and is information the integrated management system from the most bottom field level to the most top level of enterprise management and business. Information streams circulate between levels and the ACS elements, increasing observability and controllability of a system, reducing costs of the enterprise and increasing profitability of business.

To the solution of relevant production tasks E-F@ctory it is applied at all enterprises of Mitsubishi Electric corporation. One of examples – the plant on production of programmable logic controllers Mitsubishi Electric in Japan in Nagoya where after implementation of E-F@ctory performance increased by 30%, electric power costs decreased by 30%, losses of quality were reduced by 50%.

Solving specific objectives of manufacturing enterprises, E-F@ctory becomes the instrument of increase in global competitiveness of the industry in general based on digital solutions. Therefore E-F@ctory became a crucial element of Japan accepted by the government in 2016 to national strategy Society 5.0 or "Super intellectual society". Strategy implementation Society 5.0 means broad use of digital technologies in all spheres of life of society for overcoming the global challenges limiting steady growth of the Japanese and global economy: reduction of number of the capable population and its aging, decrease in global competitiveness of the industry, the infrastructure requiring updating, natural disasters and terrorism, environmental problems and the shortage of natural resources. Society 5.0 is urged to become the new stage in development of economy and society allowing to eliminate the complexity of consolidation of information platforms and industrial producers inherent in an era of the fourth industrial revolution - and also to provide further development of science and technologies.

7 principles of successful implementation of IIOT in the PCS (From below Up a pyramid)

• The project orderer creates the working group of IT and the PCS of specialists
• Specialists cross-are functional and understand KPI of each other, have basic knowledge in 2 directions.
• In work of a command the external integrator of the partner consultant is necessary
• The pilot – implementation of the Robot or the Monitoring system of the machine \machine. Transparent feasibility study.
• Attention to industrial cyber security it appears at the initial stage.
• It is applied Edge Computing technologies (Peripheral Calculations at the level of Workshop)
• Simple training system and involvement of HE IT of specialists in short projects.

2003

Since 2003 the Mitsubishi Electric company develops the concept of the integrated e-F@ctory or "intellectual production" enterprise management system.

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