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Straight to the point
Glossary:
MES: The so-called MES (manufacturing execution system) is the process execution system in intelligent manufacturing.
Equipment Bank: A minimalist industrial Internet development tool, minimalist access, analysis, display, and control.
Apuqi: Industry intelligent special equipment service provider, the first to propose industrial computer modular minimalist design and maintenance-free computer concepts. It is a leading domestic manufacturer of rugged industrial computers and the first domestic industrial computer listed company, designated by the equipment bank Industrial computer brand.
EBOX: Device Bank Super Gateway, with a set of protocol adaptation software, supports any RS485, Ethernet protocol equipment to the cloud, at the same time can realize the mutual conversion between two arbitrary protocols, support edge computing, users can customize equipment analysis.
ECS: Device Bank Cloud Controller = Super Gateway + PLC + Edge Computing Center, supporting 2G, 4G, ADSL Ethernet to the cloud.
EBOX, ECS mobile APP interface
background
With the progress of human civilization, people’s demands for clothing, food, shelter, and transportation are increasing. In the automotive, construction, home electronics, digital consumer, food, medicine and other industries, the demand is increasing. However, the rising cost of raw materials and labor has made the profits of enterprises less and less. At the same time, with the increasing globalization of the division of labor in the manufacturing industry chain and the popularization of processing outsourcing by brand manufacturers, customers have increasingly higher requirements for supplier on-site management capabilities.
Driven by Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing 2025, digital smart factories have become the standard strength of many domestic factories. As a part of the digital factory, MES solves the problems of raw material costs, rising labor costs, confusion in production site management, difficulty in improving the efficiency of order and miscellaneous production, and difficulty in real-time control of abnormal production. It can truly achieve lean manufacturing and management. It is Industry 4.0 and A necessary part of intelligent manufacturing, given the strength of China’s industrial manufacturing, a large number of MES software vendors, engineering vendors, implementations or users have sprung up.
Industry 4.0 industry status
When we are vigorously advocating or publicizing Industry 4.0, not many people really understand the realization process of 4.0. Perhaps everyone is well-known as intelligent production or “unmanned factories” under the Internet. How to realize intelligent production?
The mission of the factory is always to take orders, then produce products, and then sell them. The ERP and production automation around the orders are all, but how to produce, when to produce, and what to produce, etc. have become problems. Then there is MES. What’s fun is that the sandwiched MES not only has to face ERP and the underlying automation, but also independent subsystems such as WMS and PLM. It does not “penetrate” and has no staff. MES is software, and it must deal with everything in the factory. (Including people, equipment, materials) must be informatized and interconnected.
Obviously, Industry 4.0 is not a simple filling of MES. The premise is that it must be informatized to form a basis for decision-making through numbers, to be transparent, and to have intelligent manufacturing.
Relationship between MES and Industry 4.0
The real demand for MES
The value of MES determines the demand of the market, but the national conditions of the manufacturing industry and product demand determine the speed of implementation. The reason why China has become a major manufacturing country is to gradually improve factory automation through a rich labor market as a starting point. However, there are still some industries that even the automated Industry 3.0 is not popularized, let alone optimize and manage production through MES. At the same time, in view of the rapid development of science and technology, the rapid life cycle of various consumer products and the differentiated demand in the market, undoubtedly increase the difficulty for the factory, and put forward demanding requirements for fast, small batch, and customization. All of these make MES unable to perform its functions as expected.
In the actual implementation, more than 80% of the factories are informatization and paperless as their current goals. In order to compete for customer orders, scale and response speed are not enough, you have to use actual numbers to reflect your production capacity, efficiency, and even progress. At the same time, under the big prospect, the healthy development of Industry 4.0 is also strongly supported by the government. In order to realize the transformation of smart factories, many governments have provided quite generous subsidies to enterprises.
Factory’s own needs
In the market, there are countless large and small manufacturing and assembly factories in various industries. Not all companies can receive large orders such as Huawei and Samsung, and not all companies can get government support. Similarly, not all customers have Non-digital factories do not cooperate.
In the actual implementation of MES, after analyzing for Party A, the manufacturers did not intuitively give the efficiency improvement points, cost control percentages, or even the control of labor costs brought by MES, but based on the actual production process of the company. The human, machine, material, law, and circle in the book are realized paperless in the form of numbers. The corresponding optimization is a long-term run-in between the manufacturer and Party A in the later period. Therefore, companies that rely on their own digital factory transformation will passively follow the market. How many orders or how much benefit can a MES of millions of dollars bring to them is blurred in the economic thinking of many bosses.
New ideas for MES
In view of the current market positioning and needs of MES, we understand MES through a new way of thinking. What we want to solve is to analyze from multiple perspectives such as MES implementation, use, and post-maintenance, so that MES can be a minimalist Way to jack up the backbone of Industry 4.0.
Information dimension
In the previous soft article, we have talked about many of the reasons for the difficulty of MES productization, including the difficulty of connecting to the sky and ERP, the difficulty of connecting to the equipment side, and most of the MES is based on the entire production process. The whole life cycle of the MES is the main line, causing the entire system to be tightly coupled. Any non-standard, non-process operation, and error in any link will affect the normal operation of the entire MES.
The emergence of equipment banks has added a reliable dimension to MES manufacturers, which is to analyze production operations through equipment data, and guide managers to improve quality and efficiency, reduce costs and save energy. This dimension can do a lot of articles. Its purpose is not to directly save labor in the production process, but to allow managers to have a new perspective—the perspective of equipment data. Through this perspective, managers can discover many things they could not see before. For problems that cannot be analyzed, the purpose of improving quality and efficiency, reducing costs and saving energy can be achieved by solving these problems.
Device Banking: Mobile APP
Hardware dimension
In the actual MES implementation architecture, accurate and efficient management of the five elements (human, machine, material, method, and environment) must be achieved. In addition to the soft application software, data interface, database, etc. in terms of process flow, information management, etc., Multi-layer and multi-point hardware interaction is required, as shown in the figure.
Therefore, at the MES implementation site, you usually face these difficulties:
1) High temperature and high humidity;
2) Dust, water droplets, pollutants;
3) Vibration and shock of equipment operation;
4) Voltage instability and interference;
5) Electromagnetic waves of various equipment communication;
6) The installation is tedious and unprofessional;
7) The wiring is difficult;
8) Cannot communicate with existing equipment;
9) Unable to achieve process control.
Device connection
In summary, you will find that the success or failure of the past MES system depends on capital investment, leadership support, and capital and manpower to build a customized system. In the past system, because the MES was carded by the ERP, and there were a series of closed automation systems underneath, this caused most small and medium-sized enterprises “to go to the MES to find death, but not to wait for death.” what to do?
After the emergence of a new generation of industrial Internet technology “equipment bank”, a large number of MES companies have been provided with a brand-new thinking, and the cost has been greatly reduced. The idea is as follows:
1) Reduce equipment data collection, analysis, display, and maintenance costs through standardized industrial Internet tools such as equipment banks;
2) Fragmented MES function, for various positions in the production workshop, providing industrial apps based on microservices; (SMEs should face the reality of investment, clarify the solution of the problem, the completeness and accuracy of the information can be iteratively increased in the next step)
Through the industrial Internet and MES system, the device bank provides a fully open JSON data interface. Users can easily obtain the device-level data through the device bank and distribute it to the people in need.
Device Banking: Mobile APP
Interactive hardware
As the first domestic industrial computer company to land on the NEEQ, Apci has a lot of cross-application experience in the automation industry. It can provide reliable support for the precise data collection and business processing of MES, so that the on-site deployment and implementation of MES can be changed quickly. It has to be easy and simple.
We use a single-chip ultra-low-power industrial tablet computer as the interaction and collection terminal of MES, and based on the business flow level, the switch quantity for sound and light alarm, WiFi, identification and RFID of material electronic tags are made into standards. The module components are highly integrated with the product. as the picture shows.
Industrial-grade interactive tablet
Pseries-E5 is a series of ultra-thin, low-power, fanless industrial panel PCs for Industry 4.0, combined with the modular design concept of Apci, through modular combination, it can form a variety of products with different sizes, multiple interfaces, and different performances. , In order to respond to the different application needs of a variety of industries.
Adopting Atom 4th generation Baytrail platform single-chip back-mounted CPU design, high-brightness wide-temperature LED-backlit LCD screen, dual Intel Gigabit networks, large-area aluminum fins and zero-distance heat dissipation, ensuring its long life and stable operation. Integrated wide-voltage power input, with over-current, over-voltage and EMC protection. The appearance adopts the diamond cutting process, combined with the full mold die-casting molding shell to make it more sturdy and beautiful. It is matched with the high temperature five-wire resistance or the capacitive touch screen on the surface of the tempered glass, which meets the IP65 protection level. The compact and thin body supports a variety of installation methods. Suitable for MES applications in various industries.
Industrial panel computers used for MES interaction mainly include two series of capacitors and resistors, ranging from 10 inches to 21 inches, which are suitable for different application sites in various detailed industries. The main features are:
Ø DC9~28V wide-voltage anti-interference power input, in line with the complex power environment of the industrial site
Ø The fourth-generation Atom Baytrail low-power fanless design
Ø Onboard memory and flexible storage methods, anti-vibration and shock
Ø Fully die-cast aluminum molding, sturdy and beautiful, durable
Ø Ultra-light and thin compact design, easy to install
Ø Simple and efficient communication method (WiFi/Intel Gigabit LAN/RS485/USB3.0)
Ø High temperature five-wire resistive and multi-point capacitive touch screen, suitable for a variety of application environments
Ø RFID reading and writing can be integrated, convenient manual attendance management
Ø Choose high-definition camera to realize image monitoring and management
Ø Support dual speakers to realize local warning
Ø Embedded operating system, stable and permanent use
Ø -20℃~70℃ wide temperature and long life work
RFID reader module
RFID is a radio frequency identification technology that can identify specific targets and read and write related data through radio signals without the need to establish mechanical or optical contact between the identification system and specific targets. It has the advantages of oil resistance, density, and high speed. With the rise of the Internet of Things, RFID technology has been widely used, especially in the intelligent data of factory materials, performance, and permissions.
We use the highly integrated RFID read-write module to facilitate the precise management of MES performance, and seamlessly connect with the factory’s original access control, without additional installation and wiring, only interface (API) calls are required.
Dual-band WiFi module
In order to save the MES implementation cycle and wiring difficulty, we provide a wireless network solution for human-computer interaction points.
Uses Atheros 802.11a/b/g/n 2.4/5Ghz dual-band wireless solution, and supports Bluetooth 4.0, and Atheros is a pioneer in the 802.11 field, a manufacturer of OFDM-based wireless network technology, and provides chips based on IEEE802.11a 5-GHz Group, also expanded the development of Bluetooth, GPS, Ethernet and other fields. Atheros chips are widely used by major manufacturers, and manufacturers such as Netgear, TP-Link, D-Link, and Intel are all Atheros customers.
Especially the 5Ghz frequency band has the advantages of fast transmission speed, strong anti-interference ability, high compatibility and power saving.
Isolated input/switch quantity
Facing the mature industrial 3.0 automation scene, the implementation of MES must not only realize the collection of equipment data, but also install signal lights, alarms, and photoelectric switches based on the control of materials, processes, and quality. Realizing these functions through PLC costs a lot in terms of cost or programming, so lightweight input and output have become popular.
The DIO interfaces of standard products in the industry are generally low-level signals (5V&3.3V), which cannot realize direct communication with standard devices in the industrial field (mostly 24V in the field, signal interference, etc.). Although DIO is cost-effective and efficient in application, However, if the application is improper, it will not only fail to communicate, but also affect the accuracy of the data, and even cause damage to the device.
A. Cannot drive common devices (24V)
B. The input voltage range is limited, and the 24V signal directly burns the equipment
C. The control circuit design is cumbersome and difficult to mass-produce and install
D. Poor anti-interference ability and inaccurate data collection
E. Without protective measures, surge or overvoltage will make the equipment unstable or damaged
Therefore, for the actual application of the MES site, we upgrade the DIO to a high degree of integration, thoroughly solve the installation, development, and cost troubles in the implementation process, quickly connect, and quickly develop applications. It has the following application characteristics:
1) Modular design, compatible with all Apchi products
2) Optically isolated wide voltage input
3) OMRON relay direct output
4) Multiple inputs of active/passive signals
5) Standard DB head application interface (terminals can be attached)
Mobile handheld tablet
In addition, we also provide handheld tablet PC TPP-10 communication solutions for applications in mobile scenarios such as online inspections, forklifts, and carts.
The logistics information realization of the smart factory is extended through the standard x86 platform and industrial-grade interface, making the MES more flexible. Its characteristics are as follows:
æ J1900 low-power multi-core processor
æ High-strength aluminum alloy body, shock and drop resistance, IP65
æ 10-inch high-definition widescreen capacitive screen
æ WiFi+BT/4G/RFID/2D Mudolar Selected
æ Standard USB/COM/LAN/CAN industrial interface
æ Configurable DDR3L memory and mSATA hard disk
æ Support Windows/Linux operating system
Stable operating system
In the Chinese market, the proportion of engineering applications in the WinTel ecosystem remains high, but the stability of the Windows platform has always been criticized by the industry in the actual application process.
Therefore, in the user operating system, we use the Windows Embedded Standard 7 operating system, which provides industry-leading reliability, safety and performance. Its flexible embedded performance is more suitable for the development and operation of low-power products.
FBWF (File Based Write Filter), file-based write protection filtering, write operations to all files in the memory (as shown in the figure) to make the system run stably during frequent illegal power outages, prevent virus damage, and extend storage The service life of the equipment.
We provide perfect customized development of the system to achieve permanent use once implanted.
Maintenance dimension
MES cannot be maintained! This is the common feeling of most MES users without IT department!
The operation and maintenance of MES includes several aspects:
1) Software operation and maintenance, including server operation and maintenance. If the system crashes, if there is no good hot backup system and no corresponding maintenance personnel, you will often feel distressed because of this, and you will lose data at a small amount, causing errors with ERP If the system crashes, you will need to pay extra to ask the developer to come to your door for service.
2) The operation and maintenance of hardware, including the computer systems of electronic billboards, the data collection and network system of the equipment layer.
3) Functional upgrades, such as the addition of new production lines, for example, if there are problems encountered in the use process, the developer needs to modify it twice.
The current MES system can be used well, and most of them have a strong IT department or are rich, and subcontract this part of the work to developers. Most other users feel that they are being played by MES.
MES operation and maintenance needs to improve the robustness, productability, and maintainability of the system, and most MES systems are custom-developed, and these three aspects perform very poorly.
The hardest hit area of MES failure:
1) Industrial computers, servers
2) Industrial Internet (data collection, edge state analysis)
Maintainability of ECS and EBOX of Equipment Bank
Before developing the equipment bank, the author has designed a lot of industrial products, and I can say that I have a deep understanding of the maintainability of industrial products. I still remember that when I was working in a company, I developed a set of wireless distributed IO modules. At that time, I made a set of software for all channel selection, station address configuration, master and slave station variable mapping, so that the hardware More compact. In the end, I didn’t expect that the smart design I thought became a huge pit. After the products of this system were launched on the market, the company used them in automation projects across the country. In the initial stage, because the engineering was delivered by our own company’s engineers, we had not found any problems. After a few years, this hidden danger was slowly exposed. However, if any module is damaged at the site, the customer cannot directly replace it. We must go.
Whether it’s Chengdu, Harbin or Xinjiang, during that time, this kind of on-site service became the biggest friction between users and our engineering department. Who will pay for the travel expenses? Can we send someone to the site as soon as possible?
In the following ten years, I encountered the same problem several times in the control system products, such as a set of LonWorks control system, every time I change the module, I must use LonMark to configure the configuration on the spot. Such a disgusting design makes I hate Yankees deeply.
There is also a power carrier module. The increase in the user’s electrical equipment may affect the communication between the modules. We must send someone to deploy on site. Finally, there was a customer who couldn’t stand it anymore, and could only add a set of independent AC grid for the communication of the power carrier module.
Finally, there is the Internet of Things project before the equipment bank comes out. Every time the GPRS-DTU is damaged, it needs to be configured. If it is not configured after being sent to the user, we usually still need our engineers to come to the door.
In MES industry applications, due to the addition of the Industrial Internet, data at the device layer can be up. But it also adds a set of hardware system and communication system maintenance. These tasks are often not the expertise of the MES company, and another automation company is needed to assist. For this reason, the equipment bank regards configuration-free and one-click replacement as the core goal of maintenance design at the beginning of the design.
Although I know that many colleagues will copy our design, I am still proud of this design, and I need to show it here:
1) Configuration-free: All hardware of the device bank does not need to be configured for communication parameters. It is in the cloud when it is powered on and can be accessed by scanning the code. The user does not need to care about any communication-related parameters such as domain name, IP, port, account number, and key.
2) One-key replacement: What should I do if the ECS and EBOX of the equipment bank are broken? Take a new module, scan the code, and click one-key replacement without any reconfiguration work! Even the engineering company can be thousands of miles away Send a module, let the user unplug the terminal, and then the engineer can click a key to replace it in a remote place.
Because of the above two characteristics, the minimalist industrial Internet of equipment banking is by no means a false name! This is the minimal maintenance of equipment banking minimalist.
This makes the majority of MES users no longer worry about hardware maintenance. The difficulty of replacement and maintenance is easier than changing a light bulb.
Concluding remarks
The connection between the equipment bank and MES is even more powerful. It is a tool, an ecology, and a new idea of a new industry. It includes rectangular technology for control systems, old dog technology for industrial Internet, and Apuqi for industrial computers. Saiyuan is the industrial Internet service provider, and the Industrial Control Brothers Company is the human networking company. Around the design idea that simplicity is beautiful, everyone enriches the entire ecology step by step, helping industrial users improve quality and efficiency, reduce costs and save energy.
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