Ensuring machines are IoT-ready

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5th June 2017

Source: Eaton Corporation

The operation and control systems of Eaton have been integrated with the OPC Unified Architecture Standard (OPC UA). This will enable machine and systems builders to communicate with the cloud via individual machine components more easily and safely. As a result, both existing machines and new designs featuring compatible Eaton products can be made IoT-ready and integrated into smart factory environments in a cost effective way.

This enables simpler communication between machines (M2M), machines and factory managers (M2Factory), and machines and the cloud (M2Cloud) - all through OPC UA.

Eaton now offers several options to help machine and systems builders make their equipment IoT ready. For those seeking a combined operation and control system for compact machines, the XV300 HMI/PLC with integrated OPC UA server is well suited. It features capacitive multi-touch technology to enable intuitive operation and is available in a 15“ design, as well as in 7 and 10.1“ versions. In combination with Galileo visualisation software, it supports the implementation of modern operating concepts. In addition, Eaton’s intelligent wiring and communications system establishes fully closed, tamper-proof configurations, providing continuous security from the motor starters all the way up to the cloud.

For equipment with higher performance requirements, Eaton offers the new XC300 CoDeSys controller, which also has an integrated OPC UA server. In such situations, the XV300 can be used as an operating device to manage visualisation applications and connections to the cloud.

The XC-152 CoDeSys controller is also suitable for connecting existing machines to the cloud without visualisation, as it can easily be retrospectively implemented into OPC UA.

“Ethernet communication is still very heterogeneous and the amalgamation of various machines made by different manufacturers usually results in substantial integration costs. However, OPC UA is now establishing itself as a safe and reliable data exchange standard for manufacturer and platform independent industrial communication,” said Chris Pack, Field Product Manager at Eaton UK. “As a member of the OPC Foundation, we can help our customers to implement this protocol for both M2M and M2Cloud communications, so that smart factory operators can base their future communications on a consistent standard.”

As part of this activity, Eaton also includes OPC UA in its training program for partners and customers.

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