{"id":1868,"date":"2023-09-03T15:57:13","date_gmt":"2023-09-03T15:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.softwaredefinedautomation.io\/?p=1868"},"modified":"2023-09-03T15:57:13","modified_gmt":"2023-09-03T15:57:13","slug":"closed-loop-automation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.softwaredefinedautomation.io\/sda-old\/resources\/blog\/2023\/09\/03\/closed-loop-automation\/","title":{"rendered":"Bringing closed-loop automation from theory to practice"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is Closed-Loop Automation?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Closed-loop Automation is performing\/automating a self-adaptive output process based on meaningful insights derived from continuous data collected by a system without human interference. In other words, automatically bridging the gap between Data \u2192 Insight and Insight \u2192 Action. Although this concept is well-recognized in academia as \u201cself-adaptation\u201d, it has yet to be implemented in industry.<\/p>\n

In Closed-loop Automation, the necessary actions are identified based on knowledge and input information. Thus, data is the critical component. With good data and robust algorithms, systems can run without human intervention. Closed-loop Automation results in improved reliability, increased productivity, and a reduced mean-time to resolve incidents.<\/p>\n

\"Closed-loop
Closed-loop automation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The heart and brain of industrial automation<\/span><\/h2>\n

Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) are industrial computers controlling various processes in manufacturing and other automation environments, often called the heart and brain of industrial automation. In industrial automation, PLCs have revolutionized factories by transforming traditional manual labor processes into efficient, machine-orchestrated factory operations. However, even with technologically advanced automation infrastructure in place, manufacturing factories face significant challenges when it comes to downtime, for e.g., human related downtimes, complex system failures, planned and unplanned downtimes.<\/span><\/p>\n

With the increasing complexity of manufacturing processes and the dynamic changes in demands of market and factory goals, mitigating downtime has become crucial. Traditional approaches to automation often lack the adaptability and flexibility to efficiently handle downtime-related tasks. One particular area that requires improvement is the reconfiguration processes of the Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) during manufacturing operations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Optimizing machine commissioning time using SDA PLC Ops<\/span><\/h2>\n

Commissioning a new machine to an existing shop floor is complex and time-consuming. A traditional commissioning process for a new machine controlled by a PLC involves a significant amount of PLC code testing and iterations being made to the PLC code of not only the new machine but also to the connected machines which are already installed on the shop floor. With the increasing complexity of machine behavior and user requirements, ensuring a smooth and faster commissioning process using this legacy approach is evolving into a limiting factor in the digital journey of manufacturers. The need for building self-adaptive systems is inevitable where in this case, the PLC should self-adapt to the shop floor requirements and ease the commissioning process to reduce labor, time, and cost.<\/span><\/p>\n

Software Defined Automation is bringing closed-loop automation from theory to practice<\/span><\/h2>\n

SDA built a setup to showcase the commissioning of a new machine to an actual factory shop floor with the help of two motors. The leader motor represents the existing assembly line process, and the follower motor represents the new machine that needs to be commissioned. PLCs control these motors and the commissioning process is showcased by reconfiguring the PLCs to synchronize the motor speed parameters in the PLC program.\u00a0 Successful commissioning of the new machine to the existing assembly line process is determined by the successful synchronization of both motor speeds by performing the PLC self-adaptation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Our team of engineers has performed the PLC self-adaptation process to demonstrate the PLC reconfigurations and auto-generation of PLC projects in response to changes detected through real-time data insights using cameras, programmatic upload of PLC projects to the cloud and automated deployment using APIs, all powered by SDA PLC Ops.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

SDA PLC Ops is a\u00a0cloud-based PLC operations platform for conventional and virtual PLCs, across different vendors. It enables uploading, downloading, and versioning of PLC projects, as well as automated code deployments directly from the cloud to PLC without opening vendor-specific IDEs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Closed-loop<\/p>\n

The experimental setup consists of the following components:<\/span><\/p>\n