Thailand Creates Niches In Robotics, Aerospace And Auto

[Steve]

https://qz.com/899779/how-thailand-found-its-niche-in-the-robotics-aerospace-and-auto-industries/?sr_source=lift_facebook

[Mekong]

Change is the only constant", Heraclitus was definitely spot on when he put forth this oxymoron. Apparently, change is not only the fundamental law of the world around us, but a constant need of collective human psyche as well. In context of industrial development, the pace of change in the past two centuries has been dauntingly fast.

The first industrial revolution was brought forth by mechanical machines around 1800s. Since then, the technology has advanced with such a rapid speed that today we literally have an invasion of machines on the planet, which is not necessarily a bad thing. In the meanwhile two of the revolutions have passed over, and now we are tying up our shoelaces to enter the forth one. In case if you are wondering, the second revolution happened when electrical power was introduced to drive the mechanical machines. The third revolution, which also happens to be the current revolution, came into being with the advent of digital computers and added the dimension of intelligent automation and control systems to the existing electro-mechanical machines.

The forth revolution has long been predicted, but it was only recently that leading world economies have started devising policies and research initiatives in that direction. One such initiative is the "Industrie 4.0", put forth by German government. It is the vision statement of Germany for the upcoming forth industrial revolution. The idea of Industry 4.0 is abstract in its nature, as it does not provide any concrete roadmap, rules or regulations upon which the industries of tomorrow are to be built. Nonetheless, it does provide a vision and a direction to move towards. One reason for all this hype rests in the fact that today almost all the technologies, needed for the realization of this glorious objective, are available. For instance, technologies like Internet of Things, Cyber Physical Systems, Cloud Computing, Smart Sensors, Artificial Intelligence and various others are available today and are growing at exponential rates by each day. IoT will enable the smart things and products to connect to the internet. Cyber Physical Systems will bridge the gap between the physical and virtual world. Cloud computing will provide powerful shared resource computing power and AI will provide algorithms to achieve a high level of automation.

Having said that, this vision is not going to be a reality overnight. The scale and number of challenges are sheer. The first and foremost challenge being the integration of all these complex technologies. Another big issue is the standardization of protocols and regulations for the implementation of Industry 4.0. Yet another big challenge is to handle and manage the huge amount of data generated by all the smart connected products. Internet security and privacy will be another nuisance. But on the flip side, it is equally true that these challenges can only slow down the process of the next big transformation, but they cannot stop it. Great amount of research efforts are being exerted in this direction right now and this vision of Industry 4.0 is the top priority for the researchers world over.

The materialization of the concept of Industry 4.0 will surely change the business models and manufacturing processes on one hand, and on the other hand it will change the norms, trends and paradigms. We indeed are living in exciting times, and following years will blur the boundary between magic and technology more and more.

 

​4.0 is oft compared to IoT or "Internet of Things", but it is not

 

Many articles use the terms Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industrie 4.0 (Industry 4.0) interchangeably, but they are not the same. And it is not North America vs. Europe. Both concepts are good and both concepts will help industry. If you understand how they are different and how they relate you and your plant can benefit from both. So how can you and your plant benefit? Here are my personal thoughts:

While most material on Industrie 4.0 tends to be about discrete manufacturing; assembly lines, machines, and robots with the aim of a “smart factory†I decided to study it from the angle of the process industries; process equipment, process control, and instrumentation with the aim of a “smart plant†or rather “digital plantâ€. How a valve manufacturer builds a valve - which is discrete parts manufacturing, and how that valve operates in a process plant.

In this essay I will use “Industrie 4.0†and “Industry 4.0†interchangeably so that it can be found regardless of which you search for.

Industrie 4.0 Product Lifecycle

 

Central to Industrie 4.0 is information exchange over the entire lifecycle of a product. This means collecting all data generated for a product throughout its life, end-to-end, through all product lifecycle phases, from concept, design, ordering, customization, manufacturing, operation, repair, to recycling - and storing that information in a repository, a kind virtual “digital twin†of the product. This information exchange shall be linked, seamlessly transferred from system to system, such that it need not be manually reentered over and over; a “digital threadâ€. Many companies and systems are involved in the lifecycle of a product so exchanging data between systems requires data and communication standards to provide interoperability between previously closed applications to unlock the data. Consider how the lifecycle of a plant, the lifecycle of a boiler in this plant, and the lifecycle of a control valve on that boiler interact from the design of the plant, the design of the boiler, and the design of the valve until the end-of-life of each one. This is how I imagine digital information exchange in the lifecycle of a control valve:

Conceptual Design / Plant FEED

 

In the conceptual design phase the valve manufacturer will have an idea for an innovative new model control valve and would capture the concept in CAD software and save it as a digital file.

Similarly, in the Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) phase for a plant the consultant creates a conceptual design of the new plant. The plant design is captured in CAD software as digital files.

Design

 

In the design phase for the new control valve model the conceptual design CAD file would be imported into other CAD software so it doesn’t have to be redrawn. This would require interoperability through standard file formats. The design would be refined through strength calculation, computational fluid dynamics, esthetics, and manufacturability simulation of the base design. The final product design file would be exported. The design file would be imported into a 3D printer to produce parts to verify form and fit. This again requires interoperable file formats.

Similarly, in the detail design phase for the plant the EPC contractor decides on equipment including control valves and would take 3D CAD files of the valves from the valve manufacturer, and use these in their plant design software for pipe clash checks etc. so it doesn’t have to be redrawn. Interoperability of files with 3D models and electrical diagrams would be required making EPC work easier, saving individual’s time and the company’s money. The EPC exports files with data for the required valves and other equipment.

Order

 

In the procurement phase for the plant, the EPC sends the valve specification as a digital file to the valve manufacturer. This means no paperwork for the EPC saving individual’s time and company’s money.

Conversely, in the procurement phase for the valve the factory receives the order from the customer’s EPC contractor for several sets of the new control valve model with the detail requirements/specification for each one in a digital file format, imported into the ERP system so it doesn’t have to be retyped. This would require interoperability through standard file format. I personally believe the ISO 15926 format will be used in transferring the data from EPC to valve manufacturer to ensure interoperability. This will make it easier for companies to do business.

Customization

 

In the customization phase the valve factory would also import the customer specification data into the valve sizing software so it doesn’t have to be retyped, and into software for custom engineering the base design of the new control valve model to the exact requirement for each control valve. This would require interoperability through standard file format. I personally believe the ISO 15926 format will be used. The Bill of Materials with all part numbers for valve body, actuator, trim, materials of construction, size, positioner, air set etc. would be created in a digital file. Making single units, “lot size 1â€, the ability to customize the design and assembly of each piece to accommodate exact individual requirements, is an important aspect of Industrie 4.0. Assembly of a control valve is a good example but it does not really apply to continuous processing since there is no ‘lot’, but probably to batch processing such as for specialty chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

The customization phase for a plant includes adapting a base design by sizing all equipment according to the required capacity, ambient conditions, feedstock, and energy sources etc.

Make

 

In the manufacturing phase the valve factory puts all the parts together. This could involve multiple contract manufacturers in multiple locations for various parts of the control valve before assembly. These contract manufacturers would have received the CAD files, imported them into their machines, to produce the part. This again would require interoperability to so it doesn’t have to be redrawn. Leading valve manufacturers may produce some valve parts through additive manufacturing by importing the CAD files into the machine, which again would require interoperability. On the assembly line robots would assemble the control valves based on instructions from the CAD files, again requiring interoperable file formats. Lastly, each control valve is tested in the factory, capturing valve signature and step response etc. and storing the test results digitally in a file. Material certificates for the parts are also stored as digital files.

Clearly a large number of existing and new standards would have to come into play to make the design and manufacturing part of the Industrie 4.0 vision a reality.

IIoT in Operation

 

In its operation phase the valve does its job for many years in the plant. In this phase the valve manufacturer can these days monitor the control valve condition remotely across the Internet as a connected service based on Industrial IoT collecting data. That is, physical equipment in the plant like pumps and valves are fitted with digitally networked sensors such that they can be monitored continuously and all their data being collected and stored digitally, typically in the cloud. The valve manufacturer’s software analyzes the data and notifies the plant of any impending problem, but also saves the collected valve data for future reference. A pool of valve experts is available to support the plant personnel. A pump would be fitted with sensors for vibration, pressure, temperature, and level etc. - digitally networked. In the case of a control valve all the sensors (valve position, air supply pressure, actuator pressure, air mass-flow, and temperature etc.) are built into the control valve positioner which in turn is digitally networked. That is, the operation phase of the lifecycle is where Industrie 4.0 meets IoT and we get IIoT.

The operation phase of the lifecycle is where Industrie 4.0 meets IoT and we get IIoT

 

This also means that there is now a software/virtual or “cyber†component associated with each piece of equipment (“thingâ€) as well. The physical and cyber components are collectively referred to as a Cyber-Physical System (CPS).

Many plants are already enjoying

.

Connected services can improve the reliability and performance of the valve, reducing plant downtime and increasing product quality and throughput.

No manufacturer makes all the sensors required in a plant, so plants deploy sensors based on industrial networking standards like FOUNDATION fieldbus and WirelessHART to ensure interoperability so they can all share the same sensor network. Digital networking such as fieldbus and wireless is the only practical way of integrating all these additional instruments. It is interesting to note that digital networking is the main topic in the ZVEI “Implementation Strategy Industrie 4.0†report. In modern plants, and as existing plants are modernized, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) play an increasingly important role.

Repair

 

From time to time the control valve will need overhaul; cleaning or replacing parts that wear and tear etc. Repair can be done by the plant maintenance team, the valve manufacturer’s service team, or a third-party service provider. Alternatively overhaul in is done offsite. After repair function check is made capturing ‘as left’ performance digitally in a file. This test data should be saved with the rest of the valve history. Actions taken should be recorded on digital file together with the rest of the valve history. RFID chips on major parts such as valve body, actuator, and filter regulator would make identification and tracking the lifecycle of individual parts easier. The valve positioner and other instruments already have a unique ID. The plant I&C department can access manuals and hazardous area certification files for the valve model, but can also retrieve the original valve signature file for comparison with current performance. Additionally, they could pull out the material certificate file for any part of each specific valve or retrieve the maintenance history.

Recycle

 

After many years of service, the valve, pump, or other equipment is taken out of service. This is the end-of-life and recycle phase. Failure data is captured and stored digitally, especially for safety-related products. The manufacturer still has all the data on digital file, and throughout the valve life it has been collected and used as feedback for continuous improvement (kaizen) of the valve design in the next product cycle, thus closing the lifecycle loop.

Cyber-Physical Systems, Digital Thread, and Digital Twin

 

Each phase of the lifecycle of the valve or other equipment would use data from earlier phases, and would generate more data used in the next phases – a digital thread. Data is collected and would follow the valve or other physical “thing†throughout its life like a virtual digital twin, or shadow. All the information would always be available.

I could go in for hours on end about this and send the board to sleep ... sorry my boring shit I just C'n"P extracts from a couple of my papers

 

Fuck .... Really am a Geek haha

[Coss]

Tell you what, I'm of the opinion that AI will become a threat, not from Terminators and robots biting yer bollocks, but from someone like Zuckerberg deciding that you can't get rice because his AI says we'd all be better off eating potatoes, or some such variation on that theme, the freedom of choice is being taken away as we speak.

 

Remember when the introduction of computers, meant we'd all work ten hour weeks, because a man with a computer, could do the work of four non computer equipped men? Hell no, folk like Zuckerberg worked out you could sack three blokes and make one to the work of four.

 

Any hoo, good link in the OP Link

 

There are some good stories below the story linked to.

[My Penis is hungry]

Nah - I'm now looking at how to implement RINA, perfect for Satellite networks and all networks, catch up Mekong!

[Mekong]

Recursive Internet Work Work Architecture (RINA) is an alternative to TCP/IP the "Transport Layer" not the overall concept, keep up PTBM

[My Penis is hungry]

Yes - but I am interested in the transport layer, which to me is the key to my work, your interested in the final applications and access. I'm the middle man so to speak. So to me, it will take a few years yet, once we can get some hardware (a box for the software) then my satellite links become vastly more efficient, I won't transport layers I don't need.

[Mekong]

PTBM

 

Correct I am interested in how to utilise Transport Layers for the Next Generation of Applications, and not the layers as suck

 

In my field Industrial Automation, we have our own needs, the first foray into Intelligent Devices was HART Protocol (Hardware Addressable Remote Transducer), used the old Bell 202 Frequency Shift Key (FSK) standard to superimpose Digital Data onto a 2-Wire 4-20mA signal, damn snazzy 25 years ago, but rather limited.

 

Since then we have progressed through Profibus and Foundation Fieldbus which were each an improvement on the previous.

 

Will it come to fruition in my lifetime? undoubtably so, will it occur during my working life? Debatable. I have been in this game since I was 16, nearly 37 years now and am seriously working on an exit strategy unfortunately cant afford to shut down just yet.

[baa99]

I'll stick with HPIB.

[Mekong]

Baa

 

Joking aside HPIB Hewlett Packard Interface Bus aka IEEE-488 was the Grand Daddy of it all.

 

The primary objectives remain the same which were / are

• The interface system must be capable of interconnecting small, low-cost instrument systems by means of simple passive cable assemblies without restricting individual instrument performance and cost.
  
• The interface system must be capable of interconnecting a wide range of products (measurement, stimulus, display, processor, storage) needed to solve real problems.
  
• The interface system must be capable of operating where control and management of the message flow over the interface is not limited to one device but can be delegated in an orderly manner among several.
  
• The interface system must be capable of interfacing easily with other more specialized interface environments.
  

 

Not a lot has changed in the past 40 years