Compressors are essential in manufacturing. If they fail, the entire production grinds to a halt. But despite their importance, most compressors are often installed aside and not connected to the factory production process. Connecting the compressors so they can share information with higher-level SCADA, MES, or ERP systems is an essential step. This enables companies to reduce their operating costs as they can now use the compressor’s data to gain a better understanding of both the industrial application and the compressor’s performance. For example, energy consumption can be optimized, leaks can be quickly detected. Ultimately, the analysis of the data is the basis for predictive maintenance enabling companies to optimize maintenance processes and ensure the availability of the compressors.
While Fieldbuses such as PROFIBUS, PROFINET, or Modbus are used for horizontal networking and the cyclic exchange of production data in the machine, OPC UA is becoming increasingly popular for vertical networking with the IT level. OPC UA uses structured and standardized information models to map a manufacturing system. Not only the “raw” data is made available, but also the data’s meaning and context. For compressors, for example, there is the "Compressed Air System" companion specification, which describes a generic, manufacturer-independent information model. This makes it much easier for plant operators to integrate these devices as they get data in a similar way regardless of the manufacturer of the equipment.
To secure these new vertical communication paths towards IT systems and also to limit the risks on production equipment, device manufacturers must therefore consider cyber security aspects from the beginning of their OPC UA integration.
The core competence of device manufacturers usually lies in the functionality of their own devices. When integrating an OPC UA interface, you usually reach your goal faster with a ready-made communication solution than with in-house development. On top of the quicker deployment process, ready-to-install solutions are more flexible, easier to scale and thanks to the regular firmware updates also reduce the effort of the product lifecycle management for the device manufacturer.
As one of the leading providers of industrial communication solutions, Anybus can support device manufacturers in implementing an OPC UA interface. An IIoT secure module was developed for the Anybus CompactCom product line, a family of embedded communication interfaces, which integrates fieldbuses as well as OPC UA and MQTT protocols. The Anybus solution supports the OPC UA information models to map the data of the device according to the defined companion specification. Manufacturers who already use an Anybus module only have a small amount of effort to transfer data via OPC UA and MQTT, since the software interface between the module and the host application program of the device is standardized.
To ensure security was integrated into every step of the development process, Anybus used the Secure Design Lifecycle (SDL) process to create a secure-by-design Anybus CompactCom IIoT secure module. The module has secure management of the certificates used for encrypted IIoT data connections (OPC UA & MQTT). A dedicated security chip stores confidential data such as private keys and ensures that only signed software from Anybus is used (root of trust).
Anybus offers compressor manufacturers a quick and easy way to make their devices OPC UA and MQTT capable, even if the manufacturers do not have expert knowledge of the IIoT protocols. In an industry on the verge of implementing OPC UA and MQTT connections, a quick time to market can be a decisive competitive advantage. Maintenance and life cycle management are simplified as Anybus keeps the solution up to date with the latest communication and security expectations. It’s also a future-proof solution, as Anybus is a technology partner that accompanies its customers over the long term.
Thierry Bieber is the Industry Segment Manager at HMS Networks Market Unit in Central Europe. Thierry has over 20 years of technical and market experience in industrial communication and machine infrastructures applications as well as participation with various standardization organizations like PROFINET International
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