Industrial Analytics Architecture for Multi-Source Data Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face challenges in efficiently integrating and analyzing data from diverse sources, leading to delayed maintenance and increased downtime due to the non-intuitive nature of existing data sources and the need for extensive knowledge to locate relevant system data.
Innovation Solution
A device-level analytics and reporting system that integrates with industrial controllers and other devices to provide centralized monitoring and proactive reporting on the health and status of automation systems, utilizing a device interface, analytics, and user interface components to streamline data access and analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If data is collected from multiple diverse industrial automation systems using existing data sources, then data integration capability is improved, but system complexity and difficulty of locating relevant data increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces analytic appliances as intermediary components that sit between diverse industrial automation systems and the central analytics platform. These appliances standardize data collection by implementing common data models and protocols, thereby reducing the complexity of integrating data from multiple diverse sources while maintaining adaptability to different system types.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments data collection and processing functions into distributed analytic appliances that can independently handle data from specific industrial automation systems. This segmentation allows each appliance to specialize in collecting and preprocessing data from particular device types or protocols, reducing the overall system complexity while maintaining versatile data integration capabilities.
2Measurement precision
If extensive knowledge is required to locate relevant system data, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The analytic appliances act as intermediaries that automatically map and translate data from various industrial automation systems into a standardized format. This eliminates the need for operators to possess extensive knowledge about different system data structures, as the appliances handle the complex data localization and transformation processes automatically while maintaining data accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms data parameters from diverse source formats into a unified standardized format through automatic parameter mapping and conversion. This parameter transformation occurs transparently within the analytic appliances, improving ease of operation by presenting consistent data interfaces while preserving the precision and accuracy of the original measurements.
3Productivity
If data analysis is delayed, then processing time is reduced, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The analytic appliances perform preliminary data processing, validation, and enrichment actions at the edge of the industrial automation systems, before data is transmitted to the central analytics platform. This preliminary action reduces the amount of raw data that needs to be processed centrally and prepares data for faster analysis, thereby reducing downtime and improving maintenance efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous data collection and processing operations through distributed analytic appliances that operate autonomously and continuously monitor industrial automation systems. This continuous operation eliminates batch processing delays and ensures that data analysis occurs in near-real-time, reducing downtime and improving productivity by enabling timely maintenance interventions.
Data Source
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AI summary
An industrial analytic system includes a device interface component. The device interface component is configured to collect data from a plurality of analytic appliances and transfer the data to an analytic component. Each of the plurality of analytic appliances is configured to collect data from a respective set of devices of a plurality of sets of devices. The plurality of sets of devices perform a plurality of operations in one or more industrial systems.