Industrial Information Hub for Virtualized Automation Development
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face challenges in development and testing due to complexity, custom nature, and lack of virtualization, leading to long development cycles and cost overruns, as well as difficulties in managing proprietary intellectual property and protecting against cyber-attacks.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-based Industrial Development Hub (IDH) provides a repository system with enhanced storage and design tools for easy management of control project code, device configurations, and digital assets, facilitating backup, restore, code conversion, and version management, while supporting virtualization and simulation capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If industrial automation systems are developed and tested using traditional methods, then development can proceed with existing tools, but development cycles become long and costs overrun due to complexity and lack of virtualization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of industrial automation systems through digital twins and virtualized plant models. These virtual representations allow development and testing to occur in parallel with physical system development, eliminating sequential testing phases and significantly reducing development cycles while maintaining accuracy through synchronized data exchange between virtual and physical systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables preliminary development and testing of control logic, asset models, and system configurations in virtual environments before physical deployment. Developers can validate designs, identify issues, and optimize performance in the virtual plant before committing to physical implementation, preventing costly rework and accelerating the overall development timeline
2Reliability
If proprietary intellectual property is managed in traditional industrial systems, then existing security measures can be used, but protection against cyber-attacks becomes difficult and security vulnerabilities increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud-based platform as an intermediary layer between the physical industrial systems and external networks. This platform provides centralized security management, authentication, and data protection services, isolating proprietary intellectual property from direct exposure to cyber threats while enabling secure access and collaboration across the enterprise ecosystem
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates virtual copies of sensitive intellectual property and control logic in the cloud-based platform. These virtual representations can be securely managed, updated, and distributed without exposing the original physical systems to security risks. The digital twin architecture allows security updates and patches to be applied in the virtual environment first, ensuring protection before deployment to physical systems
Data Source
AI summary
An industrial information hub (IDH) serves as a single industrial ecosystem platform where multiple participants can deliver repeatable and standardized services relevant to their core competencies. The IIH system is centered around the development of an ecosystem that creates and delivers value to users—including industrial enterprises, OEMs, system integrators, vendors, etc.—through the aggregation of digital content and domain expertise. The IIH system serves as a trusted information broker between the ecosystem and the OT environments of plant facilities, and provides a platform for connecting assets, contextualizing asset data and providing secure access to the ecosystem. Additionally, the IIH system provides tools and support to OEMs and other subject matter experts, allowing those experts to enable their digital assets for use in the ecosystem. The IIH system reduces the cost and risks for digital modeling of industrial assets.