SCADA-MES Equipment Mapping for Real-Time Utilization Status

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current industrial processes face challenges in efficiently sharing and synchronizing plant equipment and process data between Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), leading to complexities in configuration and real-time data management.

Innovation Solution

The development of a system and method that configures a utilization object corresponding to equipment modeled by a SCADA system object, allowing for runtime determination of equipment states and provision to an MES database entity, using a configurable utilization object with executable logic and user-editable fields for defining raw reason codes and expressions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If data is shared between SCADA and MES systems, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a data sharing mechanism that acts as an intermediary layer between SCADA and MES systems. This mechanism includes standardized data interfaces and communication protocols that enable seamless data exchange without requiring direct complex integration between the two systems, thus improving manufacturing efficiency while managing system complexity through abstraction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements universal data structures and communication standards that can be applied across multiple SCADA and MES system configurations. By creating multi-functional data interfaces that work across different system architectures, the solution improves overall manufacturing efficiency without proportionally increasing system complexity, as the same standardized components serve multiple integration scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If real-time data synchronization is implemented, then equipment utilization monitoring is enhanced, but data management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveequipment utilization monitoringVSAvoiddata management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous real-time data synchronization mechanisms that maintain constant data flow between SCADA and MES systems. This continuous action ensures precise equipment utilization monitoring without requiring periodic manual interventions or complex batch processing, thereby enhancing measurement precision while managing data management complexity through automated continuous operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where data from MES is continuously fed back to SCADA systems and vice versa. This feedback loop enables real-time equipment utilization monitoring by constantly comparing actual performance data with target values, automatically adjusting and maintaining precise monitoring without requiring complex manual data management interventions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If configuration is simplified, then ease of operation is improved, but data synchronization reliability may worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfiguration easeVSAvoiddata synchronization reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service configuration mechanisms where the system automatically detects and configures data synchronization parameters without requiring extensive manual input. The system performs self-configuration by automatically identifying data sources, destinations, and transformation rules, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining synchronization reliability through automated validation and error checking procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates preliminary configuration templates and pre-defined data synchronization profiles that are prepared in advance. These pre-configured templates contain validated synchronization rules and parameters that can be directly applied to common scenarios, improving ease of operation by reducing manual configuration steps while ensuring data synchronization reliability through pre-tested and validated configuration settings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3650963B1Method for maintaining unified access to scada and manufacturing execution system (MES) information
Publication Date: 2023.01.04 AVEVA SOFTWARE LLC
  • EP3650963B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3650963B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3650963B1 patent drawingFigure 2C~2D

AI summary

A method is disclosed that simplifies configuring an MES entity corresponding to a SCADA system object representing plant equipment. The method is related to a system that includes an equipment model builder (EMB) that receives a set of configured UCO information for a modeled piece of plant equipment in a SCADA system. The EMB extracts relevant MES information from the utilization capability object and invokes an application interface on an MES database to create a corresponding entity (e.g., a database element). Another aspect of the disclosed system and methods involves the enhancement of a SCADA system object, through a new MES facet, to support acquiring and reporting equipment status received via the SCADA system to a corresponding MES entity. A raw reason code configuration interface is provided by UCO configurator computer software executed on a computer. Each raw reason code is associated with a prioritized logical expression defining circumstances under which the reason code becomes true.