Accessing Real-time-data in PLCs R in Automation Accessing Real-time-data in PLCs Thomas.Baier@logicals.com

Copyright © logi.cals by kirchner SOFT Automation, PLCs, HMI Automation, roboticization or industrial automation or numerical control is the use of control systems such as computers to control industrial machinery and processes, reducing the need for human intervention. Closed Loop Control PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) Connected with sensors and actors (so-called I/O-devices) Cyclic execution of applications Read inputs Compute outputs Write outputs Real-time capabilities (e.g., executed every 1ms) HMI Real Controls (switches/LEDs) Virtual Controls (GUI in Software) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automation) 14.11.2018 Copyright © logi.cals by kirchner SOFT

OPC (OLE for Process Control) OPC (DA) is a standard for data exchange Between HMI software and PLCs Data exchange between PLCs Based on Microsoft COM (formerly known as OLE) Additional spefications extending original OPC DA OPC DA is the de-facto standard for data exchange in automation Implemented by most (nearly all) PLC and HMI vendors OPC UA Currently in-work specification(s) No more based on COM Portable (no limitation to Windows) Binary communication protocol and SOAP/http OPC foundation Maintains specifications Provides source code/reference implementations to members http://www.opcfoundation.org 14.11.2018 Copyright © logi.cals by kirchner SOFT

ropc: Let R Access OPC Servers Why R? Open and powerful system Easily embeddable in other software systems Lots of pre-build functionality (1518 packages on CRAN and many others elsewhere) Why ropc? ropc builds a bridge between automation devices and R Lots of data available for further processing Vendor-independent data access mechanism R+OPC+ropc Can fetch real-time data from automation devices/plants Possibility to write data to automation devices R‘s Powerful engine and packages can work directly on real-time data Even possible to implement (closed loop) control algorithms using R 14.11.2018 Copyright © logi.cals by kirchner SOFT

Copyright © logi.cals by kirchner SOFT Using ropc Initialization phase Connect to an OPC server (opcConnect()) Add one (or more) groups of OPC items („automation variables“) using opcAddGroup() and opcAddItems() Processing phase Read groups of OPC items (opcRead()) Write groups of OPC items (opcWrite()) Termination phase OPC items, groups and servers are processed by R‘s garbage collector Additional features Recording of OPC items over some time period (opcTSRead()) Changing OPC item groups (opcAddItems(), opcRemoveItems()) 14.11.2018 Copyright © logi.cals by kirchner SOFT

Copyright © logi.cals by kirchner SOFT An ropc Sample Session library(ropc) srv<-opcConnect() # use default server grp<-opcAddGroup(srv) # create default group # add 3 items to the group opcAddItems(grp,c(„InsideTemp“, „OutsideTemp“, „HeatingTemp“)) # read item values every minute for 5 hours temps<-opcTSRead(grp,300,60) # something with the data 14.11.2018 Copyright © logi.cals by kirchner SOFT

logi.DIAG: Predictive Maintenance Research project Two companies: logi.cals, Messfeld Two universities: University of Vienna, Vienna University of Technology Funded by FFG/FWF in Austria One major goal is „predictive maintenance“ Process and production automation normally 24/7 Downtime is very costly As few maintenance hours as possible Planning maintenance is required Possible approach Apply statistical methods to „predict“ failures Use R for statistics Acquire data using OPC -> ropc 14.11.2018 Copyright © logi.cals by kirchner SOFT

Copyright © logi.cals by kirchner SOFT About logi.cals Founded 1987 in Austria Provides software for automation Planning of plants (function plan, VGB R170C, ISA S5.2,...) Target-system neutral programming system, IEC 61131-3 Runtime systems for real-time execution of code Visualization systems (web-based) Configuration and testing software Our customers‘ businesses Rolling mills Chemical and specifically Pharmaceutical plants Power plants Automotive Safety systems ... 14.11.2018 Copyright © logi.cals by kirchner SOFT