The aim of this report is introduction and implementation of EtherCAT protocol on Texas Instruments AM437x microcontroller. The primary goal is to implement EtherCAT communication with slave device. The EtherCAT configurable digital output module is implemented as example application.

Framväxten av antalet smarta enheter som är integrerade med Internet har lett till att behovet av Internet-of-Things ökar i olika tillämpningar, nämligen inom industrier fabrikstillverkning. Projektets huvudsakliga syfte är att implementera ett styrsystem med hjälp av Industrial Ethernet och användningen av Profinet protokoll som användargränssnitt. Denna studies huvudsakliga uppgift är undersöka prestandan av detta system och vilken skalbarhet man kan få ut ur den, dessutom utföra olika typer av tester för att mäta responstiden hos detta system med hjälp av real-time system. Studien lyfter upp IIoT funktionalitet, dess featureprogram och möjligheten att den implementeras på bred tillgänglig hårdvara. Det slutliga resultatet av tidmätningarna kunde i genomsnitt visa hur lång tid det tar för en signal att skickas inom ett Profinet-Nätverk. Mer speciellt, så tar en signal i genomsnitt 0,97ms. , vilket är relevant kort tid i förhållande till projektanpassningar inom industrier. Den beräknade standardavvikelsen visar på de erhållna värdenas noggrannhet, då den visade hur utspridda värdena är och hur mycket håller de sig till de beräknade medelvärdena. Utförande av Stresstesten bidrog till att dra slutsatser om systemets prestanda. Då de olika medelvärdena visade hur antalet signaler skiljer sig i förhållande till Cykel-tidsändringen. Resultatet av denna test visade också maximala antalet paket/signaler som kan skickas inom en begränsad tid. Dessutom presenterade resultatet gränsvärdet av det minimala antalet signaler som kan skickas oavsett hur mycket Cykel-tiden ökas eller minskas. Mer specifikt, visade detta system att det kan skicka 3250 signal inom en begränsad tid (60 s) vid Cykel-tid (1), och det kan skicka minst 1500 signaler inom samma begränsade tid. Det slutliga resultatet förslog ett par framtida arbete, det första var att utföra ett Profinet-system med hjälp av trådlösa fältbussar, och jämföra det med denna studies resultat för mer pålitlig implementation. Den andra var utreda säkerhet och krypteringen av Industrial Ethernet, detta skulle ge oss en bild om hur säkert att adoptera denna teknik. / The growth of the number of smart devices that are integrated into the Internet has led to an increase in the need for Internet-of-Things in various applications, namely in industries and manufacturing plants. The main purpose of the project is to implement a control system using Industrial Ethernet with the use of Profinet protocol as a user interface. This study will mainly examine the performance of this system and what scalability can be obtained from it, in addition to, performing various types of tests to measure the response time of this system by using real-time systems. The study highlights IIoT functionality, its feature program and the possibility that it is implemented on readily available hardware. The final results of time measurements could show on average how long a signal takes to be sent within a Profinet Network. More specifically, a signal takes an average of 0.97ms. The calculated standard deviation indicates the accuracy of the values obtained, as it showed that they scattered to the calculated mean values. Performing the Stress Test helped to draw conclusions about the performance of the system. These calculated different averages showed how the number of signals differs in relation to the Cycle time change. The result of this test also showed the maximum number of packets / signals that can be sent within a limited time. In addition, the result presented the limit values of the minimum number of signals that can be sent regardless of how much the “Cycle Clock” is increased or decreased. More specifically, this system showed that it can send 3250 signals within a limited time 60 (s) at Cycle time 1, and it can send at least 1500 signals within the same limited time. The final result suggested a couple of future work, the first was to perform a Profinet system by using wireless fieldbuses and compare it with the results of this study for more reliable implementation. The second was to investigate the security and encryption of Industrial Ethernet, this would give us an idea of how secure to adopt this technology.

Fieldbuses are defined as a family of communication media specified for industrial applications. They usually interconnect embedded systems. Embedded systems exist everywhere in the modern world, they are included in simple personal technology as well as the most advanced spaceships. They aid in producing a specific task, often with the purpose to generate a greater system functionality. These kinds of implementations put high demands on the communication media. For a medium to be applicable for use in embedded systems, it has to reach certain requirements. Systems in industry practice react on real-time events or depend on consistent timing. All kinds are time sensitive in their way. Failing to complete a task could lead to irritation in slow monitoring tasks, or catastrophic events in failing nuclear reactors. Fieldbuses are optimized for this usage. This thesis aims to research fieldbus theory and connect it to industry practice. Through interviews, requirements put on industry are explored and utilization of specific types of fieldbuses assessed. Based on the interviews, guidelines are put forward into what fieldbus techniques are relevant to study in preparation for future work in the field. A discussion is held, analysing trends in, and synergy between, state of the art and the state of practice. A strong momentum is identified. The traditional communication media Ethernet, not originally intended for time-sensitive industry appliances, are expanding throughout the field, both in research and, maybe most interestingly, in practice. It is mainly motivated through qualities of somewhat lesser technical significance. A plethora of methods have emerged trying to optimize Ethernet for real-time purposes, each one resulting in some drawbacks, which are in turn addressed. In the end of this paper, the large-scale trend of Real-Time Ethernet is questioned and discussed.

This paper describes the design of Stepper motor controller module controlled over Ethernet for positioning system. Part of this work describes analysis of the assignment, design of modular circuit, choosing right components and prototype design of communication and power module. In another part each module is described with emphasis to modularity. It deals with description of manufactured prototypes and their tested paramethers.

This diploma thesis is about design of implementation of the ISA-95 standard for model of distillation column. The thesis consists of two parts, theoretical part and empiric part. In theoretical part, based on scientific literature there are defined terms about regarding standard ISA-95 in which are described individual models of standard ISA-95. Next chapter of diploma thesis is focused on FactoryTalk Services Platform, in which are introdced applications made by RockWell Automation, which are applied for this standard. Then there is description of distilation and model of distilation column. Last chapter of theoretical part is focused on industrial EtherNet/IP. This chapter blends into empiric part. In the next chapter of empiric part, there is design of implementation of standard ISA-95 using applications made by Rockwell Automation. Next chapter is focused on realization of the desing. Chapter of empiric part evaluates the entire project.

Aufbauend auf dem voranschreitenden Übergang zentralistischer Steuerungskonzepte über die Dezentralisierung hin zum verteilten System soll ein echtzeitfähiges Steuerungskonzept für die Antriebssynchronisation zur Patientenbewegung als lokal abgeschlossenes System erarbeitet werden. Dabei sollen Grundlagen echtzeitfähiger Steuerungstechnik, verteilter Systeme, der Prozesssynchronisation sowie entsprechende Kommunikationssysteme vorgestellt, bestehende Lösungen diskutiert und aus den Erkenntnissen entsprechende Konzeptvorschläge für die Lösung der Aufgabenstellung gemacht werden. Im zweiten Teil dieser Arbeit soll aus den gewonnen Erkenntnissen und dem voranschreitenden Erfordernis der weltweiten Vernetzung technischer Systeme ein Konzept für die Integration und den echtzeitfähigen Zugriff auf dezentrale Peripheriekomponenten in das Internet erarbeitet werden. Für beide Teilaufgaben sollen Lösungsschritte aufgezeigt und evaluiert werden. Eine kritische Betrachtung der vorgestellten Konzepte erfolgt auf Basis bereits erfolgter industrieller Anwendung sowie in der Vorstellung einer zum Patent angemeldeten Lösung für den webbasierten Zugriff auf dezentral angeordnete Steuerungskomponenten.

Aufbauend auf dem voranschreitenden Übergang zentralistischer Steuerungskonzepte über die Dezentralisierung hin zum verteilten System soll ein echtzeitfähiges Steuerungskonzept für die Antriebssynchronisation zur Patientenbewegung als lokal abgeschlossenes System erarbeitet werden. Dabei sollen Grundlagen echtzeitfähiger Steuerungstechnik, verteilter Systeme, der Prozesssynchronisation sowie entsprechende Kommunikationssysteme vorgestellt, bestehende Lösungen diskutiert und aus den Erkenntnissen entsprechende Konzeptvorschläge für die Lösung der Aufgabenstellung gemacht werden. Im zweiten Teil dieser Arbeit soll aus den gewonnen Erkenntnissen und dem voranschreitenden Erfordernis der weltweiten Vernetzung technischer Systeme ein Konzept für die Integration und den echtzeitfähigen Zugriff auf dezentrale Peripheriekomponenten in das Internet erarbeitet werden. Für beide Teilaufgaben sollen Lösungsschritte aufgezeigt und evaluiert werden. Eine kritische Betrachtung der vorgestellten Konzepte erfolgt auf Basis bereits erfolgter industrieller Anwendung sowie in der Vorstellung einer zum Patent angemeldeten Lösung für den webbasierten Zugriff auf dezentral angeordnete Steuerungskomponenten.

The industrial needs in the production of goods and control of processes within the factory keep leapfrogging daily by the necessities to fulfil the needs of the ever-growing population. In recent times, the industries are looking towards Industry 4.0 to improve their overall productivity and scalability. One of the significant aspects that are required to meet the requirements of Industry 4.0 is communication networks among industrial applications. Nowadays, industries from the cross markets are looking to replace their existing wired networks with wireless networks, which indeed brings many use-cases and a lot of new business models into existence. To make all these options possible, wireless networks need to meet the stringent requirements of these industrial applications in the form of reliability, latency, and service availability. This thesis focuses on a systematic methodology to integrate wireless networks like 5G, Wi-Fi 6, etc., into real-life automation devices. It also describes a methodology to evaluate their communication and control performance by varying control parameters like topology, cycle time, and type of networks. It also devises some techniques and methods that can improve the overall performance, i.e., both control and communication performance of the control applications. The method used to implement this work is a case study. This work integrates and tests the industrial applications in a real-life scenario. It is the best effort to bring a unique perspective of communication engineers and control engineers together regarding the performance of the industrial applications. This work tries to verify the suitability of the wireless in mission-critical control application scenarios with respect to their communication and control performance. Software for data analysis and visualization and its methodology for analyzing the traffic flow of the control applications via different wireless networks is demonstrated by varying different control parameters. It is shown that it is challenging for 5G to support the shorter cycle time values, and performance will get better and more stable with the increase in the cycle time of the control application. It is also found that the 1-Hop wireless topologies have a comparatively better control performance than 2-Hop wireless topologies. In the end, it is found that the communication and control performance of the motion control application can be improved by using the hybrid topology, which is a mixture of 5G and Wi-Fi 6, by modifying some key aspects. The thesis work helps to introduce a novel systematic methodology for measuring and analyzing the communication and control applications via different wireless networks. It also gives a better idea for the control engineers in the industry about which cycle times the different wireless networks and their topologies support when integrated with industrial automation devices. It also describes which wireless networks support industrial applications better. It ends with a novel methodology that could improve the performance of the mission-critical motion applications by using existing wireless technologies.

This report describes a thesis work carried out at ABB Robotics in Västerås. The objective of this thesis is to find technologies  and equipments  for wireless data transfer  suitable for the present and future needs of ABB Robotics Remote Service for large installations in industrial environments. ABB Robotics has a Remote Service solution to securely gather information from robots, manage alarms and potentially execute remote commands by ABB Robotics. This solution consists of an intelligent Service  Box plugged to the robot. This  Service Box is also connected through GPRS or directly through Internet to create a secure VPN connection to a central Remote Service  server. The Remote Service Box is well  suited  for small customers with  1-10 robots with plug  and play installation, but show limitations at a larger scale of deployment  due to equipment costs,  network and installation complexity. A new Service Box is planned that will accommodate future added functionality to Remote Service. This Service Box will require new network solutions as the added functionality  is depending on a higher bandwidth than the GPRS networks can deliver. I have surveyed most existing  wireless  networking technologies  and  analyzed  them  withrespect  to function, cost and availability which provide a knowledge base that makes it possible to find  suitable  solutions. When the most suitable technologies are identified a survey was performed to find equipments that meet the requirements at the lowest cost. A new hierarchical network topology is proposed  that will lead to cost savings by replacing multiple WAN connections in the present solution with  a network switch and  single WAN connection to Internet. As manufacturers of network equipments for industrial environments are relatively few, alternative solutions were also investigated in order to find the most cost effective solutions. The  proposed  network topology together with the data from the surveys lead to recommendations on using Wi-Fi  in the wireless LAN and  a  3G mobile  network for the WAN connection to Internet, as well as recommendations on alternative network equipments that  potentially  can  lead to substantial savings when the new network solutions are implemented.

Το έτος 1987 στο Τμήμα Ηλεκτρολόγων Μηχανικών και Τεχνολογίας Υπολογιστών του Πανεπιστήμιου Πατρών και συγκεκριμένα στο Εργαστήριο Ηλεκτρομηχανικής Μετατροπής Ενέργειας του Τμήματος Ηλεκτρολόγων Μηχανικών, στα πλαίσια εκπαιδευτικών και ερευνητικών σκοπών, εγκαταστάθηκε ένα πλήρες αυτοματοποιημένο σύστημα παράγωγης και παροχής ηλεκτρικών τάσεων. Σκοπός του συστήματος ήταν η παροχή 10 διαφορετικών τύπων τάσεων σε 15 συγκεκριμένες θέσεις εργασίας στο χώρου του Εργαστηρίου. Το σύστημα ήταν πλήρως αυτοματοποιημένο, καθώς χρησιμοποιήθηκε προγραμματιζόμενος λογικός ελεγκτής (PLC) που ήταν επιφορτισμένος με τον έλεγχο, την εποπτεία και τη διαχείριση του Συστήματος. Επίσης υπήρχε προσωπικός Η/Υ άμεσα συνδεδεμένος στο σύστημα, μέσω του όποιου ο διαχειριστής του μπορούσε να παρακολουθεί, να διαχειρίζεται και να διανέμει τον κάθε τύπο από τις προσφερόμενες παροχές. Το σύστημα με την πάροδο του χρόνου εμφάνισε βασικά λειτουργικά προβλήματα, με αποτέλεσμα να μειωθεί δραστικά ο αριθμός των παρεχόμενων τύπων τάσεων, αλλά και η ικανότητα διαχείρισης και διανομής αυτών που παρέχονταν. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, το τμήμα τoυ προγραμματιζόμενoυ λογικού ελεγκτή (PLC) και του συνδεδεμένου Η/Υ του συστήματος ουσιαστικά και πρακτικά είχε τεθεί πλέον πλήρως εκτός λειτουργίας. Στόχος και σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας ήταν η λύση των προβλημάτων του προαναφερθέντος συστήματος με τελικό αποτέλεσμα την κανονική και ομαλή λειτουργία του. Η λύση που προτείνεται είναι η υλοποίηση και η ενσωμάτωση ενός σύγχρονου δικτύου αυτοματισμού με τη χρήση σύγχρονων PLC (επιλέχθηκε η εταιρεία OMRON) καθώς και η ενσωμάτωση ενός συστήματος εποπτικού και διαχειριστικού ελέγχου, λογισμικό τύπου SCADΑ της ίδιας εταιρείας. Αναλύονται διεξοδικά τόσο ο τρόπος παραγωγής των τάσεων με τα αντίστοιχα κυκλώματα ισχύος όσο και ο τρόπος διανομής και διαχείρισης αυτών με τα αντίστοιχα κυκλώματα αυτοματισμού. Εμπεριέχονται εκτενείς αναφορές στα σύγχρονα PLC, στον τρόπο λειτουργίας και προγραμματισμού τους καθώς και ο τρόπος με τον οποίο είναι δυνατό να ενσωματωθούν και να λειτουργήσουν πλήρως στο υπάρχον σύστημα. Γίνεται μια εισαγωγή στα σύγχρονα συστήματα διαχείρισης και εποπτικού ελέγχου (SCADA) ώστε να μπορεί ο κάθε αναγνώστης, χωρίς να χρειάζονται υψηλού επιπέδου γνώσεις, να κατανοήσει τη χρησιμότητα και τη λειτουργία τους και μελετείται ο τρόπος με τον οποίο θα υλοποιηθεί το παραπάνω δίκτυο αυτοματισμού με τη χρήση των PLC και με την παρουσία του εποπτικού συστήματος SCADA. Γίνεται πλήρης αναφορά σε έναν πολύ βασικό τομέα του Ηλεκτρολόγου Μηχανικού στη σύγχρονη εποχή: τον υπολογισμό κόστους προμήθειας, εγκατάστασης και κατασκευής όλων των στοιχείων του εγχειρήματος και μελετούνται όλες οι παράλληλες επιλογές για την καλύτερη δυνατή λειτουργία του και την περαιτέρω ανάπτυξη και βελτίωση του. / The year 1987 in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Patras and specifically in Electromechanical Energy Conversion Laboratory Department of Electrical Engineering, in educational and research purposes, installed a complete automated system for producing and providing electrical voltages. This system was able to provide 10 different types of voltages in 15 stations in the area of Laboratory. The system was fully automated, used a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), which was responsible for monitoring, supervision and management system. Also there was a PC directly connected to the system, through which the administrator can monitor, manage and distribute each type of voltage. The system through the walking time showed major operational problems. As a result, the number of the types of voltages and the ability to manage and distribute those provided reduced drastically. Specifically, the part of programmable logic controller (PLC) and the connected computer system effectively and practically has run out of order. The purpose of this work was the solution of problems of the system and ultimately with final result the normal and smooth operation. The solution proposed is the implementation and integration of a modern network automation using modern PLC (the company chosen is OMRON) and the incorporation of a supervisory control and data acquisition application and (SCADA) software of the same company. Analyzed in detail both the production voltages with the respective power circuits and the method of distribution and management of the automation circuits. Contained extensive references to contemporary PLC, in operations and programming, and how it is possible to integrate and operate fully in the existing system. There is an introduction to SCADA to enable each reader without the need for high-level knowledge to understand the utility and operation, and considering how we implement the above automation network using a PLC and SCADA application. We mention a very important area of Electrical Engineering in the modern era: counting the cost of supply, installation and construction of all elements of the project and consider all parallel options for optimal operation and further development and improvement.