Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1456062
MARCH 2022 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 91 with a design based on the very popular, pow- erful, and affordable Raspberry Pi computer, with flexible, modular I/O connections that utilize the CAN-BUS interface. Small CAN modules can be located around a specific tar- get machine, each equipped with sensor con- nections that derive information about the var- ious machine operations. is can be achieved using non-invasive technologies, to not require any electrical connection to the machine other than through designated ports where available. All intellectual property (IP) related to this solution, in terms of both hardware and so- ware, is to be free and open-source, available for anyone to utilize, and for anyone to contrib- ute to. is removes the duplication of effort designing the various modules that are needed to support a wide range of different machines that are out there. is is intended for use in different ways: 1. Manufacturers can take the designs and quickly and reliably create CFX interfaces for equipment they own that has no native CFX vendor support. 2. Machine vendors can take the designs to make their own approved CFX boxes in a cost-effective way, providing CFX solu- tions for those machines which cannot be natively supported with CFX soware alone. 3. Hardware/soware solution creators can provide standards-based CFX machine connection services for a range of equip- ment. Working together, machine vendors, solu- tion providers, and their manufacturing cus- tomers work to ensure that CFX hardware- based endpoints are created that are consistent, interoperable, cost effective, posing no risk to the machine operation, and provide enough functionality through CFX to fill the gaps in the smart factory network. It is likely that such hardware-based interfaces could become fully CFX qualified, as sensors and designs are devel- oped and built upon within the community. Collectable information potentially includes: Basic • Sensors for: – Active machine operation and status (e.g., light-tower sensor) – Product arrival, movement, departure from the endpoint – Material setup sensing – Error conditions • Barcode reader: – Product ID reading and confirmation for tracking and route enforcement – Material verification – Operator login • Machine port connection: – RS-232, RS-485, Ethernet and SMEMA, Hermes connections • Isolated contacts for: – Setting machine operation mode (start/stop) • Local terminal: – Configuration and setup Advanced • Sensors for: – Predictive maintenance: temperature, vibration, energy patterns, specific mechanism cycle count – Routing confirmation • Local terminal for: – Online/offline mode recognition – Debug and diagnostics – Local machine learning • Inter-standards gateway: – OPC-UA/MT-Connect/CAM-X, etc., conversion to CFX e key to the success of this project is to gain the involvement of many influencers across the industry, including end-users, machine ven- dors and solution providers. ere is already a small team involved, including experts from