INTERNET OF THINGS HANDBOOK
How to use MQTT to overcome obstacles to IIoT integration End users struggle with specific pain points around digital transformation in the traditional technology stack. While traditional communication technologies will continue to be in demand, pairing MQTT with existing offerings can give users a way to evolve.
Your customers are working to create a digital transformation in their companies. They want more data. They want more insight. More than just supporting their processes, they now need equipment that delivers useful information and easily integrates as part of a cohesive data network
, rn
f Technical Mar ket tor o c e i ng Dir
Josh Ea stb
u
extending from plant floor to executive office.
38
DESIGN WORLD — EE NETWORK
However, there are many obstacles to creating the level of integration required to fulfill that vision. Moving a single I/O signal from the field to the cloud requires a technology stack that includes many layers and involves many players. Each layer adds complexity, which affects the overall security and scalability of the system, not to mention added labor and cost (Figure 1). Fortunately, new technologies are coming to the fore that bypass the traditional technology stack. There are several key technologies for machine integration called MQTT, a lightweight, publish-subscribe communications protocol for the internet of things (IoT). Including MQTT as an interface option multiplies the reach of machine data, providing new options to end users and even making direct-to-cloud integration a possibility. 4 • 2020
U N D E R STA N D I N G TH E PR O B LE M Design engineers have multiple options for providing an equipment data interface. Many manufacturers, particularly of smallscale or off-the-shelf equipment, may use printed circuit board (PCB) designs including a serial or Ethernet I/O interface. A programmable logic controller (PLC) or industrial I/O gateway included in the electrical panel of larger or semicustom equipment is another option that gives some flexibility. In the case of custom-engineered equipment, the end user might require the designer to use a specific fieldbus standard for sensors and transmitters that is compatible with their plant control network. In all these cases, however, the end user faces a similar set of challenges with unlocking the full value of equipment data. First, communication protocols themselves impose some limitations. Proprietary protocols, obviously, inhibit interoperability, even if the manufacturer supplies a client application for communication with their device. To enable true integration, the manufacturer needs to offer a custom communications driver that can be incorporated into other applications. However, even common industrial protocols, like Modbus/TCP or Ethernet/IP, have limited compatibility with IT systems— eeworldonline.com
|
designworldonline.com
