Future factories realized by Omron IPC

The environment surrounding the manufacturing industry is changing dramatically.The era of sales increases if one product is produced and sold cheaply, and it has been required to timely produces high -value products that customers have requested.

In addition, the product itself is also sophisticated, and finished products using a number of production processes and multiple production equipment are now being made.

If one production equipment is moved at high speed and a large amount of one product is produced, the control by PLC is optimal, but in order to make multiple facilities cooperation through data and to respond to customer needs.The PLC control is not enough.

The IPC (Industrial PC: Industrial PC) was developed there.

In this paper, we talked to Toshiki Natsui (Sales Headquarters Marketing Department) and Yoshinobu Senoo (the Controller Division of the Product Business Division) about the IPC developed by Omron Co., Ltd.(Listman: IOTNEWS Representative Koji Koizumi)

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The background of OMRON, which had controlled the manufacturing site in PLC, developed IPC

OMRON began to commercialize the IPC about four and a half years ago.It was around the time that the topic of keyword IoT and data from manufacturing sites had to be used.

Originally, Omron was controlled by PLC.The PLC can use the data to operate the equipment, but the range that can be achieved with the PLC is very narrow, and the amount of data is small because of the low resources.

The company has developed an IPC because it is not possible to proceed from the conventional structure of the production line, so it is necessary to have a device to visualize data and feed the analysis to the PLC.

However, in the Japanese market at the time of development, it was not accepted to move PCs at the manufacturing site.The major factors were the low environment of PCs and the short support period of software and processors.

In OMRON, in Europe, where the idea of moving a factory at IPC is ahead, he decided to develop it from development, develop globally, and work on development and commercialization.

This way of commercialization is rare in Omron.Other OMRON products are generally developed in Japan and produced in Japan or China.Development, production, and quality control in Europe are the first attempts for Omron products.

Features of Omron IPC

However, the category of PCs in Japan was very aware of manufacturers that originally provided desktop PCs, and the recognition that the control of the control was making IPCs.

Among them, Omron has raised the recognition of the merits of "Omron, who is good at controlling the manufacturing site, makes IPC".

There are three major features of Omron IPC.

Design that makes use of the goodness of PLC

First of all, based on the experience of making PLC for many years, IPCs are finished in something that can be used on site.

One of the reasons why IPC was avoided from the site and PLC was handy from the site is environment resistance.

The PLC is not very highly able to handle data, but has high environmental resistance and is suitable for performing the same operation at high speed and accurate.On the other hand, there was an image that IPC had a high degree of freedom, but had low environmental resistance.

OMRON makes it possible to make products with high environmental resistance in IPC by utilizing the high environmental resistance of PLC in IPC.

In addition, while the development of IPCs, the consciousness of the IPC -based OS and processor vendors has changed, and for long -term support has begun to appear.

As a result, it is possible to provide long -term stable supply, high robust, and highly reliable IPC.

Four types of variations provided by changing software

In Omron, IPC responds to various site demands

It has four types of IPC variations.

There are two types of hardware itself, but changing the software can provide four types of IPCs.The major feature is that IPC can be used properly according to the application.

In the case of PLC, it has been handled by hardware to customer requests.However, this response will develop new hardware every time a customer makes a new request.As the number of hardware increases, development and maintenance are costly.

By developing IPC with the concept of software driven, it is possible to respond to customer requests without developing new hardware, and it is possible to further increase the type of IPC according to customer requests.be.

Know -how to connect with EtherCat

OMRON IPC connects field buses with a protocol called EtherCat.EtherCat is a real -time indanet technology developed by Beckof Heat Mation.

EtherCat is a highly flexible protocol, so it looks like it can be connected, but in fact it is difficult to freedom.Other IPC manufacturers need know -how to support EtherCat and connect with other companies' devices.

OMRON makes several devices that can be connected by EtherCat.These devices are, of course, can be connected to IPCs, and have accumulated know -how to connect with Etherncat as we develop devices that support Etherncat.

Therefore, it can support how to connect not only when connecting Omron IPC and Omron sensors, but also when connecting to other companies sensors.

It is unlikely that all the devices at the manufacturing site are made of Omron.Even at manufacturing sites that are originally controlled by other companies' products, the introduction of EthernCat will allow you to introduce OMRON IPC and make smooth connections.

Area where OMRON IPC is used

OMRON IPC is mainly used in sites where flexible response is required.

Pre -process of semiconductor

The production process of the semiconductor is divided into a processing process of silicon wafer called the previous process and a process of cutting semiconductors from wafer, called after process.In the previous process, it is necessary to control the simple operation that the PLC is good at repeatedly control, but to control the gas pressure, the temperature and flow rate, etc., and perform processing to perform processing.

In the case of such control, IPC is often used because both the ability to perform data processing and the ability to visualize data are required.

Packaging machine

IPC is built into the packaging machine.

The main application is visualization.IPC control is used in parts that can be operated while displaying the product with 3D graphics so that even an unfamiliar operator can operate while visually confirming.

Machine Tools

IPC is also incorporated into a machine tool.The control of the processing part is managed by the machine tool manufacturer, but the part that changes the tools such as the drill uses flexible control and operability by IPC.

In many cases, the interface of the part that creates a program to process from a simulation using a 3D model is also performed by the IPC.

In the future, Omron aims to develop IPC

OMRON says he is considering increasing the industry that develops IPCs in the future.

Automotive industry

Many of the automotive industry controls have been controlled by PLC.

However, the idea of handling data in recent years has become more specific, and inquiries to Omron are increasing.

PLC controls the parts that move the machines on each line, such as painting and welding, are controlled by PLC, but IPC introduces IPC to collect data from each line, adjust the overall lines and manage the yield.The movement of doing it with the software has come out.

infrastructure

Infrastructure such as water treatment, parking management, and building management requires a redundant system.Redundant is a state in which preliminary equipment is placed as a backup from normal times and operated to ensure safety in order to enhance the impairment tolerance.

OMRON is trying to provide a system that ensures redundancy by combining IPCs with third -party solutions.

In the previous PLC control, the third party could not be combined with solutions because it was a unique control method for each company.By using IPC, it makes it easier to combine a third -party solution.

In addition, since normal PCs have low environmental resistance, there is a high risk of stopping in an environment where infrastructure is managed, so it is difficult to adopt it even if it can be combined with a solution.

He believes that the IPC developed with software driven, which has high environmental resistance, is a device suitable for infrastructure management.

Difference between machine automation controllers and IPC

OMRON develops and provides a machine automation controller that incorporates the goodness of PCs while utilizing the goodness of PLC.Where is the difference between IPC and machine automation controller?

There is no big difference in the management of production equipment to manage the entire factory.The image is that the machine automation controller is a product created based on the PLC, while the IPC is a product created from a PC, so it seems that each of the mainly good control is different.

At this time, Natsui states that it is in size scalability and cost issues, and each has a product lineup, but it will be one in the near future.

The Machine Automation Controller NX series currently provided by OMRON is running software.Working with software means that it can be operated on IPC.

Among one IPC, it will be possible to move PLC functions, CNC functions, visualization functions, and manage each function.

At that time, the strength of OMRON is developing devices that are installed on site, such as sensors and actuators.

The idea of creating virtualization in the IPC and moving various functions with software is considered by various companies, but if you actually try to realize it, it can not be completed only with IPC, but sensors and actuators, etc.It is necessary to connect and build a control platform across the site to the cloud.

Future factories made on virtualization control platforms

In Japan, IPC still has many PC functions that allow data to be confirmed, but Omron is working on IPC in the area where the machine controls the machine.

OMRON has a strong advantage of having on -site devices and solutions, and wants to build a new virtualization control platform, taking advantage of the features of the IPC platform.

With the virtualization control platform, softwareized functions flow on the platform, and the functions can be freely handled.As a result, controls can be assembled anytime and anywhere.

Omron, which has a sensor and other field devices and the field network skills that connects them, can be said to be a control device vendor that can build a virtualization control platform and seamlessly connect the cloud from the site to the cloud.See.

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After graduating from university, he worked for a manufacturer.He is involved in the launch of a new line as a production technical position and a Kaizen business in the factory.He joined the company in July 2019 and is exploring the possibility of IoT, mainly in the manufacturing industry.