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Co-Innovation in Action: Retrofitting for Enhanced Monitoring & Maintenance

In the realm of industrial automation, the integration of advanced technologies into existing systems, known as retrofitting, presents opportunities for enhanced monitoring and maintenance. Our project embarked on a journey to retrofit a Fischertechnik model factory, incorporating a vacuum suction gripper and a sorting line, to mirror a brownfield environment. Utilizing a PLCNext control unit from Phoenix Contact, we established a process flow that integrates both sections of the plant, controllable via the OPC-UA interface.
To improve the monitoring capabilities of this brownfield setup, we integrated sensors from TDE Electronics, enabling the acquisition of new operational data. The data management and temporal contextualization are handled by SQL AG`s Transconnect, which records sensor readings and facilitates the definition of threshold values. Upon exceeding these limits, Transconnect intervenes, adjusting the control system to a predefined state and simultaneously issuing a maintenance order through the activation of iSAX`s WEASL.
WEASL, an assistance system for workers, not only notifies maintenance personnel but also provides a guided maintenance plan, offering instructions and status queries. Post-maintenance, the technician inputs the completed tasks into WEASL, which then communicates success back to Transconnect, thereby resuming the Fischertechnik plant`s productive status. This seamless interaction between retrofitting components exemplifies co-innovation in action, demonstrating how modern technologies can enhance monitoring and maintenance in manufacturing environments.