阀阀 Digital Domains Technical concept Shop floor / edge A trend can be identified across all cloud These services are directly integrated providers in which typical cloud func- into compact and, more importantly, As a first mover, KUKA has developed tions, like event processing, are shifted securely embedded computer systems open, interoperable and modular to the edge to increase closeness to the in the production environment for architecture layers and platforms for process and enable a more direct and cross-cell and cross-component tomorrow’s smart factory that ensure faster reaction in real time. Ultimately availability. efficient convergence of traditional this will lead to increasing centralization automation engineering with cloud of control and regulation tasks in the For end consumers and thus cell and technologies. cloud, instead of distributing them to system operators, it is important that various automation devices in decentral- data accessibility to their processes is Accordingly, every data transfer begins ized locations. enabled through minimally invasive with a production component or pro- edge integration. KUKA therefore cess, whose control and sensor system The edge is thus the crucial layer for strongly advocates the standardization communicates with peripheral equip- connecting real “things” on the shop floor and openness of interfaces to allow all ment via specific protocols and bus to the virtually infinite computing and production “things” to communicate systems. The edge provides the commu- storage capacity in the cloud. They can with the cloud via the same edge. nication interface between the cell also be incorporated into the new digital To this end, KUKA sits on established network (operation technology, OT) and world of Industrie 4.0 via the integration committees and promotes OPC UA as a overarching IT (information technology) of edge gateways in existing “brownfield” standardized communication protocol. network. Data are already consolidated, production plants. By contrast, when compressed, and encrypted in the local planning new “greenfield” plants, the Deep dive: the company is also pushing edge hardware before being transferred edge permits completely new control ahead with TSN (Time Sensitive Net- to the cloud. architectures in which an edge with working) expansion for deterministic high computing and real-time powers real-time communication via OPC UA acts as the central cell controller. and AMQP (Advanced Message Queue Protocol) for OPC UA cloud communica- As the edge layer interacts between tion. And, of course, KUKA draws on its things and the cloud, components are many years’ experience in remote main- relieved of requirements placed on cloud tenance of products at the edge and has communication, such as security, comput- recently extended its expertise through ing power, memory requirements, etc., participation in the Silicon Valley while at the same time being enhanced startup, Nebbiolo. by previously lacking cloud-compatible communication protocols. Hello Industrie 4.0�we connect you