Integrated Open Process Automation (OPA) Testbed

The long-held practice of customizing process control using a single technology platform provided considerable benefits. However, recent technology advances and expectations of today’s digitally savvy workers and consumers require a shift to an OPA approach that enables hardware and software from multiple vendors to operate as a single, cohesive system.

The Integrated OPA Testbed will merge two MxD testbeds — the Digital Twin Testbed for Process Manufacturing and the Open Architecture Digital Twin Testbed — into a unified system that combines their individual strengths. Complying with the Open Process Automation Standard (O-PAS), this new testbed will utilize multiple control nodes to connect real-time edge computing capabilities. It will rely on team members’ platforms: Applied Dynamics International’s (ADI) ADEPT platform and Siemens’ SIMATIC PCS neo platform. Local and cloud-hosted applications will allow researchers to deploy adaptive and extensible digital twins. With this digital twin technology, ML and artificial intelligence can be leveraged to enable process monitoring, anomaly detection, and predictive maintenance, among other capabilities.

Seamless, intuitive incorporation of varied solutions into a common ecosystem addresses a substantial roadblock to implementing continuous improvement in process manufacturing. No longer locked into a single control platform, manufacturers will enjoy greater choice and be able to implement stepwise improvements continuously throughout the life of manufacturing assets and management systems. OPA also benefits the broader manufacturing industry by promoting innovation and competition.

The Integrated Open Process Automation (OPA) Testbed combines two pre-existing testbeds into a novel, interoperable system. The testbed leverages real-time communication between disparate software platforms, distributed control, and adaptive machine learning models to bring the vision of software-defined manufacturing to life. At its core are Distributed Control Nodes (DCNs) connected by the O-PAS-aligned Connectivity Framework (OCF). • The Siemens DCN connects the process skid to the OCF, making real-time process measurements accessible to other nodes. • The ADI Local DCN hosts digital twins that perform anomaly detection and fault prediction. • The ADI Cloud DCN monitors health of local hardware and software assets. By putting OPA principles into practice, the Integrated OPA Testbed achieves seamless communication between control and modeling equipment from different vendors. This approach demonstrates the operational efficiencies that OPA provides and sets a precedent for future innovations in process control and manufacturing. Therefore, the new testbed delivers upon the original goal of advancing the state of system integration and process manufacturing. For manufacturers and other MxD members, the methods described can act as a roadmap to applying OPA concepts in other systems.