Our everyday life is full of systems that continuously connect us with everything and everyone. Why should companies not introduce these connections meant to be a mean of protection and help as well as improvement and control?
A brief talk with Simone Zardi, Storci IIoT development manager (see picture left side on the bottom), the new division born in 2021, with a specific target that is to improve this strategic department and essential service offered by our company.
Zardi explains us how the framework of IoT is managed by his team.
“The basic concept is simple indeed“ Zardi says” my team and I deal with the connection of machines to Storci’s cloud, file the data in a safe database, adapt the information collected from the machines in usable screens and develop algorithms able to help both the pasta maker and our technicians understand the status of the machines and their possible irregularities, streamlining the process and preventing from stoppings”.
Application onto Storci machines
All major companies have understood that the production process can greatly benefit from a massive and effective data collection.
By analysing in detail every change that has taken place in the process, it is possible to perceive the critical aspects, giving our customers an awareness of where to intervene promptly, in terms of time and resources too. Thanks to an edge device placed onto the electrical panels of the machines, we lay the foundation of our IIoT framework. The edge device allows us to constantly monitor the status of the machines and send the collected data to the Storci cloud. High reliability and security of the system are guaranteed by using a secure connection and encrypting the data. Data are read by the PLC of the machines and a series of sensors that we have applied directly on the machines to monitor all the most important parameters. For example, several temperature and humidity probes have been added to look for an interaction between the external environment and the microclimate created inside a dryer. Another case is the installation of inverters that provide information about the motor and can control many other parameters. Furthermore, by retrieving data from the machines 24/24, the system can supervise what is happening in the pasta factory, even when no one is on site, for instance during night drying.
Web App
All that above mentioned is, however, useless if you do not have a clear and well-organised interface.
With the work of in-house programmers, we can guarantee a site/APP to access all your plant data.
This app is available for all desktop and mobile devices, depending on where you want to view the data. The app consists of summary pages of the various processes to view the current and historical graphs divided per production. It provides a detailed list of alarms – that can also be notified – on the line or a page for consulting historical alarms.
In cloud
Here lies the nucleus of the system. Thanks to our collaboration with PTC and the use of a specific software, we guarantee an outstanding level of service. This software was created for the purpose of managing industrial machines and is to date one of the most relevant software packages on the global IIoT scene. It can create a virtual model of the machine installed at the customer’s premises, so that data can be organized as efficiently as possible. Various algorithms can be created on the model, which automatically run to check the status of the machines, consequently informing the various operators as quickly as possible via alerts on their device or by e-mail, daily or weekly. The software also takes care of storing the data in the associated database. One of the main advantages of having a database in the cloud is that it can be consulted all over the world by authorized persons, as long as an internet connection is available. Another advantage is the greater historical capacity compared to a PLC. The PLC operates with instantaneous data, while the history part is left out. Our database, instead, can analyse productions going back months or years, giving you the possibility to compare and improve any changes you have made to your recipes. The whole system is constantly being updated and new functions will be added in the coming months. Moreover, as a Storci customer, you can improve a feature over another, as you like, guaranteeing the pasta maker the best possible support.