The fischertechnik learning environment is used to learn and understand industrial 4.0 applications in vocational school and training as well as for research, teaching and development at universities, in companies and IT departments. The simulation maps the ordering process, the production process and the delivery process in digitized and networked process steps.
Factory image
The learning factory consists of the factory modules single and swap station, vacuum suction gripper, high-bay warehouse, multi-processing station with kiln, a sorting line with color detection, an environmental sensor and a swiveling camera. After delivery of raw material, storage takes place in the high-bay warehouse and after ordering in the dashboard, the workpieces run through the respective factory modules and the current status is immediately visible in the dashboard.
The integrated environmental sensor reports values for temperature, air humidity, air pressure and air quality. The camera sees the entire system through the vertical and horizontal swivel range and can thus be used for web-based remote monitoring.
The individual workpieces are tracked by NFC (Near Field Communication): Each workpiece receives a unique identification number (ID). This enables the tracing and visibility of the current status of the workpieces in the machining process.
Control
There are three different versions of fischertechnik learning factory 4.0 24V, which differ in the scope of delivery of the control. This version is the "plug and play" solution. Here the control is included and everything is already wired.
The Learning Factory 4.0 24V complete set with SPS S7-1500 is controlled by a Siemens S7-1500. These are supplied with the device. Both the model and the PLC are fully wired so that the PLC can be conveniently connected to the model via two connecting cables. A pre-written example program (as structured text, ST) is included in the delivery. The program was created on the basis of a Siemens S7-1500 and was written in the Siemens TIA Portal V.16.
In addition, fischertechnik TXT controller is installed. This is supplied with power via the adapter board and provides the connection to fischertechnik Cloud. In addition, the TXT controller communicates in MQTT to the IOT gateway (Raspberry Pi), which in turn translates into OPC UA to the PLC control. On the one hand, the 9V-based components such as the environmental sensor, the USB camera, the brightness sensor and the NFC reader can be addressed via the MQTT interface and read from the PLC. Another feature of the IOT Gateway, however, is probably even more interesting, namely the possibility of an optional connection to a private cloud. The Learning Factory 4.0 offers maximum flexibility for the respective user.
fischertechnik Cloud
The connection to the fischertechnik cloud is established via the WLAN router supplied and integrated into the learning factory. We recommend using the web browser Chrome or Firefox. www.fischertechnik-cloud.com. The cloud servers are located in Germany and ensure that the strict European requirements apply to the storage of the data. Personal data is protected in an account with password access, which uses the very secure "OAuth2" industry standard. All data sent to the cloud is encrypted with certificates (https standard).
2 dashboards, Raspberry Pi and Node-RED
The fischertechnik dashboard in the cloud can be accessed and operated via mobile devices such as tablet and smartphone, as well as on the laptop and PC. In addition, a local dashboard, created with Node-RED, is implemented on the Raspberry Pi (IOT gateway), and individual dashboards can also be created via Node-RED.
The dashboards included in Learning Factory 4.0 enable platforms to be displayed from three different perspectives:
- Customer view
- Supplier view
- Production view
The customer view shows a webshop interface with shopping basket, on which one can order a workpiece and track the current status of the order in the shopping basket. This history is displayed on the customer interface so that the customer is aware of the status of their order.
In the supplier view, the process for ordering the raw material is displayed and visualized.
In the production view, the factory status, the production process, the stock level, the NFC/RFID reader as well as the sensor values can be queried.
In addition, the camera that monitors the production line can also be controlled here. All these functions are controlled within a window and switched over via the menu.
In the factory status, the status of the respective module is visualized by means of a traffic light display. If a fault occurs in production, it is acknowledged after the cause has been rectified by means of a button and production continues. In the Production Process view, the individual production steps are visually simplified by connecting nodes. The currently active node (=production module) lights up green or red when the respective process step is live in progress or an error has occurred and is waiting for correction.
The Inventory production view visualizes the current stock level of the workpieces including minimum and maximum stock. An order point procedure is stored. This production view is used exclusively for visualization. The production view of the NFC/RFID reader shows the data of the workpiece and can be used to read or delete workpieces manually. The raw data of the NFC tags can be read with a standard NFC app from mobile devices with NFC reader. Each workpiece has its own unique ID and displays the following data: Status, color and time stamp from delivery to dispatch. The camera is also controlled via the production view and the values read out by the environmental sensor can also be viewed here.
This text is machine translated.