Japanese manufacturing sites are facing a range of serious challenges, such as how to deal with the shrinking workforce, improve production line productivity, stably operate equipment, and perform operation and maintenance efficiently. To help meet these challenges, a great deal of focus is being placed on using digital transformation (DX) for factory automation and labor savings. Of course, attention must also be paid to environment issues with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality. Digital technologies have become vital for visualizing the CO2 emissions of entire supply chains. In this article, we'll look at a cloud-based industrial controller created using the technologies and experience accrued by Toshiba through its many years as a manufacturing company. This service is a bridge between operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT), developed with the concept of reducing onsite workloads in the manufacturing industry and creating new solutions through the convergence of OT and IT.

Industrial controllers are devices used to automate manufacturing sites, and they are employed in a wide range of fields, primarily manufacturing. Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are industrial controllers that control machines using pre-defined sequences. In measurement and control systems, they control actuators* (motors, etc.) based on data from sensors and the like. For example, in plants, they are important devices that serve as the brains of robots and machines, controlling them.

* Actuator: Device that converts energy such as electricity into mechanical movement

As a member of the manufacturing industry, Toshiba has spent many years innovating and developing industrial controllers. These efforts began in the late 1970s and are being continued even today. Toshiba's industrial controllers are used in general industry, such as in steel, paper pulp, and petrochemical plants; in social infrastructure such as communications, transportation, water systems, sewer systems, and buildings; in manufacturing and environmental equipment in various electrical fields; and in various other areas. They support social infrastructure by serving as core components in measurement and control systems.

These controllers are constantly evolving with the times. This evolution includes device integration and performance improvements, efficiency improvements, space reductions, wiring reductions, deployment and operation cost reductions, compliance with international standards, and the use of open designs that make it easy for them to be connected to and used with devices from various manufacturers. In 2007, we developed the nv series of unified controllers. These controllers integrate controllers, which had previously differed from industry to industry, with input and output (I/O) systems. In 2019, we developed the Vm series of unified controllers, which use software to provide the control functions that had previously been handled by hardware (making them software-defined devices). These controllers were implemented using general purpose architecture, which enabled them to be linked with computer functions. Now, we have launched a service that implements their control cores, the parts that provide their control functions, in the cloud. This service is called Instrumentation Components Virtualized Platform PLC Package typeN1 (hereinafter referred to as “Cloud based PLC”) (Fig. 1).

Cloud based PLC is made up of a control core and monitoring software, which are located in the cloud, and edge agent devices, which are installed in worksites as devices for connecting the control core with I/O systems. The edge agent devices enable communications between control cores in the cloud and I/O systems in the field (on the edge). They provide an end-to-end mechanism for transmitting I/O data from edge sensors, motors, and the like through the internet to the cloud. Putting industrial controllers in the cloud makes it possible to remotely perform work which previously required personnel to be sent on-site. It also enables the real-time acquisition of raw data such as I/O data and equipment operation data from the field and its storage in the cloud (Fig. 2). By linking operational technology (OT) control data with information technology (IT), it also promotes smart manufacturing* using AI technology.

* The smart manufacturing concept being advanced by the Toshiba Group takes the smart factory concept for digitalizing factories and extends it to value chains, proposing manufacturing that also tackles new social issues such as achieving carbon neutrality and implementing energy management.

The deployment of Cloud based PLC offers three key benefits.

[Benefit 1] Utilization of data collected in real time

Real-time data collected from worksites and stored in the cloud can be used for optimized device control and analysis. It can be integrated with various cloud-based IT solutions, such as manufacturing execution systems (MESs), to increase productivity, visualize CO2 emissions, and even use AI technologies to converge OT and IT to create new solutions. The real-time data can also be used to build digital twins, helping make rapid worksite improvements.

[Benefit 2] Shortening development times and reducing costs

Cloud PLC implements industrial controllers, which were previously physical devices in worksites, in the cloud. This means that systems can be started up right away, without having to think about delivery times for physical devices. This shortens development times. Eliminating physical on-site devices makes the systems asset-light and helps reduce site power consumption. Furthermore, because of the scalability of cloud services, which allow companies to use only the resources they actually need, production lines can be flexibly changed and rapidly scaled up, even for complex systems with multiple PLCs.

[Benefit 3] Simplifying operation and reducing expenses

The monitoring, management, operation, and maintenance of equipment in plants is performed remotely, reducing labor needs and cutting the number of times personnel need to physically go on-site. This boosts work efficiency and helps cut operation and maintenance costs. Programming, debugging, control and setting parameter modification, log monitoring, and the like can all be done remotely. If a problem occurs, it can be investigated and dealt with remotely, shortening recovery times. This enables the creation of more stable systems with less downtime. System updates and other operations can be performed remotely, so in the future it will also be easy to improve performance and add new features.

Toshiba was able to successfully create cloud-based PLCs with these advantages thanks to numerous strengths it has developed through the years.

The Toshiba Group has a long track record of researching and developing new technologies in a wide range of fields.

For example, Real-Time Linux^*1, Toshiba's Linux distribution which ensures real-time response by minimizing control and transmission processing delay, is used for stable operation on an operating system customized and optimized for Cloud based PLC. HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure), a general-purpose communications protocol, is used for communications between the control core and edge agents. Because of this, transmissions can be routed through gateways such as proxy servers without the need for any special configuration, and connecting is hassle-free. Toshiba's proprietary multi-connection transmission protocol^*2 is used for greater robustness. It transmits over multiple connections so that even if packet loss occurs on one connection, the transmission can be received via another connection. This shortens the amount of time taken by packet loss confirmation and resending and reduces network connection instability.

*1: Real-Time Linux will be covered in detail in the “Pursuing greater efficiency and reliability through technical innovations in Linux for industrial systems” running feature that explains the technologies used in industrial Linux.

*2: Patent pending

Cyber-security measures* are implemented using multiple defense measures that comply with the risk analysis guidelines issued by Japan's Information-technology Promotion Agency (IPA). Specifically, transmission is encrypted and two-way authentication is performed using HTTPS. Furthermore, systems are protected from malware by using whitelists to prevent the execution of any programs other than those which have already been registered. Snapshots stored in the cloud are used to create an automatic incremental backup and restoration environment. Other safety measures include preventing edge agents from automatically reading USB storage.

* Toshiba's control system security initiatives are presented in detail in the “Control system security technologies for achieving cyber resilience” running feature.

Another strength is Toshiba's history of providing long-term support. Toshiba has been supplying and maintaining products and services related to measurement and control devices for over 50 years. The commercial release of this new service was made possible by the support structure Toshiba has developed based on its years of experience, analysis capabilities and post-sales service that leverage unique technologies polished through this long history, and Toshiba's skill at issuing proposals aligned with overall system lifecycles.

Cloud based PLC is being used for applications such as monitoring and controlling production lines, keeping food free of contaminants during food production, performing maintenance and air conditioning management for smart buildings, and more.

First, let's look at the usage example of FA System & Technology Corporation. This company has conducted demonstrations in which it controls factory equipment remotely, from a convention center. In the company's system configuration, Cloud based PLC is connected to the company's cloud-based MES, and the two share data. FA System & Technology succeeded at connecting from the convention center to Cloud based PLC, controlling the robots in the smart factory and having them perform bulk picking, and displaying equipment operating status in real time on the MES (Fig. 3). The company also performed a digital twin verification demonstration in which a cloud-based simulator was used to coordinate between a robot and a conveyor belt, operating them in real time.

Another example of Cloud based PLC use is a verification experiment by food manufacturer Hutzper Inc. Hutzper uses cameras to monitor ingredients being grilled on a grilling conveyor belt. Site-side appearance inspection AI determines how cooked the food is based on its color. In addition, Cloud based PLC is deployed between the conveyor belt and a cloud-based AI that controls the conveyor belt's speed. This makes it possible to control the speed in real time and adjust it to produce the perfect level of grilling. There is also a company that is performing a labor-saving verification experiment by installing Cloud based PLC in food production lines in plants across Japan to remotely configure and maintain the equipment that keeps food free of contaminants.

A quite unique example of Cloud based PLC use is startup company Araya Inc., which is performing a verification experiment with the aim of rolling out smart building business. Cloud based PLC is linked to Araya's air conditioning optimization AI to remotely operate and maintain commercial air conditioners and other equipment in offices and commercial buildings. It aims to reduce air conditioning power consumption and CO2 emissions. To produce even greater synergy, Araya is deliberating potential initiatives for creating new, environmentally friendly building energy management systems (BEMSs), such as systems that use services that connect Araya's AI for analyzing the flow of people with Toshiba Group building business products and services such as lighting and elevators.

The Cloud based PLC service is serving as a bridge between OT and IT, driving manufacturing site innovation. While in the past it took a great deal of time and effort to make changes to complex production lines with numerous PLCs, or to make frequent changes to production lines with fewer PLCs, this can be done remotely with Cloud based PLC. This provides tremendous benefits, reducing on-site workloads, shortening work times, and making operation more flexible. Massive amounts of real-time data are collected from worksite sensors and devices and transmitted securely to the cloud, where they are immediately analyzed. Feedback is then provided to worksites, creating highly responsive systems. Linking Cloud based PLC to IT systems, AI, and digital twin technologies reduces site workloads and makes operation more efficient. This is also an effective way of improving productivity and contributing to the realization of carbon neutrality.

Cloud based PLC is the culmination of Toshiba's long history and technologies. This service will have a major impact on industry and will play an important role as a next-generation platform that enables smart manufacturing. By converging OT and IT to create new solutions, the Toshiba Group is helping customers innovate and invigorate their manufacturing sites in line with our management philosophy of “Committed to People, Committed to the Future.”