Implementing an OPC UA interface for legacy PLC-based automation systems using the Azure cloud: An ICPS-architecture with a retrofitted RFID system

Abstract

Companies often have legacy systems within production processes. Many of these systems use proprietary information-communication-control-technologies (ICCT), among others, and for that reason it is difficult to integrate them into new industrial environments that require Industrie 4.0-compliances. The migration process of such industrial systems, i.e., retrofitting it into an Industrie 4.0-compliant, ICPS-Infrastructure, leads to the necessity of new features and components in the legacy architecture. This paper summarizes the process for retrofitting a flexible manufacturing system located at the Institute for Industrial Informatics, Automation and Robotics (I <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> AR) of the University of Applied Sciences Emden/Leer, integrating legacy PLCs, RFID and commercial cloud technology on the basis of an Industry 4.0-compliant digitalization of components with OPC UA interfaces. With the use of common technologies recommended for migrating legacy industrial systems into Industrie 4.0-compliant systems, the authors describe the major specifications and characteristics of a migration approach and resulted novel ICPS-architecture that allows the operator and/or other legacy automation and management systems to monitor and control the PLC component via a RAMI4.0-compliant digital interface, via a retrofitted RFID System.