Industrial IoT ? Measurement technology moves into the cloud
Much more than a mailbox
What actually is the cloud? The actual cloud idea means providing certain services beyond simple data storage. Cloud technology thus opens up completely new possibilities for measurement technology, especially for mobile and decentralised measurement data acquisition. Measurements from vehicles can be processed in the cloud just as meteorological data from weather stations or the condition of pumps in the desert. Wherever failures have to be avoided as far as possible, measuring via the cloud helps to take countermeasures before damage occurs.
Typical examples of cloud applications that are already commonplace are mail data storage or office programmes that are available as ?software as a service? (SaaS). As a rule, the user does not know where this physically takes place and where the data is located. It doesn't matter technologically whether the clouds are public, private or hybrid. Even if the server is located in the next room, the type of access, not the location of the server, basically determines whether it is public or private. Of course, it can be safer to have the server within one's own access.
A ?measurement technology in the cloud? goes beyond storing measurement data, buffering it and fetching it. It is about transporting data live to another location. In an industrial plant, the components are classically connected via a fieldbus system or increasingly via an industrial Ethernet via copper cable or fibre optic cable and forwarded via an intelligent gateway or already analysing monitoring system.
For remote or even mobile measuring points, other ways have to be found - wireless communication that works everywhere, is secure and delivers the data in real time if possible. But the cloud should be able to do more than just provide communication. It should offer services specifically for the measurement case, similar to what Google offers, for example. Such services can process data in the cloud, evaluate it and make it available to users with different requirements as processed results.
By networking a wide variety of data sources, quality, diagnostic options, early detection of possible damage or customer service can be improved. optiMEAS offers the necessary products and services for this: powerful teleservice systems that combine data loggers, storage, pre-processing, alarming and communication with the cloud, software apps that are based on a sophisticated software platform or optiMEAS' own cloud solution. They can serve applications in a wide range of fields, from black boxes in vehicle development to vibration measurements, the diagnosis of construction machinery and portable systems in medicine to monitoring systems in the energy industry.
Record, analyse and forward vibrations
Measurement in the cloud is quite advanced among geologists. optiMEAS offers the ?smart GeoLog? system for this area, which was developed for geological, geophysical measurements and vibration monitoring in buildings. In mining areas, seismic events are determined over large areas via various vibration measuring points with corresponding sensors. The measuring system monitors both anthropogenic and tectonic causes that could lead to hazards.
Since movements or stress conditions can affect large areas, for example buildings and road traffic, an early warning system must be very reliable in order to guarantee that appropriate safety measures can be initiated. In the long term, the knowledge gained can also reduce seismic events. The mobile measuring system autonomously records, stores, analyses and evaluates seismic data. Relevant data is automatically transmitted to the internet if required. Seismic events can thus be localised and qualified.
The corresponding alarms are also sent by SMS or e-mail. For the internet connection, the smartGeoLog has a commercially available mobile modem based on LTE/UMTS with a correspondingly large bandwidth. Up to eight vibration sensors can be connected via high-resolution inputs.
The sampling rate ranges from 10 Hz to 5 kHz, the storage capacity is 64 GB. Particularly interesting: several distributed systems can be combined, as they have a GPS module and can be synchronised to the microsecond. Thus, the collected data are always assigned to the correct time. The analysis and evaluation of the incoming measurement data is carried out by an integrated processor, which performs calculations such as RMS, filtering or frequency analysis.
HTTPS meets all requirements
There are different ways to communicate with a cloud. Data logging, monitoring or teleservice systems that have existed up to now have no or only very limited possibilities themselves. Often, upstream PC systems take over the communication. Above all, VPN (Virtual Private Network) and CDA (Corporate Data Access) from the provider Vodafone are used.
optiMEAS provides any communication channel. The standard is an LTE/UMTS module. However, any other communication module can also be built into the devices so that, for example, communication can be handled via satellite telephony in remote regions.
Basically, the communication runs like via the internet browser of a smartphone. Similar to a query to a search engine, the query automatically returns the route through the internet, ensuring bidirectional communication. If no connection is possible, for example due to shadowing, the device collects the data and automatically looks for the most favourable channel for subsequent data transmission at the next opportunity.
New standards, new options
The introduction of the 5G network opens up further possibilities for measuring via the cloud. In future, it will be possible to book certain bandwidths and accesses on a contractually guaranteed basis. They offer the functionality of a dedicated line.
Such guarantees are important in areas involving vital services that require certain bandwidths. In addition, the already blurred boundaries between automation technology and physical measurement technology will continue to shrink. This development could be accelerated by an interface standardisation for connecting measurement tasks to the cloud.