The main objective of the reference implementation was to implement a technical feature that provides the essential components to all levels of the reference architecture, linking them together into a functional overall system. The goal was to demonstrate the general functionality of the architecture and create a template for use as a basis for future implementations and expansions.
The reference implementation focused on two key use cases: automatic onboarding and health data exchange. Automatic onboarding involves the initial registration of assets (for example, automation components) in the operator’s cloud. In the health data exchange application, data on the health status of the registered assets is collected continuously and further processed in Operator Cloud. The two applications require functionalities from all
layers of the reference architecture and thus offered a useful basis for a robust proof of concept.
M&M Software’s core responsibility in this collaborative project was to implement functional prototypes for software components that an automation component manufacturer would typically provide to a system operator. With these components, the system operator can seamlessly integrate the manufacturer’s products into its cloud-based IT /OT infrastructure and also use the manufacturer’s value-added services in the process.
The following components (among others) were provided in the form of Docker images:
- Data acquisition and data pre-processing in the edge node using the communication mechanisms specified by OI4A (OPC-UA, MQTT, open fieldbus communication etc.)
- Provision of a standardized OOC connector for the edge node to handle communication with Operator Cloud according to the specifications
- Plug-in-capable logic modules for evaluating asset-specific messages in Operator Cloud, which were reported from the Edge layer and transformed into compatible AAS submodels to pass on to the AAS infrastructure
In addition to the necessary specification and implementation work, a basic project structure was also established for future expansions of the reference implementation based on the GitHub platform. This not only stores the source code in corresponding repositories for the individual components, but is also where all DevOps mechanisms for automated component integration and distribution (CI / CD) are set up. All Alliance members have access to the project results and can make further use of them for their own development projects.
M&M Software also offers accompanying technology workshops to make it easier to get started with the solutions presented here. More information is available in the Accelerate Directory, the digital marketplace of the Open Industry 4.0 Alliance.
