With the wave of industrial automation sweeping the global manufacturing industry today, “online”
is no longer simply a state of connectivity, but symbolizes a new paradigm of operation. It implies
unimpeded data flow, real-time system interaction, and precise and rapid decision-making, depicting
a dynamic, transparent and efficient picture of the industrial future. When industrial automation and
the “online” depth of the combination, the changes brought about by its far more than a simple
technological upgrade, but a fundamental reshaping of the entire production model.
from the “island” to “online”: breaking down information barriers
Traditional automated production lines, there are often a large number of “automation islands”. A
single piece of equipment or a section of the process may have realized a high degree of automation,
but the lack of effective connection between them, the data is sealed in the local controller or paper
records. This state of affairs makes it difficult for managers to grasp the overall productivity, problems
are detected late, and decisions are made based on experience rather than real-time data.
"The core mission of Industrial Automation Online is to break down these barriers. Through extensive
device networking (e.g., based on OPC UA and other common protocols), PLCs, sensors, robots, smart
meters and other key devices throughout the production site are connected to a unified network. This
enables real-time collection and visualization of equipment status, production process parameters, yield,
quality data, energy consumption information, etc., so that the entire workshop is like a living organism
with a clearly discernible pulse. No matter where the managers are, they can remotely monitor and
control the production situation through the secure network connection, which realizes the great
expansion of the management radius and the significant improvement of the response speed.
data-driven: online state of the value of mining
Equipment “online” is only the first step, let the data “live” up is where the value lies. The online state ensures
the continuous convergence of massive industrial data, laying a solid foundation for in-depth analysis and
intelligent application.
Real-time Monitoring and Early Warning: The online system is able to continuously monitor key process indicators
(such as temperature, pressure, speed), and once deviations from the standard range are detected, an alarm is
triggered immediately to nip quality risks in the bud, turning reactive treatment into proactive prevention.
Transparent performance: Through online calculation of core performance indicators such as Overall Equipment
Effectiveness (OEE), production capacity, and pass rate, managers can clearly identify production bottlenecks
and low equipment utilization, so as to optimize and drive continuous improvement.
Enhanced traceability: From raw materials to finished products, the entire process data is recorded online, forming
a complete digital resume. Once a quality problem occurs, it can quickly and accurately locate the problematic
batch and trace the source of production, which greatly improves the level of quality control and the efficiency
of product recall.
Cloud collaboration and remote operation and maintenance:
empowerment across time and space
With the maturity of the industrial Internet platform and cloud computing technology, the connotation of
“online” is further extended to the cloud. Securely synchronizing on-site data to the cloud platform brings
unprecedented flexibility.
Remote expert support: When on-site technicians encounter complex faults, they can share equipment data
and video images in real time with remote experts through the online system. Experts can perform “cloud
diagnosis” and guide troubleshooting without visiting the site in person, significantly reducing downtime
and travel costs.
Predictive maintenance: Based on cloud big data and AI algorithms, trend analysis of collected equipment
vibration, temperature and other operating parameters can predict the potential failure of components in advance
and accurately plan the maintenance window, realizing the transition from “fix it when it's broken” to “prevent it
from happening”. The shift from “fix it before it breaks” to “prevent it before it happens” can be realized.
Supply Chain Collaboration: The online system can realize data interoperability with the systems of suppliers and
customers, so that the order status, inventory level and logistics information can be transparently shared, thus
improving the response speed and collaborative efficiency of the entire supply chain.
Toward the future: from “online” to “in the network” intelligent ecology
The ultimate direction of “industrial automation online” is to build a highly autonomous and coordinated intelligent
production ecology. In the future, not only equipment and systems will be online, but also all production factors
(man, machine, material, method and environment) will be fully “in the network”.
Artificial intelligence algorithms will be based on real-time online global data, autonomous scheduling and
optimization decision-making, to achieve the dynamic allocation of production resources. Digital twin technology
will build a virtual model synchronized with the physical plant in real time, allowing process simulation and
optimization testing in the virtual space, and then seamlessly sending the optimal solution to the physical world
for execution. This will ultimately realize the self-awareness, self-decision-making and self-execution of the
production system, reaching new heights of flexibility, efficiency and reliability.
Conclusion
Industrial automation online is a must for the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry. It is not only
the connection of technology, but also the reshaping of business processes and the change of decision-making
mode. For enterprises, embracing “online” means embracing deeper transparency, higher efficiency and greater
resilience. In this era of Internet of Everything, enterprises that take the lead in realizing comprehensive “online”
will surely take the lead in this profound industrial change and win the initiative of future competition.