Bridging the IT OT Divide in an Augmented Reality Project
Purpose
Augmented Reality (AR) is a versatile technology that has an ever growing number of uses, but one thing it needs in every situation is reliable, powerful data connectivity.
That is why ATS Bus was chosen to serve as the Manufacturing Service Bus development platform for the VIVAR project at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in the UK.
VIVAR aims to solve real-world problems related to Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) in both the delivery and execution of electronic work instructions. The project overlays the electronic instructions onto the real world so that the operator can see where components are to be placed and what parts to manipulate to complete the work instruction.
Project Scope
The role of ATS Bus within the project was to combine and exchange data between the MES system and the Augmented Reality display server. ATS Bus was used as it is technology independent which provides the flexibility in the system to extend out to different AR and VR systems. It also enables MES applications to be swapped out with minimal disruption if needed.
Every system connects to ATS Bus which securely transfers data and carries out all data translation requirements. It also provides edge computing capabilities by carrying out data-driven tasks close to the production line without needing to send data to the Business layer and back.
ATS Bus transmits and translates work orders from the MES to the AdV (Advanced Visualisation Device) server on the shop floor. The Adv handles the rendering and control of the work instructions for the Augmented Reality Device. When the operator marks a step as complete the data is automatically published onto ATS Bus which sends the data back to the MES system to complete the transaction.
Systems & Tools
- ATS Bus
- Microsoft HoloLens
- AdV (Advanced Visualisation Device) server
- MES
The Results
True IT/OT convergence: Data can be exchanged between the worlds of IT (Information Technology) and OT (Operations Technology) as if they’d never been apart.
Reliable business continuity: ATS Bus provides a reliable and resilient data communications infrastructure, using edge gateways and devices.
Data visibility: ATS Bus Provides complete exposure of their data, making it easier to troubleshoot issues.
Data security: ATS Bus uses secure connections and can also check the “known good” against defined schemas ensuring, that from endpoint to endpoint, the data is in safe hands.