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The Depalletization IoT Agent for RS232 and MODBUS TCP protocol is both infrastructural and functional component supporting warehousing and production (de)palletization processess. It provides data about (de)palletization processss performance automated by machines (e.g. approx. time remaining to finish a pile, number of remaining pile layers etc.)
An IoT Agent for RS232 and MODBUS TCP protocol is designed to be a bridge between RS232 ASCII based custom protocol or MODBUS TCP protocol and the NGSI interface of a context broker.
It is based on the IoT Agent Node.js Library. Further general information about the FIWARE IoT Agents framework, its architecture and the common interaction model can be found in the library's GitHub repository.
This project is part of DIH^2. For more information check the RAMP Catalogue entry for the components.
The agent is designed to enable IoT capabilities for legacy production and warehousing machines supporting old-fashioned (but still popular) serial communication using RS232 connection and ASCII based data protocols. Additionally it supports MODBUS TCP protocol to retreive data form connected machines.
The agent was tested on two warehouse machines:
- KUKA KR150 robot using RS232 serial connection with additional serial-to-ethernet hardware gateway converter (e.g. USR W610)
- automated stacker using PLC controller connected to an ethernet, network supporitng MODBUS TCP protocol
This IoT Agent is designed to be a bridge between HTTP, ASCII based protocols or MODBUS TCP protocol and the FIWARE NGSI standard used in FIWARE. This project is based in the Node.js IoT Agent library. More information about the IoT Agents can be found within the library's GitHub repository.
Currently, the agent is customized to support warehousing and production palletization processess including:
- depalletization - is a process of removing materials from pallets or ordered pile
- palletization (stacking) - is a proces of arranging materials on pallets or in an ordered pile
Proposed solution allows access to palletization processess performance data in an automated manner. The new smart factory services include:
- Real time production process monitoring – visualisation of machines’ current status, i.e. uptime, number of cycles completed, time to complete, etc.
- Early warnings for production station status (monitoring) – sending notifications to shop-floor workers when the robot’s task is near to completion so there is no idling time
- Automatization of machines configuration
Exmaple of Grafana-based depalletization dashboard for a single machine:
- Shop-floor worker uses WMS (Warehouse Management System) mobile appplication to scan palette barcode to initiate depalletization process (e.g. CONTRA) and configure machines accrodingly
- Mobile WMS application updates machine configurtion context data in context broker (e.g. pallet ID, single item dimmensions)
- The agent send configuration data to a robot
- A robot receives configuration data
- A robot operator confirms received configuration (e.g. palette ID, wood plank height) and starts a robot
- A robot begins depalletization process according to selected program
- Basic depalletization data is provided by a robot to the agent during process execution
- Agent calculates derivative data based on basic data provided by a machine (calculates estimated time for depalletisation process to complet)
- Agent updates depalletization context data to be consumed by a client application (e.g. Grafana dashboard) - data is updated every ~1 minute.
- When there is X time left for depalletisation process to complete, a notification is generated in mobile app of the shop-floor worker operating a forklift (based on context data).
- The shop-floor worker receives a notification and delivers another batch of material in the buffer zone of a robot.
- The process repeats from point 1.
Information about how to install the IoT depalletization agent can be found at the corresponding section of the Installation & Administration Guide.
A Dockerfile is also available for your use - further information can be found here
Please visit the Step-by-step tutorial to setup a demonstration evironment or watch the tutorial video here
A description of the architecture can be found in the Architecture documentation
How to use the component
Information about how to use the agnet can be found in the User & Programmers Manual.
For performing a tests you have to follow the step below. Tests are written in the jest framework
> npm test
If you'd like to contribute, start by searching through the issues and pull requests to see whether someone else has raised a similar idea or question. Before contributing, please check out Contribution guidelines.
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