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Outbound Communication

Outbound Communication enables you to send start and stop commands to a machine using, for instance, the shop floor workbench. In this example, the Application Messages are enriched with operation information and sent outbound to a device.

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This action is triggered by the events "Start operation" and "Stop operation." You can use any client that allows you to invoke these actions to generate the outbound message; it's not limited to the Shop floor workbench.

Prerequisites

Before configuring outbound communication, there are some essential considerations:

  • Safety: Conduct a risk assessment and implement necessary safety steps. The remote start and stop actions should never compromise the health and safety of any person.
  • Machine Compatibility: Ensure that the machine supports the required connections for remote control.
  • Network and Security: Address network access, security, and routing requirements to establish secure communication.
  • Message Protocol: Ensure that the machine language and message protocol can be handled effectively.

Setup Outbound Communication

To set up outbound communication, follow these steps:

Work Center - Send IoT Event to Device

In the Work Center, activate "Send IoT Event to Device." This Work Center should contain the resource to which you want to send messages.image-20220714152842286

Device Map

In the Device Map, create a Device ID and connect it to the Work Center Resource ID.

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Starting or stopping an operation using a Work Center will generate an IFS Connect Application Message. This message can be enriched with more information and sent outbound.

Enriching the message using Get Operation Info

Create a Routing address with the Transport Connector type "Projection." Use the transformers "TO_MIXED_CASE" followed by "IFS_XML_TO_JSON_GENERIC." This converts the XML file containing the Operation ID in the application message to a JSON payload. Set the Projection Method to "Action" and the Projection Resource to "ShopFloorConnector.GetOperationInfo".

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Set up the Outbound Address

Configure an outbound Routing Address. The example in the images uses a RESTful POST message with an API Key. To configure a custom solution, refer to IFS Connect

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Routing Rule - Start or Stop operation

Set up a Routing Rule to trigger an outbound message when a Application Message occurs. Set the MESSAGE_FUNCTION to START_OPERATION. Set the RECEIVER as the Device ID created in the Device Map. Configure the first Destination Address to the internal Projection using GetOperationInfo and the second to the outbound address.

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Now, when you start machine time on a shop order operation, it triggers an outbound message to the connected device. A similar solution settingMESSAGE_FUNCTION toSTOP_OPERATION can be setup to trigger a outbound message on operation stop.

To differentiate between setup and production you can use the OperationStatus information in the GetOperationInfo payload. This is a example snippet of a response: 

{
...
  "OperationStatus": "SetupStarted",
...
}

With these configurations, you can effectively manage and control machine operations remotely while ensuring safety and efficiency.