Smart factory machine learning testbed launched

The Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) announced the Smart Factory Machine Learning for Predictive Maintenance Testbed, which is designed to explore machine-learning techniques and evaluates algorithmic approaches for time-critical predictive maintenance.

By Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) September 19, 2017

The Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) announced the Smart Factory Machine Learning for Predictive Maintenance Testbed, which is being led by Plethora IIoT and Xilinx.

This testbed is designed to explore machine-learning techniques and evaluates algorithmic approaches for time-critical predictive maintenance. This knowledge leads to actionable insight enabling companies to move away from traditional preventative maintenance to predictive maintenance, which minimizes unplanned downtime and optimizes system operation. This is intended to help manufacturers increase availability, improve energy efficiency, and extend the lifespan of high-volume CNC manufacturing production systems.

"Testbeds are the major focus and activity of the IIC and its members. We provide the opportunity for both small and large companies to collaborate and help solve problems that will drive the adoption of IoT applications in many industries", said IIC executive director Dr. Richard Mark Soley. "The smart factory of the future will require advanced analytics, like those this testbed aims to provide, to identify system degradation before system failure. This type of machine learning and predictive maintenance could extend beyond the manufacturing floor to have a broader impact to other industrial applications."

"Downtime costs some manufacturers as much as $22k per minute. Therefore, unexpected failures are one of the main players in maintenance costs because of their negative impact due to reactive and unplanned maintenance action. Being able to predict system degradation before failure has a strong positive impact on machine availability: increasing productivity and decreasing downtime, breakdowns and maintenance costs," said Plethora IIoT team leader Javier Diaz.

Additional IIC member companies participating in the testbed provide technologies to enable the Smart Factory Machine Learning testbed, including:

– Factory automation
– Operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) security
– Edge to cloud machine learning and analytics
– Time-sensitive networking (TSN)
– Data acquisition
– Smart sensor technology
– Design implementation
– Embedded programmable SoC technology
– Secure authentication.

– Edited from an Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) press release by CFE Media. See more Control Engineering IIoT and Industrie 4.0 stories.