Industrial automation systems use Ethernet application layers technologies like EtherNet/IPTM and Profinet which often have issues related to bandwidth and payload. To overcome these shortcomings, Beckhoff Automation, a German automation company came forward with a Fieldbus system called the Fast Light Bus. This eventually evolved into EtherCAT (Ethernet for Control Automation Technology), which was launched in 2003 by the same company.
EtherCAT works on the basic principle of pass-through reading and combines the benefits of “on the fly processing” and its well-built infrastructure, some of which includes better efficiency and higher speed.
Utthunga’s industry protocol implementation experts understand this new concept of EtherCAT. We integrate the best EtherCAT practices that enhance your hardware and software communication. This in turn, enhances the overall productivity of the automation system.
Beckhoff promoted EtherCAT protocol through the EtherCAT Technology Group or the ETG. It works along with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), which has led to the standardization of EtherCAT over the years.
The EtherCAT standard protocol IEC/PAS6246, which was introduced in 2003, has since then been standardized by IEC to became IEC 61158. One of the main features of EtherCAT is its versatility to work within most of the industrial plant setups. This flexibility allows it to be the fastest Industrial Ethernet technology suitable for both hard and soft real-time requirements in automation technology, in test and measurement and many other applications.
Another feature of EtherCAT is that the EtherCAT master mostly supports various slaves with and without an application controller. This makes the implementation seamless and succesful.
EtherCAT switches are another unique feature of the EtherCAT. Here the switching portfolio refers to all the managed, unmanaged, and configurable switch product lines. An example of the EtherCAT switch is the Fast Track Switching that offers perfect decision-making capabilities even in a mixed communication network under any circumstances. Most of these switches are quite economical to be used in the switch cabinets. They have robust metal housing and support via either VLAN support, IGMP snooping, or other SNMP management features.
To get the best out of the EtherCAT implementation in your industrial plants, you need to have a robust implementation strategy in place. For this matter, we have jotted down the strategies you can use to implement EtherCAT in the following lines:
EtherCAT infrastructure
The EtherCAT infrastructure is quite powerful as it includes various safety and communication protocols and includes multiple profile devices. If we go deep into the architecture, we see that the EtherCAT master uses a standard Ethernet port and network configuration information. The data can be easily fetched from the EtherCAT Network Information file (ENI). The EtherCAT Slave Information files (ESI) that are unique for each device and are provided by the vendor form the basis of these ENI.
If you are working on a load-dependent servo task, the location (Master or Servo Drive) plays a key role in selecting an EtherCAT mode of operation.
EtherCAT Slave & EtherCAT Master devices
EtherCAT slave devices are connected to the master over the Ethernet. Various topologies of EtherCAT can be implemented to connect slaves to the Ethernet Configuration tool. The Ethernet configuration tool is connected to the EtherCAT master via the above mentioned EtherCAT network information file. This configuration tool plays a pivotal role in implementing EtherCAT and connecting the slaves to the master in the right way. The tool generated a network description known as the EtherCAT Network Information file based on the EtherCAT Slave Information files and/or the online information at the EEPROM of the slave devices, including their object dictionaries.
Several EtherCAT slave devices work synchronously with the EtherCAT master devices through various tuning methods. Here the tasks such as setting outputs, reading inputs, copying memory, etc. can be considered, wherein the synchronization between the logical level of the devices plays an imperative role. In order to implement an EtherCAT slave with a master, all you need is an EtherCAT master that works on the lines of a standard Network Interface Controller (NIC, 100 MBit/s Full duplex) protocol. To seamlessly integrate master and slave, a master software with actual run time drives the slaves.
EtherCAT Operation Modes and Network Topology
One of the challenging parts of implementing EtherCAT to your control system is choosing the right operation modes. The reason being, each mode demands differently from the operating system and master. The possible cases of dynamic changes of loads or custom control loop algorithms and the demands of an “on the fly processing system” needs to consider while choosing the operating mode. Here we are going to give you a brief idea of three of the important operating modes that are: CAN over EtherCAT, File over EtherCAT, EtherNet over EtherCAT.
CAN over EtherCAT (CoE)
One of the most widely used communication protocols, the CANopen, is used in this mode. It defines specific profiles for different devices. This operating mode ensures a higher speed EtherCAT network.
File over EtherCAT (FoE)
This operating mode gives you access to data structure or the information files in the device. This enables the uploading of standardized firmware to devices. This does not depend on whether they support other protocols like TCP/IP.
Ethernet over EtherCAT (EoE)
This operating mode allows communication between Windows client applications with an EtherCAT device server program via Ethernet that uses the EtherCAT network. It the simplest way master and slave connect and reduces the overall implementation time.
EtherCAT is one among the many Ethernet based fieldbus protocols but has garnered significant popularity for industrial automation applications. These are optimized for industrial devices like programmable logic controllers (PLCs), I/O, and sensor-level devices. Implementation of EtherCAT offers higher efficiency of the control system, reduction in error, and connect 65,553 nodes in the system with low latency in each slave node.
Utthunga’s services help you to implement EtherCAT in the best possible ways so your industrial automation systems can enjoy the benefits from its versatility to the fullest.
Industrial revolution 4.0 has already set in, and industrial automation is a profound part of it. One of the crucial aspects of implementing a successful automation ecosystem in any industry is seamless communication between devices. For a long time, the traditional field buses like PROFIBUS, HART, FF, Modbus and a few others have been the been the standard communication solution for field layer connectivity.
However, with the ubiquity of Ethernet in the layers above sensors/PLCs and to take advantage of the IT tools and technologies in the OT layer, Ethernet is increasingly being looked as a communication bus in the field layer also. this has led to the idea of the Ethernet Advanced Physical layer (APL).
Ethernet-APL is a subset of the widely used Ethernet standard and it is describes the physical layer of the Ethernet communication specially designed for industrial engineering services. With high communication speeds over long distances and a single, twisted-pair cable for power and communication signal supply, this layer proves to be a robust solution for a better bandwidth communications link between field-level devices and control systems in process automation applications. In simple terms, Ethernet-APL is the upgraded link between Ethernet communication and instrumentation.
Ever since BASF, a German chemical company and the largest chemical producer in the world successfully tested Ethernet APL for the first time in 2019, many companies have successfully implemented the same in various IIoT networks. In February 2020, ABB’s trials proved that Ethernet APL effectively eliminates gateways and protocol conversions at various industrial network levels.
Ethernet-APL makes infrastructure deployment a seamless process as the devices connected over it share the same advanced physical layer. This also indicates that it enables devices in the industrial network to be connected at any time, irrespective of where they are placed in the factory or processing plant.
There are numerous reasons why industries willing to integrate IIoT must consider Ethernet-APL. We have discussed them in the next sections.
Ethernet-APL enables seamless integration of various processes and creates effective communication between the control and plant field devices for long distances process variables, secondary parameters, and asset health feedback and seamlessly communicating them over long distances.
Some of the major benefits of incorporating Ethernet APL in industrial automation applications are:
Improved Plant Availability
In addition to pure process values, modern field devices provide valuable additional data. With Ethernet-APL, plant operators can make the most of the devices in real-time, centrally monitor their components’ status, and identify maintenance requirements early on. This avoids unplanned downtime and increases plant availability significantly.
Cost-Effective Plant Optimization
Ethernet-APL supports the trunk-and-spur technology established in the process industry and is applicable to any industrial Ethernet protocol such as EtherNet/IP,HART-IP, and PROFINET. This simplifies integration for planners, plant designers, and plant operators since existing installations and infrastructures can still be used and investments are protected.
Adds Flexibility to the Plant
IEEE and IEC standards layout communication protocol, testing, and certification of products to implement Ethernet-APL into any plant automated systems in any part of the world. This way, in an industrial environment, devices from different manufacturers, irrespective of their state of origin, can have interoperable communication within the working ecosystem.
Coherent Communication at all levels
Ethernet-APL allows a common communication infrastructure for all levels of process management. This is because field devices can be easily connected to the higher-level system. The high transfer speed of 10Mbit/s and the full-duplex infrastructure make it suitable for data transmission over a length of approximately 1000 m.
APL – For IIoT Applications
The Industrial Internet of Things is undoubtedly an integral part of the industrial automation workspace. Therefore, the high-speed, industrial Ethernet-based Ethernet-APL is touted as the future of industrial communication systems. Many of the leading communication protocol associations like the OPCFoundation, ODVA, PROFIBUS, and PROFINET International are in the process of supporting APL, which makes it compatible with any existing processing system.
It supports 2-WISE (2-wire intrinsically safe Ethernet) and therefore eliminates the need for numerous calculations, which makes it simpler to verify the intrinsic safety of devices within the Ethernet-APL automation network.
Ethernet-APL comes as a blessing for the manufacturing and process industry in particular, as they lacked a standard network capable of high-speed transfer of data within field devices irrespective of their implementation level in the Industry 4.0 architecture.
How APL is Serving the Special Requirements of Process Industries
Ethernet-APL is specially crafted for process industries. Since these industries involve works at hazardous and explosive areas, deployment of industrial Ethernet seemed like a far thought for quite long. However, with the introduction of an advanced physical layer into the Ethernet, 2-WISE became a reality.
The 2-WISE infrastructure makes it safe to be deployed in such hazardous areas. This improved the overall plant availability and brought remote access to many devices in the process industry 4.0.
Conclusion
Advanced Physical Layer or APL has brought in a new ray of hope for effective adoption and implementation of IIoT in the industries. Utthunga’s innovation-driven team is ready to support you in your APL plans. Get in touch with us and get the best industrial engineering services that elevate the efficiency of your plant and plant assets for increased ROI.
The term “simulator” means “imitator of a situation or a process”. In the digital sense, we can say that a protocol simulator or a network simulator is a computer-generated simulation of a protocol before bringing the product to the market.
There is a paradigm shift in industries like industrial OEMs, discrete, power, and process utilities to move towards automation. This implies more interconnected devices over the internet with interlinked communication between the devices. In order to carry out a reliable and seamless automated working ecosystem in IIoT, many foundations like OPC, ETG, PI and others have laid down certain industrial protocols that a product must follow.
Protocol testing is a crucial element that product engineering companies like Utthunga take care of. It is imperative as it checks the alignment of the hardware or software product with the industrial protocol standards. This helps to address an issue, be it a design glitch, or points out the challenges in implementing it. Protocol simulation is a part of product testing and it helps to check if a hardware or software is working as per the communication protocol standard and purpose.
Protocol simulation is mainly carried out for checking the accuracy and latency of the communications over the wire. It is done by creating scenarios that are similar to the real-time use cases. These mimic the exact situations that are similar to the real-time use cases and help you evaluate the possible risks and challenges associated with the product. Knowing these before its release helps you create a product that stands apart in quality among your competitors.
How Simulation Can Save Your Product Development Time And Cost?
Simulation can be carried out in various ways, it all depends on your ultimate goal. If a reduced product development time and cost is on your checklist, then you can use the simulation approaches that we have listed down:
Protocol simulation to test for design reliability
In industries, especially in the current automated ecosystem, the device which you manufacture must be in compliance with the industry standards. When you create a device prototype and simulate it to test the design capabilities, you get to interact with the unknown design features and may discover some loopholes as well. This saves you product development time, as you optimize your product before it reaches the market. This way you can fix the glitches and then move on mass production.
Finite element analysis
Industrial devices are subjected to a lot of unpredictable scenarios and stresses that requires your product to be robust enough to handle such unforeseen situations. The finite element analysis helps you to validate your product in this context. It ensures your product can endure unpredictable stresses (in the connectivity/communications context) up to a certain limit. You can carry out FEA even in the design stage, to get a real idea as to what to expect from your product and the areas which need improvements.
It helps to improve the reliability of the product before an untested product reaches your customers and ruins your brand image. It also makes manual testing a lot easier.
APIs in protocol simulation allow easy integration of your product to various software frameworks. This means test engineers can leverage better test automation solutions to carry out protocol simulations with high precision. Utthunga’s protocol simulators are configurable as a server-side application in your industrial devices. So, it enables remote control of the devices through various programming languages like Python, Java, C++, and others.
Industries have complex systems. Protocol simulators like master simulators and slave simulators when used in the product development cycle, help them to create a reliable product.
Since such a simulator is capable of providing practical feedback at the designing stages itself, it comes across as a time and cost saver. It also empowers design engineers to understand the possible glitches in the design and create an optimum layout for the same.
These allow simulation of the required prototype at the luxury of the lab, or during R&D or engineering. The control systems can be built to test the devices in various load and real-time scenarios. These can run on a desktop and be integrated with the control systems and another master systems that communicates with these field devices. Therefore the overall infrastructure, cost to procure, deploy and maintain the devices can be considerably reduced.
In research and development, these protocol simulators act like a perfect aid to train the operational personnel and get an in-depth knowledge of the functionalities of the product. It also helps the R&D department to come with innovative ideas for creating a better product that matches the growing demands of the users.
Conclusion
A protocol simulator helps create a virtual representation of the product even in its design stage. It helps design and product engineers understand the dynamics of the device’s operation at each phase of the production cycle.Choosing the protocol simulator, therefore, should be a well-thought decision, if you are keen on creating error-free, top-quality devices. Utthunga’s protocol simulator is carefully created by our panel of experts who have gained years of experience in this field. Get in touch with our team, to know more about our exceptional services tailored to get you Industrie 4.0 ready. Utthunga has deep capabilities in industrial protocols, and our protocol simulators are an extension of Utthunga’s rich and deep protocol expertise. All our protocol simulators are built on top of our uSimulate framework – tried and tested in the field for years. We support several protocols like Modbus, EtherCAT, IEC-104, GE-GSM and others. Adding a new protocol (legacy or proprietary) to the simulator family is fairly easy as well.
Open Process AutomationTM Standard (O-PASTM Standard) or “Standard of Standards” as it’s popularly known is an initiative to create a new age automation system with a different architecture than the existing process automation systems that uses Distributed Control Systems (DCS) and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs). As automation applications require ultra-high availability and real-time performance, process automation systems have always been highly proprietary. The reason behind developing this standard is to transform from a closed, proprietary, distributed control systems towards a standards-based open, secure and interoperable process automation architecture.
In 2016, The Open Group launched the Open Process AutomationTM Forum (OPAF) to create an open, secure and interoperable process control architecture to:
Facilitate access to leading-edge capacity
Safeguard asset owner’s application software
Easy integration of high-grade components
Use an adaptive intrinsic security model
Facilitate innovation value creation
This blog aims to show why and how OPC UA can be applied to realize the Open Process AutomationTM Standard. Before that, let us be familiar with the Open Process AutomationTM Forum. In simple terms, The Open Group Open Process Automation™ Forum is an international forum that comprises users, system integrators, suppliers, academia, and organizations.
These stakeholders work together to develop a standards-based, open, secure, and interoperable process control architecture called Open Process AutomationTM Standard or O-PASTM. In version 1 of O-PASTM, published in 2019, the critical quality attribute of interoperability was addressed. In version 2, published in January 2020, the O-PASTM Standard addressed configuration portability, and version 3.0 will be addressing application portability.
Version 1.0 of the O-PASTM Standard unlocks the potential of emerging data communications technology. Version 1.0 was created with significant information from three existing standards:
The seven parts that makeup the latest preliminary 2.1 version of O-PASTM Standard are:
Part 1 – Technical Architecture Overview
Part 2 – Security (informative)
Part 3 – Profiles
Part 4 – Connectivity Framework (OCF)
Part 5 – System Management
Part 6 – Information Models based on OPC UA (Multipart specification ranging from 6.1 to 6.6)
Part 7 – Physical Platform
Part 1 – Technical Architecture Overview
This informative part demonstrates an OPAS-conformant system through a set of interfaces to the components.
Part 2 – Security
This part addresses the cybersecurity functionality of components that should be conformant to O-PASTM. This part of the standard also explains the security principles and guidelines incorporated into the interfaces.
Part 3 – Profiles
This part of the version defines the hardware and software interfaces for which OPAF needs to develop conformance tests and ensure the interoperability of the products. A profile describes the set of discrete functionalities or technologies available for each DCN. They may be composed of other profiles, facets, as well as individual conformance requirements.
Part 4 – O-PASTM Connectivity Framework (OCF)
This part forms the interoperable core of the system, and OCF is more than a network. OCF is the underlying structure that enables disparate elements to interoperate as a system. This is based on the OPC UA connectivity framework.
Part 5 – System Management
This part covers the basic functionality and interface standards that allow the management and monitoring of functions using a standard interface. The system management addresses the hardware, operating systems, and platform software, applications, and networks.
Part 6 – Information and Exchange Models
This part defines the common services and the common information exchange structure that enable the portability of applications such as function blocks, alarm applications, IEC 61131-3 programs, and IEC 61499-1 applications among others.
Part 7 – Physical Platform
This part defines the Distributed Control Platform (DCP) and the associated I/O subsystem required to support O-PASTM conformant components. It defines the physical equipment used to embody control and I/O functionality.
The O-PASTM Standard supports communication interactions within a service-oriented architecture. In automation systems, it outlines the specific interfaces of the hardware and software components used to architect, build, and start-up automation systems for end-users. The vision for the O-PASTM Standard V2.0 addressed configuration portability and can be used in an unlimited number of architectures. Meaning, every process automation system needs to be “fit for a reason” to meet specific objectives.
Why OPC UA is important for Open Process AutomationTM Forum
The lower L1, L2 layers of the automation pyramid is heavily proprietary with a tight vendor control over the devices where the PLC’s, DCS, sensors, actuators and IO devices operate. This is where the vendors have strong hold over the end-users. As a revenue generating path, they are reluctant to lose this advantage. Additionally, this poses interoperability, security and connectivity issues causing significant lifecycle and capital costs for the stakeholders.
This inherent lack of standardization in the lower OT layers is a constant pressure point for the automation industry. O-PASTM Standard solves this standardization & connectivity issue and uses OPC UA as one of the foundation for developing this standard. This de-facto standard is used for open process automation integrating controls, data, enterprise systems and serves as a fundamental enabler for manufacturers.
Building the basic components of this standard (like DCN, gateways, OCI interfaces, OCF) using OPC UA helps them achieve secure data integration and interoperability at all levels of the IT/OT integration. This involves leveraging the OPC UA connectivity (Part 4 of O-PASTM and information modeling capabilities (Part 6 of O-PASTM) which play a key role in the O-PAS™ reference architecture.
How O-PASTM leverages OPC UA
From the below architecture diagram it’s evident that a Distributed Control Node (DCN) is the heart of the OPAF architecture. Here a single DCN is similar to a small machine capable of control, running applications, and other functions for seamless data exchange with the higher Advanced Computing Platform (ACP) layers. This component interfaces with the O-PASTM Connectivity Framework (OCF) layer that is based on the OPC UA connectivity framework.
The connectivity framework allows interoperability for process-related data between instances of DCNs. It also defines the mechanisms for handling the information flow between the DCN instances. The framework defines the run-time environments used to communicate data.
Basically each DCN has a profile which describes a set of full-featured definition of functionalities or technologies. For example:
The DCNs (i.e. O-PAS conformant components) are built conforming to anyone of the primary profiles specified in the O-PASTM:
OBC
O-PAS Basic Configuration
OCF
O-PAS Connectivity Framework (OPC UA Client/server, OPC UA PubSub profiles)
OSM
O-PAS System Management
NET
Network Stack
CMI
Configuration Management Interface
SEC
Security
DCP
Distributed Control Platform (Physical hardware)
The OPC UA information model capability is used to define and build these DCN profiles. Part 6 of the O-PASTM and its subparts defines related set of information and exchange models, such as basic configuration, alarm models, or function block models. This provides a standard format used for the exchange of import/export information across management applications. It also provides standard services used for the download/upload of information to O-PASTM conformant components.
According to the report OPC UA Momentum Continues to Build published by the ARC Advisory Group and endorsed by the OPC Foundation, it provides timely insights into what makes OPC UA the global standard of choice for industrial data communications in process and discrete manufacturing industries. From an IIoT and Industry 4.0 perspective, the report examines how the OPC UA technology is the standard that solves the interoperability challenges.
Key take-away from the report that help maximize OPC UA adoption include:
OPC UA standard is open and vendor agnostic, and the standard and Companion Specifications are freely available to everyone.
OPC UA is an enabler for next-generation automation standards that will, potentially change the industry structure of process automation e.g. Ethernet Advanced Physical Layer (Ethernet APL), NAMUR Open Architecture, and the Open Process Automation Forum (OPAF)
OPC UA is arguably the most extensive ecosystem for secured industrial interoperability
OPC UA is independent of underlying transport layers. As such, it uses the most suitable transports for the right applications (ex. TCP, UDP, MQTT, and 5G)
OPC UA is highly extensible via its Information Modeling (IM) capabilities. This makes OPC UA an excellent fit for use by automation vendors and other standards organizations wishing to express and share semantic data seamlessly across all verticals.
The OPC Foundation Field Level Communications (FLC) Initiative is defining a new OPC UA Field eXchange (OPC UA FX) standard that is supported by virtually all leading process automation suppliers.
OPC UA FX will extend OPC UA to the field level to enable open, unified, and standards-based communications between sensors, actuators, controllers, and the cloud.
Forward-looking companies should make OPC UA a crucial part of their long-term strategies today because the changes this technology brings will become a necessity faster than most people anticipate
OPAF is making outstanding records in creating a comprehensive, open process automation standard. Since it is partially built on other established industry standards like OPC UA, the O-PASTM Standard can improve interoperability in industrial automation systems and components.
OPAF fulfills its mission to deliver effective process automation solutions with the collaborative efforts of the OPC Foundation. Utthunga’s expertise in OPC UA standard and by adopting our OPC related products and solutions, businesses can benefit from low implementation and support costs for end-users and enable vendors to experiment around an open standard.
Get in touch with our OPAF experts to experience a new-age open, secure by design and interoperable process automation ecosystem.
The current wave of the industrial revolution, also known as the Industrie 4.0, has proven to improve the production process in various aspects. To realize the promised benefits, a strong communication protocol that allows semantic interoperability among interconnected devices is needed. In manufacturing industries where processes are greatly dependent on the industrial sensors and actuators, there are a few challenges that hinder seamless plant floor communication.
Take for example, the use of 4-20mA analog signals for communication between proximity switches and sensors. Although this produced satisfactory results, it did not provide any scope for diagnostics. So, the issues in the process go unnoticed until the whole system comes to a standstill. The combination of digital and analog devices also requires multiple cable and hence a tedious installation and maintenance process.
To overcome such challenges, the IO-Link Consortium Community, an organization in which key user companies from various industries and leading automation suppliers join forces to support, promote and advance the IO-Link technology. With over 120 members and strong support in Europe, Asia and the Americas, IO-Link has become the leading sensor and actuator interface in the world. The common goal of these companies is to develop and promote a unified and bi-directional communication architecture that involved an easy implementation process and the ability to diagnose the errors at the right time. The IO-Link protocol thus came as a knight in shining armor for the industries to help them gain the best of the Industrie 4.0.
IO-Link is a robust; point-to-point communication protocol specifically designed for devices like actuators and sensors. The IO-Link client is independent of the control network and communicates with an IO-Link master port. This port is placed on a gateway and transfers the data and or signals to the control system for further operations.
IO-Link proves to be beneficial for the factory automation processes especially in the digital era ofIndustrial Automation. With embedded software systems now becoming an inevitable part of industries, more IO-Links help them to leverage the power of Industrial automation and IIoT.
To get a gist of the benefits you can expect through the proper implementation of IO-Links, read the entire blog.
IO-Link Wired setup enhances factory automation communication for Industry 4.0 applications
Incorporating automation processes into an existing manual based manufacturing end processes are a primary challenge that IR4.0 possesses. To overcome this, many factory communication protocols have been introduced by various institutions.
For the device level, the communication IO-Link protocol is the most viable options to choose from. The reason being many, that we shall discuss in the next section. On the factory floor, IO-Link has long been seen as a wired communication network.
A basic IO-Link communication cycle involves:
A request from the master device
Waiting Time- for the request to reach the client device
Processing time of the request from the client device
Answer from the device to the master.
Waiting Time- for the answer to reaching the master.
In general, factory automation units have wired IO-Links that offer high flexibility and enhances the communication systems between the controllers and the system actuators and sensors. However, with the advent of reliable wireless networks, industries are now adopting wireless IO-Link set up these days.
The popularity of the IO-Link for the communication between sensors, actuators, and the control level is steadily increasing with each passing year. In a wireless setup, an approximate 5ms maximum cycle is achievable with high probability. In addition to this, it also provides the required flexibility in automation solutions and opens door to the possibility of using battery-powered or energy-harvesting sensors as well.
How IO-Link Benefits OEMs and End Users
As already mentioned, IO-Link be it wired or wireless creates ripples of benefits for OEMs and ends users.As already mentioned, IO-Link be it wired or wireless creates ripples of benefits for OEMs and ends users. One of the advantages of IO-Link is that by incorporating the smart sensors with IO-Link, you can optimize your smart factory with powerful data and diagnostics and prepare them for the future – to increase your uptime and productivity. Along with faster time to market and lower total cost of ownership, OEMs and end usersalso benefit from improved asset utilization and risk management.
Typically a smart sensor functions as a regular sensor unless it’s connected to an IO-Link master. When connected, you can leverage all the advanced configuration data capabilities that IO-Link has to offer.
Let us have a look into some of the key advantages of implementing IO-Link for OEMs and end users.
Enables better maintenance
One of the main reason behind the popularity of the IO-Link is its diagnostic capabilities. It means the servers are informed well in advance about any forthcoming issues. This makes them ready for need-oriented maintenance and a better factory automation system.
Efficient operation
As IO-Link sensors are independent of the control network and their accessibility no longer plays a role in automation, you can place them directly at the point of operation. This means the machining process can be optimized to operate at maximum efficiency in the minimum time frame.
Consistent Network
The IO-Link being a standard communication protocol between IO sensors/actuators and the control network brings consistency in your automation network. So you get to integrate more devices into your IO-Link protocol network and introduce flexibility to your network.
Makes your system versatile and future proof
IO-Link sensors and actuators do more than just process and transmitting data to and from the control network. IO-Link protocol integration facilitates reliable and efficient communication between devices. Having IO-Link devices means your system has access to integrated diagnostics and parameterization which also reduces the commissioning time to a great extent. Overall it imbibes versatility to your system and makes it ready for the future of IIoT.
Enables processing of three types of data
With the IO-Link, you can access and process three types of data namely process data, service data, and event data.
Process data includes data such as temperature, the pressure that is transmitted by the sensors or actuators upon request from the IO-Link master request.
Service data refers to the one related to the product and not process and includes manufacturer name, product model number, and the like.
Event data usually comes from sensors when any event notification has to be raised like an increase in pressure.
Provides IODD for each IO device
IO-Link protocol integration assigns each IO device with an IODD or IO Device Description such that the master manufacturers display the same IODD for each of their devices. This way, the operability of all the IO-Links is uniform irrespective of the manufacturer.
Reduces or eliminates wired networks
Since IO-Link protocol integration allows uniformity among the sensors, actuators, and control system, there is no need for separate wires. This way the number of wires can be reduced to a great extent. As wireless networks reign the IIoT arena, the concept of wireless IO-Link protocol integration is also gaining popularity.
Increases machine availability
With IO-Link protocol porting, you can enjoy an errorless and fast data exchange between sensors, actuators, and the control system. This increases the operation speed and reduces the downtime and improves the commissioning processes. Overall the machine errors are reduced thereby giving you more out of the machines.
Conclusion
The 21st century has paved the way to better industrial processes through the advent of industrial automation or the IR4.0. IO-Link protocol porting and IO-Link protocol integration has greatly helped OEMs and end-users alike, in making their production process in compliance with the IIoT set up. If you are looking for a reliable and flexible IO protocol integration for your plant, we at Utthunga have the state of the art technologies.
IO-Link – an integral part in the Industrial Automation
As more devices are interconnected at the factory level, the automation process greatly depends on seamless communications between devices from the shop floor such as sensors and actuators to the control systems like PLCs, and others. To ensure this, IO-Link is one of the first standardized input-output data communication protocol that connect devices bi-directionally. It means the devices are paired in a point-to-point communication that they can transmit information to and fro.
IO-Link enables point-to-point communication over short distances. Such an effective, seamless communication protocol is undoubtedly one of the crucial elements of the factory automation process that comes in as a part of Industry 4.0. Implementing the effective IO-Link strategies plays an important role in the overall network efficiency. Not only this, it facilitates ease of configuration as it reduces the number of wires and connections for OEMs and the end-users alike. IO-Link handles data types like process data, parameter data, and event data. All of these make it somewhat similar to a universal connector, which reduces downtime and improves visibility into the plant floor.
Why is an IO-Link required?
One of the most critical challenges in implementing an automated factory setup is setting up effective communication between devices at the ground level. For the manufacturing industry, IO-Link is required for more reasons than one.
First, it fills in the communication gap present even at the lowest automation hierarchy level. It also acts as a liaison in identifying error codes and help the service professionals troubleshoot the issue without shutting down the production or manufacturing process. It also makes remote access possible wherein the users are connected to a master/network to verify and configure the required sensor-level information.
Holistically put, we can say industries require IO-Link if they are looking for a cost-effective way to improve their efficiency and machine availability, which are crucial elements in implementing a successful automated factory. To understand this further, we have jotted down the top eight advantages of the IO-Link in this article’s next section.
Embedding IO-Link in your field-level devices like sensors and actuators facilitates better data transfer between them and the controllers via an IO-Link master. It in turn, enables you to connect the sensors and controllers like PLC, HMI, SCADA, etc. without worrying about loss of data.
Enhanced Diagnostic Capability
One of the crucial issues that cause hindrance in implementing a seamless automation experience is that errors in data processing or handling go unnoticed or are discovered quite late. It may lead your manufacturing or production unit to go to a standstill. With the IO-Link, since the communication is bidirectional and more visible, errors can be detected and examined for severity at the right time. It helps in troubleshooting the issues without stalling the production processes.
Better Data Storage and Data Availability
IO-Link offers improved data storage options. IO-Link offers parameterization of data that can be stored within the IO-Link master. This makes the automatic configuration of the IO-Link possible. Also, the types of data available vary from process data, service data, and event data. Process data is the information that a machine sends or measures; the service data refers to the report that spells the technical and manufacturing details of the device. The event data is the information such as notifications or upgrades that are critical and time-specific.
Remote Access to Device Configuration and Monitoring
IO-Link enables users to connect via IO-Link master or a network for remote access to sensors, actuators, controllers from virtually any location. It allows users to examine and modify the device parameters when required from anywhere. It improves overall productivity and plant efficiency.
Auto Device Replacement
Not only does the IO-Link allow remote access to device settings, but the data storage capacity also facilitates automated parameter reassignment. It makes device replacement a lot easier and hassle-free. Users can easily import all the required data to the replaced device and continue their factory automation process.
Simplified Wiring
Since the IO-Link is free of any complicated wiring, it reduces the hassles related to the same. As it supports many communication protocols, the IO-Link devices can be configured with existing wiring, reducing the overall implementation costs to a minimum. It also does not require any analog sensors and actuators, which in turn negates the need for additional connection wires.
Device Validation
IO-Link offers users to carry out device validation before leveraging them for the production process. It also empowers users to make an informed decision like pairing the IO devices with the correct IO master link.
Saves Time and Money During Device Setup
As the IO-Link does not require an additional setup for configuration and is compatible with many communication devices, the device setup becomes easy and does not require much time. With automation, you can reduce the time required for device setup, all within your budget constraint.
To stride ahead in the digital world, you need to be clear about your goals and objectives regarding adopting new technologies. Utthunga’s IO-Link Master Stack and configurator are appreciated throughout the industrial space for the quality we serve. Our team of experts guide you through the implementation and maintenance process for your manufacturing or production, so you leverage the ultimate benefits of deploying an IO-Link system into your network.
If reduced operational costs and improved plant efficiency are what you need, then contact us, and we will make sure our IO-Link products do the magic for you.
Embedded systems are a ubiquitous and crucial part of the industrial automation. Whether it’s a small controller, an HVAC, or a complicated system, embedded systems are everywhere in the manufacturing space. You need embedded systems to help in improving the performance, operational and power efficiency and to even control processes in the complex industrial realms. Building and maintaining an embedded system, the software that goes into these systems, is anything but a trivial task. It requires specialized tools like build tools, cross compiler, unit test tools, and documentation generators among others. The process of setting up such an embedded environment in your system could therefore be quite overwhelming. Docker helps in making the whole process a lot easier and manageable. Docker is similar to virtual machines but is a light-weight version of the same. This creates containers that share common components with the Docker installation.
Dockers are one of the preferred containers used by software developers these days. Embedded system developers are also now leveraging the benefits containers bring into their software through Dockers. Installing Docker is relatively easy and it supports different OS platforms. Once installed, you need to define a run time environment with a Docker file and create a Docker image. Once this is done, all you are left is to execute the image with the run command and share the files between the host and container. To share, you need to create a bind mount which is created every time you run an image with the “mount” option. Since embedded systems have a fairly slow rate of system update changes, you can use the lightweight Docker on a minimum build then start layering on top of it. However, running Docker on an embedded system comes with its own set of challenges. For example, Docker uses the latest LINUX kernel, which may not match the embedded system’s kernel features. Another important hurdle that developers often face is that Docker image architecture should match the run time environment.
Containerization of software applications is fast gaining popularity and is speculated to disrupt the “industrial automation” as we know today, for good. For developers, the array of container images means the collaborative creation of software deliverables is possible without overlooking the requirements for running an application within a machine environment. With the introduction of containers, industrial automation may also witness an end to the vertically integrated business model, which hasn’t changed much since the times of PLCs and DCSs. This is because the acceptance of containerization has paved the way for an efficient embedded system and easier implementation of the same into the current Industry 4.0 scenarios. It also makes automation accessible and easy to deploy in various machines.
Containers and Maintenance (Sustenance Engineering) of Embedded Systems
The industrial OT world traditionally consists of proprietary embedded systems that focus on reliability, longevity and safety.With technology advancements, maintenance of these older systemshas become a burden. The wide popularity of containerization has made containerization an important maintenance strategy for the embedded systems. Product sustenance or re-engineering is basically fine tuning your released products to add new services and enhance their existing features. It virtually extends your end of the lifecycle or older products with periodic fixes, updates and enhancements that assures reduced maintenance costs, help maximize profits as well as retain your customers. Some of the ways in which containerization adds value to your sustenance engineering are:
Ready to implement container images reduce the development time needed for application updates, defect fixes or new features enhancements
Resource utilization and sharing is optimized with better maintenance plans
Container frameworks and prebuilt tool chains enable the development and maintenance of applications on multiple embedded hardware platforms like STM32, Kinetis, ARM series etc.
Software containerization and isolation of other processes and applications protects your application from hacks and attacks. This security aspect limits the effect of a vulnerability to that particular container and thus not compromise the entire system.
Key Benefits of Docker Containers on Embedded Systems
There are multiple motivations to leverage Docker containers benefits in an embedded environment. Easy to use, they provide a lightweight and minimal way to solve legacy architecture problems etc.
Docker supports Windows, iOS, and Linux
Developers can use the tools available in their local development environment. It means they need not install tools to run a Docker on the embedded system
Developers can check the code against toolchains without worrying about tools co-existing.
Your development team can use the same tools and build environment without having to install them
Containers enable edge computing and convergence of services at the edge or gateway level
The pre-integrated container platform allows developers to create applications that scale up to their business requirements and deliver qualitytime-to-market solutions in an accelerated manner
Containers allows isolation of storage, network, and memory resources among others enabling developers to have an isolated and logical view of the OS
Portability of containers allows it to run anywhere allowing greater flexibility in the development and deployment of applications on any OS or development environment.
Conclusion
Even with its set of challenges, Docker seems to be the game-changer in the Industry4.0 era. With embedded systems playing a pivotal role in many industries, your developers can use Docker to deploy automated machines. If you want smart solutions for a decentralized plant floor, you need to get professional development assistance from Utthunga. We help you create embedded systems that truly bring out the best degree of productivity for your company. Leverage Utthunga’s embedded system consultations services and products which have transformed industries across various verticals includingdiscrete, process, oil and gas, and power industries. Contact us to know more.
Introducing innovative business practices is common among industries, thanks to the changing market landscape demanding for newer, better, and focused solutions.
Dell surveyed 4000 global business leaders among which 89% agreed that the pandemic has forced the need for a more agile and scalable IT environment. As per the statistics of Dell’s Digital Transformation Index 2020, 39% of companies already have mature digital plans, investments, and innovations in place, which is 16% higher than in the year 2018.
Having said that, the industries must have robust and flexible backend systems to handle newer processes and technology. Legacy systems are software programs or outdated systems and are not integrated with other business solutions. Due to their conventional design and infrastructure, they may not be able to perform a more efficient operation process than modern cloud systems
Digital transformation of the legacy industrial software applications is the process of modernizing an operational system to maintain and extend investments in that system.
The digital transformation process of legacy systems is generally large-scale and involves both infrastructure and application modernization. Since these legacy systems are outdated and lack robust security, industries need to transform their legacy applications to avoid data breaches and failure. This blog will cover the digital transformation of legacy applications and the factors you should consider before starting the shift.
Need for Modernizing the Legacy Industrial Software
Before we talk about how digital transformation can be done, let’s see why you need to do it.
Difficulties in Maintenance
The most obvious challenge faced by industries is maintaining these legacy systems. Legacy systems are pretty vast in terms of the codebase and functionality. You cannot just change or replace one system module due to its monolithic nature. Even a minor update can result in multiple conflicts across the system, and there is a considerable risk of interfering with the source code. Since legacy systems contain large amounts of data and documentation, migrating the application to a new platform is not easy. Companies using legacy software applications built in-house quite often face challenge in maintaining them as it becomes difficult to align the legacy applications with the modern ones. Also, the maintenance cost in these cases, are quite high.
Integration is A Challenge
As discussed in the first point, legacy applications are vast and less scalable; hence, integrating old legacy systems with modern applications can be a huge and time-consuming task for SMBs to improve their work processes.
Meaning, if you want to integrate new tools or programs, you have to write a custom code to make it work. Another issue with the industrial legacy software applications is that most modern cloud and other SaaS solutions are incompatible with these legacy systems. SMBs looking to cut costs and improve productivity should consider replacing or upgrading their legacy applications.
The main reason behind using a modern industrial software application is that it can help you eliminate data silos and enable you to use the application’s data in an actionable way they’ve never had before.
Obsolete Cybersecurity Provisions
Outdated systems and applications are a prime target for cybercriminals. Legacy systems are not up-to-date and may not be maintained, leading to a possibility of security threats. It is one of the reasons organizations are gravitating towards the cloud in recent years as cloud security is more robust than most on-premise systems.
Inadaptability to Business Opportunities
One of the common disadvantages of using a legacy system is the stifled ability to modernize and improve. As mentioned above, legacy systems are very inflexible and inadaptable to dynamic business opportunities giving birth to several issues for businesses operating in today’s digital environment.
Inability to Use Big Data
A significant issue posed by legacy systems is the silos resulting from disparate systems within an organization. Digital transformation of these legacy systems helps remove these barriers and enable you to use the vast amounts of Big Data that SMBs possess to help support your business decisions.
Complex and Expensive Infrastructure
The underlying infrastructure of legacy systems is more complex and becomes more expensive to maintain as it becomes old. Since legacy systems require a specific technical environment, the infrastructure maintenance cost remains higher than modern cloud-based solutions. Legacy application data is scattered across several databases and storage resources, making it hard to reorganize to optimize the storage space.
Today, industries should deliver a robust digital experience to engage and retain customers, and complex legacy technology is the most significant barrier to digital transformation.
Factors to be Considered Before Modernizing Legacy Industrial Software Applications
We hope you have learned the disadvantages of legacy systems and how the digital transformation of these applications can solve many business issues. Now, we will see the things you should consider before starting the digital transformation approach of your applications.
Look at Your Strategy
Are you excited to start the digital transformation approach of legacy systems? Hold your horses! Have a well-planned strategy and stick to it. In the excitement of digital transformations, most businesses often install too many systems, too quickly, and without a strategy to implement them thoroughly.
The lack of proper backing of your strategy is the main reason behind the failure of the digital transformation of industrial software applications. Therefore, a proper strategy formulated with the help of thorough research and analysis is a must.
Prioritize Your Applications
Most businesses fall into the trap of digitizing everything altogether just because they are in a hurry to modernize. Never do this. Start by focusing on the areas of your organization that need to be upgraded to reap the return on investment immediately. Digitizing all your organization’s applications at once might result in failure and disruption throughout the organization.
The whole point is- No solution introduced for digital transformation purposes should ever weaken the work process. If you feel that your investments are not improving the productivity or efficiency of the organization, digitization might not even be an appropriate solution for it. Make sure you’re targeting the processes or applications that need digitization rather than digitizing for the sake of it.
Time Management
Digitizing your legacy systems demands time and patience. Digital transformation of legacy software often takes years to realize fully. The digitization process can vary for each organization and may include implementing technologies, such as cloud, mobility, advanced analytics, and cybersecurity. Make sure you have enough time to implement the digital transformation strategy to reap its maximum benefits.
Eliminate Unnecessary Functions
Before implementing digital transformation, identify which functions and applications you can safely remove without creating any problems in the new configuration. Evaluate your business process to determine the importance of the tasks that are being carried over.
Change Management
A digital transformation strategy should always come from the top-level executives in the organization and should be fully endorsed, envisioned by the key decision-makers in the organization. It helps organizations’ decision-makers and people involved in the process to be on the same page.
Transformation of the legacy applications will no longer be a choice; it will become necessary instead. We are living in the digital age where a business’s adaptability to dynamic technologies paves the way to success. The sooner you transform your enterprise digitally, the efficient, agile, and streamlined your business processes would be.
Utthunga is a leading digital transformation solutions provider having expertise in a range of domains like Cloud, Mobility, IIoT, Analytics, and much more. If you wish to witness rapid business growth, then Utthunga is just the right digital partner for you. Get in touch today!
What is the Need for DevOps in Manufacturing Industries? (Role of DevOps in Industrial Software Development)
From deploying robots to automation to software development, there are several ways manufacturing industries are working faster and smarter. The main reason behind these developments is the easy collaboration of developers and operations teams who no longer have to use a siloed approach to software updates and changes. Together DevOps is increasing productivity and allows the manufacturing industry to eliminate the expensive and slow processes and keep up with today’s fast-paced, competitive environment.
With the appearance of new technologies and innovative circumstances related to the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0, we presently see a change in the manufacturing industries. DevOps in the manufacturing business are becoming increasingly fundamental as industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things discover more applications in the space. From the need to create a new product quickly to analysing supply-chain efficiency to automating processes, DevOps presents a solution that is able to be rapidly deployed with astounding efficiency. As a result, software applications incorporated within machines and manufacturing processes are vital to pushing the business ahead.
DevOps Integration in Industrial Software Development Process:
DevOps is a methodology that was limited to be implemented among the IT companies, which were mostly into application development and Cloud services. With DevOps, the aim is to be more rapid, robust, and efficient in launching various software development processes. But in the last few years, the methodology is now becoming a priority for manufacturers who are empowering their machines with advanced control dashboards, mobile apps, and predictive maintenance algorithms to monitor the machines themselves.
The product development teams of the manufacturing industry has to continue incorporating DevOps methodologies to match the pace of market demand.
Let’s take a close look at how DevOps integration in the industrial software development process can benefits companies:
More Agility
With DevOps, software development companies can shift and quickly update software to meet needs quickly. Automatic code testing, continuous integration, and delivery are some of the benefits of using DevOps. They are getting new software/products up and running at these facilities with precision and in no time.
Better Efficiency
DevOps empower the manufacturing industry with great efficiency, better response, and implementation time. Using DevOps, the organization’s admins can leave development teams to work on servers and tech requirements and focus on other core IT functions. Hence, the tasks are completed quickly, and deployment times can be improved.
Automated Processes
Automated DevOps pipeline means automation of the processes involving continuous integration, continuous testing, and continuous deployment, including live monitoring of application results. Through the automation of processes, businesses gain the ability to scale solutions while reducing complexity and costs. The IoT software is managed by DevOps integration by considering the operational aspects, as well as ensuring maximum efficiency of the devices.
Faster Time to Market
Manufacturing industries need to win out the cmpetition and bring products and services to market quickly before the customer turns OFF. With DevOps, manufacturing industries can beat out the competition and offer the most cutting-edge solutions with accuracy and precision.
Innovate
Using DevOps for manufacturing helps companies focus on production speed and quality control. Additionally, DevOps helps troubleshoot problems to improve the runtime and support all stages of your software development process.
What is the role of DevOps in achieving digital transformation?
According to experts, DevOps and digital transformation go hand in hand. From facilitating product development to opening new revenue streams, it’s hard to imagine one without the other.
DevOps helps organizations cut off the detrimental silos, paving the way for continuous innovation and agile processes. All these factors help organizations meet ever-changing consumers’ needs to improve digital transformation frequently.
By implementing DevOps methodology into your industrial business, every team in your company can collaborate to innovate and optimize your production processes.
DevOps can’t be implemented overnight, and you should not burden your organization to start thinking with a DevOps mindset. It’s a complete cultural shift, which is going to take time. For example – start as small as you can and gradually scale up by automating one process at a time; you can always expand alongside educating your employees about the importance of DevOps.
By following an agile approach, you’ll be able to do more with less time and effort. In short, slowly start implementing DevOps to see what your organization can achieve with it.
How DevOps Promotes Digital Transformation?
Bring together people, processes, and technology.
DevOps permits companies to deliver new products to their customers quicker, thus empowering them to develop and change the digital face of those associations. DevOps consolidates individuals, process, and innovation: wherein each of the three is orchestrated toward the related business objectives.
Make companies self-steer towards better solutions
DevOps makes an organization’s IT base more testable, adaptable, apparent, dynamic, and on-demand. This improves digital transformation by permitting more secure, more notable changes to the advancing IT framework, which then, at that point, empowers more positive, more dynamic changes to software applications and administrations. This additionally influences the operation groups by improving different perspectives and areas to expand usefulness.
DevOps allows continuous and regular innovation
There is a ton of complexities that coexists with the cloud and with working microservices. If you don’t have special or shared processes across development and OT activities, your chances of success are poor. DevOps standards and practice are the fuel for permitting these sorts of changes for the organizations.
DevOps isn’t easy to adopt for attaining digital transformation. But with the help of the DevOps consulting services by Utthunga, achieving industrial digital transformation isn’t difficult. Our experts help you implement DevOps best practices and help professionals make the most of the DevOps methodology. So call us now to leverage our IIOT platforms and expedite your digital transformation journey without any further delay.
The introduction of DevOps has changed the role of the quality assurance (QA) team. Earlier, the role of QA was all about functional testing and regression after a product is deployed. The DevOps approach focuses on automating the entire process in software development to achieve speed and agility. It also includes automating the testing process and configuring it to run automatically.
Automated software testing is an integral part of the entire DevOps process and helps achieve speed and agility. This reduces human intervention in the testing process as automation frameworks and tools are used to write test scripts.
It has additionally been seen that under agile conditions, the quantity of tests keeps on expanding dramatically across every iteration, and an automation software would proficiently deal with it and guarantee early admittance to the market.
Besides, under Agile, automated functionaltesting guarantee the product performs rapidly and precisely according to the prerequisites.
Automation tools play a significant part in accomplishing the execution of CI/CD/CT. DevOps accepts a culture shift; it breaks data silos to build, test, and deploy applications to achieve quality product with decreased deployment times. Accordingly, test automation is without a doubt the key to the achievement of DevOps.
Under DevOps system, the manual testing occurring in corresponding with the code development does the trick the Continuous Integration (CI), Continuous Delivery (CD) and Continuous Testing (CT) measure. The organizations face a ton of difficulties, for example, time limitations for development and test cycles, testing on different devices, applications and programs, equal testing, and much more. Hence, the most productive approach to parallel testing of software in DevOps systems is to embrace a well-integrated and strong test automation arrangement.
Use automated test cases to detect bugs, save time and reduce the time-to-market of the product. Here are the benefits of including test automation in DevOps:
Minimize the chance of human error as a software program does the test
Handle the repetitive process where you need to execute test cases several times.
Automatically increase reliability.
Significance of automated testing in the DevOps lifecycle:
From the above discussion, you can understand why test automation is essential in the DevOps lifecycle. DevOps demands increased flexibility and speed along with fewer bottlenecks and faster feedback loops. Under DevOps, organizations need to release high-quality products and updates at a much higher rate than traditional models. If performed manually, many aspects in the delivery pipeline may be slowed down, and the chances of error increase.
For example- traditional processes like regression testing are highly repetitive and time-consuming. Incorporating automation in testing as part of the entire software development process, can help free up the test resources and make engineers focus on more critical work where human intervention is needed.
A quick look at the growing importance of Test Automation Skills in DevOps:
Continuous Delivery and Continuous Testing
If an organization utilizes a continuous delivery strategy, its applications always exist in ready to deploy state. Using a steady delivery approach, the organization would incur lower risk when releasing changes incrementally to an application with shorter development cycles. The main element of CD is continuous testing that is directly connected to test automation.
Continuous testing is rolling out end-to-end automated testing services during all possible phases of the delivery lifecycle. Continuous testing enables engineers to catch bugs in the earlier development phase where they are less expensive to fix, thus lowering the chances of last-minute surprises. Continuous testing also ensures that the incremental changes can be reliably done simultaneously, making the application to be continuously delivered and deployed.
Take a look at the benefits of automated testing in the DevOps lifecycle:
Do you know? Automation played a crucial role in driving deployment and infrastructure processes across firms with 66 percent and 57 percent contributions respectively, thus driving organizations’ overall success through DevOps implementation.
Speed with quality:
Since automation frameworks and tools are used to write code to verify the functionality of an application, the human intervention is less. Since the DevOps approach compasses high product development speed that makes developers and customers happy, automated testing can speed up the testing phase of a product and make developers deliver more in less time.
Improved team collaboration:
Having an automated testing tool is a shared responsibility that empowers better collaboration among team members.
Reliability:
Test automation improves the reliability of products as test automation increases the coverage. It also decreases the chances of issues in production as human intervention is minimal.
Scale:
Test automation tools produce consistent quality outcomes and reduce the risk by distributing the entire development in small teams that operate self-sufficiently.
Security:
With test automation tools, you will be leveraging automated compliance policies, controls, and configuration management techniques. All these things help you move quickly without compromising security and compliance.
Customer satisfaction:
With automation tools, you can quicken the responses to user feedback. Faster responses increase customer satisfaction and lead to more product referrals. As more and more companies focus on building a DevOps culture, communication between Development and Operations has increased. Nowadays, the responsibility of product quality is equally divided equally among testers, engineers, and Ops teams. Test engineers and developers have to write the automated test scripts and configure them fully to test the application.
The operations team monitors and does the smoke testing in the test environment before releasing it to the production environment. Therefore, test professionals have to refine their test automation skills if they are involved in any part of the development process. By introducing automation testing in the DevOps lifecycle, time spent on manual testing can be reduced. It can make QAs dedicate more time to helping everyone participate in the quality assurance process.
With the above discussion, we can say that DevOps and automation are two crucial components for organizations to streamline their development process. DevOps plus test automation results in:
Facilitate cross-department collaboration
Automate manual and repetitive tasks in the development process
More efficient software development life cycle
As organizations have started prioritizing continuous delivery, implementing continuous testing through test automation will also rise. With the growth of test automation, it is necessary for people involved in software development to understand the test automation frameworks and tools that make test automation possible.
We know that rolling out automated tests across a large portion of your development pipeline can be intimidating at first. But, automated testing services is now recognized as one of the DevOps best practices.
Make sure you start by automating an individual end-to-end scenario and run that test on a schedule. Utthunga offers the right automation tools and the DevOps consulting services to get the most out of your automated testing model in DevOps.
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