Integrating digital applications with shop floor equipment is a key requirement in modern manufacturing. SAP addresses this need with the Production Connector for SAP Digital Manufacturing. This middleware solution facilitates the integration of SAP Digital Manufacturing applications with devices and equipment on the shop floor, ensuring a safe, reliable, and efficient data flow.
What is Production Connector?
The Production Connector is an on-premise .NET application that runs on Microsoft Windows platforms. Typically installed within the production network alongside shop floor systems, it provides access to production data from various sources and technologies. This enables seamless communication between manufacturing systems and SAP Digital Manufacturing applications.
Production Connector consists of two main components:
Main Service: This runs as a Windows service that starts automatically, providing cloud services needed for configuring, operating, and monitoring the Production Connector from SAP Digital Manufacturing.
Control Center: This is used for setting up connections to SAP Digital Manufacturing, managing user authorizations, monitoring the Production Connector, and troubleshooting issues.
Configuration for data exchange and connectivity is handled directly within the Production Connectivity apps in SAP Digital Manufacturing. Once deployed, the necessary configuration elements are created within the Production Connector, establishing a reliable data flow between manufacturing systems and SAP Digital Manufacturing applications.
The Production Connector supports three types of scenarios to facilitate seamless interaction between SAP Digital Manufacturing and shop floor systems:
Query Scenario: In this scenario, SAP Digital Manufacturing (cloud, acting as the client) sends a query via the Production Connector to the data source to browse, read, or write tags. This allows for direct interaction with the data source for various operations.
Notification Scenario (Subscription Scenario): Here, the Production Connector subscribes to tag value changes in the data source based on configurations set in the cloud. When a change event occurs in the data source, the Production Connector processes the event and forwards it to the destination system configured in the cloud. This ensures real-time updates and synchronization.
Orchestration Scenario: This scenario involves deploying and executing production processes that have been modeled in the Production Process Designer within SAP Digital Manufacturing for execution. These processes, running in the Production Connector, orchestrate activities between devices on the shop floor and incorporate both the query and notification scenarios. This allows for coordinated and efficient management of production activities.
These scenarios enable the Production Connector to provide comprehensive support for various integration needs, ensuring smooth and efficient operations on the shop floor.
Key Features of Production Connector
- Bi-directional data exchange
- High-performance interoperability
- Machine protocol conversion and secure communication with SAP systems
- Configurable process sequences; orchestration of independent machine units
- OPC Data Access (OPC DA), OPC Historical Data Access (OPC HDA), OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA), MQTT (You can connect the Production Connector to the SAP MQTT broker as an MQTT client), IP21, OsiSoft PI Asset Framework (PI AF)*
- Bundling and buffering of notifications; notification delivery retry; rule framework
Key Benefits of Production Connector
Benefits
Quick Configuration: Production Connector can be configured quickly to connect source systems in production environments without additional development efforts within the existing manufacturing IT infrastructure
Single Platform: Production Connector is the only platform needed for equipment integration to enable communication between equipment and various software systems on the shop floor
Multi-Site Configuration: A Production Connector system can be configured for one or more locations
Advanced Protocol Support: Effortlessly connect with various data sources and devices using a wide range of supported protocols, ensuring seamless integration with your existing systems.
Why partner with SYSTEMA?
SYSTEMA was one of the first companies to become a preferred SAP Manufacturing Service Partner when SAP began offering shop floor solutions and MES initiatives more than a decade ago. For more than 30 years, SYSTEMA has been providing manufacturers with a full range of IT-consulting and solutions to help maximize performance within their production environments.
At SYSTEMA, we understand the challenges that come along with integrating systems and equipment on the shop floor. We have been doing this successfully while providing training, consulting and implementation of SAP Manufacturing solutions for manufacturers since 2009. A common theme in all our digital transformation projects is the alignment of all key representatives who will be impacted by systems, technology, and process changes by enlisting their feedback, understanding their questions and concerns, and developing solutions with the end-users in mind. Further, we provide the support and services necessary to guide the change process from start to finish and empower users to effectively leverage the system without ongoing external support.
SAP Manufacturing Consulting and Services
- Analysis and optimization of manufacturing processes
- Architecture and process consulting for manufacturing execution solutions
- Design and implementation of automation solutions
- End-to-end implementation of SAP MES solutions
- Customized extensions for SAP MES solutions
- Equipment integration services (more than 10,000 equipment integrations worldwide)
- Execution of international projects from small to large scale
- 24/7 Application Management Services for SAP Manufacturing solutions
