HERMES SIMULATOR

Flexible Line and Equipment Simulator

CONTEST

Hermes Simulator is a simulation solution for line logics and automation stations, which enables us to build logical interaction workflows, with the aim of testing changes, before going into production.
The goal is to provide a system that is flexible on design complex station logics.

VIRTUAL AUTOMATION

  • Connectivity: the solution implements as OPC.UA Server, that is an industrial standards, in order to expose items and any OPC.UA Clients can connect to it.
  • Stand-alone: the solution implements a OPC.UA Server without need to install third-parties software or frameworks.
  • Flexibility: configure exchange items browsable by any OPC.UA Browser and design logics using a visual editor.

TECHNOLOGIES: .NET | OPC.UA | LITEDB | ANGULAR | BLOCKLY| DEVOPS

CHALLENGES

Production management systems are critical for the business. Let's discover how to avoid workarounds on the system for certification tests and how to ensure that tests are close to the final situation.

The solution exposes an OPC.UA server with which an interface can be defined. It will be the same that will be used in production. This abstracts the level of connectivity with the field.

Hermes Simulator

In this way, I can get various benefits:

  • Keeping system clean: everything above my connectivity level stays clean and close to what will be installed in production in the customer's real environment, so there is no risk of making configuration mistakes due to certification workarounds.
  • Making configuration portable: similar to previous benefit, if I have independence of the environment, because the connectivity with the field is abstract, then it means that the system configurations in the laboratory are like those in production and vice-versa.
  • Using Simulation as an investigative methodology: finally, when I encounter bugs in production, which require analysis, I can perform the investigations without impacts of customer production to troubleshoot problems.

The solution is developed considering two aspects:

  • It must be stand-alone, as a solution it brings with it everything it needs to work, this allows technicians to install the simulator on their PC, which is also present in the laboratory servers.
  • It must provide a graphical interface with which technicians can edit the logic of an simulated station.
Hermes Simulator
Solution features:
  • It exposes and administrator page, where is possible to check the logs of the simulation.
  • It automatically generates configuration schemas in order to show configuration settings that can be changed to act on logics.
  • Station simulator editor uses Blockly as library to provide a low-code editor of station logics.

  • strip-0

    Hermes Reply is the Reply group company specialized in architectural and technological solutions, Application Maintenance services for Automotive & Manufacturing industry and Management Consulting services. Hermes Reply accompany the customers throughout the digital transformation process in order to support the adoption of digital enablers and achieve short-term and long term results, combining in-depth knowledge of production processes, industry 4.0 technologies, delivery skills and strategic vision.