About MauroRiboniMX

The Goal One of the most  requested IIoT feature of a machine is the capability to manage, store and visualize data. There are many ways to achieve this result, one of the best ways to achieve this goal is to combine three apps: NodeRed: for connectivity InfluxDB: data storage  Grafana: Simple and standard HMIs Edit It's now possible to use the official influxDB app with external memory support 📲. Scroll down to the end 🚀 Let's see together how we can setup a basic example.  ctrlX core InfluxDB and Grafana Which data? The data are coming usually from Ethecat, Opcua or third part devices here there is a brief list which will be updated: Collect data from Drives  Collect data from Siemens S7 or an MLC using opcua (good for any opcua device)  Any Ethercat device (including IO-LINK masters) can be used to harvest data an take them to ctrlX, just read the Ethercat Node! Two ways There are two possible configurations:  InfluxDB 2.x + Grafana + NodeRed  INfluxDB 1.8.3 + Grafana + NodeRed There are not many differences, InfluxDB 2.0 it's an official ctrlX AUTOMATION app equipped with all the safety and platform features needed to setup reliable IIoT system. The only advantage in using InfluxDB 1.8.3 is the possibility to use the Grafana Auto-Complention features which can save some time. Chose the one you prefer considering that only the number 1 is the full supported by Rexroth. Step 0 - Valid for both solutions The first step in both cases is to setup NodeRed correctly how:  install NodeRed connect ctrlX CORE to internet and check that the system clock is correctly set download the InfluxDB palette as shown in the picture ctrlX node-red-contrib grafana  If everything goes stright we should find these three new nodes on the left: InfluxDB nodes Setup 1 - Productivity What we need to install is:  InfluxDB 2.x Grafana In the end the sideboard should look like this:  ctrlx InfluxDB node-red grafana Step 0 - Use an external memory (Optional)  When the influxDB (and thus memory) workload is high it is necessary to use an external memory to save influxDB data. Here there are the steps we need to follow:  Navigate no setting ➡️ storage and locate youre device Format the device as an Ext4 device otherwise it won't work correctly in the long term. Mount it, it will be automatically mounted at boot mount sd card ctrlx  Now we need to go to the "Manage app data" menu, save the archive and edit the influxdb config file. W need to change the bold path and engine path to use our device. Once the file is saved we just need to upload the configuration on the device and update it.  archive modification memory external Here there is my file configuration example. usually mmcblk1p1 is for external microSD cards and sda1 stand for removable usb device.  Influxdb ctrlX external memoryNOW REBOOT!!! Step 1 - Setup influx Go to the influx page clicking the icon on the left: Welcome to InfluxDB  Setup the Initial use and the first Bucket, in this guide we just use boschrexroth as anything: Setup initial user  Go to Data API Token: API Tokens Just copy and keep secret the autogenerated token: API Tokens we're done here! Let's move forward! Step 2 - Setup Node-Red Load the example in NodeRed and open up the InfluxDB node! Be sure to parametrize the node as follow:  In the server configuration is important to insert the token created before and insert the right URL: But.. What does this example do? It's simple, basically creates a set o three random values that are then joined together to create a set of values loaded inside InfluxDB.  If we come back to InfluxDB and we select Explore, boschrexroth, Drive1 (the default measurement), all the fields and finally apply we can see the data flowing inside the database!! great no? Data Explorer Step 3 - Connect Grafana We're almost done, we just need to connect Grafana. Nothing more simple! Lets do it! Just open up Grafana, login with admin as user and admin as password then move to settings and then Data sources: Data sources Select obviously InfluxDB then in the configuration Flux as query language. ctrlX setup ctrlx grafana flux ctrlx setup grafana InfluxDB  The rest of the configuration is just like the NodeRed node! The click save and test! ctrlX setup grafana InfluxDB token  Ok almost done, create the first dashboard and then click the "add panel button":  ctrlx grafana new dashboard ctrlx grafana new dashboard Ok now the panel asks for a query don't go mad.. Work smart not Hard!! InfluxDB ctrlx grafana Go back inside InfluxDB and open up the script editor, copy the query inside the panel and save! ctrlx InfluxDB2 query grafana ctrlx first dashboard First Panel completed!! Setup 2 - Alternative (not official) What we need to install is:  InfluxDB 1.8.3 Grafana In the end the sideboard looks like this: simple ctrlx apps grafana nodered By default InfluxDB 1.8.3 has no frontend so, there is no icon on the sidebar. Step 1 - Setup influx and NodeRed How? load up the NodeRed example and deploy it! ctrlx InfluxDB 1.8.3 What is happening? 1 si creating the database trough REST API 2 is setting up  a proper retention policy and 3 is creating random data! Step 2 - Setup Grafana ust open up Grafana, login with admin as user and admin as password then move to settings and then Data sources: Data sourcesImportant! keep InfluxQL as Query language! and setup the url like this! ctrlX setup grafana InfluxDB This setup has not security active, use the firewall app to protect InfluxDB! Insert drivedata as database (the example creates this automatically). ctrlx setup grafana InfluxDB Ok almost done, create the first dashboard and then click the "add panel button":  ctrlx grafana new dashboard ctrlx grafana new dashboardNow we just need to select what we would like to see, it's far more easy in this case! ctrlx grafana dashboard   ... View more

Disclaimer The goal of this guide is to enable anyone having a new or an old machine with indradrive and ctrlX drive to collect easily the data without relying on the master communication. This enables AI and Data Mining possibilities without overload and modify the standard OT processes.   Requirements Needed devices: ctrlX core ctrlX Drive or Indradrive (FW>20) Drive connect APP NodeRed APP STEP1: Possible Architectures To achieve the functionlaity we only need the ctrlX CORE in the same subnet of the drives.  Case 1: Third party controller and ctrlX CORE in the same LAN This architecture works with all the fieldbuses except ethercat.   Fig. 1.: Third Part controller Simple connection Case 2: ctrlX CORE as Ethercat master with EoE. Simplest case: ctrlX CORE is the master and we have correctly configured an EoE tunnel. Fig. 2.: ctrlX CORE as a master Ethercat and EoE configured   Case 3: ctrlX CORE reaches the drives throught a gateway (Ethercat EOE tunnel or MLC tunnel) ctrlX CORE connects to the axis through a third part controller that acts like a gateway. Fig. 3.: Third Part controller as a Gateway The Setup in this case is not automatic. We need first to tell to ctrlX core wich is the indradrive or ctrlXDRIVE ip address. Let's imagine to have a ctrlXCORE or an XM controller as master (it's the same) with address 192.168.1.25. The master communication network has ip address like 172.31.254.X so the drives will be in this range. The first step is to set the right routing rule on the core. assuming the statment made before here we have the resulting rule to be set on the XF10 network card.  Fig. 4.: Routing Rule The second step is also not automatic, we need to tell to the DCA app where are the drives. We need to make a rest request for any drive connected with his IP address. It's possible also using the datalayer node. Fig. 5.: NodeRed add device example The set payload and headers function has the following content: Fig. 6.: NodeRed add device example 2 STEP2: Install the Drive Connect App and setup Network What we need is:  The CORE in the same subnet of the drives (with either EoE or an ethernet port) The DriveConnect app installed ctrlX core in Operation Mode If these three conditions are satisfied whe should find in the Datalayer -> devices -> drives all the axis with all the available parameters listed as shown in figure 5.    Fig. 4.: List of devices with parameters.    STEP3: Collect data from the Data Layer with NodeRed We just need to install NodeRed, add a couple of nodes and we have the acces to any parameter of the drive. Figure 5 shows How simple is to collect the needed data to monitor the power consumption and show the diagnostic message of the drive. The demo flow is attached below. Fig. 5.: NodeRed demo code     Fig. 6.: Demo Dashboard Result  Next Steps Now that we're able to access the drive data we can monitor any kind of machine without interacting with the master. The data can then be stored inside an InfluxDB database and displayed with Grafana!! Stay tuned!!       ... View more