Industry 4.0 solutions

Our innovative analog and embedded processing products, system expertise and easy-to-use design tools help you deliver the digitalization of systems to enable smarter, safer, more efficient factories. TI helps you design what’s next in industrial sensing, control, communications, functional safety and power management

All components on the manufacturing floor are connected and controlled inside a network domain which is called operational technology (OT).

In order to protect this domain from the outside world of communication – Information Technology (IT), a secure gateway function is required. In addition, the data format and communication protocol is adjusted at the edge.

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White paper: Wi-Fi® mesh networks: Discover new wireless paths

We will discuss wireless mesh networking from the top down. We will cover its main concepts and advantages and show a variety of possible wireless mesh applications along with a general deployment consideration.

White paper: Building a gateway from the sensors to the cloud

New connectivity standards continue to emerge with no convergence in sight, while legacy systems with a decades-old infrastructure consisting of mostly wired protocols need retrofitting to interoperate in the new IoT space.

Industrial control systems use programmable logic controllers to automate a large 24 volt input/output system. These IO modules can reside next to the PLC CPU or connect through Industrial Ethernet to remote IO systems.

For cabinet deployed IO functions, protection class IP20 is sufficient. Machine deployed IOs support high protection class IP67. Industrial sensors either connect via the IO system or directly over Industrial Ethernet to the PLC network.

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Technical article: Who tampered with my PLC? Are industrial control systems too flexible?

Many (if not most) machines are controlled by specialized computers called programmable logic controllers (PLCs). The roots of this trend reach back into the late 1960s when machines and assembly lines became increasingly complex, as did their corresponding control systems.

White paper: Machine learning powers autonomous industrial systems

Running a factory that perfects itself would seem to be the ideal dream of a manufacturing operations manager. What could be better than having automated systems that learn from their mistakes and continually improve?

White paper: Virtualization for embedded industrial systems

“Virtualization” is a widely used term that encompasses a wide range of technologies and can mean very different things in different contexts. A virtualized cloud system will take on vastly different tasks than a virtualized enterprise system and does things that are even further removed from what a virtualized embedded system would do.

Modern machine tools support concurrent processes of multiple parts with multiple tools. Such machines have up to 100 axes which are very dynamic in speed and very precise in position.

An automated tool changer with data logging and quality checks of the tool support full online documentation of the production process. User friendly control panels support additional visualization of all process parameters and connect the machine to the IT world.

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White paper: An inside look at industrial Ethernet communication protocols

In this paper, we will look at many industrial Ethernet protocols in detail and the increasing need for a unified hardware and software platform that enables multiple standards as well as delivers the real-time, determinism and low latency required for  industrial communications.

Training video: DLP® technology enables fast accurate 3D scanning & printing

DLP® technology enables fast and accurate 3D scans using structured light for industrial, medial and security applications. Watch video now.

White paper: Making factories smarter, more productive through predictive maintenance

Manufacturers who are looking to enable effective predictive maintenance require advanced integrated circuit (IC) solutions that cover every stage of data collection from the sensor to the cloud.

Cameras are used to detect the presence and position of objects. More enhanced systems include precise measurement and quality checks with reference parts. In addition, surroundings of machines and robots are scanned for safe workspaces.

Multiple cameras or scanners are combined to provide a real-time view of the production process. Direct integration into control systems enables a more efficient collaboration of man and machines.

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White paper: Bringing machine learning to embedded systems

It is hard to understate the promise of machine learning, the latest evolution of which, deep learning, has been called a foundational technology that will impact the world to the same degree as the internet, or the transistor before that.

Training video: Texas Instruments deep learning (TIDL) overview

This video provides a good overview of Texas Instrument’s deep learning solutions and how to get started with the evaluation of the technology.

Reference design: Deep learning inference for embedded applications reference design

This reference design demonstrates how to use TI Deep Learning (TIDL) on a Sitara AM57x System-on-Chip (SoC) to bring deep learning inference to an embedded application. This design shows how to run deep learning inference on either C66x DSP cores (available in all AM57x SoCs) and Embedded Vision Engine (EVE) subsystems, which are treated as black boxed deep learning accelerators on the AM5749 SoC.

Flow of raw material, products and packaging requires identification, tracking and transportation. In certain applications parallel movement with multi-carrier systems increase the throughput of the system.

Palletizing is used to stack many objects in one area to reduce the transport overhead.

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Training: Webinar-fitting high-tech, capacitive human machine interfaces (HMI) into space constrained form factors

Building advanced HMI solutions that fit in some of the smallest spaces and bring sleek and functional design capabilities with capacitive sensing using MSP430 MCUs with CapTIvate technology.

Technical article: The fourth industrial revolution with mesh

This revolution is characterized mainly by fusion of technologies enabling inter-communication between different production line machines.

Electronic tools in the manufacturing line have dedicated control units which are specific to functions such as welding, painting and milling. These tools may only power up when they are taken out from the tool magazine.

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White paper: How sensor data is powering AI in robotics

From traditional industrial robotic systems to today’s latest collaborative robots (or “cobots”), robots rely on sensors that generate increasingly massive volumes of highly varied data.

White paper: Time sensitive networking for industrial automation

Time-sensitive networking (TSN) is an Ethernet extension defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) designed to make Ethernet-based networks more deterministic.

White paper: Selecting the right industrial communications standard for sensors and actuators

Optimizing overall factory communications is necessary to meet the wide variety of requirements from systems of all sizes.

A special variant of industrial control exists for manipulators of industrial robots. Up to seven axes allow flexible movement in all directions.

A number of interfaces are required to integrate a robot arm into a production system. Interaction with PLC, tools and cameras enables a higher degree of automation. Additional sensing technologies and functional safety designs make human collaboration possible.

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White paper: How sensor data is powering AI in robotics

From traditional industrial robotic systems to today’s latest collaborative robots (or “cobots”), robots rely on sensors that generate increasingly massive volumes of highly varied data.

Training video: Robotic mapping and navigation using TI's mmWave sensor

This video demonstrates how developers can use a TI mmWave evaluation module and the Robot OS to map and navigate various settings.

E-book: An engineers guide to industrial robot designs

From precise motor control, advanced sensing technologies, processing at the edge to robust real-time communication there are many technologies enabling modern industrial robots. As these robots become more crucial in factories, it is important that they become more intelligent, autonomous, safer and efficient.

Many products require a tight control of temperature, humidity, air purity and light during the production process to maintain excellent and consistent product quality. These parameters get even more important with additive manufacturing. Besides the handling of raw materials and products the automated transportation of chips is part of the smart factory.

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Technical article: How to get more processing without sacrificing power consumption

Every day more electronic devices are being connected to centralized networks for the purpose of data collection and analysis.  These products range from industrial sensors used to monitor a factory process, an intelligent fire detection system or a home Wi-Fi®-connected thermostat.

Technical article: Powering smart sensor transmitters in industrial applications

Smart sensor transmitters are widely used in factory automation, process instrumentation and control equipment to measure temperature, pressure, flow, level and many other process variables.

Reference design:  Energy harvesting booster pack

A BoosterPack that harvests energy from a wide variety of current sources or from the onboard solar cells to power any low-power TI LaunchPad.

Many different control systems with hundreds of sensor and actuators share a common, deterministic backbone to make sure information flows at the right speed and at the correct time.

The time sensitive network can only meet the requirements through wired communication interfaces. However, wireless technologies gain more momentum for service ports with mesh networks collecting less time critical data.

Featured  content:

White paper: An inside look at industrial Ethernet communication protocols

In this paper, we will look at many industrial Ethernet protocols in detail and the increasing need for a unified hardware and software platform that enables multiple standards as well as delivers the real-time, determinism and low latency required for industrial communications.

White paper: Selecting the right industrial communications standard for sensors

Optimizing overall factory communications is necessary to meet the wide variety of requirements from systems of all sizes.

Technical article: IO-Link: The backbone of the smart factory

You may think that factories are already efficient based on the quality of products you buy today and the price at which you can purchase them. In reality, factories have numerous inefficiencies that an interface like IO-Link can help reduce.

A new way of transport in factories which uses intelligence to find the shortest route, pick the right parts and avoid collisions with other vehicles or humans. Equipped with a robot arm and vision system, AGVs can take over complex tasks of machine loading and unloading.

Featured  content:

Technical article: The fourth industrial revolution with Mesh

Today, we experience its fourth stage. This revolution is characterized mainly by fusion of technologies enabling inter-communication between different production line machines.

Training video: mmWave sensor training series

The mmWave sensor training series is designed for you to learn the fundamentals of FMCW technology and mmWave sensors, and start development quickly.