Smart multi-platform Fibre-Optic Sensors with Industry 4.0 capabilities

Important results from the project

Fibre-optic sensors are ubiquitously used in industry for predictive maintenance but the data they generate have different formats to other conventional sensors and actuators, complicating their integration in SCADA systems. In the pre-study, the project parties assessed the feasibility of interconnecting conventional fibre-optic sensors, used for asset monitoring, with actuators and a SCADA system in process control monitoring using the communication protocol, Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture (OPC UA), which is Industry 4.0 compatible.

Expected long term effects

In this pre-study, we developed a common communication for fibre optic sensors, implemented and successfully tested it on two fibre-optic sensing systems (a commercial and a home-made one) based on different technologies to show its versatility. As proof-of-concept, a multi sensor platform (two fibre-optic sensors and a thermocouple) was set up and data obtained from these sensors were transferred by OCP UA to a client (web browser), that was accessible to our industrial partner and other interested stakeholders during a demo session at the end of the project.

Approach and implementation

To achieve these goals, these tasks were performed: - Assessing the possibility of applying a OPC UA communication protocol and hardware-software architecture on commercial and in-house fibre-optic sensor hardware systems. - Designing and setting up a data acquisition and transfer based on OPC UA communication protocol for a hybrid monitoring system - Prospecting the commercial attractiveness of this added functionality, enabling compliance to Industry 4.0