Taiwan government-sponsored Institute for Information Industry (III) has developed Chameleon software to be matched with gateways, enabling Internet connection of machines and equipment at production lines to boost smart manufacturing.
Such Internet connection has faced with two major problems. Most software is customized and therefore updating or adding equipment will need to update or replace the software, incurring high maintenance cost and much time. Most Internet connection systems are on a project basis and manufacturers have to rely on outside support when they need to add equipment to expand production capacities.
Chameleon features easy installation, maintenance and scalability, and its operation does not need programming knowledge, III said. Chameleon supports Mitsubishi Electric, Omron, Siemens and Panasonic PLCs (programmable logic controllers) as well as 11 communication protocols including Modbus TCP and RTU, III noted. Dashboard module of Chameleon enables users to set up data displays on demand for remote monitoring, III added. Chameleon provides a Python-based AI environment to enable users to develop on-demand modules for application of AI, III indicated.
Chameleon also allows users to develop computing modules for using data to compute capacity utilization rates, screen abnormal numerical values as well as SPC (statistical process control) modules, III said.
Chameleon has been adopted for at least 60,000 machines of more than 50 types by manufacturing industries of textile, PCBs, hand tools, hardware used in water supply and industrial fasteners, said III.