Tech Topic - Manufacturing

 Technology in Manufacturing

The tech topic I am interested in is technology in manufacturing.  The office I work supports a manufacturing plant, and I have witnessed many changes in processes as technology has improved.  Some of these improvements lead to requiring fewer people to complete the same tasks, but more often than not, these improvements have provided opportunities that wouldn't have been available otherwise.

Fundamentals

Early manufacturing tools could be considered using binary, 1's, and 0's.  Manually switching a lever that releases steam is an example of a switch.  Later on, relays took the place of manually flipping switches and could be used to perform these simple tasks.  Programmable logic controllers, PLCs, replaced relays and allowed building more complex results accepting more input and output.  As technology has become less expensive tablets have become more popular using USB connections for input and output on Windows-based devices.

Many components used in manufacturing are quite similar to what you might find in a computer or pc, with the exception that they are ruggedized.  These components may be used in wet, dusty, cold, or hot environments, requiring shielding or protection from the surroundings.  

Programming

Many of the processes in manufacturing have been improved or made more repeatable with technology improvements.  Often a simple chassis with slots for ruggedized cards make up the devices with a display for a few selection criteria.  This component may be replacing a simple toggle switch that someone had to physically press.  Today many PLCs use a language called ladder logic.  (Wikipedia).  These languages would be someplace between higher-level languages and machine language and often utilize compilers and write the instruction.  Today, the components are smarter and are able to be programmed over the network to adjust and troubleshoot.

Applications

The typical application in manufacturing may not be the same as in an office environment.  Ladder logic will require some special application to interact with machine components.  Databases or DBMS are very often used to collect or retrieve data from SQL or MySQL.  This data may consist of quantities to make that are sent to a PLC or controller eliminating human error inputting data or simply a display value informing a worker what to select next.  Other applications such as those used to label or mark products help to identify and quantify items shipped or manufactured.

DBMS

With more and more components inserted into manufacturing processes, there is an ever-increasing amount of useful data.  This data is often stored in a DBMS.  Some popular databases are MS SQL, Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and DB2.  (Vahid and Lysecky).   Many databases have a key strength they excel at, often because others didn't meet the needs.  One may meet be better suited for large amounts of data and another may have a better tool to import/export or analyze the data.

Architecture

The simplicity of the components may mean that the components are susceptible to compromise from hackers.  The simple requirements often mean the programming may be wide open or accept input from anywhere on the network.  There can also be a significant cost in replacing legacy systems just to prevent compromise.  There are some ways to protect equipment from unwanted access.  These range from simply unplugging from the network, using network segmentation or VLANs, firewalls with access control lists explicitly listing access, or purchasing an industrial control system, which has hardened security and is geared towards public infrastructures such as power grids or public waterworks.

References

Vahid, Frank, and Susan Lysecky. INT 100: Fundamentals of Information Technology. zyBooks.com, Aug. 2017, learn.zybooks.com/.

Wikipedia. “Ladder Logic.” Wikipedia, 28 Sept. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladder_logic. Accessed 5 Oct. 2021.