Abstract
Industry 4.0 (I4.0) middleware interoperability plays a central role in the intelligent networking of machines and processes supporting flexible I4.0 production. Interoperability levels in middleware software architecture, in relation to intelligent networking, are described to a lesser extent. This paper aims to analyse the implications of multiple levels of interoperability in middleware software architecture.
The Levels of Conceptual Interoperability Model (LCIM) is used together with prior interoperability analysis and laboratory experience as the basis for analysing the interoperability level implications in relation to middleware software architecture. Components of an evolving software architecture are proposed and discussed together with scenarios supporting multiple interoperability levels in I4.0 middleware.
Architecture proposed
An event-driven middleware composed of:
- a Bus (publish-subscribe distributed event-streaming platform) for delivering messages
- an Asset component that bridges from machine interfaces (REST/MQTT/OPC UA/SOAP) to the bus
- a Controller that initialises and coordinates components
These together provide the technical interoperability layer; syntactic interoperability is added through parser/converter components on the bus; and semantic interoperability is layered on top using ontology-based service descriptions.
Why this matters
Companion paper to An Analysis of Asset Interoperability for I4.0 Middleware (SAC 2021). Where that paper looks at the asset side of the gap, this one looks at the middleware side – and proposes concrete architectural components for handling each LCIM level.
Citation
Jepsen, S. C., Worm, T., Mørk, T. I., & Hviid, J. (2021). Industry 4.0 Middleware Software Architecture Interoperability Analysis. In 2021 IEEE/ACM 3rd International Workshop on Software Engineering Research and Practices for the IoT (SERP4IoT), pp. 32–35. IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/SERP4IoT52556.2021.00012