AMU with MQTT/OPC-UA

[javed_a]

Hello All,

Can we use AMU without Kepware?

Customer does not want to invest in Kepware, so can we have any work around with MQTT or OPC-UA, etc.

Use Case: Data will be fetched from a SCADA system and different Dashboard will be developed in Thingworx along with AMU (Asset Monitoring and Utilization).

Regards,

Javed Akhtar 

[mstarnaud]

Hi Javed

I'm pretty sure this will work, yes.

In case you haven't already connected your MQTT or OPC-UA with Thingworx, those Articles should help : MQTT, extra MQTT documentation, OPC-UA.

Once it's connected to Thingworx, you should make sure that it's listed as an Industrial Connection in Composer. Then the next step is to use it for AMU tags/attributes. For this, there are 2 possibilities : 

- In AMU, go to the Configuration -> Equipment screen, then in the Advanced Settings tab of your asset-type equipment you should be able to select it as your industrial connection. Then in the next tab, when you create an attribute it should have the list of available tags listed and you can select one.

- Use the Excel import tool. Enter your attributes in the Attributes sheet. Then, as explained in this next documentation page, execute the SyncAttributeProperties_INS service to add them as properties on your Thing. After doing this, you will be able to go in Composer, on your equipment's Thing, make sure that the Industrial Connection is correctly set in the IndustrialThing property. You should see the list of attributes/properties and can assign them to the corresponding tags : either by clicking on the property's name and using the right panel, or by using the Manage Bindings button at the top.

Let us know if this works for you.

[javed_a]

Thanks @mstarnaud  for detailed explanation. I will check these steps and let you know.

[javed_a]

Hello @mstarnaud ,

The approach you have suggested, it needs to be used with Kepware (MQTT channel, then only it will be visible in Industrial Connection) but my initial question is, we do not want to use Kepware.

What we have tried:

We have written the script in python to simulate the data (for POC), using MQTT Hive Broker, Data is being successfully subscribed in Thingworx (using MQQTT extension). On data change, we have written a subscription which sets values in required properties. But AMU uses different properties interrelated to each other, as a result we are not able to simulate data similar to what was happening with Kepware (for example once data is received in actual property start with AT_, related property such as AMUAttribute1Value_MCC also shows the same value, which is being used in application).

Other aspect, KepserverEx trail version stops every 2 hours, and we cannot test the PoC for 24 hours continuously.
So, we need an alternative, which does not have any dependency on Kepware server.

Please let me know your thoughts!

[mstarnaud · Accepted solution]

Having an Industrial Connection (required by the UI), or at least tag bindings in Composer (required by the Excel import method) would be ideal. Either of these should be enough.

There is a third way you could look into, it's not perfect but it may be a sufficient workaround. You're saying you're using subscriptions to send values into the required properties. Well we can extend this and I believe everything can work with this. Here is how I would do it : 

- Use the Excel import method to create the Attributes you want. This will let you create alarms against them and let you use the UI to prepare the asset cards.

- Then use your subscription to send the values into those properties' valuestream. Alarms read valuestream.

- Use the Configuration -> Equipment screen, the Asset Monitoring tab, to select the attributes you want to see in the asset cards.

- This will set up the AMUAttributeX_MCC properties (names, colours), but the values will be missing at this point.

- Then use your subscription to send the values into the values (not valuestream) of the AMUAttributeXValue_MCC properties. The asset cards read the current value of the properties, not valuestream.

- Do the same for property RunningStatus_MCC, which is a boolean and used for the down/running status in the asset card.

I believe this should be enough to make both the alarms & asset cards work. The bad side of this is the required workaround steps and also that those steps will need to be repeated every time you change the list of attributes in the Asset Card configuration screen.

I will check with my team if they know a way to make either Industrial Connection or the tag binding work, as those would be much easier to use and be better supported.

[javed_a]

Thank you @mstarnaud  for detailed explanation, I really appreciate!

[vnamboodheri]

Hello @javed_a, 

It looks like you have some responses from a community member. If it helped to answer your question please mark the appropriate reply as the Accepted Solution. 

Of course, if you have more to share on your issue, please let the Community know so other community members can continue to help you.

Thanks,
Vivek N.
Community Moderation Team.