vf-OS Virtual Factory Open Operating System

Virtual Factory Open Operating System

Summary

The primary outcomes of vf-OS are an: - Open Operating System (vf-OS) and Software Development Kit (OAK) for Factories of the Future that aims to be the reference system software for collaborative manufacturing and logistics processes including its associated resources and data - Open vf-OS Platform, including a Multi-sided application marketplace and development studio, that aims to become the Apps Store for Manufacturing industry The multi-sided marketplace will allow Manufacturing Users, Manufacturing Resource providers, Service Providers and Software Developers to cooperate and demand, build, select, and use vf-OS applications with the vf-OS exploiters, like classical App stores, having a business model based on taking a share of purchases of applications and services from the platform. vf-OS is composed of a Virtual Factory System Kernel (vf-SK), a Virtual Factory Application Programming Interface (vf-API) and a Virtual Factory Middleware (vf-MW) for interoperable and secure collaboration among supply networks, enterprises, machines, data and objects. The Virtual Factory Platform (vf-P) will be a infrastructure, either in-cloud or on-premise, that supports the Manufacturing Apps Store and Virtual Machines. vf-OS especially addresses SMEs by providing a full functionality at affordable cost and with Cloud availability. The Manufacturing Apps will be developed with an Open Applications Development Kit (vf-OAK), freely provided to software developers, for rapid and cost effective deployment of advanced industrial applications running over vf-OS, allowing fast time-to-market and world-wide base industrial clients.

More information

Website:	http://vf-os.eu
Duration:	36 months
Start date:	01-10-2016
End date:	30-09-2019
Number of participants:	14
Total budget - EC contribution:	7758580 Euro - 7758580 Euro
Call topic:	Digital automation - Collaborative manufacturing and logistics (FoF.2016.11-i)
Instrument:	Collaborative project (generic)

Location

Characteristics

Comment: The Open vf-OS Platform, includes a multi-sided application marketplace that aims to become the Apps Store for the manufacturing industry. The app store and the development studio empower the crosselling of solutions that a company has developed to solve their problems to other companies in the same sector. Developers will engage on this business digital model. Open vf-OS Platform ecosystem is composed of developers/technical providers, manufacturing users, manufacturing providers and service providers. Software Developers can develop and upload to the vf-OS marketplace device drivers and API Connectors for legacy platforms and services

Technology

Building blocks

Comment: From a technological point of view, Open vf-OS Platform will provide elements covering the connected world, allowing the exchange and collaboration of information between companies on a value stream thanks to the cloud approach to be adopted (vf-Platform). The Open vf-OS covers from the control device level, where information from the systems (IoT, CPS, embedded systems) is gathered, processed and empowered.

Data communication and interoperability

Platform level interoperability

Authorisation and Authentication

Comment: Centralised token based security framework for REST APIs.

User Acccess and Rights Management

Comment: REST APIs for role based access management and security policy

Application level interoperability

Modular Design and Deployment Approaches

Comment: Dockerised components to adapt a vf-OS Platform instance to the requirements of a specific tenant

Open APIs and Communication Protocols

Comment: Middleware providing messaging and Pub/Sub Services to all components. Virtual Factory Devices Drivers and Open APIs, a set of modules that provide interfaces to physical assets (eg, Sensors) and virtual assets (eg, ERP systems and data) and ease their use in vf-OS

Integration level interoperability

Comment: The vf-OS publish-subscribe middleware will provide the data infrastructure and will be fully compatible with major industry standards (i.e. JBI, SCA, BPEL or WSDL). IO Toolkit to implement connectors to devices or business software and specific implementations for OPC UA and MQTT. Other standards as ANSI/ISA-95 will be followed.

APIs and Integration Protocols

Comment: The IO Toolkit implements clients to the REST vf-OS kernel and middleware services facilitating the integration of virtually any technology

Operating systems

Comment: The Open Operating Sytem (vf-OS) for Factories of the Future aims to be the reference operating system software for collaborative manufacturing and logistics processes and therefore enabling potentially new businesses emerging from that collaboration.

Performance characteristics

Security

Privacy

Human aspects

Comment: vf-OS as an operating system is addressed to be used by humans on stations, work centers and enterprises. Due to its collaborative nature and the app store nature, vf-OS platform will cover human interacting on a connected world of manufacturing and logistic enterprises.

Human-machine interaction

Standards

Comment: vf-OS will develop a concept for privacy and security handling, and will ensure that the concept is applicable to and followed by all vf-OS components. It will consider existing approaches (e.g. encryption), the specific requirements of the manufacturing domain, and the need for data security. The vf-OS publish-subscribe middleware will provide the data infrastructure and will be fully compatible with major industry standards (i.e. JBI, SCA, BPEL or WSDL). IO Toolkit to implement connectors to devices or business software and specific implementations for OPC UA and MQTT. Other standards as ANSI/ISA-95 will be followed.

Manufacturing system levels and life-cycle stages

Manufacturing system levels

Factory Equipment/Field Device