The RAMI 4.0, Reference Architecture Model Industrie 4.0 (Industry 4.0), is developed by the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association (ZVEI) to support Industry 4.0 initiatives, which are gaining broad acceptance throughout the world. Industry 4.0 (also termed Industrie 4.0) is a holistic view of manufacturing enterprises, started in Germany, with many worldwide cooperative efforts including China, Japan, and India. Industry 4.0 concepts, structures, and methods are being adopted worldwide to modernize manufacturing.
The development of RAMI 4.0 focused on industrial production as the primary area of application, including discrete manufacturing to process industries.
RAMI 4.0 is a three-dimensional map showing the most important aspects of Industrie 4.0. It ensures that all participants involved share a common perspective and develop a common understanding.
The major goal of RAMI 4.0 is to make sure that all participants involved in Industry 4.0 discussions and activities have a common framework to understand each other.
RAMI 4.0 consists of a three-dimensional coordinate system that describes all crucial aspects of Industry 4.0. This way, complex interrelations are broken down into smaller and simpler clusters.
“Hierarchy Levels” axis
On the right horizontal axis are hierarchy levels from IEC 62264, the international standards series for enterprise IT and control systems. These hierarchy levels represent the different functionalities within factories or facilities. (Note that the IEC 62243 standard is based upon ANSI/ISA-95.) To represent the Industry 4.0 environment, these functionalities have been expanded to include workpieces, labeled “Product,” and the connection to the Internet of Things and services, labeled “Connected World.”
The hierarchy levels are connected randomly due to the enabling technologies
- Product
- Field Device
- Control Device
- Station
- Work Centers
- Enterprise
Industrie 4.0 enables to curb the boundaries and achieve integrations without boundaries.
- Flexible systems and machines; functions are distributed through the network.
- The network can cross company boundaries.
- Participants interact across hierarchical levels.
- All participants are able to communicate with each other.
- Products are part of the network.
“Life Cycle Value Stream” axis
The left horizontal axis represents the life cycle of facilities and products, based on IEC 62890, Life-cycle management for systems and products, used in industrial-process measurement, control, and automation. Furthermore, a distinction is made between “types” and “instances.” A “type” becomes an “instance” when design and prototyping have been completed and the actual product is being manufactured. The model also combines all elements and IT components in the layer and life-cycle model.
“Layers” axis
The six layers on the vertical axis describe the decomposition of a machine into its properties, structured layer by layer, i.e., the virtual mapping of a machine. Such representations originate from information and communication technology, where properties of complex systems are commonly broken down into layers.
Within these three axes, all crucial aspects of Industry 4.0 can be mapped, allowing objects such as machines to be classified according to the model. Highly flexible Industry 4.0 concepts can thus be described and implemented using RAMI 4.0. The model allows for step-by-step migration from the present into the world of Industry 4.0.
Benefits of RAMI 4.0:
The model integrates different user perspectives and provides a common way of seeing Industry 4.0 technologies. With RAMI 4.0, requirements of sectors-from manufacturing automation and mechanical engineering to process engineering-can be addressed in industry associations and standardization committees. Thus, RAMI 4.0 brings a common understanding of standards and use cases.
RAMI 4.0 can be regarded as a map of Industry 4.0 solutions. It is an orientation for plotting the requirements of sectors together with national and international standards to define and further develop Industry 4.0. There is a refreshing interest in Industry 4.0 initiatives for various organizations to work cooperatively and overcome the compartmentalization of the national standardization bodies.
The challenge:
The influx of technology is starting to dramatically improve manufacturing. However, to do this effectively takes planning, and the RAMI 4.0 model is a focal point for understanding the entire manufacturing and supply chain.
Reference Link: Plattform Industrie 4.0 – Homepage (plattform-i40.de)
