Deployment options

As seen in the following diagram, the United Manufacturing Hub IIoT stack can be deployed in three different levels: enterprise, site, and the production line. Within separated Demilitarized Zones (DMZ) data configuration and visualization of metrics and logging can be achieved.

In following sub-chapters, we will take a closer look for each level.

Cloud

Cloud offers security, scalability and management. To deploy the UMH in the cloud, we typically recommend either using the Managed Kubernetes offering or selecting a Virtual Machine running k3os (see also on-premise).

Cloud can be divided in two, public cloud and private cloud. United Manufacturing Hub has been implemented on Azure AKS and AWS EKS public clouds. Deployment in a private cloud can be done using Kubernetes or virtual machines as well.

On-premise

For on-premise installations, we recommend to deploy the UMH Helm Chart in a single or multi-node setup of k3s using k3OS. To get started, only a single VM is needed (see also here).

k3os is an operating system just for hosting a Kubernetes cluster. Instead of the full-blown and complicated Kubernetes (k8s), the smaller, light-weight k3s is used.

In the site DMZ, it is the element K3s cluster running the UMH Helm Chart. This is located in an on-premise server in the production shopfloor or close to it. UMH has positive experience with servers but also IPCs such as Karbon 700.

Edge devices

The last level is the line DMZ. Edge devices are running K3s with the UMH Helm chart. UMH recommends the use of fanless and rugged IPCs. Model Karbon 300 in the 4 core variant is a commonly used IPC in UMH deployments.

Edge devices can be installed around or inside the machine but please review necessary conditions, particularly to the industry regulations and machine certification. United Manufacturing Hub has deployed different strategies of edge devices, by leveraging in some cases electrical cabinets.

Edge hardware deployment

If you are curious about the hardware used in the e-racks, please review electrical cabinets and Industrial Internet of Things chapters in Knowledge section.

UMH has installed edge hardware in the following 3 forms:

• Using OEM machine electrical cabinet: Installing hardware components in the available space of the OEM electrical cabinets without affecting and risking the functionality of the rest of the devices.
  

• Using an external and fixed E-rack. Installing a dedicated enclosure for the new components to be deployed in the IIoT project is another option. This green field approach enables you to design your e-rack as you want.
  

• Using an external but temporal e-rack. Offers flexibility to install and uninstall it from the machine. This can be an approach when you need to make a project involving many machines and production processes. This small e-rack is portable; cables are connected from the lateral wall, making it easy to deploy it and take out. In the picture you see a factorycube, one of the products of UMH. If you are interested in purchasing one, feel free to contact us.
  

Please continue to Core section for reviewing and understanding the different microservices the UMH IIOT stack has.