With open automation into the electrified future
Audi uses PLCnext Technology from Phoenix Contact at its Ingolstadt facility in Germany for the body shop of the all-electric Audi Q6 e-tron series. This open ecosystem supports numerous IIoT functions and includes integrated cybersecurity compliant with the IEC 62443-4-2 standard.
Phoenix Contact supports sustainability through key technologies for electrification, networking, and automation. PLCnext Technology, an open ecosystem with numerous interfaces from sensor to cloud, facilitates continuous information flow in carbon-neutral production. It supports standard PLC programming (IEC 61131-3) and high-level languages (C/C++, C#, Matlab Simulink) running in real time on PLCnext Control controllers. This integration benefits both IT and OT specialists, aiding the automation of Audi’s production facilities.
Improving the greenhouse gas balance through optimized production processes
Audi aims for carbon-neutral production at all sites by 2025, a goal already achieved at Ingolstadt in early 2024. In the body shop, improving emission values through quality, availability, and adaptability is crucial. Production-related GHG emissions increase with no-load periods or rejected bodies, raising costs and impacting the GHG balance.
To prevent increased GHG emissions and costs, Audi implements shutdowns during no-load times and uses communication-capable energy meters. These include Phoenix Contact’s EEM-MA 370, to monitor consumption. Transparency in energy flows and early detection of malfunctions are crucial. Ultimately, identifying minor quality deviations early can significantly improve process flow. This in turn results in shorter cycle times and optimized energy balance for each car.
The RFC 4072S safety-related controller is central to the body shop’s automation solution, ensuring functional safety in vehicle manufacturing. Moreover, it offers comprehensive diagnostics for all processes and relevant communication data. While IEC 61131-3 is typically used for production programming, high-level languages like C/C++ and C# are also employed for complex real-time applications.
Time savings of more than 30 percent when creating the system visualization
In the Ingolstadt project, the block standard developed since 2004 on the PC Worx platform has been converted to PLCnext Technology. This update has expanded the library to over 600 modules for optimized body shop process control. The RFC 4072S PN PLCnext Control ensures machinery safety per IEC62061 SIL3 and EN ISO13849-1 PLe standards. The new automation platform also offers web visualization for better information consistency and integration.
A specially developed visualization assistant automatically generates about 98% of the operating displays. This is done by accessing user program information and using over 700 icons from the new system library. This includes conveyor systems, where employees operate only visible areas. The generator creates individual user interfaces for each system part, reducing installation time. Reducing the time to a third of the previous requirement, significantly benefits adaptations and commissioning.
Users can flexibly integrate the control stations for system operation into the 1-gigabit network via a push-button box with an emergency stop button. Industrial PCs from the Basicline series (IP65) serve as main and auxiliary control panels at robot cells, providing direct access to crucial information for quick response. The control panels in the conveying technology feature eHMI Linux clients, developed per Audi’s specifications, focusing on IEC 62443 security compliance and easy update management. This ensures optimal integration of industrial PC maintenance into tried-and-tested processes.
Development of a holistic safety concept in accordance with IEC 62443
The increasing number of information sources, like sensors and cameras, results in more data and potential security vulnerabilities. Audi addresses these projects with a cybersecurity focus. Together with Phoenix Contact, a TÜV-certified IEC 62443-3-3 Security Service Provider, Audi developed a holistic security concept during the planning phase. This concept meets IEC 62443-2-4 requirements and includes a threat analysis to enhance production area security.
Optimizing production and resource sustainability requires secure data usage. Audi is establishing a foundation for sustainable, future-proof production through smart electrification, effective networking, and open automation, enabling the flexible integration of new technologies like machine learning.
Controllers with extensive security functions
The PLCnext Control controllers, certified by TÜV Süd to IEC 62443-4-1 ML3 and IEC 62443-4-2 SL2 standards, offer extensive security features. These include a firewall, network segmentation, TSL Security for secure communication, certificate management, role-based access control, event logging, device and update management, TLS implementation compliant with IEC 62351-100-3, and an IEC 61850 communication stack as an app.
