Abstract: An industrial search and diagnosis system discovers available data items across heterogeneous data platforms that make up an industrial enterprise and indexes the data items in a unified searchable namespace. The system also indexes non-textual or multimedia input, including image data, video data, and audio data. This multimedia data can be indexed by the system in association with the relevant industrial systems (e.g., machines, automation systems, devices, production lines, etc.) so that the system can provide the multimedia data to the user when the relevant industrial systems are searched or invoked. The system also accepts and processes multimedia data from as search criteria or for diagnostic analysis. In an example analysis, users can submit images, audio, or video of an industrial machine or automation system, and the diagnosis system can identify an operational abnormality based on comparative analysis performed on the multimedia information.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium includes computer instructions configured to receive image data from an apparatus, wherein the image data comprises a person within a proximity to an industrial automation device, determine whether the person is wearing a set of personal protection equipment (PPE) based on the image data, disable one or more operations of the industrial automation device when the person is not wearing the set of PPE, and track a usage of the set of PPE.

Abstract: A cloud-based diagnosis and maintenance system facilitates discovery and indexing of plant-wide data residing on various data platforms across multiple industrial facilities. The system includes an indexing system that automatically inventories industrial devices and other data sources located throughout the facilities, and identifies available data items on each data source. The indexing system indexes the discovered data items in a federated data model that can subsequently be searched to locate data items or tags of interest. The diagnosis and maintenance system also includes analysis tools that facilitate cross-facility analysis of the data model, allowing performance metrics to be compared across similar automation systems at different facilities. The system can also generate recommendations for improving performance metrics based on results of the comparative analysis.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium may include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, may receive a first set of data associated with a user, receive a second set of data associated with one or more lockout procedures performed by the user, receive a request to actuate a locking mechanism of an electronic lock configured to prevent a machine in an industrial automation application from being operational, and send a signal to the electronic lock to actuate the locking mechanism when the second set of data indicates that the lockout procedures have been performed by the user and the data corresponds to an authorized user.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system may include a multi-purpose sensor coupled to a machine operating in an industrial environment. The multi-purpose sensor may include a camera that obtains a first and second set of image data including images of the machine and an environment surrounding the machine. The first set of image data is associated with a baseline of the machine and the environment, and the second set of image data is acquired subsequent to when the first set is acquired. The system may include a computing device that may include a processor to receive the first and second set of image data, determine baseline positions of objects in the first set, determine subsequent positions of the objects in the second set, determine whether the subsequent positions vary from the baseline positions, and perform an action when the subsequent positions vary from the baseline positions.

Abstract: An automated industrial notification platform creates a link between a given industrial asset and one or more people or support entities qualified to provide support for the asset. An industrial device or machine stores electronic expert tag information that records and catalogues one or more support people or entities to be notified in response to detection of various types of performance or maintenance issues. The tag can include the experts' identities, contact information, roles relative to the industrial asset, event priorities, and other relevant information. Since the tag is stored in a memory location of the industrial asset, the tag travels with the asset so that experts are globally associated with the asset regardless of the asset's location. Notification components integrated with the industrial asset detect conditions that may require expert assistance, and send an automated notification to one or more experts identified by the tag information.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a manifold apparatus may include a number of housings. The housings may receive an electrical or a fluid conduit. The manifold apparatus may also include an actuation mechanism of each of the number of housings configured to control a supply of electricity or fluid from the respective electrical or fluid conduit to one or more industrial automation equipment, and a locking mechanism including a number of armatures. Each of the number of armatures is associated with a respective housing of the plurality of housings, and each of the number of armatures is configured to physically prevent a respective actuation mechanism of the respective housing from changing states.

Abstract: A multi-platform industrial search and notification system performs automated and manually initiate information searches across multiple disparate industrial data platforms. The search system is built on a search platform that unifies plant-wide control system information from multiple diverse sources under a common namespace, or federated data model. The system can monitor this federated data model for conditions that may warrant attention by plant personnel, and deliver proactive notifications and operational data to selected users via their personal devices. The system can customize presentation of this data based on the user's role, location, and/or other contextual information. To this end, the system can automatically generate user-specific and context-specific dashboards, widgets, or other visualizations, and render these custom visualizations to the user at appropriate times.

Abstract: A multi-platform industrial search system facilitates indexing and searching of plant-wide data residing on multiple different data platforms. The industrial search system automatically inventories industrial devices and other data sources located throughout a plant, and identifies available data items on each data source. The search system indexes the discovered data items in a federated data model that can subsequently be searched to locate data items or tags of interest. The federated data model records references to data items found on different types of data sources, including but not limited to industrial controller programs, human-machine interface applications, data historians, device documentation stores, inventory tracking systems, and other such data sources. The search system can present search results as a layered map presentation that graphically depicts the search results on multiple view-specific layers that can be viewed individually or combined into composite layered presentations.

Abstract: A system may include an industrial automation device, a computing device configured to receive a first set of data associated with the industrial automation device, and a cloud-computing system. The cloud-computing system may receive the first set of data from the computing device, identify a second set of data associated with the industrial automation device based on the first set of data, and send the second set of data to the computing device when the second set of data is relevant to the first set of data.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes an industrial automation device and a computing device. The computing device includes a display configured to display a set of procedures. The computing device also includes a processor configured to receive an input after each step of the set of procedures is performed by a user, analyze the input in view of one or more scoring factors associated with performance of the at least one step, determine a first score for the user, the industrial automation device, or both based on the scoring factors, and store the first score in a cloud-based computing system. The cloud-based computing system is configured to provide access to the first score.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium includes computer instructions configured to receive image data from an apparatus, wherein the image data comprises a person within a proximity to an industrial automation device, determine whether the person is wearing a set of personal protection equipment (PPE) based on the image data, disable one or more operations of the industrial automation device when the person is not wearing the set of PPE, and track a usage of the set of PPE.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a multi-purpose sensor may couple to a machine operating in an industrial environment and include numerous sensors disposed within the multi-purpose sensor to acquire sets of data associated with the machine or an environment surrounding the machine. A first portion of the sets of data may include historical sensor measurements over time for each of the sensors, and a second portion of the sets of data may include sensor measurements subsequent to when the first portion is acquired for each of the sensors. A processor of the multi-purpose sensor may determine a baseline collective signature based on the first portion, determine a subsequent collective signature based on the second portion, determine whether the collective signatures vary, and generate signals when a variance exists. The signals may cause a computing device, a cloud-based computing system, and/or a control/monitoring device to perform various actions.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium includes computer instructions stored thereon. The computer instructions, when executed by a processor, may cause the processor to receive historical data associated with placing a machine in an industrial environment offline, to determine one or more recommendations for the machine, one or more parts of the machine, or both based on the historical data, to determine an authority level of one or more users requesting to place the machine offline, and to display the one or more recommendations based on the authority level of the one or more users.

Abstract: An industrial automation system includes a first computing device that communicatively couples to a second computing device via a communication network. The first computing device receives image data capturing a visual representation of industrial automation equipment in operation via the communication network, in which the image data is acquired by the second computing device; determines an identity of the industrial automation equipment based at least in part on the image data; determines relevant information regarding the industrial automation equipment based at least in part on the identity of the industrial automation equipment; and instructs the industrial automation equipment, the second computing device, the first computing device, the industrial automation system, a user, or any combination thereof to perform one or more operations in the industrial automation system based at least in part on the relevant information.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a manifold apparatus may include a number of housings. The housings may receive an electrical or a fluid conduit. The manifold apparatus may also include an actuation mechanism of each of the number of housings configured to control a supply of electricity or fluid from the respective electrical or fluid conduit to one or more industrial automation equipment, and a locking mechanism including a number of armatures. Each of the number of armatures is associated with a respective housing of the plurality of housings, and each of the number of armatures is configured to physically prevent a respective actuation mechanism of the respective housing from changing states.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system may include a multi-purpose sensor coupled to a machine operating in an industrial environment. The multi-purpose sensor may include a camera that obtains a first and second set of image data including images of the machine and an environment surrounding the machine. The first set of image data is associated with a baseline of the machine and the environment, and the second set of image data is acquired subsequent to when the first set is acquired. The system may include a computing device that may include a processor to receive the first and second set of image data, determine baseline positions of objects in the first set, determine subsequent positions of the objects in the second set, determine whether the subsequent positions vary from the baseline positions, and perform an action when the subsequent positions vary from the baseline positions.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium may include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, may receive a first set of data associated with a user, receive a second set of data associated with one or more lockout procedures performed by the user, receive a request to actuate a locking mechanism of an electronic lock configured to prevent a machine in an industrial automation application from being operational, and send a signal to the electronic lock to actuate the locking mechanism when the second set of data indicates that the lockout procedures have been performed by the user and the data corresponds to an authorized user.

Abstract: A first computing device in an industrial automation system may include an image sensor that captures a visual representation of a portion of a facility including a first industrial automation equipment as image data and a communication component that communicatively couples the first computing device to a second computing device via a communication network, in which the first computing device receives relevant information related to the first industrial automation equipment from the second computing device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium may store computer instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to receive an input associated with placing a piece of industrial automation equipment offline, determine whether the input corresponds to one or more regulations associated with placing the piece of industrial automation equipment offline, display a first set of instructions regarding how to place the piece of industrial automation equipment offline when the input corresponds to the one or more regulations, and display a second set of instructions regarding how to place the piece of equipment offline when the input does not correspond to the one or more regulations.