1. Challenges in Wastewater Treatment Monitoring
In wastewater treatment stations (Station 1), the system often uses old but stable controllers like the Siemens S7-200 PLC connected directly to a Siemens TP177 Micro HMI screen.
When upgrading to remote monitoring via 4G, touching the physical connection between the PLC and HMI can cause network drops, signal conflicts, or machine stops. Therefore, we need a device to act as a safe 'network separation bridge.' This is where Profihub B2+ comes in.
2. Profihub B2+: The "Heart" of the Safe Network Separation Solution
In Aucontech's system design, the Profihub B2+ (marked with a yellow star as a new installation) is the central core for routing data.
Working principle of Profihub B2+ in the system:
- Creating independent branches: The main job of Profihub B2+ is to create extra connection branches between the old system and the new IIoT device. It splits the physical network into isolated parts but keeps the data synced.
- Keeping the current system stable: Using the PPI protocol, Profihub B2+ makes sure the main communication between the S7-200 PLC and the TP177 Micro HMI runs smoothly without signal loss. Factory operations are not affected at all.
- Providing a port for the IIoT Gateway: At the same time, Profihub B2+ provides a safe MPI port so the data collection device (IIoT Gateway VPN Router Ewon Flexy 205) can plug in and passively read data from the S7-200 PLC.
By isolating and boosting signals on each channel, Profihub B2+ prevents network errors or interference from the Gateway branch from spreading to the factory's main control branch.
3. Continuous Monitoring Architecture from Edge to Cloud
Besides the strong Profihub B2+, the continuous network monitoring system also runs smoothly thanks to matched hardware and software:
3.1. Data Flow
- Data collection at the site (Edge computing): The IIoT Gateway (Ewon Flexy 205) has an MPI card to read data via PPI protocol from the Profihub B2+, and a 4G Antenna card (placed outside the electrical cabinet for the best signal).
- Continuous data transmission: Every 2 to 5 seconds, data is automatically sent to the Cloud Server via 4G Internet.
3.2. Diverse connections & Security
- MQTT Protocol: Used to push light and fast data to the Cloud Server continuously.
- VPN Tunnel: A private, highly secure connection for Service Engineers to troubleshoot, maintain, and upload/download programs remotely without visiting the factory.
- HTTPS: End users can easily access visual Dashboards and Reports anytime, anywhere.
4. Great Benefits of Aucontech's Solution
Using this hardware setup with Profihub B2+ brings practical benefits for businesses and smart industrial parks:
- Zero-Downtime: Upgrading the IoT system does not require stopping the running production line thanks to Profihub's safe branching.
- Real-time Monitoring: Very low delay (2-5 seconds) helps detect and warn of problems early at the wastewater station.
- Historical Data Storage: Automatically saves operating data on the Cloud Server for analysis, environmental reports, and system optimization.
- Remote Control: Engineers can fix urgent issues immediately through a secure VPN network.
