D6.3: Report on Interoperability with the physical factory

This deliverable is a result of Task 6.3 and provides an explanation of developed software tool to collect the real factory data from the field and to feed the FI module. Interoperability aspects with physical factory have been addressed: to such an aim, proper drivers and solutions for network operability have been studied. The issue of interoperability with the physical factory have been addressed in terms of data retrieving mechanisms and modalities, considering online real time connections. Then the common communication protocols at the field level have been approached, exploiting the standards adopted in real production systems of the various partners and the trends for the future. Furthermore, a platform independent approach have been exploited, avoiding the use of closed, proprietary communication protocols, so to properly guarantee, openness, user friendliness, generality, reusability and portability. Moreover, communication security aspect have been focused.