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DFAM: Furthering research and progress in the field of microelectronics and automation

 

The DFAM is a German research association for automation and microelectronic technologies. The organization has more than 30 members of various sizes involved in the manufacturing of these technologies. We sat down with Mr. Klaus Zimmer, head of DFAM, to find out why German companies have been so successful in this field, how security vulnerabilities in automation technology can be identified, and to learn more about what kinds of projects the DFAM is involved in.

 

GSC: In a BITKOM poll, Industry 4.0 was chosen as one of the most important market trends in 2014. Microelectronics is increasingly becoming a key technology for achieving the goals of Industry 4.0. Safe, effective and energy-efficient semiconductor products are described as the brain and the muscles of intelligent systems. At the same time, they are the key to continuous improvement and re-eingineering of processes and products. German-made microelectronics are a global leader in the fields of automotive, security, energy efficiency and industrial electronics. Why is that?

Klaus Zimmer: The half-life of current knowledge is decreasing. The future success of business depends crucially on how quickly and effectively new knowledge is added. In the capital goods industry, new knowledge of the application of microelectronics in this perspective is of great importance. Microelectronics are used in development, production and automation processes as well as in the various product components in the industry. In the future, the ability to compete internationally will depend significantly upon succeeding in using both already-tested as well as prospective microelectronic technology that is used at the right time and focused on the right goals.

The development and application of microelectronics provides the building blocks for progressive automation. In terms of time and cost optimization, the application and implementation of microelectronics in the various industries within the DFAM can be done more efficiently within a common platform in a research network of industrial electronics developers.

DFAM members combine the design, production and use of mechatronic products for the automation of technical systems. Driven by rapid technological change, they perform industrial research aimed at securing added value for their businesses. The framework sketched above can be summarized in the currently applicable success factors for companies in Germany:

  • Quick response to customer requests;
  • Cost leadership in process costs;
  • Total Quality Management (TQM);
  • New products for new and old markets.

The demands for functional enhancements of the products for customers and for short delivery times, as well as the cost pressures and the changing organizational structures lead to decentralized automation.

To cope with future demands, there is a specific way of organizing research that is suitable. This is known as industrial community research of small- and medium-sized companies, in which we also cooperate with larger companies. This type of organization has successfully promoted a "bottom-up" method, a form which, among other things, has been effective in the development of standards:
The company's research, first and foremost; the (temporary) collaborative research where it makes sense; and cooperative industrial research for the stabilization of our industrial structure.

The application and use of microelectronics require undertaking both research and development projects. Particularly in the context of DFAM, there are three different groups that are brought together, each with different skills:

System manufacturers, for example, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering or automation companies, that produce for specific markets and customers and that also precisely understand the needs of their customers;
Component manufacturers, who in turn have offered solutions to the challenges of the system manufacturer;
The realm of science, which offers research and development services and employs tools whose acquisition would be economical for neither the system manufacturer nor the supplier.

The application of microelectronics is the key for these three groups to enable the required flexible, cost-effective and time-effective organic interplay of individual functions in the future: ยป Grafik

The structure and objectives of the DFAM are applied across all sectors and disciplines. Microelectronics is the basis for technological progress across multiple industries. It requires interdisciplinary cooperation between science and industry.

 

GSC: In automation, a risk arises from the vertical integration that companies strive for as well as the largely location-dependent control system and maintenance. The project VuTAT (Vulnerability Tests of AT components) -- a vulnerability assessment of automation components -- should enable risk minimization. In order to identify IT security vulnerabilities, a framework should be developed for the automated analysis of Ethernet-based automation components. Is VuTAT already being used in the industry? What experience do you have in this area right now?

Klaus Zimmer:The primary project goal was to develop a framework for the analysis and detection of vulnerabilities of various components of automation technology that make use of Ethernet-based communication protocols. With regards to a possible use of this framework, we also considered using a developer and tester who did not necessarily have the deepest IT-security skills. Ultimately, a PC-based test environment within the framework of VuTAT could be made reality with help from "Commercial off-the-shelf" (COTS) components and open source software, through which a largely automated use of the framework could be made possible.

The basic structure of the test environment is the free network and vulnerability scanner OpenVAS, which provides a variety of vulnerability testing. This testing is implemented by an active user community. The first tests with programmable logic controllers (PLC) produced many false error reports resulting from unstable load behavior from the tested devices.

Various programmable logic controls have been tested using the developed framework. The tests, which also examined prototypes alongside commercially available automation components, showed a number of vulnerabilities, which strongly confirmed the need for adequate tests.

The vulnerability analysis of automation compontents as developed in the VuTAT project has been well received and used by the industry. The test results obtained by the analysis clearly show the need to conduct vulnerability and robustness tests on components used in automation environments. There are particular advantages to be found in the availability and use of these test tools, which make it possible to conduct an automated execution of these tests during the development period..

 

GSC: One challenge in automation technology lies within the linking of multiple systems from different manufacturers. The OPC-UA (October 2012) study by the DFAM showed that OPC-UA is concerned with a functional, uniform interface for machine data, as well as the identification of uniform information models. Have these information models already been specified? What projects exist in this context?

Klaus Zimmer: As part of a project concerning control and system engineering, the Institute for Control Engineering of Machine Tools and Manufacturing Units (ISW) has developed the outline of an OPC-UA information model for the data exchange between Human Machine Interface (HMI) applications and numerical control systems. This was developed in addition to the DFAM Study and in cooperation with machine tool and control systems manufacturers. This design includes firstly the interface structure, in addition to other data (including units or, for example, scaling factors) which is to be exchanged. The information model has the goal that a single, vendor-independent data exchange is possible, and it has already been tested as a prototype.

Following this project, the information model is further detailed and possibly incorporated into the OPC standard. Thus, there are a variety of activities underway. As part of the DFAM, no further projects have been suggested.

ISW is using the OPC-UA standards for data exchanges above field level. This relates not only to HMI applications (e.g., user interfaces) but also applications on smart devices or, for example, energy monitoring.

 

GSC: One of DFAM's objectives includes bringing together different players in the industry, and your members are accordingly varied -- from system manufacturers to suppliers and scientific institutes. How can the club to overcome the challenge of interdisciplinary collaboration? What are the advantages of DFAM for all these actors?

Klaus Zimmer:The application of microelectronics is a challenge for the entire industry, especially for the capital goods industry, which includes mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, automotive engineering and many other smaller business groups.

The entrepreneur of a small-to-medium-sized business and his or her employees responsible for development are in a dilemma. On the one hand, the entrepreneur does not produce the large quantities that are generally needed for the major manufacturers of electronic components to consider him or her to be an interested customer. On the other hand, this entrepreneur is also not in a position to produce such components on his or her own at a reasonable cost.

The technological competitiveness depends on the company's own research and development activities as well as the integration of enterprises into networks. The DFAM facilitates a cooperative network between users of different industries, suppliers of components and R&D service providers.

With this network, the DFAM conducts industrial joint research projects. The microelectronics industry users have a key position in the DFAM and work together here on concrete research projects in the pre-competitive stage.

 

GSC: Thank you for this interview, Mr. Zimmer.

 

More information: www.dfam.de

Contact: info(at)dfam.de