Today’s manufacturing industries use a large suite of protocols and technologies to operate heterogeneous devices and software modules. Some of the most widely used technologies in industrial production are OPC UA (Open Platform CommunicationsUnified Architecture) and ROS (Robot Operating System). Hence, enabling interoperability across these technologies is critical to ensure a smooth production flow. We propose a local cloud-based approach to achieve interoperability between ROSand OPC UA by integrating them with the Eclipse ArrowheadFramework. This integration allows these technologies to operate as independent systems while communicating securely at runtime. In addition to achieving interoperability, this integration supports important industrial aspects such as loose coupling, late binding, and cyber-security, making it a flexible solution.

The OPC UA (Open Platform CommunicationsUnified Architecture) technology is found in many industrial applications as it addresses many of Industry 4.0’s requirements. One of its appeals is its service-oriented architecture. Nonetheless, it requires engineering efforts during deployment and maintenance o bind or associates the correct services to a client or consumer system. We propose the integration of OPC UA with the Eclipse Arrowhead Framework (EAF) to enable automatic service discovery and binding at runtime, reducing delays, costs, and errors. The integration also enables the client system to get the service endpoints by querying the service attributes or metadata. Moreover, this forms a bridge to other industrial communication technologies such as Modbus TCP (TransmissionControl Protocol) as the framework is not limited to a specific protocol. To demonstrate the idea, an indexed line with an industrial PLC (programmable logic controller) with an OPCUA server is used to show that the desired services endpoints are revealed at runtime when querying their descriptive attributes or metadata through the EAF’s Orchestrator system.

A digital twin (DT), the digital counterpart of a physical entity, process, or system, is a pivotal innovation driving the manufacturing industry's digital transformation. DT plays a significant role in product lifecycle management (PLM) and product condition monitoring. However, the diversity of systems and processes involved poses challenges in DT and data management within PLM, particularly regarding efficiency, standardized data mapping, and latency.The paper presents a solution architecture to address these challenges and contribute towards an efficient and cost-effective product lifecycle management system. The architecture focuses on DT's data management and communication aspects, utilizing the edge-based, decentralized Eclipse Arrowhead Framework and EDMtruePLM (Enterprise Data Management True Product Lifecycle Management) for standardized data management and condition monitoring of products.Integrating the ISO 10303 STEP standard for data modeling and the Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture (OPC UA) standard for communication is emphasized, improving the contextual significance of the data and the system's interoperability. A use case implementation is presented, where a fischertechnik assembly line is monitored, capturing sensor data through the PLC's OPC UA server. The sensor data is then aligned with the STEP standard and stored in the EDMTruePLM database for monitoring. 

The fourth and fifth industrial revolutions (Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0) have driven significant advances in digitalization and integration of advanced technologies, emphasizing the need for sustainable solutions. Smart Energy Systems (SESs) have emerged as crucial tools for addressing climate change, integrating smart grids and smart homes/buildings to improve energy infrastructure. To achieve a robust and sustainable SES, stakeholders must collaborate efficiently through an energy management framework based on the Internet of Things (IoT). Demand Response (DR) is key to balancing energy demands and costs. This research proposes an edge-based automation cloud solution, utilizing Eclipse Arrowhead local clouds, which are based on Service-Oriented Architecture that promotes the integration of stakeholders. This novel solution guarantees secure, low-latency communication among various smart home and industrial IoT technologies. The study also introduces a theoretical framework that employs AI at the edge to create environment profiles for smart buildings, optimizing DR and ensuring human comfort. By focusing on room-level optimization, the research aims to improve the overall efficiency of SESs and foster sustainable energy practices.

Research and innovation in Vehicle-in-the-loop (VIL) testing is garnering more attention than ever. Integrating cyber-physical systems (CPS) into the VIL setups further enhances their functionality and hybridises the testing. Setting up any VIL infrastructure involves substantial investments and thus requires critical analysis of the resources to achieve the intended results. This study focuses on such a VIL testing infrastructure development at NUVE-Lab, aiming to provide state-of-the-art facilities for hybrid automotive testing. The facility includes physical components such as a heavy tractor (Valtra), dynamometers, an Actuators power need generation system (APGS) system, and battery emulators (BE), complemented by digital twins (DTs) of each physical machine, process, and environment to automate the testing facilities. This research examines various interoperability challenges within the current VIL framework. Three distinct testing scenarios are created to assess the overall functionalities of the hybrid setup: dynamometer-in-the-loop, APGS-in-the-loop, and BE-in-the-loop. Analyzing individual cases highlighted the need for different modeling and simulation (M/S) tools to develop digital twins. Among the tools, SIMULINK is used to build and refine the models of DTs, whereas MATLAB is used to develop control algorithms. The study also explores the adoption of Functional Mock-up Interface (FMI) standards to facilitate seamless interoperability among modeling and simulation tools. Additionally, the potential integration of the Eclipse Arrowhead framework (EAF), an IoT-edge-based automation tool, is discussed to enhance efficient data management, service interoperability, and the integration of various cyber-physical system components. In conclusion, this paper outlines the interconnection of the digital and physical platforms to evolve a hybrid VIL test laboratory, envisioning the future trajectory of the NUVE-Lab.