An UNS is an architecture first and foremost. UNS is semantically organized like your business. Within the semantic hierarchy exists functional, descriptive and informative namespaces that serve functions in the business. The semantic hierarchy makes it easy for consumers -- software, hardware or human -- to find the data and information they need and subscribe to it. The functions, descriptions and information are all modeled to represent the reality in the organization right now. We call this single source of truth for data and information in CURRENT state. UNS is always real-time. How a UNS is semantically organized depends on the organization, but in Industry, ISA-95 part 2 is the most common structure. In non-industrial orgs, the semantic hierarchy can be structured however the organization sees fit.
For instance, if we were to map the 4.0 Solutions company to a UNS, it might look something like this:
To fully understand the UNS, it's important to grasp the following key concepts:
The Semantic Hierarchy is the foundation of the UNS. It is a hierarchical structure that organizes data and information in a way that is meaningful to the business. The Semantic Hierarchy is typically based on the organizational structure of the business, but it can also be based on other factors, such as the types of data and information being collected.
A descriptive namespace in the context of a Unified Namespace (UNS) is a structured collection of mostly static data and information that describes an asset, system or function. Examples include an asset's name, ID, location, OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), and operational in service date. This namespace provides essential identifying information that remains relatively unchanged and is used for system context and reference.
A functional namespace in the context of a Unified Namespace (UNS) is used to model the functions of a business, process, or system. It represents the operational aspects and actions that the system performs. Examples of functional namespaces include OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness), Production Line, Change-over, Edge Data Ingress, and Roll Consumption. These namespaces capture real-time functional data, from various producers, and convert the data for a business function, enabling the monitoring and management of key business processes and system performance.
An informative namespace in the context of a Unified Namespace (UNS) is used to model and house data specifically for consumption by a consumer, such as an operator, dashboard, or system endpoint. It is designed to present aggregated, actionable information derived from various sources. Common examples of informative namespaces include Dashboard, Transaction, and Endpoint, where data is structured for easy interpretation and decision-making by users or systems.
Here are some practical steps to get started building a UNS in an industrial setting:
We've just scratched the surface of the Unified Namespace (UNS) in this introduction. UNS is a powerful architecture that offers much more than what we've covered here. It enables seamless integration of data and information across your entire business, facilitating better decision-making, improved efficiency, and enhanced scalability. No doubt, you have a lot of questions. We have provided some references below.
To learn more about UNS and its potential benefits, we encourage you to explore the following resources:
In the Demo Tree above, pay close attention to the S88, ISO55001, and BigQuery namespaces. These are examples of endpoints designed for external consumers like compliance, quality, and big data software. They provide access to contextualized and normalized data and information, demonstrating the power of UNS for integration and interoperability.
We hope this introduction has sparked your interest in UNS. By embracing this powerful architecture, you can unlock new levels of efficiency, agility, and innovation in your organization.