1. Implementing Manufacturing and Supply Chain Materials Management
  2. Use MQTT for Operational Events and Commands

Use MQTT for Operational Events and Commands

Use an MQTT broker for Smart Operations to be able to subscribe to events published by your external system or IIoT environment. You can also use the broker to publish commands related to set points and program information to be configured on the equipment.

To use the MQTT PUB-SUB mechanism, you need the following:

  • You should have an MQTT broker that is publicly reachable. The broker should support MQTT v5 along with capabilities such as shared subscription and QoS = 2.
  • Add your broker integration details under Smart Operations Configurations.
  • Smart Operations support basic authentication with one-way SSL for integration with MQTT brokers. You can use certificates issued by a Certificate Authority (CA). Self signed certificates are not allowed.
  • Your IIoT environment or external system should be able to publish events to the publicly reachable broker using the following topic:

    Operational-data/v1/events

Create the MQTT Broker Integration

You need to specify the connection details for the MQTT broker to subscribe to events and to publish commands to connected equipment and assets.

To configure the MQTT broker:

  1. In the Work Execution work area, click the Smart Operations Configurations action or task under Manufacturing Setup.
  2. Switch to the Integrations tab.
  3. Click Create Integration to create an integration.

    You can only have one broker configured at a time. If you need to update the broker settings, you can edit the integration, or delete and create a new one.

  4. Under Details, provide a Name, Code, and Description for the integration. The integration type is MQTT by default.
  5. Add the connectivity information:
    • Broker Host: The host name for the MQTT broker.
    • Port: The port used to connect to the broker host. For example: 8883.
    • Authentication Type: Basic authentication is used by default.
    • User Name and Password: The credentials used to connect to the broker.
  6. Click Create.
  7. To use a certificate issued by a Certificate Authority (CA), click Add under Certificates.
  8. Paste the certificate content including any certificate chain in the designated area and click Add.
  9. To verify the connectivity for an integration, click the Actions menu for the integration and select Connectivity Status.

Verify Event and Command Transmission

For MQTT subscribe, publish the equipment and asset events to the publicly reachable MQTT broker using the topic:

Operational-data/v1/events

For MQTT publish, subscribe to the publicly reachable MQTT broker for the topic syntax:

command/<assetNumber>/<commandTypeCode>

Use one of the following formats:

  • #: To subscribe to all the published commands.
  • command/#: To subscribe to all commands across all assets and equipment.
  • command/#/CA_SET_OPERATIONAL_PARAMETERS: To subscribe to specific set operational parameter commands across all assets and equipment.
  • command/<assetNumber>/#: To subscribe a particular asset or equipment to all commands.
  • command/<assetNumber>/CA_SET_OPERATIONAL_PARAMETERS: To subscribe a particular asset or equipment to specific set operational parameter commands.

What to Do Next

Smart Operations let users create operational rules for asset faults, asset statuses, and operational parameter events. These operational rules evaluate the incoming events and execute automated workflow actions if the rule conditions are met. To create operational rules using Smart Operations, refer to the user guides for Manufacturing and Maintenance:

Smart Operations maintain a record of operational data and events, such as operation execution start or stop, quantity report events, asset status events, operational parameters, and meter readings. You can view the accepted and rejected operational event records and also view operational events that failed to process. You can also view the accepted and in-error operational commands. Use the Operational Data task or action in the Work Execution work area to look at operational events and commands.