Hindawi Publishing Corporation

Advances in Mechanical Engineering

Volume 2013, Article ID 516061, 8 pages
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/516061

Research Article
A Novel Framework for Agent-Based Production Remote
Monitoring System Design: A Case Study of Injection Machines

Yun-Yao Chen, Shang-Liang Chen, Ying-Han Hsiao, and Sin-Ru Wang

Institute of Manufacturing Information and Systems, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan

Correspondence should be addressed to Shang-Liang Chen; slchen@mail.ncku.edu.tw

Received 7 October 2013; Accepted 19 November 2013

Academic Editor: Chien Hung Liu

Copyright 2013 Yun-Yao Chen et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License,
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Currently, many injection machine controllers in the market involve PC-based architecture, so engineers can conduct simple
and quick operation on the controller via a human-machine interface. However, when there are too many machines in a factory,
mining algorithms for multimachines and development of rear-end applications are often trivial and complicated. The operation
systems of the machines in factories are different, and different machine models need different transfer protocols for data mining.
Therefore, we need to develop different information platforms and machine production information mining systems for cross
platform controllers. This research proposed an agent based remote monitoring system for injection machines to solve this problem.
The agent-based production remote monitor system framework in this research has the following advantages. (1) It can transmit
machine information cross platforms regard of constraints of different operating systems. Controlling frameworks can process
data mining and transmission. (2) It can send back machine information actively to the manager without operation of machine
operators, mine specific information effectively, and screen unnecessary machine information. (3) It can categorize the required
information, filter extra information, and elicit data the user needs.

1. Introduction Many vendors have developed systems based on client-

Electric injection machines, which can be called revolution
in plastic injection machines, are of high-speed, and accu-
rate, quiet, energy-saving, and clean. The market is exten-
sive, including areas of plastic injection products. However,
injection machines in factories must be maintained and
adjusted frequently by engineers due to tool breakdowns, tool
overheating, or parameters adjustment. Generally speaking,
when a machine issue occurs, the operator has to request
an engineer to resolve it. Since an adjustment of parameters
must be done on every machine manually, commonly belated
presence of the engineer results in a lack of immediate solu-
tion and a waste of time. Therefore, information monitoring
system design plays an important part in controlling injection
machine monitoring. Generally speaking, when there are
too many machines in factory, the mining algorithm for
multimachines and development of rear-end applications
are often trivial and complicated. The operation systems of
machines in factories are different, and different machine
models require different transfer protocols for data mining.
server architecture and web-based systems. However these
platforms are sometimes inflexible and often centralize much
of the system functionality without the ability of multiple
source integration [1]. Therefore, it is necessary to develop
different information environments and machine production
information mining systems for cross-platforms. Determine
a method by which to construct a machine information min-
ing system has become a major task for system developers. As
a result, this research develops an information mining agent
based on injection machines to solve this problem. According
to Wooldriges definition of agent, an agent is a software (or
hardware) entity that is situated in some environment and is
able to autonomously react to changes in that environment.
Some characteristics are also proposed in the research above.
(1) Reactivity: an intelligent agent can change their manners
based on certain time interval. (2) Proactiveness: agents
can automatically do some behaviors for achieving certain
goals. (3) Social ability: agents are able to interact with each
other in a cooperative manner. This characteristic is based
on agent communication language (ACL) [2]. Buse defined
2 Advances in Mechanical Engineering
that an agent is a software entity that is situated in some
environment and can sense and react to changes in that
environment. Otherwise, agents are capable of operating
autonomously and in a goal directed manner [3]. Some
other researchers have proposed that agents can have the
ability to cross platform and perform tasks beyond platforms.
Moreover, agent-based manufacturing systems can offer
distributed manufacturing functions with communication,
cooperation, and synchronization capabilities that can cover
the behavior specifications of components fulfilled by the
manufacturing system [1]. More researchers have verified
that the multi-agent technology can be helpful for traditional
system transform. The multi-agent technology has some
common characteristics, such as distribute ion, autonomy,
interaction, and openness [4]. Based on the advantages of
agent mentioned above, the proposed framework has three
major mechanisms with the following advantages. (1) It
can transmit machine information across platforms, so that
different operational systems and controlling frameworks can
execute data mining and transmission. For instance, many
PC-based controlling systems like Windows XP and Linux
will no longer be limited to operation systems, and different
controllers can be integrated for the purpose of effective mon-
itoring. (2) It can send back machine information actively to
the manager without a machine operator, can effectively mine
specific information, and can screen unnecessary machine
information. In the past, the user has had to control via a
remote monitoring system, elicit the needed information,
and calculate the results via a human-machine interface.
(3) It can categorize the required information, filter extra
information, and elicit the data the user needs. For example,
the information that the equipment engineer needs is that
regarding diagnosis, warning, and abnormalities. The agent
can judge the users identity and offer the information that
this user needs. A cross-platform information mining agent
for an injection machine is developed based on a PC-based
controller of an FAE allelectric injection machine for F
Company. The research method is administrated using the
following three steps for investigation and exploration:
(1) design of a system framework for a cross-platform
information mining agent based on an injection
machine, which can transmit machine information
across platforms using different operating systems;
(2) the adoption of a TCP/IP-based service oriented
architecture communication protocol, connection of
the client end and the server end, and implementation
of a packet format setup and transmission test;
(3) designing of heterogonous platform, conducting an
agent experiment, including monitoring transmitting
time and packets, and constructing a human-machine
interface.
According to the three research procedures mentioned above,
a system prototype is designed and implemented in this
research, and the results verify that the cross-platform infor-
mation mining agent for injection machine developed in this
research can effectively raise the cross-platform properties of
various PC-based controllers as well as system availability.
Experiments are conducted on the basis of packet transmis-
sion and connection stability.
2. Literature Review
2.1. Application of Agent Technology to Manufacture Systems.
A control system based on agent technology has become a
successfully manufactured model in recent years [5, 6]. An
agent-based system consists of a set of agents in which each
agent negotiates with others to resolve conflicts in a cooper-
ative, compromised, or competitive manner [7]. Researchers
proposed an agent-based open e-remote monitoring system
framework to adjust to various manufacturing systems with
different platforms. The system framework is based on service
oriented architecture and can continue to develop flexibly
according to different business models. The main purpose
is to develop new functions effectively and quickly in accor-
dance with user demand [8]. In addition, it focuses on direct
control of the machines in the factory under consideration.
As a result, in respect of system design, an agent can play a role
in quick and effective development. Also, Colombo et al. also
proposed an agent-based smart platform. (1) This framework
can integrate different process systems and programs [9].
Via a work piece agent, a machine agent, and a transport
agent, different heterogametic process systems can process
configurations through a PC. We therefore discover that
agent technology can be brought to a full play in regard to
the integration of cross-platforms. Dana et al. proposed an
agent-based remote control system model (ADCMCS). (2)
The results of this research were focused on application of
object-oriented technology and agent technology to machine
control in a factory. The results also explain that the research
framework can involve control and operation in factories.
Furthermore, in the research content, each agents frame-
work was analyzed using the UML model, and the agents
communication model was constructed [10]. This research
also implemented an injection machines remote monitoring
system using this method. We can therefore see that agent-
based framework is extensively applied to manufacturing
systems. The monitoring system designed in this research
allows many users to monitor multimachines at the same
time without causing overloading the machines connection.
The advantages of the framework proposed by this research
include the following.
(1) Exchange and transmission of machine information
can occur across platforms; different operation sys-
tems and controlling frameworks can conduct data
mining and transmission as well.
(2) It can send back machine information actively with-
out the need for a machine operator, and it can effec-
tively mine specific information and screen unneces-
sary information.
2.2. Application of Agent Technology to Remote Monitor-
ing Systems. Dana et al. designed a PLC-based controlling
TCP/IP remote monitoring system, which used an industrial-
compatible TCP/IP protocol. Each PCL module had a set of
IPs by which the system could transport the packet to the
Advances in Mechanical Engineering
destined IP using TCP. Then, different TCP headers were
formulated, and industrial equipment was controlled by dif-
ferent process parameters. The design of the system empha-
sized robustness, a high degree of scalability, extensibility,
sophisticated communication capabilities, and a powerful
development environment [11]. This research extended and
implemented that research framework by means of agent
technology to carry out the five major characteristics. It
referred to the packet content in that research and determined
the most proper packet length via packet transport test in
order to formulate the packet format suitable for an injection
machine controller [11]. Gruhler proposed the use of TCP/IP
and CAN to control a FESTO robot. This system connected
a web server via the Internet (TCP/IP), connected FESTO
via CAN, and further achieved a remotely controlling server
driver to change the robots position [12]. In addition, by
remotely monitoring the existing ordinate and the track,
people could monitor the machine conducting processing
effectively via TCP/IP protocol without being limited by a
firewall. The system is mainly used in monitoring image
streaming. Based on the proposed concept of this research,
application of this research primarily focuses on actual
information elicitation and mining. ARBURG uses a TCP/IP
framework to remotely monitor injection machines. This
remote monitoring service is called the ARBURG Remote
Service (ARS) and enables the user to check the machines
condition on a PC easily via this service [13, 14].
3. Research Methods
The PC-based controller for this research is for allelectric
injection machines. Generally speaking, the client can oper-
ate the injection machine at the remote easily via human-
machine interface. In the research methods, we begin with
analysis of the system framework for an actual application
situation. Next, two major frameworks, the machine connec-
tion agent and the information mining agent, are designed to
achieve five major characteristics, that is, robustness, a high
degree of scalability, high degree of scalability, extensibility,
sophisticated communication capabilities, and a powerful
development environment. For different interfaces of differ-
ent types of injection machine software, we applied service
oriented architecture (SOA) for the purpose of developing a
formal standard based on XML data type. Different injection
machine controllers are driven by different device drivers
with their respective standards or communication networks.
Moreover, the development of different functions for manu-
facturing or monitoring machines requires different methods
or APIs. In this regard, SOA can provide system experts a
way to integrate and develop different drivers or software.
Based on the following literature review, we summarized
some functionality of agent based manufacturing systems as
follows.
(1) Knowledge Reasoning. An agent based manufacturing
system can have knowledge-based and reasoning
functions. Manufacturing rules and factors are stored
with connection and communication networks in it.
3
(2) Object-Oriented. Agent-based manufacturing system
has the features of object-oriented concept, for exam-
ple, class, inheritance, method, instances, and so
forth.
(3) Cross-Platform. It can interact with each other to
the development of flexible, extensible, and open
architectures for cross platform.
(4) Business Process Lead. It can process business task for
directly or non-directly decision making for business
process or system frameworks. Some methods can be
performed without human.
(5) Loading Balance. It can balance resources of networks,
memories of developed platforms to keep the stability
of executing manufacturing tasks.
(6) Handshaking. It can communicate with each others
based on multi-agent architecture. Information can
be shared by an optimization manner.
(7) Self Learning. It can summarize its experiences from
tasks performed in the history. Constructing own
knowledge base and improving the ability of solving
problems or issues.
3.1. System Framework. A cross-platform injection machine
remote monitoring system framework based on agent tech-
nology is shown in Figure 1. This research carries out agent
and applies agent technology to injection machine remote
monitoring system design. We categorize data forms sent out
by the injection machine into a prototype name, system time,
temperature warning, product quantity, and accepted goods
quantity. Additionally, an information mining agent has been
designed to regularly receive and send back information
required by a specific user to human-machine controller
interface. Regarding information classification, we group
according to the model names, so that information such as the
quality management and mode order management record for
each injection machine can be sent to the cloud database in a
timely manner. In this manner, the manager can use a cloud
application to observe the production condition of various
products anytime and anywhere and can give an order or
demand on a timely basis. For example, if a certain injection
machines production quantity does not meet the demand,
or the products quality is poor, an engineer can be assigned
to maintain it immediately. This system can also provide a
user to control multimachines in order to conduct the same
movement at the same time and prevent the engineer from
wasting time and labor by repeating the same movement.
This research schemes a system framework on the basis of
the hardware requirement of e-injection machines, including
three parts: the injection machine, the client (PC, PDA, and
Notebook), and data center (MES database or CIM database).
Web Services can be abstracted with different functions
when needed. Different controller of injection machines and
different operating systems of users can be integrated with the
capability of integration for agents. End users can monitor,
manage through different platforms and devices with the
information filtered by agents respectively. Judgments can be
proactively made before the information send to the users.
4 Advances in Mechanical Engineering
Production parameters tuning can improve more efficiently
and dynamically. In this framework, services are saved as web
services, which allow software developments to develop their
new software interfaces for difference usages. The proposed
framework can have following advantages.
(1) All Electric Injection Machines (F70i-Server Con-
troller). To read injection machine information the
computer must be connected by the Ethernet of the
controller, data must be transmitted via the Ethernet
network, and a client/server framework must be
used for the client end to monitor the production
information of multimachines at the same time.
(2) Client. The system user can look up machine infor-
mation quickly and remotely through the software
developed by this research. Machine information is
displayed by an graphic user interface that only lists
information that the user needs based on the decision
of agents.
(3) Data Cloud. The functions of the system are devel-
oped by web service, so that the developed service
can be used repeatedly. The agent framework pro-
posed in this paper can coordinate the operation of
each service pool effectively, which will be explained
later. Data regarding machine, maintenance, limit
of authority, and machine parameters and machine
temperature are stored in a cloud server.
3.2. Machine Connect Agent. A machine connection agent
mainly transmits data for the client end (PC) and injection
machine controller via the Ethernet (TCP/IP) connection
mechanism to allow the system to read the machine con-
ditions and control the machines. The agent frameworks
proposed in this research are a machine connection agent
and an information mining agent, and the framework of
proposed agent communication model is shown in Figure 2.
The machine connection agent can positively listen to the
TCP/IP continuously and can also transmit data steadily.
Function judgment can proceed according to the content of
the packet, and different TCP headers can be regulated to
control the function library. The machine connection agent
mainly provides the following functions.
(1) Data Transmission of Cross-Platform Injection Ma-
chines. Different machines usually develop the con-
trollers with different operating systems. The machine
connection agent proposed in this research can trans-
mit cross-platform TCP/IP packets and regulate a
TCP header without being limited by the controllers
operating system.
(2) A Packet Listening Mechanism with an Automatic Fix
Function. Machine connection agent can positively
judge whether information is complete or not. When
the machine is too busy or there is even a shutdown
or missing data, the machine connection agent will
recombine the information, restore its completeness,
and effectively fix the missing information.
(3) Unblocking of Timely Information. The machine con-
nection agent can quickly monitor the condition of
the injection machines. When the machine crashes
or is maintained, the machine connection agent can
report the condition on a timely basis and inform the
information mining agent to conduct handshaking to
achieve effective unblocking of information.
3.3. Information Mining Agent
Machine Connection Agent. The framework for the informa-
tion mining agent receives data decoded by the machine
connection agent according to the system format of all
electric injection machines. The information mining agent in
this research has the following main functions.
(1) Information Elicitation. The agent can read data on
the memory of the injection machine using the agent
system program on the controller. The information
mining agent can actively decode the machines
packet information and can divide it into different
segments for the purpose of classifying different kinds
of information.
(2) Data Filter. The mining agents are designed with data
filter functions. Information is elicited by information
mining agents, which is translated to the adminis-
trator may want to understand, such as mode name,
mode order management, and quality management.
For example, data are divided into many word strings
and combined with preposition string for users to
understand. In different conditions, different infor-
mation is displayed according to the judgment of
information mining agents.
(3) Unification of Word Strings. In order to fix the packets
format and for the client ends convenience regarding
assessment, the string of words to transmit the packet
must be mode name + system, time + mode,
order management (record of entering the factory
and maintenance), and warning and message dis-
play line (warning record and temperature warning)
and quality management (product quantity, accepted
goods quantity, defect goods quantity, and continuous
defect goods quantity).
(4) Dynamic IP Coordination Mechanism. When the
controllers IP changes, the IP of the connection
controller in the remote monitoring management
system must change as well, so that the packet can
be received correctly. The information mining agent
proposed in this research can change the IP of the
controller. After modifying the IP, it updates the IP
to the database immediately. This system autodetects
whether the IP changes every second and will update
it upon any change. Such mechanisms can make
connection even more stable and can also prevent the
packet from disappearing after the IP is modified by
the controller.
(5) Handshaking Mechanism. Information mining agents
are able to exchange data in a flexible manner. By min-
ing the production database (Production DB), pro-
duction records are transmitted and receive through
Advances in Mechanical Engineering 5

Offline machine monitoring/parameter tuning

Android platform
Mobile app platform management key technologies
Common protocol A
Socket connection
Internal equipment

App 1
information App DB Offline DB

monitoring and management mobile app

App pool 1
End user
OP computers

Phase 2: development of production

(leader, supervisor,

platform for injection machines

(i-line 32) Service

Injection machine mobile

engineer, operator)

Authorization/firewall/information
Mining agent abstraction

Windows platform
security/user management
app platform

App 2
Injection machine 1
..
.
Production

Common protocol A
monitoring and
Socket connection management apps

App pool N
Internal equipment Service .
..
information abstraction
OP computers
(i-line 32)

Mac platform

App N
Mining agent
Factory/MES network

Apps PDA/PAD/
Injection machine 2 Offline machine monitoring/parameter tuning mobile devices
Common protocol A

Mold name

Application 1
Socket connection

Internal equipment

Web-based
information Date time

monitoring and management applications for

MES DB CIM DB

Phase 1: development of production

End user

Function 1
OP computers Temperature (leader, supervisor,
(i-line 32) alarm engineer, operator)
Function
Mining agent Production abstraction
quantity

Application 2

injection machines
Virtual-systems
Injection machine 3 Yield .
..
.
. ..
.. Vibration timer
Production
monitoring and
Internal equipment Pressure Function N .
.. management
Common protocol A

settings Function
Socket connection

information applications
abstraction
Application N
Neutron settings
OP computers
Application-

(i-line 32) ..
based

Mining agent .

Alarm records Production information Offline production

Injection machine N parameters systems
Production information
Online production information retrieval Offline production monitoring and management system

Figure 1: Cross-platform injection machine remote monitoring system framework based on agent technology.

agents. The information mining agent can change the function UnblockingFunction . AutoFixFunction is used to
its status dynamically (SEND/RECEVIE/LISTEN), positively judge whether information is complete or not.
which means that all the agents are able to have several When the machine is too busy or there is even a shutdown or
characteristics. Data filter function is also designed missing data, the machine connection agent will recombine
for information mining agents. Therefore, end users the information, restore its completeness, and effectively fix
can acquire filtered data, which is close to their needs. the missing information. The primary rationale is to establish
a TCP connection channel from the client to the server and
to send the required information at the client end by a packet
4. System Implementation command. To announce and substantiate the socket, the IP
4.1. Machine Connection Agent Packet Transmission Algo- version, socket type, and protocol type must be determined.
rithm. The machine connection agent packet transmission For example, the IP version is the 4th IP address version; the
algorithm in this research mainly communicates on the basis socket type is intended to support a reliable, bidirectional,
of a client server framework. Three major functions are and digital set of data flow that connects the framework, and
adapted in this algorithm. First, a parameter ProtocolTypeClient the protocol type is TCP, so the substantiated client sockets
is denoted by setting the type of the connection. The socket code segment is as Algorithm 1.
connection is established with the function SocketFunction .
The machine connection agent can have the ability for 4.2. Information Mining Agent Packet Sniffing Algorithm.
unblocking timely information mentioned in Section 3.2 with The method to establish the information mining agents
6 Advances in Mechanical Engineering

Machine connect agent 1

Data acquisition Production

Data Data DB
End user aggregation aggregation End user
Data center (client) agent agent Data center (client) Information Send
mining agent
Socket /receive
Information Information
mining agent mining agent

Data Ethernet
(TCP/IP) Listen
Machine Machine filter

Intranet/internet
connect connect
agent 1 agent 1
Injection machine 1 Injection machine 1
Handshaking ..
Information mechanism
Information .
mining agent
mining agent

Data Ethernet
Listen
Machine Machine filter (TCP/IP)
connect connect
agent 2 agent 2
Injection machine 2 Injection machine 2
Information Data Information Send
Information Socket
mining agent mining/filtering mining agent mining agent /receive
mechanism

Handshaking
Machine mechanism Machine Data acquisition
connect connect Production
agent N agent N Machine connect agent N DB
Injection machine N Injection machine N
Hardware scheme Software scheme

Figure 2: Framework of proposed agent communication model.

(1) Let denotes as final result of connection

(2) //Agents can change the datatype dynamically based on different operating systems
(3) Let = new ConnectType() //Connect type: dynamic, manual
(4) Let = new SocketFunction (AddressFamily.InterNetwork, SocketType.Stream, ProtocolType.Tcp);
(5) = UnblockingFunction ( ); //Unblocking of timely information, and return the result
(6) if (connection succeed) then AutoFixFunction ( );
(7) else (connection failed) UnblockingFunction ( );
(8) return;

Algorithm 1

packet mining algorithm is to designate the program IP
and network communication port at the server for client
data acquisition. A CallSniffingFunction is implemented for
mining data from a certain information mining agent. For
instance, the local agent IP can automatically acquired
and determined through IPDynamicallySearchFunction . TCP
channel is established to connect to the server with
CallSniffingFunction . For example, 3 second stiffening inter-
val is adapted by setting up CallSniffingFunction (IPClient,
3000). Agents set up the connection between server and
client with ClientSocketConnectFunction . Moreover, announc-
ing and substantiating socket, IP version, socket type, and
protocol type with SocketFunction . For example, the IP ver-
sion is the 4th IP address version, the socket type is
intended to support a reliable, bidirectional, and digital set
of data flow that connects the framework, and the pro-
tocol type is TCP, so the substantiated client variable is
declared as Socket ServerSocket . Finally ServerSocket.BindMethod
and ServerSocket.ListenMethod are used to bind client-server
and set up the maximum amount of client-server pairs,
respectively. See Algorithm 2.
4.3. Agent-Based Injection Machine Remote Monitoring Exper-
imental System Development. The system in this research
can simultaneously connect 32 injection machines to read
information. Online operators can select the machine that
they would like to monitor for monitoring information trans-
mission. Machine connection agents human-machine inter-
face in the experimental system is shown in Figure 3. Alarm
messages are displayed when machine connects agents and
Advances in Mechanical Engineering 7

(1) Let denotes as the IP address of clients

(2) //Dynamically search IP address from 192.168.0.1 to 192.168.0.255
(3) Let = new IPDynamicallySearchFunction (IPAddress.Parse(192.168.0.1), IPAddress.Parse(192.168.0.255));
(4) Let = new IPEndPointFunction ( ,1000); //Connection though the IP based on agent decision
(5) CallSniffingFunction ( , 3000); //Sniff every 3 seconds
(6) ClientSocketConnectFunction ( );
(7) Let V = new SocketFunction (AddressFamily.InterNetwork, SocketType.Stream, ProtocolType.Tcp);
(8) Let = new IPEndPointFunction (IPAddress.Any,1000); //Setup the socket port as 1000
(9) //Socket connects address at server end
(10) ServerSocket.BindMethod ( );
(11) ServerSocket.ListenMethod (4); //Clients amount listen in one time
(12) if (bind succeed) then ShowOKMessage;
(13) else (bind failed) CallSniffingFunction ;
(14) return;

Algorithm 2

Table 1: Machine connection agents experimental system simula-

tion environment.
Items Specification
OS Windows 7
Programming language MS visual studio 2010 C#
Database MS SQL server 2005
Server Internet information services 2.0
RAM 3012 MB
CPU Intel T2390/1.86 GHz

system. Details of the simulation environment are listed in

Figure 3: Interface of agent connection status.
Table 1. The programs were implemented in the C# language.
The machine connection agents experimental system can
set up all automatic capturing machine information taking
0.1 second to read the message once. The size of the packet
transmitted by the system and the machines is 276 bytes.
When the machine number reaches 10, the information
return time of each packet is about 35 mini-second. The
information mining agents experimental system is workable.

Figure 4: Report summarized by machine connection agents.
information mining agents are communicating. Machines
statuses are able to change automatically while connection
agents make decisions based on the information summarized
by information mining agents. The following information will
be summarized as shown in Figure 4.
Microsoft Windows 7 was used as the experimental
operating system to verify the efficiency of the proposed
5. Conclusions
Based on a system framework for a cross-platform informa-
tion mining agent for injection machines, this research was
aimed at information mining technology and transmission
procedures for an information mining agent for the pur-
pose of analysis and implementation for injection machine
monitor system. Additionally, a TCP/IP communication
protocol was adopted to connect the client and the server
and to undertake packet format setup and transmission tests.
Finally, for a heterogametic platform system, we conducted
an agents experiment aiming at monitoring transmitting
time and packets and established a human-machine interface.
The framework proposed by this research has the following
advantages.
(1) It is able to transmit machine information cross
platforms and is able to conduct data mining and
8 Advances in Mechanical Engineering

transmission among different operational systems
and controller frameworks.
(2) It is able to return machine information required
by the manager without operation by the machine
operator. It is also able to mine specific information
effectively and screen out unnecessary information.
In the future, we focus on more complete and
thorough development of the system in addition to
raising the reliability and quality of service of the
agent for experiment and analysis, and we will apply
such technology to the production line of injection
machines.
Conflict of Interests
The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests
regarding the publication of this paper.
[10] S. Dana, A. Sagahyroon, A. Elrayes, A. R. Al-Ali, and R. Al-Aydi,
Development of a monitoring and control platform for PLC-
based applications, Computer Standards and Interfaces, vol. 30,
no. 3, pp. 157166, 2008.
[11] G. Gruhler, Remote control of CAN-based industrial equip-
ment using Internet technologies, CAN in Automation, pp. 6
13, 2003.
[12] FANUC, October 2011, http://www.fanucrobotics.co.uk//
media/global/files/downloads/datasheets/en/application tools
en.ashx/.
[13] ARBURG, November 2011, http://www.arburg.com/de/de/com/
COM/en/products/accessories/data management/remote
access/index.jsp/.
[14] R. Pereira, N. Cruz, C. Neri, C. Correia, and C. Varandas,
A high-data-transfer-rate VME system for TCP-IP remote
real-time control of the ITER in-vessel vision system, Fusion
Engineering and Design, vol. 60, no. 3, pp. 253259, 2002.

Acknowledgments
The authors thank the High Technology Equipment Pioneer
Technology Development Plan no. 302205501 and Science
Council no. NSC 102-2221-E-006-107-, who sponsored this
research and provided related technology support. Due to
support from the National Science Council and Foxnum
Technology Co. Ltd., this research could proceed smoothly.
They wish to express their sincere appreciation.

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