Concept for the Development of Rotational Viscometers Based on Industrial Internet of Things Technologies

Introduction: Viscosity is one of the key parameters defining the optimal flow of technological processes and determining the quality of the final product. The drawbacks of currently used viscosity control methods (including those specified in numerous GOST standards), which are typically conducted in food enterprise laboratories with manual sampling, are highlighted. This necessitates the creation of automatic viscosity control devices capable of operating in real-time production conditions using intelligent technologies. The aim of this study is to develop a concept for creating intelligent digital viscometers based on Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies, operating in real-time on production lines. Objects and Methods: The objects of the study are devices for automatic viscosity control of food products. A review of studies emphasizing the importance of viscosity control for various food products, as well as existing methods and tools for viscosity control, was conducted. The study outlines the sequence of research activities. The analysis of experimental results enabled the selection of a rotational method for automatic viscosity control using IIoT technologies. The article describes the design of the developed viscosity sensor and presents its technical characteristics. The research objectives were addressed using IoT technologies. Data processing and analysis were performed using MATLAB. Data transmission protocols such as AMQP, JMS, REST, and DDS served as the foundational materials for developing the viscometer concept. Results: The architecture of an intelligent rotational automatic viscometer was studied and substantiated. Communication modules for monitoring and control were added based on the research findings. The feasibility of flexible automatic configuration of data transmission channels was demonstrated. The necessity of additional peripheral modules for implementing IoT viscometer functions was established. The hardware-software architecture of an IoT rotational viscometer was developed, allowing for data transmission integration into other IoT platforms. A prototype of an IoT rotational viscometer based on IIoT technologies was designed and assembled. The software interaction between multiple IoT viscometers was also presented. Conclusion: Integrating the developed viscometer into the Industrial Internet of Things network enables the automation of in-stream viscosity control of food masses, minimizing data processing and transmission time. This facilitates seamless data transmission for implementing a multi-level network architecture, simplifying the integration of viscosity control data into an enterprise's IoT systems. Consequently, this improves the reliability of existing automated control systems at food enterprises by reducing human error and automating data transfer and processing within the existing management systems.