DELMIA Apriso 2024

Machine Integrator
Implementation Guide

®2023 Dassault Systèmes. Apriso, 3DEXPERIENCE, the Compass logo and the 3DS logo, CATIA, SOLIDWORKS, ENOVIA, DELMIA, SIMULIA, GEOVIA, EXALEAD, 3D VIA, BIOVIA, NETVIBES, and 3DXCITE
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Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 2

Contents
1 Introduction 4
1.1 Purpose 4
1.2 Scope 4
1.3 Intended Audience 4
1.4 Vocabulary 4
2 Machine Integration Overview 5
2.1 Browser Communication Requirements 5
2.2 Performance of the Communication Between the User Interface (Browser) and Machine
Integrator 5
2.3 Supported Features 6
2.4 Possible Deployments 7
3 Configuration 9
3.1 Data Acquisition System Configuration 9
3.1.1 Root Element Configuration 9
3.2 Connections 10
3.2.1 OPC Server 13
3.2.2 RS Device 19
3.2.3 PI System 19
3.2.4 User-Defined Data Sources 21
3.3 Events Configuration 21
3.3.1 Action Processing 21
3.3.2 Action Persistence Configuration 21
3.4 Formula Editor/Rich Edit Mode 22
3.4.1 Formula Language and Body 23
3.4.2 Formula Validation and Testing 23
3.4.3 Repository 23
3.4.4 Additional Options 24
3.4.5 References 26
3.4.6 Script Dependencies 28
3.5 Script Repository 30
3.6 MI Configuration and "24/7" Availability 31
3.6.1 Disabling or Removing a Point/Data Source 31
3.6.2 Changing the Aliases 31
3.6.3 Changing Action Groups/Actions Based on Subscriptions 31
3.6.4 Failover in Cluster Environments 31
3.7 MI Diagnostic and Monitoring 31
3.7.1 Point Test Feature 31
3.7.2 Connector Event Viewer 32
3.7.3 Machine Integrator Monitoring 33
3.8 Machine Integrator behind Reverse Proxy 33
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 3

3.9 Central Configuration 35

4 Usage 37
4.1 Using List Inputs/Outputs 37
4.2 Usage in Processes 38
4.2.1 Using MI Values as Inputs in Processes 39
4.2.2 Using Processes’ Outputs for Operating Machines 41
4.3 Linking MI Points with Equipment 43
4.4 Standalone Usage 47
4.5 Performance Counters 48
4.5.1 Troubleshooting 48
5 Scenarios 49
5.1 MI – Device Integration Scenarios 49
5.2 Historical Access 50
5.3 Connecting MI with OPC DA Server 51
5.3.1 OPC DA Server and MI on the Same PC 51
5.3.2 OPC DA Server on 64-bit Windows Server 2012 R2, MI on a Separate PC 52
5.4 Connecting MI with OPC UA Server 52
5.4.1 Setting up a Simple Connection for Testing Purposes 52
5.5 Invoking Standard Operation locally in an MI Process 55
5.6 Invoking Discontinued Action Types 56
5.7 Changing the Name of the Connector in Use 56
5.8 Running MI on a Non-Administrative Account 56
6 Known Issues 58
7 Documentation Availability 59
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 4

1 Introduction
1.1 Purpose
The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of Machine Integrator, which is used for
monitoring machinery on the production floor and, in some cases, steering those machines. It
includes all of the background information needed to use the product to its full potential, and
how to perform all common tasks is also described in detail.

1.2 Scope
The scope of this document is focused on a description of the following core areas:
Configuration (Data Acquisition System, Events, and Central Configuration)
Usage (Usage in Processes and standalone)
Common Scenarios

1.3 Intended Audience

The intended audience for this document is personnel responsible for using DELMIA Apriso
Machine Integrator. The users should have a good knowledge of DELMIA Apriso and its
modules, especially in the area of DELMIA Apriso Process Builder.

1.4 Vocabulary
Desktop Machine Integrator – The Machine Integrator (service) running on a desktop machine
(server or client).
Client Machine Integrator – The Machine Integrator (service) that runs on a client machine
(operated by a shop-floor worker). This version of the Machine Integrator is installed with
DELMIA Apriso Client (from the DELMIA Apriso Start page).
Local Machine Integrator – Process configuration that uses a connection to the Machine
Integrator (console/service) running on a machine operated by a shop-floor worker when
executing Processes.

Remote Machine Integrator – Process configuration that uses a connection to the Machine
Integrator (service) running on a remote machine.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 5

2 Machine Integration Overview

The role of Machine Integrator is monitoring machinery on the production floor and steering
them according to predefined scenarios. Modern machines communicate with other electronic
equipment using protocols, such as RS 232 or OPC. Machine Integrator is an interface allowing
every machine to be accessed in a uniform way within the whole DELMIA Apriso suite. It allows
the managing and monitoring of production equipment behavior not only on the facility level, but
at the organizational level as well.

2.1 Browser Communication Requirements

Machine Integrator uses JavaScript technology to expose data to browsers. For communication
purposes the Long Polling protocol is used basing on the standard DELMIA Apriso
configuration described in DELMIA Apriso Installation Guide. The Long Polling protocol uses
GET Requests to provide Machine Integrator functionality. The maximum URL length is
restricted to prevent problems with sending big amount of data in a single request.

Web Sockets protocol is recommended for maximum performance of Machine Integrator and
for full duplex communication. The protocol is used automatically when the requirements are
met. These requirements are higher than the ones described in DELMIA Apriso Installation
Guide.

Server Side Requirements (Machine Integrator Client)

Component Supported Version

Operating System Microsoft Windows Server 2019 / Microsoft Windows Server 2022
(list of supported
systems)
Table 1 Software Requirements for Web Sockets – Server Side

Client Side Requirements (Web Browser)

Component Supported Version

Browser Microsoft Edge (the latest version)
Google Chrome (the latest version)
Mozilla Firefox (the latest version)
Table 2 Software Requirements for Web Sockets – Client Side

2.2 Performance of the Communication Between the User

Interface (Browser) and Machine Integrator
The section explains the communication between a Web page and Machine Integrator and how
each phase influences the time span between an MI event and its visualization. The
performance of Web Sockets and Long Polling modes of connectivity is explained.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 6

The graph visualizes the individual phases that are executed in a common usage scenario
when a shop floor worker interacts with machines from the user interface in DELMIA Apriso.

Figure 1 Machine Integrator API timing

The executed phases in this scenario:

Set Point:
Writing a value to an Input of the Machine type from the user interface (browser)
Simulating the business logic (calculating a value) in the Machine Integrator service
Writing the calculated value back to the OPC server
OPC time deadband – reading the calculated value from the OPC server
MI API Response – the time for returning the value from the OPC server to the user interface
(browser) via subscription
Web Page Render – the received data is then visualized using graphical representation
elements (gauges in this case)

The majority of the duration of the communication is spent at the OPC server and during the UI
rendering. Both connectivity modes provide fast communication between the browser and MI.
The tests were performed in a controlled environment and may vary depending on the
implementation.

2.3 Supported Features

Features provided by Machine Integrator:

Data Acquisition – obtaining a machine’s status (monitoring its state/behavior), issuing

commands (influence behavior) for a wide range of machines, tools, devices, or third-party
systems.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 7

Alarm and Notifications Management – notifications and alarms are sent under certain
circumstances or if a device state goes beyond normal bounds.
Automatic Logging – monitoring a machine’s state and stores it in one or many types of
storage devices. Logging can be performed periodically or it can depend on the changes of
state.
Recurring Events Management – automatic execution of specified actions for devices
based on a predefined schedule.
Multiple Platform Support – Machine Integrator can be installed on many computers
running various operating systems. It can be installed on servers, desktop computers, and
portable devices.
Simultaneous Web Browser Sessions – more than one Operation can run at the same
time using Machine Integrator inputs/outputs. Machine Integrator buffers the values
separately for each session.
Runtime Configuration Refresh – the configuration of Machine Integrator can be modified
during runtime and all the changes take effect at the administrator’s request.
Automatic Reconnect (OPC UA, OPC DA, and RS) – after a connection to the server or
when a device was lost, Machine Integrator automatically tries to reestablish the connection.
Failover Server (OPC UA and DA) – two servers can be defined. When the connection to
the primary server is broken, Machine Integrator automatically uses the secondary one and
keeps working as if no problem occurred.

2.4 Possible Deployments

The Machine Integrator application can run on a different machine than the one on which the
DELMIA Apriso server is operating. Across a single DELMIA Apriso installation, multiple MI
applications can operate simultaneously, managed by a single server. Machine Integrator
must be configured centrally on the DELMIA Apriso server through the Machine Integrator
Configuration Maintenance and Monitoring screen accessible through the DELMIA Apriso
Desktop Client.
Machine Integrator can run on the target computer in two ways:
Console Application – launching MI must be performed manually each time, but this
provides an interface for monitoring its operation. The console window can display log
information if the logging component is configured.
Windows® Service – Machine Integrator can be launched when the OS starts up. This is the
preferred type of Machine Integrator initialization for server machines.
DELMIA Apriso Machine Integrator Connector Service starts immediately. The initialization is
done after the service starts. When the OPC connection and configuration is in progress,
Windows Services may indicate that Machine Integrator service as 'Started', but the service
may not be fully operational.

Machine Integrator Service checks if network interface is available. If not, the check-up is
performed every 5 seconds (for maximum 60 seconds). After this time, the service stops (the
same situation is valid for console).
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 8

A standard DELMIA Apriso installation package contains an executable file that allows MI to be
run in the ways described above.
Console Application and Windows Service cannot run simultaneously. Running a second
instance of MI while one is already running results in the termination of the second instance.

If Machine Integrator does not start and logs are not being saved, change the value of the
ConfigurationLocation key in [Link] to a local path and copy
[Link] from the DELMIA Apriso Server to that location (see the example
below). This enables local MI logging.
<[Link]>
<add key="ConfigurationLocation"
value="${WebRootURL}/CentralConfiguration/[Link]" />
</[Link]>
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 9

3 Configuration
3.1 Data Acquisition System Configuration
All devices must be properly configured to enable data acquisition from the machines on the
production floor and their logical structure has to be reflected on the DELMIA Apriso side.
Machine Integrator configuration is managed through the Machine Integrator Configuration
Maintenance and Monitoring screen in DELMIA Apriso Desktop Client. This configuration is
used by Machine Integrator during runtime to establish active connections with machinery in
the facility.
MI configuration is accomplished by defining a hierarchical order of the machine-managing
environment in the facility. DELMIA Apriso Machine Integrator defines the following levels:
Connector
Data Source
Point Group
Point
All levels must be configured according to the physical devices acting in these roles.
MI configuration (“MI Connector” and “MI Data Source Type” entities) can be transferred
between DELMIA Apriso servers using Global Process Manager (GPM).

Full Point Aliases are used to generate the script variable names, which do not support the
following special characters:
/ \ | - + = : ; " ' ? < > ( ) * ^ % @ ! ` ~ [ ] . , # { } & $ and all whitespace
characters.

MI aliases cannot contain the above mentioned special characters.

Additionally, Connector, Data Source, and Point aliases cannot begin with a number.

3.1.1 Root Element Configuration

The root element of the MI Configuration Tree enables performing Operations on a set of
Connectors. The Connectors tab displayed in the editor after the root node is selected contains
a grid with the defined Connectors and their current statuses. The actions available from the
top-right toolbar are also available from the MI Configuration Tree and are described in the
Machine Integrator Help.

Status Description
Connected

Not connected
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 10

Checking connection

Undetermined

Table 3 Connection statuses

To assure that a Connector status is displayed correctly, network communication between

the DELMIA Apriso server and the Machine Integrator Connector that is running must be
enabled.

The root element enables:

Viewing details of diagnostic events generated by the selected Connector (see 3.7.2
Connector Event Viewer)
Real-time monitoring of Point values and the ability to assign new values for testing
purposes (see 3.7.1 Point Test Feature)
Monitoring of all Connectors and their statuses, including monitoring of all levels of the
Connector

3.2 Connections
The out-of-the-box solution supports four types of data sources:
OPC UA
OPC DA
PI System
RS Device
The exchange of data between the data source and DELMIA Apriso is always performed in
Machine Integrator.
Every data source type communicates with the Machine Integrator in a way determined by the
specific standards. The mechanisms differ in the way they exchange data, which has a direct
impact on the infrastructure, access configuration, and security.
Data sources are usually third-party applications running independently of MI (such as OPC UA
Servers, PI System, etc). Most of the data sources can run on a different machine than the
Connector to which it belongs.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 11

Figure 2 Schema of possible connections with an OPC server

MI configuration Screens enable importing an existing configuration of the points directly from
the data source to set up communication between the data source and MI. Establishing a
connection with each of the available data sources might require editing the configuration and
adding a proper certificate in a specific location.
A different number of possible connection methods is available depending on the selected
import type.

Figure 3 OPC UA Import Type selection screen

If the Use Data Source application configuration check box is selected, the data from
the Parameters tab of the Data Source is used for configuration (in the Application
configuration section).
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 12

Directly from this client machine - Connects directly from the Apriso Desktop Client to the
OPC UA or OPC DA server.
To ensure the correct connection, ensure that the certificates are stored in the proper
locations. In the default configuration:
..\DELMIA Apriso 20xx\WebSite\Downloads\MMClient\ on the DELMIA Apriso server.
DELMIA Apriso Desktop Client installation folder on the client machine.
Via Apriso Server - Connects from the Apriso Server. Maintenance Service connects to the
OPC DA server, OPC UA server, or PI System.
To ensure the correct connection, ensure that the certificates are stored in the proper
locations. In the default configuration:
..\DELMIA Apriso 20xx\Services\Maintenance Services on the on the DELMIA Apriso
server.
Via MI Connector instance - Connects from the running Machine Integrator instance to the
OPC DA server, OPC UA server, or PI System.
To ensure the correct connection, ensure that the certificates are stored in the proper
locations. In the default configuration:
..\DELMIA Apriso 20xx\Services\Machine Integrator Service on the DELMIA Apriso
server.

Via Apriso Server connection method may require to change the user account on which
the service is running (see Figure 4 Maintenance Service – changing user accounts). This
user must have administration rights for both the DELMIA Apriso server and the OPC
server.

Figure 4 Maintenance Service – changing user accounts

Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 13

3.2.1 OPC Server

OPC is the interoperability standard for the secure and reliable exchange of data in the
industrial automation space and in other industries. It is platform independent and ensures the
seamless flow of information among devices from multiple vendors. The OPC Foundation is
responsible for the development and maintenance of this standard.
Machine Integrator supports the OPC failover for the OPC UA and DA servers. To enable the
failover, two OPC servers must be configured. The primary OPC server is used normally. In
case of any connection problems, MI uses the secondary OPC server as a secondary source of
data. MI will continue using the secondary server as long as it is operational. It will not switch
back to the primary server otherwise.
By default, one level of OPC configuration Points is loaded at a time on demand.

If connection with an OPC server is lost, Machine Integrator attempts to reconnect every 60
seconds. This interval can be changed by modifying the OPCCheckConnectionInterval key
(see Central Configuration Documentation).

OPC DA (Data Access) Server

The OPC DA servers communicate using the Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM)
technology. Additional properties must be set so the servers can be configured properly.
Supported OPC DA data types:

Data Type Description DELMIA Apriso Type DELMIA Apriso Array Type
VT_BOOL Boolean Boolean List of Boolean
VT_BSTR Text Char List of Char
VT_DATE Date DateTime List of DateTime
VT_DECIMAL Decimal Decimal List of Decimal
VT_I1 1-byte signed Integer Integer List of Integer
VT_UI1 1-byte unsigned Integer Integer List of Integer
VT_I2 2-byte signed Integer Integer List of Integer
VT_UI2 2-byte unsigned Integer Integer List of Integer
VT_I4 4-byte signed Integer Integer List of Integer
1
VT_UI4 4-byte unsigned Integer Integer List of Integer1
VT_R4 4-byte (single-precision) real Decimal List of Decimal
VT_R8 8-byte (single-precision) real Decimal List of Decimal

1Only values within the range of a 4-byte signed Integer are supported. Values greater than 2147483647 log an error.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 14

When the configuration of a point is imported from the OPC server, DELMIA Apriso Desktop
Client tries to automatically convert the original data type to the one supported by DELMIA
Apriso. Due to a huge number of various data types available on the particular OPC servers,
the data type might require to be manually adjusted.

DELMIA Apriso Integer is 32 bit signed integer. VT_UI4 Data Type has a higher maximal
value which might not be usable inside MI Actions because of exceeding DELMIA Apriso
Integer range. A similar issue might be present if a floating-point value from the OPC server
exceeds the valid range of the Decimal type in DELMIA Apriso.

OPC UA (Unified Architecture) Server

OPC Unified Architecture is a secure, platform-independent, and firewall-friendly protocol used
for machine communication. It does not use DCOM technology and DCOM configuration is not
necessary. OPC UA introduces the authentication, authorization, encryption, and data integrity
of the communication.
For the default configuration, refer to OPC UA Parameters Tab description in Machine
Integrator Help.
The OPC UA standard emphasizes security requirements. Security certificates must be
properly configured before MI can communicate with the OPC server.

Security Mode

Specifies what security should be applied to communication with the OPC UA Server.
Available options:
None - no security is applied.
Sign - all messages are signed but not encrypted.
Sign and Encrypt - all messages are signed and encrypted.

Even if None was selected, the OPC server may send its certificate, which must be
manually accepted (moved to the Trusted Issuers Store).

Application Configuration
Both MI and the OPC UA Server require a valid X.509 certificate assigned to the application.
When the MI attempts to connect with the OPC server, both applications exchange certificates,
which automatically are placed in the Rejected Certificates Store. These certificates must be
mutually trusted.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 15

The set of parameters that define the characteristics and localization of the certificate sent by
MI can be defined in the Data Source configuration screen, Application Configuration section in
the Parameters tab. The certificates must be configured for each data source separately.

Application Configuration - From Data Source

From Data Source is the default option.

Options such as Application Name, Application URI, Application Certificate Store, and
Certificate Identifier define the parameters and the store location of the Machine Integrator
certificate, which the application uses during the connection to the OPC server
Trusted Issuers Store, Trusted Peers Store, and Rejected Certificates Store define the location
of the certificate (Windows Certificate Store, Directory) as a relative or absolute path to a folder
which stores the public keys related to the OPC server.

Example:

.\Certificate Stores\Trusted UA Applications\certs

C:\myCertificates\trustThose\certs

The relative paths depend on the method of communication with the OPC server. The possible
communication methods are presented in Figure 2 Schema of possible connections with an
OPC server.

Application Configuration - From XML Configuration File

When the OPC UA data source is set up to use the configuration from an XML file, all
parameters are configured in the [Link] file (or files). The configuration is
extracted from the file according to the method of communication with the server presented in
Figure 2 Schema of possible connections with an OPC server.

The default [Link] file is provided with DELMIA Apriso installation. The following
attributes can be adjusted:

Attribute Description
ApplicationName The name of the Machine
Integrator application.
ApplicationUri The globally unique identifier
of the Machine Integrator
product. It must be
consistent with the
application certificate
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 16

content.
SecurityConfiguration/ApplicationCertificate The store containing the
Machine Integrator
application certificate.
Supported values:
X509Store for Windows
Certificate Store
Directory
SecurityConfiguration/ApplicationCertificate/SubjectName The identifier of the Machine
Integrator application
Or SecurityConfiguration/ApplicationCertificate/Thumbprint certificate. The certificate
can be identified either by its
subject name or a
thumbprint.
SecurityConfiguration/TrustedIssuerCertificates The store containing trusted
issuers. Supported Values:
X509Store for Windows
Certificate Store
Directory
SecurityConfiguration/TrustedPeerCertificates The store containing any
additional trusted
certificates. Supported
values:
X509Store for Windows
Certificate Store
Directory
SecurityConfiguration/RejectedCertificateStore The store where invalid
certificates can be placed for
later review by the
administrator. Supported
values:
X509Store for Windows
Certificate Store
Directory
SecurityConfiguration/MinimumCertificateKeySize Defines the minimum
acceptable key length of the
certificate used in OPC UA
communication with Machine
Integrator. The default
minimum key size is 2048.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 17

Some older certificates may

have 1024 bit key and
without a change in this
parameter, they will be
rejected by default.
SecurityConfiguration/RejectSHA1SignedCertificates If set to false, enables
compatibility with certificates
that use deprecated SHA1
encoding at cost of reduced
security.

For more information on securing OPC UA, refer to the “OPC UA Security Model for
Administrators” white paper that can be found at on the OPC Foundation website.

Machine Integrator complies with the OPC UA server operation limits. For more information
about limits, refer to OPC Foundation documentation.
Minimal limit of MaxNodesPerRead is 26. Servers with the limit lower than 26 are not supported.

Supported OPC UA Data Types

Data Type Description Apriso Apriso

Type Array
Type
Boolean A two-state logical Value (true or false). Boolean List of
Boolean
SByte An integer value between -128 and 127. Integer List of
Integer
Byte An integer value between 0 and 255. Integer List of
Integer
Int16 An integer value between -32768 and 32767. Integer List of
Integer
UInt16 An integer value between 0 and 65535. Integer List of
Integer
Int32 An integer value between Integer List of
-2147483648 and 2147483647. Integer
1
UInt32 An integer value between 0 and 4294967295. Integer List of
Integer1
Int64 An integer value between -2^63 and 2^63-1. Integer1 List of

1Only values within the range of a 4-byte signed Integer are supported. If you want to use values greater than 2147483647, you need to change
the Apriso variable type to Char and then use it this way.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 18

Integer1
UInt64 An integer value between 0 and 2^64-1. Integer1 List of
Integer1
1
Float An IEEE single precision (32bit) floating-point value. Decimal Decimal2
Double An IEEE double precision (64bit) floating-point value. Decimal2 Decimal2
String A sequence of Unicode characters. Char List of
Char
DateTime An instance in time. DateTime List of
DateTime
LocalizedText A structure containing a String in a locale-specific Char List of
translation. In Apriso, it is converted to a plain text. Char
Structured Complex built-in and user-defined structures. List of List of
2
Data Integer Integer

When the configuration of a point is imported from the OPC server, DELMIA Apriso Desktop
Client tries to automatically convert the original data type to the one supported by DELMIA
Apriso. Due to a huge number of various data types available on the particular OPC servers,
the data type might require to be manually adjusted.

Apriso Integer is of Int32 type. Due to this Int64, UInt64 and UInt32 are only supported when
their values are in the value range of Int32.

OPC UA Array Types Support

Single dimension arrays of OPC UA Data Types are converted to corresponding Apriso Array
Types as explained in the table above.
Both reading and writing of the points are supported.
Multidimensional (two or more dimensions) arrays of OPC UA Data Types are converted to
corresponding Apriso Array Types as explained in the table above.
When reading the point value, data in the resulting list is a flattened version of multidimensional
arrays where the higher rank dimensions are serialized first.

1Values within the range (-7.9 x 1028 to 7.9 x 1028) / (100 to 28) are supported. If you want to use values outside of this range, you need to
change the Apriso variable type to Char and then use it this way (depending on the length of the obtained string, it can be presented in scientific
notation).
2Structured Data is seen in DELMIA Apriso as List of Integer. The data stored inside can only be accessed and interpreted once the definition
has been imported. For more information, see the Machine Integrator Help and 3.4.4 Additional Options below.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 19

Index range must be provided for writing multidimensional data points.

3.2.2 RS Device
RS device must be connected via serial cable to the computer running MI Connector.
RS device communication is fully configurable through DELMIA Apriso, no other applications or
drivers are necessary. The device level contains most of the communication logic for RS
devices, and additional properties must be set up. These properties are described in the
Machine Integrator Help.

If connection with an RS device is lost, Machine Integrator attempts to reconnect every 30

seconds. This interval can be changed by modifying the SerialPortReconnectionInterval
key (see Central Configuration Documentation).

3.2.3 PI System
Machine Integrator is equipped with a dedicated adapter which allows it to communicate with
the OSISoft PI System to obtain event-based data. The adapter enables it to connect to the
PI System, map PI Elements and PI Attributes into Machine Integrator Points, as well as write to
and read from tag values and manage subscriptions to get notifications that one or more tag
values have changed.

Before Machine Integrator can communicate with the PI System, certain additional utilities
need to be installed and configured, such as the PI AF Client. For details, see the
PI System section in the DELMIA Apriso Installation Guide.

Changes done in the Parameters tab of PI System Data Source require restart of the
Machine Integrator Service.

Only one PI System Data Source can be connected on one MI Connector. This limitation
does not apply to other types of Data Sources.

For more information on the PI System, refer to OSIsoft website.

The following PI System data types are supported:

Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 20

Data Type Description Apriso Apriso Array

Type Type
Boolean A two-state logical value (true or false). Boolean List of Boolean
Byte An integer between 0 and 255. Integer List of Integer
DateTime An instance in time. DateTime List of DateTime
GUID A 16-byte data type used to uniquely identify Char List of Char
data.
1
Integer16 An integer value between -32768 and 32767. Integer List of Integer1
Integer32 An integer value between Integer1 List of Integer1
-2147483648 and 2147483647.
Integer64 An integer value between -2^63 and 2^63-1. Integer1 List of Integer1
2
Single / Float An IEEE single precision (32bit) floating-point Decimal List of Decimal2
value.
Double An IEEE double precision (64bit) floating-point Decimal2 List of Decimal2
value.
String A sequence of Unicode characters. Char List of Char
Enumeration A set of constants assigned to a variable. Char –

PI System Objects as structured data types are not supported in Machine Integrator.

Custom PI System Data Types

Apart the data types listed in the table above, the PI Asset Framework employs a number of
custom data types to represent information on the PI Server. This includes logical structures
called Data References, such as Formula, PI Point, PI Point Array, String Builder, and Table
Lookup. The table below shows Machine Integrator's support for read, write and subscribe
operations on these custom data types:

Read Write Subscribe

Formula Yes No Yes
PI Point Yes Yes Yes
PI Point Array Yes Yes No
String Builder Yes No Yes
Table Lookup Yes No Yes

1Only values within the range of a 4-byte signed Integer are supported. If you want to use values greater than 2147483647, you need to change
the Apriso variable type to Char and then use it this way.
2Values within the range (-7.9 x 1028 to 7.9 x 1028) / (100 to 28) are supported. If you want to use values outside of this range, you need to
change the Apriso variable type to Char and then use it this way (depending on the length of the obtained string, it can be presented in scientific
notation).
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 21

These proprietary types can have different characteristics depending on the database entries
their refer to. Machine Integrator might interpret them in an unexpected way. Machine
Integrator may not be able to map and successfully read from, write to, or subscribe to such
values in some circumstances.

3.2.4 User-Defined Data Sources

Machine Integrator functionality can be extended and the number of machines and device
types that are directly supported can be increased. In addition to the existing OPC DA, OPC
UA, RS and PI Data Sources, user-defined Data Sources can be registered in the system.
User-defined Data Sources consist of Data Source and Point configuration screens,
components that handle communication with the device, database configuration, Excel, and
GPM extensions.
Contact DELMIA Apriso Support to receive detailed information.

3.3 Events Configuration

Machine Integrator can respond to the signals from machines in the following ways:
A machine’s state can be persisted to various repositories, including files and databases.
Machine’s behavior can be influenced by invoking Standard Operations, logging to file, or
executing database stored procedures.
These actions can be triggered by changes in a machine’s state or they can be scheduled to
execute periodically. This allows a flexible adaptation of Machine Integrator for every
requirement.
Actions described above are accomplished using Action Groups.

3.3.1 Action Processing

When the Action Group execution conditions are met, a snapshot of the system is taken and
values for the Points assigned to that Group are read at that moment. All Actions assigned to
the specific Action Group are then generated based on their definitions and queued for
execution. If the value of a Point cannot be read, the Action Group execution is aborted and no
actions are processed.
The time that an Action is executed depends on the number of Actions already in the queue,
Action types, and the degree of their reciprocal synchronization. This can result in a situation
where the MI engine processes an Action with Point values that are not up to date with their
current state (as they may have changed since). This is an intended functionality. MI must be
configured to minimize the queue length, the delays between Action creation, and execution
times.

3.3.2 Action Persistence Configuration

Possible types of database storage in MI:
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 22

Microsoft SQL CE – a local database created in <drive>\Program Files\Dassault

Systemes\DELMIA Apriso 2024\Services\Machine Integrator Service\ after the first running of
the client Machine Integrator
Existing SQL Server Instance – MI uses the SQL server that already exists in the system
Storage type can be selected During MI Client installation. SQL CE is selected by default.
To change storage types:
To another existing SQL Server:
Download the [Link] file and attach it to the SQL server.
Reinstall DELMIA Apriso Client choosing Existing SQL Server as the storage [Link]
installer will ask to provide an InstanceName, UserID, and Password.
To SQL CE
Reinstall the DELMIA Apriso Client choosing Microsoft SQL CE as the storage type.
Storage types can be changed by editing the client application configuration file. To manually
change storage types, change the default settings of the “PersistentStorageProviderType” and
“PersistentStorageConnectionString” keys located in the “MachineIntegrator” section of the
Central Configuration file (for details, see Central Configuration Documentation).

Changing storage types manually is not recommended.

Persistence in Cluster Environments

Machine Integrator can be configured to run in a cluster environment. In order to assure that
persistent Actions are executed when failover occurs, persistent storage must support cluster
configurations. Database storage must be available as a shared resource.
Using the existing SQL server instance (the third possible type of database storage in MI) on a
remote machine is recommended. SQL servers have a built-in functionality to run on clusters.

3.4 Formula Editor/Rich Edit Mode

The Formula Editor/Rich Edit Mode (Figure 5 Formula editor window (both tabs)) enables
formula creation. All available Inputs and Outputs are listed in the Input/Output tab. The
Formula Editor also allows to test and debug created scripts.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 23

Figure 5 Formula editor window (both tabs)

3.4.1 Formula Language and Body

The formula can be written in one of the following scripting languages:
CSharp – uses .NET C# syntax
JScript – uses JavaScript syntax
Visual [Link] – uses Visual Basic syntax
For more information, refer to the Machine Integrator Help.

3.4.2 Formula Validation and Testing

The formula can be validated using the Verify command button. The Error List tab states
whether the formula is correct or not.
The formula can be tested using the Execute command button. The Outputs grid
(Inputs/Outputs tab) displays the result of the formula if it is correct. For test purposes,
temporary values must be assigned for Inputs in the Value column of the left-hand grid (the
Inputs/Outputs tab).

For more information, refer to Machine Integrator Help.

3.4.3 Repository
The Repository tab enables:
Linking and configuring Scripts from Repository
Publishing locally developed Scripts to Repository so that they can be used in different
places
Copying content of Script from Repository to a local one
For more information, refer to Machine Integrator Help.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 24

3.4.4 Additional Options

The Options tab contains a Script extensions section which includes the options described
below.

Enable logging
When selected, this enables sending additional information to the MI log files. Log messages
defined in the script are inserted into MI log files the same way that any other log messages
generated by MI are. This option is only available for VB and CSharp formulas.
To trigger a log action from a script, use the "Log" object.
For more information on the DELMIA Apriso logging framework, refer to the Logging Technical
Guide.
For more information on available methods, refer to API Documentation.

Enable MI API
Enables Machine Integrator-specific methods to use in the formula body when CSharp is used.
All MI API methods return an "Outcome" object, which states whether the method execution
was successful or not. The other values returned can be used only when the Outcome is a
success, otherwise the processing must involve taking corrective steps and/or alerting an
administrator (as this is a sign of an error in the MI configuration or a machine failure; see the
example in the code listing below).

bool valueChanged;
Outcome result = [Link]
("MyConnector\\MyDataSource\\MyPointGroup\\MyPoint", [Link](5), out
valueChanged);
if ([Link])
{
if (valueChanged)
{
// PROGRESS PRODUCTION LINE
}
else
{
// SEND SIGNAL TO MACHINE TO INCREASE TEMPERATURE
}
}
else
{
// LOG ERROR
// SEND ALERT
// DO CORRECTIVE ACTION
}
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 25

Some methods (indicated with the optional <T> parameter) allow to define the data type of an
Output if it is necessary to restrict it. If this parameter is not used, the data type is "guessed"
from the Input value.
To trigger a log action from a script, use an "MI" object.

Asterisk symbol (" * ") can be used to indicate the current Connector. The symbol is
replaced by the appropriate alias during runtime.

For more information on available methods, refer to API Documentation.

Enable OPC UA API

Enables OPC UA-specific methods to use in the formula body when CSharp is used.

If an OPC UA API method returns an "Outcome" object, the other values returned can be used
only when the Outcome is a success.
Some methods (indicated with the optional <T> parameter) allow to specify which structured
data type is used as the input or output parameter. If the parameter is not used, the data type is
inferred from the variable value.
Several methods require information about the Data Source in the context of which the method
is to be executed (e.g., to specify on which server the UA method must be executed). Those
methods contain overloads without the optional parameter, which can be used only when a
single OPC UA server is configured under a given Connector.
The "Constants" helper class, which defines Data Source FUIDs, can be used as in the
example:

[Link]([Link], …

To use OPC UA API actions in a script, use an "OPCUA" object.

For more information on available methods, refer to API Documentation.

Enable Script Repository

Enables Scripts from Script Repository to be used in the formula body when the CSharp is
used.
For more information on available methods, refer to API Documentation.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 26

Enable Standard Operations

Enables reusing the business logic already developed in Standard Operations by allowing to
execute the Operations from Scripts. In case of failure, the Result Output has either Exception
stored inside it or an error message (stored in the TranslatedStrings field), together with
insertion parameters (InsertionStrings field). If inside the Script the [Link] is null, the
[Link] must be used.

For more information on available methods, refer to API Documentation.

3.4.5 References

This functionality is to be used only by advanced users.

The References tab enables:

Loading custom assemblies with classes that can then be used in the script body (the
References section)
Declaring namespaces for classes that can then be used directly in the script body (the
Additional headers section)
References:
All of the registered assemblies that the system uses are stored in the system’s Global
Assembly Cache (GAC) folder. Custom assembly must be added to GAC, if it is to be used in
the MI.
An example flow for creating and using a custom namespace:
1. A custom class is prepared in the new namespace "ScriptReferencesTestDll".

Figure 6 New class in the "ScriptReferencesTestDll" namespace

2. The namespace is compiled into an assembly and the assembly is registered in the Global
Assembly Cache. The Assembly must be added to GAC on every machine where it is used.
This includes all of the DELMIA Apriso servers (in cluster configuration), all of the machines
where MI is deployed, and all of the client machines where scripts are edited.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 27

Figure 7 "ScriptReferencesTestDll" registered in GAC

3. Back in MI Configuration, the new DLL is added via the References tab. The assembly is
loaded and its details (Assembly Full Name) are displayed on the references list.

Figure 8 Adding DLL to references

4. The class from the new assembly namespace is used in a script.

Figure 9 New class/method used in a script

Additional headers
The Additional headers section enables to declare custom namespaces. By default, it contains
a "using System"/"imports System" record (respectively for the CSharp formula and Visual
Basic formula).

Defining headers must take place after a script language is determined. Switching script
languages when additional headers are defined can cause some of them to be lost.

An example flow for adding a new namespace and using one of its classes in a script:
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 28

1. A new header record is added to the Additional headers section of the Reference tab.

Figure 10 New header record for a custom namespace

2. A class belonging to a namespace defined in Additional headers is used in a script without

the necessity of preceding it with the namespace.

Figure 11 Header record class used in a script

3.4.6 Script Dependencies

When referencing Standard Operations or MI Scripts from the Script Repository, Process
Author must add them to the Script Dependencies tab. This dependency is used when creating
GPM Packages for Machine Integrator entities. IntelliSense is also extended with the names of
this Standard Operations and Scripts in the following format:

Methods provided by 'Enable Script Repository' option

ExecuteScript_{ScriptName}_{Revision} – if a Script in Script Dependencies tab was
provided with revision.
ScriptName – name of the Script from Repository with special characters replaced with '_'
Revision – revision of the Script from Repository with special characters replaced with '_'
Method arguments have signatures with following convention:
{Type} in{Name} – Inputs (as defined by Script Inputs)
out {Type} out{Name} – Outputs (as defined by Script Outputs)
Name – name of the Script Input/Output
Type – .NET type of the Script Input/Output
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 29

ExecuteScript_{ScriptName} – if a Script in Script Dependencies tab was provided without

revision.
ScriptName – name of the Script from Repository with special characters replaced with '_'
Method arguments have signatures with following convention:
{Type} in{Name} – Inputs (as defined by Script Inputs)
out {Type} out{Name} – Outputs (as defined by Script Outputs)
Type – .NET type of the Script Input/Output
Name – name of the Script Input/Output

Methods provided by 'Enable Standard Operations' option

ExecuteOperationAsync_{OperationCode}_{OperationRevision} /
ExecuteOperationAsync_{OperationCode} – executes a Standard Operation defined in the
Script Dependencies tab with a default or specific revision by creating an asynchronous job in
Job Executor.

Method arguments have signatures with following convention:

{Type} in{Name} – Operation Inputs
Type – .NET type of the Operation Input/Output
Name – name of the Operation Input/Output
Additional method parameters:
JobPool – Job Executor Pool on which the asynchronous job is executed
Retries – number of Job retries
SleepTime – delay between Job Executor job retries
EmployeeNo – Employee in the context of the job which is executed
SyncQueue – Job Executor Synchronization Queue
Timeout – Job Executor job execution timeout
JobId – ID of the Job Executor job which executes the Operation
ExecuteOperationSync_{OperationCode}_{OperationRevision} /
ExecuteOperationSync_{OperationCode} – executes a Standard Operation defined in the
Script Dependencies tab with a default or specific revision by executing a synchronous job in
Job Executor.
Method arguments have signatures with following convention:
{Type} in{Name} – Operation Inputs
out {Type} out{Name} – Operation Outputs
Type – .NET type of the Operation Input/Output
Name – name of the operation Input/Output
Additional method parameters:
EmployeeNo – Employee in the context of which the job is executed
ExecuteOperationLocally_{OperationCode}_{OperationRevision} /
ExecuteOperationLocally_{OperationCode} – executes a Standard Operation defined in the
Script Dependencies tab inside the MI process.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 30

Method arguments have signatures with following convention:

{Type} in{Name} – Operation Inputs
out {Type} out{Name} – Operation Outputs
Name – name of the Operation Input/Output
Type – .NET type of the Operation Input/Output
Additional method parameters:
EmployeeNo – Employee in the context of which the job is executed.

3.5 Script Repository

The Script Repository serves as a central container for storing Machine Integrator scripts that
can be reused when creating/configuring Machine Integrator entities such as:
Conditions for Action Groups
Actions in Action Groups
MI scripts
Data manipulation scripts for RS Data Sources
Trigger scripts for OPC DA and OPC UA Data Sources
Script Repository allows to easily reuse a functionality that has already been developed.
Modifications to the business logic (code) can be done in one place and can be propagated to
all entities that are referencing the script.

The Script Repository's contents can be embedded in the MI Runtime Configuration. For
more information, see the IncludeScriptRepositoryInRuntimeConfig key in Central
Configuration Documentation.

Each script in the Scripts Repository can have multiple revisions. The Process Author can link
scripts by a specific revision or by the default revision.

Figure 12 Script Repository

For more information, refer to the Machine Integrator Help.

Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 31

3.6 MI Configuration and "24/7" Availability

In a production environment, DELMIA Apriso Machine Integrator runs on a 24/7 basis. Changes
must be tested before deploying to the production server(s). Any changes to the Machine
Integrator configuration must be carefully and thoroughly tested, and they must go through a
strict quality control processes before being released to production.
The following actions need to be managed and change-controlled carefully. Machine Integrator
does not test the following changes or conditions.

3.6.1 Disabling or Removing a Point/Data Source

Actions that use a removed or disabled Point/Data Source may be executed incorrectly. The
user must manually unlink the disabled (or removed) Point/Data Source from all of the Actions
in which it was used.

3.6.2 Changing the Aliases

All of the Actions that use a modified Point (or Points from the Point Group or Data Source)
must be revised and updated manually. Failure to update all of the actions and to use the
correct Alias may result in incorrect behavior in Actions (where a Point Alias is entered as a
string). All DELMIA Apriso Process Builder (PB) Operations using the constant MI Point Aliases
will also stop working correctly.

3.6.3 Changing Action Groups/Actions Based on Subscriptions

Changes to Action Groups/Actions may result in missing an event if the it occurs between
Action/Action Group removal and recreation when a change is applied (refreshed). This period
of time is very short and the risk is minimal.
OPC server errors and problems with reconnection to the OPC server may cause Machine
Integrator to engage an error during the configuration refresh operation.

3.6.4 Failover in Cluster Environments

Persistent Actions may work incorrectly in cluster environments when persistent storage is not
properly configured. For details on how to configure persistent storage, refer to Persistence in
Cluster Environments.

3.7 MI Diagnostic and Monitoring

3.7.1 Point Test Feature
The Point Test feature allows to test the MI setup. Once a Point is configured, the administrator
can send values to and receive values from it. Possible issues can be detected right away. For
more information, refer to Machine Integrator Help.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 32

Figure 13 Point Test feature

3.7.2 Connector Event Viewer

The Connector Event Viewer presents recent diagnostic messages from MI. Messages are
displayed on the screen in real-time. Accessing the machine that the MI Connector is running
on is not needed. For more information, refer to Machine Integrator Help.

The Connector Event Viewer can be run only on an Apriso Server.

Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 33

Figure 14 Event Log feature

3.7.3 Machine Integrator Monitoring

MI Monitoring shows why MI Connectors are not working correctly at any level of the connector
including Data Source, Point, Point Group, Action, Action Group, and Public MI Script. This
provides overview of all of the connectors configured in DELMIA Apriso, and makes this
overview easier to read than MI text logs.
For more information, refer to Machine Integrator Help.

3.8 Machine Integrator behind Reverse Proxy

DELMIA Apriso Machine Integrator behind reverse proxy supports two types of connectivity
patterns:
TLS Offloading
TLS Encryption

Enabling reverse proxy in high availability configuration with TLS encryption or offloading
pattern may have an impact on the performance in communication between clients and
servers.

To enable Machine Integrator behind reverse proxy:

Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 34

1. Configure Machine Integrator according to Security Implementation Guide 2.2.2.

Securing DELMIA Apriso Services, section DELMIA Apriso Machine Integrator
Connector Configuration, to enable HTTPS protocol.
For the offloading configuration:
a. In step 5. configure as follows:
<endpoint address=[Link]
binding="wsHttpBinding" bindingConfiguration="PluginsHttpNoSecurity"
name="FlexNetEndpoint" contract="[Link]" />
b. Ignore step 7.
c. In the [Link] file located on the DELMIA Apriso server in
the <drive>\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\DELMIA Apriso 2024\Services\Machine
Integrator Service folder, add <add key="HubServerAddress"
value="[Link] /> in the <[Link]> section.
2. In the [Link] file located on the DELMIA Apriso server in the
<drive>\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\DELMIA Apriso 2024\Website\CentralConfiguration
folder, enable the AppendConnectorNameToRemotingEndpoint key in the
<[Link]> section.
3. In reverse proxy configuration, prepare Active Control Lists for the Machine Integrator
instances. Use the connector name present in the URL to drive the traffic to the
corresponding Machine Integrator connector.
For example, traffic sent to [Link] must be redirected to
the machine on which the connector “Connector1” is running.

Configuration example for HAProxy reverse proxy:

Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 35

frontend mi_frontend
bind *:32500 ssl crt <cert-location>
bind *:32501 ssl crt <cert-location>
bind *:32502 ssl crt <cert-location>
mode http

acl url_Connector1 path_beg /<Connector1>

use_backend Connector1 if url_Connector1

acl url_Connector2 path_beg /<Connector2>

use_backend Connector2 if url_Connector2

# backend for re-encryption configuration

backend Connector1
mode http
server Connector1 <Connector1-machine> ssl verify none

# backend for offloading configuration

backend Connector2
mode http
server Connector2 <Connector2-machine>

The configurations for offloading and for re-encryption are different.

Replace <Connector1> and <Connector2> with the Connector Instance Names.
Replace <Connector1-machine> and <Connector2-machine> with the names of the machines on
which the connectors are running.
4. Set the “Hostname/IP Address” address of the connector in DELMIA Apriso Desktop Client
to the reverse proxy address.

3.9 Central Configuration

The Machine Connector application has a URL to the DELMIA Apriso Central Configuration file
in its configuration, regardless of whether it is running as a Windows service or as a console
application.
In the Central Configuration file of the DELMIA Apriso server (located by default in:
<drive>\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\DELMIA Apriso 2024\Website\CentralConfiguration),
Machine Integrator runtime features are configured in two sections:
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 36

DisableStrictOPCCompliance – when True, MI ignores some errors that may be reported by

non-certified OPC DA servers. This option disables checking the point quality data. Use
only with legacy OPC DA servers.

This is not a default setting in the Central Configuration file. It must be added manually to
make adjustments to the default value.

UaDaNamespaceURIs - the list of OPC UA namespaces separated by vertical bars (“|”). The
UA Node ID string contains a namespace index that may be different when a client
reconnects to the server at a later time. Applications with predefined Node IDs may have
namespace indices that are not valid anymore. Machine Integrator uses an internal
namespace index mapping mechanism that hides this UA behavior and allows the
application to handle UA Node IDs as constant strings in the same way as OPC DA Item
IDs. To make sure that the configuration can be properly moved across the site, all
namespaces must be declared in the configuration.
Example configuration of the key:

<add key="UaDaNamespaceURIs"
value="[Link]
org/UA/Boiler/|[Link]
/Diagnostics" />

The setting is used when the OPC DA Data Source is selected and the server address has
the ua: prefix (in this case the OPC UA standard is used instead of DA).

For detailed information on all keys used for configuring Machine Integrator, refer to the
“MachineIntegrator” and “[Link]” sections of the Central Configuration
Documentation.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 37

4 Usage
Machine Integrator can be used in all of the Processes configured in DELMIA Apriso Process
Builder. Machine state readings kept in MI can be used as Inputs for Operations inside
Processes. Operation Outputs can also affect machines’ behavior. Machine Integrator is suited
for standalone usage and can operate separately from other DELMIA Apriso modules.

4.1 Using List Inputs/Outputs

Invoke a Standard Operation Action
To add a constant value to an Input or Output of the List type:

1. Click (Editor) on the Point Parameters tab. Value Editor pop-up window is displayed.
2. Click (Add) and provide a list of values.

Figure 15 Adding values to Inputs and Outputs of the List type

Machine Integrator Action

To add a constant value to a Point on the MI Action
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 38

1. Click (Editor) on the Point Parameters tab.

Figure 16 Adding constant values for a List Input

2. Provide the correct values. Single value or a list of values can be provided. For Points of the
Scalar type, select “Single” value. To add a list of values, click (Add).

4.2 Usage in Processes

To use Machine Integrator data inside an Operation:
1. Choose "Machine" as the Input source for the Function Input, or add the routing disposition
"Machine" to the Function Output Routing Disposition table.
2. Choose the way the client browser running DELMIA Apriso connects to the MI Connector
application. Possible ways to connect to the MI Connector:
Client (Browser) – use this connection type when the current value from Machine
Integrator must be displayed and refreshed in real time in Operations or Processes.
Multiple Connectors can be connected (running on the same computer as the browser or
to remote ones).

Web Server – use this connection type when the Operation does not include any User
Interface and is intended to be run in the background (i.e. as a job in the Job
Executor) or when updating the displayed value coming from Machine Integrator in
real time is not needed.
3. When the type of the connection is selected, choose the Machine Source. Possible ways of
linking Machine Integrator Point:

by its Point Alias,

by providing Equipment and its Attribute to which the Point is mapped.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 39

4.2.1 Using MI Values as Inputs in Processes

Setting the Function Input’s Input Source property to "Machine" orders the Process runtime to
acquire the value for that Input from the Machine Integrator Connector application. The first
step is to set the connection type. Based on the connection type, different configuration options
are displayed.

Web Server Connection

When setting the Web Server connection, the MI Point path in the "Point Alias Source"
group must be supplied in the full-path format, i.e., [connector]\[data source]\[point
group]\[point], where [connector] cannot be substituted with an asterisk ("*").

Figure 17 Sample configuration of Web Server machine Input properties

Client (Browser) Connection

The value of a locally integrated machine Point may be visualized in the Portal and
automatically refreshed with new Point values. The Operation can be paused until the new
values are read.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 40

When connecting to MI locally, the path of the machine Point in the "Point Alias Source"
group can be provided in the relative format, i.e., the Connector name can be substituted
with an asterisk ("*"). If an asterisk (“*”) is used, the Input value is taken from the Machine
Integrator running on the current machine. If the full name is provided, the Client (Browser)
connects to a remote machine on which the Connector works.

Property Description
User Configures the form in which the Input is displayed when the Process is invoked
Control through the Portal. The possible values:
Visibility
Hidden – the value of the Input is not displayed on the screen
Read Only – the value of the Input is displayed in a read-only manner (the user
is not able to modify the value received from the machine)
Editable – the value of the Input is displayed on the screen, it is possible to
modify it and use the modified value during Process execution
Input Configures the way that MI acquires values. The possible types:
Value
Mode Current – Machine Integrator always acquires the current value and sends it to
the Function
After Change – MI waits until the value of the Point changes, gets the current
values, and passes them to the Function
After Change or Form Buffer – MI first looks for a Point's value in the buffer that
stores information about all of the value changes of the Point (one buffer is
created for a single Point, so all of the requests for the value of that Point use the
same buffer)
Populate on startup check box – the check box becomes active, after setting
Input Mode to After Change or After Change or From Buffer. The current value
from the source is read as soon as a client connects to Machine Integrator.
Table 4 Client (Browser) MI Input properties
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 41

Figure 18 Sample configuration of Client (Browser) machine Input properties

4.2.2 Using Processes’ Outputs for Operating Machines

To use a Function Output to send data to a machine through Machine Integrator:
1. Add a Machine Routing Disposition to the table in the "Routing Dispositions" group (use the
"Machine" button).
2. Once the new record is selected, set its connection type to either Client (Browser) or Web
Server.
Based on that choice, the configuration of the target Point is determined.

Web Server Connection

Setting the target machine Point to the remote connection requires providing the full path of the
Point (i.e., the full path in the Machine Integrator hierarchy).
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 42

Figure 19 Sample configuration of Web Server machine Output properties

Client (Browser) Connection

When setting the client connection, the target Point’s path can be entered in the relative format,
meaning that the Connector name can be substituted with an asterisk ("*"). If an asterisk (“*”) is
used, the Output value is set to the Machine Integrator running on the current machine. If the
full name is provided, the Client (Browser) connects to a remote machine on which the
Connector works.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 43

Figure 20 Sample configuration of Client (Browser) Machine Output properties

4.3 Linking MI Points with Equipment

A link between different Machine Integrator entities (MI Points, Scripts, Action Groups) and
Equipment Features (attributes and actions) can be established.
The link allows the Process Author to:
Configure business logic (Standard Operations, Action Groups) on the basis of Equipment
features rather than abstract entities as for example MI Point Aliases.
Easier replicate existing configuration and apply it to a new set of identical or similar
Equipment.

Link Equipment and its Attribute with MI Point

Equipment and its Attributes (speed, temperature, etc.) can be linked with Machine Integrator
Points using the Process Builder Machine Inputs or Outputs.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 44

1. Create an Equipment with the Equipment Class and its Attribute on the Equipment Explorer
screens.
2. Link the Equipment Attribute to the Machine Integrator Point.

Figure 21 Linking Equipment Attribute with MI Point

The Equipment Attribute is linked to the Point on the MI Configuration screen.

Figure 22 Equipment Attribute with the Machine Integrator Point

3. Values can now be read and written from/to the Equipment and Equipment Attribute using
Process Builder Inputs/Outputs.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 45

Figure 23 Linking Equipment to MI Action Group using PB Machine Output

Link Equipment and its Actions with Action Groups and Scripts
Equipment and its Actions (resetting a counter, verifying the stability of a scale, etc.) can also
be linked with Action Groups and Scripts.
1. First create an Equipment with the Equipment Class and its Actions on the Equipment
Explorer screens. Then link Actions to Script and Action Group.

Figure 24 Linking Equipment Actions with Action Group and Script

Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 46

2. The Equipment Actions is linked to the Action Group and Script on the MI Configuration
screen.

Figure 25 Equipment Action on the MI Action Group

Figure 26 Equipment Action on the MI Script

3. Values can now be read and written from/to the Equipment and Equipment Action using
Process Builder Inputs/Outputs.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 47

Figure 27 Linking Equipment to MI Action Group using PB Machine Output

4.4 Standalone Usage

Machine Integrator can be used as a standalone application. When working without
communication with other DELMIA Apriso suite modules, MI functionalities are available
through the Action Groups mechanism.
Examples of the practical applications of MI standalone usage include:
Creating human-readable log files that are the first point of reference when a machine
behaves improperly
Database logging to compute reports about the functioning of machinery
Invoking Web services over the network to execute additional custom business logic
For details about Action Groups and for useful tips, refer to 3.2.4 User-Defined Data Sources.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 48

4.5 Performance Counters

Performance Counters can be used in Machine Integrator to monitor the application in
Windows Performance Monitor. Performance Counters help to identify bottlenecks, reduce
inefficiency, and boost productivity.
For more details about counters and the guidelines for interpreting them, refer to the DELMIA
Apriso Administration Guide.

4.5.1 Troubleshooting
Performance counters are not rebuilt
In certain circumstances, Machine Integrator may be unable to initialize its performance
counters due to a problem with Microsoft Windows. The issue is characterized by the following
symptoms:

Machine Integrator does not refresh Points, displaying a "No Connection" issue, even
though the OPC Server is sending data to the Machine Integrator Client correctly.
Attempting to open Windows Performance Monitor causes an "Unable to add these
counters" error.
To rebuild Machine Integrator's performance counters manually:
1. Copy <drive>:\windows\system32\[Link] from a machine where the issue does
not occur.
2. Paste the file into the same directory on the machine where the issue occurs.
3. Open Command Prompt in this directory and execute the command: lodctr
/R:[Link].

For an alternative solution, refer to the Microsoft Support article: How to manually rebuild
Performance Counter Library values.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 49

5 Scenarios
5.1 MI – Device Integration Scenarios
Plant Environment Recommended Configuration Effort Comments
Integration
Configuration
Devices Configuration of MI Standard configuration of MI data Supports
connected to OPC using standard OPC acquisition using built-in OPC configuration
server Data Source. Data Source. import,
reconnection,
and failover.
Devices Configuration of MI Standard configuration of MI data
connected to PCs using standard RS acquisition using built-in RS Data
via RS (with Data Source. Source.
simple
protocol/message
structure)
Devices Configuration of MI Configuration of the Custom
connected to PCs using a standard RS Message type that handles
via RS (with Data Source. custom protocol requirements.
complex
protocol/message
structure)
Devices Creation of MI Implementation of scripts to Prototype for
connected to local scripts in the create a TCP connection and MI-to-device
network C#/[Link] handle the message exchange communication
communicating language that will between MI and the devices. has been
via TCP (with handle TCP tested. Device-
simple message exchange. to-MI
protocol/message communication
structure) needs creation
and testing.
Devices Creation of custom Implementation of Custom Data
connected to local Data Source. source components.
network Configuration of Configuration of third-party Additional cost
communicating third-party software intermediary software to for Omniserver
via TCP (with (Omniserver) that exchange information with license.
complex will map TCP devices using TCP messages
protocol/message messages to OPC and to expose data to MI via the
structure) tags and the OPC interface. Standard
configuration of MI configuration of MI data
OPC Data Source. acquisition using built-in OPC
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 50

data source.
Devices persisting Configuration of Creation of Standard Operations Supported by
state information Standard that will access data stored in the legacy systems
to a database Operations invoked database and process it. with no other
server in Job Executor that Alternatively, data processing external
will process the data may be configured on the DB interfaces. MI is
in the DB or the level using database triggers. not required.
creation of DB
triggers to process
data.
Devices persisting Configuration of Configuration of Business MI is not
state by creating Business Integrator Integrator to process data from required.
XML files/Flat document handling. the files created by the devices.
Files
Devices exposing Creation of MI Implementation of scripts to call Depends on the
external API Scripts in the methods from provided API in the complexity of
available with a C#/[Link] form of a DLL file. the target API.
third party library language to call
(DLL) external API
methods using the
provided library.
Historian available Same as OPC. - -
via OPC
Historian available Same as Database. - -
via Database

5.2 Historical Access

Depending on which options are available in a given scenario, DELMIA Apriso Machine
Integrator can integrate with data historians in one of several ways:
OPC UA Historical Access: Machine Integrator supports the historical read raw functionality.
For more information, refer to OPC Unified Architecture Specification – Part 11: Historical
Access article available at the OPC Foundation website.
Web services: DELMIA Apriso can directly consume a web service in a business process.
DELMIA Apriso can publish any business process as a web service. Depending on what is
needed, Machine Integrator can call the web service to acquire data or wait for the web
service to be called by an external system automatically.
An external widget (e.g., a SharePoint Web Part) can be embedded in an Operation and
used as a source of historical data or for data visualization.
Direct data access to:
A database – DELMIA Apriso can directly access data from a data historian using the
data access layer (the data historian must expose standard SQL interface)
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 51

A flat file or XML – If the data historian can generate a flat file or XML file, it can be
integrated. DELMIA Apriso Business Integrator can be used for the integration.
OPC DA: some data historians are able to use OPC DA to expose selected historical data.
Such data can be read by Machine Integrator

5.3 Connecting MI with OPC DA Server

Since OPC DA servers run as DCOM applications, setting a functional connection between the
computer running the Machine Integrator Connector application and the computer running the
OPC server may consist of configuring the DCOM security inside the Windows operating
system. The computer running the MI Connector must have access to the OPC server. By
default, remote access to the DCOM components is disabled because it presents serious
security threats. This is why it must be set up manually when OPC and MI are running on
different machines.
Running the OPC DA server and MI Connector on a single physical machine is recommended.
This requires no additional configuration tasks and poses no security threats.

For more information about DCOM configuration options, refer to the corresponding
documentation on the OPC DA server producer’s website or on the OPC Foundation
website.

If the OPC DA server is installed on a different machine than the MI Connector, "OPC Core
components v 3.0" must be installed on the MI Connector machine. This package can be
downloaded from the OPC Foundation website and provides the basic services required for
OPC communication. This component is automatically installed by many OPC tools, so it may
already have been installed by the OPC client (e.g., for a given OPC server).

5.3.1 OPC DA Server and MI on the Same PC

1. Install the OPC server.

The OPC server first must be installed first, as some of its components may override the
OPC core components installed during the DELMIA Apriso installation and the MI might
stop working.

2. Install the DELMIA Apriso client (only the client MI selected) and configure .NET security for
DELMIA Apriso Screens, etc.
3. Configure DCOM (for details, see 5.3.2 OPC DA Server on 64-bit Windows Server 2012 R2,
MI on a Separate PC).
4. Configure MI via the Portal.
5. Run MI.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 52

In the case of errors, install the OPC core components 105.1 (from the .MSI file). Available
at OPC Foundation website after registration.

5.3.2 OPC DA Server on 64-bit Windows Server 2012 R2, MI on a

Separate PC
On both machines:
Both machines must be in the same domain.
The OPC Core Components must be installed (the newest version and the same for client
and server – downloadable from the OPC Foundation website after registration).
On the client machine:
Add "Everyone" and "AnonymousLogon" users to the DCOM configuration of OpcEnum
Set the authentication level to "None" on the DCOM configuration of OpcEnum
On the server machine:
Add "Everyone" and "AnonymousLogon" users to the DCOM configuration of OpcEnum and
OPC server components
Set the authentication level to "None" on the DCOM configuration of OpcEnum and OPC
server components
Turn the firewall off (or create an exception for DCOM communication)
For more information about DCOM configuration, refer to the corresponding documentation on
the OPC server producer’s website.

5.4 Connecting MI with OPC UA Server

5.4.1 Setting up a Simple Connection for Testing Purposes

Self-signing certificates in production environment is not recommended. The Machine

Integrator certificate should be signed by a trusted certification authority (CA).

When securing the connection to the OPC UA server (selecting Sign or Sign and Encrypt
from Security mode list in Data Source parameters tab) the user must generate a valid
certificate for Machine Integrator that will be trusted on the OPC UA server. In the example, the
process uses Windows Certificate Store.

The process is divided into three sections:

A. Generating the certificate using OpenSSL toolkit.
B. Changing the application parameters on the Data Source configuration screen.
C. Accepting the certificates on the server or DELMIA Apriso client and on the OPC server side.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 53

Create a Self-signed Certificate

1. Create an [Link] file. The sample certificates will be created in the same directory.
2. Add the following code in the file and adjust it to your environment.

prompt = no
distinguished_name = req_distinguished_name
x509_extensions = req_v3

[req_distinguished_name]
DC = <domain>
CN = DELMIA Apriso Machine Integrator

[req_v3]
keyUsage = nonRepudiation, digitalSignature, keyEncipherment, dataEncipherment,
keyCertSign
extendedKeyUsage = serverAuth, clientAuth
subjectAltName = @alt_names
authorityKeyIdentifier = keyid, issuer
basicConstraints = CA:FALSE

[alt_names]
URI = urn:<domain>:DELMIA Apriso Machine Integrator
DNS = <domain>

Hostnames and domains must match those of the machines running Machine Integrator.

3. Use the following commands to generate Machine Integrator certificates with 2048 key size
and 1 year expiration:
openssl req -x509 -config <path>/[Link] -nodes -newkey rsa:2048 -keyout
[Link] -out [Link] -days 365
openssl pkcs12 -export -out [Link] -inkey [Link] -in
[Link] -passout pass:
4. Install the public ([Link]) and private keys ([Link]) in the
Windows Certificate Store of your local machine. Use Personal as the certificate store
location. In the Private key protection section check Mark this key as exportable.
5. Make sure the user account that is used to run the DELMIA Apriso services has permissions
to read the private key of the certificate. Those permissions can be accessed in the
Certificate Manager and under 'All Tasks' and then 'Manage Private Keys' (the generated
certificate must be selected).
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 54

Support for deprecated SHA1 signed certificates or certificates with key length shorter than
2048 can be enabled by using RejectSHA1SignedCertificates or MinimumCertificateKeySize
keys in the Central Configuration, Machine Integrator OPC UA section. However, this is not
secure or recommended and should be used only if generating new certificates is not
possible.

Change Application Parameters

1. Set the following parameters in the configuration section of the OPC UA Data Source,
Parameters tab:

Parameter Option
Application Name DELMIA Apriso Machine Integrator
Application URI urn:<domain>:DELMIA Apriso Machine Integrator
Application Certificate (Windows) LocalMachine\My
Store
Certificate Identifier Subject Name: CN=DELMIA Apriso Machine
Integrator/DC=<domain>

Trusted Issuer Store Certificate Stores\Trusted UA Applications

Trusted Peers Store Certificate Stores\Trusted UA Applications
Rejected Certificates Certificate Stores\RejectedCertificates
Store

Accept the Certificates

Both DELMIA Apriso server and the OPC server must accept the public keys of the certificates.
When the servers connect for the first time, the public keys of the certificates are automatically
rejected.
To accept the certificate from the OPC server and to enable the communication between the
servers:
1. Move the certificates from the Rejected Certificates Store to Trusted Issuers Store.

.\Certificate Stores\Trusted UA Applications\certs

2. The Machine Integrator public key must be accepted by the OPC server. The OPC Server
settings are specific for the given server.
For detailed information, refer to white papers at OPC Foundation website:
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 55

The OPC UA Security Model for Administrators white paper.

White papers that explain the more sophisticated uses of OPC technology.

5.5 Invoking Standard Operation locally in an MI Process

Invoking a Standard Operation locally in an MI Process scenario can increase performance.
However, because no automatic updates are performed in it and all assembly changes must be
synchronized manually, it is not recommended and not supported by Dassault Systèmes
PD&R. If server performance is insufficient, configuring MI this way is an alternative scenario
that may fulfill the requirements.

DELMIA Apriso Client components must be fully uninstalled before any update.

To enable the MI Process Synchronous execution mode:

1. Install the DELMIA Apriso Client on the client machine according to the procedure described
in the DELMIA Apriso Installation Guide (the “DELMIA Apriso Client Installation and
Configuration” section).
2. Identify the assemblies necessary for processing the desired Operation. The assemblies
are:
FI engine
DELMIA Apriso Framework assemblies (the system services and the part of DAL to be
used)
Assemblies used by the desired Standard Operation (mainly DELMIA Apriso Business
Components and their references)
3. Install collected assemblies on the client PC, directly in the Machine Integrator Connector
folder.
4. Alter the Machine Integrator configuration file at:

<drive>\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\DELMIA Apriso 2024\Services\Machine

Integrator Service\[Link]

a. Add the header section entry:

<configSections>

<section name="[Link]"
type="[Link],System, Version=[Link],
Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089, Custom=null" />

</configSections>

b. Add a section with the following key:

Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 56

<[Link]>

<add key="FrameworkServices" value="DIRECT"/>

<add key="JobExecutorServices" value="DIRECT"/>

</[Link]>

5. In the MI configuration, go to the General tab of an Action.

6. If the selected Action Type is Invoke Standard Operation, go to the Parameters tab and
select "MI Process (Synchronous)" in the Execution mode section.
7. If the selected Action Type is Script, go to the Parameters tab and use the following to call an
operation:
[Link]()

5.6 Invoking Discontinued Action Types

The following action types were discontinued and cannot be invoked directly, but can be
invoked using these methods:
Invoke Web Services
Web Services executing Standard Operations were replaced with an action type dedicated
to invoking Standard Operations. Executing custom Web Services requires a proper
configuration of the Standard Operation and additional coding for a particular Web Service.
Execute Custom Business Components
Invoking Business Components directly is not available. Instead, the Standard Operations
that use them must be invoked.

5.7 Changing the Name of the Connector in Use

When the name of the Connector that is in use was changed, it is necessary to restart all
external components (DELMIA Apriso services, IIS on DELMIA Apriso server machine, etc.)
that are used on this Connector.

5.8 Running MI on a Non-Administrative Account

The MI service may be required to run under a special domain account to match the security
configuration of the OPC server. This may also be required to troubleshoot MI-OPC
connectivity when the console works but service cannot. Some other implementations use a
generic domain account to run all the DELMIA Apriso services (including MI). In both cases, the
domain account may not have admin rights.

Users that are logged in without admin rights must have the ability to listen on ports 32501,
32502, and 32503.
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 57

It is possible to change the port numbers manually in the [Link] file. When
changing the number of port 32501, it is necessary to update its settings in Central
Configuration.

Use the command as an administrator to add the URL to the ACL: netsh http add urlacl
url=[Link] user=DOMAIN\USERNAME

“DOMAIN\USERNAME” must be guaranteed full access to the path: <drive>\Program

Files\Dassault Systemes\DELMIA Apriso 2024\Services\Machine Integrator Service
Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 58

6 Known Issues
Support for Multidimensional Arrays
As Machine Integrator started supporting a "write" operation for the points being
Multidimensional Arrays, the "write" operation may be unavailable for the points created before
the support of this operation.
Solution
Reimport the points from the OPC Server and set the Index Range parameters according to the
size of the arrays.

Methods Imported from the OPC Server Cause Errors

In some specific situations, the methods were invoked with parameters in the wrong order.
Solution

Reimport all incorrectly working methods from the OPC server.

Machine Integrator | DELMIA Apriso 2024 59

7 Documentation Availability
All DELMIA Apriso documentation is available from <server name>/apriso/start and at 3DS
Support.
For more information, refer to the 3DS Support Knowledge Base.