Thingworx Analytics Introduction 1/3：Analytics Function and Modules

This is the first article of series: Thingworx Analytics introduction.

2^nd article introduces Non Time Series TTF(Time to Failure) prediction.

3^rd article introduces Time Series TTF prediction.

In year 2015, PTC acquired Machine Learning company ColdLight, and integrate its products into Thingworx, and renamed to Thingworx Analytics.

PTC Thingworx Analytics Help Site lists its functions:

• Explanatory Analytics: such as to identify a signal’s value

• Descriptive Analytics: such as calculation of average value, median value, and standard deviation value.

• Model Generation: model creation of prediction, includes some popular Machine Learning algorithm.

• Predictive Scoring: to predict result value based on trained model and parameters.

• Prescriptive Scoring: to change result values by modifying model parameters.

• Confidence Models: convert prediction result into rates of value ranges.

• Anomaly Detection: to filter out abnormal signals by comparing high and low limits.

• Time Series Predictions: some signal are time series related, so for each time of prediction, besides checking current values, it will also check the values of previous cycles.

• Learners and Ensemble Techniques: Machine Learning algorithm and mixing method.

Analytics implemented these Machine Learning algorithm:

• Linear Regression

• Logistic Regression

• Decision Tree

• Neural Network

• Random Forest

• Gradient Boost

And let’s see Analytics modules.

Analytics has 3 installation modules: Analytics Server, Analytics Platform, Analytics Client(extension).

When Analytics Server is installed, it will add these services into Windows OS:

• twas-analytics-worker-1

• twas-analytics-worker-2

• twas-analytics-worker-3

• twas-async-ms

• twas-sync-ms

• twas-twx-adapter

• twas-zookeeper

And create these entities into Thingworx platform:

• StatisticalCalculationMicroserver, with some SPC calculation services.

• StatisticalMonitoringMicroserver, with some SPC distribution services.

• Some Thing entities with AnalyticsServer in names, can be found in Monitoring >> Remote Things, it can also be accessed by Thingworx Server API.

• Data Tables with prefix of TW.AnalysisService, they’re Database of Analytics.

• Resources with prefix of TW.AnalysisService, mapping with Analytics Builder functions.

Analytics Platform is an independent module, it can improve performance, and we can run basic prediction with it.

Analytics Client can be installed as an extension, Thingworx will add an Analytics icon after installation in left action bar.

Analytics action bar has 2 categories of functions: Builder and Manager. Builder is for model building, and Manager is for background handling.