IOTech has announced its new partnership with Advantech to deliver advanced edge data processing solutions for smart manufacturing and industrial automation. The partnership will enable a new range of integrated edge hardware and software solutions for manufacturers to automate data exchanges between equipment and control systems, in addition to simplifying adoption of new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine vision.
Improving manufacturing systems can be challenging and involve costly integrations to build a complete solution. These systems also need to aggregate plant data from many sources, while securing data both in transit and at rest. Managing real-time data from thousands of endpoints, which may include industrial sensors, machinery and PLCs (programmable logic controllers), is main concern for manufacturing organisations. Manufacturers are adopting edge computing and industry 4.0 standards to provide optimised access to industrial data and prevent system siloes that cannot simply adapt to changing needs.
“The partnership between Advantech and IOTech delivers advanced solutions for industrial manufacturing utilising our edge hardware and IOTech’s leading open edge computing technology. We believe these integrated appliances are a key solution for organisations to implement Industry 4.0 in manufacturing and other industrial sectors. Solutions can be taken to market much more quickly and cost effectively than previously possible.” says Carolyn Swan, director of partnerships, Advantech IIoT Group.
Ideal for system integrators (SIs) and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), the new product line incorporates IOTech Edge Connect plug-and-play edge software and Advantech’s advanced IoT edge gateway and high-performance, fanless industrial PC (personal computer) (IPC) (inter-process communication) hardware. The new edge bundle provides underlying infrastructure for users to build autonomous decision-making processes, monitor assets and processes in real-time, and create unified networks and systems through simple vertical and horizontal integration. Initial use cases include equipment protection, predictive maintenance, production flow monitoring, production optimisation and supply chain optimisation.
IOTech’s edge connect software enables users to create data-driven industrial applications that leverage recent advances in AI, analytics and inferencing technologies. It provides complete multi-protocol OT (operational technology) connectivity for main industrial standards and data normalisation to industry 4.0 OPC UA (open platform communications united architecture) standard. Simplified “no code” connectivity/device onboarding is provided via user-friendly tools and device discovery features. Standard APIs (application programming interface) based on either MQTT (message queuing telemetry transport), REST (representational state transfer)or OPC UA enable third-party applications or IT (information technology)/Cloud/SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) integration.
“Our partnership with Advantech accelerates the digital transformation of industrial environments. Until now, it has been too complex and costly to develop new industrial solutions that can take advantage of the latest advances in edge computing and Industry 4.0 standards. With our joint solution, users now have the underlying infrastructure in place to expedite adoption of new, innovative technologies.” says Keith Steele, CEO of IOTech.
The edge appliances are available for purchase from Advantech as well as through select distributors, such as TD SYNNEX. The scalable solution is available in a variety of form factors and price points to suit specific needs, including cost-effective options for real-time industrial data acquisition and aggregation. Initial hardware support includes Advantech’s UNO-2000 edge gateway series (Intel-based), the ECU-150 (ARM-based) embedded IoT edge gateway and the MIC-770 V2 (Intel-based) high-performance IPC for smart manufacturing, renewable energy, smart building and retail users.
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