empowering communication

    Unlock IIoT potential without touching your PLC: seamlessly retrofit legacy machines with plug-and-play, no-code data acquisition to enable smart services, cloud connectivity, and data-driven insights—simple, secure, and scalable.

    Machine Retrofitting

    Retrofit your machines for Industry 4.0 without changing PLC programs

    The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is transforming manufacturing by enabling data-driven decision making, predictive maintenance, and smart services. However, many existing machines and production lines were not designed to share their operational data with external systems – whether to local applications, MES systems, or cloud platforms. Retrofitting these legacy systems is often complex, risky, and expensive, especially when it requires modifications to proven PLC programs. Our netFIELD Data Acquisition solution enables you to unlock the value of your machine data without touching your control logic.

    Whether you need to connect legacy equipment to modern cloud platforms or want to add IIoT capabilities to your machines: our plug & play, no-code approach makes industrial data acquisition simple, secure, and scalable.

    Challenges for retrofitting your machines

    Unchangeable PLC programs

    Your production machines run proven PLC programs that you cannot afford to modify or risk disrupting. Traditional IIoT solutions often require changes to control logic, creating unacceptable risk and validation effort. You need a way to tap into machine data without changing existing programs or affecting operational reliability.

    Protocol complexity and diversity

    Industrial environments use a wide variety of communication protocols – EtherCAT, PROFINET, Modbus, OPC UA, and many more. Supporting all these protocols requires deep expertise and significant development effort. You need a solution that handles protocol complexity out of the box, leveraging proven communication technology.

    Security in OT networks

    Connecting operational technology (OT) networks to IT systems and the cloud introduces security risks. Cyber threats targeting industrial systems are increasing, and regulations like the EU Cyber Resilience Act mandate secure infrastructure. You need edge gateways designed specifically for reliable and secure operations in OT environments.

    Engineering effort and time to value

    Developing custom IIoT solutions requires programming skills, protocol knowledge, and significant engineering resources. This slows down implementation and increases costs. You need a plug & play approach that allows configuration instead of coding, dramatically reducing time to value.

    Our solutions for retrofitting your machines

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    Edge Gateways with Container Management

    Our edge gateways are intelligent data routers between the automation level and the information technology level. They aggregate, process or transmit additional IoT information of your production process completely autonomously—locally or via the cloud.

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    App containers

    Start your own IoT world with our turn-key app containers. Based on Docker technology, you can easily roll them out centrally and create new business opportunities!

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    Edge OS solutions

    netFIELD OS includes our basic range of system software and runtime components. Our netFIELD OS Edge is the heart of the solution. Coupled with turn-key software containers, you can create your own IoT world in no time at all.

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    IIoT Data Acquisition use cases across industries

    Based on our netFIELD Data Acquisition solutions, plant operators and system integrators worldwide are unlocking the value of their machine data without touching proven control logic.

    Building on Hilscher's decades of expertise in industrial communication protocols and secure edge computing, you can reliably retrofit existing machines for Industry 4.0 applications. Bridging OT and IT systems is often more complex than anticipated. Accessing diverse automation protocols, ensuring secure data flows, maintaining network integrity, and avoiding disruption to production requires a proven approach. Whether you're implementing condition monitoring, energy management, OEE tracking, or connecting legacy equipment to cloud platforms, netFIELD Data Acquisition provides the foundation you need.

    Our comprehensive portfolio offers no-code data acquisition apps for all major industrial protocols – from EtherCAT and PROFINET to Modbus and IO-Link. Deploy with our industry-hardened edge gateways or integrate with existing infrastructure. Just configure, don't code.

    Start with a single machine and scale to entire production lines. You can rely on our multi-protocol expertise and support services throughout your digitalization journey, from pilot projects to enterprise-wide deployment.

    Thanks to our plug & play approach and security-ready platform, Hilscher provides sustainable retrofitting solutions across many industries including:

    • Machine Building
    • Automotive Manufacturing
    • Packaging Machinery
    • Robotics & Material Handling
    • Electronics Manufacturing
    • Medical Device Manufacturing
    • Metal Fabrication
    • Plastics Processing
    • Textile & Apparel
    • Printing & Converting
    • Process Industries
    • Factory Automation

    Find your solution

    From retrofit to smart product. netFIELD turns IIoT use cases like monitoring, predictive maintenance, and remote service into a stable industrial rollout.

    Do you have a specific challenge and want to develop an IIoT solution? Or do you already have a concrete product idea and need the right IIoT infrastructure? No problem, get in touch with our experts to learn how netFIELD can support your project.

    Let's work together to make your components fit for Industrial IoT.

    Markus Hoppe
    Account Manager
    Mail: mhoppe@hilscher.com
    Mobile: +49 (0) 172 6012005

    Book an appointment

    Your benefits with netFIELD Data Acquisition at a glance:

    • Plug & play – no-code IIoT retrofitting
    • Does not require changing running PLC programs
    • Secure industrial edge gateways made for OT networks
    • Ready for Cyber Resilience Act, IEC 62443 and NIS-2
    • Optional remote management available
    • Competence in factory automation protocols
    • Benefit from Hilscher's multi-protocol expertise
    • All relevant OT protocols already supported
    • Fast time to value with minimal engineering effort
    • Lower implementation costs compared to custom solutions

    Good to Know

    What protocols does netFIELD Data Acquisition support?

    netFIELD Data Acquisition supports all major industrial communication protocols including EtherCAT, PROFINET, Modbus, IO-Link, OPC UA, MQTT, and many others. Our edge gateways leverage Hilscher's netX technology and decades of multi-protocol expertise, ensuring comprehensive protocol coverage for virtually any industrial application.

    How can I retrofit existing machines without changing PLC programs?

    Our plug & play approach allows you to tap into machine data without any modifications to existing control programs. The netFIELD edge gateway connects to your machine's communication network (like EtherCAT or PROFINET) and reads process data passively. Using our no-code configuration apps, you simply select which data points to collect and where to send them. No programming required, no risk to proven control logic.

    Is netFIELD Data Acquisition secure for OT environments?

    Yes, security is built in from the ground up. Our edge gateways are specifically designed for operational technology (OT) environments with features like hardware-based encryption, secure boot, secure firmware updates, and integrity checks. The platform is ready for compliance with the Cyber Resilience Act, IEC 62443, and NIS-2 standards. Data flows are carefully controlled to maintain network segmentation between OT and IT/cloud systems.

    What is the difference between Data Acquisition and Device Management?

    netFIELD Data Acquisition focuses on collecting and forwarding machine data to cloud platforms or IT systems: it is about getting data out of machines. netFIELD Device Management focuses on managing the edge infrastructure itself: deploying software, remote access, and fleet management. Both solutions can work independently or be combined for comprehensive IIoT capabilities.

    Can I test the software before purchasing it?

    Yes, you can test the software. All our applications run in a trial mode for 30 minutes. If you need support for you evaluation, please contact us.

    How quickly can I implement a data acquisition project?

    Thanks to the no-code configuration approach, implementation is dramatically faster than traditional development projects. Typical deployments can be configured in hours or days rather than weeks or months. You don't need programming expertise. Engineers familiar with the machine and its communication protocols can configure data acquisition directly using our intuitive tools. Get in touch with us for further assistance.

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