Industrial IoT: Significant Disadvantages for non-digitized plants

Nuremberg, 13. Nov. 2024 – As the convergence of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) continues to accelerate, non-digitalized systems are at a considerable disadvantage in terms of efficiency and competitiveness compared to digitalized systems. This was predicted by Hilscher Gesellschaft für Systemautomation mbH at the Smart Production Solutions (SPS) 2024 automation trade fair on Wednesday.

According to the industrial communication expert from Hattersheim near Frankfurt, this will be particularly clear given that the majority of control tasks in production plants will be carried out by software-based systems using industrial PCs (IPCs), virtual machines (VMs) or edge and cloud computing solutions in 10 years' time. Arguments that currently speak in favor of classic programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are increasingly being addressed by general IT systems in ever better form. These include:

  • Robustness
  • Real-time capability
  • Flexibility
  • Availability
  • Low maintenance
  • Longevity
  • Stability
  • Cost efficiency
A netFIELD Device IO-Link Wireless Master in an industrial environment.

AI and cybersecurity amplify the trend

Current developments, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), would reinforce this trend. “We see enormous potential for AI in operations and condition monitoring. Those who can leverage this for their own benefit will gain a significant competitive advantage,” predicts Christian Tepper, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Hilscher. This requires comprehensive networking of all machines and devices involved in production. The data obtained from this must be brought together centrally, allowing digital twins of entire plants to be created.

Security requirements would further support the trend towards in-depth networking of the shopfloor and higher-level systems. New cybersecurity regulations such as the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), for example, stipulate long-term product maintenance with corresponding timely security patches in the event of a security vulnerability. Manufacturers must guarantee this. However, an infrastructure is required on the customer side in order to be able to roll out such updates efficiently to devices and machines.

Hilscher – empowering communication

We are convinced that in 10 years, the majority of control tasks will be performed by software-based systems and virtualized hardware.

Christian Tepper

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
Hilscher Gesellschaft für Systemautomation mbH

Proprietary approaches fail

According to Hilscher expert Tepper, the industry needs to simplify the handling of IIoT solutions in order to create greater acceptance. The challenges to date are already very great and include, among other things

  • High complexity as well as costs
  • Limited capacities in research and development
  • Security concerns

In order to solve the challenges of advancing digitization, Hilscher has consistently developed its open IIoT portfolio under the name “netFIELD” and created a comprehensive platform for centralized edge management, consisting of:

A key approach is to avoid digitalization strategies that pursue proprietary and closed approaches, as these would ultimately fail, said Hilscher CMO Tepper at Hilscher's SPS press conference in Nuremberg. Interoperability with IT technologies already in use today, such as Git, Ansible, Docker, Kubernetes or Terraform, is essential. Interoperable solutions can also be used to increasingly build on partners who can contribute specific expertise for certain challenges.

Strong partners at the SPS

Hilscher is already working closely with a number of such partners. For example, Tomorrow Things GmbH was a co-exhibitor at the Hilscher stand at SPS. The innovative company develops solutions with which digital twins of machines and systems can be implemented in no time at all. At SPS, both companies presented a demonstrator with which specific OPC UA data points can be connected plug & play to a cloud for condition monitoring and predictive maintenance using blueprint apps.

Hilscher also announced a new partnership with embedded ocean, developer of the Xentara real-time automation platform, at SPS.

Together, the two companies are putting together ready-made automation packages for users in order to bundle the expertise of both companies. These packages consist of a combination of communication components from Hilscher, such as high-performance, real-time-capable edge gateways including IIoT apps, and Xentara, the modular, secure and powerful real-time automation platform from embedded ocean.

A picture of the trade fair booth of Hilscher.

Related links

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Uwe Schnepf
Head of Product Management Industrial IoT

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