Chris Newmarker, Managing Editor, and Heather Thompson, Senior Editor
Bosch Rexroth could be enabling a whole new host of Industry 4.0 capabilities in advanced manufacturing fields such as medtech, thanks to its IoT Gateway debuted at CES in Las Vegas last month.The IoT Gateway makes it easy for manufacturers to connect to the Internet of Things (IoT) without intervening in automation logic. The system doesn’t need software for setup, and is entirely configurable through web interfaces. The users don’t even have to learn a programming language. “We’ve tapped into open core software so that if you are in the Bahamas, you can see what is happening on your manufacturing floor in real time,” says Kevin Gingerich, manager of communications a e-business.
Scalable, embedded control hardware complements three system apps, translating into easier data recording, processing and forwarding.
Gingerich adds that the technology can be retrofit to existing equipment. “We’ve even been able to use it with the one of the machines Robert Bosch created in the 1800s.”
Bosch Rexroth officials say the system represents huge time and cost savings.
Indeed, advanced manufacturing experts often point to the difficulties of getting manufacturing experts on the plant floor to work seamlessly with the information technology experts seeking to collect analytics. The IoT Gateway appears to make an end run around the problem because it doesn’t need a great deal of IT expertise to run.
The IoT Gateway is one of a number of offerings that Bosch Rexroth is touting at this week’s MD&M West in Anaheim, California (Booth #4201)
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