- New integrate_it solution from the MHP Industrial Cloud Solutions (ICS) portfolio
- integrate_it collects, transforms and distributes data from machinery and equipment
- Supports all common machine protocols (e.g. OPC UA and RFC 1006) and IT protocols (e.g. Kafka, MQTT and REST))
- Direct cloud connection from AWS, Microsoft (Azure) or private cloud
Ludwigsburg – MHP has developed the industrial cloud solution "integrate_it" to enable companies to implement end-to-end shop floor digitisation. As middleware for data exchange, the solution supports the most common proprietary and open machine protocols and thus enables data from almost all machines and systems to be collected, transformed and forwarded to other assets on the shop floor and to downstream systems in the appropriate protocol.
Michael Appel, partner at MHP: "When talking to our production managers, we repeatedly hear the same thing. Companies are well aware of the many advantages of a digitised production process, from real-time information about the situation on the shop floor to higher availability; from higher performance and higher quality to positive sustainability effects. However, they often fail to achieve end-to-end digitisation because it takes so much time and effort to connect the machines and equipment, if it can be done at all.”
The reason why this has proven to be so difficult is due to the heterogeneous nature of existing shop floor landscapes. It’s not only that the ages of the various assets are usually different, but that they also come from different manufacturers who use a variety of technologies and, above all, their own protocols. A true standard for data exchange has not yet been established - despite initiatives such as OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA).
"In principle, one standard protocol would be the best solution," says Nicolas Bläsi, product manager at MHP,
“but it may be a long time before it really becomes established. With integrate_it, companies no longer have to wait, but can already guarantee unhindered exchange between machines and equipment, as well as between assets and downstream systems.“
This is possible because integrate_it supports the usual IT protocols such as Kafka, MQTT and REST, as well as the machine protocols commonly used on the shop floor, such as OPC UA and RFC 1006. In addition, the SaaS solution can be connected directly to the cloud from Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure. Another advantage is that the solution also converts the captured machine data into the human-readable format JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), enriches it and maps it in freely configurable data models. Initial rule-based manipulations can then be carried out on the data with a rule engine, so that immediate insights can be gained for latency-critical decisions.
Shop floor solution integrate_it as part of Industrial Cloud Solutions (ICS) portfolio
Together with its technology and industry partners, MHP has been offering software-as-a-service solutions
(SaaS solutions) since spring 2023. These industrial cloud solutions incorporate the entire experience and extensive know-how of MHP and a number of its partners. Companies receive ready-to-use software products with which they can digitalise their processes with a minimum of effort. The individual solutions are continuously being further developed, and Industrial Cloud Solutions are also gradually being added to the portfolio.
For additional and more detailed information on integrate_it, visit: https://www.mhp.com/en/solutions/industrial-cloud-solutions/integrate-it
