Industry 4.0, the fourth revolution, intelligent factory – the industrial future has many names. At its core, it concerns digitization, intelligence, and networking: Industry 4.0 allows the physical and virtual worlds in production and logistics to merge to form cyber-physical systems, which are highly interconnected and communicate via the Internet of Things. Intelligent sensors and sensor systems from SICK deliver the required data and take on a central role when it comes to connectivity.
The first part of networking involves the integration of the sensor into the overall architecture of the application. This includes, first and foremost, a clear and structured description of the data required from a sensor and how it is combined with the further data world of the application. The sensor data can therefore be brought straight to the top of the automation pyramid – the cloud – via connection technologies (connectivity) while bypassing the control. Post-processing takes place either directly in the cloud, at upstream (software) levels, or even at sensor level (e.g., via the innovative SICK AppSpace eco-system).
As data collectors and the mouthpiece of automation, intelligent sensors are the key when it comes to continuous transparency in an open network. The additional interface to the data or software system enables new analyses and functions to be performed, which increase flexibility, quality, efficiency, and transparency in production.
Linking to networking? Visit us at Hannover Messe 2017, Hall 9, Stand F18.
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