image: © ZinetroN – stock.adobe.com

image: © Buffaloboy – stock.adobe.com ENABLING NEW BUSINESS MODELS While the first phase of digitalisation took many years, the digital transformation is now in full swing. New business models that transcend geographical and industry boundaries are emerging, built on modern technologies such as the cloud, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), big data and improved mobile networks. IIoT, for example, often mentioned in the same breath as the Industry 4.0 concept in Germany, shows how quickly the relevant markets are growing. While the ongoing coronavirus pandemic may render some very ambitious...

This is no surprise given the attractive possibilities offered through the implementation of industrial IoT concepts. After all, much of the data generated in companies is not being sufficiently exploited today and many processes below the highly automated production level in large manufacturing firms are still controlled more or less manually or semi-automatically. This is a very costly, labour-intensive and error-prone approach. IIoT concepts open up opportunities for comprehensively equipping the required area – whether a factory hall, warehouse or control cabinet – with sensors and actuators...

TOO COMPLICATED FOR SMES? However, IIoT concepts have suffered to date from the preconception that they are too expensive and complex for smaller SMEs. Some companies are also put off by the handling of cloud services for data collection and analysis offered by a number of US hyperscalers from their data centres. This may also have to do with the fact that these providers are not necessarily considered trustworthy when it comes to matters of data protection. Microsoft is one exception to this. For some years now, the manufacturer has set great store by accommodating its customers in Europe through...

THE IDEAL NETWORKING STANDARD FOR A WIDE RANGE OF SENSORS AND ACTUATORS. In terms of communication, there has been a unifying and now very successful alternative to the expansion of traditional fieldbuses since 2011: IO-Link. This networking solution for sensors and actuators, right through to mechanical components such as gripper arms, is based on the IEC 61131-9 standard. All terminal devices are connected via unshielded three-conductor cables. As IO-Link is compatible with all key industrial buses and Industrial Ethernet, it is a suitable “last-mile” option for all existing industrial networking...

The parameters for all connected lO-Link devices and edge boxes can be set centrally from the cloud using STEGO CONNECT With STEGO CONNECT there is now finally an IIoT platform on the market that has adopted IO-Link as its networking standard and is specifically tailored to the needs of SMEs. In particular, rather than having to abandon any networking structures already in placein their factory hall, warehouse or elsewhere in industrial operations, they can make them the basis fortheir IIoT applications as well. As users can choose from a wide variety of devices offered by hundreds of manufacturers,...

Stego also offers two types of hubs as an option for STEGO CONNECT: the SHC 071 sensor hub used to connect up to four Stego sensors with one IO-Link master port towards the edge box and the AHC 072 actuator hub for a maximum of three actuators or loads switched via relay. These handy units also use M12 connectors. Data can be sent from these directly to the cloud or an edge computer, or switching pulses can be received from there. Analogue devices such as fan heaters and filter fans can also be connected to the actuator hub. Furthermore, the hardware range includes different types of sensors for...

Example of a device time series graph. STEGO CONNECT workflows that can be used to connect sensors and actuators by means of low-code technology, for which coding experience is not needed, are especially important. Such workflows typically require significant programming effort from expensive external consultants or integrators – which is in itself an obstacle to the use of IIoT in smaller companies. STEGO CONNECT workflows make this a thing of the past. Ready-to-use workflows are loaded on to the edge box, where they run independently according to set rules. This means that they still work even if...

Some practical examples from Stego itself illustrate how STEGO CONNECT can be used in everyday operations. To protect the critical IT infrastructure at the Stego plant in Schwabisch Hall, IO-Link sensors in the server room constantly monitor the temperature, humidity, lighting conditions and whether the IT cabinet doors are closed. If threshold values are exceeded, for instance if the server room heats up, STEGO CONNECT automatically acts in accordance with the rules forthe defined workflow to alert IT staff, who can then take countermeasures. The factory halls also feature an automated solution....

A simple, transparent pricing model also ensures that costs remain calculable right from the outset: STEGO CONNECT is offered as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) subscription solution. The starter version of STEGO CONNECT runs for twelve months and includes the SCE 074 edge box, which comes pre-installed with the modified Linux distribution needed to operate the cloud service. Installed edge boxes become the property of the service user from the 24th month of use. The IO-Link master specified specifically for the system is not included in the subscription price. The specification of further IO-Link...

STEGO Elektrotechnik GmbH Kolpingstrasse 21 D-74523 Schwaebisch Hall Germany phone +49 (0)791 95058151 [email protected] www.stego-connect.com