"Industry 4.0" is currently one of the key economic projects. It's all about digitizing production flows - from manufacturing via logistics to the customer. For example, what we already know about traceable parcels, has so far only partially been adopted in industry.
The aim is that development should soon progress such that machines, resources and people are interlinked in the "Smart Factory" and automatically work together. Stocks of raw materials or components can easily be monitored, which increases productivity. Moreover, the production is digitally controlled, which may go so far that customers are directly connected to the factory floor and can immediately request a customized product.
The German company United Planet is one of the pioneers in this field. Their motto is "not only talk about Industry 4.0, but simply do it!" For many years they have been supporting customers in linking business processes. Intrexx can easily create software processes that respond to measurement signals and trigger automated actions.
The great advantage of the processes created with Intrexx is that they are platform independent and can work with any hardware. This allows enormous potential savings compared to solutions that are restricted to specific hardware, and promises a rapid return on investment.
The specific application in one of the leading Swiss hydro-electric power companies, the KWO, demonstrates some of the ways in which Intrexx makes it possible to integrate elements of Industry 4.0 in business processes. Here approximately 50,000 signals from cameras and sensors are recorded, processed and displayed in the enterprise portal every day. So everything can be fully understood and controlled - whether it concerns which doors are open or what temperature the cooling systems have. In addition Intrexx enables a far-reaching data integration. Thus staff and visitors can easily obtain a wide range of information through the corporate portal, for example, current local avalanche warnings, or current electricity rates on the stock exchange.
Intrexx offers an affordable solution for entry to the world of "Industry 4.0" and automation, especially for small and medium sized companies who have previously been deterred from investing. With Intrexx, not only can processes be controlled based on measurement data, but the company's enterprise portal becomes the digital control center for all operational processes!
For more information about Intrexx see:
http://www.unitedplanet.com/...