Embedded in IIoT & Industry 4.0

The IIoT and Industry 4.0 trend has notably changed the way embedded computer technologies are used. IoT connectivity is a broad subject that leads to very different solution approaches. Both integrated gateways and dedicated external gateways or edge servers are used. Big data is transferred in full to the cloud to precisely map digital twins, or it is analyzed locally to report only relevant information and status changes. Transmission modes also differ widely, ranging from sporadic connections via side channels such as LPWAN technologies, to broadband connectivity via fixed or mobile networks.

The challenges of IIoT
 

OEMs are challenged with choosing which of the diverse options is best for them. In addition, they have to take a wide variety of communication standards and cloud solutions into account, all of which come with their own specific interface requirements. Yet, what OEMs would actually prefer, is to concentrate on the development of the IIoT and Industry 4.0 application; to organize the data exchange with other machines, devices and feeding systems; to collect and evaluate predictive maintenance data; and to develop pay-per-use or feature-based licensing solutions. Developing a sound business process integration solution for IIoT-based services is complex enough. The end-to-end data path from the system to the application cloud should therefore be supplied by the OEM’s hardware development partner, at least for the transport and communication layers. If required, also with real-time support and via standard Ethernet interfaces, even in the case of competing massive data traffic, for example during video conferences, as made possible by Time Sensitive Networking (TSN).

Optional cloud connectivity
 

Thanks to their support of the SGET UIC (Universal Internet Connector) standard, embedded boards and modules from congatec provide off-the-shelf IoT cloud connectivity that’s simple to implement. Because of its modular design, it can be adapted very easily, flexibly and quickly to OEMs’ specific needs. This enables customers to monitor, manage and maintain embedded hardware from congatec in a very flexible manner via customized OEM clouds. Missing UIC components for OEM-specific hardware extensions and application monitoring can be supplemented as necessary.

Real-time capability
 

congatec pays special attention to real-time capability during product development. The congatec BIOS/UEFI implementation is of particularly high quality, yielding significantly improved real-time results for OEM customers. By cooperating with OSADL, this real-time capability can be tested over an extremely long time.

Ready for the future with congatec!
 

Embedded computer boards and modules from congatec are the first choice for current and future IIoT and Industry 4.0 projects. For applications with special requirements that cannot be met with standard, off-the-shelf computer technology, congatec also offers many options to modify the hardware and firmware. Everything is possible, from BIOS/UEFI adaptation and individual board assembly to complete platform development.

The performance spectrum ranges from energy-efficient ultra-low power ARM processor technology with hardware-assisted virtualization for separating the real-time system from the gateway, to high-end x86 multicore systems for real-time edge computing. All variants are designed for the requirements of IIoT and Industry 4.0 applications, and offer comprehensive features on the device side for the remote management of massive field deployments. The active promotion of standards with wide support among the embedded computing manufacturer community and a constantly expanding cloud ecosystem – take the SGET’s Universal IoT Connector for example – helps OEMs to connect systems extremely efficiently.

High security inclusive
 

By providing numerous BIOS/UEFI security options and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) support, congatec enables customers to implement a high level of security that is optimized for their specific solution requirements.

Perfectly matching real-time hypervisor support
 

Hypervisor support from Real-Time Systems makes the embedded computer technologies from congatec even more attractive. It allows multiple operating systems to be installed on a multicore x86 platform without impacting real-time capability. Each sub-application can be implemented with the appropriate operating system – e.g. real-time data acquisition with VxWorks, the user interface with Windows, and a firewall with Linux. Since Real-Time Systems is a wholly owned subsidiary of congatec, the distances between the two companies are very short, which gives OEMs a time advantage in support cases and promotes interdisciplinary solutions.

Real-life applications
 

The congatec IIoT gateway, which was developed as a full-custom OEM design as part of a customer project, is an application-ready platform for highly compact IoT gateway designs that have to adapt to the most heterogeneous local requirements. Based on a modular interface concept and featuring diverse antennas, the platform is ideal for IIoT solution providers and IIoT network integrators. Key factors in this case study are congatec’s design competence in wireless technology integration and the validated driver support for multiple wireless modules, which OEMs can integrate into their applications as well. Read more about the congatec IIoT gateway here.

What are your project needs?
 

Don’t delay – get in touch today! We support your IIoT and Industry 4.0 projects with the latest embedded computing technologies. Developed on the basis of the leading PICMG and SGET standards, our solutions offer comprehensive industry-specific driver support and convince through extensive service and support that stretches to full custom design, making integration into your solutions particularly easy