Among other things, the new version offers features in the area of localization and authentication solutions as well as further developments in vertical and horizontal integration. Practically all process participants (from the employee to the machine to the sensor) and all process steps (with their associated IT systems) can now be connected via the IoT platform, their respective generated data exchanged and activities executed automatically. The special feature of sphinx open online is the communication in all directions, so it is not just about collecting and displaying data, but also about automatically checking conditions and triggering actions. Bidirectional data exchange between ERP systems and production plants is also supported. This allows production processes to be further digitalized and optimized.

For companies with high security requirements, sphinx open online 9.0 offers a process that supports the strict authentication required by many large corporations. This means that critical, confidential data can be processed with the necessary sensitivity and security right from the login - which also applies to further data processing on the IoT platform. But Release 9.0 also has a solution for participants who want to log in directly with their Google login, for example: an OIDC-based authentication process makes it possible to interact directly with the accounts of cloud providers.

New interfaces and adapters make everyday work easier. For example, the Microsoft Office world can now be directly linked to the production world. To do this, sphinx open online communicates with the SharePoint document library. All documents uploaded there, such as production documents, help or photographic evidence, are directly available on the store floor. "Another practical new feature is the integrated webcam-based QR code scanner," says Siegfried Wagner, Managing Director of in-integrierte informationssysteme. "In everyday production, objects such as containers or other deliveries and their locations are usually brought together using QR codes. With the new sphinx open online function, this information enters the system directly and enables integrated business processes in a simple, reliable way."

There are also innovations in the integration of location data: Interfaces for localization technology - such as the new omlox standard, which GFT is involved in developing, or the cloud-based Simon Service from Kontakt.IO - can be used to trigger activities when entering or leaving geofences. The new Location Service from sphinx open online provides the business logic that makes working with location data effective by defining, checking and processing conditions. Information such as the materials required for each process step, their locations and target points are linked in order to trigger actions without losing time as soon as production preparation is complete, for example. The production step can then start automatically or the employee can be supported with detailed digital work instructions.

The examples show how broad the application possibilities of sphinx open online are in production, as vertical and horizontal networking run completely via a single platform. All tasks such as data connection, evaluation, monitoring and forecasting are coordinated in a central model, the so-called "model in the middle". With this approach, digital images ("digital twins") of plants, systems and processes are networked bidirectionally. The resulting data volumes can be operated in the cloud, with sphinx open online running on all major cloud platforms. The expansion of direct cooperation with the major cloud providers and increasing internationalization - these are the strategic goals for the coming versions, according to the provider. as