Mr. Döring, edge or cloud - is that even a contradiction in the manufacturing industry?
No. Both worlds are closely interlinked. Of course, time-critical processes belong at the edge. It also makes sense to use algorithms to analyze and filter the plant's data stream so that only the essential information is transferred from the edge to the cloud. However, both areas are innovative, and the decisive factor is the intelligent distribution of tasks in order to achieve optimum system performance and reliability.

Assuming a company wants to network its systems on the store floor at one location throughout, would it be better to wire the entire system or does wireless networking also deliver the same quality?
Both systems must coexist. If you are thinking of EMC-critical areas, for example, then wireless is not a good choice for reliable work and wired networks are the better choice. Wireless is more advantageous for outdoor illumination. Especially when driverless transportation systems are used, a wireless solution is the only choice. In practice, both technologies will be available in the vast majority of plants.

In your opinion, which networking technologies offer the best investment security - or does this also depend on the specific features of the system?
In the wireless sector, there will be a choice between 5G technology and WiFi 6 in the future. HMS is developing solutions for both technologies very intensively. 5G Time Sensitive Networking enables real-time applications that can also be used to control robots or production machines. Daimler Factory 56, for example, is already using 5G. The disadvantage here is that the operating and investment costs are considerably higher, as is the administrative effort. WiFi 6, on the other hand, is significantly cheaper and less complicated - but does not offer all the advantages of 5G. I would also like to add that 5G TSN is still in its technological infancy. The technology has enormous potential, but much is still proof of concept.

In German factories, machines from different generations often stand side by side: can they all still be networked by retrofitting or would now be the right time to invest in new technology? What factors can be used to determine this?
The path to the networked factory is less complex than it may seem at first glance. Networking can be a gradual process. The first step is to collect information from the brownfield, i.e. the old plants. This is possible with most systems. The next step is to structure this data and transfer it to the cloud for evaluation.

How well does German industry compare internationally in terms of networking?
In an international comparison, the USA in particular is driving digitalization and networking forward. If you take a closer look, it is the management boards of companies there that are driving change and are intensively exploring the possibilities of the cloud. On the provider side, there are a large number of cloud solutions, some of which come from IT providers such as Microsoft Azure, Amazon Webservices or Telekom CoT, but are also offered by traditional automation companies such as Siemens with Mindsphere or Schneider with Ecostructure.

In China, on the other hand, there is much less interest. The decisive difference here is the wage level. This is still considerably lower in China than in the USA. To answer your question, Germany is also a high-wage country and therefore actually predestined for digitalization, and there are also some companies that are very, very good in this area, but the bottom line is that Germany lags behind the USA. A fundamental rethink is needed here and digitalization must become a priority.

Let's take a look at HMS: where do you want to focus in the coming years?
We have a very clear focus on security, which is becoming increasingly important. ISO 27001 certification is a fundamentally important aspect, i.e. the information security management system. We have established this and it is also the basis for our Connectivity Cloud Talk2M, which we use to connect systems and enable remote maintenance. Security also plays a major role on the factory floor. The implementation of IEC 62443, i.e. certification for cybersecurity in industrial automation, is of central importance here.

We are also doing a great deal of development work in the area of 5G, and you can also expect numerous new developments from us in this area in the coming years. We are already established in the WiFi sector with a large number of solutions and are of course also working on the new WiFi 6 standard.

One final question: what impact has the coronavirus pandemic had on HMS?
We have seen a push towards digitalization among our customers. In the mechanical engineering sector in particular, many companies were faced with the challenge of not being able to send employees to their customers in the event of a fault or for plant maintenance. We were then able to help implement remote maintenance solutions. As far as our internal processes are concerned, we already had a high level of digitalization before the crisis, but we will continue to intensively review all areas and establish digital processes with a view to sustainability.