Driving the digital transformation forward regardless of the platform - this is the goal Weidmüller is pursuing with the open, individually scalable "u-mation" modular automation system, which has been designed to be Industry 4.0-capable. The connection to cloud systems is just as much a matter of course as the options for real-time communication and data analysis - from the sensor collecting the data to the cloud. The modular automation system provides a comprehensive toolbox for Industry 4.0 that can be quickly and reliably adapted to various applications.

Elegant design

Weidmüller offers "u-view" in two product lines, the Basic and Advanced Line. The former includes devices in the sizes 4.3", 7" and 10", while the Advanced Line consists of 7", 10.1" and 15.6" devices. The HMIs have an elegant, flat design and are operated via capacitive or resistive touchscreens, depending on the product line. The equipment includes a powerful CPU for smooth visualization with first-class resolution and brilliant image quality as well as a Linux operating system including HTML 5 browser.

The "u-create" engineering tool integrated in "u-control" enables access from anywhere and with any end device. The key to independence lies in the relocation of the software from the PC to the control system and the use of open web technologies. With HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript, any system can be monitored and programmed independently of the operating system. The only requirement is an HTML5-capable browser.

The control hardware is based on a dual-core ARM A9 processor with a clock frequency of 624 MHz and an internal memory of up to 512 MB. The main memory is 64 MB, and up to 32 GB of data can also be stored on a micro SD memory card. The controller is equipped with a battery-buffered real-time clock.

The 'u-create' engineering tool integrated into the controller is designed so that programming is based on IEC 61131-3. By adding industrial software apps, individual functions - such as visualization - can be loaded onto the IoT controller as additional software via an app.

Independence and secure communication

Weidmüller uses the manufacturer-independent communication standard OPC UA for data exchange and communication between machines and IT systems. The M2M protocol enables standardized, secure and reliable manufacturer and platform-independent data exchange. With OPC UA, communication is independent of the programming language. This independence also applies to the operating system. Industrial security routers and IoT gateways are available for secure communication paths within the factory and to the cloud. The web-based remote maintenance solution "u-link" guarantees fast and secure access to machines and systems. It simplifies remote maintenance and enables efficient management of production systems. The intuitive user interface can be easily configured for specific systems and tailored to your own structures.

The benefits of the "u-link" portal include secure remote access, a flexible system structure, efficient management, fast remote diagnostics and accelerated system service. Secure remote access is provided by a web portal with an integrated VPN rendezvous server in Germany, a router with an integrated SPI firewall (stateful inspection), authentication using x.509-based certificates such as OpenVPN with SSL encryption and manual access approval at the machine. Remote access to machines and systems takes place via a secure VPN connection. am