toii®: platform for Industry 4.0
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platform toii® was developed with the aim of efficiently networking all technical devices within a factory.
The platform enables digital communication between machines, units, measuring instruments (“things”), and production workers. toii® can also integrate third-party systems such as an enterprise resource planning system (ERP) and/or manufacturing execution system (MES). With the help of the visualization module, toii® informs users and management about the production status, progress, and efficiency. As a result, optimization potentials can be identified and boosted. Once toii® is implemented, it can be easily expanded with additional modules.
Here is an overview of the toii® modules.
The individual toii® modules take on many tasks in the digital factory, from data collection and machine control to visualization, allowing a multitude of potential applications to be managed.
This module collects the data from the machines – from simple devices without programmable logic controllers (PLC) or older machines with user-defined interfaces to modern, IoT-capable machines.
Based on the principle of the Japanese Andon method: Light signals indicate the status of the analog machine and convert it into digital data. The status of all machines can be viewed in a web browser and the data obtained can be used for initial analyses. A simple, effective, and cost-effective way to get started.
Interprets and visualizes machine data collected via toii®.Collect, toii®.PDC, or toii®.Lights. The data are combined with external data and the manufacturing efficiency is visualized on dashboards. All relevant data can be viewed in any web browser.
The integration module for the automation and control of all machines. Machines are connected bidirectionally, processes are automated, and dataflows in the factory are controlled. Modern user interface technology is used to inform the operator.
Option for future smart data applications with unlimited possibilities for expansion. Predictive maintenance algorithms can forecast machine maintenance requirements, optimize production efficiency, develop individualized processes, or generate new business models.
The mobile module of the toii® platform. Data from permanently installed terminals or mobile devices are transferred to the platform, where they can be further processed. This allows manually collected production data, such as those entered by production workers, to be integrated into the digital production chain.
With the toii®.Integrator module, external systems (third-party systems) can be connected to the toii® platform. These are mainly manufacturing execution (MES) or enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, but other data sources and systems can also be connected. Both reading and writing communication is possible. The connection is usually individual.
The modularity of the toii® platform supports the implementation in a secure and segmented network environment on the customer’s own network architecture (such as VLAN). The individual modules communicate via transport layer security (TLS) and establish an encrypted connection to all machines/devices. toii® supports the latest and most reliable security profiles, such as OPC UA. The platform and its components are regularly inspected by thyssenkrupp’s own computer emergency response team, or CERT. toii® offers maximum data security and is operated under the strict European Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR).
toii®: significant advantages compared to other IIoT solutions
- Supports old legacy machines
- The “first mile,” everything from a single source
- Supports full machine integration (not only collection)
- Supports local-global concept
- “Future ready” with the latest standards such as OPC UA
- Flexible subscription model
- Highly flexible for all types of machines
- In-house IP for all modules in the ecosystem