Lenze Teams With Ei3

To Offer White Label Remote Analysis and Maintenance

May 19, 2017 – Many machine and systems engineering companies are still uncertain about what Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things (IoT) mean for their business model. Only a few of them have found their own strategy for dealing with the new trend. For partners of automation specialist Lenze, there is now a way for OEMs to create a digital business of their own with data-based added value.

Machine and systems engineers who rely on Lenze’s automation technology can now provide online data services. Lenze has joined forces with the IoT specialist ei³ to offer a combination of remote analysis and remote maintenance services. It is a white label product which means that there is no visible evidence of the ei³brand, and the product appears under the name and logo of the OEM.

As part of their service contract with Lenze, machine builders can collect all the data that is available inside the Lenze controllers. They can then evaluate this data and make it available to their own customers, either as an up-to-date dashboard or in the form of reports providing performance figures. For example, as the basis for advice on how to optimize systems and processes. In addition, the solution is suitable for services such as remote diagnosis and maintenance, and it can also be used to provide predictive services.

The data from a machine is first transferred via OPC-UA (Unified Architecture) to a security appliance within the production network. From then on, all the communication takes place in encrypted form at a high level of security. The data is stored in ei³’s own regional data centres, of which there are three: one in the USA, one in Europe and one in Asia. A fourth one will soon be available for Germany, so that the data belonging to local customers does not leave the country. This data centre will meet all European data- protection requirements. Adherence to the data regulations will be certified by Dekra, Germany’s biggest technical inspection agency.

At this year’s Interpack,  Lenze ran a small machine that collects data as it operates, both in standard operation mode and in a deliberately triggered crisis situation. The company used a step-by-step demonstration to show interested machine and systems engineers how the services provided by its cooperation partner ei³ can be set up and used.