Dear All,
We would like to share with you our short report from Hannover Messe 2019 – from IT perspective. We were there for two days, but we saw quite a lot of inspiring things.
First of all – Internet of Things is everywhere!
Biggest companies in industry prepared dedicated equipment and infrastructure to support IoT. We talked with their representatives and what they have to offer is really impressive – beginning from devices that you connect to machine and it sends data directly to cloud, to artificial intelligence that proccess that data and prepares reports.
Of course it works the other way around – you can send settings directly to machines – even if machine is offline (it will get notification as soon as it connects)
A large number of available sensors gives the opporunity to create ‘digital twin’. A digital twin is a digital representation of a physical object or system. Digital twins can be used to run simulations and predict different outcomes based on variable data.
We discovered few open source platforms for supporting IoT that we plan to investigate.
Of course connecting devices to network creates very serious security risks. Fortunately there is a lot of hardware and software that helps to minimize those risks.
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Another technology that is just around the corner is 5G. 5G is the next generation of mobile networks. It will offer much bigger bandwidth and capacity. It’s designed to be the network for the IoT. Additionally it will have possibility of tracking assets – even on production hall, with great accuracy and in 3D (for example objects on shelves).
In Poland some operators prepared solution called ‘5G Ready’. It’s not full 5G but it’s sign that it will available in not too distant future.
There were also a lot of solution connected with virtual, mixed and augmented reality. This solutions were centered on training and supporting workers.
Mixed reality can be used for example for displaying instructions during assembly.
We had opportunity to test small barcode scanners, that can be connected with other device (for example with smartphone) through bluetooth. This could be good solution for our logistics.
We will also receive offers for robust label printers that could be used during our production.
There were also a lot of robots collaborating directly with humans – Cobots. Operators with no programming experience can quickly set up and operate those robots. It’s also very easy to connect Cobots to network and gather data to our system.
