New platform enables remote condition monitoring and predictive maintenance to optimise machine performance

Molex, together with MB Connect Line GmbH, has introduced a secure and reliable cloud-based communication channel that allows remote access and monitoring. With data transparency becoming increasingly important, this platform adds communications and networking to the production process, offering machine and system builders’ capabilities designed to enable real-time condition monitoring and predictive maintenance, supporting the drive towards smarter machines and factories. As Industry 4.0 seeks to improve efficiency, increase flexibility and accelerate time-to-market, enabled through integration of smart devices and the IoT, one example of this in action is maximising system availability through remote condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. This allows machine and system builders to deliver added value to manufacturing customers and re-think their traditional business models. A key component of this solution, industrially hardened and secured routers deliver versatile internet access – via either Ethernet WAN or WiFi – to enable remote set-up, configuration, diagnostic monitoring and maintenance of machines installed anywhere. With built-in NAT firewall, VPN connection, SSL encryption and two-factor authentication functionality, this solution provides both seamless integration with the customer’s network and remote machine access in a strongly cyber-secured manner. “These routers offer the most cyber-secured solution designed for industrial automation applications,” says Thierry Bieber, business development manager, Molex. “And setup and cyber-security has been designed to be managed by industrial automation personnel, not IT engineers.”