Plug-and-play productivity: ifm group’s edge products enable device connectivity with Software AG’s Cumulocity IoT platform.

Software AG (Frankfurt MDAX: SOW) and the ifm group, a market-leading industrial automation provider, have announced a partnership that will focus on cloud-based visualization and analysis of sensor data from industrial systems and machinery.

The ifm edge portfolio consists of hardware as well as software sensor data that will offer connectivity to the Cumulocity IoT Cloud for basically any machine, system or device. The solution will also prepare data for further use. As part of the collaboration, both partners will also supply joint customers with direct plug-and-play solution packages including cloud-based services (SaaS) for the Internet of Things.

Software AG CTO, Bernd Gross, commented, “One of digitalization’s core promises is to enrich machines, plants and things with data and digital services to increase their efficiency and cost-effectiveness and help us glean data for new business models. The tight interplay of sensors, interfaces and the Cumulocity IoT Cloud will enable us to integrate previously isolated OT systems with the analytic capabilities of cutting-edge IT in the cloud. This will facilitate automation at all manufacturing companies and, in turn, boost effectiveness across entire plants.

IoT Connector and Gateway by ifm
In combination with Cumulocity IoT, ifm’s edge product portfolio is a closed-loop, end-to-end system which enables cloud connectivity for any number of machines and systems. It is, by the same token, open on both ends, meaning that the use of other cloud solutions and additional connectors and gateways is possible. With this package, companies will gain complete freedom in their choice of solutions. For a list of all Software AG hardware partners and providers of embedded systems for IoT devices, please refer to Software AG’s Device Partner Portal.

Nadine Rahman, CEO of ifm solutions GmbH, the group’s digitalization division, remarked, “When it comes to digitalization projects in the industrial context, the three core focal points are always extending operational life, maximizing convenience, and increasing efficiency. To address these topics, one of ifm’s guiding principles for digitalization activities is simplification. Time and time again, the market (and various studies) has shown us that a key reason for the failure of the proliferation of digitalization is the overly complex approach of projects. With our digital projects, we want to focus on delivering solutions for our customers’ highly specific issues in the industrial value creation process with respect to production and mobile machinery. So, the software is a means to an end but also part of the solution.”

Access to the “Internet of Everything” with Cumulocity IoT
Cumulocity IoT is Software AG’s cloud offering and enables data processing, storage and analytics, as well as visualization of results. Cumulocity IoT’s functionality is easy to modify with publicly documented APIs, an open UI framework and open-source components. Cumulocity IoT can be deployed via more than 170 global data centers in the public cloud or on-premise and in multi-layer hybrid models.

Thanks to Cumulocity IoT and its easy-to-link gateways and connectors, IoT scenarios of all levels of complexity are becoming a reality for companies of all sizes in all sectors. With Cumulocity IoT, specialized coding or programming skills are taking a backseat and are only necessary in individual or exceptional cases. IoT devices can be connected to the Cumulocity Cloud with the simple click of a mouse, which paves the way to data from the “Internet of Everything” for use in analytics applications and dashboards. It is now possible to connect more than 150 devices using certified hardware kits and software libraries.