Lenze — in collaboration with IoT specialist ei3 — now offers a combination of remote analysis and remote maintenance services. The Industrial IoT specialist, ei3, is based in New York and has been working with manufacturing companies since 1999. Its setup is currently running in over 20,000 machine systems in more than 90 countries.

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’s now an easy way for OEMs to create a digital business of their own with data-based added value.

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. This data can be used to determine how to optimize systems and processes. In addition, the setup is suitable for services such as remote diagnosis and maintenance, and it can also be used to provide predictive services.

“Our customers are top priority and we are always looking for ways to allow them to strengthen their relationships with their customers,” said Ralph Rosa, president, Lenze Americas. “By collaborating with ei3, we can give OEMs the resources to start their own digital business and, then in turn, provide their customers with valuable data that will directly impact their business. Of course, it takes a certain amount of data before one can provide insights from big-data analysis. However, we are confident that the data collection and evaluations will be able to start immediately.”

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 in ei3’s own data centers. It is a private cloud offering big-data services with easy accessibility – preconfigured and available to OEMs. To start collecting data, machine builders will specify the target data points in the needed application – no prior knowledge of IT or big data necessary. It is also easy for the OEM to carry out remote diagnosis and remote maintenance once the product is up and running.

Lenze is a global manufacturer of electrical and mechanical drives, motion control and automation technology. As a global specialist in Motion Centric Automation, we offer the customers products, drive setups, complete automation systems, engineering services and tools from a single source. We are a leading provider of automation setups to the packaging industry, and the other focus industries include automotive, material handling and logistics, robotics, and commercial pumps/fans. With a global network of engineers, sales representatives, and manufacturing facilities, Lenze is well-positioned to meet the motion control needs of customers worldwide. Lenze Americas, the American subsidiary of Lenze SE of Germany, is headquartered in Uxbridge, Massachusetts, with an assembly and logistics center in Glendale Heights, Illinois. Corporate global headquarters are in Hamelin, Germany. For more information, visit www.Lenze.com.