Immediate digital condition monitoring now available with Plug & Play Industrial IoT Kit

Currently, IoT kits are only suitable for prototyping. However, HARTING have worked alongside Bosch Connected Devices and Solutions to develop and release a fully functional new plug-and-play kit that enables digital condition monitoring of any kind of machinery or equipment. What’s particularly exciting about this development is how simple installation is; the entire system is up and running inside a day and starts to provide you with valuable production data immediately!

Condition monitoring and predictive maintenance

Digital condition monitoring involves measuring data such as the temperature and pressure of machines to ensure they are running smoothly and at an optimal level. Having the ability to spot any fluctuations quickly allows you to undertake predictive maintenance. In other words, you can identify, isolate and carry out repairs before the machine breaks down, alleviating costly downtimes.

In order to undertake condition monitoring, you firstly need to digitally retrofit machines with monitoring devices, a task which is made incredibly easy by the MICA CISS IIoT Kit (176-2224) . The robust and compact Bosch CISS sensor unit can be easily attached to any machine surface. Once it’s in place, it can simultaneously measure vibration, pressure, temperature, humidity, light, magnetic fields, acoustics and any changes in position.

The CISS sensor then connects to the local network and HARTING’s MICA, a compact industrial computer, which is installed next to the machinery without any need for a control cabinet. As the MICA CISS IIoT Kit is specially designed for long-term use in industrial environments, it comes with a robust IP54 protection rating, meaning it can withstand everything a manufacturing environment can throw at it.

The technical stuff

Data from the CISS sensors is delivered in the MQTT common exchange format, giving you the flexibility to analyse or store information within any IT system or IoT platform. All the information is displayed in a web browser via the integrated browser-based Node-RED dashboard, whilst a connector for Microsoft Azure Cloud is pre-installed.

It’s also possible to store local data on the MICA as it can be supplemented with software containers for databases, cloud connectors and OPC-UA translators, which are easily installed and managed like apps. In addition, MICA's modular, open-source software design enables the data to be specifically adapted to meet your requirements and goals.

Practical uses

Thanks to the open-source software, the MICA CISS IIoT Kit can be used across a wide-range of industries. In addition to condition monitoring it can be used as an energy management tool, giving businesses the opportunity to measure output, implement changes and save on costs. When combined with RFID, the equipment can also identify practically any object digitally or wirelessly, providing a cost-effective asset tracking solution. Furthermore, the robust nature of the equipment means it can be installed on running machinery, in logistic or production areas and on rail and road vehicles.