Congatec’s Modular IoT Platform Secures Connectivity ‘From COM to Cloud’

Based on four preconfigured software building blocks, Congatec's aReady.IOT streamlines and secures data transfer between different systems and devices.

Data drives decisions in business, and with the proliferation of the IoT, information is readily available from almost any device. This access to data not only empowers companies to make informed choices but also prevents unnecessary downtime and makes maintenance decisions easier to schedule.

Congatec says users can access devices anywhere at any time with aReady.IOT.

Congatec recently released its aReady.IOT platform, expanding the functionality of aReady.COM. The new platform allows organizations to use an IoT device with preconfigured software solutions for data acquisition, remote monitoring, asset management, or predictive maintenance. Congatec designed this software to help manufacturers or business owners focus on what is most important: machine uptime, not software development.

The Four Building Blocks of aReady.IOT 

Congatec's aReady.IOT allows end users to remotely monitor or even automate their shop floor with real-time information. To achieve this, Ready.IOT is a modular platform consisting of four main building blocks: the COM Manager, the Application Manager, the Fleet Manager, and the Cloud Manager. 

Some of Congatec's aReady.IOT-ready COMs, including the SMARC, Qseven & Pico-ITX, COM Express, and the COM-HPC.

The COM Manager enhances a computer-on-module with features like remote management and system visualization through an intuitive dashboard. As the name indicates, the COM Manager was designed to manage the COM itself.

The Application Manager extends this management capability to connected peripherals and carrier boards and includes all COM Manager features. The Application Manager also establishes rule sets and push notifications to keep users informed automatically.

Meanwhile, the Fleet Manager facilitates over-the-air (OTA) updates, enabling efficient configuration across all installations. The Fleet Manager allows users to organize devices into groups and control routine actions such as setting device configurations for new machines or providing device updates for firmware on multiple devices simultaneously.

Lastly, the Cloud Manager connects aReady.IOT applications to cloud services, such as AWS and Azure, to provide flexible bi-directional communication. This feature is only available upon request. Congatec also offers zero-code solutions that allow users to create complex data flows through an advanced web interface. 

An Example: aReady.IOT in Manufacturing

As for real-world applications and benefits, let’s say you run a manufacturing facility with a variety of CNC lathes, mills, or other types of equipment. Do you know your machine’s true uptime? What about your machine’s efficiency? Do you have a machine that frequently goes down for maintenance? That is where IoT systems, such as aReady.IOT, comes into play.

The platform provides a visual representation of data that may help users to run more efficiently. Each of the four managers gives operators the ability to monitor how many machines are running and the duration of each shift, enabling them to increase or reduce their workforce or provide a root cause of equipment issues to maintenance teams.