Improved efficiency and productivity is a key requirement in the manufacturing industry for sustainable growth. Operational downtime is the enemy to be avoided at all cost. This also affects partners and suppliers across the manufacturing supply chain – and can especially be felt by the machine building sector.

Time-sensitive networking (TSN) is a very hot topic in the industrial world. You’ve probably read numerous articles on the new standard over the past several months, all of which likely tout the revolutionary nature of the real-time communication and determinism that the framework provides. While the benefits are clear, what isn’t being discussed is that the configuration of TSN mechanisms such as the time-aware scheduler and its reservation of timeslots for Ethernet frames can require a great deal of configuration to get right.

In today’s information age, everything in our lives, both as engineers and consumers, is about data. From big data and smart cities, phones and cars to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), we have access to an incredible amount of information ready to be tapped everywhere we turn. And we’re starting to leverage it in a way that not only makes our lives easier, but shapes markets through new capabilities and opportunities for innovation.

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has been a hot topic of late. One key consideration that will impact its acceptance rate and ultimate success is security. A successful attack on an IIoT system could result in the loss of sensitive data, interruption of operations, and destruction of systems. This will result in damage to brand and reputation, material economic loss and damage to critical infrastructure. Worse, there could be damage to the environment, injury or loss of human life. A secure IIoT solution is comprised of a variety of elements, including secure products, secure protocols, a secure network, ongoing security monitoring, and employees with cybersecurity expertise.

You’ve probably heard, said or read the term “Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)” several times this week alone – it’s become a widely-used buzz phrase, capturing the attention of the media and businesses across all industrial markets due to the transformative impact it’s starting to have on the global economy. The ability to use the manufacturing data enabled by the IIoT is what puts the “smart” in smart factory. Researchers say the move to smart factories could add $500 billion to $1.5 trillion in economic value in just five years.