Schneider Electric (Germany) – Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management and automation, has introduced EcoStruxure™ Machine, a significant step forward in its ability to help its packaging machine builders design machine solutions that are ready for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Announced at interpack 2017, the leading processes and packaging trade fair taking place in Germany, EcoStruxure Machine delivers Schneider Electric’s smart machine solutions, which are built on its IIoT-enabled open and interoperable EcoStruxure system architecture and platform.

Schneider Electric’s vision for smart machines is part of a connected, cybersecure production system based on EcoStruxure Machine, the company’s machine-centric automation architecture that enables OEMs to design more efficient, more flexible, bette r connected, and safer machines through advanced digital technologies and open standards.

EcoStruxure delivers Innovation At Every Level from connected products to edge control to applications, analytics and services. For packaging processes, EcoStruxure delivers the architecture for future-proof production and packaging processes, unleashing the full potential of the IIoT and Industry 4.0 for OEM customers in the packaging industry.

At the apps, analytics and services layer, EcoStruxure Machine ensures seamless integration of machines to the IT layer, allowing the collection and aggregation of data ready for analysis – for machine builders and end users alike this means increased uptime and the ability to find information faster for efficient operations and maintenance.

At the edge control layer EcoStruxure Machine facilitates information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) convergence across industry-standard platforms, meaning machine builders reap benefits from web interfaces and cloud computing for easy vertical integration of production lines, and real-time data exchange to access, monitor, and control from anywhere. The benefits of connected products for measuring, actuating, device level monitoring, and control that adhere to open standards are unmatched integration opportunities and increased flexibility.

Digitization requires machine builders more than ever to think beyond the usual borders of individual products and machines and consider how complete production lines must become connected at every stage of the manufacturing life cycle.

“Today we are seeing two interconnected megatrends: the digitization of all types of information and the increasing use of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in production – both are driving the evolution of our advanced machine technologies and the development of our EcoStruxure Machine architecture in order to deliver machines that are more efficient, more flexible, better connected, and safer,” says Dr Ali Haj Fraj, Senior Vice President, Machine Solutions, Schneider Electric.