Integrationsplattform und Ökosystem für die Fertigung.

MIP Integration Platform and Ecosystem for Manufacturing

Manufacturing companies used to attach great importance to a broad product portfolio when comparing system providers. But this is currently changing because today, hardly any provider can cover all features in the required depth. The reasons are multiple: On the one hand, Industry 4.0 introduced new ideas, solutions, and offers for the Smart Factory, and on the other hand, providers are increasingly specializing in specific processes and industries. The MIP integration platform by MPDV is bringing all these systems, solutions, and specialists together in an ecosystem of manufacturing IT.

Today’s manufacturing companies often use different systems in the shop floor, each providing specific features. Industrial groups operating in several locations have usually grown through acquisition, which is clearly visible in the software landscape. One of the locations already uses a Manufacturing Execution System (MES), while other locations run alternative solutions to collect and process machine and shop floor data or to perform quality inspections. The major challenge for these groups is to bring all these isolated solutions onto a common data basis to exchange information and create transparency throughout the company.

In such situations, some companies decide to phase out their existing systems and introduce a new, uniform solution. But this is not the most effective response. The complexity of interrelationships is actually difficult to assess here, and such a hard cut can hardly be realized as production would come to a standstill or at least only run at reduced levels during the implementation period.

Why an integration platform?

It is much better to connect all existing systems and create a data hub where important data converges. This is where the Manufacturing Integration Platform (MIP) steps in. The integration platform is the perfect solution enabling data exchange between applications and systems of different providers. A variety of applications in the form of so-called manufacturing apps (mApps) can easily be connected to the MIP via a standard interface (API). The mApps access a common digital twin of production. Many IoT platforms only manage data, but the MIP integration platform creates an image of reality that can be used by all mApps. This is what we call interoperability. Thanks to the ingenious platform architecture, you do not need an infinite number of interfaces to realize this interoperability, but only one for each application: the connection to the integration platform. Another benefit is that the separate systems are decoupled making it easier to exchange them.

Technologies & applications

Development over the years has shown that many customers talk about technologies and do not always recognize the difference to applications. However, this is not a problem with integration platforms such as the MIP, since a platform can integrate both, technologies (e.g. a smartwatch) and applications (e.g. calculating a KPI). Manufacturing companies can even operate the platform in the cloud. For the connection of mApps via web services, this does not make any difference as businesses can use this technology in the cloud or on premise. Thanks to an integrated encryption, security is guaranteed in any case.

Ecosystem and integration platform for all

The MIP is the ideal integration platform for the Smart Factory thanks to its standardized mechanisms. They are the foundation of the ecosystem and the manufacturing IT running on it. And this is how it works:

  • Each provider offers their core competence in the form of mApps or services.
  • System integrators use these building blocks to create individual solutions from standard software for their customers.
  • Manufacturing companies and their IT staff integrate legacy systems with the MIP and can benefit from new solutions at the same time.

The MIP Marketplace shows the diversity of offers in the ecosystem. The combination of market-proven solutions by MPDV and specific applications from partners in the ecosystem are the ideal basis on the way to the Smart Factory.

Further information

Do you know the new reference book about the MIP? Find this and other publications on our website.

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