German Edge Cloud, Rittal and the start-up IoTOS, which was recently acquired by the Friedhelm Loh Group, are now presenting the edge cloud solution Oncite together with Bosch Connected Industry. The real-time-capable solution is based on a scalable edge cloud data center that is located on site at the user's factory. The data is therefore collected, stored, processed and analyzed close to the time and location. By keeping all collected data on site, the user retains full control and decides for themselves whether and how to transfer the processed data to other digital production platforms of OEMs or top tier suppliers. Data storage and the exchange of production-relevant information with customers and suppliers can take place via IoT platforms such as SupplyOn or Mindsphere from Siemens while maintaining data sovereignty.

The edge cloud system can collect mass machine data and harmonize it across machines so that AI-based production optimizations can be applied. The industrial applications provided by Bosch Connected Industry, German Edge Cloud and IoTOS are intended to enable new technologies such as industrial analytics and AI in order to improve quality and optimize costs and throughput in production.

"With Oncite, the operator has a solution very quickly and significantly lower costs for integration into the existing factory-internal IT landscape and subsequent ongoing operation," says Dr. Sebastian Ritz, Managing Director of German Edge Cloud, describing the advantages of the solution and continues: "If requirements grow, additional services and computing power can be quickly integrated or added." The solution is offered including a scalable Edge Cloud IT infrastructure, an open IIoT platform, off-edge cloud usage and full service.

Automotive suppliers in view

According to Ritz, there is already demand for solutions such as Oncite: car manufacturers such as Volkswagen and BMW have launched digital platforms such as the Volkswagen Industrial Cloud or the Open Manufacturing Platform, which they want to use to track data along the entire supply chain.

With Oncite, the manufacturing and automotive supplier industry is now to receive a turnkey solution for the current requirements of automotive manufacturers. "Automotive suppliers with a total of up to 100,000 factories are to be adapted to the platforms of car manufacturers and top tier suppliers. The suppliers want to retain control over their production data, but do not want to risk their supplier status. To do this, they need a financially viable plug and produce solution." Oncite is designed to ensure secure cross-supply chain data exchange with the digital production platforms of manufacturers and top tier suppliers. However, the solution is also intended as a basis for the company's own digitalization measures.

The four network partners

The German Edge Cloud (GEC) is a start-up that belongs to the Friedhelm Loh Group and has developed an AI edge cloud for real-time industrial use cases. The Eschborn-based company provides private edge cloud infrastructures (IaaS), platforms for data analysis (PaaS) and industry-specific AI applications (SaaS).

On October 10, 2019, the Friedhelm Loh Group announced the acquisition of IoTOS GmbH. IoTOS specializes in industrial IoT applications for the smart factory. The company provides manufacturers, suppliers and service companies in all industrial sectors with software solutions for the implementation of Industry 4.0 requirements. The IIoT applications support companies with digitalization along the supply chain: from the product idea to development and production, through the entire supply chain to delivery to the end customer.

Rittal, also a member of the Friedhelm Loh Group, is a system provider for enclosures, power distribution, climate control, IT infrastructure and software & service.

Bosch Connected Industry bundles software and services for Industry 4.0 in a portfolio under the name Nexeed. Around 500 associates develop and market software solutions for production and logistics in Germany, Hungary and China.