"More and more customers from industry and automation are not only looking for hardware and software from a single source. Rather, they want to use design and user interface to differentiate themselves from the competition." This is how Oliver Roth, Managing Director of Grossenbacher Systeme and comtac AG, describes the initial situation that led to the collaboration between the three companies. Grossenbacher's sister company Comtac has also joined in a supporting role.

One reason why the partners' technical and methodological skills complement each other well is the holistic applications from the field level to the cloud. For example, display devices and IoT gateways including the associated visualizations and cloud portals. However, these are merely examples, as the company adapts both device categories to customer requirements and implements them accordingly and according to the customer's specifications on a project-specific basis.

Display devices for high demands

Grossenbacher Systeme is presenting a new generation of display devices in various sizes and installation variants for growing requirements. Based on powerful processors from the i.MX8 series , the new devices enable

• secure communication,
• high resolutions,
• the use of current browsers with high resource requirements and
• extensive local data storage.

In addition, they can handle various communication protocols in the cloud, including MQTT, OPC UA and JSON, with a virtually free choice of visualization. Web panels and other smart panels with integrated soft PLCs such as Codesys from 3S can be implemented on this basis.

The extensive hardware is also the basis for OEM applications with customer-specific software. This allows "CaderaDesign" to contribute its creative expertise in industrial design and user interface design to projects. Sabo Mobile IT" is available for the end-to-end implementation of visualization. Specializing in the software development of web and mobile applications for industrial use, it offers OEM customers machine operation and cloud portal applications from a single source - with a uniform user interface. This is supplemented by a chatbot application for audio-supported monitoring and operation of machines.

IoT gateways with edge function - with and without Azure

Grossenbacher also has new IoT gateways in its portfolio that enable the local pre-processing of a wide range of data. With connectivity for various communication networks, they also offer worldwide application options in more than 190 countries. A device variant integrated into the Microsoft Azure IoT platform also offers developers a wide range of functions, particularly for field device management.

A second device line, which is also available with an Azure-independent cloud application, also offers the flexibility for integrated I/O interfaces, paired with the connection of a standard fieldbus such as Modbus. This allows existing systems and sensors to be connected to the internet. Despite their high performance, the devices are also cost- and energy-optimized: Depending on the task, they are equally suitable for battery-powered use. In collaboration with Sabo Mobile IT, the gateways enable holistic cloud applications . They also include technical field device management - a function that automation specialists can hardly do without.

Customers also have a choice with all of the devices mentioned: depending on the respective project, its focus and subsequent production, they can choose which of the companies acts as the main contact or general contractor - coordinated project management makes it possible.