Dr.Grönzin: Industry 4.0 isfundamentallyabout data and its exchange in different levels and directions. We are a manufacturer in the field of optical sensors and therefore act as a data supplier. In the context of Industry 4.0, platforms are now required in which this data can be aggregated and analyzed, and Microsoft provides a very powerful one with the Azure Cloud. A standardized communication model is required to transfer the data from the Leuze sensors to the Azure Cloud - OPC UA is currently the most promising candidate from our point of view.

What are the benefits of Microsoft's 'Azure Cloud'?

Dr.Grönzin: Microsoft is one of theleadingcloud providers. The Azure Cloud offers users a wide range of cloud applications and services for data processing and analysis. It acts as a datareceiverfornon-control-related data and makes it available globally.

How did you implement the connection of the barcode reader?

Dr.Grönzin: Process and metadata from our barcode reader 'BCL 348i' is transferred to Microsoft's 'Azure IoT Hub' viathe OPC UA Publish/Subscriber Communication Model - PSCM for short - . This transfer takes place via the Advanced Message Queuing Protocol - AMQP for short - of the OPC UA interface. In the cloud, the data is collected by the IOT hub and made available to the cloud services for analysis and visualization. The reverse IoT proxy solution provides an additional mechanism for advanced control tasks with intensive bidirectional data exchange.

And what does communication between the barcode reader and the cloud look like?

Dr.Grönzin: The focus is on monitoring sensor data. The barcode reader transfersdata to the cloud - primarilydevice data, such asdevice identificationand status, statistical data and data that is not relevant to control. The communication of events and control functions from the cloud to the barcode reader also play a role; this takes place via command/control extensions.

What could visitors see at the trade fair stand?

Dr.Grönzin: Visitors to the trade fair were abletosee specificdevice information, status data from thedeviceand reading statistics and results. Wealsoshowed how a sensor can be controlled viaa globallyavailableuser interface by allowing the user to open and close the reading gate of a barcode reader. We also showed a use case that uses the cloud's analysis capability, evaluates the sensor data provided and makes the results available globally.