At the last SPS IPC Drives, Leuze electronic presented its first I4.0-capable sensor solution based on a barcode reader and OPC UA, developed in collaboration with Microsoft. What's new this year?

Baumgardt : Thanks to the cooperation with the OPC Foundation and Microsoft Azure, we were able to integrate an OPC UA interface in the 'BCL 300' barcode reader, an embedded device without a real-time operating system, and thus offer a second information channel parallel to process control. An OPC UA interface is now also available in other of our sensors. We also demonstrated new ways of visualizing sensor data back in spring 2017: Using the Microsoft Hololens, information was projected directly into a real application. We supplement this augmented reality with 3D information from the sensor, for example, in order to simplify commissioning and maintenance.

How intelligent do the connected sensors need to be in order to exchange data with the Azure Cloud?

Baumgardt: Basically, information is exchanged with the cloud via a company's IT network. This means that all devices that want to send data to Microsoft Azure must support an Ethernet TCP/IP-based communication interface such as Profinet or Ethernet/IP.

Today, even a 'simple' photoelectric sensor detects environmental conditions and monitors its own function reserve in order to be able to send warning messages to the system control if necessary. However, due to the physical interface, data exchange is usually limited to binary signals. With IO-Link, these sensors can offer detailed data for device management or condition monitoring, for example. The superimposed IO-Link master module translates the information and converts it into communication to the controller - and now also to cloud-based solutions via OPC UA!

What can trade fair visitors see at your stand?

Baumgardt: We will be showing a combination of complex identification sensors and 'simple' trigger photoelectric sensors that communicate with the 'Connected Sensors' cloud platform via OPC UA, thus enabling solutions for modern device management or comprehensive predictive maintenance approaches.

What does the roadmap towards Industry 4.0 look like?

Baumgardt: We will continue to expand the existing infrastructure and complete it with security mechanisms - based on OPC UA technologies, among other things. This will enable us to offer modern sensor solutions specifically for intralogistics and the packaging industry, machine tools, the automotive industry and medical technology.