MindSphere is an industrial
IoT as a service solution developed by
Siemens for applications in the context of the Internet of Things (
IoT).
[Naujoks, Stefanie. “MindSphere – Siemens cloud for industry: What is it all about?” pac-online.com. Retrieved 2016-05-09.]
MindSphere stores operational data and, makes it accessible through digital applications (“MindSphere applications”) to allow industrial customers to make decisions based on valuable factual information.
[Weinländer, Markus. (2017) Industrielle Kommunikation: Basistechnologie für die Digitalisierung der Industrie. Beuth Verlag. pp. 59-60. .] The system is used in applications such as automated production and vehicle fleet management.
[Reinheimer, Stefan. (ed.) (2017) Industrie 4.0: Herausforderungen, Konzepte und Praxisbeispiele. Springer Verlag. p. 26. .]
Assets can be securely connected to MindSphere with auxiliary MindSphere products (e.g. Data Capture Unit, MindConnect IoT2040 or MindConnect Nano) that collect and transfer relevant machine and plant data.
Examples include real-time telemetric data from moving assets like cars, time series data and, geographical data, which can be used for
predictive maintenance
Predictive maintenance techniques are designed to help determine the condition of in-service equipment in order to estimate when maintenance should be performed. This approach promises cost savings over routine or time-based preventive maintena ...
or to develop new analytical tools.
Overview
As an industrial IoT as a service solution, MindSphere collects and analyzes all kinds of sensor data in real time.
This information can be used to optimize products, production assets and manufacturing processes along the entire value chain.
[Dowling, Michael; Eberspächer, Jörg; Neuburger, Rahild; Noll, Elisabeth; Zisler, Kristina. (2016) Neue Produkte in der digitalen Welt. Books on Demand. .] MindSphere’s open application interfaces make it possible to obtain data from machines, plants or entire fleets irrespective of the manufacturer.
These interfaces include
OPC Foundation The OPC Foundation (Open Platform Communications, formerly Object Linking and Embedding for Process Control) is an industry consortium that creates and maintains standards for open connectivity of industrial automation devices and systems, such as ...
’s OPC Unified Architecture (
OPC UA).
To help customers create their own software applications and services, MindSphere is equipped with open application programming interfaces (APIs) and development tools.
This allows
OEMs
An original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is generally perceived as a company that produces non-aftermarket parts and equipment that may be marketed by another manufacturer. It is a common industry term recognized and used by many professional or ...
to integrate their own technology.
MindSphere is based on the concept of closed feedback loops enabling the bi-directional data flow between production and development: Real-world plants, machines and equipment can be connected to MindSphere in order to extract operational data.
Valuable information (e.g. “
digital twins” of machines) can then be extrapolated from the raw data through analytics and utilized to optimize products as well as production processes and environments in the next cycle of innovation.
Timeline
* August 2017 – End of closed beta phase and release of MindSphere Version 2.0
* January 2018 – Release of MindSphere Version 3.0 on
AWS
* May 2018 - Release of MindSphere on
Microsoft Azure[ ]
* April 2019 - Release of MindSphere Version 3.0 on
Alibaba Cloud
Alibaba Cloud, also known as Aliyun (), is a cloud computing company, a subsidiary of Alibaba Group. Alibaba Cloud provides cloud computing services to online businesses and Alibaba's own e-commerce ecosystem. Its international operations are re ...
See also
*
Internet of Things
*
Industry 4.0
The Fourth Industrial Revolution, 4IR, or Industry 4.0, conceptualizes rapid change to technology, industries, and societal patterns and processes in the 21st century due to increasing interconnectivity and smart automation. The term has bee ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Industrial Internet
Industrial automation
Internet of things
Big data products
Industrial computing
Technology forecasting
Cloud platforms