Harting will present its solution for the retroactive digitization of injection molding machines as part of the MICA.network Expert Da y at its headquarters in Espelkamp, east of Osnabrück, on October 23, 2018. The manufacturer of the modular, open digitization platform MICA sees the main advantage of its approach in the comparatively low investment required for retrofitting existing production facilities. According to the manufacturer, retrofitting itself does not take long; the subsequent increase in productivity requires a quick amortization of costs while extending the machines' service life.

The event in Espelkamp is aimed at executives and specialists from production, IT and maintenance and provides an opportunity to exchange ideas with digitization experts. The planned topics include converting outdated protocols into modern and open protocols such as OPC UA and MQTT that facilitate integration into current MES and ERP systems, as well as possible solutions for implementing machine monitoring and predictive maintenance functions that leverage machine learning technologies. Another topic is the automated management and detection of injection molds using an RFID chip.

There is apparently no age limit for machines when connecting to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT): Bosch successfully used sensors and software to connect a lathe dating back to 1887 .