Startup Bitmotec, based at the Institut für Integrierte Produktion Hannover (IPH) gGmbH, has developed a new generation of sensors for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). The aim of the company’s founders is to create a generic family of sensors featuring various models that can be combined on a modular basis to suit the intended use. They also plan to provide special software that users can control on a tablet.

The first prototype has been designed for the digitalization of a conveyor belt and comprises a temperature sensor, a current and vibration sensor, and a 3D camera. The highlight of the system is the automatic, AI-based evaluation of measurement data. Power consumption, energy costs, vibration behavior, and volume flows are displayed on a dashboard. In the conveyor belt example, for instance, this data enables users to identify excessive energy consumption or defect conveyor rollers before a potential stoppage.

Consulting firm Roland Berger believes that such predictive maintenance solutions harbor great potential in the context of Industry 4.0 and promise high growth rates on the market.