Capturing, transmitting and processing data into the Cloud with new cooling units

One of the reasons why cutting-edge connectivity has become so important in factories and similar environments is to facilitate new, smarter ways of working, such as predictive maintenance. Connectivity is a feature of Rittal’s new cooling units and chillers and its recent collaboration with Siemens MindSphere and IBM Watson IoT provides a unique insight into the capabilities and opportunities which exist, now and in the future for a world enabled by Industry 4.0. The company’s new Blue e+ cooling units and chillers consume an average of 70% less power than their conventional counterparts. They also raise the bar in M2M communication. Specifically, they can transmit key data to a smartphone quickly and simply via a NFC (near field communication) connection. The RiDiag III parameterisation and diagnostics software uses a USB interface or a network to support efficient system operation, deliver rapid support for maintenance and repairs, and deliver in-depth diagnostics. The new communications module (Com Modul) also allows the cooling units and chillers to communicate with any higher-level system via OPC UA, PROFINET, SNMP, Modbus RTU and CAN Master – enabling predictive maintenance, data analytics and more.