Bringing data to reality

Utilising technology and collaborating with some of the finest companies from around the world, Global M2M will bring to the market in early 2021 its end-to-end IoT solution — providing the hardware, network and the cloud.

With hardware from Ewon, the cellular network using Global M2M SIMs and the cloud with the company’s view it IoT platform, Global M2M will take its concept of connect | collect | present | analyse to the Australian and New Zealand market.

With regards to hardware, Global M2M has been the HMS networks distribution partner in Australia and New Zealand for over 10 years. Ewon is a product brand of HMS Networks and is one of the leading independent manufacturers of products for industrial communication, including remote maintenance.

All Ewon products provide PLC remote access for monitoring and troubleshooting purposes. Through its on-demand remote access service, users can download PLC programs, access their HMI, and even trigger notifications when something goes wrong. Ewon’s Cosy device offers a wide range of connectivity: Users are able to choose between fixed wired solution, Wi-Fi, or a cellular connection that suits their situation, and connect to their machines via Talk2M, Ewon’s industrial cloud. No matter where a machine is installed, users can remotely access their devices through mobile or desktop versions of eCatcher, Ewon’s VPN client.

In addition to all the on-demand remote access features, the Ewon Flexy IoT router adds data collection capabilities. The Ewon Flexy is able to perform local data acquisition using the serial, MPI or Ethernet ports. The data acquisition process is built around a tagged database in which each tag is associated with an I/O server.

The Ewon Flexy is able to perform data acquisition with the following protocols:

• Modbus RTU and Modbus TCP
• Uni-Telway
• EtherNet/IP
• DF1
• FINS TCP and FINS Hostlink
• ISO TCP
• PPI and MPI
• Profibus
• Mitsubishi FX
• Hitachi EH
• ASCII
• OPC UA
• BACnet/IP.
   

Data publishing protocols such as OPC UA, Modbus, MQTT, SNMP, and HTTPs are supported. Continuous data logging and buffering can be performed on every tag name. Each tag name can be logged on a fixed interval or on change (with deadband). Ewon stores tag data values (plus timestamp) in its internal database (up to 1,000,000 timestamp points) for statistical analysis and later review (historical logging) or to analyse recent trends (real-time logging). Logged items can then be published to the secure Ewon Cloud Talk2M via the DataMailbox.

Ewon’s Cosy device offers a wide range of connectivity options.

The DataMailbox service of Talk2M cloud is an online data buffer that allows the easy retrieval of the Ewon gateway’s historical data. Application developers can easily retrieve historical data from multiple Ewon gateways using the DataMailbox and a simple API call. A point can be stored for up to 10 days from when it was sent to the DataMailbox. The DataMailbox is how the view it cloud IoT platform connects to the Ewon solution.

In relation to the network, Global M2M has partnered with a major global SIM provider offering access to cellular network providers not only in Australia and New Zealand but across the globe. The Global M2M SIMs provide competitive data plans along with an online IoT management suite to connect, manage, bill and secure IoT applications from one modular platform. Global M2M provides a complete suite of IoT SIM cards and advanced connectivity technologies, combined with expert consultancy and support, to enable IoT companies, OEMs and systems integrators to connect, manage, bill and secure their connected devices.

For the cloud, Global M2M has partnered with Italian IoT company Xeo4 to create the IoT platform view it. The view it IIoT platform is a complete and easy-to-use remote management solution that when connected to the Ewon ecosystem collects data from any industrial device, stores it in the cloud and makes it accessible via web and mobile applications. Thanks to its cloud-based modular architecture view it can be tuned to match requirements in different industries. The view it philosophy is to be open and interoperable — which is why data is available through file export and API to feed other dedicated systems such as BI tools or any other data processing systems.

view it and eWON make possible an IIoT solution that brings many key advantages: By choosing view it in association with the Ewon gateways, users can benefit from rapid application development as all the view it modules are ready to use. There is no need to develop any software, and in many cases even to make configurations. Users simply create an account in the view it cloud and by using Ewon Talk2M/eCatcher credentials users can connect view it to their Ewon Flexy units.

The cloud service is a multi-tenant, cloud-based, SaaS (SCADA as a Service) application, which means zero requirements for IT infrastructure and includes endless product upgrades, infinite scalability, fault tolerance and reliability. Users can build their own dashboards using a web-based editor embedding their own graphical elements such as logos, or P&I diagrams. The report and trend functionality of view it, visualises and compares data, analyses it, and schedules and sends reports and charts via email.

view it also has mobile applications for Android and iOS with push notifications for alarms allowing view it users to carry all they need in their pockets.

view it also has mobile applications for Android and iOS with push notifications for alarms allowing view it users to carry all they need in their pockets. The maps feature allows users to monitor their sites, equipment and their status on a browsable map and quickly react to notifications. The document management system allows users to upload, store and share the equipment-related documentation for access whenever it is needed from the mobile app or web portal. Process automation automates distributed processes thanks to the view it business rule engine and automatically reacts to well-known variations of real or virtual measurements. Users can export data in any format to a preferred external tool such as Excel or external databases.

Another feature of view it is the IP camera cloud collector, which collects images from any IP camera and stores it in the cloud so it is available to watch it when and if needed. view it is the ideal off-the-shelf and self-provisioned complement to the eWON branded products from HMS Industrial Networks.

Originally published here.