Softing Industrial's latest edgeConnector module unlocks real-time data from Allen-Bradley controllers, giving manufacturers a straightforward path to IIoT integration without touching existing PLC configurations.
Getting production data off the shop floor and into the cloud has long been one of those deceptively simple ideas that turns into a headache in practice. Programmable logic controllers were never designed with modern analytics in mind, and the interface between operational technology and IT has historically been anything but seamless. Softing Industrial has been steadily chipping away at that problem with its Docker-based edgeConnector family, and the newest addition takes aim at one of the most widely deployed industrial control platforms in North America.
The edgeConnector Allen-Bradley PLC module connects directly to ControlLogix and CompactLogix controllers, exposing their data through OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) and Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocols. That combination matters. OPC UA handles structured industrial communication, while MQTT handles lightweight messaging ideal for cloud platforms. Together, they make controller data available on edge devices or in virtual environments without requiring any changes to the existing PLC configuration. For a plant manager running hundreds of Allen-Bradley controllers across multiple production lines, that distinction alone can be the difference between a viable project and one that never gets off the ground.
The module is configured locally through an integrated web interface, which keeps things simple for small deployments. For larger operations managing fleets of edge devices across multiple sites, remote mass configuration is available through a Representational State Transfer Application Programming Interface, commonly known as REST API. That flexibility reflects a practical understanding of how industrial networks actually grow: one line at a time, then suddenly across an entire facility.
Softing now offers five edgeConnector products covering the most common control systems in use today. Alongside the Allen-Bradley module, the lineup includes edgeConnector Siemens, edgeConnector 840D, edgeConnector Fanuc CNC, and edgeConnector Modbus. All of them share the same containerized architecture, which means they deploy quickly on standard hardware and can be managed centrally. There is no need for specialized edge appliances or vendor-locked infrastructure. Each module includes built-in MQTT publisher and subscriber functionality, allowing Industrial Internet of Things architectures to be assembled without reinventing the wheel at every site.
Security is baked in rather than bolted on. The edgeConnectors support SSL/TLS encryption, X.509 certificate management, and authentication mechanisms that align with how IT departments already manage network access. For organizations navigating the increasingly tangled intersection of industrial cybersecurity standards and enterprise IT policy, that kind of consistency reduces friction significantly.
edgeConnector Allen-Bradley PLC provides access to data from ControlLogix and CompactLogix controllers
© Softing Industrial
"We are again expanding our Docker-based edgeConnector product family to address the growing need for integration interfaces in software that can be operated on standard hardware and can be managed efficiently," explains Abel Jimenez, Product Manager at Softing Industrial. "In this way, we support users and system integrators in bridging the gap between OT and IT."
That gap between operational technology and IT is precisely where most IIoT projects stall. Production engineers understand their controllers and protocols inside out. IT teams understand cloud platforms, container orchestration, and security frameworks. What they often lack is a common layer that speaks both languages without requiring either side to compromise. Softing's approach, wrapping industrial protocol translation inside lightweight Docker containers, is a pragmatic answer. It does not try to replace existing investments in automation hardware. It simply makes that hardware conversant with the infrastructure modern analytics and cloud platforms demand.
For system integrators, the expanding product family also simplifies the sales cycle. Supporting five major control platforms means fewer vendor conversations, fewer proof-of-concept iterations, and more consistent deployment patterns from one customer site to the next.
Further information on edgeConnector products: https://industrial.softing.com/products/docker.html
About Softing Industrial
Softing connects disparate automation components to feed data from the shop floor to the cloud for control and analytics. The company's products enable the monitoring and diagnosis of communication networks and thus ensure a reliable data flow. In this way, they create the basis for the optimization of production processes. For more information: https://industrial.softing.com
Softing Industrial Automation GmbH
Richard-Reitzner-Allee 6
D-85540 Haar
WIDDER Stephanie
Phone : +49 (89) 456 56-365
Fax : +49 (89) 456 56-399
[email protected]