Softing Industrial's new edgeGate device lets manufacturers pull data from PLC and CNC controllers straight into cloud and edge environments without touching existing control systems.
Getting production data out of aging factory equipment and into modern analytics platforms has long been a frustrating exercise in compatibility and risk. Softing Industrial thinks it has a cleaner answer. The company unveiled edgeGate at Hannover Messe 2024, a compact hardware device designed to bridge the gap between shop-floor controllers and cloud-based intelligence without requiring engineers to reprogram or disrupt the machines already running production lines.
The device simplifies access to Programmable Logic Controllers and Computerized Numerical Controllers, enabling secure data integration into advanced management systems such as Enterprise-Resource-Planning, Manufacturing Execution System, or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition platforms. This integration works for both new facilities and established plants running legacy equipment. Communication via OPC Unified Architecture ensures a robust and reliable connection that meets the standards industrial environments demand.
edgeGate also provides Message Queuing Telemetry Transport functionality, which facilitates the direct integration of machine data into private or public IoT cloud applications. The MQTT implementation is generic and compatible with multiple cloud providers, so manufacturers are not locked into a single ecosystem. Like the OPC UA standard, MQTT supports a range of security mechanisms including encrypted connections, certificates, and user authentication. These features collectively enhance data security significantly, which matters more than ever as industrial networks become targets for cyber threats.
One of the more practical advantages of edgeGate is that it is practically maintenance-free and allows connection to controllers without interfering with existing systems. There is no need to open up a running PLC or rewrite control logic. Supported controllers include Siemens Simatic PLC, Siemens Sinumerik controller, Fanuc CNC controller, Modbus TCP, Allen-Bradley PLC, or OPC UA Client machine data. That coverage spans a large portion of the controllers currently operating in factories worldwide. Configuration happens through a simple web interface, and the device adds an extra security layer along with communication encryption to protect data in transit.
For plants that want to go further, the capabilities of edgeGate can be expanded by integrating the edgeConnector products from Softing Industrial, which offer similar functionalities in a Docker-based software version. Another compatible product is Softing's Docker-based edgeAggregator software, which provides a powerful OPC UA data integration layer. The modular approach means a manufacturer can start with a single edgeGate unit on one production line and scale up across an entire facility without changing the underlying architecture.
"We are pleased to offer a hardware solution that complements our Docker-based software offering," says Abel Jimenez, Product Manager at Softing Industrial Automation. "edgeGate simplifies the connection of PLC and CNC controllers to management systems with robust communication functions such as OPC UA and MQTT and increases efficiency. edgeGate offers a comprehensive data integration solution that can stand alone or be extended by Softing's Docker-based edgeConnector and edgeAggregator software."
The broader trend here is unmistakable. As industrial companies push toward predictive maintenance, real-time quality monitoring, and AI-driven process optimization, they need reliable ways to extract data from the controllers that actually run their machines. Solutions that require ripping out and replacing working equipment are non-starters for most plant managers. Devices like edgeGate sit in the middle, translating between the old world of proprietary controller protocols and the new world of open cloud platforms, without forcing anyone to take a production line offline to make the connection.
edgeGate for edge and cloud applications
© Softing Industrial
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
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