Software AG > Case Studies > Autosen's Innovative Sensor-to-Cloud Solution: A Case Study

Autosen's Innovative Sensor-to-Cloud Solution: A Case Study

Technology Category

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Event-Driven Application
Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms

Applicable Industries

Cement
Telecommunications

Applicable Functions

Maintenance
Sales & Marketing

Use Cases

Behavior & Emotion Tracking
Leakage & Flood Monitoring

Services

Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services

About The Customer

Autosen was founded in 2011 as an online sales platform for sensor and automation solutions. The company is a driver of digitalization in SMEs and the industrial sector, developing and providing all-in-one solutions for Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). In 2018, autosen launched its io-key on the market, the world's first plug-and-play IIoT gateway. The company currently has around 20 employees and provides more than 10,000 customers with its own products and solutions. Sensors are the invisible heroes of all industrial processes, delivering reliable, important information on fill levels, temperatures and humidity, or about the condition and service needs of machines.

The Challenge

Autosen, an online sales platform for sensor and automation solutions, faced several challenges in its quest to digitalize SMEs and the industrial sector. The company aimed to create a sensor-to-cloud process that was quick, easy, and cost-effective. They wanted to enable entry to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) for all industries and provide access to new digital business models. Additionally, they sought to expand the potential for sensor data in the cloud. Traditional methods of transferring sensor data into the cloud involved high costs and extensive technical effort, posing a significant dilemma for many industrial companies.

The Solution

Autosen developed the io-key, the world's first plug-and-play IIoT gateway, in partnership with Software AG. The io-key is an all-in-one solution that offers customers a fast and uncomplicated path to the cloud. It delivers reliable real-time data analysis and control with numerous innovative functionalities specifically tailored to suit sensor technology. The solution consists of an IIoT gateway with an integrated SIM card to transfer the data made available in the io-key cloud. This cloud is based on Software AG's state-of-the-art Cumulocity IoT platform. As a plug-and-play solution, the io-key automatically recognizes sensors connected via the IO-Link and generates the corresponding dashboard. The initial setup takes less than a minute for the complete process, requiring no expert knowledge. The io-key is completely self-contained and comes at a manageable cost.

Operational Impact

The io-key solution has revolutionized the way sensor data is transferred to the cloud, making it quick, easy, and cost-effective. It has opened up the IIoT to all industries and provided access to new digital business models. The solution has also expanded the potential for sensor data in the cloud. With the io-key, machine processes in manufacturing can be monitored in real time and an alarm function can trigger maintenance and service orders from the cloud—without ever needing to access the company's closed IT system. The io-key has also opened up the sensor technology market even further, creating a win-win situation for everyone involved. With the recent introduction of an io-key that is available worldwide, autosen has reached a new milestone in positioning itself in the global market.

Quantitative Benefit