IIoT: HIROTEC Leverages Kepware IoT Solution for Automated Data Pilot

Kepware Technologies, a PTC business developing industrial connectivity software, has announced HIROTEC AMERICA, a component and tooling supplier for the automotive industry, has implemented the KEPServerEX software for data management and connectivity in its first Internet of Things (IoT) implementation.

HIROTEC has huge volumes of data pouring into its servers from all of its 26 facilities in nine countries, and the company needed a solution for collecting and analyzing its maintenance and operational information. HIROTEC selected Kepware's KEPServerEX connectivity software and the ThingWorx IoT Platform so that it could coordinate its company-wide device-to-cloud connectivity through one overarching toolset. HIROTEC built an IoT framework supported by short, six-week Agile sprints.

“When first embarking on our IoT journey, HIROTEC's core objective was to remain flexible in our ability to connect things,” said Justin Hester, Senior Researcher, HIROTEC. “The offerings and expertise by Kepware and PTC have enabled us to stay true to our goal by effortlessly adapting to our business processes and developing the right IoT strategy for our teams. The IoT Gateway's ability to seamlessly put data into ThingWorx to generate real-time insight into operations fuels our sprint framework and allows us to stay nimble in our decision making.”

Since completing its first sprint at its North American shop in Detroit, Michigan, HIROTEC has improved productivity and increased ROI. Manufacturing leadership can now leverage real-time data from the shop floor and tie it to the scheduling ERP system to optimize parts scheduling. The added transparency has also streamlined communications between Operations and Information Technology (IT) departments, improving collaboration and enabling more efficient responses to IT jobs.

Let the Next industrial Evolution keep on rolling, and this kind of implementation become the rule in the manufacturing sector rather than the exception.