Equipment manufacturers increasingly want to monitor machines remotely, but they’re not always sure how to go about it. Speaking to a specialist distributor can save time and money when implementing a connectivity solution.
With a dedicated internet of things website, electronic components distributor, Gateway, has seen increased interest in connectivity. Just as transactions on the site have increased, so too have calls from companies looking to optimise their connectivity to the end equipment or application. Many customers have a basic understanding of their connectivity requirements, it seems, but they often need help in fine-tuning the equipment to the end application and the user environment.
In situations like this, Gateway is able to provide a modem, an antenna tuned to the required frequency, a suitable mounting system and a matched connector and lead length. This avoids the losses associated with long cable runs and multiple connections, which is often overlooked. Granted, it is possible to find solutions by shopping around, but by contacting a specialist IoT connectivity solution provider, it may be possible to save multiple phone calls and potentially multiple delivery charges.
According to Gateway, there has been a noticeable change in the calls that it is fielding. An increase in enquiries is being observed from equipment manufacturers investigating how they can use the internet to remotely manage and monitor their machines. They also want to know how to use remote connectivity to streamline service plans and reduce expensive outgoings by using a router or modem to remotely manage machines from their office.
Integrating hardware and software
Thankfully there are partners that can provide the antenna, modem and router hardware to achieve the required connectivity, as well as human machine interface equipment for local machine monitoring, diagnostics and control. Increasingly there are also specialist distributors that can bring these two together to provide an integrated remote monitoring solution as well as providing additional software and support to help the user with both off-the-shelf and bespoke total solutions.
One-off-the shelf solution developed to address this recurring need is SIMG8, which provides an easy way of talking to industrial equipment remotely. Increasingly, engineers who are familiar with processor code don’t get involved in designing intuitive graphical user interface applications for desktop PCs. The design of such applications is usually developed and tested by a dedicated team who, perhaps, don’t understand the hardware for which it is intended. SIMG8 was developed by a team that understands both disciplines, creating a system that addresses both engineering and end user requirements.
Developed by Gateway, the SIMG8 solution offers a range of 3G and 4G fixed IP sim cards from leading global network providers, offering single sim or multi sim plans across single and multiple networks, with stand-alone or aggregated data plans.
The gathering pace of IoT solutions in the M2M arena and the increasing number of providers of connectivity and HMI equipment is creating greater levels of choice, but with the risk of confusion. Thankfully, technically skilled distributors, such as Gateway, can help customers find a suitable solution for their application, also providing software and network solutions for further fine tuning.