New-Tech Europe Magazine | Dec 2017

Connectors & Cables Special Edition

collaborated to create solutions to address these increased maintenance challenges. Industrially hardened and secured routers installed directly on the machine provide the required level of remote access, via Ethernet or Wi- Fi communications, with security built- in. This enables engineers to access machines in real-time, anywhere in the world, opening up new possibilities for commissioning, configuration and diagnostics, as well as over-the-air firmware and software updates. By enabling simple, secure and reliable end-to-end remote access, machine and system builders can reduce travel and maintenance costs, as well as improve resolution times when problems arise. Remote access is already in use in many industrial applications, often supported by internal IT based solutions. These solutions tend to be complex in nature and are often not built in a way that enables system performance to be optimised easily. The challenge for a successful remote access solution is beyond the router installed on every machine. Molex secured routers operate in conjunction with MB connect line Remote Service Portal (RSP), a cloud based server made for automation and maintenance people to centrally set-up and manage all installed systems. This RSP also makes it simple to set-up, configure and manage user access policies and profiles. Hence internal teams can share monitoring and maintenance roles with external experts to access

MBConnecLine Industrial Secured Routers WAN Interface and interact with smart devices or modules installed on the machines without disclosing access to other parts of the company. Cybersecurity and privacy is a critical concern for our industry, as many systems are weak by design. By controlling data traffic to and from the machine via VPN and encrypted connections we provide the highest standards of cybersecurity. All of our routers embed firewalls, which are backed by regular and rigorous penetration audits carried out by third-party security companies. For enhanced privacy and complete control over data and accesses, a private version of the RSP can be installed on customer’ company servers.

MBConnectLine Industrial Secured Routers Wifi Interface There can be no doubt that remote access will open up new possibilities for maintenance and service. Collecting usage and life-cycle data is also enormously valuable, feeding back into bug-fixing, product refinement and development processes. Molex and MB connect line are focusing their efforts on providing machine builders, integrators and manufacturers with remote access solutions to improve their competitiveness, increasing efficiency, enhancing flexibility and shortening time-to-market. Secure remote access will also help them to differentiate themselves, adding value by supporting their end-customers with efficient and cost-effective maintenance contracts and services.

Thierry Bieber, Business Development Manager, Industrial Communication, Molex

Molex Industrie 4.0 Infographic

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