In Industry 4.0, more and more manufacturers and industrial companies seek to connect their machines to the internet to improve monitoring, maintenance and the efficiency of their processes. However, one of the biggest challenges is how can we guarantee that connectivity without compromising corporate IT security?
In Omnielectric, we work daily with integrators and manufacturers who need reliable solutions to connect their equipment, but without exposing themselves to cyber threats or complex network configurations.
The key is to adopt technologies designed specifically for industry, combining secure remote access, encrypted communication and ease of integration.
The challenge of connecting the factory to the digital world
A few years ago, connecting an industrial machine to the network involved opening ports, configuring VPNs and relying on the IT department. This approach, besides being complex, increased security risks such as unauthorized access, firewall vulnerabilities or loss of control over who accessed the machines.
Today, the digital transformation demands secure, fast and manageable connections that allow monitoring machines from anywhere without endangering the IT infrastructure.
Secure remote access in Industry 4.0
Secure remote access enables technicians to connect to machinery and industrial controllers such as PLCs, HMIs, drives, etc., from any location, in a protected way and with traceability.
This reduces travel costs, speeds up fault diagnosis and allows software updates without stopping production.
Moreover, when this connectivity is combined with an IoT infrastructure (Industrial Internet of Things), it is possible to collect data in real time, detect deviations and apply predictive maintenance. In this way, the company not only connects its machines but also obtains valuable information to improve productivity and anticipate failures.
How IXON simplifies industrial connectivity
One of the most complete and widespread solutions to achieve this type of secure connectivity is IXON, a platform that integrates industrial hardware (routers, gateways and antennas) with a secure remote management cloud (IXON Cloud).
IXON offers equipment designed for demanding industrial environments, capable of establishing encrypted and stable communication between the machine and the cloud, without the need for advanced IT configurations. This allows technicians to connect to the equipment in minutes and manage access centrally.
Among its main advantages are:
- Point-to-point encrypted communication (VPN).
- User, role and permission control.
- Stable connection via Ethernet or 4G/LTE mobile network.
- Direct integration with IXON Cloud for monitoring and data analysis.
Benefits for manufacturers and integrators
Adopting a secure connectivity strategy provides direct benefits at technical and operational levels:
- Guaranteed IT security: encrypted communication, without the need to open ports or compromise the corporate network.
- Operational efficiency: immediate remote access to machines and control systems, reducing travel for technical staff.
- Predictive maintenance: real-time data collection and analysis to anticipate faults or service needs.
- Higher availability: reduction of downtime and faster response to incidents.
- Scalability: progressive integration of more machines or plants without reconfiguring the IT infrastructure.
These advantages allow manufacturers to offer advanced after-sales services, improve customer support and optimize their maintenance resources.
Omnielectric: your connectivity partner
We are official distributors of IXON, which allows us to offer not only equipment but also specialized technical advice, configuration support and commissioning.
If your company seeks to connect machinery or production plants securely and efficiently, our technical team can help you select and implement the most suitable solution.
