(pressebox) (Herborn, 30.08.2019) For a company to implement Industry 4.0, its machinery and equipment must be able to communicate with each other and the internet. To ensure customers can integrate existing Blue e cooling units into condition monitoring and IoT systems, Rittal is now offering a special adaptor that retrofits comprehensive communications capabilities.

Digitalization is right at the top of the agenda for lots of industrial companies, but what do they do when their machinery and equipment lack adequate communications interfaces? A digital retrofit – kitting out existing machinery and equipment with suitable communications technology – can be the ideal solution. That is why Rittal has launched an adaptor for its Blue e cooling units that, when installed, ensures the units can link up to smart condition monitoring and IoT systems.

Higher system availability

The new adaptor can be used to set up condition monitoring for up to ten cooling units in a master/slave arrangement. That means not only can data be recorded, but efficiency analyses can also be carried out on the cooling solution. A monitoring system that issues automatic notifications can also be set up to detect faults and limit breaches, thereby helping boost availability and prevent expensive machine downtime.

The new adapter is compatible with all Blue e units that use a Comfort Controller and both wall and roof-mounted cooling units can be made fit for Industry 4.0. This applies to both standard units and stainless steel versions, too. Similarly, Rittal cooling units with a NEMA 3R/4 or NEMA 4X classification – which are often used outdoors – are ideally suited for incorporation into IoT applications. Typical examples of outdoor applications for these units include renewable energy facilities such as solar and wind power plants. As these plants are usually located in isolated areas, it is essential that they incorporate remote monitoring for panel building and switchgear manufacturing.

Straightforward commissioning

Blue e cooling units are integrated into higher-level systems using the same IoT interface that Rittal markets for units from the successor range, Blue e+. Rittal has developed the new IoT adaptor because the older Blue e units cannot communicate directly with the IoT interface. The whole system can be configured and commissioned via the web server integrated into the IoT interface – quickly, conveniently and without the need for any programming.

Über Rittal GmbH & Co. KG: Rittal, headquartered in Herborn, Germany, is a leading global provider of solutions for industrial enclosures, power distribution, climate control and IT infrastructure, as well as software and services. Systems made by Rittal are deployed in over 90 per cent of all industries across the world, including machine building and plant engineering, food and beverages, and IT and telecommunications.

The international market leader's product portfolio includes configurable enclosures, with data available across the entire production process. Smart Rittal cooling systems, with up to 75 per cent lower power and CO2 consumption, can communicate with the production landscape, enabling predictive maintenance and servicing. The offering also includes innovative IT products, from IT racks and modular data centres, to edge and hyperscale computing solutions.

Leading software providers Eplan and Cideon support the value chain, providing interdisciplinary engineering solutions, while Rittal Automation Systems offers solutions for switchgear. Within Germany, Rittal can supply products on demand within 24 hours - with precision, flexibility and efficiency.

Founded in 1961, Rittal is the largest company in the owner-operated Friedhelm Loh Group. The Friedhelm Loh Group is active worldwide, with 18 production sites and 80 international subsidiar-ies. It has approximately 12,000 employees and posted revenues of €2.6 billion in fiscal 2018. In 2018, the family-run business was named one of Germany's leading employers by the Top Employers Institute, for the tenth year running. Within the scope of a Germany-wide survey, Focus Money magazine identified the Friedhelm Loh Group as one of the nation's best providers of vocational training for the third time in 2018.

For more information, visit www.rittal.com and www.friedhelm-loh-group.com.