// ROBOTICS AND SMART FACTORIES TERM
Interoperability
The ability of different systems, devices, applications, or products to connect and communicate in a coordinated way, without special effort from the user. In a factory, it means machines from different vendors can talk to each other.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
Interoperability in manufacturing refers to the capability of disparate industrial systems, machines, software applications, and data sources (e.g., ERP, MES, PLCs, sensors) to seamlessly exchange and utilize information, enabling integrated workflows, data consistency, and holistic operational visibility.
BACKGROUND
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is limited to 2.5 milliwatts, giving it a very short range of up to 10 metres (33 ft). It employs UHF radio waves in the ISM bands, from 2.402 GHz to 2.48 GHz. It is mainly used as an alternative to wired connections to exchange files between nearby portable devices and connect cell phones and music players with wireless headphones, wireless speakers, HIFI systems, car audio and wireless transmission between TVs and soundbars.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- System Integration
- Data Exchange
- Connectivity
- Seamless Communication
USAGE NOTE
Achieving interoperability is a major challenge in integrating legacy systems with new smart factory technologies.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Interoperability.
An industry consortium that creates and maintains standards for open connectivity of industrial automation devices and systems. Their key standard, OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA), is a platform-independent, service-oriented architecture for secure and reliable data exchange, forming a core interoperability layer for Industry 4.0.
A global industrial manufacturing company whose Digital Industries division focuses on automation and digitalization. Their MindSphere platform and support for standards like OPC UA are central to their strategy for creating interoperable digital ecosystems for factories and industrial processes.
A leading provider of industrial automation and information technology. Their "Connected Enterprise" concept focuses on integrating plant-floor operations with enterprise-level systems, using open standards and partnerships to ensure interoperability between diverse hardware and software.
A software company specializing in PLM, CAD, and IoT. Their ThingWorx Industrial IoT platform is designed to connect disparate devices and systems, providing a unified environment for data access and application development, thereby enabling interoperability across the manufacturing value chain.
A multinational technology corporation providing the Azure IoT platform, which enables manufacturers to connect, monitor, and manage industrial assets. They actively promote interoperability through native support for open standards like OPC UA via their OPC Publisher and a focus on common data models.
A software company that develops the HighByte Intelligence Hub, an Industrial DataOps solution designed specifically to bridge the gap between Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) systems by modeling, contextualizing, and standardizing industrial data flows.
An Industrial IoT (IIoT) edge platform provider. Their Litmus Edge product normalizes data from a wide variety of industrial assets and protocols at the source, enabling seamless integration and interoperability between the factory floor and cloud or enterprise systems.
A global, member-supported organization that promotes the accelerated growth of the Industrial Internet of Things. The IIC develops use cases, testbeds, and reference architectures to foster interoperability, security, and innovation across industrial systems.