// ROBOTICS AND SMART FACTORIES TERM
Multi-Channel
Selling products or services through several different sales and distribution channels, such as physical stores, websites, and mobile apps.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
Multi-Channel refers to a business strategy where a company interacts with customers and distributes products through multiple independent touchpoints, including brick-and-mortar stores, e-commerce websites, mobile applications, and social media, without necessarily integrating the customer experience across them.
BACKGROUND
Fibre Channel (FC) is a high-speed data transfer protocol providing in-order, lossless delivery of raw block data. Fibre Channel is primarily used to connect computer data storage to servers in storage area networks (SAN) in commercial data centers.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Omni-channel (related)
- cross-channel
- diverse channels
- multiple outlets
USAGE NOTE
Many retailers adopt a multi-channel approach to reach a wider customer base.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Multi-Channel.
Develops the Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) Portal and SIMATIC controllers, which integrate multi-channel data from sensors, drives, and HMIs into a single environment for controlling and monitoring complex manufacturing processes and creating digital twins.
Offers the Allen-Bradley ControlLogix platform and FactoryTalk software suite, designed to manage high-performance, multi-channel I/O and complex control tasks, forming the backbone of their Connected Enterprise concept for integrated manufacturing data.
Specializes in high-channel-count data acquisition (DAQ) systems, such as their PXI and CompactRIO platforms. These are used in manufacturing for multi-sensor machine condition monitoring, predictive maintenance, and product testing, capturing simultaneous data streams like vibration, temperature, and strain.
Pioneered PC-based control technology and the EtherCAT industrial Ethernet protocol. Their systems excel at high-speed, real-time synchronization of hundreds or thousands of distributed I/O channels for complex motion control and automation.
Provides drive and control solutions for factory automation. Their ctrlX AUTOMATION platform is an open ecosystem designed to orchestrate multi-channel control and data from robotics, PLCs, and motion systems for flexible and connected manufacturing.
A leading manufacturer of sensors, vision systems, and measurement instruments. Their products are integrated to create multi-channel inspection and monitoring systems on production lines, combining data from various sources for comprehensive quality control.
Develops the EcoStruxure platform, an IIoT-enabled architecture that connects and collects data from multiple channels across the factory floor, including energy, process, and machine data, for integrated control and analytics.
Offers the Sysmac automation platform which integrates logic, motion, safety, robotics, and sensing into a single environment. It manages multi-channel data and control to enable synchronized, high-speed production lines.