Training Factory Industry 4.0

fischertechnik recently announced an extension of the Training Factory Industry 4.0 with the digitized learning and simulation model for industry 4.0 applications.
​
Among other interesting things:

• Use of the open message protocol MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport),
• Connection to the fischertechnik cloud, with three different perspectives: customer, supplier and production dashboards,
• A calibration unit,
• An NFC/RFID reader.

​

I've already been exploring similar features with the smartDevices I've developed for my fischertechnik models.

• The smartRFID reads and identifies RFID tags.
• The smartBLE and the smartWiFi connect through Bluetooth and WiFi to the the ready-to-use service Blynk with an app running on a smartphone or tablet in charge of the dashboards, 
• The smartNode connects through either Bluetooth (smartBLE) or Wifi (smartWiFi) to an MQTT broker with Node-RED managing the dashboards.
• Both solutions run on the cloud or on a local server for greater security.
• And a XY joystick using two analog inputs.
  

​
All the smartDevices I've developed are compatible with both the former RoboTX controller and the Robotics TXT controller.

The Training Factory Industry 4.0 initiative exemplifies how fischertechnik, a building system designed more than 50 years ago, is still up-to-date and provides the perfect simulation tool for IIoT, or Industry 4.0 as it is called in Germany.

Let's hope now fischertechnik is going to make the new software and hardware extensions available on the general Robotics line so everyone can play with them.