BURLINGTON, ON--(Marketwired - Oct 19, 2015) - The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) just got real for manufacturing productivity. Later this month, Mazak Corporation will showcase MERLIN software from MEMEX Inc. (TSX VENTURE: OEE) with hardware from information technology (IT) leader Cisco in what is described as a collaborative platform called SmartBox.
Developed by Mazak, SmartBox will launch in front of metalworking managers and C-level executives on October 27-29 and November 3-5 at DISCOVER 2015. This Mazak Technology and Education event takes place at the company's North American Manufacturing Headquarters in Florence, KY. Click here for Mazak's October 15 press release on SmartBox.
Mazak is an industry-first launch platform for easy and highly secure entrance into the Industrial Internet of Things. SmartBox builds on MEMEX's strategic partnership with Mazak Corp., which earlier this year named MEMEX to its exclusive Value Inspired Partner (VIP) program.
"The SmartBox collaboration realizes the IIoT vision on the factory floor," said MEMEX's CEO David McPhail. "We're thrilled to be participating in this powerful combination with Mazak and Cisco. As well as MERLIN software, we are contributing our easy-to-deploy Ax760 hardware adapters to SmartBox. They enable every machine on the shop floor, old or new, to become web servers that utilize the MTConnect® manufacturing communication standard."
Using MTConnect® as its foundation, SmartBox connectivity of machines and devices allows for enhanced monitoring and analytical capabilities including advanced cyber security protection. SmartBox represents a huge leap in digital integration across manufacturing.
"With the development of SmartBox, Mazak continues to drive toward its iSMART Factory concept and connecting today's shops to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to achieve levels of efficiency and productivity never before realized," said Brian Papke, President of Mazak. "And while our concept centers around open connectivity and the Internet, we at Mazak believe it is our moral obligation to also provide customers the highest level of security possible with SmartBox. As with all the technology we develop, Mazak has first implemented SmartBox into our own operations before expecting customers to wholeheartedly embrace the system."
The power of SmartBox will be demonstrated at DISCOVER 2015 in one of the automated cells as part of Mazak's own manufacturing operations. Each of the cell's four machines are outfitted with a SmartBox and sensor array package, giving event attendees a firsthand look at the device in action within an actual manufacturing environment and network.