FOCUS ON DIGITALISATION
consumption with the simplest of means. This involved enhancing commercially available WLAN smart plugs( intelligent sockets) with OPC UA functionality so that they also provide the current power consumption of a connected power consumer in a standardised data format.
Partner, PTW( Institute for Production Management, Technology and Machine Tools) at the Technical University of Darmstadt, is taking this approach even further. It is aggregating energy data and making it available for other applications via data space connectors as a contribution of the VDMA to the“ Energy Monitoring” use case in the context of the Manufacturing-X initiative and the Factory-X research project. These“ federated data spaces” make it possible to share sensitive data based on fair rules, a feature that is urgently needed to increase networking in the manufacturing industry.
A demonstration on the umati stand at EMO Hannover 2025.
umatiConnect
Partner, IFW( Institute of Production Engineering and Machine Tools) at the Leibniz University of Hannover, with machine tool manufacturers Mazak and DMG Mori, has closed an important gap in the market. Previously, there was no standardised connector that allowed machines to be connected to established MTConnect data systems with OPC UA for Machine Tools or, conversely, to integrate machines with an established MTConnect interface into the umati world. The solution, called umatiConnect, is now published as open-source software on GitHub and can be used by companies free of charge. This allows the users to easily make adjustments, as not all implementations in the field are identical.
“ With the umatiConnect adapter, we at Mazak are underlining our commitment to open standards and true interoperability. For our global customers, this means that integrating our machines into their existing, often highly varied production environments becomes much simpler. They are given the freedom to choose the best digital solution for them,” said Mathias Dehn, Advanced Research Manager, Yamazaki Mazak Germany.
Dennis Do-Khac, Head of Product Development CNC, DMG Mori, added:“ In recent years, umati has also become more widely accepted in areas relating to machine tools. For example, implementations are being created for the exchange of tool data or for interface usage by robots, automation solutions and coordinate measurement machines. These can then be integrated into standardised norms by the Joint Working Group. With umatiConnect, software solutions can now rely more closely on this technology thanks to a streamlined method of incorporating MTConnect-based legacy systems.”
Data transport and interface
There are different technologies available for transporting the data specified with OPC UA, on which umati is based. Pub / Sub has proven effective for large installations. Machines publish their data on a defined channel and applications then subscribe to it and read the data that is relevant to them. Typically, data transport takes place via the MQTT message protocol, whereas direct client / server installations with precisely defined access rights are often chosen for local installations.
“ One of the major advantages of OPC UA, in this context, is that the data semantics are identical in all cases i. e. the same standard applies. Only the transport protocol changes,” explained Götz Görisch, Chairman of the Joint
Right: Dennis Do-Khac, Head of Product Development CNC, DMG Mori.
Below: Mathias Dehn, Advanced Research Manager, Yamazaki Mazak Germany.
Right: The umati concept.
74 | ismr. net | ISMR October 2025