CASE STUDY
Success Story | Hilscher
Hilscher ’ s Flagship Store for the Open Industry 4.0 Alliance ( OI4 ) Community brings the ease and openness of app stores to the industrial world . Powered by CodeMeter licensing and safeguarded by CodeMeter encryption , the store gives industrial users access to a library of apps and solutions for their shop floor automation and connectivity needs .
The Challenge Apps rule modern industry : By collecting , analyzing , sharing , and processing data , they make factories smarter and more efficient . But in the fragmented world of industrial automation , even the strenuous standardization efforts by communities like the OI4 Alliance are struggling with opening up access to industrial apps and services . Announced at Hannover Messe 2023 , the Flagship Store for the OI4 Community was envisioned by industrial communication specialists Hilscher and OI4 working groups to create a truly open , vendor and hardware- agnostic app store that could serve as a conduit for apps and services and pave the way for a smarter and more connected industry .
The Solution App stores are a boon to end users , but also a free-for-all for copycats , unscrupulous users , and outright software pirates . Both the IP invested in legitimate apps and their correct use by authorized users need to be secured without encumbering the process . For greater access and a smoother app integration process in industrial PCs , controllers , or other edge devices , Hilscher and the OI4 Alliance opted for Docker containerization as a virtualizationdriven solution . Looking for a way to secure the process , they turned to Wibu-Systems ’ CodeMeter technology , known as an excellent combination with Docker systems . Apps created in any development ecosystem , from JavaScript , to C ++, Java , . NET or Python can be encrypted and secured against theft . Smart licensing options ensure safe and reliable sales and even allow innovative options like per-feature licensing or freemium models without affecting the workings of the app store .
Uwe Schnepf , Head of Product Management Industrial IoT , Hilscher “ With our Flagship Store , we can show how easy it is for developers and users to bring applications to the shop floor . We launched it with partners from the OI4 community , and we hope to find more partners who can all help solve specific problems with their particular technology – without worrying about the safety of their IP , thanks to CodeMeter .”
The Success The CodeMeter-powered app store was launched as the “ Flagship Store for the OI4 Community ”. Apps by Hilscher and other automation specialists and industry outfitters like Bytefabric . AI , Lenze , and UReason are available for download by registered clients . Built around Docker technology and CodeMeter protection and licensing , the store is set to simplify access to the industrial app market . With continued standardization efforts by the OI4 Alliance , it will soon work hand-in-hand with a standardized Open Operator Cloud that can automate and streamline the integration and commissioning of apps on the shop floor , as already exemplified by Hilscher ’ s own device and application management solution , netFIELD . io .
The Company Hilscher Gesellschaft für Systemautomation mbH bills itself as the market leader for industrial communication : Its products and solutions enable machines all over the world to communicate and make production processes smart , reliable , and elegant . Founded in 1986 in Hattersheim , Germany , Hilscher has grown into an international technology leader whose connectivity solutions make the idea of Indus- try 4.0 possible for manufacturers everywhere .
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