Espelkamp, Germany, September 3, 2015 - Industry 4.0 implementation calls for new solutions for hardware, software and system design. In particular, there is an increased demand for compact, robust solutions that take over tasks in the field in a distributed manner - from recording sensor data to orchestrating PLC systems to communicating with the central IT systems and Cloud. HARTING is offering the HARTING IIC MICA, a modular platform of open hardware and software that can be swiftly and economically adapted to many industrial application areas.

The platform consists of a compact, economically priced and extremely robust computer suitable for scenarios in industry and rail systems that has been tested in accordance with EN 50155 and other industry and railway standards. Built upon this is the unique Virtual Industrial Computing software platform, which is based on an innovative combination of established Linux technologies. This platform enables the virtualisation of applications on field devices without the overhead typically seen with virtualisation. All applications run in sandboxes in virtual containers that hold all required libraries and drivers for the particular application. As a result, package dependencies and incompatibilities are things of the past.

Thanks to this combination, MICA offers far more than just an enhanced industrial equivalent of a Raspberry Pi or BeagleBone. Specifically, it provides a complete infrastructure for the rapid integration of intelligence into existing manufacturing systems, data collection and the rapid and cost efficient implementation of future-proof small and medium-sized Industry 4.0 projects and Proofs of Concepts.

MICA also seamlessly fits into the Industry 4.0 reference architecture model from VDE/VDI/ZVEI. After attracting keen interest at the Hannover Messe, HARTING will now present series models and solutions at SPS IPC from 24 to 26 November 2015 and start deliveries in 2016.