Trend report: IIoT trends for 2024 and the successful development of the kontron susietec® toolset

In addition to 5G, AI and cybersecurity, there are certainly more topics that will develop in 2024. In 2023, we dealt with the aforementioned topics, continued to pursue our strategy of becoming a leading global IoT group and can draw a positive conclusion at the end of 2023. Kontron with the susietec®® brand is developing into precisely this IoT group and continues to grow steadily.

Today we put 10 important questions to Bernhard Günthner, Managing Director of Kontron Technologies GmbH and EVP IoT Software & Solutions, we look back on a successful year 2023 and consider the trends that lie ahead of us and which we are already addressing in our day-to-day operations today

1. How did the previous year go for kontron susietec®? What successes were achieved and what challenges were overcome?
   
   The year 2023 was characterized by consolidation and further growth for kontron susietec®. We made significant progress in the Software as a Service sector and successfully optimized our EquipmentCloud®, Workforce and K-PORT products for future requirements. Despite the above-average growth, we successfully implemented projects with customers and built up a powerful team for cross-location development teams.
    
2. Which industries and sectors will benefit most from the further spread of IIoT?
   
   Of course, I only have a limited view of the topic. But what I can say is that IIoT solutions are already widespread, especially in the transportation sector. These are still very often proprietary solutions. However, further standardization means that other sectors are increasingly coming into focus. In general, we believe that the topic has now established itself in automation. More and more IIoT projects are now leaving the test stage and being used in the field. I assume that we will see many new impulses and solutions on the market in industrial automation and pharmaceutical/medical technology in the coming years.
    
3. Why is IIoT particularly important for the manufacturing industry? 
   
   IIoT is particularly important for manufacturing industries, as networked systems help to have up-to-date data available in order to influence production processes at short notice and minimize downtimes.
    
4. Why is it so worthwhile for companies to rely on the susietec® toolset?
   
   susietec® offers digital solutions from a single source. Thanks to our many years of expertise, we support machine builders and manufacturers on the path to digital transformation. We bring together software, hardware and services with the aim of exploiting our customers' existing potential in the IoT and Industry 4.0 sector. The focus is on operational excellence and the continuous further development of technology and people.
    

5. What are the most important changes & trends for 2024? 
   
   The topics of 5G and AI are particularly interesting for 2024. The practical applications of 5G will crystallize. Everyone is still looking for the "AI killer app" for industrial applications. Our customer projects in the sectors of image processing and pattern recognition as well as parking space monitoring or the behavior of materials in the production process are already taking us very well into the world of AI.

    

   

    

6. How can cloud computing and edge/fog computing optimally complement each other?
   
   I have to admit that we are still looking for the best solution here too. Kontron covers both sectors with solutions. Of course, edge computing has become more and more important, which is due to the increased requirements from the field. As long as a 100% reliable, fast and cost-effective communication infrastructure is not available, I believe it will be difficult to find an optimal combination that covers a broad spectrum of applications. For the time being, the task remains to determine the best combination for a specific application based on the environmental and operating parameters.
    
7. What does the AI revolution mean for the IIoT and what potential does predictive maintenance offer companies?
   
   The AI revolution is having a huge impact on the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and offers companies new opportunities to optimize their operations. By using machine learning algorithms in IIoT, companies can analyze large amounts of data and identify patterns that human analysts might miss. This enables companies to make more accurate predictions and informed decisions.
    
8. What opportunities does the expansion/growth of the 5G network offer for IIoT solutions in the future?
   
   We see private 5G networks as an opportunity for medium-sized and larger companies to have a more cost-effective and high-performance alternative to existing local networks in the future. Everything we have seen so far speaks in favor of this. That's why we decided to gain practical experience ourselves and have now installed a 5G campus network at our production site in Augsburg. We will of course be reporting on our experiences and the findings from customer projects.
    
9. Why is cybersecurity a decisive factor in 2024?
   
   As already mentioned, more and more IIoT applications are now moving from the test phase into productive operation. Connected devices have a key role to play here. It is therefore a basic requirement that these devices are absolutely secure against possible cyber attacks. Last but not least, the EU has now also adopted the NIS 2 Directive, which obliges companies to comply with certain basic requirements for the operation of networked systems from October 2024. We have been dealing with this topic for many years now and the complexity continues to increase. This is why our KontronOS is an important element in our susietec® portfolio, which guarantees precisely this security and covers the aforementioned issues.
    
10. Mr. Günthner, what is your conclusion?
    
    I draw a conclusion from the previous findings and can say why Kontron and kontron susietec® are so perfectly equipped for 2024. It is clear that we are operating in an increasingly complex environment. Companies need to focus on their core competences. In doing so, they need the right support to build a suitable infrastructure that ensures secure and cost-effective networked operation of their products and solutions. At Kontron, we have recognized that we need to offer a scalable solution that grows with the customer's requirements and can be expanded with new functions at any time. That is why we continue to rely on the modular principle of our susietec® toolset. This enables us to offer the customer a standards-based solution in every situation that meets all current requirements and is ideally equipped for the future.