weASSIST
WERMA

It is becoming increasingly important for manufacturing companies to record real-time data on the output, faults or process sequences of their systems and machines. Because networking a heterogeneous, existing plant park is difficult, defortec defortec together with WERMA Signaltechnik from Rietheim has designed two simple, modular retrofit solutions.

Smart and clever monitoring

With the on-premise system “SmartMonitor” and the cloud solution “WeASSIST”, WERMA offers two practical options for data collection and evaluation. The retrofittable and modular systems are independent of often proprietary and complex IT structures and use, among other things, cloud capacities and their own secure radio system. Only a few components are required: the signal light on the machine side is transformed into a data transmitter by integrating a transceiver, which communicates with the gateway via industrial radio. The gateway sends the data to the cloud and monitoring is carried out using web-based software. This allows the status of individual systems or even entire production areas to be analyzed at any time and mapped in the software as a digital twin - and optimized.

The system therefore enables real-time monitoring, call for action, downtime tracking and KPI analysis as a plug-and-play solution from a single source.

design by defortec

In addition to the cloud environment, the central component of the “WeASSIST” system is the gateway, which forwards the machine data to the cloud wirelessly. At first glance, it resembles a consumer router, but it has a more restrained design and is designed to be more robust in order to withstand the often harsh production environments for a long time. Timeless design was the focus during development.

The design of the gateway, which is available in different performance and size variants, must integrate the necessary electronic components while at the same time establishing an independent design language. And finally, the housing should be flexible enough to be able to adapt to technical changes to the components.

Production-optimized design

The gateway housing integrates buttons and status lights. The latter pick up on the typical motif of the WERMA signal towers, thus creating a visual link to the company's core competence - they also structure the front surface of the device in a clever and meaningful way.

Volume, proportions and the integration of the components were (were) repeatedly optimized during the design process and verified using 3D-printed prototypes. Thanks to the in-house 3D printing facilities, defortec was able to iterate quickly.

The relief structure, which the designers used to give the front an additional level of differentiation, could also be depicted in 3D printing. In addition to the structure, the WERMA logo is also realized directly by injection moulding, which means that the latter is non-wearing, durable and firmly integrated into the housing. In addition, the otherwise necessary print application of the icon is no longer required, which means that production is considerably leaner - the design is also such that the housing does not require painting.

This contributes to the sustainability of the product and enables housing components to be separated by type.