In the example depicted above, we’ll use “AssetTrack LLC” as a theoretical client.  This company has a series of assets on the move:  

- Product being carried by forklifts (from batches to pallets)
- Movable equipment
- Transport for personnel (trucks, cars, etc).

The assets are equipped with 3rd-party tracking systems: RFID tags, triangulated by antennas spread across the warehouse (it could also be GPS or other).  

STEP-BY-STEP

1. Install Coreflux Hub on a local edge device, and configure its free MQTT Broker

First step: prepare a local machine / edge device, on which the Coreflux Hub will be installed.
With that, deploy a free out-of-the-box MQTT Broker.
It serves for on-premises gathering of data.

2. Install Ethernet/IP Connectors on local edge devices

The devices that gather data from measurement devices on the individual strings are connected via Ethernet/IP Connectors.
They are configured to gather the data and write in onto the MQTT Broker.
Common protocols are either Ethernet, S7 or Modbus.

Coreflux can handle this via many different options.

3. MQTT Bridge Connector - Coreflux Online MQTT Broker

Install an MQTT Bridge on the local devices, and define its security measures (encryption / certificates), configuring them afterwards to funnel desired data to the cloud.

“AssetTrack LLC” subscribed a free 7-day Trial of the Coreflux Online MQTT Broker, ready to receive their data.
The resulting positioning data for each batch is then transmitted by the antenna devices to the Coreflux Online Hosted MQTT Broker.

This provides the company with real-time positioning of each batch, which already results in valuable information.
But this is just the beginning.

4. Install an MSSQL-2-MQTT Connector, and configure it to register the values being acquired

Since“AssetTrack LLC” requires traceability, the positioning data for each batch isto be recorded in a query-able database.

AnMSSQL-2-MQTT Connector is installed, gathering and registering data from theonline broker.
Thisprovides the ability to retrieve data from specific time periods, informing ofall the paths a specific batch has taken.

Why is thisimportant?

Knowingwhere the batches are within their warehouse/plant and knowing where each ofthe workstations/machines are, “AssetTrack LLC” can cross this information andpinpoint exactly where each step was processed, when, for how long, and when it left.

5. Slack Connector for alerts and notifications

Once the system is set-up to check the current values against a benchmark, the team adds a Slack Connector.

They configure it to trigger a message whenever a specific MQTT event occurs.It sends automated messages to the standby team, with:

- Alarms
- Performance information (KPIs)
- Tailor-made notifications

5. Unlocking Automation

Adding automation capabilities, they can launch automatic event triggers for production counting, arrival at stations, alarms and anything else you may require.

Orders and variable changes are sent directly into the  of their equipment, thus automating them according to positioning data.