The two companies want to generate added value for their joint customers in their IIoT applications. The first results have already emerged from the cooperation between ifm and Microsoft. The new remoteConnect module is based on Microsoft Azure as part of the moneo IIoT cloud solution. Users can use this to implement secure monitoring and remote maintenance of machines and systems. In the future, more and more ifm products will be developed so that they are “Azure ready”. This will not only affect the software products of the moneo IIoT suite, but also hardware, such as edge gateways or sensors, should be able to be easily integrated into the user's operating environment that is based on Microsoft Azure. This seamless integration will also reduce hurdles for users when it comes to obtaining important information more easily and quickly from the data generated on the machines and systems by using AI applications. In the future, evaluations of this data could be generated using natural language, for example. The functionalities for IIoT applications would then be similar to the options that Microsoft Copilot already offers in many areas today.

The collaboration with Microsoft and the use of artificial intelligence will also advance ifm in other cases. Typical examples are after-sales services and support, where the aim is to find information very quickly and in a targeted manner and make it available to the customer. Using the example of the exhibit with the moneo IIoT cloud solution at ifm's trade fair stand, the two companies show in a tangible way where the journey will go in the future.