The easy way to get cooling units IoT-ready

For a company to implement Industry 4.0, its machinery and equipment must be able to communicate with each other and the internet. To ensure customers can integrate existing Blue e cooling units into condition monitoring and IoT systems, Rittal is now offering a special adaptor that retrofits comprehensive communications capabilities.

Digitalization is right at the top of the agenda for lots of industrial companies, but what do they do when their machinery and equipment lack adequate communications interfaces? A digital retrofit – kitting out existing machinery and equipment with suitable communications technology – can be the ideal solution. That is why Rittal has launched an adaptor for its Blue e cooling units that, when installed, ensures the units can link up to smart condition monitoring and IoT systems.

Higher system availability

The new adaptor can be used to set up condition monitoring for up to ten cooling units in a master/slave arrangement. That means not only can data be recorded, but efficiency analyses can also be carried out on the cooling solution. A monitoring system that issues automatic notifications can also be set up to detect faults and limit breaches, thereby helping boost availability and prevent expensive machine downtime.

The new adapter is compatible with all Blue e units that use a Comfort Controller and both wall and roof-mounted cooling units can be made fit for Industry 4.0. This applies to both standard units and stainless steel versions, too. Similarly, Rittal cooling units with a NEMA 3R/4 or NEMA 4X classification – which are often used outdoors – are ideally suited for incorporation into IoT applications. Typical examples of outdoor applications for these units include renewable energy facilities such as solar and wind power plants. As these plants are usually located in isolated areas, it is essential that they incorporate remote monitoring for panel building and switchgear manufacturing.

Straightforward commissioning

Blue e cooling units are integrated into higher-level systems using the same IoT interface that Rittal markets for units from the successor range, Blue e+. Rittal has developed the new IoT adaptor because the older Blue e units cannot communicate directly with the IoT interface. The whole system can be configured and commissioned via the web server integrated into the IoT interface – quickly, conveniently and without the need for any programming.