Integrating Legacy Systems with Modern Low-Code Platforms in Manufacturing

Integrating Legacy Systems with Modern Low-Code Platforms in Manufacturing

At the Realize Live 2024 event in Las Vegas, IIoT World’s Greg Orlof sat down with Raymond  Kok, the newly appointed CEO of Mendix Corporation, to discuss the company’s role in facilitating digital transformation in manufacturing. With Mendix at the forefront of this movement, Ray Kok shared insights into the challenges and breakthroughs encountered, particularly in integrating legacy industrial systems into modern digital platforms.

Accelerating Digital Transformation

Mendix excels in enabling manufacturers to accelerate their digital transformation journeys. By allowing clients to build applications that digitalize parts of their operations, Mendix helps streamline workflows and improve efficiency. This approach is especially valuable in manufacturing, where much of the essential data is locked within legacy systems. Mendix’s capability to connect and integrate this data through robust data connectors is a game-changer, facilitating smoother transitions to modern, digitalized operations.

Harnessing the Power of Edge Computing

The importance of edge computing in industrial settings is growing, and Mendix is leveraging this trend to enhance its platform’s capabilities. By deploying applications on the edge, Mendix brings data processing closer to the production site, reducing latency and improving efficiency. This proximity allows for real-time data analysis and machine learning inference, which are crucial for modern manufacturing processes. An example of this is a visual quality control application for PCB boards, which uses computer vision to inspect components efficiently without the need to send data to the cloud.

Integrating AI into Manufacturing Applications

Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a pivotal role in Mendix’s offerings. The company integrates AI, including generative AI, to speed up application development and enhance the functionality of end-user applications. AI accelerates the development process by assisting in creating applications, making it more accessible and faster. Moreover, AI is embedded into applications to provide substantial business value. For instance, a virtual engineer application assists operators in resolving production issues through a natural language interface, offering solutions based on a database of known issues and corrective actions.

Expanding Beyond Manufacturing

While manufacturing remains a primary focus, Mendix’s low-code platform is versatile and extends to other industries such as banking, finance, insurance, and logistics. This versatility allows various sectors to digitalize their processes, improving operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

As Mendix continues to innovate, it is set to drive significant advancements not only in manufacturing but across various industries, making it a crucial player in the digital transformation landscape.

The interview was recorded by Greg Orloff from IIoT World. This summary was created based on the video transcript with the assistance of https://chat.openai.com. It was edited by the IIoT World team.