A case study on implementing a flexible IIoT service framework for the integration of machine tools

Abstract

This paper presents the IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) Gateway, an intermediary service framework designed to address the core challenges of industrial information integration. By creating a seamless bridge between OT (Operational Technology) systems and modern IT (Information Technology) infrastructures, our work provides a practical solution that directly contributes to the field of industrial information integration. The framework simplifies the integration process for information service providers by facilitating seamless communication and data exchange between diverse PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) devices and enterprise information systems. It achieves this by leveraging a combination of Operational Technology (OT) protocols, such as OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture) and Modbus, and Information Technology (IT) standards, including MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) and JSON (JavaScript Object Notation). The proposed IIoT Gateway enables application engineers to utilize standardized protocols and JSON for control commands, data exchange, and real-time monitoring via webhook technology, significantly reducing development complexity and project timelines. The framework was initially implemented using a monolithic architecture and later refactored into a microservice-based architecture, leveraging Spring Cloud and Nacos to enhance scalability and flexibility. The IIoT Gateway has been successfully integrated and validated in a real-world industrial environment at Everising Machine Co., demonstrating high availability and stability. This work provides a practical blueprint for OT/IT convergence, with future research directions focused on visualized data mapping, AI-enabled automation, enhanced cybersecurity and performance optimization.