Björn Mutschler

IoT Low-Code on the Shopfloor: Machine Data via OPC UA into ERP

GIESSER Messer started with a simple shopfloor visualization to make production KPIs visible for the first time on a daily basis and directly at the machine. The core challenges included low user acceptance, heterogeneous data sources (ERP, machines, energy), missing standards in machine interfaces, and the requirement to operate production-critical visualizations reliably – without a large-scale IT project or mandatory cloud dependency. This was implemented using a decentralized IoT low-code architecture: applications are created in the Peakboard Designer using drag-and-drop (with optional scripting), data is connected via OPC UA, Modbus, and SQL/ERP systems, and deployed to local Peakboard Boxes. The Peakboard Hub can optionally be used for centralized device management, while shopfloor logic continues to run independently even if the central instance is unavailable. Use cases include machine and production data acquisition (MDE/BDE), downtime tracking, low-paper order control based on pull production principles, as well as energy monitoring up to load management. For IT and OT decision-makers, the use case demonstrates how iterative scaling with low initial effort enables fast integration of existing OT and IT systems, increased transparency, and robust operational reliability on the shopfloor.