IoT Hardware for Industry: Sensors and Devices
The source layer covers the IoT hardware that generates data in machines, plants and buildings and puts it on the network. It includes IoT-ready sensors for pressure, temperature, level or vibration and devices such as routers, edge devices, security gateways, HMIs and adapters, connected via IO-Link, LoRaWAN, 5G, LTE or Wi-Fi.
Categories in the Source layer
14 manufacturers from our partner network. Pick a category to see manufacturers, solution examples and users.
Sensors
Flow sensors
Flow sensors and industrial flow meters measure the volume or mass flow of liquids and gases using electromagnetic, Coriolis, ultrasonic, vortex or variable area principles.
2 manufacturers
Endress+Hauser · ifm-Unternehmensgruppe
Force sensors
Force transducers, torque sensors and load cells measure tension, compression and weight, making press-fit processes, loads and blockages visible.
1 manufacturer
igus SE & Co. KG
Level sensors
Level sensors continuously measure the level or detect limit levels in tanks, vessels and silos, using radar, ultrasonic, hydrostatic, capacitive or vibronic principles.
2 manufacturers
Endress+Hauser · ifm-Unternehmensgruppe
Methane sensing
Methane sensors monitor CH4 in biogas plants, wastewater treatment, gas networks and industrial facilities, prevent explosions and deliver process and emission data.
1 manufacturer
Honeywell
Position sensors
Proximity switches and linear position sensors report whether a part is in place or how far it has moved, using inductive, capacitive, magnetic or optical principles.
1 manufacturer
ifm-Unternehmensgruppe
Pressure sensors
Pressure sensors and pressure transmitters measure gauge, absolute or differential pressure and deliver the value via 4–20 mA, 0–10 V or IO-Link to the controller and the IoT stack.
3 manufacturers
Endress+Hauser · ifm-Unternehmensgruppe · WIKA Alexander Wiegand SE & Co. KG
Temperature sensors
Temperature sensors such as PT100, PT1000 and thermocouples measure media and surfaces and deliver their values to controllers and IoT platforms via transmitters or IO-Link.
3 manufacturers
Endress+Hauser · ifm-Unternehmensgruppe · WIKA Alexander Wiegand SE & Co. KG
Tilt sensors
Tilt sensors measure the angle relative to gravity on one or two axes and keep mobile machinery, vehicles and structures safe and level.
2 manufacturers
ifm-Unternehmensgruppe · WIKA Alexander Wiegand SE & Co. KG
Vibration sensors
Vibration sensors capture machine vibration on bearings, pumps, motors and gearboxes and deliver the data for condition monitoring and predictive maintenance.
1 manufacturer
ifm-Unternehmensgruppe
Acceleration sensors
Accelerometer sensors measure motion, shock and vibration in up to three axes, piezoelectric for high frequencies or MEMS-based for static measurement too.
Manufacturers coming soonSpeed sensors
Speed sensors measure how fast shafts, motors, conveyors and gearboxes rotate making slip, overload and standstill visible as soon as they occur.
Manufacturers coming soon
Devices
Components & adapters
Components and adapters make existing sensors and field devices IoT-ready by converting analog signals, switching outputs or Modbus into networked data.
5 manufacturers
ifm-Unternehmensgruppe · Perinet GmbH · Endress+Hauser +2
Edge devices
Edge devices collect data right at the machine, translate protocols and preprocess values on site before they are sent to the cloud or an IoT platform.
6 manufacturers
Exor International SpA · WAGO GmbH & Co. KG · ifm-Unternehmensgruppe +3
HMI & visualisation
HMI panels and displays show status, KPIs and alarms right at the machine, on the line or in the room, and let operators control equipment on site.
2 manufacturers
Exor International SpA · ifm-Unternehmensgruppe
Routers
Industrial and IoT routers connect your machines, buildings and plants to the company network and the internet via LTE, 5G, DSL or Wi-Fi, including VPN for secure remote maintenance.
2 manufacturers
SIEMENS AG | Industrial Wireless Communication · IXON
Security gateway
Security gateways separate the production network from IT, allow only defined data flows and connect plants in critical environments securely to the cloud and remote service.
2 manufacturers
ECOS Technology GmbH · secunet Security Networks AG
What belongs to the source layer
The source layer is the bottom layer of the IoT stack. This is where the data originates that every other layer builds on. It consists of two groups. Sensors measure physical quantities such as pressure, temperature, level, flow, position, speed, force, acceleration, tilt, vibration or methane and convert them into an electrical signal. Devices make sure these signals reach the network and arrive there securely: components and adapters, routers, edge devices, security gateways, and HMI and visualization hardware right at the machine.
IoT-ready means that a sensor can be connected via IO-Link, LoRaWAN or another IoT transmission method, and that a device is built for 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi or similar connections. Conventional sensors with a 4-20 mA or 0-10 V output can be retrofitted with adapters without modifying the machine. Such an adapter can, for example, convert the analog signal of an existing sensor to IO-Link so that the measured value and diagnostics become available digitally.
Router, edge device or security gateway?
These devices differ in their primary purchase reason. A router forwards data packets between networks, for example from the machine network to a 5G network, and makes no decisions about the data. An edge device processes data locally: it converts protocols, filters and aggregates measurements and runs control logic or containers. A security gateway separates OT from IT and provides a secure connection. Many products handle more than one of these tasks. What counts for classification is the main reason for buying them.
What to look for when choosing
For sensors, the key criteria are measuring principle, measuring range, output signal and interface, plus ingress protection, media resistance and explosion protection where required. For devices, what matters are the supported protocols, wireless and network interfaces, computing power, remote maintenance and security features. It pays to choose hardware with the goal in mind: which data does the application on the function layer need, and how does it get there through the integration and storage layers? Examples from the network include WIKA and Endress+Hauser for process sensors, WAGO and in.hub for edge devices, and Siemens for routers. The solution examples show which combinations have proven themselves in practice.
Frequently asked questions about IoT hardware
What is IoT hardware?
IoT hardware is every component that captures data and puts it on the network. In industry, that means IoT-ready sensors for quantities such as pressure, temperature or vibration, plus devices such as routers, edge devices, security gateways, HMIs and adapters. Together they form the source layer, which the integration, storage and function layers build on.
What are industrial IoT sensors?
Industrial IoT sensors are sensors for industrial measurands that can be connected directly to IoT systems via IO-Link, LoRaWAN, cellular or Wi-Fi. They cover pressure, temperature, level, flow, position, speed, force, acceleration, tilt, vibration and gases such as methane. Besides the measured value, many also provide diagnostic data about their own condition.
Which industrial IoT devices are needed for a retrofit?
A typical retrofit needs three things: sensors that capture the missing values, a way to get the data onto the network and a target system. Existing analog sensors can often be connected via adapters, while new sensors are added via IO-Link or LoRaWAN. An edge device or router then forwards the data to a platform without changing the machine control program.
What should you look for when buying industrial IoT sensors?
Start with a measuring principle that suits the medium and the task, then check measuring range, accuracy and ingress protection. Connectivity matters just as much: IO-Link works well for machines with a controller, while LoRaWAN suits distributed measuring points without cabling. It also helps to clarify early which platform will receive the data and which protocols it supports.
What are the main IoT hardware components?
The main IoT hardware components are sensors, connectivity hardware and local computing. Sensors capture physical values. Adapters, routers and wireless modules connect them to the network. Edge devices process the data locally, security gateways protect the transition from OT to IT, and HMIs display information directly at the machine. Which components a project needs depends on the target application.
