An operating system uniquely engineered for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and automation applications has been introduced by Weidmuller USA. The debut of u-OS took place at the 2023 Pack Expo in Las Vegas.
Features of u-OS include a variety of specifics tailored to industry. It is:
• made for maintenance—cloud-based diagnostics and fleet management for remotely deployed devices
• designed for seamless integration—merge proprietary and third-party apps using containerization
• future-proof—built on open standards such as Linux, OPC-UA, and Docker
• independent—future-proof system with no lock-ins for more choices
• designed for universal compatibility—supports multiple fieldbus protocols
• made for scalability—expand and adapt with cloud-based device management
• migration-ready—transition to new systems without the hassle.
CoDeSys, an IEC61131-3 programming tool used in machine building and system integration, is fully integrated into the u-OS platform. This enables anyone, from newcomers to automation experts, to harness the power of CoDeSys, which is designed to provide a robust and user-friendly environment tailored to the user’s needs.
“U-OS isn’t just the bridge to Industry 4.0, it’s the on-ramp,” said Ken Crawford, senior director of automation at Weidmuller USA. “Plus, it’s independent and built on recognized open standards like Linux, Containers and OPC-UA to ensure future resilience and ease of system migration by eliminating reliance on a single provider.”
U-OS is compatible with other Weidmuller products, such as the u-remote and u-control lines, as well as IoT gateways and easyConnect, explained Crawford. “We are continuously growing the u-OS ecosystem to make our solutions even more flexible and valuable to a wide variety of industry sectors in the United States and global markets,” he added.