BOSTON, MA - October 14th, 2021 - Today, Tulip announced two products that further the democratization of edge technology for frontline operations during the virtual event, Democratize the Edge: Next-Gen Operations.
A new edge device, Edge IO, and new detectors and capabilities for Tulip Vision put powerful IIoT, Machine Connectivity, and Computer Vision technology in the hands of those closest to operations. With this openness and intuitiveness of these technologies, companies can reduce the cost and time associated with setup and configuration. This leaves more time and opportunity for companies to focus on innovation and supporting frontline operations.
Edge IO
Tulip is replacing its flagship I/O Gateway device with the new Edge IO, a wifi-enabled, easy-to-implement, low-cost edge device for collecting operational data and integrating it directly into the Tulip platform.
Edge IO replaces the need for multiple layers of devices and vendors at the edge. It integrates data from devices, machines, PLCs, and sensors with industrial I/O ports and USB connectivity into Tulip to display in dashboards, to use as inputs in applications, or to push into other systems integrated with the platform
Unlike most edge devices in the market today, Edge IO natively supports powerful high-speed current and vibration measurement. Engineers can use it as a sensor to monitor stranded and proprietary machines in the cloud. Connect networked machines to Tulip with Edge IO’s native OPC UA support, or with Node-RED onboard the device.
Edge IO simplifies the deployment of Tulip with a secure, onboard Connector Host for sending data to the cloud. Engineers and operators can set up and update IIoT devices, digital workstations, and machine connections on their own with Tulip’s no-code platform.
Edge IO does not need a computer, it can connect directly with an external monitor and run as a complete workstation. The addition of 2 integrated Tulip Light Kit channels further reduces the need for additional hardware, making it easier than ever to get started or scale connected operations.
“Edge computing blurs the lines between OT and IT systems in manufacturing. The Edge IO reflects this thesis. We built a device that supports the citizen developer instrumenting their machine for the first time all the way through scale-up and production. With Edge IO you can easily configure and view your analog waveforms without having to build your entire solution at once.” Says Matt Aldrich, Hardware Lead at Tulip. “Teams will now have more options for collecting rich data from their devices and equipment and analyzing it in the cloud, all at an affordable price point, and with no-code.”
Tulip Vision
The company also rolled out a slew of new computer vision capabilities including color detection, text detection (OCR), barcode, QR code, and data matrix detection. Tulip Vision now includes more options for image capture (snapshots) within a specified region and can be used with IP cameras in addition to USB inputs. Additionally, teams can use data collected with Tulip Vision to train machine learning models by sending the data to one of several external industry-leading Vision APIs.
With these new detectors, companies can create innovative solutions for a variety of use cases including tools tracking and enforcing correct use, material replenishment alerts, serial number reading, and defect detection.
"We've been using Tulip Vision to streamline text collection with OCR reading and save our operators from tedious, time-consuming data entry," said Dwayne Orth of World Class Industries. "We've also been able to track efficiency with the use of jigs on our station fixtures and use that data to drive continuous improvement projects. Compared to other things we’ve tried, Tulip Vision is much easier to set up and adjust."
New Vision capabilities are available now to Tulip customers, and Edge IO is available in beta to participating Tulip customers, and available widely for preorder.
About Tulip Interfaces
Tulip, the leader in frontline operations, is empowering the world’s frontline workforce to improve the productivity of their teams, the quality of their output, and the efficiency of their operations. With Tulip’s no-code platform, companies can empower those closest to operations to digitally transform their operations and gain real-time visibility into the people, tools, machines, and processes involved—all in a matter of days.
Request a demo to learn more.
Contact: press@tulip.co