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Machine Data Collection from the Field to SCADA, MES and Cloud
Get data off the machines, meters and sensors already on site and into the system that needs it. TITAN IoT supplies edge gateways and routers that read Modbus, serial and I/O at the site, turn the readings into named data points and forward them over MQTT, staged in Galway for each site.
Start with one site, prove the data end to end, then roll it out across the estate.
What Is Machine Data Collection?
Machine data collection is reading values from equipment on site, such as PLCs, energy meters, flow and level sensors and analysers, and sending them to the system that uses them: SCADA, MES, a building management system or a cloud platform. An edge gateway does the work at the site, polling each device and forwarding the readings as named data points.
Remote access lets an engineer log in when something needs attention. Data collection runs all the time and builds the record you use for reporting, alarms and maintenance. For logging in to the machine itself, see Remote Machine Access.
Keep the Data When the Link Drops.
Cellular links drop. A gateway that only forwards live readings leaves gaps in the record, often exactly when something is happening on site. Robustel edge gateways hold readings locally during an outage and send them on, in order, when the connection returns.
Local buffering
Readings are stored on the gateway while the link is down, then sent in order.
One outbound connection
A single secure MQTT stream per site, with nothing opened on the site network.
Filter at the edge
Send changes and summaries rather than every raw poll, which keeps mobile data costs down.
Managed remotely
Each gateway visible in RCMS, with configuration and firmware updated over the air.
How long a gateway can buffer depends on how much data each site produces, so we size it with you during the pilot.
The Data Is Already on Site
Most sites already hold the data. It sits in meters, controllers and sensors that were never connected beyond a local display. The gateway reads them where they are, so nothing on site is replaced. Kit is chosen per project from a range of leading vendors and standard protocols, not tied to one brand.
HW Group application example: meters brought onto the site network.
PLCs: modern PLCs from Siemens, Schneider Electric, ABB and others can be read over Ethernet; older ones over RS232 or RS485 · Field side: Modbus RTU, Modbus TCP, digital and analogue I/O, plus BACnet and KNX on the Milesight EG71 · Out: MQTT, Modbus TCP, SNMP and BACnet · Networks: 4G, 5G and Ethernet
Buy the Kit, or Take the Full Service
Both are normal. Plenty of customers start with the hardware and add services later.
Buy the Kit, Run It Your Way
- Edge gateways, routers and protocol converters
- Point them at your own SCADA, MES, MQTT broker or cloud
- The hardware is yours, with no lock-in and no ongoing service needed from us
- Pre-configured in Galway if you want it
The Full Managed Solution
- Gateway staged, SIM’d and labelled per site, with its configuration loaded
- Managed multi-network IoT SIMs
- RCMS fleet monitoring and SmartNetVPN for remote support
- An introductory free period on the services. Ask us
From Field Device to Cloud in Three Steps
The same pattern applies whether the data comes from a PLC, a meter or a sensor.
Connect the field equipment
Ethernet, RS232, RS485 and digital I/O on the gateway connect PLCs, meters, sensors and machines without rewiring the site.
Turn readings into data points
A point list sets each register’s address, scaling and polling interval, so raw Modbus values arrive as named, usable data and only the points you choose are forwarded.
Process at the edge, then forward
Filter and check values on the gateway, buffer them through outages and publish over MQTT to SCADA, MES or the cloud.
Modbus devices on site, one MQTT stream out. Diagram: Robustel.
See It Working
Robustel’s own demonstration of the EG5120 collecting PLC data for SCADA, MES and cloud, including forwarding over MQTT and OPC UA. Manufacturer video.
Gateways, Routers and Converters, Matched per Site
The right box depends on what is on site and how much work needs to happen at the edge. Each is chosen per project.
Robustel
EG5100 4G Edge Gateway
Cellular router and embedded Linux computer in one metal box. Two RS232/RS485 ports, digital I/O, dual SIM, Modbus RTU and TCP with MQTT to cloud, and Docker for your own applications. The default for most sites.
Robustel
EG5120 5G Edge Gateway
The 5G model, with a quad-core processor and a built-in NPU for heavier edge processing. Azure IoT and AWS IoT Greengrass qualified. The gateway in Robustel’s video above.
Teltonika
RUT956 Industrial 4G Router
Where a router can do the job: dual-SIM 4G with RS232 and RS485 serial, digital I/O and GNSS, bringing Modbus RTU and DNP3 equipment onto a modern network.
Advantech
ICR-2734A02 Secure 4G Router
Dual-SIM 4G router built to IEC 62443-4-2 SL1, with secure boot and intrusion detection. For Ethernet-connected equipment where the security of the data path matters.
HW Group
Perseus Energy 240
Reads up to 100 Modbus RTU meters and sensors over RS-485 and converts them to Modbus TCP, MQTT, SNMP or BACnet for SCADA and building systems, with local alarms and scripting.
Milesight
EG71 Building IoT Gateway
For building plant: RS485 (Modbus RTU, BACnet MS/TP), KNX, universal inputs and LoRaWAN in one gateway, forwarding over MQTT, BACnet/IP or Modbus TCP to a BMS or cloud.
Pilot One Site, Then Roll Out
Pilot one site
We stage a gateway, SIM and point list for one site, with an introductory free period on the management services.
Prove the data
You watch the readings arrive in your own SCADA, MES or cloud and confirm they are right.
Stage the estate
The proven configuration is staged in Galway per site and shipped ready to connect.
Manage remotely
Every gateway visible in RCMS, with configuration and firmware updated over the air.
Typical Applications
Where edge data collection pays its way. These are typical applications for the kit on this page, not a list of customer sites.
Energy & Power
Sub-meters and power analysers read over Modbus, with consumption tracked per machine or building and peaks alarmed.
Water & Wastewater
Pump run status, flow, level and pressure from remote stations, buffered through poor coverage and sent to SCADA.
Building Plant & HVAC
Chillers, air handlers and boilers read over BACnet, Modbus or KNX and forwarded to a BMS or cloud dashboard.
Solar & Renewables
Inverter and meter data from remote arrays sent over 4G to the monitoring platform, with no site network needed.
Go Further
Manufacturing
Edge gateways, protocol conversion and machine monitoring for Irish manufacturing sites.
Machine Data Collection Questions, Answered
What is machine data collection?
Machine data collection is reading values from equipment on site, such as PLCs, energy meters, flow and level sensors and analysers, and sending them to the system that uses them: SCADA, MES, a building management system or a cloud platform. An edge gateway or router at the site polls each device, turns the readings into named data points and forwards them over cellular or Ethernet.
How is data collection different from remote machine access?
Remote access lets an engineer log in to a machine when something needs attention. Data collection runs all the time: the gateway reads values on a schedule and sends them to SCADA, MES or the cloud, building the record you use for reporting, alarms and maintenance. Many sites use both, and the same Robustel gateway can usually do the two jobs at once.
Do I need an edge gateway, or will a router do?
If you only need to carry Modbus TCP or serial data to a central system, a router with serial ports such as the Teltonika RUT956 is often enough. Choose an edge gateway such as the Robustel EG5100 when the data needs scaling, filtering or buffering on site, or when you want to run your own applications in Docker at the edge.
Which PLCs does it work with?
Most modern PLCs from Siemens, Schneider Electric, ABB and others have an Ethernet port and can be read over the network, often with Modbus TCP. Older PLCs may have only RS232 or RS485, which the serial ports on the EG5100, EG5120 and RUT956 connect to. Which protocol and registers each PLC offers is confirmed for each machine during the pilot.
What happens to the data if the 4G connection drops?
On the Robustel edge gateways, readings are stored locally while the link is down and sent on, in order, when the connection returns, so the record has no gaps. How long a gateway can buffer depends on how many points it reads and how often, so we size the buffer and polling with you during the pilot rather than quote a fixed figure.
Can the data go to our existing SCADA, MES or cloud platform?
Yes. The gateways publish over MQTT to Microsoft Azure, AWS or any MQTT broker, and the HW Group Perseus and Milesight EG71 also offer Modbus TCP or BACnet, plus SNMP on the Perseus, for SCADA and building management systems. You keep the platform you already use. If you have no platform yet, we can advise on options without tying you to one.
Can we pilot one site before rolling out?
Yes, and we recommend it. We stage a gateway, SIM and point configuration for one site so you can see the data arrive in your own system and confirm it is right. The fleet management services come with an introductory free period, so ask us about current terms. Once the pilot proves the data, the same configuration is staged for the rest of the estate.
Do we have to use TITAN’s platform or services?
No. You can buy the gateways, routers and SIMs on their own and point them at your own SCADA, MES or cloud, with no lock-in and no ongoing service needed from us. Or you can take the full managed solution: staged hardware, managed SIMs and fleet monitoring. Many customers start with the kit and add services later.
Prove the Data on One Site, Then Roll It Out
Tell us what is on site, which system needs the data and how the site is connected. We’ll spec the gateway and stage a pilot in Galway.
+353 91 757500 · iot@titan.ie