Heterogeneous Systems Interoperability
We make heterogeneous systems reliably exchange data without rip-and-replace, connecting equipment from different manufacturers and protocols to a common data layer so machines, lines and systems that were never designed to talk to each other can share information.
Heterogeneous industrial systems interoperability addresses the core problem of most plants: equipment from different manufacturers, generations and protocols that was never designed to exchange data. A 2008 PLC, a serial weighing scale, a new line exposing OPC UA and an ERP expecting API calls all work fine in isolation; what fails is the data flow between them.
Our approach: translate, normalise, share
Instead of rip-and-replace, we accept heterogeneity as the normal state of a plant and build a layer that absorbs it. Each system is connected in the protocol it already speaks (Modbus, Profinet, EtherNet/IP, OPC UA, proprietary serial links or even CSV files), building on our PLC connectivity work. Data is then normalised into a common model with consistent naming, units and timestamps, and published to a shared data layer, typically an MQTT broker, as described in our MQTT integration solution. Producers and consumers become decoupled: replacing a machine only means adapting its connector, and new tools simply subscribe to the common layer.
Where a project starts
This solution is execution. The prior diagnosis, mapping systems and protocols and deciding what to connect first, is delivered by our consulting unit through the industrial interoperability diagnosis. Once the map is clear, Connect builds the common data layer on top of the equipment you already have.
How it connects to the system
Connect enables data flow to AI and Energy and supports execution that Service digitises in the business layer.
Key concepts
Other solutions
- Edge Ingestion
We capture data at the edge of the operation, where it is generated, without depending on central connectivity. We deploy edge ingestion software on plant equipment that reads signals locally, holds them through network outages and forwards them once the connection is restored.
- PLC Connectivity
We connect PLCs from any manufacturer and protocol to the Captia unified data layer, making control-layer information reliably available to the rest of your systems, from process historians to dashboards, without altering the control programs.
- OT/IT Integration
We build the bridge between the operational world (OT) and the information systems world (IT): a data layer that reads plant information and delivers it to business systems, with an architecture designed not to interfere with production.
Heterogeneous systems interoperability in Valencia
In many plants across the Comunitat Valenciana, PLCs from several manufacturers, serial-port scales, new lines exposing OPC UA and an ERP barely talk to each other. This solution addresses exactly that: making heterogeneous systems, from different brands and generations, reliably exchange data.
We do it without rip-and-replace. Each device is connected in the protocol it already speaks and its data is normalised into a common layer, instead of replacing the systems in use.
Our team is based in Xàtiva, which lets us work closely with industry in Xàtiva, La Costera, València and the rest of the Comunitat Valenciana, with on-site visits when the project requires it.
Frequently asked questions
- What is heterogeneous industrial systems interoperability?
- It is the ability of equipment from different manufacturers, generations and protocols to reliably exchange data: a fifteen-year-old Siemens PLC, a weighing scale with a serial port, a new line exposing OPC UA and the company ERP. It is achieved by placing a translator towards a common data layer in front of each system, without modifying or replacing the equipment.
- How do you connect equipment speaking different protocols?
- Each device is connected in the language it already speaks: Modbus, Profinet, EtherNet/IP, OPC UA, a proprietary serial bus or even files dropped in a folder. A gateway or software connector translates the protocol, data is normalised to a common model (consistent names, units, timestamps) and published to a shared layer, typically an MQTT broker, that any authorised system can subscribe to.
- Is it worth replacing old equipment to homogenise the plant?
- Rarely. Replacing veteran equipment with a single product range from one manufacturer means long stops, reprogramming control logic refined over years and a cost that adds no production capacity. Homogeneity is also short-lived: the next machine will arrive with its own ecosystem. Our approach is to accept heterogeneity and build a layer on top that absorbs it.
- Which areas do you cover for industrial interoperability projects?
- Our team is based in Xàtiva (Ronda Séquia de Meses, 18, 46800) and we work with industry across Xàtiva, La Costera, València and the wider Comunitat Valenciana. Being nearby makes plant visits easier during the project, although our service scope is not limited to these areas.