PTC and Rockwell Partnership Creates Integrated Suite of IoT Tools > ENGINEERING.com
PTC, the maker of engineering software that’s on the cutting edge of the Internet of Things (IoT), recently entered into a partnership with Rockwell Automation. Rockwell invested a billion dollars in PTC in exchange for a seat on PTC’s Board of Directors. I spoke with Jim Heppelmann, President and CEO of PTC, who said that the partnership will strengthen both companies and deliver an integrated suite of tools that combine the physical, digital, and human elements, enabling engineers to design IoT products and processes that include machines made by multiple vendors. Heppelmann gave me an overview of how this will impact engineers designing IoT products.
PTC’s flagship IoT product, ThingWorx, helps developers design, deploy, and monitor IoT devices in real time, in a secure, cloud-based environment. It also provides analysis tools, object-oriented apps, and an augmented reality (AR) creation module that lets engineers develop custom dashboards for their products without the need for coding skills. Rockwell’s FactoryTalk is an integrated set of tools that manages manufacturing processes, data analytics, and factory communications. When combined, the two platforms will allow engineers to design smart, connected products that monitor and control machines made by multiple vendors.