Bosch Rexroth's ctrlX Automation: Scalable Industrial Automation at ProveIt! 2025

Empowering Smart Manufacturing with ctrlX Automation

We’re excited to highlight Bosch Rexroth, a Bronze Sponsor of ProveIt! Conference 2025, showcasing their ctrlX Automation platform, a scalable and modular solution designed to revolutionize industrial automation by seamlessly integrating hardware and software for optimized manufacturing processes.

At the conference, Bosch Rexroth will demonstrate how their platform enables real-time data flow, centralized control, and predictive maintenance, addressing key manufacturing challenges through open, flexible, and scalable technology.

What is the ProveIt! Conference?

ProveIt! is where industrial leaders prove their solutions in real-time by integrating them with a simulated Unified Namespace (UNS) virtual factory, solving real-world challenges and showcasing the power of Industry 4.0 technologies.

Why Attend Bosch Rexroth’s Session?

Gain insights into how ctrlX Automation can:

• Break Down Data Silos with a flattened, open data structure replacing rigid automation layers.
• Enable Real-Time Decision Making through centralized data visibility and control.
• Scale Across Enterprises with modular app-based solutions tailored to evolving manufacturing needs.

Join Us at ProveIt! Conference 2025

Be part of the manufacturing revolution with Bosch Rexroth at ProveIt! Conference 2025, happening February 18–20 at the Westin Galleria in Dallas, TX.

?? Get Your Tickets Here

Don’t miss this opportunity to see Bosch Rexroth and other top vendors prove their solutions in real-world applications.

Functional Specification Bosch Rexroth with ctrlX Automation

1. Vendor Information

? Company Name: Bosch Rexroth

? Primary Contact: Ralf Opper, Sam Gilk

? Solution Overview:

Bosch Rexroth's ctrlX Automation platform, powered by ctrlX OS, provides a scalable and

modular framework to support manufacturers in their digital transformation. The solution

enables seamless integration of hardware and software to manage and optimize industrial

automation processes with advanced control, edge computing, and IoT capabilities. ctrlX

Automation simplifies the development and deployment of automation solutions by providing

an open ecosystem that leverages flexible, modular components.

2. Problem Definition

? What specific manufacturing problem will your solution address?

The ctrlX Automation platform targets the issue of isolated, disconnected systems within

manufacturing operations. This solution addresses the need for real-time data flow, centralized

control, and predictive maintenance capabilities that are critical to optimizing production

efficiency.

The data layer of the ctrlX OS is just like the UNS - a single source of truce - of any app that is

used within the ctrlX OS. The data layer is a flattened and open data structure no longer tight

to the rigid horizontal layers of the traditional “Automation Pyramid” All data can easily be

transferred to the UNS directly from the data layer via an MQTT broker app.

? Why is solving this problem critical for manufacturers?

Manufacturers face pressures to increase productivity, reduce downtime, and enhance

flexibility. This solution facilitates interoperability between legacy and modern systems,

enabling manufacturers to make data-driven decisions that improve operational efficiency and

extend equipment lifecycle.

3. Solution Description

? Describe how your solution will integrate with the ProveIt! virtual factory.

CtrlX OS will serve as a control hub, enabling connectivity across the ProveIt! virtual factory

through centralized data processing, real-time analytics, and edge capabilities. This is enabled

by the Data Layer on each ctrlX OS device which also supports REST API architecture to allow

seamless integration with existing factory components and legacy systems.

We will demonstrate openness and flexibility for the engineer to choose technologies for

themselves like the leveraging Open-Source tools like the M.I.N.G. stack for example.

? What technologies (software, hardware, tools) will you use?

Hardware: Bosch Rexroth's ctrlX CORE controller (Realtime Linux IPC) and I/O modules

(conceptually also Dell Edge Device with ctrlX OS)

Software/Apps: Telegraf, InfluxDB, Grafana, Node-RED, Ignition, Mosquitto, IXON, WebIQ,

Firewall, ctrlX Motion,

Cloud: ctrlX Device Portal

? Will you be leveraging any third-party tools or services?

Integration of many ctrlX World partners as described in the previous point will be leveraged

besides Bosch Rexroth solutions. Additional connectivity third-party AI and analytics

applications can be implemented through the ctrlX App Store.

? Include a high-level overview of your system architecture.

The system will be architected around ctrlX OS with a modular app structure allowing flexible

deployment. We will demonstrate 2 use cases that can be scaled across the enterprise

architecture.

System 1 – New Build – Use case: end-user specifies the ctrlX core as the machine controller to

have a machine on the floor that is basically UNS “ready” without any additional hardware by

leveraging Apps listed here:

1. Machine controller: ctrlX CORE X3 PLC

2. Data acquisition: Telegraf App

3. Historization: InfluxDB App

4. Data manipulation: Node-RED App

5. MQTT Local Broker: Mosquitto App

6. Dashboard: IoT Dashboard App

7. PLC: CodeSys

8. Motion: Motion App (simple, synchronized and kinematic motion)

9. HMI: Web IQ

10. Simulation: 3D Viewer App

11. Troubleshooting Optimization: Nexeed Virtual Assist

System 2 – SCADA/Platform/Gateway – depending on where it is deployed.

Use case 1: simple edge device for brownfield connectivity, data transparency and UNS

connection.

Use case 2: SCADA for entire value stream connection to 3rd party controllers and machinery.

Use case 3: ctrlX OS on server e.g. like Dell Technologies

1. Machine controller: 3rd Party PLC e.g. AB PLC

2. Edge Device: ctrlX CORE X5 or X7 (conceptually on Windows IPC, Dell or Nokia edge

Server)

3. Data acquisition: Ignition in Container Engine App

4. Historization: InfluxDB App

5. Data manipulation: Node-RED App

6. MQTT Local Broker: Mosquitto App

7. Dashboard: IoT Dashboard App

4. Data Requirements

? What data will your solution require from the virtual factory?

We will be using a number of live data endpoints to demonstrate – data monitoring &

transformation, data aggregation, dashboarding and process control.

? What MQTT topics, SQL data points, or OPC endpoints will you be

interacting with?

We will connect to OEE data as one example. We will also demonstrate on the System 1 – New

Build the actual machine and manufacturing process data of a VFFS machine (Vertical Form Fill

and Seal). All this data is available on the data layer which we will show conceptually how this

data will be written to the UNS.

? What new data will your solution generate, and how will this data be

published back to the Unified Namespace?

Our solution will publish an exemplary device level namespace into the enterprise MQTT broker

for a vertical form fill and seal application.

5. Integration Points

? How will your solution connect to the following virtual factory systems:

o MQTT (HiveMQ Broker): Mosquitto bridge, Telegraf, Node-RED

o SQL (PostgreSQL Database): Grafana

o OPC UA (Factory Simulation): Node-RED, ctrlX OPC UA client

? Describe any specific connection or protocol configurations required for your

solution.

We can demonstrate Mosquitto sparkplugB communication with HiveMQ if available.

We can discuss a secure MQTT connection with TLS, database queries over encrypted SQL

channels, and OPC UA session-based communication with security configurations if required.

6. Functional Requirements

? List the key functional requirements of your solution (e.g., real-time

monitoring, control signals, etc.).

Accurately control VFFS system to spec. Acquire real-time data from VFFS process. Local

historization.

Locally manipulate data to provide functional namespace capabilities. Participate in enterprise

UNS by consuming and producing data at all integration points.

Provide secure networking and remote access.

Edge processing for quick data insights and action.

? How will your solution’s functions interact with the virtual factory's

processes?

Our solution will connect to all of the integration points from a variety of applications. We want

to demonstrate openness and flexibility in choice of tools. We also demonstrating how ctrlX OS

devices continuously monitor production data, analyze it in real-time, and trigger control

signals as needed for process adjustments, keeping processes optimized and minimizing

downtime.

7. Testing and Validation

? How will you test your solution to ensure it is functioning as expected

within the virtual factory?

Local subscription to published enterprise broker topics to verify transmission.

? What validation criteria will you use to measure success (e.g., correct

data flow, real-time feedback)?

Local logging of generated data and comparison against subscribed topic messages.

8. Timeline and Milestones

? 16 weeks before the conference: Functional Specification completed.

? 1-16 weeks before the conference: Development and testing of the

solution.

? 1 week before the conference: Final review and validation.

9. Presentation Details

? How will you present your solution during the conference?

We will have a cube with a ctrlX Core X3, ctrlX Core X5 or X7, Rockwell PLC connected, all

connected to a large touch screen monitor above that allows connectivity to all the devices to

demonstrate different levels. We will also have at least one perhaps 2 Laptops connected to

demonstrate and access different data and apps running on ctrlX OS.

? What real-world manufacturing problem will you demonstrate solving?

We will show how to

? overcome the “connectivity issue” of accessing data and data integration,

? do historical data logging for trending and data-based decision making,

? visualize the data,

? do remote monitoring and connectivity,

? do alarming and notification of critical events,

by leveraging open-source tools, partner apps and Bosch Rexroth apps by eliminating the typical

boundaries typically found between OT and IT.

? How long will it take to deploy your solution in a real manufacturing?

setting?

Hardware installation ~1-2 days.

Software configuration <1 day.

? What is the estimated cost of implementing this solution for a

manufacturer?

ctrlX Automation is a highly scalable automation, OT, IT solution platform.

It is essential to emphasize its value proposition rather than focusing solely on the upfront

expense.

The ctrlX Automation platform offers a highly scalable, modular solution that integrates

seamlessly across OT, IT, and the entire value chain. The open ecosystem enables rapid updates

and integration with new technologies, reducing downtime and obsolescence risks by

leveraging apps to add new functionalities.

Cost example: $1,400 IoT edge device with remote monitoring access. This is replacing an

EWON or M-Guard for example with the addition of IoT edge device capabilities.

? Hardware est. $1,000 ctrlX Core X3

? Software est. $400 app bundle of Node-Red, Influx DB, IoT dashboard (aka Grafana) and

IXON secure cloud connection app.

We will have a complete price list of all ctrlX store available apps at the conference. This shows

the scalability which we will also demonstrate by adding a PLC and Motion app to it in addition

for machine control, then also add an HMI app as the operator interface and more.

#ProveIt2025 #Industry4 #UnifiedNamespace #IIoT #BoschRexroth #ctrlXAutomation