How to connect my Siemens S7-1200 PLC to an MQTT broker?

To connect a Siemens S7-1200 PLC, you can use an industrial gateway like EMQX Neuron (formerly EMQX Neuron). It converts the PLC's proprietary protocol into standardized MQTT with Sparkplug B, allowing you to seamlessly integrate the data into your central data hub.

How to synchronize data from a MySQL database to our IIoT platform?

EMQX's built-in rule engine and data bridges allow you to connect directly to external databases like MySQL. You can configure rules to pull data from the database and publish it as MQTT messages, or vice versa, ensuring a real-time, synchronized data flow between your business systems and the factory floor.

How to implement device control, such as writing commands back to PLCs through MQTT?

With EMQX and an industrial gateway, you can achieve bidirectional communication. Commands sent as MQTT messages to a specific topic can be routed through the rule engine to the industrial gateway, which then translates the message into the appropriate PLC protocol and writes the command to the device.

How to build an Industrial AI Data Hub using a Unified Namespace (UNS) architecture?

A Unified Namespace (UNS) architecture uses a hierarchical topic structure to organize all your factory data in a single, contextualized, and standardized view. By using EMQX as your central data hub and industrial gateways with Sparkplug B, you can model your data based on ISA-95 standards, making it easy for AI and analytics platforms to access and process the data in real-time.

The Unified MQTT Platform for Smart Manufacturing

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100+

Industrial Protocols

25%

Increase in OEE

40%

Reduction in Downtime

100ms

Data Collection Frequency

3.5M+

Data Tags Per Plant

The Data Challenge in Smart Manufacturing

Unlocking the value of factory data is the key to Industry 4.0, but unifying data from legacy OT and modern IT systems presents a major hurdle.

Fragmented OT & IT Systems

Data from PLCs and SCADA systems is siloed from MES and ERP systems, preventing a unified view of factory operations and business processes.

No Single Source of Truth

Without a Unified Namespace, different systems access conflicting data, making it impossible to build reliable, scalable smart factory applications.

Complex Cloud Integration

Connecting plant floor data to cloud services for analytics and storage requires complex custom code and multiple integration points, increasing costs and maintenance.

The AI-Native Data Hub for Smart Factories

EMQX connects every machine and system, creating a Unified Namespace that serves as the central, real-time data backbone for your entire manufacturing operation.

Modbus

OPC-UA

Sparkplug B

MQTT

BACnet

EMQX Neuron

Data Ingestion

Data Processing

MQTT Bridge

EMQX Cluster

EMQX Node 1

Rule Engine

Data Integration

EMQX Node 2

EMQX Node 3

EMQX Node 4

EMQX Node N

......

Agents & Applications

MES

SCADA

PLM

AI Models

OpenAI

Gemini

Anthropic

Data Analytics

Apache Kafka

TimescaleDB

BI Dashboard

Connect the Shop Floor

Use industrial gateways to convert OT protocols into standardized MQTT with Sparkplug B, publishing data from all your assets into the central data hub.

Unify with a Data Hub

EMQX acts as the core MQTT broker, creating a Unified Namespace that structures all data in a single, accessible location for any system to consume.

Integrate the Top Floor

Stream unified, contextualized data into any IT system. Connect to MES, ERP, SCADA, and cloud services to enable plant-wide visibility and analytics.

Why EMQX for Smart Manufacturing

Bridge OT and IT with a unified data hub designed for reliability, scalability, and seamless integration to boost OEE and enable advanced analytics.

Unified Namespace

Establish a single source of truth for all factory data. Organize your data by site, area, and line with ISA-95 standards for seamless integration.

MES & ERP Integration

Bridge the OT/IT divide. Stream real-time production data directly into your MES, ERP, and other business systems with our powerful integration engine.

Sparkplug B Ready

Achieve true plug-and-play interoperability for industrial assets. Standardize data models and maintain stateful awareness across all equipment.

Universal Connectivity

Connect any device with native support for 100+ protocols, including Modbus, OPC-UA, Siemens S7, BACnet, and more. No proprietary lock-in.

Software-Defined Platform

Run on any standard X86 or ARM server, on-premise or in the cloud. Eliminate the cost and complexity of proprietary hardware gateways.

AI-Powered Analytics

Feed clean, contextualized, and real-time data to your AI/ML models. Enable predictive maintenance, quality control, and advanced analytics.

Edge Computing

Process and analyze raw data directly at the edge. Reduce latency, save cloud costs, and enable faster local decision-making on the factory floor.

Hybrid Cloud Integration

Seamlessly stream manufacturing data to any cloud. Integrate with Kafka, data lakes, and analytics platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.

Wide Adoption

EMQX products are widely used in various IoT scenarios globally, including connected cars, smart manufacturing, smart cities, and smart energy, etc.

Automotive Manufacturing

A top EV manufacturer deployed EMQX to create a unified data platform connecting thousands of devices across four major workshops. This enabled real-time monitoring, reduced data latency to 10ms, and provided the foundation for advanced analytics.

100K+ Data Tags

10ms Data Latency

99.99% Platform Uptime

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Food & Beverage Manufacturing

A global food and beverage giant built a smart production hub connecting over 50 factories. The platform ingests 1M+ data tags to monitor equipment status and process parameters in real time, boosting OEE by 15%.

50+ Factories Connected

1M+ Data Tags

15% Increase in OEE

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Unlock Key Manufacturing Use Cases

A unified data platform is the foundation for the most valuable Industry 4.0 applications.

Predictive Maintenance

Use real-time sensor data and AI to predict machine failures. Prevent unplanned downtime, reduce maintenance costs, and extend equipment life.

OEE Optimization

Boost factory output by tracking OEE in real time. Unify data on availability, performance, and quality to pinpoint and eliminate production bottlenecks.

Quality & Traceability

Detect quality deviations the moment they occur. Monitor production parameters in real-time to minimize scrap, ensure compliance, and enable full product traceability.

Supply Chain Visibility

Connect factory floor data with logistics systems. Create a transparent digital thread for end-to-end visibility from raw materials to finished goods.

Live Performance Monitoring

Visualize your entire production line with live dashboards. Monitor machine status, cycle times, and alerts to resolve issues before they impact production.

Smart Factory

Enable real-time data exchange and coordination between all devices, machines, and systems with MQTT and a Unified Namespace (UNS) to optimize processes.

Explore Smart Manufacturing Resources

Learn more about building a modern data architecture for your factory with our expert guides, tutorials, and success stories.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about adopting EMQX for smart manufacturing.

Start Your Smart Factory Journey Today

Talk to our manufacturing experts to see how a unified data platform can help you reduce costs, increase throughput, and build the factory of the future.

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The unified MQTT platform for smart manufacturing