SICK TDC-X (Telematic Data Collector)¶

SICK AG is a global manufacturer of industrial sensors and sensor solutions headquartered in Waldkirch, Germany, specializing in factory and logistics automation with a comprehensive range of sensor technologies for industrial applications.

The TDC-X is a robust industrial edge gateway from SICK, designed for harsh environments. It features high-performance data collection, wireless 5G and WiFi6 connectivity, and advanced capabilities for quality control, process analysis, and predictive maintenance. This guide walks through connecting a SICK TDC-X device to ExoSense using Node-RED and the ExoSense Standard IoT Connector.

Prerequisites¶

Device Setup¶

Before proceeding with the integration, ensure your SICK TDC-X device is properly initialized. Review the SICK TDC-X Operating Instructions and complete the first-time setup process. The device must be connected to your network and accessible via internet connectivity before you continue with the steps below.

ExoSense Account¶

Sign up for an Exosite account with an active ExoSense instance. If you already have ExoSense deployed, proceed to the IoT Connector setup section below.

ExoSense Setup¶

Create an IoT Connector¶

Use an existing IoT Connector or create a new one in your Exosite account. Important: This connector must be set up from the ExoSense Standard Connector Template and be using the HTTP protocol.

Add this IoT Connector to your ExoSense instance. This connector will serve as the endpoint where your TDC-X device sends data.

After creating the connector, copy the unique endpoint URL from the link button in the upper left. You will need this endpoint for configuring the device's Node-RED flow. The endpoint will have a format similar to https://<connectorname>.apps.exosite.io.

Add a Device to the Connector¶

From within the IoT Connector's management interface, add a new device using a device identifier that matches your TDC-X unit. For example, use the device serial number such as "TDCX25190039". Note this identifier as you will need it when claiming the device in ExoSense.

Setup TDC-X Device¶

Install Node-RED¶

Log into the TDC-X device as an Admin user and navigate to the Applications section. Install Node-RED from the available applications. This will serve as the data processing engine that collects data from the device's sensors and sends it to the ExoSense IoT Connector.

Important: If you plan to use Node-RED for production beyond testing and demonstrations, follow the Node-RED security documentation to implement proper authentication and encryption measures.

Node-RED Configuration¶

Add gRPC Support¶

The TDC-X uses gRPC to expose sensor data within the device. To communicate with gRPC services in Node-RED, you need to install a specialized gRPC node.

Assuming your device is accessible at the default network address 192.168.0.100, visit the device's documentation at http://192.168.0.100/docs/tdc-x/getting-started/grpc-usage#6-additional-notes for detailed guidance on gRPC configuration.

Download the modified gRPC node for Node-RED from: http://192.168.0.100/docs/tdc-x/code/extras/node-red-contrib-grpc-1.2.7.tgz

After downloading the package, you need to install it into Node-RED. Open the Node-RED editor and access the menu in the top-right corner. Select "Manage palette" to open the palette manager. For more information about the palette manager, refer to the Node-RED Palette Manager documentation.

In the palette manager, navigate to the "Install" tab. Click the upload button to select the downloaded node-red-contrib-grpc-1.2.7.tgz file from your local system. Once uploaded, Node-RED will install the package and make the gRPC nodes available in your palette.

Connect to ExoSense IoT Connector¶

Use the standard Node-RED approach for connecting to ExoSense, as documented in the Node-RED integration guide. Instead of using the flow specified there, use the one supplied below. Your Node-RED configuration will route device data through the IoT Connector using the HTTP endpoint you obtained earlier.

Configure Temperature Sensor Data Flow¶

This example demonstrates how to configure Node-RED to collect temperature sensor readings from the TDC-X and send them to ExoSense every 30 seconds.

Download the Node-RED flow file: sick-tdc-x-flows.json

Import this flow into your Node-RED instance following the standard import process outlined in the Node-RED integration guide.

Open the imported flow and locate the "Initialize Configuration" node. Edit its JSON payload to include the IoT Connector endpoint URL you noted earlier. The payload should point to your connector's unique URL path.

Deploy the flow and trigger the "Initialize Configuration" node to establish the connection with the temperature sensors. Once successfully configured, you should be able to trigger the "Flow Started" node to begin collecting and sending temperature data.

Claim the Device¶

Once Node-RED is successfully sending data to the IoT Connector, claim the device in ExoSense to begin monitoring it.

Navigate to the "Devices" tab in your ExoSense instance and select the "Unclaimed" tab.

Search for your device using the identifier you created earlier (for example, "TDCX25190039"). Select the device from the results.

Select a device group to organize your device. You can change this assignment later if needed. Complete the claim process.

Create an Asset¶

To visualize and monitor the data from your TDC-X device, create an asset in ExoSense.

From the device details page, select "Create Asset from Device". This will create a new asset linked to your claimed device.

Name your new asset and confirm. The asset will inherit the device's configured channels and data streams, allowing you to build dashboards and set up notifications for monitoring purposes.

You can now add dashboards and visualizations to your asset. Refer to the ExoSense documentation on dashboards and assets for more information on customizing your monitoring experience.