Jul 3, 2025
AI is no longer a futuristic concept — it’s becoming a practical requirement. But while many machine builders are being asked about “AI features,” few resources explain what makes a machine genuinely AI-ready.
Let’s break it down.
What Does AI-Ready Really Mean?
At Tomorrow Things, we define AI-readiness as the ability of a machine to support intelligent applications — without requiring deep integration work, complex infrastructure, or data science resources.
In practical terms, an AI-ready machine can:
Provide clean, structured, high-quality data from its processes and deliver data-driven insights to customers
Enable OEMs to offer data-driven services that enhance the value of the machines they sell
Offer remote access and visibility through digital twins
Run or connect to AI-powered Things Apps, supporting capabilities like error monitoring, remote maintenance, and process monitoring
Do all of this without extra development effort or system integration
This isn’t theory. It’s what Things OS delivers out of the box.
From the Factory Floor to the Cloud: How Things OS Makes Machines AI-Ready
Things OS is a cloud-based operating system that transforms industrial machines into plug-and-play digital products — ready for intelligent use cases, right out of the box.
Here’s how:
1. The Edge Gateway: The Starting Point
When machines are shipped with the standard Hilscher Edge Gateway (with LTE capability), they’re already networked and capable of securely transmitting data — which you simply connect to your machines via plug and play.
2. The Digital Twin: Things Twin
We automate automation: We deliver the Things Twins of machines fully automated, and in minutes. This enables:
Seamless machine visibility
Structured data history through Blueprints
Automatic access control and data quality management
3. The App Layer: Ready-to-Use AI Tools
With this foundation in place, OEMs can increase the appeal of their machines by including access to intelligent Things Apps that support capabilities like remote maintenance, error monitoring, and condition monitoring — all powered by the data flowing through the Things Twin.
These apps are designed for factory operators, offering immediate value without any development or integration work on the OEM’s side.
Why This Matters for Machine Builders
If you’re an OEM, here’s what AI-readiness with Things OS means for you:
Faster Time to Value: Your machines start generating digital value as soon as they’re powered on. No dev work required.
Differentiation: Your equipment ships with a real digital USP, making it easier to win over data-driven customers.
Future-Proof Design: AI isn’t bolted on later — your machines are ready for advanced use cases from day one.
New Revenue Streams: Things OS is the ideal cloud environment for high-performance AI apps. Here you have the prospect of recurring revenue from the sale and use of Things Apps.
And for your customers:
Less Downtime
Lower Maintenance Costs
More Transparency and Control
No System Integrators. No Custom Dashboards. No Guesswork.
Things OS is built for simplicity and scale. That means:
No need for system integrators
Secure and temporary VPN tunnels for remote support — automatically closed after use
No dashboards to build or models to train
The machines go beyond simply working — they become optimized, intelligent assets.
Real-World Results
🧀 JERMI Käsewerk GmbH
€50,000 saved annually in maintenance costs
Scaling to 70+ machines with Things Twin
🏭 Plastium
€7,500 saved per machine annually in downtime
€4,000 saved per machine in improved quality
7 machines integrated by mid-2025
Ready to Make Your Machines AI-Ready?
You don’t need to become a software company to offer intelligent machines. With Things OS and Things Twin, your equipment is automatically prepared for data-driven applications — and your customers will thank you for it.
👉 Book a short intro session with our team
English-speaking representative
German-speaking representative
👉 Or test Things OS for 3 months, risk-free
