This is a great topic, and one that is difficult to address with a concise response. I'll provide a starting point, and I'll suggest an interactive follow-up with an NI representative to learn more.
The core concept behind SystemLink is that engineering systems used for component validation (labs) and manufacturing test (factories) have become increasingly complex and have outgrown the legacy homegrown tools that so many teams use to manage equipment record-keeping and test data reporting. Specific operational processes under stress include the configuration management of deployed systems, asset performance reporting, and data automation. To address these needs, NI offers SystemLink to improve test readiness, to enhance test visibility, and to accelerate test insights through secure data communication to systems of record. Because similar processes exist in other areas of the enterprise, our approach with SystemLink is to harness the best technologies and best practices available in the market, but to tailor these capabilities to the specific needs of engineers who manage NI and third-party test and measurement systems.
I'm not an expert on ThingWorx. The anecdotes of which I'm aware involve connectivity and analytics solutions for manufacturing operations, primarily by collecting data from the various machines and devices that run on the factory floor. While the core technology of ThingWorx is likely similar to SystemLink, this focus on broad-based manufacturing operations informs a distinct focus and distinct application features.
NI is thrilled to add Optimal+ to our portfolio, through the recent acquisition. Similar to many solutions that align with "industrial IoT" principles, Optimal+ also offers a powerful technology platform that improves connectivity, automation, and analytics for the manufacturing process. But unlike most IoT and big data solutions for manufacturing, Optimal+ solutions unlock insights that focus primarily on the product that the company is bringing to market. To use an oversimplified message, the typical manufacturing analytics solution attempts to improve your manufacturing process using broad metrics like yield and throughput, or they are focused on predictive maintenance of the various machines that run your factories. These solutions need to understand your desired process metrics and your realized deviation from those metrics, but in many cases these solutions don't actually need to understand the manufactured product. With Optimal+, product performance is the focus. We can help companies identify which components are most likely to fail and why, and how these inputs are connected to the production machines and processes that are part of the overall manufacturing lifecycle.
Hope this helps. Thanks for the question.
