Software Toolbox

What Software Toolbox does

Software Toolbox is a full-stack industrial AI company that provides industrial connectivity software, data platforms, and AI agents. These solutions augment people working in manufacturing and process industries by improving performance, throughput, uptime, quality, safety, compliance, and accelerating time to insight and decision-making. The company offers best-in-class industrial connectivity through products like TOP Server, OPC Router, and OmniServer. They also provide advanced data platforms such as N3uron and Cogent DataHub for data contextualization and secure transport via MQTT to DMZ environments and the cloud. Software Toolbox delivers end-to-end capabilities for deploying AI agents that execute specific objectives within industrial facilities, leverage tools through the Model Context Protocol (MCP), and provide actionable insights to human decision-makers.

Products

• TOP ServerA complete connectivity platform offering over 140 device drivers, premium protocols, and core plug-ins for HMI, SCADA, MES, and historian integration. It provides unified access to various device protocols and supports PLC & Oil & Gas drivers, DNP3, BACnet, IEC, SNMP, tag linking, and ODBC logging.
• Cogent DataHubA modular software middleware for industrial data integration across on-premise and cloud systems. It securely moves industrial data to the cloud, offering real-time synchronization, transformation, and connecting a wide range of OT and IT data sources like OPC UA/DA/A&E, MQTT, historians, SQL databases, Modbus, and Excel without custom code.
• N3uronAn industrial edge IIoT & DataOps platform that is modular and edge-native, streamlining data flow between plant-floor systems and business applications. It provides data acquisition, processing, visualization, standardization, normalization, and contextualization with high scalability and security.
• OmniServerA multi-protocol gateway that connects proprietary and legacy devices to modern OPC systems. It bridges the gap between old and new automation technologies with multi-protocol support, legacy device integration, OPC UA & DA gateway functionality, and custom protocol development.
• OPC RouterA powerful data routing and integration platform for connecting diverse industrial systems and enabling real-time data flow. It offers modular licensing and plug-ins for OPC DA, UA, Database, MQTT, IoT, REST, Email, Printer Integration, and SAP/ERP integration.
• Dream ReportAn award-winning no-code reporting and dashboard solution purpose-built for industrial and process data. It generates compliance reports, performance dashboards, and analytics without programming, connecting to various data sources from PLCs and SCADA to historians and business databases.
• OPC Server Remote Configuration ClientA tool for secure remote OPC server management with a full audit trail. It allows remote creation, modification, and deletion of OPC server objects under enforced user permissions, using SSL/TLS encrypted connectivity and integrating with OPC server's User Manager.
• OPC Data Client Development ToolkitA toolkit for rapid development of custom OPC UA, DA, A&E, and XML-DA client applications. It supports multiple programming languages and platforms (Windows, Linux), abstracts OPC protocol complexity with high-level API, and includes numerous sample projects.
• OPC Wizard UA Server ToolkitA toolkit for developing OPC UA servers, offering features like OPC UA Generic/Data, OPC UA Local Discovery, user interface features, component services, and support for .NET 6 & .NET 8.
• EFM Exporter for Emerson Automation PlatformA product licensed based on the number of RTUs for generating exports from the Emerson Automation Platform, often bundled with TOP Server DNP Suite or KEPServer DNP Suite.
• jonjon.aiAn industrial AI agent designed to accelerate operational troubleshooting across connected infrastructure.
• ChatUNSAn industrial AI agent that analyzes energy trends and operational anomalies, and enables conversational access to capacity and infrastructure data.

Key capabilities

• Industrial connectivity drivers for PLCs, RTUs, flow computers, power systems
• Unified access platform for all device protocols
• Cloud connectivity and real-time data streaming
• Data transformation and secure tunneling
• Edge data processing and real-time analytics
• Modular architecture for IIoT platforms
• Multi-protocol support for legacy device integration
• OPC UA & DA gateway functionality
• Custom protocol development
• IT/OT data contextualization
• Real-time unified namespace creation
• Event-driven data architecture
• Elimination of data silos
• Scalable pub/sub messaging
• Bank-level encryption and security protocols
• AI Agents for specific industrial objectives
• Model Context Protocol (MCP) for AI agents
• No-code reporting and real-time dashboards
• Automated compliance reporting
• Unified data integration from diverse sources
• High performance and scalability for data processing
• Secure data transport through firewalls and DMZs
• Reliability and redundancy options for data availability
• Flexible and modular licensing
• Legacy OPC modernization without replacement
• Extensive security for configuration and data access (DataHub)
• Integration with Active Directory Users and Groups via LDAP (DataHub)
• MFA & Time Based One-Time Passwords (TOTP) (DataHub)
• Access control by principals (IP, CIDR, connection protocol) (DataHub)
• Role-based permission set assignment (DataHub)
• Secure remote OPC server management with SSL/TLS
• Full audit trail for configuration changes
• Multi-language & cross-platform support for OPC client development
• High-level API abstraction for OPC protocols
• Royalty-free deployment for internal/non-commercial use of OPC client toolkit
• OPC Foundation Certified products

Use cases

• Bridging industrial devices and modern applications
• HMI, SCADA, MES, and historian integration
• Securely moving industrial data to the cloud
• Data acquisition, processing, and visualization at the industrial edge
• Connecting proprietary and legacy devices to modern OPC systems
• Eliminating the divide between enterprise systems and shop floor operations
• Connecting ERP data with SCADA in real-time for contextualized decision-making
• Creating a single source of truth for industrial data
• Enabling real-time collaboration across industrial sites
• Deploying AI agents for specific objectives within industrial facilities
• Troubleshooting industrial connectivity issues (jonjon.ai)
• Analyzing energy trends and operational anomalies (ChatUNS)
• Conversational access to capacity and infrastructure data (ChatUNS)
• Generating compliance reports (EPA, FDA, LEED/EPBD) without programming
• Creating performance dashboards and analytics for manufacturing
• Consolidating industrial data from various sources into one place
• Identifying inefficiencies and tracking trends in quality or downtime
• Accelerating time to insight and decision-making for operations, engineering, and leadership teams
• Improving operational performance by removing blind spots and surfacing constraints
• Maximizing uptime and reducing downtime through improved connectivity and diagnostics
• Improving safety and compliance through disciplined data environments
• Connecting industrial assets, unifying operational data, and contextualizing information in oil & gas
• Modernizing legacy systems in distribution centers without replacing equipment
• Integrating real-time operational data with MES systems in aluminum smelting
• Connecting SCADA systems with leak detection applications in pipelines
• Unifying power, cooling, and operational data in data centers
• Protecting uptime and reducing downtime in data centers
• Improving energy efficiency and lowering PUE in data centers
• Accelerating insight and capacity decisions in data centers
• Strengthening compliance and reporting in data centers
• Connecting DCS, PLCs, analyzers, historians, LIMS, ERP, and maintenance systems in chemical manufacturing
• Reducing batch variability and accelerating decisions in chemical manufacturing
• Protecting uptime and staying audit-ready in chemical manufacturing
• Monitoring output and efficiency of solar panels in brewing operations
• Ensuring facility electricity even with local power grid problems in brewing operations
• Ensuring water is used efficiently in brewing operations
• Secure remote OPC server management in high-security environments
• Rapid development of custom OPC client and server applications
• Bridging legacy OPC DA systems with modern OPC UA controllers
• Real-time PLC to SAP integration and workflow automation
• Unifying diverse control systems and optimizing operations across air separation units
• Real-time visibility across generation fleets, renewables, and substations in power generation
• Optimizing dispatch of mixed energy assets in power generation
• Detecting faults earlier and shortening troubleshooting cycles in power generation
• Creating secure, traceable data flows for environmental and regulatory reporting in power generation

AI approach

Software Toolbox is a full-stack industrial AI company that provides industrial connectivity software, data platforms, and AI agents. They focus on building the foundation for AI by contextualizing industrial data, creating real-time unified namespaces, and securely moving information to enterprise environments and the cloud. They design and deploy Industrial AI Agents that use reasoning models and Model Context Protocol (MCP) tools to provide decision suggestions to humans. Their first agent, JonJon.ai, helps troubleshoot industrial connectivity issues. They also mention ChatUNS.ai for analyzing energy trends and operational anomalies, and conversational access to capacity and infrastructure data.

Tech named: AI Agents, reasoning models, Model Context Protocol (MCP), Industrial AI, Machine Learning

Industries served

• Process Industries
• Oil and Gas
• Chemicals
• Plastics
• Cement
• Building Materials
• Metals & Mining
• Pulp & Paper
• Glass
• Forest Products
• Energy
• Power, Utilities & Generation
• Hybrid Manufacturing
• Food & Beverage
• Pharmaceutical
• Biotechnology
• Consumer Packaged Goods
• Packaging
• Textiles/Apparel
• Advanced Materials
• Agriculture
• Converting & Printing (Paper)
• Discrete Manufacturing
• Automotive
• Electronics & Electrical Equipment
• Aerospace
• Furniture & Woodworking
• Sheet Metal Processing
• Household Appliances
• Industrial & Commercial Machinery
• Material Handling
• Semiconductor
• Manufacturing
• Tech
• Logistics
• Data Centers
• Water/Wastewater
• Buildings

What it says sets it apart

• Full-stack industrial AI capabilities from plant floor edge to cloud
• 29+ years of innovation and expertise in industrial connectivity solutions
• Exceptional customer support with consistently high satisfaction (97% rated "Awesome" or "Excellent")
• Proprietary AI agents that augment human decision-makers
• Ability to process thousands of tags per second with minimal latency
• Scalable solutions from single machines to enterprise-wide deployments
• Enterprise-grade security with bank-level encryption
• Global reach with deployments in over 100 countries
• Comprehensive suite of products designed to work together seamlessly
• Focus on contextualizing industrial data and building real-time unified namespaces
• No-code configuration and ease of use for reporting and dashboards (Dream Report)
• Purpose-built solutions for industrial environments, unlike generic BI tools
• Modular and flexible licensing options for products like Cogent DataHub and OPC Router
• Robust security features including LDAP integration, MFA, and role-based access control for DataHub
• Secure remote OPC server management with SSL/TLS and audit trails
• Rapid development toolkits for OPC client and server applications, reducing learning curve
• Extensive product support services and professional services for implementation and configuration
• Membership in Control Systems Integrators Association (CSIA) for system integrator referrals
• Total Product Experience: clear guidance, hands-on expertise, and ongoing support