SJUK speaks to Armin Klingler, Chairman of the Board and CEO of WEY Group AG and Mario Okle, Member of the Board and CTO about WEYTEC’s response to the ever changing needs of the control environment.

Now more than ever, control rooms and trading floors are some of the most stressful and dynamic working environments. In highly pressurised situations where performance is key, employees are called upon to simultaneously track and manage numerous systems and processes to ensure essential operations run smoothly in mission-critical sectors. WEYTEC has a new response to these fast-developing user needs. WDP MX, the latest evolution of the WEYTEC distributionPLATFORM, is a turnkey solution that strives to set new standards for user experience and performance.

“WDP MX is the latest in a long line of highly successful distribution systems from our company,” says WEYTEC CTO Mario Okle. WDP offers access to an almost unlimited number of information sources, with a user experience that’s highly intuitive and requires minimal input. “MX” stands for “Maximum Experience” – and WEYTEC aims to take every plus-point of the WEYTEC distributionPLATFORM to the maximum to secure the ultimate in performance for the user.

Summing up the solution’s focus, “the WEYTEC distributionPLATFORM and its new MX evolution puts the user at the heart of the action,” explains Mario Okle. Featuring smart mechanisms controlling the distribution of information and practically unlimited possibilities for workplace integration, WDP MX is designed to help people do their jobs to the best of their ability and with the greatest level of comfort, facilitating peak performance. This is partly achieved through spacious, ergonomically designed workplaces, reduced distraction from noise and heat emissions, and the use of a multifunctional smartTOUCH keyboard helping users can control all their systems with ease.

But it’s not just ergonomic design that is said to make life easier for WDP MXusers. The solution offers an array of enhanced products and features designed to facilitate work in control rooms and on trading floors. It combines analogue and digital signals from systems and video walls onto a single, standalone IP network that’s also suitable for integrating third-party systems – creating a one-stop solution for busy employees. Customers can configure a streamlined and simple setup or a highly redundant system designed with multiple sites and disaster recovery features to protect critical resources and assure business continuity in the event of unforeseen incidents.

WEYTEC: A strong user focus

A strong user focus means the benefits of WDP MX are almost as varied as the purposes it’s used for, says the company. As Mario Okle puts it, “the system’s specific benefits for its operators heavily depend on what the user’s role requires of them”, giving two examples by way of illustration. A first responder in an emergency call centre, for instance, accepting calls and mobilising resources throughout their shift, requires flawless call system integration. Meanwhile, an operator at a drinking water treatment plant must keep track of every valve, measurement station and section of piping throughout the system – so for them, a high-quality display is key. As these examples demonstrate, all workstations in the system require a “chameleon-like” level of adaptability to each user’s specific needs. “Like its predecessor, WDP MXoffers a remarkable degree of versatility capable of catering to different requirements within the same system”, Okle explains.

One shared requirement for systems powering all industries and walks of life in today’s highly connected world, however, is a high level of security. “It’s important that the different systems integrated into WDP MXand operated by users are kept completely separate and secured against external influences and manipulation,” adds Okle. “As no network connection is required for system integration in WDP MX, it attains an inherent level of security that surpasses anything available in a standard network environment.” AES128 encryption technology for critical communications and HTTPS certificates to protect web traffic also help take security to the next level, says the company.

Another “special” feature of WDP MX, according to Mario Okle is the use of individual communication channels for different interfaces and, in some cases, for each signal from an interface. In contrast to conventional KVM systems, this makes it possible to switch only to specific channels where required. By way of example, it’s possible to share a video signal with an entire team, the corresponding audio signal with a selected few of its members, and the USB channel for its operation with the team leader only. The almost infinitely variable capabilities that result can be combined with special features such as time-outs or access priorities for a truly tailored solution. “WEYTEC’s information systems are absolutely unique in this regard,” says Okle.

WEYTEC has developed all system components itself, which it says helps to prevent incompatibilities and losses of function from the outset. All hardware and software have been created and manufactured in Switzerland in line with WEYTEC’s stringent standards for quality. This one-stop approach enables the company to focus closely on its customers’ needs – with the in-house development team on hand to help with specific customer projects and requirements.

The culmination of all these distinctive benefits is another high-performance workplace solution for mission-critical sectors from WEYTEC – allowing workers to focus on what matters. And the future’s only looking brighter, according to Mario Okle, as AI-enabled innovations are set to take WDP MXto even greater heights.

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