🧩 Component Manufacturers

This page explains how component manufacturers use FLECS to package, distribute, update, and scale their software across machines and customers, without losing ownership, branding, or OEM relationshi

From component software to scalable operation

Component manufacturers increasingly deliver more than hardware.

Firmware, configuration tools, diagnostics, connectivity services, and digital add-ons have become integral parts of modern industrial components. While this software adds real value, it often remains difficult to operate and scale once it leaves the lab or individual customer projects.

FLECS is designed to close this gap.

It provides the shared software layer that allows component manufacturers to make their software operational, maintainable, and scalable, without bypassing OEMs or taking over system responsibility.

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Typical challenges for component manufacturers

Component manufacturers commonly face the following challenges:

• Software is delivered project-by-project instead of as a maintained product

• Updates depend on OEM integration cycles or service projects

• Security and compliance obligations (e.g. CRA) grow over time

• Limited visibility into how software is operated in the field

• No scalable distribution channel across multiple OEMs and operators

These challenges are structural. They arise because software is developed, but not operated through a shared lifecycle layer.

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How FLECS helps, structurally

FLECS introduces a standardized operational layer for component software.

Instead of delivering software as a one-off integration artifact, component manufacturers can:

• package software in a standardized, deployable format

• maintain and update software independently of individual machine projects

• distribute software across multiple OEMs and customers

• operate software consistently across different environments

Your software becomes a managed product, not just a delivered feature.

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Software delivery without role conflicts

Component manufacturers do not own the overall system. OEMs do.

FLECS respects this boundary by design.

With FLECS:

• OEMs decide which component apps are used and exposed

• operators receive software through OEM-controlled platforms

• component manufacturers retain responsibility for their software lifecycle

This avoids channel conflicts while enabling scalable software operation.

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Standard apps, your apps, one lifecycle

The FLECS ecosystem includes 70+ standard industrial apps for connectivity, service, visualization, monitoring, and infrastructure.

As a component manufacturer, you can:

• combine your own software with existing standard apps

• avoid building common functionality from scratch

• rely on the same runtime and update mechanisms for all software

Your apps and standard apps follow the same operational rules, simplifying integration for OEMs and operators.

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Updates, security, and compliance built in

Regulations such as the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) require long-term software maintenance, vulnerability handling, and traceability.

FLECS supports these requirements by design:

• controlled update and rollback mechanisms

• container-based application isolation

• role-based access control and audit logs

• transparency across deployed software versions

This allows component manufacturers to meet compliance obligations without building their own operations platform.

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Scale across OEMs and machines

FLECS allows component software to scale beyond single integrations.

You can:

• distribute the same software across different machine builders

• support multiple machine generations consistently

• reduce support effort through standardized operation

• gain visibility into deployed software versions

Scaling no longer requires scaling your integration effort.

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Typical component manufacturer use cases

Component manufacturers use FLECS to:

• deliver software-enabled components

• maintain firmware and applications over long lifecycles

• reduce OEM-specific customization effort

• support security and update obligations

• evolve from hardware-only delivery to software-supported products

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Your next steps

Depending on your starting point, typical next steps include:

• Explore Our Features – understand lifecycle, security, and marketplace capabilities

• Developer Guides – package and publish your first component app

• Marketplace as a Service – learn how software is distributed through OEM platforms

• Architecture & Compliance – review enterprise and CRA-related topics

FLECS enables component manufacturers to scale software without disrupting the automation value chain.