Device for a secure data connection of at least one manufacturing machine

A manufacturing machine, comprising:

• an information-processing system;
• and
• a device forming a secure data connection to the information-processing system, the device including:
• subdivided individual zones interconnected by data diodes, the data diodes being capable of transferring data originating from a machine controller of the manufacturing machine in a data flow transferred to the individual zones without a data return flow, the individual zones having ordered hierarchically with each of the individual zones having a lower level of data security than a respective upstream one of the individual zones in relation to the data flow;
• and
• an independent computer forming each of the individual zones in a manner of an isolated application, each independent computer being independently functional relative to hardware and software thereof and being formed separate from each other independent computer at a level of the hardware and software thereof.

A production plant, comprising:

• a plurality of manufacturing machines;
• an information-processing system coupled to each of the manufacturing machines;
• and
• a device forming a secure data connection to the information-processing system, the device including:
• subdivided individual zones interconnected by data diodes, the data diodes being capable of transferring data originating from a machine controller of the manufacturing machine in a data flow transferred to the individual zones without a data return flow, the individual zones having ordered hierarchically with each of the individual zones having a lower level of data security than a respective upstream one of the individual zones in relation to the data flow;
• and
• an independent computer forming each of the individual zones in a manner of an isolated application, each independent computer being independently functional relative to hardware and software thereof and being formed separate from each other independent computer at a level of the hardware and software thereof.