Bridge the Data Disconnect: Factory Automation & IIoT Data Integration Services

In the last decade, we witnessed a very high rate of change in IT, networking, and communications. 
However, while innovations in technology have been swift, control systems used in the manufacturing and process industries have lagged behind.

The old control systems were built as standalone systems with no connectivity to other devices or backend IT systems and were perceived to be secure for this very reason. The equipment was wired and designed to control the production process or equipment's function. So, the vast majority of industrial control systems pre-date any standardized connectivity or data interoperability. Today, this lack of connectivity creates informational siloes in a production process that is being increasingly digitalized.

According to an ARC Advisory Group study, there is $65 billion worth of installed control systems (DCSs) nearing their end of operational life, with many more than 25 years old.
The life of industrial equipment and control systems is very long - they tend to persist for many years and sometimes decades. 
On the other hand, the organization's IT architecture, networks, and business systems like ERP and CRM have undergone quicker modernization cycles. 

This creates an inherent disconnect between legacy operational data, which is invaluable for your business - and the communication protocols and connectivity of new and advanced technology stacks.  

How do you bridge this data disconnect?
How can you leverage siloed data from legacy or proprietary systems and exploit innovative algorithms to make production more efficient?

SPInteg offers services around IIoT technologies and connected smart equipment or devices that are fast becoming indispensable to compete and stay relevant in an era of digitalization and automation.
Connect with us to learn more.

Data mismatches and manual data capture in manufacturing
Quality control and inspection teams responsible for ensuring the quality of finished products need integrated multisource data to enhance inspection practices.
But many companies still rely on manual data capture from quality control teams for the inspection process.
Unfortunately, manual data is prone to unauthorized edits or misrepresentations in other forms. Moreover, data mismatches are common during handover from one shift to the next.

What can companies do to eliminate data mismatch across shifts and teams and achieve improvements in quality output?
SPinteg works with companies to eliminate data mismatches across departments in manufacturing and assembly lines. Data is captured and stored at required regular intervals from multiple sources leading to organized and consistent data collection.

Connect with us to understand how we can help you understand factors affecting data integrity and interoperability.

IT / OT convergence: Connecting systems that speak different languages
IT/OT convergence refers to integrating IT or technology systems with operational technology (OT) or operational systems. When you merge advanced IoT devices and data analytics technology with physical, industrial operations, you allow the universe of digital information to interact with and influence the physical, operational universe. 

This IT/OT convergence creates one seamless environment, including optimal business processes, data-centric insights, and control systems that can make efficient adjustments to production. IoT devices, advanced sensors, and actuators connect the IT and OT universes, creating an overlapping area we call IT/OT convergence.

They translate digital commands and instructions using neutral protocols like OPC/UA to trigger physical actions. The devices are capable of transmitting processed data and digital commands to optimize operations, enhance accuracy, improve equipment uptime and predict the need for maintenance.

SPInteg's factory automation solutions extract data from siloed control systems, providing them connectivity to external systems and allowing them to exchange data with enterprise-wide IT systems or data analytics platforms.
Speak with our automation experts for more information.

 Are legacy systems posing challenges to your business growth?
Legacy systems have a limited ability to interact, communicate and exchange data with newer, more advanced enterprise systems. If these interoperability issues are hurriedly addressed with bandaid solutions which are not foolproof, the equipment or systems can mal-perform and be prone to errors and also pose data security challenges. 

That's why working with an experienced and reputed IIoT services provider is crucial to remove the hurdles that siloed legacy systems pose.

• Manufacturers can realize the benefits of advances in IIoT by interconnecting legacy equipment with business systems.

• Data from existing assets can be used for predictive maintenance.

• IIoT benefits include higher uptime, improved quality, and lower costs.

The integration of automation, communications and networking in industrial environments provides an answer to these challenges.  

SPInteg leverages smart sensors and actuators to collect the data from the factory floor and transmit it to an IoT hub for further integration into the organization's connected network of business systems. 
Speak with our IIoT experts for more information. 

The rise of smart factories: The future of manufacturing
Manufacturing is not about to be left behind in the race toward a digital world.
Factory floors that were till now the bastion of experienced 'old hands' or production workers are now turning into smart factories that use the power of data to drive efficiency, predict maintenance needs, control inventory and maximize production capacity.
While the value of human assets cannot be undermined, there is a new path ahead for manufacturing and industrial shop floor workers in terms of working with new digital environments to create a more efficient and agile production process. 

What does it take to achieve a 'smart' factory floor?
You need a combination of experienced production workers and advanced IIoT sensors that transmit and exchange data with valuable proprietary or legacy OT systems.  Leveraging technology brings tangible benefits such as:

• Ability to predict the need for equipment maintenance

• Capability to adjust production schedules to respond to delays and urgent timeline demands.

• Reduction in production downtime due to equipment failure.

Adding technology connectors to create a 'smarter' factory floor leads to higher efficiency levels, reduced chances of error, and reduced cost.

So, what do you need to successfully transition to a connected, smart factory?
The power of data can drive efficiency in factory floor processes, help detect errors in OT systems, and provide inputs to optimize production. If we gather data in enough scale and scope from the OT environment, we can use it to predict inefficiencies in operational processes or assets. We can derive insights and data-centric solutions to address performance or production volume fluctuations. 
Speak with our factory automation experts for a custom consultation.

The importance of data from legacy or proprietary systems
It's true that maintaining aging and proprietary systems in an increasingly connected world is a challenge. Many manufacturing organizations end up incurring higher costs by working with older, unconnected or siloed equipment that lacks data-centric optimization. There is an urgent need for manufacturing organizations to de-risk themselves from these high maintenance costs and mitigate operational downtime. There is immense pressure to become resource-efficient and cost-effective and protect profit margins. But when you are working with legacy equipment or proprietary systems, how do you optimize performance, minimize the need for costly repairs, and consistently improve production volume and quality?

 Changing technology platforms or retiring a legacy or proprietary system usually involves operational disruption. Moreover, a systematic change management process must be in place before the change occurs, including employee training and getting stakeholders on your side. You don't necessarily have to replace old equipment or scrap customized proprietary systems to leverage the power of interoperable data.

 There are effective solutions available in the market to ensure that your legacy applications can be converted into modern, updated applications without incurring loss in terms of investment or downtime. Sticking to legacy systems may be the most feasible solution at a given point in time for some organizations. IIoT devices that connect proprietary systems to other connected tech stacks can mitigate immediate risks and challenges and buy some time before a complete overhaul is needed. It's time for manufacturing organizations to focus on IIoT devices to communicate and connect legacy and proprietary systems.

SPInteg: Specialists in data integration services and IIoT devices for smarter manufacturing
SPInteg specializes in IIoT devices that leverage wireless, mobility, cloud, and data analytics technologies to empower manufacturers and asset owners with data-centricity. It's like retrofitting legacy equipment with an IIoT patch to acquire, process, and analyze valuable data that was once stuck in a silo.  We help data flow among siloed systems, speeding up adjustments to production and enabling better data-based decisions on quality. 

 Our factory automation solutions drive increases in productivity and revenue while enhancing the customer experience. Our IIoT applications decrease production downtime, accurately predict maintenance needs and improve the efficiency of proprietary systems. We are working to help manufacturing organizations bridge the disconnect between IT/OT systems and retain valuable proprietary or legacy systems by connecting them to organizational IT systems.

 Connect with us today to learn how our factory automation solutions can help you optimize production.