If you’re in manufacturing, you’re hearing the call for digital transformation today louder than ever. Digital transformation encompasses a broad spectrum of initiatives aimed at leveraging cutting-edge technologies to optimize operations, enhance efficiency, and deliver superior products and services. However, amidst this push, many manufacturing plants grapple with a significant challenge: outdated machinery lacking the capability to capture essential data points. In this article, we’ll explore the critical importance of empowering legacy machinery with data capture capabilities, laying the groundwork for a successful journey towards digital transformation.
The Legacy Challenge
According to Automation World, a startling reality confronts the manufacturing industry: a staggering 57% of manufacturers still rely on manual methods to collect and aggregate data, relegating crucial insights to laborious spreadsheet entries. This outdated approach not only drains resources but also introduces errors, disrupting operations and hindering progress.
The Data Imperative
In an era defined by data-driven decision-making, the hunger for actionable insights only grows. A remarkable 98% of manufacturers express a desire to gather more data from production systems within the next two years, recognizing data’s pivotal role in optimizing processes and enhancing performance. However, the obstacle of legacy machinery poses a significant challenge to this ambition.
Many manufacturing plants house aged machinery that operates in isolation from the digital ecosystem, rendering them blind spots in the pursuit of operational excellence. To unlock the full potential of digital transformation, the initial step is to bridge this technological gap by empowering each machinery with the ability to capture valuable data points.
Real-Time Control and Visibility
At the core of efficient manufacturing operations lies the need for real-time control and visibility. Yet, the inability of legacy machinery to capture data in real-time hampers the seamless flow of information, impeding timely intervention and adjustment. Retrofitting these assets with data capture capabilities paves the way for enhanced operational visibility and control.
Navigating through stacks of paper records to retrieve pertinent information is akin to searching for a needle in a haystack. Manual data retrieval not only wastes time but also undermines efficiency. By digitizing data capture processes at the machinery level, manufacturers can streamline information management, facilitating quick and targeted access to critical data points.
Charting the Course
Amidst the myriad opportunities presented by digital transformation, manufacturers must also navigate a complex array of challenges and considerations. Chief among these, it requires significant investments in infrastructure, talent, and change management. Manufacturers must therefore approach digital transformation as a holistic journey, fostering a culture of innovation, upskilling employees, and aligning business strategies with technological capabilities.
One of the steps toward that journey starts with the identification of key data points that drive operational performance and decision-making. Equipping each machinery with the ability to record these data points digitally lays the foundation for comprehensive data collection and analysis, empowering stakeholders with actionable insights now.
The Right Partnership: Automated Systems Integrator
As the imperative to embrace digital transformation grows ever more pressing, it becomes increasingly evident that empowering legacy machinery with data capture capabilities is not merely a technical challenge, but a strategic imperative. To bridge the technological gap and unlock the full potential of digital manufacturing, it’s essential to enlist the expertise of industrial systems integrators, like EPIC Systems. We are not just skilled programmers, but integrators supported by robust process engineering expertise.
By partnering with automation integrators, manufacturers can navigate the complexities of retrofitting legacy equipment with data capture capabilities with confidence and efficiency. At EPIC, we possess the unique blend of technical know-how and domain knowledge required to seamlessly integrate digital solutions into existing workflows. Moreover, our proficiency in process engineering ensures that the digital transformation aligns closely with your operational requirements and objectives of the manufacturing plant.
The journey towards empowering legacy machinery with data capture capabilities is not one to be undertaken alone. It requires the collaboration of skilled professionals who can navigate the intricate interplay between technology and process to deliver transformative results. By leveraging the expertise of industrial automation integrators, manufacturers can embark on the path to digital manufacturing with clarity, purpose, and a firm foundation for success.