Repurposing older technology for IIoT

Repurposing older technology for IIoT

There are three major challenges every manufacturer faces as they work to migrate to Industry 4.0 – legacy systems, limited expertise, and limited budgets. These three challenges work together to keep factories from embracing Industry 4.0 to enable real-time data and better business decisions. The good news is – there is a solution. More about the Nine challenges of Industry 4.0

Most factories have a large variety of legacy systems, PLCs, and robotic systems. CNC machines, for example, may last 40 years or more. These varied legacy systems also have varied protocols. That’s when the lack of expertise comes into play. Most manufacturers do not have an expert on hand familiar with all of the varied protocols who can piece together an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solution that will connect those legacy systems to extract valuable data, and then deliver it to the Cloud or an on-premise system for further use.

The next, and most common problem, is limited budget. Sure, with a massive budget for new equipment any factory could replace all of their legacy systems with new, connected, Industry 4.0 machines and they could migrate to Industry 4.0 in a much quicker manner. There are a few doing that. However, since efficiency and profitability on the factory floor is always a top priority, most factories need a better option.

The question is – how can legacy equipment be successfully and efficiently repurposed for IIoT?
This paper will take a look at the problems with repurposing older technology for IIoT and how to solve those problems to save money, shorten time to market, and realize a robust, scalable IoT solution.

This white paper is sponsored by Litmus Automation.