Smart Factories & Manufacturing
The Next Evolution in Industry
The landscape for a more connected, digital, smarter factory has become apparent. There is a demand for enhanced productivity, flexibility and sustainability in modern factories by utilising advanced automation that is data driven.
Securely connecting the workshop floor to the business system keeps employees better informed about changes, enhances business analytics, and enables the organisation to adapt quickly and effectively to demands – whether in production or administration.
Securely connecting the workshop floor to the business system enhances production flexibility, enabling smaller, more customizable batches, quicker adaptation to changing demands, and faster development cycles to bring products to market. This integration ensures the organization can respond dynamically to both production and administrative needs.
Smart factories are not just an upgrade but a strategic transformation that ensures businesses stay resilient, agile, and future-ready.
The Role of Automation, Industrial ICT, IIoT, Functional Safety, and Cybersecurity in Smart Factories
Smart factories represent the forefront of modern industrial innovation, where efficiency, adaptability, and connectivity converge. At the core of these systems is advanced automation, the backbone of streamlined operations. Automation eliminates repetitive tasks, reduces human error, and accelerates production processes, ensuring a positive flow from concept to delivery.
A key enabler of smart factories is industrial ICT, which facilitates the integration of operational technology (OT) with enterprise-level business systems. This integration allows for a holistic approach, connecting technologies and machinery to deliver adaptable solutions with enhanced diagnostics and analytics. By unifying systems, smart factories gain real-time decision-making capabilities, predictive maintenance tools, and improved operational visibility, all while fostering a more secure and resilient environment.
An IIoT platform enables factories to gather vast amounts of data from connected devices, giving managers and operators insights into production processes. This data can be analysed to optimise workflows, reduce downtime, and predict equipment failures before they occur.
Functional Safety is crucial in smart factories, ensuring that all safety-critical systems, such as emergency stop mechanisms and safety interlocks, are properly integrated, regularly tested, and maintained. Compliance with standards like ISO 13849 ensures that safety-related control systems are designed to meet rigorous performance levels (PL) and risk reduction requirements, minimising the risk to personnel and equipment.
Cybersecurity is a critical component of a smart factory’s infrastructure. As more devices are connected and data is transmitted across networks, the factory becomes more vulnerable to cyber threats. Securing this digital ecosystem is paramount to protect sensitive data, intellectual property, and critical manufacturing processes.