As technologies such as the industrial internet of things (IIoT), robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud computing continue to advance, some manufacturing companies may struggle to keep up and stay on the cutting edge. When this happens, many organizations may find themselves facing similar sets of critical setbacks.
For one, securing the manufacturing network and keeping the overall cybersecurity strategy in mind is imperative to avoiding threats that may compromise major systems and reducing downtime. In addition, retrofitting and connecting legacy systems to new equipment may expose the lack of in-house staff expertise that would accompany such a large-scale project, causing blind spots in integration efforts.
Moreover, enabling better remote access, mobile device support, and product lifecycle visibility can lead to more streamlined processes during scale up. Predictive maintenance and adhering to overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) initiatives are critical to maintaining the high level of data that these new technologies generate, ensuring optimal performance and efficiency.
While the industry faces these challenges, now is the time for industry stakeholders to better utilize and design new approaches to meet these demands.
The International Society of Automation’s (ISA) upcoming 2022 IIoT & Smart Manufacturing Virtual Conference, taking place on 30 March 2022, will help manufacturing companies analyze their IIoT and smart manufacturing (SM) ecosystems to truly realize the potential of fully integrated, collaborative manufacturing systems. The conference will help companies learn how to save time and better utilize resources through an understanding of how these systems respond in real-time to the constantly changing conditions in the factory, supply network, and customer base.
This all-day virtual event runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.
To learn more about the conference and to register, please visit www.isa.org/iiot.
ISA offers virtual events, including webinars, virtual conferences, and ISA Connect Live, across a variety of topics. Learn more about ISA's virtual events program for 2022.