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inControl can support you at a number of levels for your digital transformation project, depending on your appetite or you size of business, and also considering your stage of digital maturity or adoption of Industry 4.0 techniques.

For example, at an enterprise level, we could recommend a SIRI (Smart Industry Readiness Index) assessment, or if you already know what you are trying to achieve, we have many skills and services, that will help you to keep your project on track.

Our knowledge of operational technologies (OT) coupled with IT skills, means we are best placed to help you both extract the data from your legacy machines and control systems, as well as provision that data in a meaningful manner to your higher-level business systems such as MES and ERP.

inControl’s expertise with automation hardware & software coupled with IT skills make them perfectly placed for industrial digitalisation projects

But before you start, we have a few basic tips, that will help you avoid some of the pitfalls that many manufacturing businesses encounter:

  1. Starting with the software, not the purpose 
  2. Ignore the shopfloor team at your peril
  3. Buying new capital equipment, without asking the right questions
  4. Assuming that digitalisation is an ‘IT’ project
  5. Underestimating the importance of designing the ideal OT/IT networks and data structure

Let’s take each one of those and explain them, at the same time as making recommendations:

1. Starting with the software, not the purpose

Many companies are swayed by the snake oil marketing of digitalisation software vendors before understanding their business challenges, priorities and working out a roadmap.

Even though your immediate purpose might be productivity improvement or energy saving, developing the right foundations will allow you to apply the right software tools across the business once these are in place.

A well-developed roadmap, followed by an expert-designed network architecture and data ops solution, will give you the platform to develop your digitalisation project as your business grows and changes.

2. Ignore the shopfloor team at your peril

A poorly engaged and consulted team of shopfloor workers and other staff, will be a drag anchor to your aspirations. Embracing their knowledge and involving them in your vision for developing a smart factory, will provide you and them with long-term business and employment security. Furthermore, their unique insights into the operational challenges on the line or plant, will allow you to focus your efforts on the right topics.

3. Buying new capital equipment, without asking the right questions

One of the most difficult and costly aspects of industrial digitalisation, is connecting to and extracting data from machines and plant. This not only extends to old legacy equipment, but to newly purchased machines and plant.

With our help, you can make sure you ask the right questions and specify the right digital data connections to potential capital equipment suppliers, avoiding huge costs and difficult to resolve discussions.

4. Assuming that Industrial Digitalisation is an ‘IT’ project

With words such as digital & networking, it’s easy to assume that a digitalisation project should be managed solely by IT professionals. Yet, true industrial digitalisation involves two-way communications from machinery & plant. You’ll need to involve both IT and your controls & automation engineers, to ensure you can facilitate safe & reliable data flows from automation hardware.

5. Underestimating the importance of designing the ideal OT/IT networks and data structure

Whilst mentioned last in our 5 pitfalls, developing a cyber secure network architecture and common naming conventions for data from plant sensors across all of your lines and factories, will ensure you have a platform for growth that all of your future digitalisation plans can work with.


On all of these topics, inControl are available to consult, advise and deliver a professional and scalable digitalisation program.

“Our knowledge of operational technologies (OT) coupled with IT skills, means we are best placed to help you both extract the data from your legacy machines and control systems”


Starting your digital journey


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