Industrial companies need to make their manufacturing processes more efficient and transparent. Modern IIoT solutions are a powerful tool for this purpose. Container technologies in particular help to operate business-critical systems reliably and achieve seamless shop floor integration of IT and OT.
IIoT solutions with container technology are the specialty of ayedo, a provider of managed Kubernetes and IIoT integrations for industrial companies. The company’s core business is the operation of complex applications in containers. In this way, the company ensures that business-critical systems function reliably at all times.
The challenge: Lack of real-time transparency in manufacturing processes
The digitization of industrial processes poses numerous challenges for companies. The goal is always to make production more efficient, flexible, and transparent. Two pieces of information are crucial here:
- The status of manufactured products in the process chain (“work in progress”).
- The exact location of a product on the shop floor.
Many manufacturing companies do not have shop floor integration solutions, causing them to suffer from unexpected downtime and rising costs. This makes early detection and rectification of errors or malfunctions in production considerably more difficult.
Risks of insufficient shopfloor integration
Lack of integration poses significant risks, such as production downtime, security breaches, compliance issues, and a decline in innovation.
- Insufficient information from production processes prevents rapid intervention in the event of malfunctions. This can lead to more frequent production downtime, which ultimately results in a loss of quality and rising operating costs.
- Digitalization requires increased use of IT and IoT technologies on the shop floor and in manufacturing processes. This increases the risk of security incidents such as cyber attacks and data loss.
- A lack of transparency also affects compliance. Without sufficient information, it is difficult to comply with standards and regulations. This complicates achieving ISO 27001 certification and meeting the EU’s NIS2 requirements.
- A lack of shop floor integration has a negative impact on innovation capabilities. Without reliable data acquisition and analysis, they lack an essential basis for the further development of manufacturing methods, processes, and business models.
These risks have a lasting impact on competitiveness.
Challenges at a Glance
- Lack of real-time transparency in the manufacturing process.
- Delays and rising production costs due to missing information.
- Impaired error detection and resolution.
- Production downtime due to insufficient data.
The solution: Tailored shopfloor integration by ayedo
The provider ayedo offers an effective response to these challenges with its solutions based on container technology. In collaboration with a development partner, a software solution was created specifically for manufacturing companies. It captures the status and location of every product in real time, directly at the point of value creation.
Secure on-premises deployment
The development partner’s software relies on a scalable and flexible microservices architecture based on .NET technologies and MSSQL databases. This enables fast processing of large data volumes and allows for easy customization.
The software is composed of multiple components and supports modern container technology. Management is handled by the container orchestration platform Docker Swarm. The entire infrastructure is operated locally (“on-premises”) by ayedo as system integrator and managed service provider. This setup ensures compliance with the stringent security standards common in manufacturing environments.
Data privacy and security are ensured through local data storage, encryption, and continuous system monitoring. Sensitive production and customer data remain protected and secure within the company’s boundaries.
Key benefits of real-time monitoring
Real-time monitoring with such a software solution positively transforms production processes.
Implementing this kind of solution offers numerous benefits:
- Improved production planning through increased transparency
- Optimized resource utilization
- Early error detection
- Higher product quality
- Reduced production costs
- Compliance with quality standards
- Shorter downtimes
Companies also benefit in other ways from enhanced data analysis enabled by shopfloor integration. It provides a stronger foundation for decision-making, helping companies secure competitive advantages. Moreover, the available data lays the groundwork for further optimization, for example through artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Comprehensive support from ayedo
ayedo provides end-to-end guidance for companies adopting and utilizing this technology:
- In-depth consulting on container technologies, tailored to specific needs
- Dynamic and reliable container orchestration (Kubernetes, Docker Swarm)
- Powerful and secure data management with MSSQL or PostgreSQL
- Messaging systems such as Kafka and RabbitMQ ensure smooth communication between software modules
- Operation, maintenance, and monitoring of the platform
Training and enablement for internal teams to work independently with the solution
Operation of secured on-prem IT/OT environments
ayedo has deep expertise in operating highly secured IT environments, including data centers and integrated IT/OT ecosystems. These systems are subject to strict security regulations and are physically isolated from external networks, particularly the internet.
The technical term for this setup is “air-gapped.” In such environments, data exchange takes place exclusively via physical media such as USB drives or external hard disks. This effectively prevents cyberattacks and unauthorized access to sensitive data.
External internet access is typically heavily restricted in these setups, which can complicate maintenance and collaboration with development teams. As a result, custom authorization concepts such as role-based access control (RBAC) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) play a critical role.
Outcomes and benefits for industrial enterprises
By implementing ayedo’s tailored shopfloor integration, industrial companies gain real-time transparency. This enhances production planning while simultaneously improving product quality. Companies benefit from more efficient resource usage and a significant reduction in unplanned downtime. Additionally, the solution provides a strong foundation for data-driven decision-making. With accurate real-time data, errors and bottlenecks can be identified and avoided early on. This leads to greater flexibility and increased innovation potential.
Interested companies should begin with an initial consultation. In this step, concrete measures for optimal integration of the solution into existing production processes are defined. Through detailed needs assessments, demonstrations, and practical proof-of-concept projects, the benefits of the solution become directly tangible and can be thoroughly evaluated.
Summary of results
- Real-time transparency improves production planning and enhances product quality
- Efficient use of resources and fewer unplanned downtimes
- Real-time data helps prevent errors and bottlenecks at an early stage
- A comprehensive data foundation boosts flexibility and fosters innovation
