How system integrators, advanced technology help end users plan for the future

System integrator insights

• The uncertainty of an election year, combined with global volatility, could delay business investments, disrupt supply chains and necessitate stronger risk management strategies.
• System integrators can play a key role in helping manufacturers upgrade technology to address labor shortages, improve efficiencies and remain competitive in a constantly-changing landscape.

As experienced system integrators (SIs) may know, an election year brings uncertainty to businesses as they brace for the possibility of policy changes that might affect them negatively. This uncertainty may cause companies to delay investments and reduce inventories, and may create additional risk and supply chain disruptions.

In addition to the election, the global business environment is becoming more volatile due to systemic macroeconomic and geopolitical changes. The 2024 Global Risks Report by Marsh, a business of Marsh McLennan, outlined the major trends in the current global political and economic landscape that will impact multinationals in the year ahead. The report highlighted businesses will need to strengthen their ability to identify, prepare for and mitigate difficult-to-predict challenges in the coming year.

The U.S. manufacturing industry has emerged from the pandemic on a strong growth trajectory, which is expected over the next 10 years as companies work to meet evolving customer demands, de-risk their supply chains and leverage government incentives and policies. Despite substantial growth in the sector, U.S. manufacturing faces a skills gap and tight labor market. According to a Deloitte and Manufacturing Institute study, companies need millions of workers in production and tech roles — as many as 3.8 million additional employees could be needed in manufacturing between 2024 and 2033. Additional investment in technology could be one answer to help manufacturers overcome these challenges in the short- and long-term.

Despite the continued volatility and uncertainty, there are substantial global growth opportunities that organizations may benefit from if these risks are managed.

Manufacturers have to upgrade technology

Significant labor and skills gap issues, lingering supply chain challenges and the uncertainty that comes during an election year can be daunting. However, evaluating the strategic plan and shifting it with the business environment is critical to meeting goals. Two key questions leadership should ask: Did we keep up with technology? Did we invest in the right equipment?

Falling behind on technology trends can result in losing a competitive edge or not meeting customer expectations. The impact changing technology has on businesses is undeniable and a responsible investment — perhaps especially because of the current challenges — in technology can go a long way to meeting strategic long-term goals.

New technologies also can help companies streamline their processes, improve efficiency and reduce costs. Technology can also help companies stay ahead of their competitors by providing the needed tools to innovate and adapt to changing market conditions.

In The CFO Survey, a collaboration of Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and the Federal Reserve Banks of Richmond and Atlanta, more than half of respondent firms report implementing software, equipment, and/or other technology to automate tasks previously completed by employees, which is important given the labor shortage and skills gap. The majority of manufacturers agree on the importance of smart factories and upgraded technology. In fact, in the United States, 86% of manufacturers believe smart factories will be driving the competition in the industry by 2025. Despite this, they’re still wary about making commitments.

Systems integrators can help bridge the technology gap

It’s important for integrators to acknowledge the challenges their customers face as well as help them understand the ramifications of not investing in new technology. While the initial outlay may be expensive, not upgrading can be even more expensive. Reiterating the tremendous benefits of upgraded technology also will help drive home the message of increased efficiencies, improved quality control and a better working environment with a more modern facility helps retain younger workers. A modernized plant also allows companies to tap into new business models such as customization and on-demand manufacturing.

The system integrator’s understanding of hardware, software and communication protocols, as well as intuitive domain knowledge help create an automation system designed to meet the varied needs of each end user (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: WIN-911 software monitors each stage in Greater Austin, Texas-based Night Hawk Frozen Food’s sophisticated refrigeration process. This includes the company’s state-of-the-art refrigeration system’s cooling towers, which remove excess heat and maintain precise temperatures. Courtesy: Night Hawk Frozen Foods

System integrators also can bridge the gap between legacy systems and smart technology. They also can reassure customers on the importance of leveraging the latest technologies to increase operational efficiencies, reduce unplanned downtime, lessen costs and improve cybersecurity practices.

It’s important to stay well informed on the latest compliance regulations and technology and work closely with developers to understand the hardware and software upgrades so integrators can customers the best solution.

Meeting clients where they are

While many manufacturers were undergoing a digital transformation prior to the pandemic, COVID-19 accelerated the pace and created a situation where technology and remote work were embraced. Because it proved so effective, this continued and has even become more prominent and system integrators have been at the forefront.

As a result, plant personnel, with the flip of a switch, can grant SIs remote access to every controller in the facility. Project support tools and systems are accessible through the cloud and employees work in a remote and hybrid manner.

Being flexible is a trademark of system integrators. Meeting clients where they are eliminates waste, optimizes processes and delivers value. Technology enables better collaboration in real-time and in multiple locations between integrators and clients, leading to data-centric environments.

To further meet customers’ needs, system integrators also have educated themselves on cybersecurity and the critical need to protect digital assets. This knowledge allows integrators to counsel about the many evolving challenges and help plants implement the necessary protocols to avoid cyberattacks (see Figure 2).

Figure 2: Remote alarm notification software continuously monitors the alarms and provides important security updates on Night Hawk Frozen Food’s entire refrigeration system. Courtesy: Night Hawk Frozen Foods

Having a thorough understanding of alarm software and the importance of tiered messaging — getting the right alarm to the right person at the right time — is another important subject system integrators often impress upon their customers. Since smart factories are made up of connected machines that generate large amounts of data, system integrators have had to gain an understanding of automated data analysis and how this helps end-users improve operational efficiencies.

Automated technology addresses challenges

The widespread adoption of robotics is revolutionizing manufacturing as tasks once performed by humans are now being automated. This results in greater efficiency, reduced errors and increased productivity and accuracy.

One example of robotics includes machine tending systems that are designed to accurately load and unload product from manufacturing machines 24/7 to improve the quality and consistency of the finished product. Automating rote tasks also frees up plant employees for higher-value work while addressing the labor shortage challenges.

Robotic palletizing systems are another way to help manufacturers increase production speed and accuracy. An automated palletizing process can handle large volumes of products without stopping, outperforming manual processes, resulting in faster production cycles, reduced lead times and increased overall output.

As businesses strive to stay competitive and meet market demands and challenges, the standardized vs. customized robotics cells decision is pivotal. Standardized robotics cells are pre-engineered systems designed to address a wide range of manufacturing needs and come with predefined configurations, components, and software, offering a plug-and-play approach to automation.

Customized robotics cells are tailored to meet specific manufacturing requirements and are designed from the ground up, considering the unique needs and challenges of a particular manufacturing process. Customization also allows for greater adaptability, ensuring the cell can evolve with the changing needs of the business.

Technology reduces unplanned downtime

Equipment failure is the most common cause of downtime. According to analyst firm Aberdeen Research, downtime costs manufacturing facilities $260,000 per hour. A Deloitte industry report cited recent studies that show unplanned downtime costs industrial manufacturers an estimated $50 billion annually. One strategy to reduce unplanned downtime is with remote alarm notification software, which allows fewer people to monitor many more assets using devices that people already have such as smartphones and tablets. Uninterrupted remote availability is essential to ensuring systems can be continuously monitored, even without staff onsite or with fewer people working at the facility.

Remote monitoring of critical plant systems has been extended beyond email, texts and phone calls to include apps that feature time-saving tools like real-time alarm acknowledgements, team chats to troubleshoot and resolve plant problems, and detailed reporting for preventing future incidents. Not only does this mean fewer emergency shutdowns, but also fewer resources spent on overtime and maintenance (see Figure 3).

Figure 3: The Night Hawk maintenance and engineering team can easily see the refrigeration equipment inflows and outflows status via remote view from the main office computers to closely watch temperatures, ammonium levels, and other critical metrics. Courtesy: Night Hawk Frozen Foods

A mobile alarm notification app is software that integrates with the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) or human-machine interface (HMI) software of an industrial operation, allowing an employee to monitor, receive and acknowledge plant and machine alarms on their smartphones or tablet, freeing them up to work throughout the facility or a remote location.

Hardware and software are available that can monitor equipment and, by applying machine learning to historical data, warn when a breakdown or other problem is imminent. Bolstered by wireless technology and the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), these customizable systems have the potential to bring predictive maintenance to a new level. Through the installation of remote alarm notification software, manufacturers can move to a more prescriptive maintenance approach rather than a reactionary one (see Figure 4).

Figure 4: Robotic palletizing systems are one way to help manufacturers increase production speed and accuracy. Courtesy: SCADAware

SIs play a unique role

SIs play an important role as brokers in the process of helping clients navigate uncertain times by listening to their challenges and recommending solutions. The unique expertise brought by a skilled controls system integrator provides an invaluable link between operations teams and IT vendors who offer solutions for operations — like remote alarm notification software — and clients.

Cody P. Bann is director of engineering at SmartSights; Nick Becker is vice president of SCADAware; Scott Dappen is vice president of engineered solutions at SCADAware.

Original content can be found at Control Engineering.

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