Case Study on IIoT Implementation in Small Manufacturing

This case study presents the initial steps taken by a small manufacturing enterprise towards implementing the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in its production environment. The document outlines the challenges faced by the company, including the complexity of integrating new technologies into an existing IT infrastructure that relies on a legacy ERP system and various custom applications. It describes the selection of an integration platform with pre-built connectors for machine data communication, specifically focusing on the use of the OPC UA protocol to facilitate data acquisition from a robotic welding system. The study details the customer's requirements for technological advancement, the integration of robotic solutions, and the need for real-time data access for production planning and quality control. Additionally, it discusses the limitations of the current setup and the planned future developments, including enhanced data analysis for predictive maintenance and improved documentation processes. Overall, the case study illustrates the practical applications and challenges of adopting IIoT solutions in a small manufacturing context.