Why Partner with an Expert in Data Movement?

Revenue drives business. In the industrial manufacturing space, revenue growth comes down to reducing waste and increasing operational efficiency. And to do that, you need data.

Industrial automation offers a wealth of data waiting to be extracted: every device on your factory floor is generating information you can use to improve efficiencies, increase productivity, initiate innovation and otherwise drive your business forward. But how do you get to all that data?

One of the easiest ways to extract the data you need from your manufacturing equipment is to work with a company that specializes in the interconnectivity of data-generating industrial devices, complex communication networks and the various protocol languages they use. Outsourcing your industrial networking needs to a third-party specialist, someone who can move your data where you want it, when you want it and how you want it, offers a long list of benefits.

1. Specificity
The biggest benefit to partnering with an expert in data movement is that you get exactly what you need. It might be an off-the-shelf, tested and ready-to-use product or it might be a truly customized solution to address your specific needs. Either way, your partner will know which is the best option for you, so you don’t have to pay for features that you’ll never use. Instead, your end product will do exactly what you need it to, no more no less, and that’s all you pay for.

2. Expertise
Do you know what you’re doing? Sure, you’re an expert in your chosen field, you might even be an expert in a particular protocol, but are you an expert at getting all your devices connected? Or pulling all that data coming from every piece of equipment on your factory floor? Your partner is.

Your project may be unique but it’s probably very similar to a project they’ve already worked on, and they could leverage that development process to your advantage. Your partner also has the knowledge to recommend what product features to keep, which to leave out, the best way to collect, store and analyze data, what platform to build on to best serve your needs and so much more. That experience gives your partner insight into issues that might arise, issues that they can avoid or minimize that your internal team might struggle to foresee and overcome. That’s especially true when it comes to bridging old protocols and new protocols. Your partner can seamlessly integrate all your components, machines, lines and devices for the optimum data retrieval.

3. Skills
Your partner has the talent and personnel to fill whatever skill gaps exist within your in-house team. Whether you need deep knowledge in one specific protocol or many, one particular device or many, they invest in developing their team to ensure that, as a whole, they have an intimate understanding of every facet of the factory floor. So, whether you need an army of people to complete your project or just one or two people to supplement your in-house team, your partner can deliver whatever and whoever it takes to get the job done right.

4. Timeliness
An external team isn’t distracted by the management of everyday work. The team focuses on your project and is committed to making sure your goals, timeline and budget are met. As mentioned above, the team knows what to look out for and can identify potential roadblocks. And because your partner has a company full of dedicated experts in various fields, it can add team members as needed to keep your project on track.

5. Support
The right partner will be able to train your team, meet deployment and installation standards for repeatable implementation and offer certification expertise through lab and conformance testing when needed. The right partner will make themselves available today, tomorrow and well into the future to provide the support you need to get the most out of your eventual solution.

6. Perspective
Ignorance is bliss. Not knowing the ins and outs of your company allows your partner to bring new ideas to your project. They’ve worked in hundreds of organizational structures on thousands of industry-specific problems using all sorts of project management processes and problem-solving approaches. This diversity of thought and their unique viewpoint allow them to recommend solutions you may not have considered.

7. Networking
Having a network of professionals in your field with diverse experiences, skillsets and industry knowledge will add value to you as a professional as well as to the company, both in the short-term (by completing the project) and long-term (as a valuable industry resource). For instance, if this new project requires the addition of a full-time employee, who better to create the job description and list of required skills than the person or team of people who designed, managed and implemented the project? And they just might know someone who fits the bill.

8. Cost-Effective
Instead of using resources to hire and onboard a team of individuals with the right skills and knowledge, your partner is ready to hit the ground running. Not only do they have a library of previous projects to reference, utilize and leverage, but it’s also likely they’ve worked on those projects together as a team, increasing productivity. Plus, when the project is complete, there’s no lingering salary, benefits or additional overhead associated with full-time employees.

There are a lot of existing protocols out there, and with Industry 4.0 and the IIoT on the horizon, you will need better communication between all the data-generating devices on your factory floor. RTA can help you not just meet these communications challenges head-on, but turn them into a competitive advantage, because that’s what we do. It’s all we’ve been doing for the last 30 years.

We can assemble the best team to fit your needs and develop the perfect solution for you. Check out our full suite of services here.

Ready for a solution? Need some guidance? Have a conversation with our Enginerds^® and see if we can be your partner in connecting your factory floor data!

Simply put…we move your data.