Architectures for Manufacturing Software: Quick Deployment in a Single Plant

#manufacturing #architecture

Manufacturing has always been a mix of physical operations and digital control. With Industry 4.0 gaining momentum, software systems play a critical role in connecting machines, operators, and enterprise systems like ERP. But when it comes to developing software for a single plant deployment that still needs to scale in the future, what architecture works best?

In this blog, I’ll outline a reference approach — based on practical factors like integration with PLCs, ERP systems (like SAP), on‑premise requirements, and cybersecurity.

1. Understanding the Two Worlds: Transactional vs. Event-Driven

Manufacturing software must bridge two fundamentally different types of workflows:

Transactional (ERP-like) Workflows:

Examples: production orders, material movements, finance approvals.
Requires strict validation, consistency, and audit trails.
Best suited for SQL databases and ACID-compliant transactions.

Event-Driven Workflows:

Examples: “Machine temperature exceeded threshold,” “Operator scanned part,” “Conveyor stopped.”
Prioritizes speed and real-time response.
Often powered by message brokers (Kafka, MQTT, RabbitMQ) and integration protocols (OPC-UA for PLCs).

👉 A successful architecture embraces both. The ERP system acts as the transactional backbone, while an event-driven layer handles real-time plant operations.

2. Reference Architecture for a Single Plant Deployment

a. Edge / Shop-Floor Layer

Connects to PLCs and SCADA systems via OPC-UA or MQTT.
Publishes machine and operator events securely to a broker.

b. Event-Driven Middleware

A message broker (Kafka/MQTT) receives shop-floor events.
Microservices consume these events for:

Dashboards and alerts.
Triggering machine operations.
Feeding data to predictive maintenance models.

c. Transactional Core (ERP + MES)

ERP (SAP) for material, orders, and finance.
MES (custom-built or packaged) for coordinating workflows.
Microservices bridge events → transactions (e.g., part scanned → update ERP order step).

d. Application Layer

Operator dashboards for real-time interaction.
Engineer tools for quality tracking.
Manager views integrated with ERP for reporting.

e. Infrastructure & Security

On-premise deployment (Kubernetes or VMs).
Zero Trust architecture for microservices.
Segregated networks (OT vs. IT) with secure gateways.

3. Why This Matters for Quick Deployment

Modularity: Microservices let you roll out one feature at a time (start with scanning, add quality later).
Interoperability: Message broker makes it easy to integrate new machines or systems.
Resilience: Event logs ensure no data is lost if a service goes down.
Scalability: Start with one plant, replicate for others with minimal changes.

4. Example: Scan-to-Action Flow

Operator scans a part ID.
Microservice looks up configuration in SQL.
Action is executed (e.g., unlock machine, update ERP order).
Event is published so dashboards, alerts, and analytics can react in real time.

This simple flow demonstrates how transactional SQL storage and event-driven messaging complement each other.

5. Architecture Diagram

6. Final Thoughts

For manufacturing, there’s no one-size-fits-all software architecture. But if your goal is quick deployment in a single plant, while keeping room to scale:

Use ERP for transactions.

Add an event-driven middleware for real-time responsiveness.

Deploy modular microservices for flexibility.

Keep it on-prem and cybersecure.

This combination balances speed, security, and scalability, making it an ideal choice for modern manufacturing operations.