Modern factories employ machines that are sometimes decades old. These may still function effectively but lack new sensors, connectivity, and data capabilities. Replacement of working equipment just to get new insights can be costly and disruptive. IIoT retrofitting allows using sensors, gateways, and software to connect the existing machine with modern monitoring and analytics systems.
What Is an IIoT Retrofit?
An IIoT retrofit connects the legacy equipment with monitoring and analytics without replacement of the machine. Typical architecture looks as follows:
Legacy machine → Sensors or existing signals → Edge gateway → Data platform → Analytics → Action
Data can be collected via newly installed sensors or via existing signals via PLC, controller, or any industrial communication protocol.
Why Retrofit and Not Replace?
Retrofitting may reveal valuable information like:
- machine state
- vibration and temperature
- energy consumption
- motor current
- production cycle
- equipment performance
The goal is not to make a vintage machine "smart". The goal is to get information that will allow making a particular decision.
Start From a Problem
The good project starts from a well-defined business or operational problem. One possible sequence is:
Operational problem → Required information → Data source → Connectivity → Analytics → Action
For example, when unplanned failures lead to production disruption, retrofit system may collect vibration and temperature information from certain components. This way, a clear link between the investment and the expected result is established.
Information Source: Sensors and Existing Signals
There are two possible methods to collect information from the legacy equipment.
Add External Sensors
External sensors allow collecting information about certain parameters that are not exposed by the machine digitally. Possible types of such sensors include:
- vibration
- temperature
- pressure
- electric current
- energy consumption
This method is especially useful for very old machines with limited number of interfaces.
Use Existing Signals
There are cases when the equipment already provides information via PLC, controllers, or industrial communication protocols. In such a case, edge gateway collects, translates, and normalizes this information and sends it to the software platform.
Depending on the age of the machine, number of interfaces available, needed measurements and operating environment, one of the two approaches may be more applicable.
The role of edge gateways
An industrial edge gateway provides a connection between legacy machines and cloud/on-premises infrastructure. It can collect data from different devices, translate protocols, filter the data, process data on-site, store records when there is no connection, and send structured information to the analytics system.
This feature is beneficial for brownfield factories with machines using controllers of different generations and communication technologies.
Add AI
Once the quality data is gathered, AI will be able to spot the anomalies, changes in operating patterns, maintenance alerts, and process inefficiencies. For example, the growing vibration and increasing temperature can indicate that the equipment needs an inspection.
However, AI must come after building the reliable data foundation. Poor placement of the sensors, irregular timestamps, missing records, and noisy measurements may mislead AI.
Security and safety
Linking legacy equipment creates cybersecurity risks and operational risks. Retrofit solutions must make sure they do not interfere with the control functions of critical machines. Network segmentation, secure communication protocols, access control, device management, and separating monitoring and control systems are necessary precautions.
Start small and scale
A factory does not have to retrofit all machines at once. There are steps to be taken in a pilot project:
One machine → One problem → Relevant sensors → Data gathering → Analysis → Measurement
If a pilot generates measurable benefits, the architecture can be scaled up for other machines.
Conclusion
Retrofitting IIoT allows manufacturing companies to upgrade legacy machines without decommissioning the functional assets. With the right combination of sensors, gateways, connectivity, analytics, and AI, factories can advance from legacy equipment to connected operations, real-time visibility, intelligent analysis, and smarter decisions.
All these steps are easy to summarize as follows:
Connect → Understand → Decide → Act
Organizations considering AI and IoT projects can also explore Aperture Venture Studio, where we build solutions based on your operational needs.
Top comments (0)