Manufacturing customers are already gaining insight from IoT data by securely connecting machines and sensors. One example of this is the Israel-based manufacturer Lordan.

Lordan is a manufacturer of thermal-engineering heating and cooling systems and has a global reputation for delivering high-quality custom made designs.

Their Challenge

Lordan needed a manufacturing automation system that could identify bottlenecks, reduce downtime and waste, and improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). Requirements included the ability to view overall throughput and track mission-critical manufacturing information in real time directly from the production floor, rather than relying on periodical assessments.

What they wanted was a window into production that would enable them to improve inefficiencies within the plant -a system allowing end to end visibility.

The results were immediate.

In addition, they were able to:

• Save more than 600 labour hours a month with workforce optimization
• Identify material-flow bottlenecks immediately and fix issues with mid-shift change management
• Receive direct cost savings within weeks of the system's deployment

Amir Aloni, CEO of Leadermes.com, explained why security was top of mind:

"Security issues regarding data connectivity to the cloud have been of the utmost concern to our customers in traditional manufacturing industries. This challenge prevented many manufacturers from moving to a digital factory and optimizing production efficiency. Our partnership with Cisco helped us create a unique industrial data connectivity tool, eliminating the security risks involved in cloud-based data transfer and is enabling us to provide a smart, scalable, plug and play solution with very fast deployment and reduced installation costs."

Lordan installed the following solution:

• Cisco converged industrial infrastructure creating a highly reliable intelligent and secure fixed/mobile connectivity solution within the plant
• Wi-Fi connected, non-disruptive PLCs and sensors on each machine collecting basic yet essential production data

• Cisco FOG computing networking nodes enabling the LeaderMES application running on it to collate and analyze specific data and securely transmit to the LeaderMES cloud service. Fog enabled localised computing and analytics at the asset

• This service enables a manufacturing operations management platform, online data analysis, ?live visibility and alarms & alerts

The Cisco AS Solution Validation team (SVS) approached the development of this use case with three major building blocks:

• R&D addressing the current customer needs while reducing manufacturing floor OPEX and increasing productivity
• Cisco Product pull through by utilizing the Cisco IOT product line
• A dedicated day 2 support package via Advance Services

This is made possible using Cisco's Connected Factory architecture. View the full case study here.