Why Manufacturers Should Buy a Smart Manufacturing Platform as Opposed to Build One
In today’s industrial landscape, the digital transformation of outdated practices is no longer a luxury—it is a necessity. Smart manufacturing platforms are the key to aiding and encouraging Industry 4.0, allowing manufacturers to leverage real-time data, automation, and advanced analytics to optimize operations, boost productivity, and improve their product’s quality. But one crucial question that every manufacturer faces is whether to build their own smart manufacturing platform themselves or to invest in a vetted existing one like Scytec DataXchange machine monitoring.
While the notion of creating a solution tailored specifically to a manufacturer’s distinctive production process can be tempting, the challenges and costs of development, as well as the risks associated with building a platform from scratch, often outweigh the benefits. Purchasing an existing smart manufacturing platform offers manufacturers a proven, scalable, and flexible solution that can deliver rapid results. In the following thought piece from Scytec we walk through the drawbacks of developing your own home-grown machine monitoring solution and the advantages of using an established machine monitoring product like Scytec DataXchange.
The Drawbacks of Home-Grown Machine Monitoring Solutions
To some, the idea of developing a home-grown solution for smart factory technology makes sense, but while there are advantages, there are also quite a few drawbacks. The first being that home-grown systems might be unable to communicate with all of one’s industrial assets and pull a needed rich set of data. Connecting to most modern machinery might be something of a manageable task that can be accomplished quickly, can the same be said for all the equipment out on your shop floor?
Pulling useful data off legacy and manual machines as well as sensors is something better left to seasoned professionals at Scytec and doing otherwise might limit the impactful use of your available collected machine information. The next major drawback is the time-consuming nature of updating and enhancing your homegrown solution. Ongoing maintenance alone, due to technology changes, typically costs 20% of the initial development costs. This cost also grows as new features are added to the software. When your home-grown solution is equipped for deployment, the work does not end there, more testing, enhancing and further improvements will need to be completed, and your solution will require more development down the road. Smart factory professionals like Scytec have taken on that burden, so your dedicated team won’t have to divert attention away from more pertinent or ongoing projects. Another key drawback from utilizing a home-grown solution is the eventuality that you will have to dedicate more IT resources to maintain your current systems that could manifest issues like lost support time or hiring additional employees. That time and money could be diverted into more needed projects like product research and development. Now that we have addressed these problems, let us look at the benefits of purchasing a vetted smart factory solution like Scytec DataXchange machine monitoring.
The Inherent Benefits of Scytec DataXchange
While building a custom smart manufacturing platform may seem like an appealing option for manufacturers, the cost, complexity, and risks involved often make it an impractical choice. On the other hand, purchasing a proven, scalable smart manufacturing platform like Scytec DataXchange machine monitoring allows manufacturers to quickly adopt innovative technologies, reduce costs, and focus on their core competencies. Investing in an already proven IIoT solution such as DataXchange gives manufacturers access to the latest and future innovations, industry expertise, support, and best practices without a lengthy development process full of trial and error. In an industry where speed, efficiency, and adaptability are key, purchasing a smart manufacturing platform like Scytec DataXchange machine monitoring is the best choice for forward-thinking manufacturers.
Time to Market and Access to Product Expertise
Time is a critical factor in the competitive manufacturing industry. Building a home-grown machine monitoring platform requires months, if not years, of development before it can connect to machines and give you the information necessary, let alone organizing it in a visually pleasing set of manufacturing charts and dashboards. During this period, you might lose out on opportunities to capitalize on emerging trends, improve efficiencies, and respond to market demands. On the other hand, purchasing a ready to deploy smart manufacturing machine monitoring platform allows companies to implement the technology immediately and with ease as you will be guided from the first demo to the first populated chart from your collected machine data by an enthusiastic team who cares about your success. Platforms like Scytec DataXchange are designed for immediate integration and can begin generating value within weeks, if not days. The faster manufacturers can adopt and optimize smart manufacturing processes, the sooner they can improve operational efficiency and gain a competitive edge. Scytec has a relentless focus on continual improvement and will go the extra mile to deliver quality service to end users looking to evolve their shop floor. Whether you are just starting with DataXchange or have been with the software for a decade plus, Scytec will be there to ensure that you are experiencing the best that machine monitoring can offer.
Scalability and Integration with Existing Systems
Smart manufacturing platforms are often developed by specialized vendors with deep industry knowledge and technical expertise. Smart factory solution providers like Scytec have spent years, if not decades perfecting their platforms, learning from real-world use cases across different industries, and building a suite of features that address common challenges in manufacturing. By purchasing a vetted platform, manufacturers gain access not only to sophisticated tools, but also to best practices and expert guidance. This allows manufacturers to leverage collective insights and proven strategies to enhance their own operations, without having to go through the trial-and-error process of building an in-house solution.
Diverting From Core Competencies
Manufacturers thrive by focusing on their core competencies—whether that’s producing high-quality products, optimizing production processes, or innovating new designs. Diverting resources to build a smart manufacturing platform distracts from these core activities and forces manufacturers to become software developers, rather than focusing on what they do best. By purchasing an established platform, manufacturers can focus on their primary business objectives, leaving the complexities of development and maintenance to expert vendors. This allows companies to drive continuous improvement in their production without getting bogged down in software development challenges.
Data Security and Compliance
Manufacturing data is sensitive and valuable, and protecting it from security threats is essential. Building an in-house platform requires significant knowledge, compliance, and investment in securing the system from potential vulnerabilities. This includes implementing strong encryption protocols, regular security updates, and ensuring compliance with regulations such as CMMC 2.0 and ITAR.
Established smart manufacturing platforms like Scytec DataXchange are designed with data security at the forefront, ensuring that its platform complies with industry standards and regulations. Additionally, Scytec updates the DataXchange solution to address emerging threats, providing manufacturers with peace of mind and reducing the burden of cybersecurity management. DataXchange adheres to the requirements from government entities like ITAR with a host of secure deployment offerings like on premise and AWS GovCloud.
Vetted Platforms are the Way to Go
Investing in an off-the-shelf manufacturing solution like the Scytec DataXchange machine monitoring platform, gives manufacturers access to the latest innovations, industry expertise, and best practices without the lengthy development process or risk of implementation failure as the platform is a proven success. In an industry where speed, efficiency, and adaptability are key, buying a smart manufacturing platform is the smart choice for forward-thinking manufacturers.