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Keeping a Distribution Warehouse’s IT/OT Networks Current and Out of Obsolescence
A material handling company wanted their network integrated and optimized. Our automation engineers documented and assessed the client’s IT/OT Infrastructure to help identify critical components near obsolescence or end of life.
The Project: Present the Best Project Design for an IT/OT Overhaul
A large material handling client saw an opportunity for IT/OT convergence, a need to identify vulnerabilities, potential obsolescence, and wanted to push for network optimization. Because we have a good working relationship with this client, we were immediately one of the integrators considered to do the work and the request for a bid was sent over.
The Challenge: Impress the Client, Win the Multi-Facility Bid
E Tech Group, along with another vendor were given the opportunity to perform an initial assessment and based on the results would determine who was awarded this project. If awarded, E Tech Group engineers would be responsible for walking all 32 of their facilities to assess their IT and OT networks while compiling a list of requested data presented in their proposal.
The Solution: End-To-End IT/OT Analysis & Boots on the Ground
To begin, their IT provided our team documentation around program files for PLCs, HMIs, Drives and we were granted Visios to view network topology. We then requested and were given some network access using different protocols to show where their PLCs, HMIs and Drives were connected on their IT network so they could see deeper into their topology rather than just where their IT switches were.
Once this information was gathered, compiled and returned, it was time to walk the site. We began by utilizing an app that was reworked to help us gather and consolidate the data required for the assessment. Our engineers went panel by panel collecting the requested data and pictures.
From there, it was all entered into the app and allowed us to produce a spreadsheet helping facilitate the build of the first asset database. It then took us a couple of weeks to organize everything into usable data that would allow them to identify the lifecycle of all at risk items that might soon fall into obsolescence and would require optimization or need to be replaced.
The Results: An IT/OT Revamp Across Dozens of Facilities
Utilizing the report provided by our team, the customer liked the work we had and done and decided to have us alone move forward in walking their remaining facilities to compile the same kind of assessment.
Learn more about IT/OT assessments: the process, the benefits and how E Tech Group can be your partner through it all!
Download our Beginner’s Guide to IT/OT Assessments to gain an understanding of what an IT/OT Assessment is, its benefits, and how to get started today.
E Tech Group Lead Automation Engineer, Kevin Tom shared his knowledge and expertise on Best Practices for Effective Automation Applications for Control Engineering Magazine‘s webcast on August 16th, 2022, where he discussed the nuances of control system applications. When Should a Process be Automated? Kevin explains the criteria that a company should consider when weighing whether or not to apply automation to a process: What is being made and how is it currently being produced? Consider tools, parts, mechanisms. What is the environment like? Consider space constraints, equipment, hazards. What is the labor pool like? Consider union/non-union, labor shortages, turnover. In considering automation, goals and constraints must also be hashed out: Are we trying to replace human labor with mechanized processes? Are we trying to scale up operations/increase throughput? What is the capital we have to/are willing to invest in this project and what is the necessary ROI? These questions are all addressed early on in a project’s inception, as stakeholders hold the keys to the budget needed for an automation project. However, control system engineers should also be consulted early on to give insight into the specifics of these questions, like cost, ROI, improvement caps. Applying Automation is as Much Planning as Execution Kevin Tom’s cohost points out that much of the time, the options are: automate or die. It may sound histrionic, but the labor shortage is a real and pervasive issue, especially when manufacturers are trying to scale. Increased production goals means hire more people. But there aren’t enough people to be found, and/or high turnover, and/or lack of qualified professionals, which all present labor bottlenecks. Automation is the best (and only) solution to avoiding the obstacles associated with labor shortages. However, it isn’t as simple as design-build-implement. For the transition to automation to run smoothly, the system first … Continued
A recent episode of CSIA’s podcast: Talking Industrial Automation, featured E Tech Group’s Director of Operations, Cassy Gardner. A decade of experience in engineering, sales and project management in the Life Sciences field has allowed Cassy to leverage her engineering and MBA degrees to help clients achieve their automation goals. On the podcast, Gardner discusses how she came into the field of automation, citing a professor who inspired her during her senior year and connected her to the automation professionals at Banks Integration, which later became a part of E Tech Group. Let’s look at some of the questions Cassy tackled in her podcast interview and her main talking points: Q: What kinds of trends and challenges are you seeing in industrial automation right now? Engineering labor shortages. Partners, clients, and other automation firms are having a really hard time filling positions with the right type of talent. Company visibility. We’re competing with giants like Apple and Google for the same talent, but are largely referred only by word of mouth within the automation industry. A lack of emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion in recruitment practices. Q: What is DEI and why is it important? Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Another letter being added on is Belonging It’s about people from different backgrounds having equal opportunity to share their skills and perspective. This in turn improves design and engineering because you’re harnessing diverse points of view and skill sets. DEI measures improve the quality of a talent search. Diversity: having a wide array of perspectives and backgrounds Equity: fairness – being thoughtful in policies, procedures and vocabulary Inclusion & Belonging: going past people showing up – making sure people feel like they are a part of the organization/project/story Q: What do you mean by diversity? Engineering is a male-dominated field, … Continued
“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”. This quote by Benjamin Franklin emphasizes the importance of site surveys for industrial environments. With time, money, and resources on the line, site surveys act as a crucial first step to plan for maintenance, spare parts, upgrades, and mitigate the risk of unplanned downtime. This critical information was needed by a leading American food distributor to better understand the health of their plant’s automation infrastructure. E Tech Group was engaged to thoroughly assess their automation hardware and operational technology (OT) networks and provide a comprehensive site assessment report. This report would clearly identify risks and opportunities as well as crucial steps to upgrade and strengthen their automation infrastructure.
Solution
The customer’s plant had three buildings which included over 500 control panels. E Tech Group analyzed numerous factors and data points to determine areas of risk and opportunity across their plant. This included the lifecycle of parts that are currently being used on the production floor as well as the equipment’s life cycle positioning ranging from active to end of life. E Tech Group’s certified professionals also evaluated existing processor types and quantities across the plant and documented the customer’s OT network infrastructure.
The data collected from the site assessment was then organized and analyzed to serve as a roadmap for facility improvements. E Tech Group formulated a comprehensive, well-structured report for the customer’s management, engineering, and maintenance teams which outlined upgrade recommendations and a clear timeline to implement these upgrades based on the priority level.
Results
E Tech Group worked closely with a plant electrician to complete an on-site assessment of all control panels and OT networks in less than eight weeks. The data from the site assessment was used to provide a comprehensive report outlining automation infrastructure by area, OT network architecture, obsolescence, and recommended paths forward to modernize. The site assessment resulted in a proactive plan to reduce the customer’s likelihood of future controls hardware failures and provided a clear roadmap to strengthen their automation infrastructure.
