So you got the data, what then?

“I have all this data, but what can I actually do with it?”

This was the exact question our customer asked after investing heavily in sensors and data collection. They had beautiful dashboards showing energy usages, temperatures and other production data. They could see there are issues and room for optimization, but were still relying on operators to do manual adjustments based on reported data. Potential savings weren’t being realized!

Sound familiar?

Many companies find themselves in this situation: rich with data but still relying on human intervention to take action. It’s like having a sophisticated security system that detects intruders but requires you to manually lock the doors when an alert sounds.

The missing link in many IIoT implementations

The journey towards industrial digitalization typically follows the same path: First you install sensors and start gathering data. Then you visualize that data on dashboards. But then what?

This is where many IIoT implementations hit a wall. The gap between seeing a problem and fixing it remains open.

• Operators seeing that equipment is online, using energy, but not used for actual production and must physically walk to the equipment to turn it offline.
• Production team receiving alerts of faulty parts being manufactured, but must manually halt the line, leading to wasted resources and profits.
• Operators seeing what should be manufactured next, but having to manually update production line recipes in order to begin production, leading to production delays or errors.

In each case, the loop between data and action remains open, and that’s where efficiency gets lost and human error can happen.

Bridging the gap

In industrial settings the pattern is familiar: operators regularly check measurement data, identify deviations and then manually implement adjustments. This reactive approach creates delays between problem detection and resolution.

Integrating control to the IIoT platform in use changes this completely. When sensors detect parameters drifting outside acceptable ranges, they can automatically trigger corrective actions without waiting for human intervention. Or when your MES system indicates a change in production is needed, you can automatically make all the necessary recipe updates and other adjustments without having to manually upload and change configurations and parameters.

By creating direct pathways for your data to trigger actions without constant human supervision, you can start reaping the promised benefits of smart manufacturing.

Why traditional approaches fall short

Many existing IIoT platforms excel at the data collection, visualization and analysis part but stop short of enabling automatic control:

• Showing problems but not solving them: You get the alerts but still need to perform the intervention manually.
• They don’t reduce the amount of work: You might make smarter decisions, but still need to implement those decisions by hand.
• They leave your equipment disconnected: Data flows one way, but commands don’t flow back.

The result? You’re only capturing a fraction of your potential efficiency gains.

Making your data work for you: The Owl approach

Our Owl -platform was built specifically to bridge this control gap. Rather than just monitoring your processes, we enable your systems to respond automatically to changing conditions:

1. Connect everything: From modern equipment to legacy systems with our hardware-agnostic approach.
2. Identify key control points where automated adjustments deliver the most value.
3. Create response rules that trigger actions based on real-time measurements.
4. Monitor and refine as your processes improve.

The potential is clear: imagine idle machines automatically powering down to save electricity, machine vision systems updating themselves based on production changes, or valves self-adjusting to maintain optimal pressure levels. While many modern machines include these capabilities individually, Owl extends these benefits across your entire operation. You can modernize legacy equipment without rebuilding automation from scratch and scale control seamlessly from individual machines to facility-wide systems.

The real benefits of automated control

When your IIoT platform can take direct action, you can start reaping the benefits.

• Faster response times: Corrections happen in seconds, not minutes or hours.
• Consistent quality: Remove human variability from routine adjustments.
• Reduced waste: Address issues before they create waste or rework.
• More focused staff: Your skilled workers can focus on improvements instead of babysitting equipment.

This represents a shift in how your worker expertise is used: from experts watching machines to machines watching themselves, freeing human potential to focus on process improvements and innovation, as it should be.

Start small, scale big

The beauty is that you don’t need to do everything at once. Our implementation philosophy focuses on starting with the basics, such as data collection, and then moving to the most critical processes or machines where automated control can bring real value.

You can begin with a single process where inconsistency causes the most problems. Once you’ve proven the concept, expanding to other systems becomes straightforward and you are not going to want to go back.

Ready to start taking action?

Whether you are at the beginning of your digitalization journey, just considering adding data collection, or are already sitting on valuable data but making manual adjustments, we want to hear from you. We’d like to understand your specific needs and help you with changing your data into profits.