April 7, 2025 • 21 mins
Digital transformation in manufacturing isn't achieved through sweeping overhauls—it happens through progression. Like mountain climbers confronting "false summits" where they think they've reached the peak only to discover more climbing ahead, manufacturers often face discouraging plateaus on their journey toward modernization. The key to conquering these challenges? Smart devices that provide the connectivity foundation for everything that follows.
Smart manufacturing begins with standardization of your network infrastructure. Before implementing any technology, you need clear standards for communication protocols across all levels—from field devices to enterprise systems. Without this foundation, scaling becomes virtually impossible. Following the wisdom to "think big, act small," successful implementations typically begin with a single production line or process cell as a test bed. Define what data you need, prove the concept works, and only then scale across additional systems.
The most challenging aspect for many manufacturers isn't collecting data—it's transforming that raw information into actionable insights that drive meaningful decisions. Power meters, temperature sensors, motor overload relays, and other smart devices provide tremendous data, but without standardized formats, monitoring mechanisms, and analytics tools, that information remains underutilized. When evaluating smart devices, focus on capabilities that provide relevant insights for your specific applications rather than being distracted by features that won't deliver practical value.
As you progress in your smart manufacturing journey, prepare for emerging technologies by establishing Ethernet standardization, enabling mobile integration for real-time access via smartphones, and exploring how AI can prevent downtime through predictive analytics. Remember that progress happens incrementally—one small, intentional step after another. The marathon toward modernization is won through continuous improvement, not overnight transformation.
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Host: Chris Grainger
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Eco Ask why, a podcast that dives into
industrial manufacturing topicsand spotlights the heroes that
keep America running.
I'm your host, chris Granger,and on this podcast, we do not
cover the latest features andbenefits on products that come
to market.
Instead, we focus on advice andinsight from the top minds of
industry, because people andideas will be how America
(00:24):
remains number one inmanufacturing in the world.
Welcome to Eco Asks why.
I'm your host, chris Granger,looking forward to hanging out
with you today.
We have made it to the month ofApril in 2025.
The spring is here, theweather's turning warmer Can I
get an amen on that?
And it's just what a great,great time to be here, so
(00:47):
excited to hang out with you alltoday.
So we're continuing our marchthrough smart manufacturing and
we spent a lot of time so far inearlier episodes of Eco Ask why
.
Talk about why you should evencare.
You know what is modernization.
What is it?
What is it all about?
What are some of the benefitsof modernization and
understanding there's a globalfootprint.
(01:07):
We start thinking about smartmanufacturing that impacts so
much and that eco.
We're at the heart of that.
Then we spend a lot of timetalking about Ethernet and why
Ethernet is becoming theautomation and control network.
We went through a lot ofbenefits, pros and cons, the
basics of Ethernet, how you makethose selections, spent a lot
(01:31):
of time there, so hopefullyyou're enjoying this journey so
far, and that's really whatwe're trying to do.
We're trying to walk with youthrough a journey.
And speaking of journeys, Idon't know if any of you enjoy
going to the mountains.
So we're an electric equipmentcompany, we're on the East Coast
, obviously, so we're close tothe Appalachian Trail.
I just love going to themountains.
I love hiking Anytime I getoutside, elevation change, it's
(01:54):
always a good time and it'sfunny if you've ever been on a
mountain hike and maybe you'reon an ascent, right, you're
climbing up and you reach thispoint where things maybe flatten
out for a little bit and youfeel like, man, you finally make
it, I'm there.
And then you just realize justa little bit further up the
trail, oh no, it turns back upagain.
(02:15):
I have funny stories of doingmountain runs and things like
that, where the people that I'mwith and they're thinking, oh,
we think that they were readyfor a mountain run and come to
find out they weren't, becauseit just keeps going and
sometimes what that really is.
When you reach that level place,it can be termed a false summit
(02:36):
, and this exists inmanufacturing and it can be
discouraging, like for thoserunners and mountain hikers.
When you reach that fall summit, it can be like, man, I get so
frustrated, I'm so tired, I'm sofrustrated, I don't want to
keep going.
And maybe that's where you'reat right now with your smart
(02:57):
manufacturing journey.
I'm just tired, nothing seemsto be working and I don't want
to keep going.
Nothing seems to be working andI don't want to keep going.
And I'm just here to tell you.
When you start factoring inthis high level of automation
that's involved and thecomplexities that could be there
, it can be frustrating.
But look, we want to encourageyou.
Digital transformation ispossible, it lies ahead and
(03:20):
you're going to be able toconquer the summit of smart
manufacturing when you do it onestep at a time.
And the whole what we're goingto talk about today is the idea
of progression.
Okay, progression Again.
You're never going to win amarathon with just one step, but
you will get there one step ata time.
(03:40):
Right?
That's the way smartmanufacturing works.
It's a journey, it really is ajourney and if we recognize the
promise of smart manufacturingand we know that it's going to
require some significant changemaybe considering your network
connectivity to the way thatyou're managing data, to the way
that your processes areultimately being optimized we
(04:04):
have to stay the course.
It's not a single sweepingoverhaul Again, you can't run
that marathon right at the gate,but one step after the other,
after the other.
I remember when I ran onemarathon I've done a half
marathon as well and they tellyou when you're running a
marathon, don't think about mile26.
You can't think about that.
It's too big, hairy, audacious.
(04:25):
No, don't do that.
Think about the next mile.
Okay, I just ran one, I can runone more, and then that's you.
Keep that mindset and the nextthing you know you've completed
26 mile.
That's the way this is withsmart manufacturing.
It's a progressive journey, butsmall, intentional steps will
help you work towards thatlong-term transformation.
(04:46):
That really what we're allabout.
There's even a quote out therefrom Jim Davis at UCLA.
He said many possibilities thathave already been considered
cost prohibitive now becomedoable.
Progression enablesmanufacturers to grow into using
big data for new operationalinsights.
And what a beautiful quote andhow salient that is for us as
(05:09):
we're trying to move forward.
We're trying to encourage youdown your own journey of smart
manufacturing.
Ok, now, today we're going totalk about how we actually get
started with that progression,and this is going to be super
practical.
It's going to be very easy totake this concept and bring it
into your manufacturing facility.
So we hope this is encouragingbecause, really, what we're
going to be diving into is therole of smart devices.
(05:33):
Okay, because the first step ina smart manufacturing
progression is you have to havea solid connectivity framework
and the smart devices are thebackbone of that.
And we need to know, first ofall, when I say smart device,
what the heck is a smart device?
Right, and you get that definedbecause we're going beyond its
basic function.
No, we actually, with smartdevices, want to start
(05:59):
incorporating and bringing indata and diagnostics that can
drive real-time decision-making.
So a couple of things toconsider when you think about a
smart device.
It's better to communicate data, like I need to know how long
it's been running, what thetemperatures are, the pressures,
the pressures, the voltages,the currents, the imbalances.
We want to know all that right.
It also needs to be able tointegrate with your network.
Usually again, we're big onEthernet, ip, but there's other
(06:24):
industrial protocols as well.
It should also a smart deviceenhance some system reliability
and process performance.
You have all this informationthere.
It should make things betterand it should also provide
predictive insights.
This is going to be big foryour maintenance and
optimization teams, so they needto be able to see, based off
the data that the device isproviding.
(06:46):
Here's action I need toconsider Again, as we work
through this and we're startingwalking through this topic with
you, if these things come tomind.
You need help with.
Eco has the team.
We have the experts, all staff.
We've got the manufacturers.
We have the integrators.
We have all the differentpieces that you need to start
your smart device integrationinto your facility.
(07:08):
Okay, our product management,our solution architecture teams,
the right devices is crucial,but it can be tricky, so we want
to be there to help you, okay.
So now let's start talking aboutthe roadmap Because, again,
every journey starts with thatfirst step and really so much
begins with standardization, andthat standardization needs to
(07:29):
be around your connectivity andyour infrastructure.
Okay, so you need to understand, first and foremost, what are
your network standards.
What are they and I'm talkingabout at the field level for
devices, the control level foryour PLCs, all the way up to
your enterprise level.
You've got to get all thisright, like, if you don't have
that everything coordinatedthere, it's going to be very
difficult.
They need to get very locked inon those communication
(07:52):
protocols.
This is going to help you withseamless data flow.
So there could be Ethernet, itcould be Profinet, it could be
other types of communicationprotocols, but get centered on
what that is.
And then we need to be veryattuned to smart device
(08:12):
specifications because this isgoing to ensure compatibility
and long-term scalability.
So we can't just be pullingstuff over here one day and then
over here the next day.
No, let's get really clear onwhat our device specifications
are.
Again, if you need help withthis, with standards or future
proofing of foundation, this iswhere we can come in.
All right now.
The second phase is you have toactually start the
(08:34):
implementation of smart devices.
So again, it's so tempting attimes to where you know what?
I'm just going to rip it allout, let's just redo it.
And there are times where wehelp end users do that directly.
But a better strategy usuallyis when.
I go back to a conversation Ihad with earlier Eco, ask why.
(08:57):
And the guest said you knowwhat, chris?
A great strategy when movingforward with automation and
smart manufacturing is to thinkbig and act small, and that
stuck with me.
That was huge.
So start with a single line, asingle machine or like a process
self, and use that as your testbed.
(09:18):
Now we did this back at ECOyears ago when I was in the
motor reliability game, and thisis how we would work with end
users.
We would start to define it ona certain group of equipment and
then, once you get that defined, what data do you need to pull
from that?
What do you need to actuallypull from that to make better
decisions?
Okay, so if you get locked inthere and then, as you prove,
(09:42):
prove this out, start scalingthose insights across different
systems, because you don't wantto do a plant right out the gate
.
What you're trying to do isyou're trying to build some
advocates, you're trying tobuild some wins.
You're also trying to buildsome confidence.
So this is a great strategywhen moving forward is to phase
this implementation, prove it toyourself.
And again, if you need help, wehave labs at Electrical
(10:05):
Equipment Company where you cancome in directly.
You can sit down with ourproduct teams, our experts, and
you can put your hands directlyon the equipment, the technology
that you want to implement, sothat you're not having to figure
it out on your plant floor.
You're figuring it out in ourlab, where it's a safe
environment.
It out on your plant floor,you're figuring it out in our
lab, where it's a safeenvironment.
You know.
If something crashes in the laband you make an error, it's
(10:27):
okay, it's in the lab.
No product has been lost, right?
This is really why we builtthese is to give you a test
place to prove this out.
Now the third area and this iswhere I see lots of
manufacturers somewhat struggle,but if you can get this, it's
so huge it's taking the data andtransforming it into actionable
(10:50):
insights, because raw data isreally just raw data, but it's
only valuable when it leads tomeaningful decisions.
The scale can tell me one thingwhen I step on it in the
morning.
Now, what am I going to do withthat?
Information leads to thedecisions later on Do I eat the
Oreos or do I not eat the Oreos?
But anyway, we know we're goingto eat Oreos, but you know what
(11:12):
I'm saying.
Smart manufacturing is the sameway.
So when you start with the data, you got to organize it.
You got to get standardized,because you're not, you're not
going to be able to utilize thedata in a really meaningful way
until you have everything lockedinto a standard format.
And then you need to have sometype of way to monitor data and
start having the mechanisms inplace for alerts.
(11:35):
That's when things startramping up.
You have to have analytic tools.
There's lots of differentanalytic tools out there that
brings everything together in acentral hub.
That will help you make betterdecisions from your MES systems
on down.
Okay, so really that data, datafor data's sake is one thing,
(11:55):
but actually having data andthinking about, okay, how can I
use this to make betterdecisions?
This comes down to like tosmart device planning as well.
It's tempting, when you'reevaluating a device, to look at
all the features and just getyou know what.
Man, this is awesome, but Iwant to caution.
You Think through the features,because features and benefits
(12:18):
are great only if you canutilize them and they make
things better for you.
So, based on your application,what are the features that this
particular smart device offers?
That's going to give you theinsight and the intel that you
need to make better decisions.
The rest could just be thecherry on top and some of it,
quite frankly, could just bedistractions.
(12:39):
You know we don't want datajust for data's sake.
No, we want to pull in the datathat is most salient to make
the best decisions.
And, again, inside of a lab isa great place to do this.
Okay, so when we start thinkingabout smart devices, think about
areas like variable frequencydrives.
Obviously, that's a smartdevice.
You're changing the speed upand down and you're trying to
(13:01):
get maybe real-time energy databack, predictive insights back.
You also have motor overloadrelays huge area of smart device
technology.
These protect ultimately themotor from overheating, right,
and what they can do is they canmeasure that temperature, they
can measure current, they cangive you diagnostics to help
prevent future failures.
Then you have in the technologynow you have power meters which
(13:24):
are measuring that energyconsumption and that helps you.
If you understand how theenergy is being used, you'll be
able to make better energydecisions.
Okay, and cost reduction typestrategies.
Then you have temperature andpressure type sensors.
They're measuring andmonitoring critical process
conditions.
Again, this is if you want tostart adjusting and fine-tuning
(13:47):
your system, you need to getthis data.
Then, ultimately, you have HMIs, human-machine interfaces,
right?
So this is giving you thatdisplay back, that machine
feedback back.
Okay, here's what's happening.
So to help you maybe remotelymonitor or make real-time
troubleshooting of the equipmentthat you have.
So, again, there's lots and lotsof other types of smart devices
out there, but that just givesyou a taste of what to expect.
(14:08):
So when we say smart devices,what are we diving into Right
there?
Okay, now there's again kind ofgoing back to the fall summits
where we began, right, becausewhen you get to that fall summit
, man, you have a decision tomake.
Do you just turn around and goback or do you move forward?
And the fall summit's wheremany people get stuck, okay, and
(14:30):
you may be a manufacturer outthere right now working inside a
manufacturer that you feel andyou feel stalled and your
progression is just nothappening.
Maybe you didn't standardizeyour network and you have all
these different types ofcommunication protocols going on
out there and, guess what, theydon't all talk to each other.
You get frustrated, or maybeyou're trying to just bite off a
(14:50):
little bit more than you canchew.
I get it.
I'm the type of guy.
I like to do so much up fronttoo, but sometimes if we bite
off so much at the beginning, wecan't actually move any of it.
Or maybe you don't have a planfor actually utilizing the data.
I've actually seen smart MCCsbe installed and the blue
(15:17):
Ethernet cable that brings thedata into the network has never
been plugged in because theydon't have any plan for it.
They have no way to utilize thedata.
I'm like you have so muchpotential data right there that
could help you, but if they'renot ready, they're not ready.
Or maybe you're not thinkingscalable Okay, because you're
just implementing.
You're bringing in products andnew devices without a roadmap.
(15:38):
Not all these things happen.
Okay, all these things happen.
We want to help you.
So what we want to do is helpyou future, proof, prepare for
the next evolution, because astechnology keeps evolving, as AI
gets introduced to the plantfloor and all these different
types of technology start reallyramping up manufacturing, you
got to be ahead.
You got to be ahead andprogression-based smart
(15:59):
manufacturing is this greatsystem to start adopting
evolving technology.
Improve it to yourself, buildthat confidence as you move
forward.
So here's three things to thinkabout so far as the next wave of
smart device adoption.
Again, the big one Ethernet, ipstandardization.
We harp on this a lot, but newdevices need to be able to
(16:23):
seamlessly connect withindustrial networks.
Now we like Ethernet and IP,but maybe there's another
network protocol that you likebut get locked in there Then
also be thinking about you'llsee this more and more in
manufacturing mobile integrationand real-time access.
Mobile integration andreal-time access.
So how in that, with thosedevices, can you enable plant
(16:47):
floor data to be accesseddirectly by your user's
smartphone and tablets?
I'm telling you, this type oftechnology that's out there, is
real, and the quicker that youcan create an environment that
engages the users in technologythat they're already using,
you're winning.
And the third element we're notgoing to spend a ton of time on
(17:09):
, but it's worth mentioning, isAI and prevent downtime.
The technology's out there,it's evolving and I'm telling
you, the quicker that we leaninto it and we start learning
how to utilize this, the fasterwe're going to have our
progression really take off andmake some big impacts.
(17:30):
Okay, so we're here for you.
Again, this is not a one-timeupgrade.
This is a continuous journey.
This is a marathon, if you will.
Kind of going back to earlier.
We want to help you makedecisions with better devices,
better strategies and better,ultimately, just your overall
decision-making process.
So if you're feelingoverwhelmed, or maybe you feel
(17:50):
like you've reached a falsesummit and you're like I'm done,
just relax, we're here Again.
Start thinking about thatfoundational network, start
thinking how you can you canimplement some of these smart
devices incrementally and thenturn that data into actual
insights and as you do that, itwill start scaling.
(18:11):
It's just going to take time.
So at ECO, again, we're here tohelp you take intentional,
practical steps towards smarteroperations and we want to do
this while reducing thecomplexity.
We're not going to bring abunch of features and benefits
to you.
They're not going to help you.
So if you need guidance here toaccelerate your smart
manufacturing journey, again oursolution architecture team and
(18:34):
product manager teams are ready.
They're willing, they'reexperts, they're the top of
their craft, of what they do,and we're ready to come in to
help you build that roadmap, onestep at a time.
So hopefully you're enjoyingthis journey through smart
manufacturing.
Again, we have lots of resourcesat EcoOnline.
So go check out our website atEcoOnlinecom and also highly
(18:58):
encourage you, if you haven'tdone it yet, get your online
account set up.
We've got some systems.
We've built some really greattools to help you in the moment
when you need it most.
Maybe you don't always havetime to call a distributor.
Totally get it.
We want to put this stuff infront of you, so at your
fingertips when you need it.
(19:18):
Two o'clock in the morning,you'll be able to find the
information that's going to helpyou be successful.
And as you work through thisprogression, through this smart
manufacturing journey, you'regoing to need resources,
partners like EECO, to comealong beside you to ultimately
be successful.
So, thank you so much forlistening.
If you wouldn't mind give us arating and review, that would be
(19:40):
wonderful for the show.
Share this out with others,particularly those in the
manufacturing field.
We want to get this informationout there to just encourage
equip.
Just come alongside others.
Again, feel free.
Check out the links.
In this episode.
We're going to have links soyou can schedule time to visit
one of our labs.
Maybe you want to come to a laband actually put your hands on
(20:01):
some technology.
We have these labs in Virginia,north Carolina, south Carolina.
We have labs all over that areready for you to just come right
in.
I'm telling you.
These labs are awesome.
The technology is incredible,so you can actually dig deep.
The experts will be there, getyour questions answered in real
time.
You don't have to go to acertain class or anything.
(20:23):
Of course, we want you to go tothese classes, but you can come
here and directly work on yourapplications with our teams.
That's what we're here for.
That's what we're here to help.
So, again, thank you so much forlistening.
Follow us on LinkedIn.
We have our YouTube channel.
We have lots of ways we try toserve.
So reach out to us, connectwith us and let us know how we
can connect and help you.
(20:43):
All right, so have a great day.
Thank you so much for listeningand remember to keep asking why
.
Thank you for listening to.
Eeco Asks why this show issupported ad-free by Electrical
Equipment Company.
Eeco is redefining theexpectations of an electrical
distributor by placing peopleand ideas before products.
(21:03):
Please subscribe and share withyour colleagues and friends.
Also leave comments, feedbackand any new topics that you
would like to hear, to learnmore or to share your insights.
Visit EECOASYcom.
That's E-E-C-O-A-S-K-S-W-H-Ycom.
Welcome to Eco Ask why, a podcast that dives into
industrial manufacturing topicsand spotlights the heroes that
keep America running.
I'm your host, chris Granger,and on this podcast, we do not
cover the latest features andbenefits on products that come
to market.
Instead, we focus on advice andinsight from the top minds of
industry, because people andideas will be how America
(00:24):
remains number one inmanufacturing in the world.
Welcome to Eco Asks why.
I'm your host, chris Granger,looking forward to hanging out
with you today.
We have made it to the month ofApril in 2025.
The spring is here, theweather's turning warmer Can I
get an amen on that?
And it's just what a great,great time to be here, so
(00:47):
excited to hang out with you alltoday.
So we're continuing our marchthrough smart manufacturing and
we spent a lot of time so far inearlier episodes of Eco Ask why
.
Talk about why you should evencare.
You know what is modernization.
What is it?
What is it all about?
What are some of the benefitsof modernization and
understanding there's a globalfootprint.
(01:07):
We start thinking about smartmanufacturing that impacts so
much and that eco.
We're at the heart of that.
Then we spend a lot of timetalking about Ethernet and why
Ethernet is becoming theautomation and control network.
We went through a lot ofbenefits, pros and cons, the
basics of Ethernet, how you makethose selections, spent a lot
(01:31):
of time there, so hopefullyyou're enjoying this journey so
far, and that's really whatwe're trying to do.
We're trying to walk with youthrough a journey.
And speaking of journeys, Idon't know if any of you enjoy
going to the mountains.
So we're an electric equipmentcompany, we're on the East Coast
, obviously, so we're close tothe Appalachian Trail.
I just love going to themountains.
I love hiking Anytime I getoutside, elevation change, it's
(01:54):
always a good time and it'sfunny if you've ever been on a
mountain hike and maybe you'reon an ascent, right, you're
climbing up and you reach thispoint where things maybe flatten
out for a little bit and youfeel like, man, you finally make
it, I'm there.
And then you just realize justa little bit further up the
trail, oh no, it turns back upagain.
(02:15):
I have funny stories of doingmountain runs and things like
that, where the people that I'mwith and they're thinking, oh,
we think that they were readyfor a mountain run and come to
find out they weren't, becauseit just keeps going and
sometimes what that really is.
When you reach that level place,it can be termed a false summit
(02:36):
, and this exists inmanufacturing and it can be
discouraging, like for thoserunners and mountain hikers.
When you reach that fall summit, it can be like, man, I get so
frustrated, I'm so tired, I'm sofrustrated, I don't want to
keep going.
And maybe that's where you'reat right now with your smart
(02:57):
manufacturing journey.
I'm just tired, nothing seemsto be working and I don't want
to keep going.
Nothing seems to be working andI don't want to keep going.
And I'm just here to tell you.
When you start factoring inthis high level of automation
that's involved and thecomplexities that could be there
, it can be frustrating.
But look, we want to encourageyou.
Digital transformation ispossible, it lies ahead and
(03:20):
you're going to be able toconquer the summit of smart
manufacturing when you do it onestep at a time.
And the whole what we're goingto talk about today is the idea
of progression.
Okay, progression Again.
You're never going to win amarathon with just one step, but
you will get there one step ata time.
(03:40):
Right?
That's the way smartmanufacturing works.
It's a journey, it really is ajourney and if we recognize the
promise of smart manufacturingand we know that it's going to
require some significant changemaybe considering your network
connectivity to the way thatyou're managing data, to the way
that your processes areultimately being optimized we
(04:04):
have to stay the course.
It's not a single sweepingoverhaul Again, you can't run
that marathon right at the gate,but one step after the other,
after the other.
I remember when I ran onemarathon I've done a half
marathon as well and they tellyou when you're running a
marathon, don't think about mile26.
You can't think about that.
It's too big, hairy, audacious.
(04:25):
No, don't do that.
Think about the next mile.
Okay, I just ran one, I can runone more, and then that's you.
Keep that mindset and the nextthing you know you've completed
26 mile.
That's the way this is withsmart manufacturing.
It's a progressive journey, butsmall, intentional steps will
help you work towards thatlong-term transformation.
(04:46):
That really what we're allabout.
There's even a quote out therefrom Jim Davis at UCLA.
He said many possibilities thathave already been considered
cost prohibitive now becomedoable.
Progression enablesmanufacturers to grow into using
big data for new operationalinsights.
And what a beautiful quote andhow salient that is for us as
(05:09):
we're trying to move forward.
We're trying to encourage youdown your own journey of smart
manufacturing.
Ok, now, today we're going totalk about how we actually get
started with that progression,and this is going to be super
practical.
It's going to be very easy totake this concept and bring it
into your manufacturing facility.
So we hope this is encouragingbecause, really, what we're
going to be diving into is therole of smart devices.
(05:33):
Okay, because the first step ina smart manufacturing
progression is you have to havea solid connectivity framework
and the smart devices are thebackbone of that.
And we need to know, first ofall, when I say smart device,
what the heck is a smart device?
Right, and you get that definedbecause we're going beyond its
basic function.
No, we actually, with smartdevices, want to start
(05:59):
incorporating and bringing indata and diagnostics that can
drive real-time decision-making.
So a couple of things toconsider when you think about a
smart device.
It's better to communicate data, like I need to know how long
it's been running, what thetemperatures are, the pressures,
the pressures, the voltages,the currents, the imbalances.
We want to know all that right.
It also needs to be able tointegrate with your network.
Usually again, we're big onEthernet, ip, but there's other
(06:24):
industrial protocols as well.
It should also a smart deviceenhance some system reliability
and process performance.
You have all this informationthere.
It should make things betterand it should also provide
predictive insights.
This is going to be big foryour maintenance and
optimization teams, so they needto be able to see, based off
the data that the device isproviding.
(06:46):
Here's action I need toconsider Again, as we work
through this and we're startingwalking through this topic with
you, if these things come tomind.
You need help with.
Eco has the team.
We have the experts, all staff.
We've got the manufacturers.
We have the integrators.
We have all the differentpieces that you need to start
your smart device integrationinto your facility.
(07:08):
Okay, our product management,our solution architecture teams,
the right devices is crucial,but it can be tricky, so we want
to be there to help you, okay.
So now let's start talking aboutthe roadmap Because, again,
every journey starts with thatfirst step and really so much
begins with standardization, andthat standardization needs to
(07:29):
be around your connectivity andyour infrastructure.
Okay, so you need to understand, first and foremost, what are
your network standards.
What are they and I'm talkingabout at the field level for
devices, the control level foryour PLCs, all the way up to
your enterprise level.
You've got to get all thisright, like, if you don't have
that everything coordinatedthere, it's going to be very
difficult.
They need to get very locked inon those communication
(07:52):
protocols.
This is going to help you withseamless data flow.
So there could be Ethernet, itcould be Profinet, it could be
other types of communicationprotocols, but get centered on
what that is.
And then we need to be veryattuned to smart device
(08:12):
specifications because this isgoing to ensure compatibility
and long-term scalability.
So we can't just be pullingstuff over here one day and then
over here the next day.
No, let's get really clear onwhat our device specifications
are.
Again, if you need help withthis, with standards or future
proofing of foundation, this iswhere we can come in.
All right now.
The second phase is you have toactually start the
(08:34):
implementation of smart devices.
So again, it's so tempting attimes to where you know what?
I'm just going to rip it allout, let's just redo it.
And there are times where wehelp end users do that directly.
But a better strategy usuallyis when.
I go back to a conversation Ihad with earlier Eco, ask why.
(08:57):
And the guest said you knowwhat, chris?
A great strategy when movingforward with automation and
smart manufacturing is to thinkbig and act small, and that
stuck with me.
That was huge.
So start with a single line, asingle machine or like a process
self, and use that as your testbed.
(09:18):
Now we did this back at ECOyears ago when I was in the
motor reliability game, and thisis how we would work with end
users.
We would start to define it ona certain group of equipment and
then, once you get that defined, what data do you need to pull
from that?
What do you need to actuallypull from that to make better
decisions?
Okay, so if you get locked inthere and then, as you prove,
(09:42):
prove this out, start scalingthose insights across different
systems, because you don't wantto do a plant right out the gate
.
What you're trying to do isyou're trying to build some
advocates, you're trying tobuild some wins.
You're also trying to buildsome confidence.
So this is a great strategywhen moving forward is to phase
this implementation, prove it toyourself.
And again, if you need help, wehave labs at Electrical
(10:05):
Equipment Company where you cancome in directly.
You can sit down with ourproduct teams, our experts, and
you can put your hands directlyon the equipment, the technology
that you want to implement, sothat you're not having to figure
it out on your plant floor.
You're figuring it out in ourlab, where it's a safe
environment.
It out on your plant floor,you're figuring it out in our
lab, where it's a safeenvironment.
You know.
If something crashes in the laband you make an error, it's
(10:27):
okay, it's in the lab.
No product has been lost, right?
This is really why we builtthese is to give you a test
place to prove this out.
Now the third area and this iswhere I see lots of
manufacturers somewhat struggle,but if you can get this, it's
so huge it's taking the data andtransforming it into actionable
(10:50):
insights, because raw data isreally just raw data, but it's
only valuable when it leads tomeaningful decisions.
The scale can tell me one thingwhen I step on it in the
morning.
Now, what am I going to do withthat?
Information leads to thedecisions later on Do I eat the
Oreos or do I not eat the Oreos?
But anyway, we know we're goingto eat Oreos, but you know what
(11:12):
I'm saying.
Smart manufacturing is the sameway.
So when you start with the data, you got to organize it.
You got to get standardized,because you're not, you're not
going to be able to utilize thedata in a really meaningful way
until you have everything lockedinto a standard format.
And then you need to have sometype of way to monitor data and
start having the mechanisms inplace for alerts.
(11:35):
That's when things startramping up.
You have to have analytic tools.
There's lots of differentanalytic tools out there that
brings everything together in acentral hub.
That will help you make betterdecisions from your MES systems
on down.
Okay, so really that data, datafor data's sake is one thing,
(11:55):
but actually having data andthinking about, okay, how can I
use this to make betterdecisions?
This comes down to like tosmart device planning as well.
It's tempting, when you'reevaluating a device, to look at
all the features and just getyou know what.
Man, this is awesome, but Iwant to caution.
You Think through the features,because features and benefits
(12:18):
are great only if you canutilize them and they make
things better for you.
So, based on your application,what are the features that this
particular smart device offers?
That's going to give you theinsight and the intel that you
need to make better decisions.
The rest could just be thecherry on top and some of it,
quite frankly, could just bedistractions.
(12:39):
You know we don't want datajust for data's sake.
No, we want to pull in the datathat is most salient to make
the best decisions.
And, again, inside of a lab isa great place to do this.
Okay, so when we start thinkingabout smart devices, think about
areas like variable frequencydrives.
Obviously, that's a smartdevice.
You're changing the speed upand down and you're trying to
(13:01):
get maybe real-time energy databack, predictive insights back.
You also have motor overloadrelays huge area of smart device
technology.
These protect ultimately themotor from overheating, right,
and what they can do is they canmeasure that temperature, they
can measure current, they cangive you diagnostics to help
prevent future failures.
Then you have in the technologynow you have power meters which
(13:24):
are measuring that energyconsumption and that helps you.
If you understand how theenergy is being used, you'll be
able to make better energydecisions.
Okay, and cost reduction typestrategies.
Then you have temperature andpressure type sensors.
They're measuring andmonitoring critical process
conditions.
Again, this is if you want tostart adjusting and fine-tuning
(13:47):
your system, you need to getthis data.
Then, ultimately, you have HMIs, human-machine interfaces,
right?
So this is giving you thatdisplay back, that machine
feedback back.
Okay, here's what's happening.
So to help you maybe remotelymonitor or make real-time
troubleshooting of the equipmentthat you have.
So, again, there's lots and lotsof other types of smart devices
out there, but that just givesyou a taste of what to expect.
(14:08):
So when we say smart devices,what are we diving into Right
there?
Okay, now there's again kind ofgoing back to the fall summits
where we began, right, becausewhen you get to that fall summit
, man, you have a decision tomake.
Do you just turn around and goback or do you move forward?
And the fall summit's wheremany people get stuck, okay, and
(14:30):
you may be a manufacturer outthere right now working inside a
manufacturer that you feel andyou feel stalled and your
progression is just nothappening.
Maybe you didn't standardizeyour network and you have all
these different types ofcommunication protocols going on
out there and, guess what, theydon't all talk to each other.
You get frustrated, or maybeyou're trying to just bite off a
(14:50):
little bit more than you canchew.
I get it.
I'm the type of guy.
I like to do so much up fronttoo, but sometimes if we bite
off so much at the beginning, wecan't actually move any of it.
Or maybe you don't have a planfor actually utilizing the data.
I've actually seen smart MCCsbe installed and the blue
(15:17):
Ethernet cable that brings thedata into the network has never
been plugged in because theydon't have any plan for it.
They have no way to utilize thedata.
I'm like you have so muchpotential data right there that
could help you, but if they'renot ready, they're not ready.
Or maybe you're not thinkingscalable Okay, because you're
just implementing.
You're bringing in products andnew devices without a roadmap.
(15:38):
Not all these things happen.
Okay, all these things happen.
We want to help you.
So what we want to do is helpyou future, proof, prepare for
the next evolution, because astechnology keeps evolving, as AI
gets introduced to the plantfloor and all these different
types of technology start reallyramping up manufacturing, you
got to be ahead.
You got to be ahead andprogression-based smart
(15:59):
manufacturing is this greatsystem to start adopting
evolving technology.
Improve it to yourself, buildthat confidence as you move
forward.
So here's three things to thinkabout so far as the next wave of
smart device adoption.
Again, the big one Ethernet, ipstandardization.
We harp on this a lot, but newdevices need to be able to
(16:23):
seamlessly connect withindustrial networks.
Now we like Ethernet and IP,but maybe there's another
network protocol that you likebut get locked in there Then
also be thinking about you'llsee this more and more in
manufacturing mobile integrationand real-time access.
Mobile integration andreal-time access.
So how in that, with thosedevices, can you enable plant
(16:47):
floor data to be accesseddirectly by your user's
smartphone and tablets?
I'm telling you, this type oftechnology that's out there, is
real, and the quicker that youcan create an environment that
engages the users in technologythat they're already using,
you're winning.
And the third element we're notgoing to spend a ton of time on
(17:09):
, but it's worth mentioning, isAI and prevent downtime.
The technology's out there,it's evolving and I'm telling
you, the quicker that we leaninto it and we start learning
how to utilize this, the fasterwe're going to have our
progression really take off andmake some big impacts.
(17:30):
Okay, so we're here for you.
Again, this is not a one-timeupgrade.
This is a continuous journey.
This is a marathon, if you will.
Kind of going back to earlier.
We want to help you makedecisions with better devices,
better strategies and better,ultimately, just your overall
decision-making process.
So if you're feelingoverwhelmed, or maybe you feel
(17:50):
like you've reached a falsesummit and you're like I'm done,
just relax, we're here Again.
Start thinking about thatfoundational network, start
thinking how you can you canimplement some of these smart
devices incrementally and thenturn that data into actual
insights and as you do that, itwill start scaling.
(18:11):
It's just going to take time.
So at ECO, again, we're here tohelp you take intentional,
practical steps towards smarteroperations and we want to do
this while reducing thecomplexity.
We're not going to bring abunch of features and benefits
to you.
They're not going to help you.
So if you need guidance here toaccelerate your smart
manufacturing journey, again oursolution architecture team and
(18:34):
product manager teams are ready.
They're willing, they'reexperts, they're the top of
their craft, of what they do,and we're ready to come in to
help you build that roadmap, onestep at a time.
So hopefully you're enjoyingthis journey through smart
manufacturing.
Again, we have lots of resourcesat EcoOnline.
So go check out our website atEcoOnlinecom and also highly
(18:58):
encourage you, if you haven'tdone it yet, get your online
account set up.
We've got some systems.
We've built some really greattools to help you in the moment
when you need it most.
Maybe you don't always havetime to call a distributor.
Totally get it.
We want to put this stuff infront of you, so at your
fingertips when you need it.
(19:18):
Two o'clock in the morning,you'll be able to find the
information that's going to helpyou be successful.
And as you work through thisprogression, through this smart
manufacturing journey, you'regoing to need resources,
partners like EECO, to comealong beside you to ultimately
be successful.
So, thank you so much forlistening.
If you wouldn't mind give us arating and review, that would be
(19:40):
wonderful for the show.
Share this out with others,particularly those in the
manufacturing field.
We want to get this informationout there to just encourage
equip.
Just come alongside others.
Again, feel free.
Check out the links.
In this episode.
We're going to have links soyou can schedule time to visit
one of our labs.
Maybe you want to come to a laband actually put your hands on
(20:01):
some technology.
We have these labs in Virginia,north Carolina, south Carolina.
We have labs all over that areready for you to just come right
in.
I'm telling you.
These labs are awesome.
The technology is incredible,so you can actually dig deep.
The experts will be there, getyour questions answered in real
time.
You don't have to go to acertain class or anything.
(20:23):
Of course, we want you to go tothese classes, but you can come
here and directly work on yourapplications with our teams.
That's what we're here for.
That's what we're here to help.
So, again, thank you so much forlistening.
Follow us on LinkedIn.
We have our YouTube channel.
We have lots of ways we try toserve.
So reach out to us, connectwith us and let us know how we
can connect and help you.
(20:43):
All right, so have a great day.
Thank you so much for listeningand remember to keep asking why
.
Thank you for listening to.
Eeco Asks why this show issupported ad-free by Electrical
Equipment Company.
Eeco is redefining theexpectations of an electrical
distributor by placing peopleand ideas before products.
(21:03):
Please subscribe and share withyour colleagues and friends.
Also leave comments, feedbackand any new topics that you
would like to hear, to learnmore or to share your insights.
Visit EECOASYcom.
That's E-E-C-O-A-S-K-S-W-H-Ycom.
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