“Manufacturers that embrace a combination of edge and cloud computing technologies will be best positioned to meet the changing dynamics of the industrial environment,” according to a Frost and Sullivan whitepaper. Edge computing provides improved productivity, efficiency, and time to market for manufacturers. But how do you successfully implement edge in your company?

Frost and Sullivan provides “5 Steps to a Successful Edge Implementation” in the white paper, “Moving to the Edge.” Here are their recommended guidelines:

Connect systems and sensors. Start by connecting your assets to SCADA/MES. Attach sensors wherever required. This would be the first step to start collecting and assessing data.
Invest in edge infrastructure. Install edge computing solutions in-house or subscribe to a well-established cloud provider’s edge computing service.
Secure device interfaces. Configure security options for all connected devices. Secure existing access control and enable additional access control options to improve security. Frequently check for software updates and install as they arrive.
Train resources. Train and deploy IT and operational resources in the business so that they know how to work with edge computing and IoT devices.
Make frequent iterations. Business processes that make use of edge computing need to be revisited frequently. Devise a way to find sufficient bandwidth to deliver insights from the data sources to the necessary decision-making points within the organization. As processing capabilities of edge increase, organizations will be empowered to make further use of the technology.

Let Siemens help you with your Industrial Edge technologies: https://new.siemens.com/us/en/products/automation/topic-areas/industrial-edge/production-machines.html. Follow Siemens Ingenuity blog to learn more about Siemens Factory Automation and many more topics: https://ingenuity.siemens.com/?stc=usdi101085.