The Internet of Things (IoT) has brought science fiction into our homes: from refrigerators that reorder their own food to selecting music or TV programs by voice rather than remote control. Industrial IoT (IIoT) has also established itself in manufacturing companies, where it can increase productivity. At the same time, it also poses a challenge for IT security, which must protect the company network without interrupting ongoing production.

"We need to bring the online world and the world of industrial production together quickly. In Germany, we call this Industry 4.0," explained Chancellor Angela Merkel. The smart factory is the goal. Smart refers to networked thinking throughout the entire company. For example, customer feedback can be incorporated into a current product more quickly, a production error can be rectified immediately or even anticipated before it happens. Machine downtimes can be predicted and managed. The advent of big data, predictive analytics and cloud storage, as well as advances in automation and the popularization of connected devices, means that factories are moving from purely mechanical operations to agile, intelligently controlled, IT-driven process organizations.

OT and IT have different goals

Securing a smart factory poses challenges for both OT and IT departments, as they have different objectives: OT's main task is to keep production running, to ensure constant turnover. IT, on the other hand, has the task of securing the company network and closing security gaps.

If production machines are to be secured in the course of IIoT, a conflict often inevitably arises, as the installation of new or updating of existing security mechanisms is accompanied by a halt in production. The production machines have to be taken out of operation, which leads to production downtime and therefore loss of revenue. This is obviously not in the interests of OT.

Advantages of a smart factory

Networked thinking is good, but the benefits of any business investment should be greater than the input. What are the benefits of creating a smart factory environment?

1. greater flexibility with less environmental impact: Linking production and information allows manufacturing plants to move towards optimal performance. This shortens time-to-market and significantly reduces waste.

2. higher quality, lower costs: Thanks to the development of self-configuring machines, increasingly difficult tasks can be performed by machines. This enables cost savings and the provision of higher quality goods and services.

3. remain competitive: With the rapid advances in technology that companies of all sizes can benefit from, there is a risk that without investing in the digital revolution you will soon fall behind.

4. collect data: Machine sensors, customer experience management systems, health and safety regulations; all of these things can produce data that can be continuously monitored and effortlessly processed. Weekly machine checks are avoided, as are customer service issues and delayed responses to feedback.

Security through predictive analytics

In response to demand, component and machine manufacturers are therefore equipping new machines with IoT-enabled sensors. Connecting production devices such as machine sensors, motors and switches to send data in real time enables constant monitoring and analysis to gain meaningful insights. The aim is to better understand the condition of the machine and enable a real-time approach to maintenance and management. This predictive maintenance approach underpins the smart factory and enables efficient inventory control, delivery and time-to-market, increased quality and the flexibility to respond to changing requirements.