284 Advances in Manufacturing Technology XXXIV

M. Shafik and K. Case (Eds.)

© 2021 The authors and IOS Press.
This article is published online with Open Access by IOS Press and distributed under the terms
of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License 4.0 (CC BY-NC 4.0).
doi:10.3233/ATDE210050

Integration of Operation Technology (OT)

and Information Technology (IT) Through
Intelligent Automation in Manufacturing
Industries
ELAMVAZHUTHI KUPPUSAMYa,1, KAILASH MARIAPPANb
a
Founder & CEO, YesLee Consultants & YesLee Exports, Salem, Tamilnadu, India
b
Founder & CEO, KioTeckDigi Networks LLC(USA) & KioTekDigi Networks Pvt Ltd.,
India

Abstract. The results of integrating OT and IT in Manufacturing Industries are

Increase in Productivity, Reduction in Waste, Savings in Labor and Energy and
Better Maintenance. The convergence of IT and OT in IoT has been going on for a
while and there isn’t a strict division between them in the real world. Traditionally,
IT is responsible for creating, storing and securing an organization’s data. At the
same time, OT focuses primarily on processes that take place in the physical
world-think managing productivity, people, and machinery. There are Pre Design
Phases and Final Design Phases for Implementation of the Integration process.
Under the Pre Design Phases, Identify the types of Assets in Industrial Zone and
those that support Production and then Identify “Who” owns the hardware and
software in the asset. In the final Phases of implementation we have:
Requirements Phase: Interview all the system owners to gather requirements
for operations, configuration and maintenance. Architectural Phase: Produce High
level documentation and drawings to meet every requirement. Technical Design
Phase: Produce detailed documentation such as drawings, switch configuration and
VLAN, IP Address and Firewall ACLs. Implementation Phase: VERIFY “was the
product built right?” and VALIDATE “was the right product built?” process.
Maintain Phase: Modify configurations and assets to fix anomalies or required
operational changes. The Intelligent Automation is Transforming Manufacturing
Processes. The explosive growth of the cloud has made on – demand processing
more accessible, more efficient and relatively lower cost. Robotic Process
Automation (RPA) tools use Cognitive capabilities will replace those that don’t.
There are several obvious benefits of automation that can be found in
various automation projects as primary positive results. Among others, they
include: # Cost Reduction # Higher Accuracy # Increased focus on core
competencies # Improved productivity # Better compliance # Creating New
jobs # Reducing Employee turnover. Three types of automation in production
can be distinguished: 1. Fixed automation, 2. Programmable automation, and 3.
Flexible automation. In many industries IT and OT convergence already happens
since quite some time (Oil and Gas is just one of the many). Utilities are realizing
that to reap the full benefits of advanced metering and smart grid systems, IT and
OT must work together. The convergence of IT and OT is about systems,
standards and a new way of thinking. We are in the start of Industry 4.0, the
industrial internet, cyber - physical systems and evolutions in areas and markets
such as Building Management systems, smart metering and critical power.

1
Corresponding Author. [email protected]
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Keywords. Operation Technology (OT), Information Technology (IT),

Convergence, Integration, Intelligent Automation (IA), manufacturing industries,
Industry 4.0, IoT, Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

1 Introduction on Intelligent Automation (IA) and how IA is Transforming

Manufacturing Processes

Intelligent Automation (IA) is the umbrella under which Artificial Intelligence

(including machine learning and deep learning technologies and robotic process
automation (including workflows) fall. Machine learning and deep Learning can be
used to solve operational business problems, such as predictive analytics and predictive
maintenance. Manufacturers already incorporate work flow design into their business
operations, with many having workflows that are partially automated and save time for
end- users.
By using date they are already recording, manufacturers can use predictive analytics to
solve new problems and facilitate product engineering. Machine learning models are
being used to predict how to fabricate specific physical materials and minimize
anomalies in complex chemical reactions.
Predictive maintenance solutions allow machines report back when they will require
servicing, thus reducing unplanned downtime and kicking off workflows to plan
service.
Another area where Intelligent Automation is improving the experience for employees
and customers alike is through chat bots and custom smart assistants. By connecting
them to workflows and knowledge bases, they can help process orders, onboard
employees and function as a specialized resource both in the operations room and on
the factory floor.

1.1 Intelligent Automation (IA) and use cases across Industries

1.1.1 Intelligent Automation in Manufacturing- IA has triggered industrial

revolutions – Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0. These systems are inspired by recent
technological advances, such as AI, ML, IOT, robotics, autonomous vehicles, 3D
printing, AR and VR, wearables, additive manufacturing, nanotechnology,
biotechnology, energy storage and quantum computing. As a result, physical and
digital robot that are driven by cutting-edge Intelligent Automation technologies and
tools can perform many operations, replacing and supplementing humans, and do so in
the following ways:

 Automated factory floor: Physical robots and cobots (collaborative robots)

can perform almost any manufacturing process in a factory. The factory floor
has evolved over time into dark or lights-out premises where human
participation is not required.
 Automated work flow: With digital bots, manufacturers can process huge
amounts of data to streamline ordering, procurement, appointment scheduling
and alerting.
 Predictive analytics: The capability to fix aberrations in a proactive manner
helps manufacturers prevent outage and downtime. With predictive analytics
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solutions, maintenance engineers can anticipate errors and can address them
before the equipment gets seriously affected.
 Machine Vision: This technology enables through quality inspection that is
much more detailed and reliable than that performed by humans.

1.1.2 Intelligent Automation in Commerce: Some examples of IA in commerce are

guidance through online and offline shopping, improved warehouse logistics,
transaction security, data-driven planning of supply and delivery and hands-free
checkout.

1.1.3 Intelligent Automation in Logistics and Transportation: Some major

examples are route optimization, supply planning, autonomous cars and unmanned
delivery.

1.1.4 Intelligent Automation in Healthcare: Healthcare providers are major

consumers of IA. It enables caregivers to perform better the tasks of personalized
treatment, predictive diagnosing, medical imaging, surgical operations, nursing, patient
assistance, virtual consultations, remote monitoring and research and drug discovery.

1.1.5 Intelligent Automation in Telecom: The Telecom industry makes the most of
IA to improve the efficiency of processes in the business areas of customer account
management, Call center and Network operation.

2 Ways Industries benefit from OT – IT Convergence

Figure 1. OT – IT Convergence.

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) generated unimaginable amounts of data collected

from sensors, software, and large assets that could be spread across several locations.
With lots of moving parts involved, OT – IT convergence gives organizations a strong
foundation for improving internal processes, business decisions, and productivity. Here
are some of the IT-OT convergence benefits manufacturing companies can expect:
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 Simplified Process Control: IIoT platforms are increasingly replacing bulky

manufacturing execution systems (MES Software) and their related
applications- which are typically used for inventory tracking, production
maintenance, and quality control. These activities are distributed across both
OT and IT, so when each department runs as separate entity, there’s a missed
opportunity to control and optimize manufacturing processes.
 Real Time Visibility: With IT – OT integration, data sharing happens across
the entire organization, allowing - decision makers to analyze machine –
generated data in real – time. In the past, aggregating data from various
machines, sensors, databases, and gateways was a manual effort that required
compiling data from disparate sources and attempting to analyze that
information as a single unit.
 Eliminating Unplanned Downtime: IT-OT integration is also helping
organizations combat the issues associated with unplanned downtime-
including equipment failures and profit loses – by digitizing the maintenance
process and pulling insights directly from the factory floor. By monitoring
machine performance, OT and IT teams can monitor equipment for early signs
of trouble, and act accordingly.

3 Technologies make IT – OT convergence possible

Here are a few innovations making convergence a reality for more manufacturers:

 No Code Applications: No Code or Low code applications are used to

connect IIoT devices, sensors and machines, as well as the humans that work
with them on the factory floor. These programs are designed for human users
without a background in coding, offering OT teams to create applications that
work for the assembly line without having to learn how to code.
 Digital Twins: Digital twin software allows organizations to build virtual
replicas of physical objects like heavy machinery or entire manufacturing
systems in a digital environment. This technology allows manufacturers to see
how environmental factors, changes to production cycle, and adverse events
might impact product quality or productivity.
 Augmented Reality (AR): Augmented Reality tools aren’t exactly at the
forefront of innovations today – after all, Caterpillar has been using AR for
inspections since 2015. Organizations can use AR in a connected system to
oversee factory operations remotely, provide enhanced training simulations,
and guide technicians through complex repairs.
 Edge Computing: The edge is increasingly considered to be the intersection
where OT and IT meet. In the typical IIoT system, data is generated and
collected by OT before sending it along to IT for analysis in the data center or
the cloud. Edge Computing allows organizations to process data in real-time,
rather than waiting for it show up in the cloud, allowing organizations to
convert machine-generated data into actionable insights quickly.
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4 Sharing the Factory Floor Data- Few proven approaches

 Sensor to cellular to cloud- simple * Sensor to internet to cloud * Sensor to

edge to cloud
 Through iDMZ ( Industrial Demilitarized Zone) – Complex

5 7 Benefits of Converged OT and IT

Figure 2. Benefits of Converged OT and IT.

6 Phases of implementation:

Figure 3. Phases of Implementation.

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7 Overview of the integrated OT and IT systems:

Figure 4. Overview of Integrated OT and IT Systems.

8 Challenges of OT / IT Convergence:

Digital transformation requires organizations to reform most or all areas of the

organization to be successful. OTs modernization through IT integration is no different.
Other challenges include:

 Process Convergence- Organizations may struggle with reorganizing

previously siloed IT and OT departments to manage newly converged
technology.
 Secure IoT Implementation- often, IoT initiatives are not owned by any one
department and communication of a new project may not reach all the
departments, especially in a more siloed organization. Typically OT
departments have limited knowledge of security, and IT has a limited
knowledge of the projects currently underway. This can create a dangerous
security gap.
 Training- only recently have certifications like The Cisco certified Network
Associate Industrial IoT been offered to help OT workers understand how
they are accustomed to intersects with networked technology.
 Integration with existing systems- the business side of an organization may
be tempted to replace technologies instead of modernizing existing OT with
IT technology. This defeats one of the benefits of convergence, which is cost
efficiency. The point of convergence is to do more with what is available.
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9 Conclusion

IT-OT convergence might seem overwhelming. However, it’s an essential first step for
organizations that wants to realize the benefits of IIoT. While uniting the two
departments who have historically done their own thing comes with a whole range of
challenges, benefits like streamlined processes, interoperability, and collaborative
decision-making make IT-OT convergence well worth the effort.

References

[1] https://www.sam-solutions.com/blog/intelligent-automation/#
[2] Pasca Bornet, Ian Barkin, Jochen Wirtz, Intelligent Automation, Amazon , Asia- Pacific Holdings
Private Ltd., 2020
[3] https://www2.deloitte.com/uk
[4] https://www.i-scoop.eu/internet-of-things-guide/industrial-internet-things-it-ot/
[5] https://www.tiempodev.com/blog/it-ot-convergence-benefits-and-challenges-in-manufacturing/
[6] https://www.cio.com/article/3199019/cios-key-to-bridging-the-it-ot-divide.html