Our HMI Went Dark, and We Lost Control of Half the Plant: Emergency Response for Process Control Failures
It’s 2 AM and your phone rings. It’s the night shift supervisor. “The HMI just went dark. We can’t see what’s happening in the dryer. We need someone here now.” You’re suddenly very awake. The dryer in your food processing…
Dust, Heat, and Caustic Materials Are Killing Our Equipment: IT Lifecycle Planning for Harsh Manufacturing Environments
Walk through a food manufacturing plant, and you’ll see computers and networking equipment working in conditions that would horrify any office IT manager. Fine dust coats everything. Humidity that makes the air feel thick. The temperature swings between freezing and…
We Can’t Replace Our CNC Machine Because the Software Is Too Old: Managing Legacy Equipment on Modern Networks
Your CNC machine cost $800,000 when you bought it fifteen years ago. It still runs perfectly, producing parts to exact specifications day after day. The problem? It’s running on Windows XP, hasn’t been updated in years, and your IT security…
Our Automation Vendor Can’t Fix Our Network Issues: When You Need More Than Just Controls Expertise
Your automation vendor did a great job installing your new SCADA system. The controls work beautifully. The HMIs display exactly what you need to see. The PLCs communicate with all the right sensors and actuators. Everything on the plant floor…
Why Does It Take 45 Minutes to Get IT Help When Production Is Down? The Hidden Cost of Tier-One Support
Your shipping station just went offline. The line is backing up with finished product that can’t be labeled or sent out. Every minute that passes is costing you money, not just in labor, but in potential spoilage if you’re in…
Our Plant Floor and Office Network Can’t Talk to Each Other: Solving IT-OT Network Segmentation Issues
A production manager called in a panic. Their shipping system couldn’t pull order data from the plant floor. Products were backing up on the line, but the office had no visibility into what was actually being produced. The culprit? Their…
Difficulty Integrating ERP, MES, SCADA, PLCs, and IoT Devices
Your ERP system manages orders and inventory. Your MES tracks production. Your SCADA system controls equipment. Your PLCs run machines. And now you’re adding IoT sensors. The problem? None of them talks to each other effectively. Data sits in silos.…
Best Practices for ERP Migration with Minimal Production Disruption
Your old ERP is being sunset by the vendor. Or you’ve outgrown current capabilities. Or you’re forced to upgrade because support is ending. Whatever the reason, you need to migrate to a new ERP system without destroying production in the…
Managing PLC, SCADA, and MES Software: Proactive Monitoring Strategies
Your SCADA system stopped collecting data from production equipment at 2 AM. Nobody noticed until the first shift arrived at 6 AM. Four hours of production data gone forever. Or your MES quit recording completions, and by the time someone…
In-House vs Outsourced IT for Manufacturing: Which Delivers Better ERP Support?
Your CFO wants to outsource IT to reduce costs. Your plant manager insists everything should stay internal for faster response. Your IT director is exhausted trying to support ERP, manage infrastructure, handle help desk tickets, implement projects, and somehow find…
Recent Posts
How can we help?
Whether you need immediate help with an IT issue or want to discuss your long-term IT strategy, our team is here to help.
Call us at (952) 900-3832 or complete the form below and we'll help in any way we can.