Case Study

Factory Retrofit & Modernization

Industry 4.0 transformation without equipment replacement

45%
Downtime Reduction
80+
Machines Connected
$0
Equipment Replacement

Challenge

A textile manufacturing facility with 80+ legacy machines needed real-time production monitoring. The equipment was 10-15 years old but still functional. Wired networking was impossible due to the factory layout, and replacing equipment was cost-prohibitive.

Solution

Deployed LINK485 4G Modbus gateways to connect:

  • VFDs controlling motor speeds
  • Energy meters on each production line
  • Temperature sensors in critical zones
  • Existing PLCs with Modbus interfaces

Implementation

  • Phase 1: Pilot with 10 critical machines
  • Phase 2: Rollout to all production lines
  • Phase 3: Integration with existing ERP system
  • Result: Complete production visibility via cellular connectivity

Results

  • ✓ Real-time production monitoring from anywhere
  • ✓ Predictive maintenance based on vibration and temperature data
  • ✓ Reduced unplanned downtime by 45%
  • ✓ Improved OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) by 28%
  • ✓ Legacy equipment modernized without replacement

Key Insights

"The combination of 4G connectivity and zero-configuration setup was perfect for our factory. We could monitor machines from our corporate office 500km away without laying a single cable."

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