Industrial Automation: A Strategic Guide for OEMs and Equipment Vendors

Leveraging industrial IoT (IIoT) technology, plant owners can gain real‑time insights into equipment performance and enhance both production speed and workplace safety.

OEMs and equipment vendors stand to gain significantly by offering industrial automation solutions or retrofitting existing equipment with sensor‑based IoT technology. By predicting equipment issues before scheduled maintenance, they can develop new revenue streams and strengthen customer relationships.

Below, we explore how IIoT supports both new and existing sensor deployments and outline key benefits for OEMs and plant operators.

Industrial Automation for New and Existing Sensors

When selecting an automation solution, you may need to deploy a new sensor for fresh data or integrate data from an existing sensor.

1. New Sensor, New Data

Deploying new sensors is essential for capturing previously unavailable data. For example, to monitor a pump’s duty cycle, you can connect a sensor directly to the pump or use Bluetooth to link to an open‑standard, cost‑effective sensor. The data is then transmitted to the cloud via Symphony Link or another preferred gateway. Real‑time dashboards enable operators to detect anomalies—such as a pump drawing excess current that could signal bearing failure—and replace the faulty component swiftly, maximizing uptime.

2. Existing Sensor, Existing Data

In many facilities, data is already being collected but remains trapped within legacy systems such as MODBUS PLCs or proprietary wired networks. For instance, a refinery’s oil viscosity sensor may transmit via serial, Ethernet, or PowerLine protocols (ProfiBUS, MODBUS). By extracting this data and sending it to an OEM or third party, additional value is created. An OEM can remotely calibrate the probe using laptop data readouts, eliminating on‑site visits and accelerating fault detection, which in turn boosts uptime.

How Industrial Automation Impacts OEMs and Vendors

1. Enables New Business Models

For OEMs: Traditional maintenance contracts often require on‑site servicing. IIoT allows issues to be forecasted proactively, enabling OEMs to offer “uptime as a service.” For example, instead of selling a pump outright, an OEM could charge per operating hour while maintaining the equipment, creating a recurring revenue stream.

For Facilities: This model is attractive for owners who lack capital for large equipment purchases but prefer predictable monthly costs, thereby expanding market reach.

2. Reduces Costs Across the Board

For OEMs: By minimizing on‑site visits and field staff through remote monitoring, OEMs lower service overhead. Solutions like Symphony Link provide a single gateway that can connect to every sensor in a plant, simplifying management and reducing expenses.

For Facilities: Lowered monitoring and equipment costs translate into savings for plant operators. Continuous oversight also enhances equipment reliability, giving owners peace of mind.

Using Symphony Link in the Industrial IoT

Symphony Link delivers end‑to‑end wireless connectivity for industrial automation via modular gateways and back‑end software. Key features include:

• Transmission acknowledgment: Guarantees that every data packet reaches its destination, essential for control systems.
• Bidirectional uplink and downlink: Enables full two‑way communication.
• Multiple QoS tiers: Allows diverse applications to coexist on a single network without interference.
• Secure, air‑gapped architecture: Modules are inaccessible from the internet, virtually eliminating cyber‑security risks to the process controller.

Download our brochure to discover how Symphony Link can transform your OEM business model or plant operations.