IT Trends in the Manufacturing Industry

Smart factories and Industry 4.0 are the future of manufacturing. But without proper IT, automating and robotizing your production floor makes no sense. Insufficient infrastructure leads to higher costs, slower processes, and a greater risk of disruptions. Don't let outdated IT hold you back—enhance your factory's infrastructure. You don’t have to adopt everything at once—discover the current trends and begin optimizing for the future.

Read on:

• Discover how to integrate new technologies into your manufacturing operations.
• See how new technologies work based on practical examples.
• Ensure your manufacturing systems are secure, resilient, and future-proof.
• Explore how IT solutions can help reduce waste and support a circular economy.

Hybrid Cloud & Multi-Cloud Strategies

The fourth industrial revolution is here. And with it, technologies like the Internet of Things, AI, or the skyrocketing appeal for cloud-based IT solutions. It shouldn’t come as a surprise—cloud systems typically offer lower upfront costs compared to on-prem solutions.

Cloud services operate on a subscription model, allowing companies to pay for what they use and scale their resources as needed without incurring hefty expenses for additional hardware. Hybrid and multi-cloud strategies can balance your performance, cost, and security.

Ready for an upgrade? Watch out for common pitfalls! Here's how you can integrate legacy manufacturing systems with a modern cloud environment:

Data Management and Orchestration

At first glance, managing data in hybrid and multi-cloud environments can seem hard, but technologies like data lakes, data fabrics, and Kubernetes make your information organized, scalable, and optimized for performance.

Security and Compliance in Hybrid and Multi-cloud

Different cloud providers and on-prem infrastructure often have varied security standards and regulations. To ensure compliance and protect your data, implement consistent security protocols, including data encryption, identity management, and secure access controls.

Hybrid Cloud Strategies for Balancing Security and Scalability

Hybrid cloud strategies offer the flexibility to scale resources while maintaining control over sensitive data. In many cases, it’s the best of both worlds—select workloads suitable for the public cloud while keeping the most important applications and data in the private cloud.

Cloud-Based MES and ERP Solutions

Manufacturing Execution Systems and Enterprise Resource Planning solutions that integrate with other internal systems can boost productivity in your manufacturing company. The cloud’s flexibility allows you to access real-time data to track inventory, optimize production, and improve the flow of supply chains. With instant access to information, these systems also enhance your company’s agility in case of disruptions or changing market demands.

Edge Computing & Real-Time Data Processing for Manufacturers

Cloud computing has a long list of benefits for manufacturers; however, a cloud-only approach has its limitations. But edge computing can address several of these challenges. For example:

• Latency Issues – Edge computing processes data closer to its source, which minimizes the distance data must travel and lowers the response times.
• Bandwidth Constraints – Processing data at the edge means that only relevant information is transported to central servers, which optimizes bandwidth usage.
• Data Security Concerns – Edge computing minimizes the transmission of sensitive information over long distances and, with that—the risk of exposure.

The hybrid edge computing model combines on-premise and cloud capabilities. It allows you to keep sensitive information local and use the cloud for more computationally-intensive tasks.

Edge Computing in Manufacturing Companies

• Real-Time Quality Control – Edge devices can scan products to detect defects or inconsistencies in real time, enhancing product quality.
• Real-Time Analytics – Processing data from IoT sensors on the production floor allows you to monitor equipment performance and operational metrics.
• Predictive Maintenance with Localized AI – Processing data from machinery, such as vibrations or changes in temperature, prevents breakdowns and alerts about maintenance.
• Autonomous Guided Vehicles – AGVs rely on real-time data processing to make split-second decisions while transporting materials or coordinating with other automated systems.

High-Performance Computing & High-Performance Networking: The Foundation for Data-Driven Operations

If you’re looking for technologies that form the foundation for simulations, advanced analytics, and automation systems, high-performance computing and networking might be for your company.

HPC uses parallel processing to perform complicated calculations at high speeds, extending far beyond the capabilities of traditional computing models. Here’s what it means in practice:

• HPC systems can perform quadrillions of calculations per second, which enables rapid processing of large datasets in manufacturing.
• HPC can run complex simulations and analyses that lead to groundbreaking discoveries and innovative solutions.
• Many HPC services are offered in scalable models, allowing you to only pay what you use, reducing operational costs while improving performance.

High-Performance Networking are advanced technologies that support faster data transfer between computing nodes in an HPC environment. Thanks to HPN, data can be shared quickly and efficiently.

Together, HPC and HPN provide a robust infrastructure that supports operations by:

• Enabling Real-Time Analytics – Manufacturers can process and analyze vast amounts of data in real time.
• Supporting Complex Simulations – Industries such as manufacturing, automotive, and healthcare rely on HPC to conduct simulations that guide product development and operational strategies.
• Enhancing Research Capabilities – Engineers leverage HPC for research that requires extensive computational resources.

5G and Wi-Fi 6 in Manufacturing

5G and Wi-Fi 6 are revolutionizing communication in manufacturing. With its ability to process large volumes of connected devices, 5G enables the IoT and other Industry 4.0 technologies to operate. Wi-Fi 6 manages high-density environments with improved efficiency and capacity, providing stable connectivity.

Network Segmentation and Optimization

Network segmentation in manufacturing is the process of dividing the network into smaller, isolated segments. This way, you can prevent security breaches from reaching critical systems. Moreover, high-priority data, such as real-time production information, is given priority over less time-sensitive data, optimizing overall network performance.

Software-Defined Networking

Software-Defined Networking separates the network control layer from the physical infrastructure, which enables centralized control over network traffic and configuration. With this type of flexibility, manufacturers can quickly adjust their network resources in response to changing demands, like fluctuating data loads or the introduction of new IoT devices.

Industrial IoT & IT Infrastructure for Smart Factories

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) relies on connectivity technologies such as wireless sensors or RFID tags to facilitate machine-to-machine communication and data sharing. Sensors in the machinery gather extensive data on operational parameters to predict the need for maintenance.

Advanced manufacturing environments such as smart factories leverage IIoT technologies to create highly automated and intelligent production systems. To enable high-speed, low-latency communication, IIoT frameworks utilize 5G and private networks.

Use Cases in Manufacturing:

1. Precision Monitoring and Quality Control – Private 5G networks allow you to track machine performance in real time, detect issues early, and maintain high product quality. Sensors can capture large volumes of data on machine operations, which can be processed instantly to prevent costly defects.
2. Workflow and Asset Tracking – Low-power tags connected through private 5G can track assets in manufacturing facilities. This way, manufacturers can see inventory movements, reduce potential loss, and improve logistics.
3. Augmented Reality Applications – Private 5G supports AR technologies that assist workers in detailed tasks by providing real-time guidance or remote expert assistance. This leads to more efficient training and minimized risk of errors on the shop floor later on.

Data Centers Are Evolving to Support Modern Manufacturing

More and more manufacturers use data centers to support their operations. And these facilities are offering more and more robust infrastructure to support their needs. The modern, manufacturing-optimized data centers deliver high availability, scalability, and low latency, actively boosting Industry 4.0 technologies.

Edge data centers are compact, localized facilities positioned closer to the production environment. Using their services, you can gain faster response times, better reliability, and improved bandwidth efficiency compared to traditional data centers.

Cybersecurity for Manufacturing IT Infrastructure

A list of IT trends in the manufacturing industry wouldn’t be complete without a section on cybersecurity. The increasing convergence of IT and OT (Operational Technology) exposes manufacturers to new threats, such as ransomware attacks, intellectual property theft, or weak links in the supply chain. Why is that?

• Many legacy OT environments were designed for reliability, not security, making them vulnerable to modern cyber threats.
• Traditional security tools may not provide adequate monitoring of both IT and OT environments.
• Connected sensors and smart devices expand the attack surface, creating potential entry points for hackers.

Best Practices for OT-IT Security

• Network Segmentation – Isolate OT systems from IT networks to contain potential breaches.
• Continuous Monitoring – Deploy security tools that provide real-time visibility into network activity.
• Access Control – Restrict access to critical systems based on roles and necessity.
• Zero Trust Security – Implement a security model in which no user device is trusted by default.
• Cyber-Resilient Infrastructure – Build a manufacturing infrastructure that is prepared to detect, mitigate, and recover from cyber incidents.

Sustainable Manufacturing through IT Innovation

More efficient energy usage, resource optimization, and waste reduction are all byproducts of innovating your IT in the manufacturing industry. But with modern technologies, you can go a step further.

Implement carbon footprint tracking and reporting tools to monitor and provide real-time insights into emissions across the supply chain in real-time, helping you meet ESG goals and regulatory requirements. AI can analyze big data and identify new opportunities for improving sustainability performance.

The Rise of the Industrial Metaverse: Immersive Collaboration and Training

Metaverse isn’t just for games, online retail, and social media. Industrial Metaverse is a place where you can create digital twins of your factory machines—we’re talking realistic animations, detailed construction, and parameters such as temperature or speed reflected on your computer screen. With digital twins of your machines, you can run simulations to see how a single part malfunction can influence your processes or see how a new addition to the factory floor can improve your efficiency.

The Metaverse also facilitates remote collaboration and training, providing technicians with virtual training programs and enabling experts to support manufacturing operations from anywhere in the world. But the Industrial Metaverse is still imperfect—manufacturers interested in virtual factories need to address challenges such as data security, interoperability, and user adoption.

Advanced Data Analytics & AI as Industrial Manufacturing Trends

Just like in other industries, AI is actively changing manufacturing. Generative AI can help you explore new materials, optimize designs, and automate processes. But digital twins combined with AI take production optimization to the next level—with that tech, you can dynamically adjust production parameters, resource allocation, and quality control based on live data. AI is also able to strengthen supply chain resilience by forecasting geopolitical shifts, environmental factors, and fluctuating demand.

From the IT perspective, AI-powered infrastructure monitoring and anomaly detection make your systems more stable, while self-healing networks and automated IT management keep factories running smoothly with minimal human intervention.

Manufacturing Technology Trends

Recent trends in manufacturing technology such as Metaverse, edge computing, or IIoT are changing the way manufacturing companies operate, bringing them closer and closer to something straight out of a sci-fi story. But it’s not fiction—it’s completely real, and it’s happening right now. The only question is: Are you ready to utilize these technologies? A solid adoption plan and expert support are a must.

Comarch is at the forefront of these changes. With our ICT professionals and flexible services, we can propel your manufacturing business into the new era. Interested? Don’t hesitate to schedule a discovery call today!