Case Study Brownfield Retrofit and Upgrade

Industrial automation • By Tobias Schneider • April 25, 2025
A precision component manufacturer adopted Xentara to overcome integration, data standardization, and cybersecurity challenges in their Industry 4.0 transition. Xentara enabled real-time data flow between shop floor machines and business systems (MES/ERP), improved analytics, and streamlined control of legacy equipment. Results included a 10% drop in maintenance costs, 30% less unplanned downtime, 5% productivity gain per line, and 10–15% energy savings—boosting efficiency, connectivity, and operational readiness.
Case Study Brownfield Retrofit and Upgrade

Customer: Manufacturer of Precision Turned Components

“Digitalization goes beyond the shopfloor. Just data monitoring isn’t enough anymore; we need to connect the machine level directly with business intelligence.”

General Manager, OEM

The customer is a well-known manufacturer of precision turned parts, ball screws, motor spindles, and assemblies. OEM has become a prominent provider in the industry due to its sophisticated manufacturing technologies and years of experience. Its products are globally recognized for their exceptional precision, quality, and dependability, and they are highly regarded by consumers across a variety of industries. OEM is at the forefront of the delivery of innovative solutions for demanding applications due to its strong commitment to customer fulfilment and a dedicated team of professionals.

OEM encounters numerous obstacles in order to achieve an Industry 4.0-ready production floor. The integration of devices with a variety of control systems from different suppliers presents a number of challenges, necessitating the development of solutions for standardized communication and compatibility. The integration of legacy apparatus into a unified platform is a difficult task due to the outdated technology, which requires retrofitting or upgrading measures. Furthermore, the effective aggregation and analysis of data necessitates the harmonization of data formats and protocols throughout the machine fleet. The risk of cybersecurity threats is elevated as a result of the increased connectivity, necessitating the implementation of robust measures to protect sensitive information.

Additionally, the transition to Industry 4.0 necessitates proficiency in data analytics and emergent technologies, underscoring the significance of workforce training and upskilling initiatives. Technology, infrastructure, and human resources necessitate substantial investment, necessitating meticulous resource management and budget allocation. Thorough planning and coordination are necessary to guarantee interoperability among various systems and equipment, which is essential for the seamless integration of processes and data. In order to attain Industry 4.0 readiness and fully utilize the potential of its manufacturing operations, OEM must surmount these obstacles.

In light of these problems, utilizing Xentara as a convergence platform is increasingly vital. Xentara functions as an all-encompassing solution, tackling the intricacies of merging various machine controls, legacy system integration, data standardization, cybersecurity threats, skill deficiencies, cost management, and interoperability issues. Xentara aggregates and preprocesses shop floor data to provide smooth interface with MES/ERP systems, hence allowing efficient data interchange and enabling real-time analytics. Furthermore, Xentara's ability to deliver real-time data to machine controllers improves shop floor efficiency by facilitating prompt modifications and optimizations.

Xentara is essential for addressing the challenges of Industry 4.0 adoption, enabling OEMs to attain operational excellence and competitiveness in contemporary manufacturing by bridging the hardware operation layer with the software IT office layer.

Software Components Provided

• Xentara Core for Control • Xentara Core for Data Management • OEE Calculation Skill • OPC UA Server Skill • Xentara App for Mobile Data Access • Time Series Database connection Skill • Connect Skills for customer specific controls and northbound connections

Deliverable Work Packages

Outcomes Compared to No Access to Shop Floor and Office Floor Data

Proactive Issue Identification and Predictive Maintenance

• Total maintenance expenditures diminished by 10%

• Unscheduled equipment inactivity reduced by 30%

Enhanced Production Processes

• 5% reported augmentation in total productivity per production line Resource Optimization • Energy usage specific to machines decreased by 10 to 15%.