With a pilot, the first step is to build a prototype (i.e., a trial version of your connected IoT system). How well your prototype represents the full-scale IoT environment is crucial to demonstrating how the system will work at scale. Therefore, it’s necessary to invest in components such as sensors, devices, and machine and human interfaces, as well as a secure test environment. This type of testing also requires that you make a significant investment of time and internal resources to run the pilot, analyze results, and answer questions regarding whether or not your design will get the results you need. For example:
- Will you be able to connect legacy machinery and capture vital data?
- Can data move freely from the cloud and analytics platform to devices?
- Will the system enable automation, endpoint monitoring, and device management?
If you come to the unfortunate conclusion that the design you piloted isn’t viable, you need to decide if the IoT project is worth continued investment. Regrettably, many manufacturers reach a stalemate at that point. You know you need to move forward with digital transformation, but cost, complexity, and security issues may hold you back.
The Solution is Digital Experimentation
Piloting inherently sets manufacturers up for failure. When your system doesn’t deliver intended results, your only alternative is back to the drawing board — and the checkbook. But there is a better way.
Digital experiments provide an innovative starting point on the IoT journey, providing the opportunity to find and use the data you need to achieve real business results before full-scale commitment.We strongly believe that digital experiments will provide the blueprints for the next generation of business models and processes that will shape the manufacturing landscape. They also allow you to try different configurations and analyze their impact on cost-effectiveness, operational excellence, productivity, product quality, and top-line growth. Digital experiments may also reveal paths to new revenue streams or minimally viable products (MVPs).
Digital experiments let you start small, think big, and learn fast. You may even discover that a system configuration quite different from the one you had planned is the optimal, ROI-maximizing design for your full-scale system.
Breaking Down Barriers with ADLINK Digital Experiments
Digital experiments remove some of the risk associated with pilots, but manufacturers can still face issues with cost, complexity, and security. ADLINK breaks down these barriers with Digital Experiments starting at $15,000. The offer includes:
- Configured edge devices and certified sensor packs
- Secure data movement, including ways to bridge IT/OT
- Links to business systems like your ERP and CRM
- Endpoint management
- Data streaming to major cloud providers
- Protocol adapters
Professional services are available via the ADLINK team to supplement your in-house expertise.
By providing the necessary hardware, software, experimentation platform, and support, digital experiments eliminate the upfront cost and risk associated with investing in prototyping and infrastructure. ADLINK’s digital experiments make IoT faster, easier and cheaper by delivering AI at the edge. It provides a simple and secure pathway to measurable ROI by showing you how to optimize operations in a way that will transform your business. You can confirm the validity of your design — even show how it can integrate with supply chain or other partners’ solutions — and take solid data back to stakeholders to strengthen their confidence before a company-wide rollout.
Change Direction
It’s time to stop the cycle of investing, trying, and failing with pilots that don’t move your digital transformation forward. Digital experimentation that reduces risk and time to optimize your IoT system design — is a smarter approach that can lead to greater benefits to your business, including top-line growth, innovation, and new revenue streams.
Never again approach an IoT project without knowing if your investment will have a return. Perform low-risk digital experiments to find the answers and choose the right direction.
Click here to get started.