The Industrial IoT Blog
IIoT Insights by Henry Costa
Tag: Digital Transformation
The shift from manual and siloed processes to data-driven, connected, and automated ways of working. Focuses on using digital technologies to improve operations, decisions, and business value.
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Industry 5.0: Human-Centric, Sustainable & Resilient IIoT
Read more: Industry 5.0: Human-Centric, Sustainable & Resilient IIoTIndustry 5.0 might sound like a buzzword, but underneath it’s about something real: putting people back at the center of manufacturing. It’s about making factories not just smarter, but also more human, sustainable, and resilient. I’ve spent the last 20…
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What Is IIoT? The Basics You Should Know
Read more: What Is IIoT? The Basics You Should KnowIf you work in manufacturing, you’ve probably heard people throw around “IIoT” (Industrial Internet of Things) like it’s the answer to every plant problem. Sometimes it sounds like magic. It’s not. But it is changing how we run factories, and…
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What to Keep in Mind When Designing a New IIoT Strategy
Read more: What to Keep in Mind When Designing a New IIoT StrategyIf there’s one thing I’ve learned from two decades in the trenches of manufacturing IT and IIoT, it’s that a good strategy isn’t about chasing the latest technology or ticking off a checklist. It’s about making real improvements—connecting machines, data,…
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From the Purdue Model to Event-Driven Architecture (EDA): What’s Really Changing
Read more: From the Purdue Model to Event-Driven Architecture (EDA): What’s Really ChangingLet’s talk about the shift from the Purdue Model to Event-Driven Architecture (EDA) in manufacturing. I’ve experienced this transition firsthand—on the shop floor, in IT meetings, and across countless architecture reviews. Here’s what’s truly happening, why it matters, and what…
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What IIoT Consulting Really Looks Like: Stories, Lessons, and a Bit of Reality
Read more: What IIoT Consulting Really Looks Like: Stories, Lessons, and a Bit of RealityLet me tell you what IIoT consulting has really been like for me—across automotive, metals, pharma, food, and a few other places where things get built, mixed, or assembled. I’ve been at this since before “Industry 4.0” was a thing,…
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Why IIoT Projects Fail (And What I Learned After Being on Both Sides)
Read more: Why IIoT Projects Fail (And What I Learned After Being on Both Sides)If you work in manufacturing long enough—especially in Industrial IoT (IIoT) or Industry 4.0—you’ll see plenty of projects that don’t go as planned. Some stall, others limp along, and a few just quietly fade away. I’ve been on both sides:…
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My First Real IIoT Project: Making Automotive Plants Smarter
Read more: My First Real IIoT Project: Making Automotive Plants SmarterIf I had to pick one project that truly started my Industrial IoT journey, it would be this one. Back in 2017, I was helping a large global automotive parts manufacturer — one of the top 10 worldwide — modernize…
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IIoT Journey: Edge-First, Cloud-Second
Read more: IIoT Journey: Edge-First, Cloud-SecondI want to talk about why, after two decades in Industrial Smart Manufacturing, I’ve become a strong believer in an “Edge-First, Cloud-Second” approach for connecting plants, machines, and people. This isn’t some theory — it’s the result of real projects,…
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Foundations: What Is a PLC in an IIoT Architecture?
Read more: Foundations: What Is a PLC in an IIoT Architecture?Let’s start at the beginning: what’s a PLC, and why does it matter so much in smart factories and IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) setups? The Basics: What Is a PLC? A PLC, or Programmable Logic Controller, is basically the…
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How Hard Is It for a Small IIoT Consulting Company to Win Projects in the U.S.?
Read more: How Hard Is It for a Small IIoT Consulting Company to Win Projects in the U.S.?Let me just say it straight: for a small Industrial IoT (IIoT) consulting company, selling projects in the US market is tough. I’ve seen it from both sides — building a practice from scratch and sitting on the buyer’s side…
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Integrating Autonomous AGVs: Lessons from the Field
Read more: Integrating Autonomous AGVs: Lessons from the FieldSome projects stay with you — not just for the technology, but for how they reshape what you think is possible on a shop floor. A few years ago, I was part of a large automotive manufacturing initiative that brought…
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The Project That Won Two Awards and Nearly Broke My Team
Read more: The Project That Won Two Awards and Nearly Broke My TeamIf you’ve ever been part of a major digital transformation in manufacturing, you know the feeling: the thrill of building something big, and the stress when the wheels start to come off. This is the story of the SAP MII…