IT vs OT in Manufacturing: Why Convergence Is Your Competitive Edge

What Is IT vs OT in Manufacturing?

IT (information technology) and OT (operational technology) have different priorities, and that disconnect creates consequences on the manufacturing shop floor. 

• IT manages data using computers, software, and networking, to support decision-making and operational planning. It oversees critical business systems, including ERP and CRM software, communications technologies (e.g., email, messaging), and cybersecurity.
• OT manages physical devices using software to manage, monitor, automate and control their operations. It oversees technologies such as manufacturing execution systems (MES), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), human-machine interfaces (HMI), and programmable logic controllers (PLCs).

Both IT and OT are on the same mission — to use technology to help the company succeed — but they have different priorities that can create problems. Here's an example:

Imagine a foreign country launches a cybersecurity attack against a programmable logic controller (PLC) used on a critical production line. Although your plant hasn't yet been affected, IT wants to patch the affected PLCs immediately. But OT wants to wait until the next planned maintenance cycle to avoid unplanned downtime. The heads of IT and OT debate which risk is greater: a potential attack, which could shut down the plant for weeks, or the well-documented cost of shutting down the production line unexpectedly.

Both leaders have good points: Manufacturing is the most-targeted attack sector, and IT's focus on risk management could prevent longer and more expensive downtime if the cyberattack reaches the plant. But OT's focus on overall equipment efficiency (OEE) and availability will protect productivity, efficiency, and profitability, not to mention the plant's reputation with customers, by scheduling the update at a more convenient time.

Manufacturers are trying to diffuse this tension with IT/OT convergence — aligning these teams as partners, not opponents. The plants that resolve this tension fastest are the ones winning on OEE, quality, and resilience. Here's how to be one of them.

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Why IT and OT Need to Call a Truce

The organizational and cultural differences between IT and OT are significant pain points for manufacturing ops leaders.

Despite these differences, leaders are encouraging IT and OT to integrate — now. "Adoption of converged technologies for greenfield projects will pick up speed—from ~10% today to ~50% within the next five years," analyst firm BCG predicts.

This trend is accelerating as manufacturing adopts newer, data-driven technologies such as AI, Industry 4.0, and the industrial internet of things (IIoT). By unifying machine-generated and business-generated data, these technologies strengthen analytics, forecasting, and decision-making for better frontline and business outcomes.

But achieving these outcomes means IT vs. OT must become IT with OT.

IT/OT Convergence: What it Means on the Factory Floor

IT/OT convergence is a game-changer on the factory floor, because putting OT data into IT dashboards makes it more useful in practice. With real-time data on the state of OT systems:

• The frontline gets better access to real-time information, catches quality defects, and makes changes before they escalate.
• The shift supervisor automatically monitors standard operating procedure (SOP) compliance to retrain operators if needed.
• Maintenance predicts equipment problems before they happen and avoids downtime with preventative maintenance.
• The plant manager gains deeper insights into plant operations for better reporting and decision-making.

Top 5 Benefits of IT/OT Convergence for Manufacturing Ops

IT/OT integration helps frontline teams optimize workflows, improve asset utilization, reduce downtime, and thereby increase productivity. 

1. Real-time production visibility: Continuous data on overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), throughput, and quality enables swift adjustments to production processes as needed.
2. Predictive maintenance: Sensors and analytics monitor equipment and forecast failures, so maintenance can intervene early to prevent unplanned downtime.
3. Resource optimization: Monitoring and analyzing resource consumption across production processes can identify areas for savings and improvement.
4. Quality control: Operators and line leaders can catch quality escapes on the line, so they don't reach the customer.
5. Compliance and audit readiness: Replacing paper-based processes with digital checks automates regulatory compliance documentation, so the plant is always audit-ready.

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3 Biggest Challenges of IT/OT Convergence in Manufacturing

IT/OT convergence, done well, enables a more connected workforce and collaboration across teams and departments to foster more responsive, resilient operations. But that doesn't mean it's easy. Here are the three most common integration challenges manufacturers face.

Technology

OT equipment has a long lifespan — often decades long  — so legacy OT systems might not be equipped for modern networking protocols. For example, certain machines may not have network access (i.e., are air-gapped) on purpose to prevent cyberthreats from disrupting critical infrastructure.

Fortunately, manufacturers can bridge these gaps without "ripping and replacing" expensive machines by replacing obsolete components, updating PLCs or HMIs, installing IoT gateways or edge devices, updating operating systems, and deploying integration tools that enable connectivity.

Cybersecurity

Integrating networked devices into an OT ecosystem introduces new security risks because each connected device is a potential entry point for cyber threats and data breaches. Manufacturers must implement strong security practices, including encryption, authentication, and monitoring, to protect their IT and OT environments. Fortunately, IT's focus on cybersecurity can compensate for many of OT's weaknesses and ensure compliance with ISO 27001, SOC 2, and other frameworks and regulations. 

Potential issues rise when IT wants to patch equipment OT can't afford to restart, or IT wants to replace default credentials with role-based authentication. Developing standard protocols to help govern restarts and other potentially contentious situations is key to successful integration.

Cultural Differences

Overcoming cultural differences between IT and OT can be the hardest part of a convergence journey. IT is focused on data and communications; OT on production behaviors and outcomes. They have different reporting structures and budgets.

Connected workforce software (CWS) can help smooth these differences. A unified platform for real-time monitoring, data aggregation, and streamlined process management drives safer and more effective IT/OT integration.

How To Start Your IT/OT Convergence Journey

Because IT and OT have historically been siloed, IT/OT convergence can be a difficult cultural shift. Beginning with a pilot project can produce hard data that can soften internal resistance.

• Step 1: Select your biggest production pain point where visibility is worst. 
• Step 2: Map your current OT data and flag the information that operations needs to meet KPIs (OEE, downtime, quality, etc.).
• Step 3: Connect that OT data to an IT platform that is designed for the frontline, deploys quickly, and doesn't require new IT infrastructure.
• Step 4: Measure improvement on your KPIs, and then expand to other production lines.

The Bottom Line

IT/OT integration is a transformative shift in industrial production. Real-time OT data visible in a user-friendly IT platform improves operational control, efficiency, and productivity, enhancing decision-making capabilities within the manufacturing environment. 

With Redzone, manufacturers can harness the power of connected systems to optimize production processes and make informed decisions that boost productivity. Book a demo to learn how Redzone customers achieve an average 26% productivity uplift in just 90 days.