Smart manufacturing

The potential of smart manufacturing technology

As a manufacturer, you’re in the middle of a rapidly evolving industry. Smart manufacturing systems powered by the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) are making it possible to reach new levels of productivity and efficiency. Widespread automation and sensors that monitor every process have the potential to transform your operation into a highly adaptable environment that can respond in real time to minimize waste, enhance quality and help you be more competitive.

However, to capitalize on this new smart factory technology, you’re going to need a modern network. Smart manufacturing requires high-speed, high-bandwidth connectivity capable of handling massive volumes of data in real time. Ubiquitous wireless connectivity is essential, and seamless backups are business-critical. Because your industry is at high risk for cyberattacks, your smart manufacturing systems must be protected by multiple layers of security that can identify, mitigate and stop attacks before they happen.

Spectrum Enterprise can help. Our tailored technology solutions are designed to architect a network that’s built for smart manufacturing and innovation. By focusing on network resilience and business network modernization, our solutions help to drive operational improvements, secure your data and help you reach your business goals.

What you need from a smart manufacturing network

To reap the benefits of smart manufacturing, you need a network that can deliver several essential capabilities.

• Scalability. To stay competitive as new opportunities and challenges arise, your network must quickly scale up and down with minimal cost and effort.
• Speed and capacity. Technologies like IIoT, digital twins, cloud computing, robotics and complex supply chain management generate and transmit massive amounts of data. Ultra-high speeds and high-bandwidth capacity are a must.
• Low latency. Latency degrades the power of real-time analytics and decision-making as your data moves between geographically distributed facilities and your data center or cloud environments.
• Security. Protecting your smart manufacturing systems from attack is critical – especially since the historical air gap between operational technology (OT) and IT is disappearing. But when every millisecond counts, you can’t rely on security technology that requires traffic to be backhauled to a central data center. Edge computing technology and SASE solutions are essential.
• Flexibility. Your smart manufacturing network needs the flexibility to accommodate multi-cloud environments and to meet optimized, complex routing requirements.
• Cost-effective. An SD-WAN solution with multiple connectivity options will reduce operating costs by letting you route traffic across the most appropriate and cost-efficient private or public networks.
• Streamlined management. To simplify management of a complex smart manufacturing network, your teams can benefit from a complete solution that includes design, configuration, equipment, connectivity, installation and ongoing support for all your locations.

Network solutions from Spectrum Enterprise

Spectrum Enterprise offers comprehensive, high-performing network solutions to meet the demands of smart manufacturing technology. With smart spaces technology and expertise from Spectrum Enterprise, you can streamline operations, enhance supply chains and integrate evolving digital technologies to better meet your needs and goals.

• High-speed, high-bandwidth internet. Our Fiber Internet Access solution delivers fast, symmetrical dedicated internet service with speeds up to 100 Gbps, backed by a service level agreement (SLA)  for 100% uptime guarantee.¹ Wireless Internet supports access diversity and keeps all locations connected. Wireless Internet Backup automatically activates in response to network outages.
• Scalable networking solutions and managed services. Our end-to-end managed services provide expertise in design, implementation and ongoing support to streamline management of smart manufacturing environments. Managed Network Edge simplifies networking with a modular, expandable and all-in-one solution. Enterprise Network Edge provides advanced security, edge networking, managed switches and more to meet a wide range of high-capacity and security requirements. Our offerings also include Managed WiFi, Managed SD-WAN, Managed Router Service, Wireless Internet and a Managed Workplace Package.
• Security products. From network to cloud-based security, our offerings scale with your business to better protect you from cyberthreats. Managed cloud security solutions apply Zero Trust and multi-factor authentication technologies to mitigate a wide range of risks. DDoS protection keeps your network and web assets accessible by quickly stopping volumetric attacks. Secure remote access lets your workforce connect to IT resources from anywhere. Network-based security solutions offer protection against internal or external threats to protect users, data and infrastructure.

Smart manufacturing solutions for every sector

Spectrum Enterprise technology provides secure, flexible and future-focused solutions for smart manufacturing operations in a variety of sectors.

• Automotive. Our solutions provide a flexible and secure network that supports the production of increasingly sophisticated and connected vehicles. With Spectrum Enterprise, you can streamline operations, optimize inventory management and incorporate valuable driver and vehicle insights to accelerate innovation.
• Oil and gas. Our teams of experts help securely build and scale digital initiatives like artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics and networks to support sophisticated simulation and modeling capabilities.
• Apparel. Our network solutions provide robust infrastructure for technologies like 3D printing, semi-automated sewing, automated logistics and other apparel automation. We also help streamline supply chain management, simplify compliance and improve customization.
• Construction and home improvement. Spectrum Enterprise flexible networking solutions make it easy to incorporate drones, wearables and GPS tracking systems for jobsites. Our technology also accelerates movement of real-time data to improve scheduling of labor and materials across sites and suppliers.
• Cosmetics. Our technology for smart manufacturing in cosmetics helps you incorporate robotics, 3D printing, and IIoT devices to keep up with customer demand while achieving more profitable product lifecycles.

Why Spectrum Enterprise?

At Spectrum Enterprise, we partner with America’s largest businesses to design solutions that deliver extraordinary value. Our offerings combine a modern fiber network, a complete portfolio of solutions and a relentless commitment to the best client experience. That’s why more than 80% of Fortune 500 companies choose Spectrum Enterprise for technology solutions.

With Spectrum Enterprise, you can count on:

• Access to a nationwide network with 245000+ fiber-route miles and 317,000+ fiber-lit buildings
• Internet speeds up to 100 Gbps
• A 100% uptime guarantee service level agreement (SLA) ²
• 100% U.S.-based support 24/7/365
• A 4-hour mean time to restore service

FAQs

What is smart manufacturing?

Smart manufacturing enhances the quality and efficiency of manufacturing. Powered by data collected from the Industrial Internet of Things, smart manufacturing environments rely on automation and analytics to continually optimize processes, improve safety, minimize downtime and reduce costs.

What is IIoT?

The Industrial Internet of Things is a network of interconnected devices and sensors in an industrial environment that constantly monitor production processes, equipment health and environmental conditions. The IIoT is the bedrock of smart factory and smart manufacturing solutions.

¹100% uptime SLA guarantee applies only to Dedicated Fiber Internet, Secure Dedicated Fiber Internet, Ethernet Services, Cloud Connect and Enterprise Trunking.