Smart Manufacturing Consulting
Smart Manufacturing Consulting
The move toward automation known as Industry 4.0 is changing the ways companies manufacture their products and run their plants — for the better. Thanks to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), artificial intelligence, machine learning and cloud computing, manufacturers can make better decisions, improve customer service and increase visibility.
Malisko is at the forefront of smart manufacturing consulting. We help companies modernize their plants through automation and smart factory connectivity. Learn more about our smart manufacturing consulting solutions and capabilities.
Cutting-Edge Smart Manufacturing Consulting
Smart manufacturing uses emerging technology to increase the efficiency of traditional manufacturing. It’s an umbrella term that includes the use of artificial intelligence, the blockchain, digital twins and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Smart manufacturing stands on three pillars:
- Agile decision-making
- Risk reduction
- Increased efficiency
Malisko’s consulting services aim to address these three pillars and help your company embrace smart manufacturing solutions. We recognize that your plant’s needs are unique, so we use a tailored approach to consulting or providing services.
Our smart manufacturing consulting team will work to get to know your company. We’ll perform a site assessment and talk to your team members to learn more about how your organization operates and any concerns they have with current procedures.
Our services include:
- Manufacturing intelligence
- Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions
- IT/OT convergence
- Process automation solutions
- Plant floor control
Benefits of Smart Manufacturing Solutions
Our smart manufacturing solutions support your company in many ways. When you partner with us, you can see the following benefits:
- Increased efficiency: Industry 4.0 and IIoT are all about increasing efficiency. Smart, automated machinery shortens your time to market and increases efficiency in your factory.
- Better data analytics: Smart manufacturing weaves data into every step of the manufacturing process. Access to the IIoT means that every device in a facility is connected to the others, linking processes across your plant. You can analyze the data collected from each device to identify improvement opportunities, inefficiencies or gaps in your manufacturing processes.
- Increased productivity: Companies that adopt smart manufacturing initiatives typically see a 10 to 12% increase in areas including labor productivity, manufacturing output and factory utilization.
Industries That Benefit From Smart Manufacturing Solutions
Practically any industry that manufactures products can benefit from smart manufacturing solutions, including these sectors Malisko often serves:
- Food and beverage
- Dairy
- Consumer packaged goods
- Life sciences
- Specialty chemical
- Energy and utilities
- Metal, mining and cement
- General industrial
Numerous industries can benefit from the lowered production costs, increased efficiency and improved data collection associated with smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0.
Plant floor data can be cumbersome to dissect, analyze and interpret. We can help turn your data into actionable information — customized reports, plant status dashboards, real-time alerts. Getting KPI data to the right people in your organization is paramount to managing your bottom line. We can help you become proactive and take action now.
Contemporary control systems contain a wealth of data. Capturing that data and converting that data into actionable information provides management tools capable of helping drive operational improvements in manufacturing. Malisko has repeatedly helped Clients with automatically gathering data, correlating the data and producing real-time and historical information. The end results become analysis tools used by management, production, engineering, quality and maintenance to make effective decisions driving manufacturing improvements.
Malisko can provide services supporting effective manufacturing intelligence; including and not limited to:
- Continuous historical data collection of process, line, and machine performance
- Recording of process and production event-based data
- Creating Relational Databases for plant floor data
- Creating:
- Bulk Ingredient Receiving Reports
- Batch Reports
- Product Reports
- Alarm Reports
- Cleaning Reports (CIP and SIP)
- Plant Metrics (OEE) and KPI Tracking
- Process and production information:
- Real-time dashboards
- Web-based
Malisko routinely supplies both integration services along with the required hardware, software and equipment listed above to deliver an effective and cost-efficient automated plant floor control system.
Frequently Asked Questions About Smart Manufacturing
Still have questions about smart manufacturing? We can answer them.
What is manufacturing intelligence and how is it different from regular reporting?
Smart manufacturing applies the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to the production process. Manufacturing intelligence goes beyond static reports. It involves continuously collecting, contextualizing, and presenting operational data in ways that support real-time decisions. Where traditional reporting tells you what happened after the fact, a well-designed manufacturing intelligence system tells you what is happening now — and often why — so your team can act before a problem becomes a loss.
Do we need to replace our existing control systems to get started?
Not necessarily. Malisko specializes in integrating manufacturing intelligence solutions with existing infrastructure — including legacy historians, PLCs, DCS systems, and ERP platforms. In many cases, the data you need is already being collected; the gap is in how it is structured, presented, and made available to the people who need it.
How long does a manufacturing intelligence project typically take?
Project timelines vary based on scope, the number of data sources being integrated, and the complexity of the reporting requirements. A focused dashboard or reporting project for a single line or facility can often be completed in weeks. Enterprise-scale deployments across multiple sites are phased over several months. Malisko works with you during the front-end design phase to define scope and set realistic project timelines. The easiest way to start with smart manufacturing is to partner with a company that offers a full suite of automation and IoT services, such as Malisko.
Can manufacturing intelligence solutions be accessed remotely or on mobile devices?
Yes. Modern manufacturing intelligence platforms support web-based and mobile access, allowing managers and executives to view production KPIs, alerts, and reports from anywhere. Malisko designs solutions with your access requirements in mind, whether that means plant-floor displays, office dashboards, or remote mobile access.
What is the difference between a DCS and a PLC-based control system?
A Distributed Control System (DCS) is designed for complex, continuous process applications — think chemical plants, pharmaceutical manufacturing, or large food and beverage facilities with many interdependent control loops. DCS platforms excel at managing hundreds or thousands of I/O points with tight integration between control, alarming, and historian functions. PLC-based systems (often combined with SCADA) are more common in discrete and hybrid manufacturing environments where the emphasis is on machine-level control and sequencing. Malisko has expertise in both architectures and can help you determine which approach best fits your process requirements.
How disruptive is a DCS migration? Can we do it without shutting down production?
Migration complexity depends on the size of your system, the criticality of the process, and the gap between your existing platform and the target architecture. Malisko uses a structured migration methodology that prioritizes production continuity — including parallel operation strategies, phased cutover plans, and thorough simulation and testing before any live changes. Many migrations can be executed during planned maintenance windows, minimizing impact on production schedules.
Can Malisko help us make the business case for a process automation investment?
Yes. We regularly support clients in building the justification for automation projects, including ROI modeling, energy savings projections, downtime cost analysis, and compliance risk assessments. A front-end engineering design (FEED) engagement is often the right first step — it gives you the engineering detail needed to develop an accurate capital estimate and a clear picture of the expected return.
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