Connectivity for the plant floor without exposing production systems
Production equipment, sensors, scanners and cameras need reliable connections, but operational technology must not share an uncontrolled network with office laptops. We design both, and the boundary between them.
Operating realities we plan around
- Harsh radio and physical conditions
- Metal machinery, high ceilings, heat and dust affect Wi-Fi and cabling. Surveys happen in operating conditions, and equipment is rated for the environment.
- IT and OT separation
- Machine controllers and operator panels are segmented from business networks, with only the required traffic allowed through monitored firewall rules.
- Production windows
- Changes are scheduled around shifts, shutdowns and maintenance periods agreed with plant management.
- Vendor remote access
- Machine builders often need remote access. It should be time-limited, logged and restricted to the equipment they support.
- Visibility on the line
- Cameras and analytics can support safety and quality reviews when their purpose, placement and retention are defined.
Where projects in this sector usually start
These services come up first most often. The order depends on your sites, systems and risks.
- Enterprise networks & Wi-FiIndustrial Wi-Fi, fiber backbones and resilient switching.
- CybersecurityIT and OT segmentation, firewall zones and controlled vendor access.
- CCTV & access controlPlant and perimeter cameras, gate and door access.
- Servers, storage & backupEdge servers and backup for production systems.
Questions to settle early
Can our production and office networks share equipment?
They can share physical infrastructure if traffic is separated into zones with firewall control between them. What matters is that an infected office laptop cannot reach machine controllers.
Our machines run old operating systems. Can they be secured?
Often they cannot be patched, so they are protected by isolating them in their own segment, limiting who and what can reach them, and monitoring their traffic.
Do we need industrial-grade access points?
In hot, dusty, humid or vibrating areas, yes. Office-grade equipment may be fine in clean areas such as offices and control rooms.
Related guides and scenarios
Connecting the plant floor?
A survey in operating conditions shows what the network, the equipment and the security boundary need.