Integrating IoT With Legacy Equipment: Retrofitting Existing Machines for Smart Operations

The Internet of Things (IoT) benefits a wide range of industrial operations by improving efficiency, enhancing decision-making with data-driven analytics, and enabling predictive maintenance to reduce costs and downtime. However, many companies have existing investments in legacy systems that are not inherently compatible with IoT technologies. 

Retrofitting offers a solution by bridging the gap between legacy equipment and modern technology. Explore the necessary considerations and best strategies when retrofitting existing machines for smart operations.   

Understanding Legacy Equipment 

All legacy equipment is not made equal, so it’s crucial to assess existing infrastructure as part of the retrofitting process. Control systems, machines, and sensors that predate IoT innovations are among the many things to examine. 

Add to this their varying ages, manufacturers, and automation capabilities, and professionals will get a picture of the many components that go into understanding older systems. 

Despite the challenges, retrofitting these systems is crucial for minimizing downtime, maintaining a competitive edge in today’s technology-driven market, and optimizing operational efficiency. 

Integrating IoT-Enabled Sensors 

Professionals can attach external sensors to legacy equipment to capture data on vibration, temperature, pressure, flow, and more. IoT-enabled sensors streamline daily operations and support predictive maintenance, allowing workers to address issues before they become too costly or lead to increased downtime. 

They also help operations achieve improved environmental standards, reach sustainability goals, and maintain regulatory compliance. Sensors have different use cases, so company leaders should consider which types are most applicable to their operations:

• Vibration sensors: These sensors can detect issues that require maintenance, monitor patterns and abnormalities, and analyze machine quality and performance.
• Temperature sensors: Temperature sensors — such as resistance temperature detectors and infrared sensors — can identify overheating in electrical equipment, monitor machine temperature to achieve optimal performance, and track facility temperature, helping warehouses reach energy consumption goals.
• Pressure sensors: Strain gauge, capacity, and other pressure sensors can measure tank and pipe pressure to manage flow rates. They can also detect and alert people to leaks.
• Flow sensors: These sensors can identify flow pattern abnormalities, leading to leak detection. Flow sensors also control flow rates in chemical reactors, making them essential for worker and warehouse safety.
• Current and voltage sensors: Like temperature sensors, current and voltage sensors can track energy consumption to help companies save on utility bills and maintain compliance with environmental regulations.
• Acoustic emission sensors: These sensors can hear fluid or gas escaping from pipes or storage tanks, making them a crucial safety precaution.
• Proximity sensors: Inductive, photoelectric, ultrasonic, or capacitive sensors can measure equipment’s rotating speed and confirm standard safety guards are in place before a machine operates.

Decision-makers should ensure sensors can handle a warehouse’s environmental conditions. For instance, a company dealing with corrosive materials or extreme temperatures must consider those factors.

Professionals should account for ease of mounting and installation, required power supply for sensor operability, and IoT communication capability.  

Utilizing Connectivity Solutions 

Existing communication ports — such as an Ethernet or serial communication capability — can extract data via direct connection. 

If not, data loggers can temporarily store data retrieved from sensors or equipment outputs. This information can then be uploaded to the IoT platform. 

Industrial gateways translate data from the legacy equipment’s protocol — for instance, Modbus, RTU/TCP, or Profibus — to whatever format the IoT platform understands, such as MQTT, HTTPS, or CoAP.  

Edge devices or gateways can also help speed up the transition process by preprocessing data before it’s sent to the cloud. There are several ways these devices might do this, including:

• Filtering: This process removes noise or irrelevancies from the data.
• Aggregation: In this case, multiple data points combine into a single value. For instance, temperature readings over a certain period could be averaged.
• Transformation: In this scenario, edge computing translates data into a different unit of measurement or format that the IoT platform will understand.
• Encryption: Data encryption makes readable information unreadable, strengthening security and protecting it from unauthorized access. 

Along with data encryption, it is essential that only authorized users and devices can connect to the IoT platform throughout this process for security purposes. Regular security checks also detect and immediately address any vulnerabilities. 

Implementation Considerations

Many factors must be considered when retrofitting legacy equipment to make the process as smooth as possible.  

Data Security

While retrofitting for IoT functionality has benefits, it can also lead to security risks. Nearly 100% of security professionals claim securing their organizations’ IoT devices is difficult. The downtime associated with retrofitting equipment can open the door to cybercriminals waiting to exploit system vulnerabilities to secure sensitive data.

Creating a security plan that considers the potential vulnerabilities of new IoT-connected devices is crucial. Everything should have strict authentication measures, and access should be granted to employees on an as-required basis, depending on a worker’s role. Consistent security audits and updates reduce the likelihood of cyberattacks, as does employee training on safety measures, such as using strong passwords and reporting phishing attempts. 

Scalability 

• Retrofitting existing equipment can be more cost-effective than buying it new. While upgrading legacy machinery with IoT technology can result in increased profits down the line, it does come with initial budget considerations. Decision-makers should consider scalability to ensure they get the most out of their investment. Industrial operations can enhance this by:
  Ensuring retrofitting solutions accommodate future growth, expansion, and company goals.
• Choosing flexible architectures and technologies that will likely integrate with newer equipment and systems later on.
• Planning for sufficient data storage and processing capacity to manage large and increasing volumes of information. 

Interoperability 

IoT devices create a connected network of technology that can communicate with one another. Retrofitting requires a detail-oriented mindset, but leaders should also adopt a holistic approach to manage the interconnected structure of the IoT. This involves ensuring interoperability between retrofitted equipment and other systems, facilitating data exchange with open but still secure protocols, and performing tests to confirm compatibility. 

Enabling IoT Capabilities on Legacy Equipment

Retrofitting legacy equipment with IoT functionality can help industrial operations optimize performance, enhance efficiency, extend the use of their existing equipment, and gain a competitive advantage in today’s innovative, technology-driven environment. 

These implementation strategies and considerations can ensure organizations maximize their investment and reap the rewards of IoT capabilities.