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How Cloud Hosting is Advancing Industry 4.0 Manufacturing

Cloud hosting is a vital piece of the digital transformation into industry 4.0.  As a part of the LightGuideAR™ 4.2 updates, we can connect to the Google Cloud Platform, Amazon Web Services, and Microsoft Azure; the three main cloud service providers.

But what is it cloud hosting? Cloud hosting (better known as just “the cloud”) is a data collection system that stores information on multiple servers in secure locations around the world. It provides global accessibility and mobility of data.

By storing data in the cloud, rather than on an internal server, it opens new opportunities for enhanced security, operational efficiency, and investment in future innovation.

 

Cloud Security

An internal server requires time and labor that might not always be available. It requires constant monitoring for connectivity, security issues, and needs hardware patching, firewalls, switches, routers, etc.

Cloud hosting puts those requirements on the hosting provider. The provider has an army of experts and resources that are trained and ready for virtually any scenario. Cloud providers routinely achieve better uptime, data loss prevention, and other metrics than on-premises systems. Plus, cloud companies can take on the liability and infrastructure to keep a good server up. They can’t lose your data because they use multiple servers that are in places that ensure internet connection. Meaning, there’s always a backup.

 

Enhanced Process Efficiency

Cloud hosting also offers the benefits of saved time, ease of use, and scalability. Information from every station in a plant can be gathered in one place and compared. It is also compatible with APIs and dashboards that narrow data to view the most significant information. For example, LightGuide currently uses Power BI to dashboard data.

This view of data leads to a better understanding of operational processes. Therefore, it is easier to recognize where issues are occurring and where to minimize downtime and waste.

You can find out more about how APIs connect to cloud hosting by reading our “LightGuideAR™ 4.2 Connects Data Remotely with Web APIs” blog post.

 

Hybrid Cloud Approach

Another option for cloud hosting is the hybrid cloud approach. LightGuide Systems is dedicated to 24/7 manufacturing operations that maximize employee productivity.  While there are lots of benefits to the cloud, there is a small and inherent delay in sending and receiving data to remote servers.  Due to this delay, we remain committed to keeping our system operation local to the station.  We will push operational data to the cloud as it is generated using a separate thread that will not slow down the real-time operator interactions of the system. This hybrid approach provides the best of both worlds, maximizing both productivity and data access.

 

Profitable Industry 4.0 Investment

The future of industry 4.0 relies on adaptability and resilience. Cloud hosting allows you to constantly adapt and evaluate security, efficiency, and innovation—with minimum effort.

LightGuide Systems is a leader in industry 4.0 technology by using cloud hosting to adapt to manufacturing needs. Our broad understanding of the flexibility of cloud hosting allows us to easily recognize the operational needs and maximize results.

 

To learn more about cloud hosting and how it can be applied to your operations, please contact us for more information.