Five tips for Turnkey Success

With connected production being a key theme for 2026, Dave Raine, Managing Director of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag UK and Ireland, delves into five key challenges encountered with digital transformation in modern manufacturing environments. Many of these can be addressed by prioritising synergy and interoperability, and shifting towards a more human-centric Industry 5.0 framework notes the industry leader.

Central to this evolution is the shift from simple equipment interfacing to fully integrated systems. Instead of machines and automation operating in isolation, the focus is now on creating a single, cohesive turnkey unit. This unified approach leverages OPC UA protocols, which enable seamless data communication across equipment, and incorporates big data analytics for enhanced insight and decision-making.

These technological advancements are designed to significantly elevate operational productivity. By enabling machines and automation to work together efficiently, manufacturers can effectively address current challenges such as labour shortages and the pressing need for greater resource efficiency.

Turnkey Tip 1: Stop confusing interfacing with integration

This can be a common failure point in digital roadmaps. The key distinctions between interfacing and full system integration lie in the level of cohesion, data flow and operational independence between injection moulding machines and the periphery equipment.

Interfacing typically results in loosely connected systems operating in silos, whereas integration creates a unified environment where systems work together seamlessly.

Dave explains: “Relying on interfacing alone produces a fragile patchwork of data silos. For manufacturers grappling with challenges such as labour shortages or complex shift patterns, only a fully integrated platform can deliver a truly consistent user experience with minimal dependence on manual intervention. Integration enables all components of the system to communicate and collaborate effectively, which is essential for operational resilience and efficiency.”

Although integration may require a greater level of complexity at the design phase, the long-term efficiency gains and scalability far outweigh the costs of maintaining a fractured system, asserts Dave.

Turnkey Tip 2: Manage stakeholder expectations

Choosing the right architecture is just the start. Managing the human and procedural lifecycle of the project is the next critical phase.

The most pervasive ‘stakeholder challenge’ is balancing and managing expectations insists Dave. “Stakeholders frequently demand seamless, bi-directional data flow while selecting hardware that lacks native interoperability. This creates a technical burden that often derails budgets and timelines during the implementation phase.”

A robust User Requirements Specification (URS) serves as the primary tool for mitigating the risks associated with misaligned stakeholder expectations. By clearly defining the required system functionalities, data flows and interoperability standards at the outset, the URS helps ensure all parties share a common understanding of project objectives.

This structured approach also minimises the potential for technical misunderstandings and budget overruns and streamlines the implementation process, states Dave.

Turnkey Tip 3: Don’t dismiss legacy assets

One of the most significant obstacles to a holistic factory view isn’t always the lack of new technology, rather the isolation of existing ones. Many injection moulding machines from the late 90s and early 2000s, including the Ergotech, Systec, and El-Exis models, remain highly reliable and production. Yet, their NC4 CANbus controllers speak a language that is incompatible with modern OPC UA systems.

To address this challenge, Marcus Gill, Software Engineering Manager at Sumitomo (SHI) Demag, developed what is essentially a Rosetta Stone for the factory floor. This ‘bridge’ technology utilises a special CAN-to-Ethernet gateway that is able to securely translate legacy data packets into modern data streams.

“This is clever stuff as it allows a legacy machine from 1998 to sit on the same data dashboard as state-of-the-art IntElect or PAC-E model,” explains Dave. This capability brings all assets, regardless of age, into a unified data environment to support complete operational visibility.

Turnkey Tip 4: Think data value, not volume

In the injection moulding environment, data challenges have evolved from ‘data lack’ to ‘data swamp’. The focus has consequently moved towards extracting valuable insights from this vast pool of data.

To illustrate the scale of this challenge, Dave shares the example of a single machine setup with a 12-second cycle on a 16-cavity mould monitoring 83 parameters. This includes 25 machine parameters, 20 HRC channels, four MTC points, and 34 flow monitoring zones. As a typical configuration, this system is capable of generating over four million data points weekly.

Rather than attempting to analyse this raw data by volume, velocity, variety, veracity and value, OPC UA facilitates seamless data exchange between machines, sensors and enterprise systems, even when they are produced by different manufacturers, notes Dave. “By linking machine parameters with peripheral metrics through OPC UA, manufacturers can achieve total process analysis. This integration ensures quality is measured by calculated intervention as opposed to retrospective guesswork.”

Turnkey Tip 5: Empower your people with Industry 5.0

Achieving full system integration directly addresses current labour shortages by reducing the reliance on manual intervention throughout the production process. This enables manufacturers to sustain consistently high levels of performance, even with fewer personnel on the production floor. Additionally, it benefits the workforce by eliminating the ‘panic’ phase that can occur during production cycles, creating a more stable and predictable working environment.

Transitioning to Industry 5.0 prioritises human-centricity, sustainability and resilience, highlights Dave. “It moves beyond the pure connectivity of 4.0 to focus on how technology empowers the worker and supports the reliability of the manufacturing process.” A good example of this is activeMeltControl from Sumitomo (SHI) Demag. This automated option ensures process consistency and technical precision, irrespective of team availability or fluctuations in melt viscosity, expands Dave.

The ultimate goal for any processor is to achieve a cost-effective, fit-for-purpose solution. By embracing the power of OPC UA and bridging the gap between legacy hardware and modern data demands, manufacturers can transform millions of data points into evidence-based decisions, concludes Dave.

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag is able to oversee this complete integration and perform FAT testing from its dedicated facilities in Ireland and Leighton Buzzard. Find out more at Plastics Live Ireland 2026, Stand D16.