Ako Big Data pomáhajú šetriť náklady a zvyšovať výkon vo výrobných podnikoch | How Big Data Helps Reduce Costs and Increase Performance in Manufacturing Enterprises

How Big Data Helps Reduce Costs and Boost Performance in Manufacturing Enterprises

by Reporting and Business Intelligence

Manufacturing companies today face increasing pressure. They need to reduce costs, increase productivity, and simultaneously react flexibly to changing market conditions. The key to meeting these expectations and maintaining competitiveness is data. Every day, manufacturing companies generate huge amounts of data. While these data have the potential to significantly change the way businesses operate, in most cases, they remain unused. Not because they aren’t important, but because companies lack the tools to effectively collect, connect, analyze, and evaluate them.

Ako Big Data pomáhajú šetriť náklady a zvyšovať výkon vo výrobných podnikoch | How Big Data Helps Reduce Costs and Increase Performance in Manufacturing Enterprises

Does this sound familiar? If your company often relies more on estimates than on actual numbers, if decisions are made based on intuition instead of evidence, then it’s time to discover the true power of Big Data. This term doesn’t just represent a large volume of data. It refers to the ability to connect, process, visualize, and use data in everyday practice. From production planning, to maintenance management, to strategic business management. Big Data represents a way to turn hidden potential into real savings, higher performance, and overall better control over the business.

What Exactly Does the Term “Big Data” Mean?

Big Data refers to data streams that are generated in large volume, velocity, and variety. These are the so-called “3Vs” – Volume, Velocity, Variety. These data often come from dozens of different sources, arrive in different formats, and lack centralized management. It is this complexity that requires a completely different approach to processing, most often using specialized technologies, data-lake architectures, streaming protocols (e.g., MQTT), and analytical platforms such as Hadoop or Spark.

SCADA, MES, IoT – Essential Inputs to the Big Data Ecosystem

No Big Data solution works without reliable input, i.e., high-quality and continuous data collection from manufacturing devices and processes. This is where SCADA, MES, and IoT platforms like Ignition come into play. They are not Big Data systems themselves, but rather the foundational building blocks that provide data to the Big Data architecture.

In manufacturing, specialized industrial equipment and communication protocols are used, which typical IT systems cannot “read.” This is why SCADA and MES systems are so important. They serve as a bridge between operations and data analytics. They can collect data directly from machines, sensors, or production lines and transform them into useful information about performance, faults, or consumption, which can then be processed and utilized.

They can also aggregate data so that it can be sent safely and efficiently, either continuously (e.g., every second) or in batches (e.g., once an hour). This not only saves network capacity but also allows the use of this data in more advanced analytical tools.

When Do Big Data Solutions Truly Make Sense for a Business?

Big Data offer the most benefits when a company has already completed basic digitization and is starting to seek answers to more complex questions:

  • Where are the bottlenecks in production?
  • Which process parameter changes affect product quality?
  • Which faults can be predicted before a failure?
  • How can production be optimized across multiple facilities?

These are questions that require not just data, but their connection, context, and proper interpretation. In such cases, SCADA and MES systems become data feeders, while advanced analytics take place in specialized tools.

Not “Big Data Ready” Yet? No Problem.

Not every business needs to work with Big Data immediately. In many cases, significant progress can be made with simpler Business Intelligence solutions, such as combining Ignition + Power BI. This solution can already provide clear visualizations, reporting, and basic analysis across the entire production process.

However, if a business prepares for data work now – creates a consistent architecture, implements an IoT platform with quality data collection, uses standardized protocols (e.g., MQTT), and defines a “Single Source of Truth” – then Big Data will just be the next logical step, not a huge leap into the unknown.

How It Works in Practice

The transformation of data into value doesn’t happen overnight. But if you know how to do it, the results won’t take long to show. In a modern manufacturing business, everything begins with data collection from various devices. These data are collected in real time in systems like SCADA or MES, where they are processed, stored, and then integrated with other business systems.

In the next step, Business Intelligence comes into play. Tools like Microsoft Power BI and Ignition provide understandable visualizations and analytical reports. All key data is immediately available in interactive dashboards, enabling managers to make decisions based on accurate and up-to-date information.

In this way, a solid foundation for Big Data begins to be built. If the data is well-structured, properly labeled, and available in the correct format, it allows for smooth transition into advanced analytical tools and Big Data architectures.

IoT Industries: Your Guide to the Big Data Future

📌 We implement intelligent data collection across the entire production process.

📌 We integrate systems so that they communicate effectively with each other, creating a unified data ecosystem.

📌 Finally, we design tailor-made BI solutions that prepare data for further use in Big Data projects.

If you want to stop relying on intuition and start making decisions based on real data, Big Data is the ultimate goal. And we will help you reach it step by step. Don’t hesitate to contact us.

Why Choose IoT/IIoT Implementation with IoT Industries?

Traditional companies typically specialize in OT (operational technologies, such as production lines and devices) or classic enterprise IT systems. However, we are able to connect both of these worlds. Our unique expertise in integrating OT and IT allows us to deliver innovative solutions in digital transformation, enhancing efficiency, reliability, and competitiveness for manufacturing companies.

Optimalizácia výrobných procesov, ktorá prináša reálne výsledky | Manufacturing Process Optimization That Delivers Real Results

Manufacturing Process Optimization That Delivers Real Results

by Industrial IoTReporting and Business IntelligenceSCADA/MES

Manufacturing is changing faster than ever. A globalized market, fluctuating demand, rising costs, and increasing pressure on lead times and flexibility — all of this means that simply producing is no longer enough. You need to produce efficiently. Every unnecessary step, every underutilized resource, every inaccuracy in planning or maintenance leads to a loss of time, money, resources, reputation — and ultimately competitiveness.

Optimalizácia výrobných procesov, ktorá prináša reálne výsledky | Manufacturing Process Optimization That Delivers Real Results

What is the key to sustainable efficiency? It’s not about pushing people harder or investing in new technologies without a clear strategy. The key is optimizing your manufacturing processes. But this isn’t a one-time project — it’s a systematic approach that constantly identifies bottlenecks, uncovers hidden reserves, and transforms data into tangible improvements in real time. That’s what drives lower costs, higher productivity, and overall better performance across your operations.

Why does manufacturing process optimization often fail?

Many companies have tried to “streamline” production in the past. They’ve modernized machines, adjusted shifts, introduced KPIs… Yet problems persist. Delays continue, costs rise, competitiveness drops. Why?

Because without reliable data, it’s impossible to objectively identify where the problems arise, what causes them, or how to fix them. Optimization efforts often stop at the symptoms — not the root cause.

And that brings us to the most common reason why optimization fails: many manufacturers still work with inaccurate or incomplete data. Data is collected manually, reports arrive late, and the numbers often don’t add up. As a result, decisions are based on guesswork, gut feeling, or outdated templates — not current reality. And without real data, there can be no real optimization.

What does truly effective optimization look like?

Manufacturing process optimization isn’t just about doing things faster or cheaper. It’s a far more strategic and systematic effort. It means understanding the entire value stream — from the moment raw material enters your facility to the final shipping of finished goods. The goal is to identify and eliminate anything that doesn’t add value for the customer. In practice, this includes several key steps:

✅ Gain complete and transparent visibility of your operations in real time. Because only with accurate, up-to-date data can you identify bottlenecks and make decisions based on facts, not assumptions.

✅ Minimize all forms of waste. Whether it’s time, material, machinery, human capital, or energy — any waste represents untapped potential and unnecessary cost.

✅ Optimize planning and production management. Instead of relying on ideal models or historical templates, you need to plan based on current priorities and real capacity — including staff, machines, and materials.

✅ Shift from reactive to predictive and condition-based maintenance. That means using real-time data about the current technical state and performance of machines — not waiting until failures occur.

What role does digital transformation play in this?

Thanks to digital transformation, data is no longer collected manually — it’s gathered automatically, straight from machines, production lines, sensors, and measurement devices. These insights are immediately connected with other systems like ERP, warehouse management, maintenance, or quality control.

The result is a Single Source of Truth (SSOT) — a consistent and reliable data layer that every level of management can trust, from operators to the CEO.

But to make such complex data flows work as one cohesive ecosystem, you need the right tools. This is where modern digital solutions like SCADA, MES, or EMS come into play. These systems together create an interconnected, centralized environment where data can be collected, analyzed, and visualized across the entire production process — in real time, from one place.

With this approach, data is no longer buried in complex tables — it’s transformed into clear, interactive dashboards that instantly show material availability, equipment status, energy consumption, production progress, or deviations from the plan. No more waiting for weekly reports or gathering data from multiple departments — everything is available instantly, in one place.

When efficiency drops, equipment fails, or anomalies occur, management can respond immediately. Manufacturing optimization thus becomes a proactive management tool, not just reactive analysis. Companies can prevent issues before they escalate. And even more importantly, optimization becomes a continuous, data-driven improvement process — not a one-off initiative.

A tailored solution from IoT Industries

At IoT Industries, we believe that real manufacturing process optimization starts with accurate data and well-connected systems. We help manufacturing companies set up their entire data pipeline — from collection to visualization — so they can make smarter, faster, and more confident decisions.

If you want to identify exactly where your losses are and how to turn them into savings and performance gains, we’re here to help. Let’s talk.

Why Choose IoT/IIoT Implementation with IoT Industries?

Traditional companies typically specialize in OT (operational technologies, such as production lines and devices) or classic enterprise IT systems. However, we are able to connect both of these worlds. Our unique expertise in integrating OT and IT allows us to deliver innovative solutions in digital transformation, enhancing efficiency, reliability, and competitiveness for manufacturing companies.

Premeňte dáta na zisk – Microsoft Power BI mení rozhodovanie vo výrobných podnikoch | Turn Data into Profit – Microsoft Power BI Transforms Decision-Making in Manufacturing Businesses

Turn Data into Profit – Microsoft Power BI Transforms Decision-Making in Manufacturing Businesses

by Industrial IoTReporting and Business Intelligence

In today’s world, managing a company based solely on intuition and experience is no longer enough. Truly successful businesses rely on accurate data that enables them to make quick and informed decisions. However, many manufacturing companies still struggle with manual data collection, delayed and inaccurate reports, and inefficient processes. This costs them money, customers, and a competitive edge. But what if you could have all the essential information visually clear, up-to-date, and accessible with just a few clicks? That’s exactly what Business Intelligence (BI) offers, along with one of the most powerful tools on the market – Microsoft Power BI.

Premeňte dáta na zisk – Microsoft Power BI mení rozhodovanie vo výrobných podnikoch | Turn Data into Profit – Microsoft Power BI Transforms Decision-Making in Manufacturing Businesses

What Are the Most Common Problems Faced by Companies Without Modern Business Intelligence Tools Like Microsoft Power BI?

In most manufacturing companies, data is still collected manually. Workers record information on paper forms, which are then transcribed into spreadsheets at the end of the shift. Reports are generated daily or weekly from these spreadsheets, meaning management receives them with significant delays. Not only can such data be inaccurate or distorted, but if production issues arise, management learns about them too late to take timely action.

Without a unified data source, different departments often have conflicting views on the actual state of production. Sales teams might sell more than production can deliver, or the production team might overproduce, leading to excess inventory that ties up capital and remains unsold. There is no Single Source of Truth (SSOT) to consolidate all data into one system and eliminate inconsistencies between departments.

How Can MS Power BI Solve These Problems?

Power BI is Microsoft’s Business Intelligence tool that transforms raw data into clear, real-time insights and visualizations.

Unlike outdated manual methods, Microsoft Power BI collects, analyzes, and visualizes data automatically. By integrating with other systems such as ERP, SCADA, and MES, company leaders can monitor production performance, order status, and financial indicators at any time without waiting for manual reports. In case of production issues, managers gain instant insight into what happened.

MS Power BI also unifies data from various departments into a single central information source (SSOT). This ensures that everyone works with the same accurate data.

Why Power BI Alone Is Not Enough

Microsoft Power BI is a powerful tool, but the quality of its outputs depends on the quality of the input data. If data is incomplete, inaccurate, or delayed, even the best BI tool cannot enable effective decision-making. That’s why having a well-structured data collection and management system is crucial. This is where systems like SCADA and MES come into play, ensuring the automatic collection of precise data directly from production lines.

Comprehensive Custom Solution from IoT Industries

For Business Intelligence to deliver the desired results, it is essential to connect the right tools with high-quality data sources. IoT Industries offers a comprehensive solution. From setting up data flows and integrating Microsoft Power BI with MES and SCADA systems to creating custom interactive dashboards. The result is a system that provides accurate and up-to-date information necessary for efficient production management.

If you want to take your business decision-making to the next level, contact us. Discover how Power BI, combined with intelligent data collection, can transform your operations!

Why Choose IoT/IIoT Implementation with IoT Industries?

Traditional companies typically specialize in OT (operational technologies, such as production lines and devices) or classic enterprise IT systems. However, we are able to connect both of these worlds. Our unique expertise in integrating OT and IT allows us to deliver innovative solutions in digital transformation, enhancing efficiency, reliability, and competitiveness for manufacturing companies.

zber a analýza dát

BI Revolution – How business intelligence is changing decision-making in companies

by Reporting and Business Intelligence

Today, as companies face an increasingly fast pace of market changes and growing competition, the ability to make informed and accurate decisions is a key factor for success. Despite this, many companies still make decisions based on incomplete information, intuition, or personal preferences. Such an approach not only increases the risk of errors but also slows down responses to changes, significantly reducing competitiveness. This is precisely where Business Intelligence (BI) brings a revolution, fundamentally changing the way companies make decisions.

How does decision-making work without BI?

Imagine a company that still relies on manual data collection. Workers in production record the number of pieces produced, downtimes, or defects on paper forms, and at the end of the shift, this information is re-entered into Excel. It can then take several days for someone else to input it into the ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system, such as SAP. Even when the data finally makes it into the system, managers still do not have a complete picture of production performance.

Let’s say management finds out from the ERP system that during a work shift, the production line produced 1,000 pieces fewer than planned. Naturally, they want to find out why this happened. However, tracing the cause can take days or even weeks. Information on which part of the line caused the issue, who was operating it, or whether there was enough material or staff is not directly available in the ERP system. Management has to gather this information personally from employees, which further delays the process. Does this sound familiar?

This way of working is not only time-consuming but also prone to errors. Fatigue, inattention, or a misunderstanding of the situation can lead to inaccurate data. Additionally, some employees may be tempted to “embellish” the data to improve their performance or cover up problems that occurred during the shift. As a result, management is forced to make important decisions based on incomplete or skewed information. They often rely more on intuition or personal preferences, which can lead to inefficient processes, increased costs, and a decline in competitiveness.

Why is using a BI tool alone not enough?

It is also common for companies to have already implemented a business Intelligence tool, such as Microsoft Power BI. While it offers excellent capabilities for clear reports and visualizations, the main problem often lies not with the tool itself but with the data being fed into it. If the data is incomplete, inaccurate, or delayed, even the best BI tool cannot ensure high-quality, fast, and targeted decision-making.

How to ensure BI truly fulfills its purpose?

The implementation of modern systems, such as the industrial software platform Ignition, which we also use at IoT Industries, provides a solution that goes beyond simple data visualization. Ignition allows the automation of data collection directly from production equipment, minimizing the issues associated with manual data entry. For specific data that still requires manual input, the system offers electronic forms where workers can easily record this information. Ignition can also integrate data from various enterprise systems (ERP, SAP, MES, HR, quality, production, maintenance, warehouses, etc.) into one place for all relevant data – so-called Single Source of Truth (SSOT). This concept ensures that all data is accurate, available in real time, and serves as a comprehensive source of information for all management levels.

For instance, if a production issue arises, the shift supervisor can see what is happening in real-time and respond immediately. The production director can check the status of orders at any time, and even the CEO can review up-to-date financial indicators on a Friday afternoon without waiting for a report from their team. Everything is accurate, instantly accessible, and visualized in clear reports.

Benefits of BI for Companies

As you can see, the implementation of BI brings numerous benefits, which can be summarized into these five key advantages:

  1. Faster and More Informed Decision-Making: With access to up-to-date and accurate data, managers can make decisions faster and with greater confidence. They are no longer dependent on inaccurate or delayed reports and can respond to issues in real-time.
  2. Cost Reduction: Automating data collection and conducting precise analyses allow companies to identify inefficiencies in their processes. Whether it is unnecessary production downtime or incorrect resource planning, BI can detect and help eliminate these issues.
  3. Increased Productivity: Employees know that management has an accurate overview of everything happening. This simple fact increases productivity by approximately 10% even before any additional measures are taken.
  4. Prediction and Forecasting: Advanced BI systems can not only analyze past data but also predict future trends and needs. This means companies can better plan their capacities, orders, and optimize their resources.
  1. Improved Competitiveness: Companies that respond quickly to changes and base their decisions on accurate data gain a significant competitive advantage. Customers of such companies are also more satisfied because they have better insight into the status of their orders. This increases trust and competitiveness in the market.

Business Intelligence is now an integral part of modern companies. Tools like Ignition and Microsoft Power BI enable businesses to make decisions based on accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive data. Transitioning from manual data collection and analysis to an automated system using BI brings immediate benefits—cost reduction, increased productivity, and enhanced competitiveness. For companies looking to keep pace with the times and respond quickly to market challenges, implementing BI is a key investment.

Why IoT Industries?

Traditional companies typically specialize in OT (operational technologies, such as production lines and equipment) or conventional enterprise IT systems. However, we are able to connect both these worlds. Our unique expertise in bridging OT and IT allows us to deliver innovative digital transformation solutions to clients, enhancing the efficiency, reliability, and competitiveness of manufacturing companies.