OT/IT Integration
We build the bridge between the operational world (OT) and the information systems world (IT): a data layer that reads plant information and delivers it to business systems, with an architecture designed not to interfere with production.
What industrial OT/IT integration is
Every factory runs two worlds that speak different languages: OT (the plant floor, with PLCs, sensors, robots and SCADA) and IT (the ERP, databases and management tools). Industrial OT/IT integration builds the bridge between them, so data generated at the machine reaches the systems where decisions are made without manual transcription in between. At Captia Connect this is our trade: industrial data connectivity. We work with the equipment the plant already has, whatever the manufacturer or protocol, and connect it to a unified data layer. We do not install robot cells or build lines; we connect what already produces.
Layers of the integration and what changes
A complete integration is built in layers: capture at source (PLC connectivity, sensors, robots, vision systems and edge ingestion), reliable transport and unification through MQTT brokers and a unified namespace, and consumption in management systems through ERP integration. The operational results are concrete: manual transcription disappears along with its errors, plant events become visible while they happen instead of the next day, and the unified data layer becomes the foundation for dashboards, traceability and analytics. Existing systems stay in place: the approach is connectivity, not rip-and-replace. See all connectivity solutions at Captia Connect.
How it connects to the system
Connect enables data flow to AI and Energy and supports execution that Service digitises in the business layer.
Key concepts
Other solutions
- Edge Ingestion
We capture data at the edge of the operation, where it is generated, without depending on central connectivity. We deploy edge ingestion software on plant equipment that reads signals locally, holds them through network outages and forwards them once the connection is restored.
- PLC Connectivity
We connect PLCs from any manufacturer and protocol to the Captia unified data layer, making control-layer information reliably available to the rest of your systems, from process historians to dashboards, without altering the control programs.
- MQTT Integration
We implement MQTT brokers and data flows to connect sensors and industrial devices at scale, with topic hierarchies designed around the plant and options such as Sparkplug B when several systems consume the same data.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between OT and IT in a factory?
- OT (operational technology) controls the physical process: PLCs, sensors, robots, SCADA. IT (information technology) is the management layer: ERP, databases, analytics tools. They evolved separately, with different protocols and owners, which is why in many plants production data only reaches management systems through manual work.
- Do we need to replace our PLCs or ERP to integrate OT and IT?
- No. We work with the equipment and systems already in use, whatever the manufacturer, and connect them to a unified data layer. When a device does not expose its data out of the box, we solve it at the connectivity layer rather than replacing the machine. Replacing working systems is usually the most expensive and riskiest option.
- Where does an OT/IT integration project start?
- With a plant inventory: which equipment exists, which protocols it speaks, which data it generates and which of that data management needs. From that map we prioritise the flows that currently consume the most manual work or cause the most errors, and connect equipment step by step without stopping production.
- Does the service include physical installation of robots or vision systems?
- No. Captia Connect provides data connectivity: we connect already installed robots, vision systems and other equipment to the data layer to monitor status, production and alerts. Physical integration of that equipment (cell building, line installation) is outside our scope and belongs to a mechanical integrator.