How is automation consulting different from hiring an integrator?

An integrator sells and installs a specific technical solution. Consulting comes first: it decides which processes are worth automating and against which return criteria, and produces a design you can then put out to tender with several integrators on equal terms. Because we sell no hardware, the recommendation is not tied to any product catalogue.

What types of automation does the study cover?

Three layers: the physical process (handling, palletising, inspection), the data flow (production records, manual transcription between machines and the ERP) and the decision layer (rules a person applies today). Entry cost and payback differ by layer, and the assessment pinpoints where the real opportunity lies.

How do you decide what to automate first?

Each candidate is scored against verifiable criteria: task frequency and stability, the cost of the error being removed, reliance on specific people and whether plant staff can maintain the solution. The output is a ranked shortlist, and ruling out automation that does not pay off is as valid an outcome as approving it.

Who executes the automation after the design phase?

You can put the design out to tender with external integrators or execute it with Captia Connect, the integration unit of Captia Technology, which builds on the same design without reinterpreting requirements. Either way, delivery is measured against the acceptance criteria set during the consulting phase.

Captia Consulting

Industrial Automation

We identify and design the industrial processes that can be automated to gain efficiency. We assess each case on operational criteria, with no product catalogue conditioning the recommendation, and document the basis for the decision.

A consultative approach to industrial automation

Our industrial automation consulting settles a question that comes before any technology purchase: which plant processes are worth automating, and in what order. Many automation projects fail before anything is installed because the wrong process gets automated, or a badly designed one. We identify and design the processes where automation will actually improve efficiency, keeping the business decision (what to automate) separate from the technical one (how).

Three types of automation

We look at three layers: physical process automation (handling, palletising, inspection), data flow automation (production records, spreadsheets, manual transcription) and decision automation (rules a person applies today). Each carries a different entry cost and a different payback. More often than not, the real opportunity sits in the data layer, not in a robot.

Selection criteria and execution

We rank candidates by frequency and stability, cost of error, reliance on specific people and maintainability. The deliverable is a functional design any integrator can quote against. Where execution means connecting PLCs, ERP, SCADA or sensors, Captia Connect takes over, building on the same design the consulting team produced. See also our industrial interoperability diagnosis and the full Captia Consulting service range.

How it connects to the system

This solution fits the Captia architecture: it defines the diagnosis and prioritisation frame that activates Connect, AI, Energy and Service.

Key concepts

Where we run these studies

This service happens on the shop floor: watching the candidate processes and talking to the people who run them is not something a remote document review replaces. That is why where the team sits matters. Ours is based in Xàtiva, and for manufacturers across La Costera that proximity means going back to the plant as often as the assessment requires.

For industry in the district, our approach is set out in detail on industrial automation in Xàtiva and La Costera. If your plant is in València city, la Ribera, Almussafes or anywhere else in the province, the province-wide scope and the process profile of each district are on industrial automation in the province of València.

Talk about this solution ← Captia Consulting

Frequently asked questions

How is automation consulting different from hiring an integrator?: An integrator sells and installs a specific technical solution. Consulting comes first: it decides which processes are worth automating and against which return criteria, and produces a design you can then put out to tender with several integrators on equal terms. Because we sell no hardware, the recommendation is not tied to any product catalogue.
What types of automation does the study cover?: Three layers: the physical process (handling, palletising, inspection), the data flow (production records, manual transcription between machines and the ERP) and the decision layer (rules a person applies today). Entry cost and payback differ by layer, and the assessment pinpoints where the real opportunity lies.
How do you decide what to automate first?: Each candidate is scored against verifiable criteria: task frequency and stability, the cost of the error being removed, reliance on specific people and whether plant staff can maintain the solution. The output is a ranked shortlist, and ruling out automation that does not pay off is as valid an outcome as approving it.
Who executes the automation after the design phase?: You can put the design out to tender with external integrators or execute it with Captia Connect, the integration unit of Captia Technology, which builds on the same design without reinterpreting requirements. Either way, delivery is measured against the acceptance criteria set during the consulting phase.