Manufacturing is a complex industry and the number of systems that are utilized to streamline and control the manufacturing process grows exponentially as technology progresses. Manufacturers rely on these systems to bring their products to consumers efficiently and profitably. Everything from Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), which plan and control the production process, to Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), which manages a product from concept to production, and to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), that unifies an enterprise globally.

These systems are not just nice to have; they are required in today's highly competitive market. In order to utilize them to their full potential, these systems need to communicate and operate in a unified way. In order to accomplish this, broad expertise from the top of the stack to the bottom is required.

Sophos Electronics is among the most successful and skilled system integrators in the manufacturing sector, and it is our detailed approach that has put us here. There are several steps that are required in order to ensure the success of any system integration project, which together complete a proven process our team of experts has utilized to help companies of all shapes and sizes and across many different industry sectors

The following outlines just a few of the steps involved in our approach to System Integration:

Detailed Analysis and Requirements Gathering - Every project starts with the task of analyzing the needs of our client to determine what use cases are necessary to meet the stated objectives of the project. In order to obtain the desired outcome on a given project, our solution architects methodically step through every aspect of a client’s manufacturing process in order to understand where they are at and, more importantly, where they should be.

Technical Design - Once a project’s requirements have been captured and refined, a technical design is made to implement those requirements. Our solution architects work with our technical leads and senior engineers to develop a detailed solution that is both cost-effective and technically capable of meeting the project goals. Manufacturing IT is complex and only a thorough technical design is sufficient to ensure a successful project.

Project Management - Even before the technical design is completed, Sophos Electronics project managers work to ensure that the right resources are dedicated to the project. The project manager creates a detailed execution plan that outlines all of the needed technical resources and milestones for a project. Having the right technical expertise available is critical to the success of a project.

Project Delivery and Testing - Before handing the solution off to the client, it must be fully tested to ensure that it meets all of the use cases and project requirements. The solution architect will work with the technical leads to create a detailed test plan that will be executed to ensure that all of the project’s objectives have been met.

When it comes to delivering complex projects on time and on budget, having an experienced team is critical. Sophos Elctronics has the advantage of being able to draw from some of the most skilled and talented engineers available in the field. We have experience with complex integration projects on almost every continent. From requirements gathering to project delivery, Sophos Electronics consultants ensure that all of the objectives are met. When it comes to ensuring a project’s success, Sophos Electronic is second to none.