Hardware Podcasts

From Paper and Spreadsheets to Connected Data: Making the Digital Leap w/ Ian Burns

The Manufacturing Executive · 10 Mar 2026 · Episode 300

What this episode covers

Ian Burns, President of Applied Control Engineering (ACE), discusses the transition of midsize manufacturers from paper and spreadsheets to connected, data-driven environments. He explains how digital twins are used for operator training and control system validation to reduce downtime, and highlights the critical need for Operational Technology (OT) cybersecurity as systems become interconnected. Burns also notes that despite economic uncertainty, manufacturers can find value in incremental data investments rather than just large capital projects.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Applied Control Engineering, Guerrilla 76
Tools
PLC, SCADA
Also
AICHE, ISA, NSPE

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