A smart factory should be seen as an ideal state to strive for. This ideal form of a networked factory would be realized if a perfect production plant were built on a Greenfield site according to the highest standards. The issue with the Greenfield approach is that not every company wanting to leverage networked production can simply plan and build a new factory from scratch.

The reality is different in most cases. Many factories and plants were designed and built when it was not yet clear how quickly digital networking would progress. Consequently, production conditions in many factories do not meet today’s requirements. Typically, factories and production lines are built with a lifespan of at least 20-25 years to amortize costs and generate profit. Greenfield projects are therefore the exception rather than the rule, and most companies can achieve digitalization more easily within a Brownfield plant. However, there is currently a great need for action as more companies move toward Industry 4.0, increasing competition.

The term "Brownfield" describes a factory or production plant that has already been built and has been in operation for some time. In the context of Industry 4.0, the Brownfield approach refers to the digital transformation of an existing production facility. Older machines and legacy industrial plants, in particular, can benefit from digitalization and a data-driven approach. These are often more susceptible to maintenance issues than new systems. The more frequently machines require maintenance, the longer the downtime. Even if only individual machines stop (for example, while waiting for special spare parts), in the worst-case scenario, the entire production can come to a halt, resulting in massive economic losses. In this situation, Predictive Maintenance offers a solution.