---
title: "Connect brownfield plants and use the data | logiccloud"
description: "Connect existing plants with a virtual PLC, provide the data via MQTT, Kafka or InfluxDB, and analyse it with your own analytics and AI tools."
url: https://logiccloud.com/en/solutions/production-optimization/
language: en-GB
---

Use case · Brownfield asset monitoring

Connect existing plants.\
Provide the data for your analysis.
===================================

For manufacturers who want to get more out of existing plants — without replacing the automation.

Unlock data, provide it in a standard form and carry successful solutions over to further lines and plants.

[Request a demo](https://logiccloud.com/en/demo/) [See the connectors](https://logiccloud.com/en/products/control/connectors/)

Starting situation

## The potential is there — the data is missing.

Many manufacturers want to improve efficiency, energy consumption, quality and plant availability — without replacing their existing automation.

- ### Existing plants

  Protect investments instead of replacing controllers.

- ### Scattered data

  Process and consumption data exists in isolation, or not at all.

- ### Local island solutions

  Successful use cases can only be transferred with great effort.

- ### AI potential

  Without a shared data basis, analytics and AI remain piecemeal.

How it works

## Five steps to company-wide optimisation.

- 01

  ### Extend instead of replace

  Additional sensors and actuators unlock exactly the data the use case needs — the existing automation stays untouched.

- 02

  ### Develop once

  Develop logic and HMI in the browser and reuse them as standardised building blocks — the vPLC runs alongside the existing controller.

- 03

  ### Bring data together

  Transfer process, condition and consumption data over MQTT, in a standardised form, into a company-wide database.

- 04

  ### Analyse with your tools

  A shared data basis makes comparisons and benchmarks possible — in your database, with your analytics and AI tools. logiccloud delivers the data in a standard form, for example via MQTT with Sparkplug B, Kafka or InfluxDB.

- 05

  ### Scale worldwide

  Roll successful use cases out centrally with ORCHESTRATE to further machines, plants and countries.

What the data makes possible

## Derive improvements from data — with your tools.

Once the data of all plants is comparable, these questions become answerable. The analysis runs in your analytics or AI environment; logiccloud takes care of connectivity and data flow.

- ### Energy

  Recognise consumption patterns and identify savings potential.

- ### Productivity

  Make bottlenecks and inefficient process steps visible.

- ### Availability

  Detect anomalies early and reduce downtime.

- ### Quality

  Detect process deviations and improve stability.

- ### Benchmarking

  Compare machines, lines and sites objectively.

- ### Learning

  Establish successful optimisations as the new standard.

The products behind it

## From successful pilot project to global standard.

From local use case to company-wide solution — without starting every project from scratch.

- ### logiccloud ORCHESTRATE

  Roll successful use cases out worldwide: distribute applications centrally to edge systems and scale them across machines, plants and countries.

  [Explore ORCHESTRATE](https://logiccloud.com/en/products/orchestrate/)

- ### logiccloud CONTROL

  Connect existing plants: unlock data, add functions and run new logic as an Automation App on standard edge hardware.

  [Explore CONTROL](https://logiccloud.com/en/products/control/)

## Frequently asked questions about connecting existing plants

Do we have to touch the existing controller?

No. The virtual PLC runs alongside the existing controller. Additional sensors deliver the data the use case needs; if the existing controller offers OPC UA or Modbus, CONTROL reads the values there too.

Where can the data go?

Over MQTT — to your own broker or logiccloud’s, with Sparkplug B too — into Kafka, into an InfluxDB, over HTTP/REST to your systems or to an SAP web service. All connectors are listed on the [connectors](https://logiccloud.com/en/products/control/connectors/) page.

Does logiccloud analyse the data?

No — logiccloud takes care of the connection and the data flow; you analyse with your own analytics or AI tools. For display at the plant, Grafana dashboards can be embedded straight into the HMI.

How does a solution get from the pilot to further plants?

With ORCHESTRATE: devices are grouped by label by plant, line or machine type, and a proven application goes to the next group in stages — with a log of every change.

## From sensor to clean data — for your analysis.

From one site to a global standard — we will show you the path on one of your lines.

[Request a demo](https://logiccloud.com/en/demo/) [Try CONTROL for free](https://logiccloud.com/en/register/)