We talk IoT · 2026-03-19 · 26 min
Industry 4.0 promises data-driven manufacturing. Reality delivers machines from the 1990s, mixed protocols, and no budget to replace everything. The gap between digital ambition and brownfield constraints, the challenge of retrofitting IoT into existing facilities with legacy equipment, stops most factories before they start. In this episode, Armin Vogelsang from WERMA explains how WeAssist bridges that gap by turning signal towers - those coloured status lights that factories already have - into wireless IIoT data collection points. No rewiring, no downtime, no requirement to understand machine protocols. We explore why going "from zero to 100" fails in manufacturing, how Lean Production's eight types of waste (Tim Woods) guide IoT implementation, and what happened when Hermes Einrichtungs Service eliminated the waste of unnecessary motion by letting warehouse workers press a button instead of running through the hall. This is about practical IoT adoption for manufacturers who can't afford to rip everything out and start again.
From the cab to the cloud: How AGCO Fendt is making smart farming real - We Talk IoT #8669 / 100No app required: The NB-IoT pill dispenser changing medication management in care homes - We Talk IoT #85Change the OS, stop the train: Why industrial software stability is non-negotiable - We Talk IoT #84100 TOPS, Zero Production: Why Edge AI Projects Die Between Demo and Deployment - We Talk IoT #83Chips, Grit, and "Girl on Fire": Emily Yang on Leadership, Mentorship, and Moving Up - We Talk IoT #81