Changing a running system: A guideline for retrofitting brownfield manufacturing systems

Almost everyone knows the saying “never change a running system” which is especially true for running production facilities. Nevertheless, in order to remain competitive in the future, today's companies must change their production strategy towards Industry 4.0. The question therefore arises: How can such a change of strategy are managed in a structured way in the brownfield? Based on the analysis of scientific findings and the validation on two practical application cases, this paper provides a reference architecture and a guideline to adapt existing facilities towards Industry 4.0.