Networks Built for the Production Floor.
Install plant-approved switches, APs, cabling and enclosures under released drawings and authorized production work windows.
Plant IT and controls engineers approve network architecture, equipment ratings, software configuration and production acceptance. SRS installs the specified physical links and devices and records field tests and open exceptions.
Coordinate production-area access, mount and cable approved equipment and provide site, port and physical-link test records for the plant owner.
Why Standard IT Networks Fail in Manufacturing
Manufacturing environments expose every weakness in generic network deployments. The consequences aren't an inconvenience - they're measured in halted production, security incidents, and equipment failures that could have been prevented.
Production Downtime Caused by Network Failures
A single switch failure or wireless outage on the production floor doesn't just inconvenience workers - it stops the line. In manufacturing, unplanned downtime is measured in dollars per minute. Networks built on office-grade equipment can't meet that standard.
No Separation Between Office and Production Networks
When corporate IT and OT systems share the same flat network, a single compromised workstation can reach every PLC, HMI, and SCADA system on the floor. That's not a theoretical risk - it's how ransomware takes down production facilities.
Consumer-Grade Equipment in Harsh Environments
Standard office switches and access points fail in manufacturing environments. Metal dust, vibration, humidity swings, and extreme temperatures destroy hardware that wasn't designed for industrial conditions - and failures always happen at the worst possible moment.
No Visibility Into OT Network Health
Most manufacturers have no real-time insight into what's happening on their operational technology network. By the time someone notices a problem, production is already affected. Without monitoring, you're always reacting - never preventing.
Unmanaged Switches Daisy-Chained Across the Floor
Unmanaged switches installed without a structured topology are a compounding liability. They can't be monitored, can't enforce VLANs, can't prioritize traffic, and create single points of failure. This is the default state in too many facilities.
Industrial Infrastructure Built for How Manufacturing Works.
Install plant-approved switches, APs, cabling and enclosures under released drawings and authorized production work windows.
Complete Manufacturing Network Deployment
Coordinate production-area access, mount and cable approved equipment and provide site, port and physical-link test records for the plant owner.
Approved IT/OT Field Installation
Install the physical links and equipment specified in the plant-approved segmentation design. Plant IT and controls engineers own VLANs, firewall policy, PLC programming and process acceptance.
Industrial Hardware Installation
Install the designer-approved switches, access points and enclosures at their specified locations. Confirm the released equipment ratings and escalate mismatches before installation.
Production Floor AP Installation
Mount and cable APs at approved production-floor locations. Coordinate lifts and work-area release with plant operations; the wireless designer owns RF calculations and channel settings.
OT Installation Closeout
Document installed devices, physical links and unresolved field exceptions for the plant operations team. The customer owns monitoring platforms, alert configuration and ongoing network operation.
Generic IT Network vs. SRS Industrial Deployment
Plant IT and controls engineers approve network architecture, equipment ratings, software configuration and production acceptance. SRS installs the specified physical links and devices and records field tests and open exceptions.
Facilities We Deploy In
SRS Networks deploys industrial network infrastructure across discrete manufacturing, food and beverage, automotive, and pharmaceutical facilities - each with distinct environmental and regulatory demands.
Discrete Manufacturing Plants
Assembly lines, robotics cells, and quality inspection stations all require reliable, segmented network connectivity. SRS installs the specified cabling and hardware under the customer-approved design; record site access, field tests and specialist acceptance dependencies before handoff.
Food & Beverage Processing
Washdown environments, temperature extremes, and strict compliance requirements demand network infrastructure that's both durable and documented. SRS installs the specified cabling and hardware under the customer-approved design; record site access, field tests and specialist acceptance dependencies before handoff.
Automotive Assembly
High-density robotics, automated guided vehicles, and time-sensitive production data create demanding network requirements. SRS installs the specified cabling and hardware under the customer-approved design; record site access, field tests and specialist acceptance dependencies before handoff.
Pharmaceutical Production
Regulated environments require networks that are both functional and auditable. SRS installs the specified cabling and hardware under the customer-approved design; record site access, field tests and specialist acceptance dependencies before handoff.
Manufacturing Networks Require a Different Approach.
Most network vendors don't differentiate between an office and a production floor. We do. Every manufacturing engagement starts with OT/IT segmentation as a given, uses hardware rated for the facility conditions, and is validated against the actual systems running production before we hand off the keys.
Explore More from SRS Networks
Ready to Build a Network Your Production Floor Can Rely On?
SRS executes the customer-approved physical installation plan, records the agreed field tests and hands site exceptions to the named technical owner for acceptance.
Agree the deployment scope before scheduling crews
Use these questions to separate site readiness, installation and acceptance responsibilities in your request for a proposal.
Who coordinates network buildouts across manufacturing facilities?
SRS Networks coordinates the physical network deployment for manufacturing sites, including cabling, fiber, racks and approved wireless installations. The plant team defines production constraints and system ownership. Build the field schedule around authorized work windows, with a named decision-maker for changes affecting production.
What information is needed before a plant survey?
Provide available floor plans, production schedules, network drawings and the equipment areas included in the project. Identify sanitation, washdown, temperature and access conditions. The survey should document uncertainty as well as measured quantities so the estimate does not assume every area is an ordinary office.
Who approves changes to production equipment connections?
The plant equipment and controls owners approve production-side changes. Name those owners alongside the enterprise IT lead and record the permitted field tasks. An approved network deployment scope does not automatically authorize PLC programming, machinery changes or a process-control redesign.
How do you plan work at a facility running around the clock?
Divide work into areas the operations team can release and restore within agreed windows. Record escorts, access restrictions, temporary protection and rollback contacts before dispatch. If a safe window is unavailable, carry that task as a scheduling dependency rather than promising uninterrupted production.
Can employee parking-lot cameras share the network project?
They can be surveyed as a related field scope when the operator approves it. Document mounting, power, connectivity, coverage objectives and who operates the security platform. Keep camera acceptance and network acceptance distinct so a working data link is not mistaken for a fully tested security system.
How should industrial equipment ratings be selected?
Record the actual environmental conditions and check the proposed product against its manufacturer documentation. Have the responsible designer approve the selection. Installation experience alone does not establish suitability for every washdown, hazardous-location or temperature requirement.
What evidence should a manufacturing deployment hand over?
Require a site-specific cable and port schedule, installation photographs, agreed test results, drawing updates and a list of exceptions. Separate the field completion record from controls-system approval. Each plant should use consistent identifiers so the portfolio owner can compare completion across facilities.
What drives the price of a plant network buildout?
Access equipment, pathway construction, fiber distances, environmental requirements and production windows drive labor and materials. Record these assumptions against the site quantities. A budget request should identify which design and controls responsibilities remain with the plant or its specialist vendors.
Prepare the site-survey checklist, compare the installation deliverables in each bid, and use the RFP scope template to record the work you want priced.
Email the site list and current drawings to partners@srsnetworks.com. Cheryl routes the request to the deployment team.