Integrator

WHAT?

Zelo.Integrator is an expandable digital platform, currently in prototype phase, built around data message broker, supporting various use cases within MES and SCADA domain, or manufacturing OT/IT integration scope in general:

• disparate control systems integrations

• manufacturing process quality assurance

• advanced SCADA functionalities (automated procedures, historian, ML, AI,...)

• integration of control systems with various IT systems (ERP, MES, LIMS...)

• development of bespoke SCADA and MES systems

It provides reliable transfer of large data sets, at high speeds with low latencies. 

Thanks to its ease of use, it can be utilized by various roles in manufacturing process:

• quality assurance engineers

• process technology engineers

• control system engineers

• system integrators

WHY?

In the early days of industrial automation, control systems relied entirely on hardware relays, timers, and counters. Electrical technicians and engineers physically wired every logic path, building systems from racks of interconnected devices. Each contact, coil, and timer represented a tangible element of the process logic. These systems were durable and dependable, but they were also rigid. Any modification — from adding a new sensor to changing the sequence of operations — required manual rewiring. This not only consumed valuable time but also introduced risks of wiring mistakes and downtime during implementation.

The arrival of the Programmable Logic Controller, or PLC, in the late 1960s marked a pivotal moment. Instead of relying on hardwired circuits, PLCs stored and executed logic in software. This innovation allowed engineers to modify a process by changing a program rather than rewiring panels. More importantly, the PLC’s programming models were designed to reflect the working style of control engineers. Ladder logic reproduced the familiar look of relay schematics, making the transition from hardware to software intuitive. Later, functional block diagrams added a more modular and graphical approach, helping engineers structure complex control sequences without needing to master traditional programming languages.

These developments had a profound effect: they shifted the skill barrier. The knowledge required to design, modify, and maintain sophisticated automation systems became accessible to professionals without deep computer science expertise. Control engineers, process specialists, and maintenance staff could all take ownership of their systems.

However, as automation matured, it began intersecting more deeply with Information Technology. Modern plants and production facilities integrate PLCs with SCADA systems, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), data historians, ERP platforms, and even cloud analytics. This IT/OT convergence has brought massive new possibilities — but also new challenges. The configuration, security, and orchestration of these integrated systems often demand skills rooted in IT infrastructure, APIs, data modeling, and cybersecurity. This complexity risks repeating the pre-PLC era’s problem: only a narrow group of specialists can fully manage the systems, slowing innovation and reducing operational agility.

Just as PLCs once bridged the gap between electrical engineering and software, today’s IT/OT integrations require a similar management approach. We need platforms that make complex integration scenarios manageable by OT professionals — control engineers, technology engineers, quality assurance teams, and system integrators — without requiring them to master every underlying technology stack. These professionals should be able to configure data flows, link systems, monitor performance, and adapt processes using tools that match their mental models, much as ladder diagrams matched the thinking of relay technicians. They are also the only ones who fully possess the process knowledge, operational expertise, and technology-specific understanding needed to design, execute, and manage large-scale integrations successfully. Without their direct involvement and empowerment, integration efforts risk being misaligned with real-world operational requirements, leading to inefficiencies, higher costs, and slower implementation.

Here, it is important to recognize a limitation. Graphical programming, when pushed to a very detailed level, can become clumsy and inefficient. Fine-grained visual workflows often result in overly complex diagrams that are harder to follow than concise, well-structured textual code. Purely graphical detail-heavy designs are still inferior to textual programming in terms of compactness, precision, and maintainability.

This is why functional block design remains the ideal middle ground for most industrial integration cases. Blocks encapsulate complexity, allowing users to think at the right level of abstraction, while still working in a graphical environment that aligns with how OT professionals model processes. For scenarios that require highly specific or advanced logic not yet covered by available blocks, the platform must allow the creation of new, custom functional blocks. This approach combines the clarity of graphical programming with the flexibility and power of code when needed, ensuring that the system can grow with the evolving requirements of the plant or process.

This is where Zelo.Integrator platform comes into play. Zelo.Integrator is designed to bring the accessibility of the PLC revolution into the IT/OT integration space. It provides an environment where integrations between industrial devices, software platforms, and enterprise systems can be built, monitored, and adapted through interfaces familiar to OT practitioners. Instead of coding integrations line-by-line or managing obscure configurations deep in IT systems, users can work in a structured, visual, and functionally clear manner. Functional blocks handle the majority of needs, while the ability to develop and add custom blocks ensures that unique or advanced requirements are met without compromising usability.

In essence, the journey from hardware relays to PLCs showed how technology can empower a broader set of experts by speaking their professional language. Today, in the era of IT/OT convergence, Zelo.Integrator aims to do the same for integration — offering the simplicity of functional blocks for most cases, the precision of custom development when necessary, and the shared accessibility that can turn complex IT system integration into something any skilled control engineer can manage.