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Contributors›Deane Horn
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Director Product Management

Deane Horn

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3 articles
Contributor Brief·Deane Horn · 3 articles
Updated Dec 13, 2025

Industrial connectivity demands gradual adoption, not revolutionary overhauls

Horn argues that industrial modernization succeeds when tools can be adopted incrementally and learned at a user's own pace, reducing operational friction rather than demanding wholesale platform replacement. He contends that connectivity has become the operational foundation of manufacturing, but implementation must prioritize feasibility over aggressive digital transformation timelines.

1769-to-5069

legacy hardware migration represents the most consequential recurring challenge in manufacturing

“Tools that can be learned incrementally and adopted at a user's own pace are becoming especially valuable.”

A Guided Overview of tManager from Softing

Industrial modernization adoption barriers by friction level

Incremental learning capability9
Operational friction reduction9
Device configuration streamlining8
Interoperability without disruption8
Enterprise-to-plant-floor data bridging7

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22%Incremental learning
Incremental learning capability
Operational friction reduction
Device configuration streamlining
Interoperability without disruption
+1 more

3 phases

industrial automation evolution: basic control → digital transformation → data-driven operations

Migrating from legacy industrial control hardware to modern platforms is rarely glamorous, but it remains one of the most consequential tasks.

5069-SDN Long Technical Overview: Complete Migration Strategy from 1769 DeviceNet Scanners

Manufacturers push beyond basic control toward fully connected, data-driven operations that bridge the plant floor and the enterprise.

Why Connectivity Has Become the Cornerstone of Modern Industrial Automation

“Teams must focus on outcomes rather than wrestling with software.”

Themes:Incremental adoption as prerequisite for industrial modernization successLegacy-to-modern migration as perpetual operational realityConnectivity as foundational rather than aspirational business imperative

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