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Contributors›Deane Horn
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Director Product Management

Deane Horn

Click here to visit softing.com

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

Factory floors demand incremental connectivity, not revolutionary software

Horn argues that industrial modernization succeeds not through disruptive platform overhauls, but through tools designed for incremental adoption and user-paced learning that minimize operational friction. He contends that connectivity itself—not control systems—has become the strategic differentiator separating data-driven manufacturers from those still managing isolated legacy ecosystems.

1769 to 5069

generational hardware migration path manufacturers face today

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

A Guided Overview of tManager from Softing

Industrial modernization priorities across three dimensions

Device configuration without friction9
Data flow interoperability9
Bridge plant floor to enterprise systems8
Legacy hardware replacement7
Team training and adoption speed9

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21%Device configuration
Device configuration without friction
Data flow interoperability
Bridge plant floor to enterprise systems
Legacy hardware replacement
+1 more

3 phases

digital transformation evolution from isolated PLC data to fully connected operations

What began as early experiments in digital transformation has now accelerated into a critical business imperative.

Why Connectivity Has Become the Cornerstone of Modern Industrial Automation

Migrating from legacy industrial control hardware remains one of the most consequential tasks in keeping manufacturing systems running safely and efficiently.

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

“Manufacturers increasingly focus on outcomes rather than wrestling with software complexity.”

Themes:Incremental adoption over revolutionary overhaulConnectivity as strategic manufacturing advantageUser-paced learning reduces operational friction

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