The Right Data Flow: How Manufacturing Data Should Move (UNS, Lakehouse, Historian)

In a smart factory, data doesn’t just sit still — it moves. The value of manufacturing data depends not only on where it is stored, but also on how it flows across the ecosystem. Real-time orchestration, machine performance memory, and enterprise analytics each demand different data flows.

This article explains how manufacturing data should move between the Unified Namespace (UNS), the Historian, and the Lakehouse.

1. From Shopfloor to UNS

The UNS is the real-time nervous system. It is where data first lands when it is needed for immediate visibility and coordination.

• Flows into UNS: live machine states, active orders, operator log-ins, shift rosters, BOM revisions
• Flows out of UNS: real-time dashboards, HMIs, MES orchestration, event triggers

Purpose of this flow:

Keep everyone — people and systems — aligned on what is happening right now. UNS ensures unfinished and just-finished transactions are visible and sharable instantly

2. From UNS to Historian

Some of the data in UNS needs long-term memory. This is where the Historian comes in — capturing high-frequency OT data for trends, SPC, and predictive maintenance.

• Flows from UNS to Historian: production parameters, machine health signals, energy meters, downtime start/end events
• Why this flow matters: UNS provides the real-time context, Historian ensures the data is preserved for years for analysis

The Historian is essentially the memory of machines, fed continuously with precise OT signals.

3. From UNS and Directly to Lakehouse

Not all data must pass through UNS. Some data flows through UNS first (because it affects operations), while other data goes directly to the Lakehouse (because it is purely IT/business data).

• UNS → Lakehouse: production orders, WIP movements, quality SPC logs, maintenance orders
• Direct → Lakehouse: sales orders, purchase orders, invoices, GL, payroll — data that does not need to touch real-time operations
• Why this flow matters: the Lakehouse is the enterprise brain, combining OT and IT for analytics, AI/ML, and compliance.

This dual path ensures the Lakehouse receives both operational transactions and business transactions, with the UNS acting as a filter where needed.

Summary

The right data flow is not one-size-fits-all. It depends on the purpose of the data:

• UNS = Real-time nervous system → immediate context and coordination
• Historian = Machine memory → long-term storage of OT signals
• Lakehouse = Enterprise brain → analytics, compliance, and AI with OT + IT data

By designing data flows carefully — whether UNS → Historian, UNS → Lakehouse, or Direct → Lakehouse — manufacturers ensure that data is always in motion toward creating value, from the shopfloor to the boardroom.