Things (IoT) has had a major impact on the manufacturing industry. The inter-reliability of sensors, equipment, machines, lines, processing units, plants, materials, containers, transportation, buildings, computers, software, cloud technology, mobile devices, people, departments, companies, and processes is helping achieve innovative results, and drive value in manufacturing.
IOT is disrupting several industries, but it is manufacturing that is benefitting the most of it. Here are a few ways in which IOT is helping the manufacturing industry evolve
Here are a few ways in which IoT is helping the manufacturing industry evolve
Secure storage of data collected from sensors and machines for analysis and application is essential. The cloud enables flexibility and efficiency in leveraging the information to make it actionable for manufacturing companies.
To bridge the gap between manufacturing and enterprise networks, manufacturing companies are deploying intelligent networks. This allows them to reduce downtime by enabling remote access to systems and partners, and deliver precision, reliability, and resilience from the plant floor to the enterprise.
It is imperative for manufacturing companies to get better visibility into resource needs, equipment performance, and security threats. They can develop dashboards showing details of plant environment, safety, efficiency, and return on assets.
Integrated production systems are critical for manufacturers with geographically dispersed production sites. This can help shorten lead times. For faster information flow, enhanced market responsiveness, and faster decision-making, manufacturers can leverage Internal Protocol (IP) network technology which connects enterprise applications with device-level production data in real time
In many cases, manufacturing plants lack the capability of issuing real-time notifications in case of equipment failure. Open standards allow users to tap sensor-level networks which can detect malfunctions quickly (sometimes even before they occur) to craft high levels of overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
Regular maintenance is key to the smooth functioning of a plant. Planned outages (usually annual) for maintaining and repairing equipment help companies better deal with emergencies. However, this approach is not unproblematic since not all equipment needs maintenance at the same time and per the same schedule. Industrial Internet of things helps companies move to a more proactive model of predictive maintenance. Industrial internet of things (IIoT) provides for real-time monitoring of machinery and device health, enabling companies to schedule maintenance when the machine needs it, and not per an arbitrary schedule.
Supply chain visibility is essential and challenging, especially in the food industry, where many suppliers are involved and new regulations mandate complete transparency and compliance. IoT in manufacturing industry ensures real-time visibility into all manufacturing processes. For example, food manufacturers using sensors can determine if their products have been exposed to temperatures, pressures, or other environmental conditions that may render the food unsafe for consumption. Knowing this ahead of time can save companies millions of dollars in recall costs.
Comparing the efficiency and product quality across facilities was challenging in the past. Today, however, manufacturers can use IoT technology to collect and analyze data from several facilities. This aids in better decision-making with regard to quality, operational efficiency, etc.
