4 Ways IoT Will Transform Manufacturing
Classic manufacturing typically features a set of machines that must be managed by human workers. The equipment units are often loosely connected, but the data about how they interoperate isn’t transparent.
The era of Industry 4.0, however, offers a fresh approach to manufacturing. Industry 4.0 is a trend in automation that implies creating smart factories powered by digital technologies, such as IoT and cloud computing.
Most importantly, IoT allows manufacturers to monitor and manage not only the equipment or production lines, but also data about workers and their activities.
Spending on IoT is forecast to grow, with vertical-specific businesses expected to spend up to $863.66 billion on IoT by 2020.
You can use this article to learn about the 4 key areas IoT solutions are transforming manufacturing right now:
Interoperability allows software systems to exchange data and use it effectively. IoT improves interoperability in manufacturing by building digital connections between all the manufacturing system parts involved in creating a product. “Smart” factories integrate IoT devices into their manufacturing equipment, allowing users to easily collect data.
IoT offers a wide range of device types to support tasks ranging from temperature control to anomaly recognition.
Smart factories represent the future of manufacturing and offer two significant benefits: equipment maintenance and decision-making.
First, IoT devices in a smart factory can provide real-time insights into the maintenance status of any integrated equipment.
IoT-enabled equipment uses Machine to Machine (M2M) communication to collect and share data about equipment performance. This data helps engineers measure and manage equipment performance precisely, allowing them to closely monitor the production process, and whether the whole manufacturing system is performing well.
Second, this IoT-based data supports fact-based decision making. Because IoT devices automate data-collection, decision-makers including field engineers, frontline operators, and managers can analyze past patterns to prevent critical failures.
IoT integrations make it much easier to collect data, enhancing maintenance and decision making.
Efficient factories are more profitable and less error-prone than their competitors.
According to a report by AT&T, only 22% of medium-sized manufacturers have deployed IoT solutions. As few as 4% of companies say they have a full understanding of IoT appliances.
The companies that have figured out how to harness the power of IoT connectivity can enhance efficiency – and reap the benefits of this competitive advantage.
IoT enhances efficiency by uniting production assets, as well as monitoring factory equipment and employees.
Two key areas where IoT can improve efficiency include:
Today, industrial IoT solutions provide the tools to monitor equipment and workers’ performance. Decision-makers can view digital dashboards and automatic statistical and analytical reports to understand how their factories operate and identify opportunities for enhanced efficiency.
You can use data from IoT systems to answer questions such as:
These insights help decision-makers identify even razor-thin inefficiencies that can jeopardize profitability and the production process as a whole – even when patterns are too subtle for most humans to notice without help from IoT data.
