The Second Industrial Revolution was world-changing, so it only makes sense for the fourth one to be twice as nice. The Internet of Things (IoT) has been one of the most pleasant surprises of the latest Industrial Revolution. IoT enables intelligent homes and security systems to provide optimal security and convenience. With all the great things IoT can do, it’s no wonder it’s made itself at home in the manufacturing industry.
The industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is changing how manufacturers create products, manage supply chains, and engage with customers. So, what is it, and what can it do for your manufacturing company? You’ll find the answers to those questions in this short introduction to the industrial Internet of Things.
What is it?
The industrial Internet of Things is a machine network that gathers data from their environments and shares it with people and other appliances. IIoT devices connect to the manufacturer’s intranet and collect and share data with other connected machines and people.
IIoT enables intelligent machines to think like humans in some ways. However, they can do things humans cannot, such as collecting and analyzing data in real-time. IIoT software provides connectivity for machines and is the hub to which the information they collect goes.
IIoT technology is still relatively new, meaning that factories are still finding ways to use it. However, industrial companies are already doing some fantastic things with IIoT solutions. We’ll discuss some of those in the next section.
How is IIoT used in industrial operations?
IIoT isn’t a concept. It’s a practical technology with numerous use cases in factory settings. Many manufacturers are undergoing digital transformation processes to begin harnessing the power of IIoT themselves.
The most common use of IoT is to enhance operational efficiencies. Industrial IoT’s data acquisition abilities provide operational insights for optimizing product quality and costs. A great example would be a pressing machine that uses advanced analytics to determine the optimal pressure to apply to a piece of metal.
Another one of the many ways industrial companies use industrial IoT is to provide predictive maintenance of their operational equipment. Industrial IoT devices use accurate time to predict when a machine will need care, avoiding unplanned downtime.
IIoT enables industrial equipment to provide feedback on worker safety, helping companies identify newer and safer best practices. Manufacturers also use them to create digital twins on which industrial companies can provide safety training. They can even use digital twins to plan factory layouts before installing the equipment.
What are the benefits of IIoT?
As you can see, IIoT has plenty of use cases, but how do they benefit industrial companies? The primary way industrial IoT helps businesses is by improving operational efficiency. Via artificial intelligence and automation, IIoT enables workers and machines to do less while yielding the same or better results. Increasing the overall efficiency of your manufacturing processes will reduce power generation and human errors, thus operational costs.
Another way IIoT benefits industrial companies is by providing product configuration for manufacturing customers. Customized products are the wave of the future, and IIoT makes it cheaper and easier to design products to specifications for different clients, improving their service quality and product offerings.
The industrial Internet of Things is the future of the manufacturing industry. You can expect the number of smart factories in the U.S. to increase as latecomers to the IIoT revolution try to catch up. The operations technology of the future is already here, and it provides connectivity, reliability, reduced product uptime, supply chain management, and more. Indeed, the industrial applications for IIoT are excellent and plentiful. The most exciting thing about it all is that we’re only just beginning.
