The IoT world is the heart and blood of Industry 4.0. Marrying the data and analytics for improved manufacturing operations.
Industry 4.0, otherwise known as IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) or smart manufacturing, unites the physical production operation, with the existing smart digital technology, machine learning, and analytical data, in order to form a holistic and connected manufacturing practice, that allows for improved supply chain management.
Predictive maintenance
Keeping factory equipment in strong working condition is a massive priority for manufacturing businesses. Just the smallest malfunction could lead to significant production delays, which could result in a loss from unexpected repair costs – not to mention unhappy customers as a consequence. In 2017, a study found that downtime cost UK manufacturers £180bn a year [1].
These tiny, wireless IoT sensors can collect data, such as machinery vibration rates, to provide an indication of the intensity your machinery is operating at, and how close it is to reaching failure, long before disaster strikes.
As a result, your operations team can run a more proactive machine maintenance programme, based on real-time data from the cloud, to prolong the life of manufacturing equipment, and cut-down repair costs.
Greater visibility of production assets
Thanks to the durability and versatility of IoT sensors, manufacturers could connect equipment, as well as other tools and assets throughout their factories and warehouses, via the cloud, in order to provide greater visibility for managers and engineers, into their production operations, and enhance foresight into any potential issues.
Asset tracking would pave the way to easily locate and monitor any key components throughout the production factory. This would allow companies to automatically track parts they travel through the assembly line, thanks to the utilisation of smart sensors. Thus, offering plant managers a real-time view of production output, while reducing labour costs and aiding lean manufacturing processes [2].
Improved product quality
IoT devices feature a range of sensors, including the environment, to collect data about shop-floor and storage conditions that are critical for high quality products [3].
Air quality sensors have the ability to notify shop supervisors whenever set quality “thresholds” are reached or when conditions, such as temperature or humidity, are damaging to the production of goods such as foods and pharmaceuticals.
