The Internet of Things (IoT) thrills the minds and now is one of the most interesting and promising technological phenomena. We at Forte Group working on the IoT technologies seek to provide developers, manufacturers, business owners and, as a result, customers with advanced environment where they can control business processes remotely and at the same time closer to the edge. From the perspective of our experience we hope to give you some insight into the intriguing world of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), its advantages and the way it is used in modern manufacturing companies. Let’s start with the benefits companies get from utilizing the IIoT technologies:
Industrial Automation and Interaction
With IoT all equipment, all devices interact with each other which is called machine to machine. At the same time all machines are controlled centrally. In this case, human participation is unnecessary because of transparency in devices’ operation and their communication with each other, which saves time and financial resources without quality loss. There is, probably, no need to describe the benefits of industrial automation, when routine, time consuming manual tasks are replaced with quick and much more efficient smart machines.
Accurate and Timely Information
The usage of IoT allows to always be aware of the quantity of supplies, temperature in workshops, wear of equipment and need for its repair or whether quantity of substances released into the environment does not exceed the norm. In terms of manufacturing companies where established and optimized processes are critically important, while any unforeseen changes may lead to disastrous consequences, accurate information is one of the main assets.
Equipment Tracking and Inventory control
If a company is running out of supplies, some details or fuel, the sooner it becomes known, the better, and with the IoT technologies all the data are received timely. In some enterprises, there is equipment which is expensive, so it is important to watch out for it and be aware of its location. What is more, in industries, like healthcare, devices if not on hand, should be easily tracked and reached. IoT is very helpful in such cases allowing to track equipment and replenish stocks in time.
Time
Talking about time, as mentioned above, automation and communication between devices, brought by IoT, allow to save time which would be demanded if personnel involvement was needed. In addition, if there are any mistakes or problems with quality, the sooner they are identified, the more chances they are eliminated in time, and the money – the cost of a mistake – is saved.
Safety
Operation of manufacturing companies has much to do with safety: potential danger, whether it is production or finished products in customer use, should be identified instantly. That is why the use of technologies, which help to automatically and accurately capture and timely communicate data are critically important. IoT also helps to protect workers with embedded sensors in their clothes through warning them of unsafe irregular situations.
High Quality of Products
Companies that leverage IoT have more opportunities to ensure their customers receive high quality products and service. With communication between machines, timely information on their state and ability to configure equipment and customize processes so that they are standardized, inefficiencies can be almost eliminated.
These are the advantages of the Internet of Things on an industrial scale. Let’s now consider the application of the IoT technologies on an example of two spheres: Automotive industry and Healthcare.
Automotive Industry
If a car interacts with cloud, exchanging information about its state with it, this interaction can be not fast enough when we need the car to stop just in time to avoid collision with an obstacle. IoT technology makes it possible to use sensors right on an automobile that react and transfer necessary data instantly, which allows to brake in time, taking into account distance to an obstacle, speed and braking distance.
Or else – with the help of sensors two cars may communicate with each other without intermediaries. This allows, for example, to keep a safe distance.
Apart from this, cars with inbuilt sensors, can interact with traffic lights, so that when the road is free, there will be a green light for the automobiles.
Healthcare Industry
In healthcare organizations IoT solutions are used to track medical equipment through sensors on devices. Thus, medical staff can always be aware of where one or the other device is located. IoT is also used to ensure each patient gets the appropriate medicine and dosage, as well as monitor such health indicators as blood pressure and heart rate – and in cases of emergencies this information is immediately sent to doctors.
Utilizing IoT in healthcare also leads to more effective treatment: doctors receive real time information on patients’ condition that allows them to make right decisions and thus offer evidence-based treatment.
In Conclusion
As you can see, IoT plays an important role and enhances opportunities for manufacturing companies to streamline processes, reduce costs and provide customers with even more high quality goods. The use of IoT technologies ultimately benefits all: both companies and consumers, and hence society as a whole.
However, there is always a fly in the ointment. In our next post, we will tell you about threats which accompany the utilization of IoT.
