Top 10 Industrial IoT Applications

The Internet of Things loT is revolutionizing our world to become a smarter place. Industrial LoT (lloT) is part of a larger, file-centric system of loTs that focus on devices and objects used in a business environment. Industrial IoT connects machines and equipment in smart factories and other industrial locations where keeping equipment up and running is critical to productivity and safety.

Companies use IloT technology to automate previously manual processes and manage their assets remotely, bringing new efficiencies and cost savings. The majority of industrial organizations have adopted loT solutions to improve monitoring, maintenance and telemetry. Let’s take a closer look at the top applications for lloT technology.

How does industrial IoT work?

Industrial IoT is a system consisting of intelligent sensors, machines, tools, software platforms, cloud servers and applications. Smart sensors are deployed at every stage of production for specific applications. These sensor networks continuously send data to the loT gateway (which acts as a hub between the IoT devices and the cloud) to receive and transmit the data to the cloud application server for processing and analysis. Complex application programs are developed to handle large amounts of data in a secure network and it is accessible by applications on Smartphones.

Advantages of Industrial Internet of Things IloT:

• Improved accuracy
• Optimizing products and processes
• Maintenance and predictive analytics
• Higher efficiency
• Remote access and monitoring capabilities
• Advanced Security
• Network scalability
• Reduced machine and process time
• Energy saving
• Cost effective

Applications of the Industrial Internet of Things IloT.

1. Industrial automation

Industrial automation is one of the most important and popular applications of the Internet of Things. Machine and tool automation enables companies to work efficiently with sophisticated software tools to track and make improvements for the next iteration of the process.

The accuracy of the process stages can be improved to a greater extent by using machine automation. Automation tools such as PL© (Programmable Logic Control) and PAC (Programmable Automation Control) are used with smart sensor networks connected to a central cloud system. collect huge amounts of data. Specially designed software and applications are used to analyze the data and its behavior for improvement.

Industrial automation improves accuracy and efficiency; Reduced errors, easy control and remote access through applications. Machines can operate in harsher environments than humans; Automation of machines and tools reduces the human requirement for specific tasks.

Connected factories

Smart Factory concept, connected smart warehouse is an effective solution for improvement in all areas of operation. Key components such as machines, tools, and sensors will be linked to the network for easier management and access. Process flow overview, monitor downtime, check the status of inventory, outages, schedule maintenance and stop/pause a specific process for further analysis, and more. can be done remotely using industrial loT solutions.

2. Smart robot

Many companies are developing intelligent robotic systems for factories that support loT. The intelligent robot ensures smooth handling of tools and materials in the production line with high precision and efficiency. Predefined specifications can be set for maximum accuracy (scales up to a few nanometers for some applications) using the intelligent robotic arm. The man-machine interface design concept will reduce operational complexity and it will reflect in future loT-enabled manufacturing as productivity improves.

Robots can be programmed to perform complex tasks with high-end embedded sensors for real-time analysis. These robotic networks are connected to a secure cloud for monitoring and control. Teams of engineers can access and analyze this data to take quick actions to improve products or prevent unexpected problems caused by machine failures.

3. Predictive maintenance

Modern industrial machines are equipped with intelligent sensors that continuously monitor the status of each key component, and it can detect any critical problems before the system is completely shut down. Smart sensors will trigger maintenance alerts to the centralized system and alert messages will be forwarded to responsible people. Maintenance engineers can analyze data and plan to efficiently schedule maintenance without compromising routine work.

Predictive maintenance is an effective solution to avoid unnecessary downtime in the production line. Unexpected machine failure can cause product damage, delivery delays and loss of business for manufacturers.

The status of each machine is stored on the cloud system in real time. Each machine’s history, performance and subsequent scheduled maintenance are easily accessible remotely (on PC, via web interface or via smartphone apps). Performance improvements can be calculated and implemented for each machine and product process using the analysis of the collected data.

4. Integration of smart wearable tools and devices

The integration of smart sensors into tools and machines enables the workforce to perform tasks with improved accuracy and efficiency. Specially designed wearables and smart glasses help employees reduce errors and improve safety in the work environment.

Smart wearables can trigger instant alert notifications for employees in emergency situations such as a gas leak or fire. Wearables can monitor an individual’s health status continuously and respond if not suitable for a particular job.

5. Smart Logistics Management

Logistics is one of the key areas in many industries, which needs continuous improvement to support the increasing demand. Smart sensor technology is the perfect fit to tackle complex post-production operations and efficiently manage cargo.

Advanced technologies like drones offer better efficiency, accessibility, speed and it requires less manpower. However, the initial investments are huge compared to conventional methods and the implementation has limitations.

Aviation is another major industry, using loT for its day-to-day operations for the production and predictive maintenance of aircraft in service. At the manufacturing plant, airline companies use loT solutions to keep track of the thousands of components needed each day in the workplace. Centralized management of inventory makes it easy to manage its supply.

Vendors will automatically be notified if any items are requested to be recharged. Without much human action, inventory management can be done efficiently using loT.

Intelligent sensors continuously monitor the aircraft’s machinery, data is collected in real time and sent to the aircraft manufacturer. Maintenance of any part of the aircraft will be carried out, the team concerned will be notified and the maintenance will be carried out after the aircraft has landed without any delay. Manufacturers can efficiently plan and deliver spare parts based on data shared by the system.

6. Software integration for product optimization

An intelligent analytics solution is one of the most important components of any loT system, further enhancing its ability to improve and optimize. Large companies are implementing custom software to deeply analyze the massive amounts of data collected from large sensor networks and machines. Data granular analysis and understanding behavior over time gives a much better overview of process improvement strategies for product optimization

Improvement ideas can be directly related to product formulations or specific machine optimization for better performance and output. Cost effective solutions can be achieved using data analysis and its behavioral patterns over a period of time. Analyzing huge amounts of data was a difficult, imprecise, and time-consuming business prior to the introduction of these software tools.

7. Intelligent packaging management

Package management using loT technology brings much convenience and efficiency to production units. Smart sensors can monitor each packaging stage and update the status in real time. Embedded sensors can detect vibrations, atmospheric conditions such as temperature and humidity, etc., and respond if something goes wrong during transportation or storage.

8. Advanced Quality and Security

The introduction of LoT technology into production helps to improve product quality. Continuous monitoring and analysis of each stage ensures better quality by improving process steps for optimal quality. The integration of intelligent tools and software-assisted processes provides a higher level of security. Software-driven automation and data collection from a massive sensor network connected to a cloud server platform and high security gateway.

9. Self-driving cars

The automotive industries are using IoT that enables self-driving vehicles to deliver goods and manage logistics on their corporate premises. Smart vehicles can detect traffic congestion along its path and make the detour to reach the destination in the shortest time. Those are equipped with many smart sensors that continuously detect location data using GPS and wireless technology to communicate with the control station.

10. Power Management

IoT can provide better solutions for power management across industries. Specific sensors can detect the environment and trigger to turn on/off light control, air conditioning, humidity control, liquid flow, and more. for efficient power management.

How IloT App Impacts Industrial Automation

lloT applications are having a tremendous impact on advancing industrial automation (in other words, using computers to monitor and control industrial machines and processes instead of relying solely on humans. ). As industry leaders move to lloT solutions, they can:

• Reduce the impact of labor shortage

Labor shortages are common in the manufacturing industry. Using lloT sensors can reduce the amount of manpower required to inspect and maintain machinery, especially in vehicle locations. Additionally, warehouse and supply chain automation can reduce the need for human supervision while increasing efficiency. In fact, the use of robots and other automation has the potential to reduce manufacturing and labor costs by 25% to 30%, according to a recent report.

• Automate routine tasks to limit human contact

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, limiting contact between employees has been a top priority and a serious safety concern. The pandemic has spurred the growth of lloT across industries, with 77% of organizations surveyed currently implementing at least one loT project and according to research, businesses adopting lloT automation at least more negatively affected by the pandemic than businesses that are resistant to digital transformation.

• Upgrade devices remotely with over-the-air updates.

When machines need a firmware upgrade, remote control and lightning monitoring systems provide a way to deliver these without sending someone to the scene. Over-the-air updates make it easy to respond quickly to vulnerabilities and secure your IoT devices

Epilogue

Existing industries can adapt to the loT ecosystem for process improvement, better management, cost efficiency and overall efficiency. Future industries can leverage the power of loT infrastructure to optimize products by analyzing big data from thousands of tiny sensors. Industrial IoT is a rapidly evolving technology with limitless possibilities for the industries and manufacturing units of the future.