Industry 4.0 has inaugurated a sea change in the way businesses remain productive and how they operate. As manufacturing gets increasingly competitive, the Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) integrates physical assets with processes and networks to facilitate clear, quick, and efficient communication.
This is where IoT production monitoring systems become an indispensable asset to the smart factory set up. In this article, we’ll take you through why IoT production monitoring is important, the key components of an IoT production monitoring system, and top challenges in implementing an IoT production monitoring system.
Why is IoT Production Monitoring Important in Industry 4.0?
An IoT production monitoring system is a fairly sophisticated system of interconnected sensors and devices that lets you monitor the assets on your factory floor in real-time. These sensors gather vast amounts of data and insights into the status of your manufacturing equipment and production processes.
An IoT-based production monitoring system gives you a real time, 360-degree view of the performance of your equipment, power consumption statistics, and status of your workflow. It helps manufacturers optimize their production processes, streamline their workflows, prevent downtimes, and retain a competitive edge in the marketplace. By 2025, 75% of manufacturers will already have a plan for digital transformation, which is the main thrust of Industry 4.0. It is fast becoming a necessity to remain competitive in the market today.
How Do IoT Production Monitoring Systems Help Businesses?
So why exactly is IoT production monitoring systems becoming an indispensable part of the manufacturing landscape? Here are just some of the many benefits that companies reap.
Enhanced, real-time operational visibility
By leveraging operational machine data in real time from anywhere in the world, businesses typically get a clearer picture of their operations and processes. The centralized dashboard helps all stakeholders stay on the same page and saves a lot of time.
Real-time insights into the raw data
The processed data from the sensors provide a wealth of insights and trend analysis from the raw data gathered by sensors. This helps manufacturers optimize their production processes and streamline their spending.
Enhanced resource management and faster decision-making
IoT production monitoring systems can quickly help business leaders identify underperforming and underutilized business assets and take the right business decisions to maximize productivity.
Boosts employee productivity
The success of your business depends on your employees. With the right training and skill enhancement, IoT production monitoring systems can boost employee productivity while providing them with more flexibility and enhanced safety measures on the factory floor. A report by Accenture and the World Economic Forum highlighted how IoT can enhance worker productivity and safety. For example, a drill operator can now operate the machinery remotely instead of in-person.
Reduced operational costs and increased OEE
With the help of IoT production monitoring systems and predictive maintenance solutions, manufacturers see an overall decrease in operational costs and an increase in overall equipment efficiency (OEE) by up to 25%.
What are the Key Components of an IoT Production Monitoring System?
Here are some of the key components on an IoT production monitoring system.
- Sensors and devices: Sensors and devices are the foundational backbone of your IoT production monitoring system. These sensors gather real-time data on a variety of pre-set parameters like temperature, pressure, and vibrations to gather a holistic view of machine performance.
- Connectivity: The raw data collected by these sensors across the factory floor is then transmitted through a range of suitable communication technologies like Wi-fi, cellular networks or MQTT protocols. The data can be stored on a cloud or on-premises.
- Cloud computing and data processing: Once the raw data reaches the cloud, then it is processed and analyzed using pre-set criteria to generate a wealth of actionable insights. As you get these insights in real-time, it becomes far easier and quicker to take data-driven decisions for your business success.
Top Challenges in Implementing IoT Production Monitoring System
However, several challenges in the implementation of IoT production monitoring systems still remain. These challenges require proactive action and strategies to maximize the benefits of your IoT production monitoring system.
Cybersecurity threats
One of the biggest challenges includes cybersecurity threats, especially when sensitive data is involved. To tackle this problem, all stakeholders have to first acknowledge this threat and work together to come up with comprehensive solutions. In order to foster digital trust, IoT production monitoring system providers must strive to ensure that security and encryption are built into the architecture of the IoT platform from the pilot stange onwards.
Integration with existing and legacy systems
Another key challenge is the integration of the IoT production monitoring with existing and legacy systems. Some of these systems and equipment may be outdated and be unable to support the latest technology and required security updates. A planned and phased implementation of your IoT production monitoring system can go a long way in mitigating this issue and providing a seamless transition with minimal disruptions.
Interoperability issues
Yet another issue comes due to challenges with interoperability. Not all sensors and software are compatible with each other. This makes the scaling up of your IoT production monitoring system a challenge as well. To mitigate this issue, clear communication of expectations and a strict adherence to industry standards and protocols are essential. A cloud agnostic IoT monitoring system will also go a long way in mitigating this issue.
A Trusted IoT Production Monitoring System Partner Can Make a Difference
With over 8 years of experience in serving clients from the manufacturing industry, Bridgera prides itself on being at the forefront of innovation and implementation in the IoT platform ecosystem.
Our fully-customized IoT production monitoring systems are cloud-agnostic and white-label – minimizing your risk of interoperability. What’s more, we’ll deliver an IoT Proof-of-Concept (PoC) in just two weeks, reducing your time to market and initial investments required.
Contact our IoT experts for a free consultation today!
About Bridgera: Bridgera effortlessly combines innovation and expertise to deliver cutting-edge solutions using connected intelligence. We engineer experiences that go beyond expectations, equipping our clients with the tools they need to excel in an increasingly interconnected world. Since our establishment in 2015, Bridgera, headquartered in Raleigh, NC, has specialized in crafting and managing tailored SaaS solutions for web, mobile, and IoT applications across North America.
About the Author: Krishna Varma is a writer and researcher, who enjoys writing about technology, IoT, and lifestyle. When she isn’t writing and reading, you’ll find her relaxing with a quiet cup of tea over the weekends.