IIoT (the acronym for Industrial Internet of Things) is among the keystones of the digital revolution involving the manufacturing industry. IIoT is a winning solution for companies that want to:
- Automate processes
- Improve their production (real-time monitoring)
- Prevent hypothetical machinery failures in real-time (smart maintenance)
- Be more competitive
- Raise safety levels
This cutting-edge technology fosters the interconnection between devices, processes, data, and professionals inside and outside the factory. It is a continuous process based on the convergence between operating systems, granular collection of Big, Data, and their analysis. An integrated and evolved solution making communication between machines more effective and provides a more detailed view of internal processes.
But what, then, are the benefits of IIoT? Let’s find out together.
IIoT and the importance of Big Data
Increasing factory automation, real-time control of all production stages, and optimizing equipment monitoring are the main benefits of IIoT, which embraces solutions ranging, for example, from sensor technology to digital twin and collaborative robots.
But how can companies reap all the benefits? After connecting devices, it is crucial to access and analyze data from sensors installed on industrial equipment. This is an essential step to understanding how to take action to avoid production stoppages and possible anomalies. Indeed, connected devices in the factory can provide extremely useful information, i.e. on telemetry, specific parameters, plant status, or performance.
Information is paramount as long as it is possible to analyze and cross data systematically. How? Through machine-learning solutions that compare the data obtained with the device’s historical memory, artificial intelligence, cloud or edge computing platforms.
Such data must come from multiple sources, both internal and external to the business. to understand how to act on production accordingly, and set up an effective predictive maintenance strategy for uninterrupted functioning.
Predictive Maintenance and the Industrial Internet of Things
Unlike traditional maintenance, predictive or smart maintenance offers the opportunity to understand any malfunctions in advance and prevent sudden and urgent downtime. These problems slow down and risk compromising the entire production with enormous costs for companies.
Predictive maintenance relies on remote assistance connecting all facilities and networking a potentially infinite amount of machinery. In a context of production flexibility, companies can monitor and schedule their activities in detail, and act before any downtime occurs. In this way, the workflow is constant and optimized.
Augmented Reality is among the useful technologies for real-time monitoring and timely smart maintenance interventions. In digitized enterprises, it is possible to check equipment in real-time and to perform remote monitoring thanks to hi-tech software such as Eye4Task. It is a cutting-edge solution in AR that enables data to be viewed directly on smart glasses, tablets, or smartphones.
Benefits of IIoT for Businesses
There are an incredible number of benefits for businesses deriving from IIoT. These include, among others:
- Substantially reducing costs associated with maintenance interventions
- Avoidance of wasted resources
- Decreased downtime
- Increased equipment uptime
- Decreased expenses for spare parts
- Significant decrease in downtime interventions by external teams
- Timely quality control
- Supply chain and supply chain efficiencies
- Increased safety of equipment and working conditions for employees
As we have seen, digital transformation relies on the adoption of cutting-edge technologies such as IIoT, which allows data to be analyzed, and used for planning, and making choices.
However, to produce in a flexible, agile way, every business needs a customized plan, a specific strategy, and solutions providing it with concrete opportunities to turn over and be competitive. Companies also have to work to prevent anomalies in machinery and keep their reputation intact in the eyes of consumers.
Eye4Task is a remote collaboration platform that can analyze asset status and functionality. Where criticality is assumed, it allows for production line changes or maintenance schedules before failure. It can thus prevent machine stoppages, boost productivity, reducing costs for the company.
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