The Internet of Things (IoT) may just be the most significant impact on manufacturing since the Industrial Revolution. This latest technology revolution is enabling industrial companies and manufacturers to gain productivity and enhance supply chain operations, leading to a safer employee experience and increased customer satisfaction. According to McKinsey, the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) will be a $500 billion market by 2025, largely driven by advances and increased demand in the manufacturing sector. So, how is IoT positively impacting manufacturing? Read this to find out about the exciting IoT transformation of the manufacturing industry.
The industrial Internet of Things refers to the application of IoT sensors, devices and connected solutions that contribute to the digital transformation of the industrial sector broadly. IoT uses networks of sensors that collect critical data and analyze it - both at the edge and in the cloud, to turn that data into actionable insights. These learnings can drive operational efficiencies, lower costs, improve safety, and create other beneficial opportunities for businesses in all industries, especially manufacturing. While the industrial sector includes a number of vertical industries like chip fabrication, construction, mining, and other related businesses, we’ll focus on manufacturing subsectors like product line assembly and finished goods manufacturing in this article.
Just as we see across other industries, the Internet of Things is changing the paradigm in manufacturing. Though the industry initially focused on emergency communications such as activating employee alerting systems when an assembly line went down, manufacturers are now branching into other areas as the benefits of connectivity are applied to new applications outside of the manufacturing line. These applications include increasing automation through the use of autonomous robots for packing assembled products, improving employee wellbeing by reducing unsafe movements, and tracking finished products along the entire delivery process . Companies are also looking at opportunities to serve their end customers better, by moving toward on-demand service models, and considering entirely new revenue models to appeal to different customer markets.
As we’ve seen with other industries, industrial companies can significantly benefit from implementing connected solutions. Here are some of the improvements we see in the manufacturing and related industrial sectors, as well as areas for significant opportunity moving forward.
There are so many great examples of how IoT is being used in manufacturing businesses today. Here are just a few of the exciting advances in manufacturing by companies leveraging IoT.
There are a lot of exciting advances in manufacturing on the horizon, and we’re actually seeing some of these early changes being implemented now. Here are some of the shifts that we’re most excited about.
The use of industrial robots working in factories isn’t new in many manufacturing organizations. Their usefulness and efficiency will continue to increase, as they are quite cost-effective, operate 24/7, and can operate in intensive, but repetitive roles that can help improve overall worker safety in the plant. Robots are especially helpful with handling basic tasks to free people up for the more complex, and valuable roles in the facility. With enhanced connectivity, robots in different stages of assembly will be able to communicate and adjust accordingly to events like specific line shutdowns in order to limit downtime and ease bottlenecks.
The valuable information that this technology generates is one of the greatest advantages of IoT. With the ability to analyze such large amounts of data, manufacturers can decrease downtime and costs and improve efficiency, safety, and productivity. Manufacturers will continue to evolve as they learn how to incorporate this rich data in their business operations.
The data produced by IIoT is a gold mine of value for companies who learn how to use it. The advanced algorithms and analytics that use machine learning to mine the data empower companies with data-based strategies and deep insights. This changes the paradigm of how companies run, poising businesses for growth on a scale never seen before.
Zipit works with manufacturing companies by offering them premier networks to support their IoT initiatives. We provide global tier-one carrier connectivity from the top cellular service providers. Companies can easily manage their IoT-enabled business with our intuitive and sophisticated multi-carrier platform. It’s proven effective with managing device connections, subscription billing, and more, so you can take full advantage of the power of IoT connectivity.
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