Just a week ago, the world population reached 8 million. This has put the manufacturing industry under immense pressure. The sector needs not just to increase efficiency and productivity but also reduce the cost of doing so simultaneously. IoT is a potential solution to these pressures on the manufacturing industry.
Rapid Growth in the use of IoT in the Manufacturing Industry
A Deloitte survey shows, “More than 86% of survey respondents believe smart factory initiatives will be the main driver of manufacturing competitiveness in the next five years.”
The belief stems from knowing that IoT can help manufacturers new revenue streams and business models that allow them to stay competitive.
More and more manufacturers are turning to IoT. The factors that have spurred this growth include:
- Predictive maintenance
- Production efficiency
- Streamlined management
- Reduced downtime
- More visibility, insights, and control
The benefits of IoT
IoT is slowly but surely transforming the traditional manufacturing industry into a smart space. It is not just increasing productivity and efficiency but also saving millions.
These benefits might be a reason for the shift:
1. Improves Asset Management
IoT facilitates asset management. The use of IoT in the connected supply chain at the asset level helps manage inventory positions. In addition, it provides visibility into actual inventory throughout the complex logistics network.
Manufacturers are having difficulty when it comes to managing materials, products, and equipment. There are unique challenges regarding the volume of assets, the speed at which orders can be processed and delivered, the increasing shipping costs, and warehouse capacity.
Unlocking the potential of IoT means being able to overcome these challenges in manufacturing.
2. Improves Production Planning
Managing a fast and efficient production line requires many moving parts working in unison, synchronized to the beat of orders completed on time and without errors. This is where IoT can play a major role.
IoT allows manufacturers to plan, control, analyze, and optimize processes better by creating a network of connected machines, systems, and humans.
This connectedness and the data generated from this connected network provide the manufacturers with many potential opportunities. With it, manufacturers can power operational optimization projects with real-time data and analyze the data gathered to achieve actionable insights.
3. Improves Plant Safety and Security
IoT technology and the extensive data that it can hold, can facilitate safety and security through the monitoring of KPIs. The data analysis can help keep record of employee absences, near misses, injuries, mishaps and more during daily operations.
IoT ensures better safety through real-time insights into significant areas. It allows manufacturers to address issues immediately.
Moreover, manufacturers can assure compliance with health and safety regulations and environmental concerns.
4. Provides Quality Control
IoT facilitates the monitoring of a vast array of process and machine parameters. This in turn, effectively manages the quality control of products.
For many manufacturing facilities, product quality and process reliability depend on optimal humidity, air quality, and temperature control. In the past, this was all done manually, and human error had to be accounted for.
With IoT, manufacturers can now track quality parameters such as humidity, temperature, pressure, and particulate matter with greater accuracy. IoT sensors help collect data that can determine which products match quality standards and which must be inspected more closely.
5. Predicts Early Malfunctions
Predictive maintenance helps manufacturers avoid equipment failures and downtime.
IoT devices help predict malfunctions and take a proactive approach. Connecting devices and machines to the internet allow data to be collected and analyzed in real-time to identify potential issues before they cause major disruptions.
IoT-enabled predictive maintenance sensors can help improve the efficiency and safety of manufacturing operations. These sensors calculate the vibrations of machines, surrounding temperature, acceleration, displacement, and sound frequencies to detect if the machines operate under normal conditions.
By predicting downtime, IoT sensors enable manufacturers to take corrective action in time to prevent disruption in the manufacturing process. In addition, wireless industrial sensors optimize safety by helping predict if a machine is about to explode or is reaching a dangerous working condition.
6. Increases Customer Satisfaction Levels
With IoT devices, manufacturers can foray into a world of exciting opportunities.
IoT sensors can be used to collect data and provide remote diagnostics. With the time for repairs being reduced, it becomes easy for the manufacturers to create stronger bonds with the customers.
Enhancing service delivery is one of the key requirements for a modern customer. IoT does just that!
Also, early warning and detection signals that IoT solutions can provide help drive quality improvements in the products. All this leads to increased customer satisfaction.
Key Takeaways
Manufacturers are eager to embrace smart manufacturing, and move towards a new level of interconnected and intelligent manufacturing systems. And rightfully so, as IoT in manufacturing:
- Improves Asset Management
- Improves Production Planning
- Improves Plant Safety and Security
- Provides Quality Control
- Predicts Early Malfunctions
- Increases Customer Satisfaction Levels
Wrapping up
The Manufacturing Industry seems to be in line with the transformation that IoT holds the potential to bring about.
If you want to be a player in this rather lucrative endeavour, connect with Aerion Technologies and CRINNAC for a Free Consultation TODAY, and we can help you end to end—from ideation to the delivery of your IoT solution.
