What is Internet of Things (IoT)?
Internet of Things (IoT) is the extending used of internet, a further technology that used on “Thing”; objects or devices, and connect them to the internet, for example; smart television, smart speakers, smart city whereby you use technologies to check on weather and monitor traffic. It is a network of sensors and smart systems connecting to internet to share, control and collect data.
What is Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)?
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is the extension use of IoT, which is for industrial sectors. IoT usage mostly focuses on a person’s daily life, IIoT focuses on improving performance of vast machines, devices, and entire business process of the industrial sector. It has the potential to be more advance and better financial benefit to manufacturers.
5 BENEFITS OF IIoT
#1 Improves and increases efficiency
As mentioned earlier, IIoT connects vast machines and devices together. When everything becomes automated, manufacturer or business owner will be able to optimize their operating efficiency. Which means, the automated machines and robots will be able to operate accurately and efficiently by boosting the production and helps manufacturer to simplify their functions.
When sensors installed on machines, assembly lines and warehouse, it provides the insights data to the management so that they will have a better understanding of their machines performances and will be able to plan accordingly.
#2 Maintenance prediction
Regardless of humans or material, everything in this world need to be maintained. As a manufacturer, when a machine is down without knowing what is/are the issue beforehand, it pays a high cost to repair it before it can operates again. The cost of time and repair for example. If a machine is down, the production line will have to rearrange or set again their other machines just for the materials suppose-to-produce on the “down” machine. It will take longer time to complete.
For the repair cost, the repairman or engineer might need some time to check on what causes the machine fails to operate. If you have it know before the machine breaks down, you will have taken an early preventive measurement. You will be able to reduce the repair cost too, and guess what? IIoT is able to do so; predicting your machines for maintenance, just like servicing a car (you have a booklet to service on which part of your car in order to last longer).
#3 Reduce errors
As we are now in industry 4.0, everything just goes beyond what a mere computer can do. Admit it. Most of the production errors are caused by humans. Yes, humans do make mistakes. By applying IIoT to the production line, it digitized the production process. Enabling machine learning programs, an artificial intelligence (AI) can do the required computing themselves. This reduces human errors.
#4 Improve safety
In manufacturing industry, chances of being injured and death risk are high since the employees are dealing with heavy materials, toxin, etc (depends on which manufacturing industry you are in). Being in smart manufacturing, security has become smarter too. Smart security in IIoT protects workers on the floor.
Employees are your valuable assets. To a company, an organization, employees, safety is not expensive. It is priceless.
#5 Reduce cost
Refering to the above, improving and increasing the efficiency, predicting machines or assets maintenance, reducing errors, improving safety with IIoT are already cost reduction. With the rise of technologies being developed from time to time, IIoT sure is a technology benefiting industrial 4.0.
Sample for office furniture manufacturer
While waiting for others to up level their production line, why not plan it now and up level yours? Custronics (custronics.com) is one of the IIoT provider in Malaysia. Should you wish to have IIoT on your business or your plant, feel free to contact the support team. Custronics personnel-in-charge will follow-up with you soon.
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