Future of IoT in manufacturing industries

IoT

In this ongoing phase of fourth industrial revolution or simply Industry 4.0, IoT(Internet of Things) plays a very crucial role. From the transformation of traditional manufacturing practices to the concept of smart homes, smart cities, smart vehicles, etc. the popularity & capabilities of IoT are increasing day by day.

So in this article you will find how IoT can benefit the industries so that they can become more fast, efficient & productive.

1. Machine Maintenance:

Maintenance of machines are one of the most fundamental thing every manufacturing does in order to avoid breakdown of the machines which causes time loss, labor loss, etc. to the manufacturing industries and these industries always try hard to “maintain” their machines as much as possible. Even though industries try their best to implement different maintenance strategies, the sometimes will have a breakdown which is very uncertain even if the machine is properly maintained as per schedule. There are several factors which can cause an unpredictable breakdown of the machine. But, with the help of IoT it is possible to predict the “FUTURE” of the machine which can be communicated to the operator or the maintenance personnel. Different sensors can be used for different machines & this data of the machine can be continuously monitored & if there are some unusual changes in the machine operation it can be easily communicated to the respective personnel & necessary changes can be made so that the breakdown can be avoided.

Example: IoT used to monitor real time data.

2. Controlling the 3-D Printer using IoT:

3-D printer-A machine which manufactures parts in which product is made by adding the material rather than removing the material. The concept similar to printing images on paper but in this machine actual 3-D objects can be created by adding material. It is also sometimes called as additive manufacturing. Most of the current desktop 3D printers are built based on open-source designs from online communities. An increasing number of 3D printer operators are looking for ways to use their 3D printers remotely. Wireless 3-D printer has number of advantage over the traditional wired setup.

This can be achieved by using a Raspberry Pi computer. You no longer need to use an SD card to copy files from your computer to your 3D printer. It enables wireless printing on your network. Making operations wireless has many advantages because it enables you to control the process remotely

Example: IoT application interface showing printing progress & printing temperature.

3. Supply Chain Management:

The Internet of Things (IoT) proves its value by offering complete visibility into every aspect of the supply chain journey. From individual packages to entire containers, companies can monitor location, condition, integrity, and other critical information about their shipment that is not ordinarily available in the realm of traditionally managed logistics. Without the benefit of IoT, companies would only be able to track their shipments as they arrived at checkpoints, but not in-between. With IoT sensors applied, shipments can be monitored at every stage, allowing complete quality control and quality assurance while minimizing loss. A good example of this would be in perishable food supply chains, where sensors could detect freshness and quality in real-time. Sensors can even be used to locate the whereabouts of products and staff in large depots and on the road to help calculate the time of arrival.

                  Example: Supply Chain Visibility using IoT in healthcare sectors.

4. IoT for packaging optimization:

The incorporation of IoT devices on packaging factory floor and throughout the inventory gives real-time actionable insights through data analytics. These insights help to take proactive actions and address any arising issue with the asset in real-time to continue hassle-free production. It can also analyze the insights and make important decisions for factory management, business enhancement and increasing your workforce efficiency.

This requires an IoT assessment management platform to support various devices, communication protocols, networks and cloud environments. This platform is supposed to be integrated with current enterprise systems.

Use of IoT in packaging is relatively new. But as expected, IoT solutions for the packaging industry help to do everything that is required in packaging. IoT helps to cut on packaging costs and improve logistics management, inventory optimization, customer experience, branding and brand protection.

Example: Application scenario for IoT based automated e-fulfilment packaging system.

5. IoT for better product quality:

Improving the quality of products is a primary goal for manufacturers. . A higher-quality product leads to many other benefits, such as reduced waste, lower costs, increased customer satisfaction and higher sales. Achieving this goal, however, is not always easy.  This is where IOT can help. Poor product quality is nothing but a result of use of equipment’s which are not properly calibrated, fault in the equipment itself. Frequently monitoring the performance of the measurement systems is very important to ensure high product quality. The quality inspector may not be always responsible for poor quality or faulty products but it may be the result of equipment which is being used continuously for a long period of time. So, this data of the equipment can be continuously measured and recorded by using appropriate sensors & a message about the equipment’s performance can be sent to the quality inspector & necessary changes can be done.

Example: IoT for Product quality monitoring

References: 

1. https://fathym.com/2017/05/16/5-powerful-benefits-iot-manufacturing-industry/

2. https://www.hellersearch.com/blog/7-real-benefits-iot-brings 

3. https://global.hitachi-solutions.com/blog/industrial-iot-benefits 

4. www.google.com 

5. www.wikipedia.com