Benefits of IOT in Industry and Manufacturing

BRACT, Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune

TY. B. tech

Mechanical Engineering Department

Mechatronics - Home Assignment - TYMEA, Batch 2, Group 5

Guided by - Prof. Ketki Shirbavikar 

Group Members/Authors - 

Nivedita Bhagwat - RN 31

Pranjali Bhople - RN 38

Vedant Bhosale - RN 41

Harsh Bhutada - RN 44

Chhavi Kumari - RN 52

Introduction

The Internet of Things (IoT) describes the network of physical objects—“things”—that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies for the purpose of connecting and exchanging data with other devices and systems over the internet. These devices range from ordinary household objects to sophisticated industrial tools. With more than 7 billion connected IoT devices today, experts are expecting this number to grow to 10 billion by 2020 and 22 billion by 2025. Oracle has a network of device partners.

Technologies that have made IoT possible

While the idea of IoT has been in existence for a long time, a collection of recent advances in a number of different technologies has made it practical. 

1. Access to low-cost, low-power sensor technology. Affordable and reliable sensors are making IoT technology possible for more manufacturers.
2. Connectivity. A host of network protocols for the internet has made it easy to connect sensors to the cloud and to other “things” for efficient data transfer.
3. Cloud computing platforms. The increase in the availability of cloud platforms enables both businesses and consumers to access the infrastructure they need to scale up without actually having to manage it all.
4. Machine learning and analytics. With advances in machine learning and analytics, along with access to varied and vast amounts of data stored in the cloud, businesses can gather insights faster and more easily. The emergence of these allied technologies continues to push the boundaries of IoT and the data produced by IoT also feeds these technologies.
5. Conversational artificial intelligence (AI). Advances in neural networks have brought natural-language processing (NLP) to IoT devices (such as digital personal assistants Alexa, Cortana, and Siri) and made them appealing, affordable, and viable for home use.

Industrial IoT (IIoT)

IoT technologies exist all around us – all those interconnected devices we use like wearable technologies and virtual assistants are made possible by IoT. Industrial IoT, then, is taking the digital interconnectivity we’ve come to depend on and applying it to massive manufacturing operations, where the risks are higher, but the payoff is greater.

According to TechTarget, IIoT can be formally defined as “the use of smart sensors and actuators to enhance manufacturing and industrial processes. Also known as the industrial internet or Industry 4.0, IIoT leverages the power of smart machines and real-time analytics to take advantage of the data that dumb machines have produced in industrial settings for years.”

Industrial IoT capabilities require widespread digitization of manufacturing operations. Organizations must include four primary pillars to be considered a fully IIoT-enabled operation:

• Smart machines equipped with sensors and software that can track and log data.
• Robust cloud computer systems that can store and process the data.
• Advanced data analytics systems that make sense of and leverage data collected from systems, informing manufacturing improvements and operations.
• Valued employees, who put these insights to work and ensure proper manufacturing function.
• Connected assets and preventive and predictive maintenance.
  

Ok, but how does this network of smart devices can benefit manufacturers? Before we discuss this, let’s see some interesting facts about IoT in manufacturing.

How does it work for the Manufacturing Sector?

IoT refers to the network of inter-connected devices that communicate with each other or other networks. IoT-enabled devices can perform a range of activities, but they’re mostly used to collect data and perform specific actions.

IoT uses ‘smart’ devices to collect the data, process, and perform actions based on the data. These smart devices are integrated with sensors and other software to connect and exchange data within the network.

IoT integrated equipment provides valuable real-time data that allows manufacturers or machine operators to make informed decisions.

• Sensors collect the data from the machine and send it forward to the cloud
• The data is passed to the quality monitoring system
• The analyzed data is sent to the end-user

Benefits of IoT

IIoT is the application of connected smart devices to monitor, automate, and predict all kinds of industrial processes and outcomes. These technologies offer everything from enhanced worker protections through factory floor monitoring systems to the predictive maintenance possibilities currently revolutionizing the fleet management industry.

Widespread implementation of such systems changes the ways manufacturers, supply chains, and warehouse managers function more effectively. With IIoT, data-driven insights power greater results.
Industrial IoT market size is expected to reach $110 billion by 2020. In fact, Industrial IoT makes up more than 17% of the number of IoT projects worldwide.

So, what can manufacturers expect from today’s industrial IoT solutions? These are 5 of the biggest benefits of adopting a fully connected IIoT manufacturing operation.

Increase efficiency

The biggest benefit of IIoT is that it gives manufacturers the ability to automate, and therefore optimize their operating efficiency. Robotics and automated machinery can work more efficiently and accurately, boosting productivity and helping manufacturers streamline their functions.

Additionally, physical machinery can be connected to software via sensors that monitor performance on a constant basis. This enables manufacturers to have better insights into the operational performance of individual pieces of equipment as well as entire fleets.

IIoT-enabled data systems empower manufacturers to improve operating efficiencies by:

1. Bypassing manual tasks and functions and implementing automated, digital ones
2. Making data-driven decisions regarding all manufacturing functions
3. Monitoring performance from anywhere – on the manufacturing floor or from thousands of miles away

Reduce Errors

Industrial IoT empowers manufacturers to digitize nearly every part of their business. By reducing manual process and entries, manufacturers are able to reduce the biggest risk associated with manual labor – human error.

This goes beyond just operational and manufacturing errors. IIoT solutions also can reduce the risk of cyber and data breaches caused by human error. A Cyber Security Trend report cited people as the biggest cause of cyber security breaches, with human error being the culprit 37% of the time. AI and machine learning-enabled programs and machinery can do much of the required computing themselves, eliminating the potential for someone to make a simple mistake, and put the manufacturer’s data at risk.

Predictive Maintenance

Nothing negatively impacts a manufacturing operation more than machine downtime. Aberdeen Research Group calculates that the average cost per hour of downtime across all manufacturing types equates to $260,000. 

 

What could be causing such drastic issues that manufacturers cannot operate? The answer is simple – lack of proper and predictive maintenance.

When maintenance in the manufacturing world is reactive rather than proactive, manufacturers are stuck trying to identify what the issue is, how it can be repaired, and what it will cost. With predictive maintenance powered by industrial IoT solutions, all of those issues are alleviated.

When machinery performance and function is monitored consistently, manufacturers can create a baseline. This baseline and the corresponding data empowers companies with the information they need to see any issue before it occurs. They can then schedule maintenance prior to downtime, which benefits them in that they:

1. Have the parts required for the job
2. Know the cost of the project beforehand, and can budget for it
3. Move production to another area of the facility, so the product quotas are unaffected
4. Ensure that machinery is operating at maximum efficiency

Improve Safety

All of the data and sensors required of a fully functioning IIoT manufacturing operation are also helping to bolster workplace safety. “Smart manufacturing” is turning into “smart security” when all of the IIoT sensors work together to monitor workplace and employee safety.

Integrated safety systems are protecting workers on the floor, on the line, and in distribution. If an accident occurs, everyone in the facility can be alerted, operations can cease, and company leadership can intervene and make sure the accident and incident is resolved. This incident can also generate valuable data that can help prevent a repeat occurrence in the future.

A newer option some manufacturers are utilizing is the use of wearable technology among their employees. Wearables have been part of IoT since its infancy, and it are just now being utilized in industrial IoT operations.

Wearables help leadership keep tabs on things like employee posture and the surrounding noise levels, and they can then improve work conditions and potentially improve performance. They can also alert employees when they aren’t following proper workplace safety procedures, so they can correct their actions and stay safe on the job.

Automotive

The automotive industry stands to realize significant advantages from the use of IoT applications. In addition to the benefits of applying IoT to production lines, sensors can detect impending equipment failure in vehicles already on the road and can alert the driver with details and recommendations. 

 

Reduce Costs

Knowledge is power, and the knowledge provided to manufacturers via IIoT solutions is giving them the tools they need to reduce costs and generate more revenue. Data-driven insights into operations, production, marketing, sales, and more can steer businesses in a profitable direction.

 

All of the aforementioned benefits of IIoT – predictive maintenance, fewer errors, improved quality control, and maximized efficiencies – will all boost profits for a manufacturer. Industrial IoT also offers arguably the most valuable tool for leaders of a manufacturing company – insights from anywhere, anytime.

 

Remote monitoring of manufacturing operations is now possible 365 days a year, 24/7, from anywhere in the world. This 360-degree view into the entire manufacturing process, and the follow-up service provided to customers in their buying journey, is an invaluable asset.

Reduced Downtime

Timely, accurate and high-quality production is at the core of profits. Without reliable production, companies risk serious loss. Plus, when a machine stops working in the middle of a run, the product on the machine can be a total loss, in addition to traditional downtime expenses.

 

For example, let’s say an oven breaks at a plant in the middle of a baking run. Upon the failure of the machine, you’re struggling not just with downtime, but also with the loss of all the ingredients and associated production time. IoT provides safeguards against these types of losses. Sensors immediately detect problems in the baking machine at the moment that performance declines. Staff are alerted in real time and the problem can be resolved to minimize any associated downtime costs.

 

Downtime has many costs, and among those costs is the loss of product during production. In addition, there is also the lost cost of opportunity. 

For example, you may get a request for a rush order, but be unable to fill the order because you’re down a machine due to unplanned maintenance and repair. IoT helps recapture these costs and minimizes downtime.

Applications of IoT in Manufacturing Industry

IoT has multitudes of applications in manufacturing plants. It can facilitate the production flow in a manufacturing plant, as IoT devices automatically monitor development cycles, and manage warehouses as well as inventories. It is one of the reasons investment in IoT devices has increased over the past few decades.

1. Digital Twins

Digital Twins is the concept of creating a replica of the developing product in digital form. Whereas, by retrofitting sensors, industries gather data about their product’s entire working mechanism and the output expected from each module. The data collected from the digital replica is used by the managers to analyze the efficiency, effectiveness, and accuracy of the system.

 

Any shortcomings in the final product increases the burden on the employees and also increase the expenditures. Digital twins also help to identify such shortcomings and eliminate them to get a better version of the product. 

 

Lastly, digital Twins streamline operations like asset management and failure management. It supports industries in forecasting the completeness of their baseline and successfully get the work done before the deadlines.

2. Supply chain management

Supply chain management is one of the most important things to look after in the production cycle. IoT devices are used by industries to track inventories on a global scale. Industries use IoT to monitor their supply chain and thud get meaningful estimates of the available resources. The estimates include information regarding the undergoing work, equipment collection, and the delivery date of required materials.

 

IoT devices also eliminate the need for manual documentation for operations and introduce Enterprise Resource Program (ERP). They avail the facility of having cross-channel visibility into managerial departments and help the stakeholders in examining the undergoing progress.  It reduces the expenditure due to mismanagement and lack of analysis in the organizations.

3. Self-dependent systems

Manufacturing of products requires the operations of big machines. Machines can fail and that may lead to quality alteration of the produce. To fix the issues with the machines is time and labor-consuming. The consolidation of IoT and machine learning enables machines to deduct issues and fix them on their own. It enables the machines to auto-heal using the self-automated healing systems and regains control whenever a downtime occurs.

 

The embedded sensors notify the production team about the underlying issues. The automated system saves manual efforts and reduces time consumption as well. This way it provides the freedom to the production unit to concentrate on other critical issues. Self-dependant systems provide resilience to industries and help them boost their productivity as well as to achieve a faster time to market.

 

4. Workshop Mirroring

 

IoT can help interlink the Market Ready Solutions(MRS) and the enterprise management systems. It helps industries to automate the control of IoT-enabled manufacturing activities that are executed in workshops. With the use of IoT, industries can access, identify, and control the manufacturing execution process. It allows the industries to cover everything from the start of production to the delivery of the final product. The data from IoT-enabled manufacturing layers are utilized by the production unit as the product-related input for the industry.  IoT devices enable enterprises to rightly addresses the issues related to connection, computing, and control.

5. Smart Pumping

IoT can help industries to lessen the wastage of water by providing smart pumping solutions. Sensors embedded in the water tanks would regulate the pressure and control the flow of water. The predefined metrics would direct the pumps to automatically turn off. Along with this, they also bring real-time data that is used by the industries to monitor the performance. IoT technology helps industries to reduce electricity expenses, save manual labor, and achieve maximum productivity with efficient use of water. IoT-enabled pumping systems enable industries to install a connected, flexible, and efficient pumping system.

How is IoT changing the world

IoT is reinventing the automobile by enabling connected cars. With IoT, car owners can operate their cars remotely—by, for example, preheating the car before the driver gets in it or by remotely summoning a car by phone. Given IoT’s ability to enable device-to-device communication, cars will even be able to book their own service appointments when warranted. The connected car allows car manufacturers or dealers to turn the car ownership model on its head. 

 

Previously, manufacturers have had an arms-length relationship with individual buyers (or none at all). 

 

Essentially, the manufacturer’s relationship with the car ended once it was sent to the dealer. With connected cars, automobile makers or dealers can have a continuous relationship with their customers. 

 

Instead of selling cars, they can charge drivers usage fees, offering a “transportation-as-a-service” using autonomous cars. IoT allows manufacturers to upgrade their cars continuously with new software, a sea-change difference from the traditional model of car ownership in which vehicles immediately depreciate in performance and value.

Conclusion

The use of IoT is not only the manufacturing industry but it has extended its root in almost every sector. An IDC forecast expects the global IoT spending growth rate to return in double digits in 2021 after being severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. They expect it to achieve a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.3% over the 2020-2024 forecast period.              

 

IoT facilitates many sectors and the manufacturing industry is the prime beneficiary of it. In the coming days, the reliance on technologies like IoT, AI, Big Data will increase and almost every sector will seek the use of these.

References

1. The industrial Internet of things: An analysis Framework, Hugh Boyes, Tim Watson, Joe Cunningham, Bil Hallaq.
2. Tan, Lu; Wang, Neng (20–22 August 2010). Future Internet: The Internet of Things. 3rd International Conference on Advanced Computer Theory and Engineering (ICACTE).
3. Chui, Michael; Löffler, Markus; Roberts, Roger. "The Internet of Things". McKinsey Quarterly. McKinsey & Company. Retrieved 10 July 2014. 
4. Hendricks, Drew. "The Trouble with the Internet of Things". London Datastore. Greater London Authority. Retrieved 10 August 2015. 
5. Mattern, Friedemann; Floerkemeier, Christian (2010). "From the Internet of Computer to the Internet of Things" (PDF).