Challenges for manufacturing companies
In a rapidly evolving business environment, it is crucial that manufacturing companies proactively respond to changes and challenges to stay relevant and thrive. Find out what challenges IIoT can provide a solution for.
Why invest in IIoT?
By making your production process transparent using data, you can better control the production parameters because you have (near) real time visibility of what is happening in the production process. For example, you can prevent the temperature at which a part is heated from being too high due to the ambient temperature rising.
By making data coming from your production process visible, you can, among other things, detect and prevent bottlenecks and causes of machine downtime. This ensures greater efficiency, which in turn can increase the number of products rolling off the line.
When you have better insights into the conditions in which your products are made, you can optimize certain parameters and deliver higher quality products to your customer.
Gaining insights into your manufacturing process results in less downtime, less energy consumption, less waste,...
Applications of IIoT on the factory floor
Investments in machinery and materials cost handsomely. So it makes sense that, as a company, you try to get the most out of those "assets." But to do that, you first need a clear view of their use (and possibly location).
The result of optimal production is often only visible when it has passed quality control and those results come back. With IIoT, we continuously capture the various effective process parameters, in addition to setting values, so that we can link to the impact on product quality, and thus use the right settings in the future, under current conditions, that create the right product quality.
Gain insight into the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) within your production department and optimize production processes using OEE data.
Capture exactly how much energy is consumed within your factory, where, when, for which products in which step, and based on that data see where you can create impact on your energy efficiency. An assembly line that keeps running, machines running at full power, unnecessary stopping and starting of systems, etc.
The last thing you want is your production line stopping abruptly due to neglected maintenance. It's essential to perform maintenance on time. However, it's equally important to note that unnecessary maintenance can be costly, consuming valuable production time, work hours, and resources. What if your system could alert you precisely when maintenance is needed, allowing you to replace only what's necessary at the perfect time?
The operator today faces a very different challenge than his colleague a decade ago. Greater variety in products, shorter life cycles, price pressure on raw materials and energy prices, and lots of temporary labor. The days of an operator making the same product for years at the same company are long gone. To get operators up and running faster, you can support them with all kinds of digital information. This ensures that the right person, the right information is available at the right time.
IIoT and Augmented Reality (AR)
IIoT data can also be used to improve AR experiences. For example, suppose a new employee needs to be trained. Instead of having a colleague do the training, AR can be used to guide the employee through the tasks. Here, data from your IIoT devices can be used - for example, to warn the worker not to touch a certain part of the machine because it is very hot. This is just one of many examples.
Who gets value from IIoT within a company?
Monitoring parameters on the various machines within the production lines provides valuable insights into the efficiency, quality and availability of the lines, which translates into an OEE percentage (Overall Equipment Effectiveness). An important measure for manufacturing companies to determine how efficiently their production is running. And measuring is knowing, because from those insights, the production/operations manager can make important optimizations.
The service technicians who maintain your production equipment can keep track of which parts need maintenance (and when), so you can prevent machine downtime in the production flow. The data is also often used to identify the reason for stoppages more quickly, allowing you to act on the right parts sooner.
By deploying IIoT in your production facility, you can provide data and insights to your customers about the product they purchased (under what conditions was it produced, traceability,...).
We are happy to help you with your IIoT solution
Are you considering implementing IIoT in your manufacturing, or are you already using IIoT and need support, or want to talk about how to get even more out of your existing IIoT solution? We are here to help you.
We can guide you step by step through your IIoT journey.
From determining your processes as is, defining your goals, connecting your
machines, providing insight into the collected data to determining next steps.
We make sure that all data is bundled and displayed in a clear way. And that
you can take the necessary follow-up steps to make your business more
efficient.
