Article | January 8, 2021
The pandemic is considered a catalyst of change. It has forced many industries worldwide to transform and adapt to various digital solutions. A collection of advanced technologies such as IoT, artificial intelligence, machine learning and more have been widely adopted to support innovation-driven growth strategies. Majority of industry leaders are describing these technologies as industry 4.0 revolution. Entrepreneurs from the manufacturing industry are among them.
Many novel opportunities in the manufacturing industry are flourishing with the addition of IoT. The idea of digital transformation has become a necessity rather than an add-on cost for companies. Having said that, the manufacturing industry is on the cusp of a revolution—the internet of things revolution! According to IDC, in 2020, the manufacturing industry experienced notable growth, with a CAGR of 12.4%, which forecasts by 2025.
The internet of things in manufacturing enabled smart manufacturing, known as Industrial IoT (IIoT). This development introduced transparency of processes, products, assets, resources, connectivity, advanced analytics, automation, and other advanced-manufacturing technologies. The addition, the internet of things in manufacturing gained momentum as it helped companies transform their operations. It benefitted businesses in various aspects such as production efficiency to product customization, improvements in speed to market, service effectiveness, and even in new business model creation.
A recent MPI 2020 Industry 4.0 study revealed that 83% of manufacturing leaders consider “industry 4.0 is extremely important” to their companies, and 56% believe that “Industry 4.0 will have a significant impact” in the next five years.
This blog will give you an overview of IoT as well as how its impact is influencing and transforming the manufacturing industry.
An Overview: The Internet of Things
IoT refers to a network of everyday devices, machines, and other objects equipped with computer chips and sensors. It helps in collecting and transmitting data through the internet. There are several applications of IoT in manufacturing like creating digital solutions, security systems, and communication medium or for upgrading manufacturing processes. These implementations are affecting the overall ecosystem of businesses.
IoT is not a novel technological concept but it is being widely circulated in the manufacturing industry in the current times. It is now a developing trend and an innovative technology, enabling rapid data flow while providing the ability to monitor and manage processes in real time.
What is IoT in manufacturing? IoT in manufacturing refers to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). It includes interconnected sensors, instruments, and devices networked together with computers’ industrial applications, including manufacturing and energy management. Industrial IoT in manufacturing shapes organizations with greater capabilities and connectivity to increase their pace of identifying bottlenecks in processes and manage operations with greater agility.
It has been observed that during the pandemic, the IoT in manufacturing has gained prominence because now the goal is to create a completely automated process and turn it into a smart factory for the years to come.
Top Use Cases of Internet of Things in Manufacturing
Without visibility, there is no accountability. The value of the IoT in manufacturing is rising unprecedentedly after the manufacturing industry faced challenges during the pandemic.The novel applications of IoT in the manufacturing industry offer hope for massive opportunities to enter in the future. The industrial IoT in manufacturing is slowly transferring traditional manufacturing supply chains into dynamic, interconnected systems, helping to change the way products were being made before and ensuring better safety for human operators to a high level.
So, how is IoT used in manufacturing? Here are the top three use cases of IoT trends in manufacturing:
•Remote monitoring and operations
•Predictive maintenance and smart asset management
•Autonomous manufacturing
Other than this, the need of IoT in manufacturing is also processed by wireless connectivity. Today, IoT depends on low power and long-range, as the Narrowband (NB) standard addresses it. Thus, there are now a host of IoT use cases, including smart metering, asset tracking, logistics tracking, machine monitoring, and more.
However, as the comprehensive 5G connectivity is about to enter the technology sphere, there will be a new level of speed, efficiency, and performance, which will help unlock new IoT use cases in the future. A 2020 report from Bloor Research reveals that the future of 5G, edge computing, and IoT are critical enablers for the manufacturing industry.
The Role of the Internet of Things in Manufacturing
The applications of IoT in the manufacturing industry have been there for a long time. However, the pandemic forced many manufacturing units and factories to adopt the emerging IoT trends in manufacturing to revolutionize the mass production of goods and boost other industries' output. The benefits of the IoT in manufacturing are becoming popular by the day. Whether it’s about gathering data from multiple machines or delivering real-time data to the manager of operations, the results of this are enhanced operational performance and reduced workload.
Apart from this, goods are tracked and equipment maintenance is predicted easily. All of these functions, through analysis, help manufacturers to identify factors of failure or malfunction. By knowing about it on time, they can take appropriate actions and measures to overcome them. So, whether it is IoT in car manufacturing, IoT in apparel manufacturing, IoT in automotive manufacturing, or other industries, IoT is booming in every way. Even the companies specialized in making manufacturing machines are following the latest IoT trends in the manufacturing industry.
To get more specific about the impact of IoT in the manufacturing industry, here are the most sought-after roles:
Quality Level 4.0
Most manufacturers faced difficulties while maintaining quality consistency, as the pandemic forced them to reduce human interaction at work. This aroused complexities in various manufacturing processes. So, by implementing IoT, companies have easily been able to produce good quality products through multiple applications, latest machines, equipment, and tools. In this way, the IIoT’s impact in the manufacturing industry will indeed enhance the quality level of products to manufacture in the future.
In addition, as IoT has a mass of applications in manufacturing, it is also facilitating the production rate of products. This is one of the major benefits of IoT. It increases production rate by automatically monitoring the development cycles at each stage. In this way, the quality aspect of a product remains under observation throughout the production process.
IoT Enables Power of Prediction
Predictive maintenance is a big thing. One of the significant answers to how IoT is being used in manufacturing is that it improves operating efficiencies. It also ensures that factory equipment and other assets are adequately working, which stays a major priority for manufacturers. Even a small malfunction can lead to substantial delays in production, which could delay or even cancel orders. In these situations, IoT technology helps to overcome these challenges. The deployment of wireless sensors throughout the machines can easily help managers detect issues beforehand and resolve them. This shows the power of prediction it provides.
The emerging IoT systems supported by wireless technologies have sense-warning signs in equipment that sends data to the maintenance staff so they could proactively repair the equipment. This avoids major delays in future production schedules. In addition, manufacturers could also gain other benefits of IoT by getting safer plant environments and increased equipment life. This is how the Internet of Things is becoming crucial for the manufacturing industry, especially after the pandemic, and is creating possibilities for manufacturing companies to gain predictable revenue in future.
Supply Chain Management
Emerging applications of IoT in the manufacturing industry are allowing companies to monitor all the events related to supply chain management. It includes shipments of supplies, tracking of transportation services like shipping containers, logistics data, and more. Data analyzed through devices could also help companies improve logistics by finding problem areas and resolving them in no time. Apart from this, IoT devices also eliminate a big chunk of manual documentation related to operations and others with a novel Enterprise Resource Program (ERP). This new invention of the Internet of Things in manufacturing facilitates cross-channel visibility into managerial, financial, and operation departments.
Remote Production Control
Many manufacturing companies relocated their computational resources to a custom cloud or connected on modern BAAS (backend as a service) or PAAS (platform as a service) platforms. Thanks to the IoT applications that benefitted the manufacturing industry during challenging times in the pandemic. In this case, the data is transmitted to the industrial automation system. In addition, it controls the overall process of machinery as well as production. IoT in steel manufacturing, oil and gas industries, and power generation have already gained benefits from this function of IoT technology. These industries used IoT devices and created a control system distantly. Harley Davidson, Cisco, and GE are some of the finest examples of using IoT in manufacturing. They have set history by reaping the best benefits of the Internet of Things in manufacturing and overcame hurdles bravely during the pandemic. Their IoT-driven manufacturing process achieved a massive production rate in comparison to other industries during the pandemic phase.
Cisco developed a “virtual” manufacturing execution system platform (VMES) through leveraging technologies such as the cloud, big data analytics, and the internet of things to gather real-time information from production machines. In the same vein, Harley Davidson and GE connected every asset on the plant floor and production to IoT devices and tracked performance in real-time. They installed 10,000+ sensors that looked after machine operating data, measured temperature, humidity, and air pressure in real-time without any human interaction.
So, information obtained through distant control systems provides a much clearer and faster insight into the actual production in the field. It assists staff in analyzing all the data and makes all the operational tasks convenient. This makes the IoT technology a core instrument in ensuring safe automated production, monitoring the workers, and helping staff members to maintain a proper workflow of business.
With all that said about IoT’s role in the manufacturing industry, does this mean that the industry is on the edge of leading with IoT? The answer is ‘yes.’ This is proved through some findings that are as follows:
• 76% of manufacturers plan to increase their use of smart devices in manufacturing processes in the next two years.
• 63% of companies have already implemented IoT technologies into their products, especially after the pandemic, and ready to supply manufacturers globally.
• 71% of them believe that IoT will have a significant impact (24%) or impact (47%) on their business over the next five years.
The Right Time to Invest
Manufacturers globally believe in the power of IoT and have developed the confidence of implementing it now. The idea of smart manufacturing with IoT is to use connectivity technologies such as industrial networks, Wi-Fi, M2M, and more to link factory automation assets, such as production equipment, robots, and more. This also extends to take advantage of end-user apps, such as MES, PLM, ERP, and mobile devices for more active and precise business decision-making.
Hence, getting an IoT solution for your manufacturing business is essential, mainly as the pandemic has shifted the paradigm of business operations. To gain IoT’s competitive advantages, considerable investments are necessary for your business to provide your staff with proper working methods. For manufacturers, globally, the IoT’s impact will be seen in every aspect of their business and thus allow them to thrive even in the most difficult of times in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to implement IoT in manufacturing?
There are many factors to be taken into consideration for implementing IoT in manufacturing. However, some of the best are discussed below:
• Businesses should invest more at an early stage of planning to understand the needs of their end-users
• Introduce digitally forward tools
• Identify risk areas of manufacturing
• Introduce a broad range of technologies including cellular, Wi-Fi, Lora, and Sigfox as advanced communication system
What is IoT in manufacturing?
Industrial IoT (IIoT) in manufacturing adds intelligence to manufacturing equipment, processes, and management. It enables smart manufacturing solutions with the help of connected sensors and devices at the network edge.
What are the six levels of IoT?
The six levels of IoT are as follows:
• Device
• Resource
• Database
• Analysis
• Application
• Controller service
What are the types of IoT?
The leading types of IoT are:
• Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANs)
• Cellular
• Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth
• Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
• Zigbee.
What are the components of IoT?
The various components of IoT are:
• Sensors/Devices
• Connectivity
• Data
• Analytics
• Cloud/server infrastructure
• Applications
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Manufacturing Technology, Operations
Article | July 11, 2022
During the forecast period of 2022-2029, the Air Cannon System market size is expected to develop revenue and exponential market growth at a remarkable CAGR. The market's expansion can be attributed to rising demand for Air Cannon System in construction, industrial, mining, and other applications on a global scale. At the country level, the report provides insights into the lucrative opportunities in the Air Cannon System Market. The report also includes a precise cost, segment, trend, region, and commercial development of the major key players worldwide for the projected period.
The comprehensive report on the Air Cannon System Market will analyse data changes and their global market impact. It also examines the overall growth of companies in the market as well as their ability to manage and control profit levels, which is critical for any investor looking to open and expand a business in the same market.
The report aims to provide investors with an accurate prediction of market development over time by providing a detailed analysis of current trends and key changes that serve as a framework for the company to calculate market growth potential in the near future. The report also tracks and records significant events such as business combinations, joint initiatives, accomplishments, new product developments, or market activities. The main purpose is to provide a growth map from which the benefits can be calculated.
It includes Porter's Five Forces analysis, which explains the five forces: customer bargaining power, distributor bargaining power, the threat of substitute products, and the degree of competition in the Air Cannon System market, as well as a market overview, which includes market dynamics. It describes the various market ecosystem players, such as system integrators, middlemen, and end users. Another major topic covered in the report is the competitive environment of the Air Cannon System market. The research also provides in-depth details about the COVID-19 scenario and its impact on the market to help with decision-making.
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Manufacturing Technology
Article | April 21, 2022
Manufacturing ERP (enterprise resource planning) benefits organizations in multiple ways, as it simplifies decision-making for top management by utilizing data from smart dashboards and consolidated data. The requirements of manufacturing companies are extremely precise. These include elements like planning and management. Manufacturing ERP systems are designed to meet these requirements.
In other words, manufacturing ERP is a specialized form of an ERP system designed to streamline and automate all manufacturing processes. It applies the same ERP principles to manufacturing organizations to increase efficiency.
Numerous businesses have implemented or are planning to implement ERP systems in their manufacturing organizations. They are, however, constantly on the lookout for the best return on investment when it comes to manufacturing ERP software. In this article, we'll look at how to calculate the return on investment for manufacturing ERP solutions to help you get a better grasp of the investment viewpoint for manufacturing ERP.
How to Determine Manufacturing ERP ROI?
Organize Data for ROI
ERP evaluation, selection, and implementation require collecting a large amount of business data. Putting all of this information together can be a daunting task. Therefore, individuals from each department should provide objective feedback to help mitigate bias and ensure consistency.
Focus on People and Processes Rather than Technology
You can increase your ROI by mitigating the technical aspects of an ERP system. Get an understanding of how it will improve your processes and how much money you will save over time due to those improvements. Your return on investment will depend on how well you effectively manage business process reengineering and organizational change.
Invest Time and Effort in Your ERP Deployment
It is critical to set realistic expectations and forecast the ROI benefits. Estimate the project's time, cost, and effort by consulting an expert, preferably not the ERP vendor, as their estimates may not be entirely accurate for their benefit.
Predicting ERP Cost
Costs associated with ERP, such as licenses and hardware, are easily quantifiable. Apart from these fees, additional expenses must be addressed and evaluated. They include subscription fees for SaaS, consulting, maintenance, and user fees.
Consider the following questions:
How you will implement your solution: Cloud or On-Premise?
How many users are required?
What equipment do you require to operate your business?
What implementation and training requirements do you have?
Calculating these expenditures may take considerable time. Mentioned below is the list of costs that can be estimated prior to investing:
Out-of-the-box System Price
Many business owners believe that this ERP cost is straightforward to determine because it is based on the vendor's quote. That, however, depends upon the modules and deployment options required in your business.
License Fees – on Premise Vs. SAAS
On-premise ERP software runs on your company's servers. This incurs a one-time license charge. On-premise deployments need organizations to maintain their servers to assure software functionality both in the present and future. It is therefore important to factor in these costs. Licenses are “repurchased” every five years, which is another cost to consider.
Cloud ERP SaaS is hosted remotely on a third-party server and is accessible online. You must pay a monthly subscription fee until you stop using the system. Updates to the ERP system are free.
Consultancy Costs and Vendor Implementation Fees
A consultant's price must be considered if you hire one. To minimize future troubles and costs, it is vital to identify the actions and timeframes they will accomplish.
ERP consultants provide implementation services such as data migration, project management, and system customization. Some consultants charge extra for these services, so be careful to ask how their pricing operates.
Maintenance Cost
Your servers and machines should meet the vendor's minimal requirements. You may need to update your equipment to support the ERP deployment, which will affect your ROI calculations.
Maintenance expenses should include IT labor, extra server expenditures, and other departmental charges. Also, the ERP vendor may charge an annual maintenance fee to upgrade to new technology.
User Cost
Training your employees on the new ERP system is critical to its efficiency. Training takes time and money. It will depend on how many employees need to be trained, how difficult the processes are to learn, and whether you need to engage extra trainers or managers to help speed up new production processes.
The budget should never be exceeded; otherwise, the ROI will suffer.
Final Word
A manufacturing ERP system is an integral part of any modern manufacturing organization. It helps your business in multiple ways to accelerate operations and business processes. Always conduct a thorough analysis of why you are looking out for ERP solutions and how they will help your businesses in becoming more productive than it is now.
The ROI for manufacturing ERP is calculated by comparing the anticipated cost of ERP to the expected benefits (direct and indirect cost savings) of installing the ERP system. ROI is computed by adding the predicted ERP returns and dividing by the ERP TCO (Total Cost of Ownership); the resulting quotient is the ERP ROI.
FAQ
What is ERP used for in production?
Manufacturing ERP is a centralized approach to managing production and payroll activities. ERP improves operational efficiency by providing unprecedented visibility, coordination, and management across a company's many activities.
What are the types of ERP?
There are three main types of ERP systems, each with varying deployment models. ERP systems can be cloud-based, on-premises, or hybrid.
How long does it take for an ERP investment to pay off?
A typical project can take between 12 and 24 months to complete, depending on the scope and complexity of the work.
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Manufacturing Technology
Article | April 25, 2022
Deciding on the right quality management software might be difficult for any business due to its features and return on investment evaluation. However, given the requirement for quality improvements, it is critical for a quick return on investment from the software. In addition, effective quality management software can assist in developing a culture of constant improvement in a company's manufacturing operations.
"Quality comes not from inspection, but from improvement of the production process."
– W. Edwards Deming,
Quality management software (QMS) has countless advantages, of which some are quantifiable, and others are more subjective. Quality management systems (QMS) are important because they can help manufacturers be proactive rather than reactive, leading to better overall quality.
In this article, we've included several metrics you may use to keep tabs on your progress and understand better your return on investment on manufacturing quality management software.
Directly Quantifiable Benefits (ROI)
Lowered Defect Management Expenses
Components that do not meet or exceed design criteria are wasted. Effective quality management software helps minimize failure rates, saving money. Quality data helps reduce scrap, rework, sorting, and processing costs. Manufacturing quality management software streamlines and modernizes complicated, often error-prone MRO procedures, which reduces maintenance costs and the risk of not complying with the law.
Less Expensive Supplier Management
Quality control software for manufacturing can be used to mitigate the costs associated with substandard supplier quality. Supplier performance, trends, and on-time delivery are all tracked in real-time. Managers can use supplier ratings to determine which suppliers are the most beneficial to the firm. This data is then used to minimize the risk and expense of working with suppliers and sub-tier suppliers.
Higher Supplier Recovery Success
Supplier recovery establishes accountability throughout the supply chain, thus mitigating overall risk. Within the quality management system, timely and reliable data on nonconformance suppliers is available, resulting in proactive payback or product replacement. Substandard supplier material can also recoup warranty return costs incurred due to substandard supplier material.
Lowered IT Support & Costs
Quality management software automates removing excessive applications, hence lowering IT expenses and increasing data consistency. Without additional programming, a best-in-class solution is easily customizable to suit requirements. In addition, having all of the important data in one place eliminates the need for manual data entry, improves data integrity, and saves a lot of time and money.
Paperless Workplace
A paperless shop floor increases efficiency by saving time spent preparing paper and forms. You save time preparing, distributing, and collecting work instructions, work orders, travelers, and quality data forms with quality management software. Real-time reporting helps managers make better judgments. Apart from saving time, electronic document management also allows administrators to regulate user access to sensitive data and handle document approval electronically.
Long-term Financial Return
Ensured Product Compliance and Reduced Risk
Complex manufacturers must constantly adapt to changing norms. The software can handle quality and compliance issues across departments, process areas, and locations. In addition, the solution simplifies the procedure and improves the results.
Better Decision-making with Better Operational Visibility
Real-time historical data improves accuracy, efficiency, and quality. Enterprise quality management software can assist managers in discovering trends, repetition, and relative cost. In addition, actionable data helps respond to changing markets and client demands.
Complete Traceability of Each Part, Subassembly, and Final Assembly
Comprehensive quality management software creates, records, queries, and manages traceability requirements for compliance and quality. The system lets you keep an eye on quality through the product's life cycle to make sure it meets regulatory, quality, and customer requirements.
Final Word
Quality management software must be evaluated using quantifiable and long-term subjective returns to gain a realistic picture of a system's future performance. When an effective system is in place, employees can focus on high-value chores instead of managing documents or processes. Manufacturing businesses can gain a competitive edge by implementing quality management software for manufacturing. The best quality management software should pay for itself over time.
FAQ
What is quality control software testing?
Quality control in software testing is a systematic set of techniques used to verify software product or service quality. The fundamental goal of quality control is to ensure that the software meets the actual requirements by testing and reviewing them.
What are the three types of quality management?
Each quality management system is divided into three stages: conceptualization, documentation, and implementation.
What are the seven principles of quality management?
Engagement of people, customer focus, leadership, process approach, improvement, evidence-based decision making, and relationship management are the seven principles of quality management.
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