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Industrial IoT Business Guide: Concept, Application, Challenges, and Solutions

Bhagyashri Kambale | March 01, 2022 | 577 views
INDUSTRIAL IOT BUSINESS GUIDE
Industrial IoT (IIoT) is an abbreviation for the Industrial Internet of Things, originally defined as the Internet of Things (IoT). It is utilized across industries, including manufacturing, and shows great positive results, supporting overall business growth.

According to Grand View Research, globally, the industrial internet of things market size was worth around $216.13 billion in 2020 and is predicted to reach over $1.1 trillion by 2028. Is IIoT similar to IoT? The answer is yes.

“If you think internet has changed your life, think again. The internet of things is about to change it all over again.”

– Brendan O’Brien

Like the Internet of Things, the Industrial IoT has multiple use cases and applications. Additionally, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) opens up new opportunities in multiple areas. Some of the industrial internet of things examples are as follows: 

  • The Internet of Things industrial automation and optimization
  • Intelligent manufacturing and smart industries
  • Asset performance management and industrial control
  • Moving towards an on-demand service model
  • New ways of servicing customers
  • New revenue streams

Internet of Things Industrial Applications

According to IDC, manufacturing operations are the primary use case for the IoT in manufacturing. In this article, we'll look at five particular IIOT applications in manufacturing operations, production asset management, and field services that are driving Industrial IoT adoption in manufacturing.

Production Visibility

Industrial IoT can link machines, tools, and sensors on the shop floor, providing much-needed visibility into production for process engineers and management. For instance, businesses may use sensors like RFID and break beams to track components as they travel through assembly automatically. Additionally, industrial IoT apps may provide supervisors and plant managers with a real-time picture of their teams' yield by linking operators’ tools and production equipment. Organizations may utilize this degree of visibility to detect bottlenecks, determine the main cause of issues, and improve more rapidly. Dashboards for real-time IIoT production visibility can help businesses find problems and track productivity in real-time.

Continuous Monitoring for Quality Improvement

Environmental sensors continuously monitor necessary quality conditions and notify management when crucial quality thresholds exceed permissible limits. For instance, temperature control is crucial to pharmaceutical manufacturing. By utilizing IoT-connected sensors, managers may monitor temperature and humidity and receive quick alerts if they deviate from expected values. Continuous monitoring, similar to machine monitoring, can help you keep an eye on your assets in real-time.

Maximize Machine Use

The Industrial Internet of Things enables businesses to link their machinery to the internet. This technology enables organizations to monitor their machines in real-time while also tracking critical KPIs such as overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and overall process effectiveness (OPE). By monitoring these indicators, businesses may discover and resolve sources of unscheduled downtime, perform preventive maintenance on their equipment, and maximize machine used throughout the operation. According to a recent McKinsey article, sensor data used to forecast equipment failure in production may reduce maintenance costs by up to 40% and unscheduled downtime by half. So, by applying IIoT, you may monitor the key performance indicators (KPIs) that are most important to you.

Improve Plant Management

Using sensors in production plants may enhance their management and minimize the operating expenses of a plant. For example, by employing sensors such as RFID tags to monitor facilities, manufacturers may gather insights to help them optimize space consumption. Using IoT-enabled sensors to monitor environmental factors like temperature, humidity, and others may also help firms better manage their buildings. Finally, businesses can save energy, cut costs, and improve operational efficiency by keeping an eye on their machines and making sure they are running in the right conditions.

Optimize Supply Chain Management

The Internet of Things enables sensors to monitor events across a supply chain, delivering real-time data by tracking inputs, equipment, and products. RFID tags and other sensors can track inventories throughout the supply chain. This gives businesses a better understanding of their inventory and more realistic deadlines for material availability, work in progress, and others. Organizations may use this data to detect interdependencies, map material flow, and monitor production cycle durations. This data aids businesses in predicting risks. It also lowers inventory levels and, perhaps, capital requirements. No code tables hold all of your inventory data. Tables are automatically updated as inventory is consumed during operations.

Industrial Internet of Things vs Internet of Things (IIoT Vs IoT)


IIoT IoT
It is geared for industrial applications such as manufacturing, power generation, and oil and gas. It focuses on a broad range of applications, from wearables to robotics and machinery.
To avoid life-threatening or other emergency circumstances, it employs crucial equipment and gadgets connected through a network that requires precise sensors. Its deployment begins on a modest scale, eliminating the possibility of life-threatening scenarios.
It deals with extensive networks. It deals with modest networks.
It is capable of processing data ranging from mild to high. It is capable of processing enormous amounts of data.
It is highly reliable. It is less reliable.

 

IIoT Adoption Challenges & Solutions


Investment Costs

Significant investment expenses are necessary to transform operations, including hardware, software, and human capital. Businesses frequently view IIoT as a giant leap ahead, resulting in a massive bill. A more effective strategy is to break the projects down into bite-sized implementations with set milestones. This will pave the way for outcome-driven success that can be quantified by top-tier management, resulting in a more passionate reaction and maybe a larger scale resource limitation.

Additionally, expenses can be reduced by utilizing public infrastructure and software-as-a-service rather than custom-built installations. While the cost of IoT continues to decline, numerous organizations' executives are playing the waiting game. This strategy may be good for the short term, but if you wait for prices to go down for a long time, you ccoul lose your competitive advantage and let other people get a better deal.

Data Security

It's easy to get paranoid about the attacks and problems because of all the news about cyber security. One must address these security concerns methodically and recognize measures to secure critical industrial information. Depending on the level of sensitivity, data can be checked and encrypted using a variety of one-way interactions. SCADA systems do not have to combine and act on sensor data; they can be digitally segregated. Additionally, the cloud infrastructure might be networked inside to create a "private" or corporate cloud with no external access. These security challenges can be surmounted if the advantages of the IIoT outweigh the hazards.

Lack of Skilled Professionals

While it is true that the digital world is rapidly merging with the industrial world, the issue remains as to who in the organization can take charge. An individual or team must bridge the IT and OT cultures and meet opposing demands. The program requires a blended IT/OT viewpoint to achieve IIoT goals while increasing operational complexity and responsibilities.

There are several data science certifications, online courses, and conferences available to educate middle management. Start growing competency while making learning and education a management team KPI. Consider partnering with institutions and educational vendors. The executive team's appetite for knowledge must be continual. Learning will be viewed as a lifetime process requiring dynamic stability and continual mobility.

A shortage of competent personnel was also stated in the Morgan Stanley-Automation World Industrial Automation Survey, with 24% of respondents citing a labor shortage. There is a general shortage of highly specialized talents, but it may also be necessary to look 'outside' to get the essential skills. If there is one thing that is certain in this age of digital transformation and the Industrial Internet of Things, it is that no organization can flourish entirely on its own and that networks, ecosystems, and platforms of partners are critical to success.

Final Words

Starting an IIoT project should be done with a straightforward and practical approach. This is not a big company-changing initiative, but a series of small projects or digital test beds that might raise sales, profits, or customer retention. Read our latest industrial internet of things infographic for quick tips on tackling IIoT adoption issues.

FAQ


What are IIoT devices?

IIoT refers to linked sensors, instruments, and other devices networked with industrial applications like manufacturing and energy management.

What is an IIoT platform?

Gartner describes IIoT platforms as a collection of integrated software capabilities. The platform is designed to support industrial assets and their operational environments in safety, security, and mission criticality.

What is the IoE?

The Internet of Everything (IoE) is a concept that builds on the Internet of Things (IoT). It focuses on machine-to-machine (M2M) connections to represent a more complicated system that includes people and processes.

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