IoT in Manufacturing: Reduce Energy Consumption, Increase Safety

It's an exciting time for the manufacturing industry as we recognise the dawn of Industry 4.0, where advanced manufacturing techniques are being combined with IoT technology. Interconnected manufacturing systems are communicating with intelligent platforms where data is fed and analysed to drive insight-led action. A subset of IoT is the Industrial Internet of Things which refers to creating interconnections between industrial equipment, facilities, personnel and processes. Sensors can be placed onto individual assets on the factory floor to allow a business to collect sensor-based data from all interlinking machines. Each of these connect to a shared and secure network to give them a three-dimensional picture of the entire operating facility. These sensors monitor a variety of functions such as lighting usage, temperature, humidity and activity levels. The higher volume and quality of data allows a business to manage and monitor operations to ensure the most efficient results.