IoT in Manufacturing: Value is in How You Use the Data

The Internet of Things, or IoT, hit the manufacturing sector in 2017 with more force than it hit any other industry.

Research from Verizon found an 84 percent increase in IoT network connections in manufacturing, which is a rate more than double the rate in industries such as healthcare, energy, and transportation.

So, how is this emerging tool being used, and how do you develop strategies for optimizing it?

The Internet of Things is the network of physical objects—devices, vehicles, buildings, and other items—embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity that enables these objects to collect and exchange data.

In manufacturing, a big benefit is predictive maintenance. Sensors on machines collect real-time data and alert control rooms of maintenance needs before issues arise.

Alan Mindlin, technical manager at Morey Corporation, a provider of electronics and communications solutions for manufacturers, said in a recent conversation with Industry Week that the central question for manufacturers is this: What’s the data you need to improve your business?

“When you’re laying out your IoT plan, you need to understand what the data is you need to improve your business, what it’s going to show you and how to use it to your advantage,” says Mindlin. “And the process to act on that data has to be figured out at the same time.”

Source: Industry Week