The Internet of Things contains a set of devices that are interconnected and optimized to function in an automated manner. The idea of ??the internet of things is to create devices connected over a network to work in unison and minimize human intervention. There is considerably lower human-to-human or human-to-machine interaction in an IoT system. The devices communicate with each other and trigger the function of each.
IoT has become quite common in the PoS and many other private sectors. Most everyday applications of the IoT might be in the retail store, in automating the billing and payment. Today, IoT has extended to the industrial sectors. One of the most game-changing industrial innovations in recent decades has been the introduction of IIoT or the Industrial Internet of Things.
The Industrial Internet of Things is an interconnected device especially in the manufacturing industry that automates the production process. The IIoT is improving itself every day with the inclusion of artificial intelligence and machine learning making the devices more self-sufficient. IoT and IIoT are the future of business and it is indeed out of the question that we will surely have to integrate this change into our business processes too.
Before you start with IoT integration to your business processes, it is important to understand what IoT can do and how it will benefit your business. In an IoT network, there exist many devices that are connected to each other, able to transmit data and work on these data collected.
While the term IoT may be unfamiliar to many, most of us are used to terms like "smart homes". So what exactly does this imply? It simply means that the devices you are using are able to collect data from the surrounding, transmit them to a connected device and act on them to make your life easier. For example, a smart refrigerator may sense that you are short on a certain item and add them to your shopping list. Another everyday example would be smart homes connected over Alexa or Google Assistant. Living is growing to an unbelievably convenient level with the IoT and now this is being adapted to the industries where manufacturing is also becoming smart.
Industrial IoT
Now with industrial IoT, manufacturing is evolving at a rapid pace. The real-time data produced by the manufacturing machines are processed to be advantageous to the automation of the process. This involves the integration of sensors and actuators to enhance the processes. Industrial IoT has a high requirement of digitalization in the manufacturing sector. Additionally, the database and ERP system that is used should be able to handle the data that we have to process during the digitalization and automation of manufacturing.
The benefits of using IoT in the various business operations like manufacturing and PoS will be,
- Higher efficiency: the automated machinery can work with better efficiency. The more accurate production operations compared to traditional manufacturing help streamline the function of a manufacturing unit. Operational insights and performance monitoring are easier with the IoT. The data-driven decision-making, automation of manual tasks and functions, as well as constant monitoring of the performance allows creating a more efficient system from manufacturing to sales.
- Reduce human Error: the manual processes and operations are reduced to a considerably lower level with more efficient communication between the IoT devices. This would mean that manual labor and its consequent human error are minimized to a large extent as you integrate IoT devices to the various sections of the business operations.
- Maintenance Prediction: the ability to constantly monitor the performance in the manufacturing lets you predict the possible maintenance requirement and plan your downtime for maintenance purposes effectively. Reactive maintenance would cost the company a large amount of time and money, as the identification and rectification of the issue will start once the manufacturing is affected.
Safer workspace: an IoT system with connected sensors and cameras can monitor the activities of your workspace and can alert the employees and the concerned authorities in case of any security or safety mishap. We can also make use of wearables to ensure the work conditions are ideal and to alert the employees of safety procedures to be followed.
- Cost Reduction: the manufacturing process is highly complex and one of the most important sectors in the industrial era. Manufacturing errors and defective products stand not only the risk of bringing down your sales but also the safety and security of the trusting customers. With insights into your manufacturing process, enhancing the performance of your manufacturing units will help reduce production costs. Reduced errors, faster production, better quality control as well as predictive maintenance would bring down the manufacturing cost and generate more revenue.
But to implement an effective IoT system, the organization has to meet the digitalization capabilities required.
Requirements for IoT
The organization should be equipped with
- Smart machines with sensors and software can collect and transmit data as required. These machines will be the resource providers for the company collecting the data from the manufacturing units and transferring them to the necessary points to be processed.
- Data systems that can process a large amount of manufacturing data that the smart machines collect. Manufacturing involves tracking large amounts of data that has to be logged and processed with ease. An organization should have the data scalability to work with the traffic and volume that manufacturing automation can bring to the plate.
- Advanced data analytics to make sense of the data provided by the machines. Taking informed decisions that will improve the manufacturing process requires having an analytics system that can work with the large data collected across the manufacturing operations.
The future is in the hand of automated manufacturing supported by IIoT. Therefore while choosing an ERP, we must ensure that the system chosen has the scalability and the analytical tools to adapt to the complex data and functional requirements of the Industrial Internet of Things.
For detailed features and functionalities of the IoT module and IoT box from Odoo, you can read the blog, Odoo 14 IoT.