The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is talked about as more of a reality today than ever before. Smart factories built by Ericsson, Schneider Electric, and other technology providers have provided concrete examples of how IIoT can drive further improvements in manufacturing.
The question for manufacturers looking to invest thousands rather than millions in technology is how can they implement IIoT into their operations in a meaningful way? The answer is not as complicated as one might think. Your data (or lack thereof) can help you identify your biggest opportunities.
IIoT is All About Connections
When you look at the trends in manufacturing technology, the vast majority of it relates to connectivity. In the next phase of manufacturing, often called Industry 4.0, machinery, processes, employees and customers are all connected with and by data. Not just any data, however, but relevant, real-time data that increases efficiency, improves quality or enhances internal and external relationships.
A common example of IIoT is the use of connected sensors that send a continuous stream of data about a piece of equipment. At the most basic level this data can be used to monitor equipment in real-time and respond to problems as soon as an anomaly is detected. Add another layer of technology to this process and you can predict when maintenance is needed and avoid unplanned downtime altogether.
Data is not all about equipment, however. With data sharing across different areas of your operations, and even with customers, you can create a collaborative environment where your people can work at extremely high efficiency levels.
Triple Helix helped Koster Keunen leverage its ERP data to create a sales portal that provides sales forecasts for each customer showing, order frequency and volume over a rolling 12-month period. While the forecasts can be used at the individual customer level to identify problems or opportunities, the portal includes a notifications report that shows all customers whose recent orders do not match the forecast amount, thus saving the team hundreds of hours that it would otherwise take to find the same information manually.
The Opportunities in Your Data
The opportunities are endless, but your business data can help identify which ones have the greatest potential impact for your company. Whether you are just considering leveraging digital tools in your manufacturing operation or your company began the transition years ago, Triple Helix’s Manufacturing Digital Assessment can help evaluate your best opportunities for IIoT efforts in your business.
Triple Helix has worked with manufacturers of all sizes over the years and have developed our assessment tool to help you assess opportunities in Information Management, Data Visibility, Data-Driven Processes, and Information Security. Contact us if you would like to schedule a risk-free consultation to see if Triple Helix can help your company better organize, access, and analyze your data.
