Industrial manufacturing is undergoing a digital transformation. The adoption of smart, connected technologies known as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is helping manufacturers optimize their production processes in unprecedented ways.

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What is IIoT Software?

Industrial IoT (IIoT) software is a tool that helps in setting up, managing, and overseeing internet-connected devices used in the manufacturing process. This smart technology aids factory personnel in using resources more efficiently, enhancing product quality, automating some routine jobs, and gathering important data throughout the operation. Specialized hardware or assets, designed specifically for industrial use, may be included in IIoT solutions. Sometimes, these solutions can connect with other devices that are already set up for IoT or linked via third-party sensors.

IIoT software can have features of or can be integrated with other IoT-related software tools, like IoT platforms and connected worker platforms. It’s also common for these solutions to have features similar to manufacturing execution systems, manufacturing intelligence software, and warehouse management software. They can also be integrated with these systems to exchange data and create a unified strategy for smart manufacturing.

Shoplogix infographic IIoT solutions

8 IIoT Solutions for Manufacturers

Industrial IoT systems leverage connected devices and machines to analyze performance, aggregate data, and offer real-time insights and predictive alerts on trends and potential issues. We believe that, in order to fast-track digital transformation, employing a tried-and-true industrial IoT platform designed specifically for your needs is the optimum approach. An IoT platform will offer you numerous benefits, including the following:

1. Maximizing Revenue Through Data Analysis

You can boost your revenue by investing in predictive maintenance and monitoring systems to reduce unexpected downtime, improve processes, and increase automation for enhanced throughput. Use that data and analytics to identify operational bottlenecks and inefficiencies that can be addressed to increase output. You should diversify into new products, services or markets to expand sales channels and consider innovative business models like «products as a service» to create recurring revenue streams.

Offer customers productivity incentives, loyalty programs and excellent service to drive repeat business. Regularly review pricing and use dynamic models to optimize revenue. Develop partnerships to create new revenue opportunities. The key is leveraging IIoT to gain insights into operations and customer needs, enhancing production, minimizing downtime, and identifying new revenue drivers.

2. Reducing Time to Market

To get your product to market faster, speed up app development using an Industrial IoT platform to enhance and connect your existing systems and assets. The IIoT connectivity enables companies to quickly build upon current infrastructure to deliver enhanced and new functionalities with minimal coding. Using IIoT to integrate old devices and data allows for quick creation of new products, apps, and services. With instant oversight and control of operations, companies can quickly test and confirm new ideas.

By using IIoT architectures for fast, modular development, companies can cut down on development and testing time. This flexible approach speeds up the launch of products and solutions, helping reach the market faster.

3. Lower Operational Costs

To elevate productivity and efficiency while maintaining cost-effectiveness, leverage data from interconnected products and systems enabled by industrial internet of things (IIoT). Data insights will help find issues and waste in your operations. This clear view allows for specific improvements to make workflows more consistent, avoid repeated tasks, plan maintenance ahead of time, and improve equipment use overall.

The key is capitalizing on IIoT data to pinpoint improvement areas through granular monitoring, data visualization and predictive analytics. This informative approach to data acquisition and of honing in on bottlenecks supports smarter decision making to refine processes and advance operational efficiency in a cost-effective manner.

4. Improve Quality

Companies can improve service and satisfy customers by ensuring their products, services, and operations are secure and scalable. Strong cybersecurity methods help protect their ideas, ensure data accuracy, and minimize risks across connected systems and smart devices. As operations scale, a focus on flexibility and modularity will facilitate production agility, new product introductions, and service expansion.

The result is increased efficiency and the ability to cost-effectively keep pace with rising customer demand. When companies have good security and can grow their services, they can provide reliable services that make customers trust and feel satisfied. The key is proactively addressing security and scalability needs as a foundation for enhancing quality, driving growth, and exceeding expectations.

5. Optimized Operational Efficiency (OEE)

Organizations can experience immediate return on investment by leveraging cloud platforms to aggregate and analyze previously untapped data from across their network. Seeing how assets and equipment are doing in real time lets companies improve their processes for better efficiency. By spotting problems early and guessing future issues, companies can start maintaining things before they break and cut down on downtime. An additional integration of AI and machine learning uncovers hidden insights, correlations, and trends from the data.

By using data from connected systems, machine learning, and the cloud, companies can understand sensor data in real time. This gives them a clear view of production data, helping to greatly improve quality, output, and quick responses. The instant and ongoing value derived from these capabilities delivers a fast, measurable ROI while establishing an intelligent foundation for the future.

6. Flexible Architectures

To make quick decisions based on data, companies need flexible internet of things (IoT) systems. With IoT, they can collect detailed data from all parts of their business, from small devices to big company systems. This data can then be aggregated and analyzed in the cloud to deliver enhanced visibility and actionable insights. Companies should avoid proprietary or niche solutions and instead implement adaptable IIoT platforms using open standards.

The software architecture should seamlessly integrate with both legacy and modern systems while remaining agnostic to underlying infrastructure. Flexible systems make it possible for every part of the supply chain to work together. They also make it easier to make updates and big changes in the future. With an extensible and unified IIoT foundation, companies can optimize supply chain execution, coordination, and their data collection and analysis.

7. Context for Data

The massive amounts of data generated from industrial operations can overwhelm personnel without proper context. By leveraging advanced technologies to collect, aggregate, and analyze industrial data, organizations can have data sources create a unified, trustworthy source of truth. This centralized data resource curates only relevant information which is then filtered and formatted writing data used for specific roles. Operators receive real-time insights on equipment performance while managers assess high-level production metrics. Easy-to-understand visualizations and reports enable diverse teams to extract and interact with the data points they need without sorting through excess noise. With context and structure provided through cloud-based analytics, the breadth of operational data becomes an accessible, actionable asset rather than a hindrance. Personnel gain clarity and focus to execute on data-driven decisions and continuous improvement.

8. Enable Smart Decisions

By using AI and Machine Learning technologies on cloud-based data, your teams can make informed decisions based on relevant information. Analyzing this data can aid businesses in more complex challenges by forecasting maintenance needs for manufacturing equipment, identifying machine performance trends, or making crucial purchasing choices. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) enhances these capabilities by delivering necessary data wherever and whenever historical data is required, making it accessible on any device, and eliminating information silos.

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How to Implement Industrial Internet of Things Software

To successfully implement industrial internet of things software solutions, manufacturers need a strategic approach. First, smart sensors and IoT devices must be installed at key locations across the plant floor and machines to collect performance data. These connect to IoT gateways which aggregate and preprocess data before sending it to controllers and servers for analysis. Upgrading legacy networks to support higher bandwidth and real-time communication is critical.

Leading IIoT platforms offer pre-built connectors for various industrial equipment and machines along with IT/OT integration capabilities to accelerate rollout. A phased approach allows manufacturers to pilot IIoT on high-impact production lines first before expanding. With the right solutions and expertise, manufacturers can overcome integration hurdles to realize substantial benefits – from the safety hazards reducing unplanned downtime to improving quality and output. The key is having a robust IIoT platform that seamlessly ingests data from diverse devices and applies analytics to transform manufacturing. With the smart factory powered by IIoT, manufacturers will enhance efficiency, visibility and responsiveness.

Infographic Shoplogix Dashboard IIoT

The Bottom Line

IIoT software delivers the data, visibility, artificial intelligence and analytics needed to transform industrial manufacturing operations. As manufacturers embrace Industry 4.0, IIoT software solutions will become fundamental to enabling smart, flexible, efficient and highly optimized production. By implementing robust IIoT, manufacturers gain a real-time digital thread connecting their physical and digital worlds – empowering intelligent decision-making and continuous improvements across the organization.

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