IoT Impact on the Manufacturing Industry (Part 2)

Continuing on from my last blog post, another example for IoT use in manufacturing would be for the asset management to distribute work orders and configurations to the tools or the different stages of production. And vice versa, calibration information can be fed back to the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to associate them to the bill of material (BOM). Big data and NoSQL technology is an enabler in this regard, as they can allow for the management of huge volumes of heterogeneous, multi structured data about the production process, from the data types discussed, to even images from AOI (Automated Optical Inspection) systems and other production modules. With recalls a concern point in global manufacturing, this can be an ally in the fight to keep costs down for manufacturing.

IoT can also have an impact is in intelligent edge devices and their use in improving supply chain optimization and modularity of manufacturing. Consider surface mount technology (SMT), where there is so many moving parts, calibration, types of technology used in the placement and verification of board level components. IoT sensors could be utilized to centralize SMT line asset management and to read calibration information via the factory WLAN. The asset management can form the link between the SMT tools and the ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) that oversee the manufacturing process.

A challenge that presents itself to the manufacturing industry is the ageing workforce, and this means that anything that speeds up the manufacturing process is critical. The advancement in mobile technology is a key enabler in ensuring that passing information to the shop floor becomes quicker, improving response time, visibility, and accessibility of operations. The recent advancement of wearables also will have an impact on enhanced visibility on the shop floor.

Building Blocks for IoT in Manufacturing

Business owners need to look at four technology elements that provide the foundation for smart manufacturing. These include (but not limited to):

• Security: IT security is a major obstacle to setting up smart factories. Operations managers need to make sure that necessary safeguards are built into the solution including security procedures such as physical building security, hardware encryption and network security for data in transit. Security and networking solutions must also be engineered to withstand harsh environmental conditions, such as moisture and temperature, that aren’t present in typical networks. Identity and authentication structures will also need to be updated to support such “things” as well as people.
• More Advanced Networking: Smarter manufacturing environments need a standardized IP-centric network that will enable all the devices/sensors in a plant to communicate to enterprise business systems. Cisco research states that only 4 percent of the devices on the manufacturing floor are connected to a network. A standard IP network also makes it easier to connect and collaborate with suppliers and customers to improve supply chain visibility. Manufacturers need robust networks that can cope with Radio Frequency (RF) challenges in the plant, harsher environmental conditions and need stability for transmission of alarms and real-time data processing.
• Big Data Analytics: While manufacturers have been generating big data for numerous years, companies have had limited ability to store, analyze and effectively use all the data that was available to them, especially in real time. New big data processing tools are enabling real-time data stream analysis that can provide dramatic improvements in real time problem solving and cost avoidance. Big data and analytics will be the foundation for areas such as forecasting, proactive maintenance and automation.
• Engineering Software Systems: Today’s IoT data is different than the data we use to operate our systems. It requires collecting a wide range of data from a variety of sensors. These software systems and models must translate information from the physical world into actionable insight that can be used by humans and machines. Toyota is using Rockwell’s software for real time error corrections in the plant. Toyota has minimized rework and scrap rates in its Alabama plant, which has resulted in an annual cost saving of $550,000.³

Building blocks for end-to-end infrastructure enabling manufacturing intelligence from the factory floor to the data-center (Intel) [4]

With IoT, IP networks and analytics, manufacturers can become more efficient, improve worker safety and offer new exciting business models. IoT will help manufacturers improve resource efficiency, safety and return on assets. Manufacturers that master this new dynamic will have a variety of new opportunities for revenue growth and cost savings.

References

3: How IoT will help manufacturing

http://www.industryweek.com/blog/how-will-internet-things-help-manufacturing

4: Industrial Optimization IoT (Intel)

http://www.intel.ie/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/white-papers/industrial-optimizing-manufacturing-with-iot-paper.pdf