The Industry 4.0 technologies that can help manufacturers remain resilient to global uncertainty

29 June, 2023

The power of the Industrial Internet of Things

At a time where the future of industry remains in flux, determined by the outcome of global events, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has a critical role to play in supporting manufacturers to be agile to change. Unlike the IoT which is commonly used as an umbrella term for connected consumer devices, like a smart watch, the IIoT uses connected machines, devices and sensors in industrial applications such as robotics. These devices produce large volumes of data that when analysed, can improve efficiency, productivity and visibility, both in manufacturing and along the supply chain.

To explore this further, the IIoT is pioneering a concept called smart factories. While the concept of automation has been in use in manufacturing for decades with barcode scanners, cameras and digitised production equipment, those devices are rarely interconnected. Instead, the people, assets and data management often operate in isolation and must be manually coordinated and integrated on an ongoing basis.

Through the IIoT, manufacturers are able to build an interconnected factory by collecting disparate sets of useful data across the business and supply chain. This can then be stored and actioned to inform product development or quality control. Moreover, in the case of global challenges such as the blockage of the Suez Canal in 2021 or the start of the conflict in Ukraine, the IIoT allows manufacturers to be proactive, as opposed to reactive, to crises. Spotlighting the Suez Canal blockage, for instance, during the period of severe supply chain disruption - it was the IIoT that supported manufacturers with contingency planning, understanding where raw materials were and which suppliers had them, enabling them to mitigate against disruption.

Managing the tide of data

While large quantities of data at your fingertips is paramount, it can easily go to waste without the ability to effectively manage and analyse it in real-time. This is where Big Data management, machinelearning and real-time analytics play an important role in supporting industry leaders to glean the best insights from their data, and inform smart strategic choices.

Typically, manufacturers will produce vast amounts of both structured data and unstructured data. Structured data is the simplest to organise and search, and can include financial information and machine logs, like an Excel sheet - that can be easily categorised and doesn’t require intensive resources to manage. Unstructured data, on the other hand, typifies the volume of information produced by connected machines, and isn’t as easily captured. Today, manufacturers still use laborious manual processes at an exorbitant cost to read and analyse this data, but this is no longer necessary.

During a crisis or business uncertainty, manufacturers need to move fast and make smart, accurate choices. Slow, costly data insights could be the difference between making the right or wrong choice. Through machine learning and real-time analytics platforms, manufacturers can accelerate connectivity across the business, collecting and analysing data at speed and scale. In practice, this means they can pivot faster to changes in trading conditions or identify and address issues before they reach the customer. This could be machines in need of repair, maintaining field equipment or adjusting their supplier based on the availability of chips or raw materials.