Smart Manufacturing and Internet of Things
The world is becoming more connected every day as the Internet of Things is appearing everywhere within our lives and also, in smart manufacturing. I’ve discussed in my previous articles about many industries that have been touched by IoT, although I missed one. I am talking about the industry that is contributing to the U.S economy with more than $2 trillion and provides more than 12 million jobs across the country – the mighty manufacturing sector.
Before discussing how production is changing and evolving due to the IoT, I would like to share with you some interesting facts about this industry:
- The 6th largest employer in the U.S
- 12.3 million manufacturing jobs in the U.S
- $64,305 average annual earning
- 11.8% of U.S GDP
After seeing these facts, I can say that manufacturing is indeed one of the most important and largest industries in the U.S.
IoT and Smart Manufacturing
Smart manufacturing could be considered the IoT’s home base, since last year this industry spent $178 billion for IoT technologies. The reasons for this massive investment are very simple. First of all, the manufacturing sector needed a quicker, smarter, and a more active process, and IoT is delivering it. Let’s take a quick look at the advantages that IoT is offering:
- Predictive maintenance – Thanks to the Internet of Things, factory machines can now alert you when it’s time for an update to a simple maintenance procedure. It also means that you can prevent certain errors or issues, that might appear if an update is overlooked. The result? Streamlined and smooth operations.
- Remote accessibility – Very often, if not most of the times, manufacturers are required to supervise and control systems at remote locations. So, it’s easy to understand why IoT fits perfectly here since this is one of its most desirable features.
- Streamlined supply chain management – Being 24/7 connected to the internet, manufacturers have a significantly better control over the materials and products that they handle during the manufacturing process
- Increased quality – One of the perks that IoT offers is consumer insights, which ultimately helps the manufacturing industry in producing better products with the right features by watching over a customer’s preferences.
Recently, I came across a survey conducted by Verizon which presented some very interesting insights on how IoT is being viewed in the manufacturing industry. I thought I would share them with you:
- 76% says IoT is increasing insight into customer behavior
- 66% use IoT to measure risks, protect company assets and improve staff safety
- 60% use IoT to improve the performance of products and services
- 66% say IoT is now critical to competitive advantage
Internet of Things plays a major role in the manufacturing industry’s expansion and is reshaping the industry overall, bringing it closer to perfection. Not only that IoT is optimizing and streamlining IT-based processes, but it also unlocks controlling, monitoring, and tracking the overall operations, and processes. I hope you enjoyed the article, and I’m looking forward to sharing your thoughts.
Image source: pixabay.com
