Over the past couple of years, the shift towards smart manufacturing, Industry 4.0 or IIoT has been evident. This has allowed for higher optimization of manufacturing processes, human & machine safety, asset tracking and data-driven process optimisation.
What is Industry 4.0?
Simply put, Industry 4.0 is the new phase in Industrial Revolution that concentrates on automation, machine to machine interaction, real-time data, machine learning, augmented & virtual reality and other cutting edge technologies in manufacturing. Industry 4.0 technologies comprise of IIoT and smart manufacturing.
What is IIoT?
IIoT is the industrial Internet of things. It uses technologies such as smart sensors or actuators to upgrade manufacturing and industrial processes. It is a network of intelligent devices that are connected to form what are known as ‘systems’. These systems monitor, collect, collate, exchange and analyze data. IIoT relies on using the power of smart machines that provide real-time analytics and data. Using IIoT, manufacturers can
- Capture and analyse data in real-time
- Communicate important information to drive business decisions
- Receive faster and more accurate data to improve their response
With the use of IIoT, manufacturers are able to pick up on inefficiencies quicker, thus saving themselves time and money.
Challenges faced by Manufacturers
In today’s VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world, manufacturers are faced with a multitude of challenges
- Lack of actionable insights
- Manual processes
- Production mapping between different units
- Inefficient asset Monitoring and tracking of assets
- High operational costs
- Unplanned outage or breakdown
- Delay in analysis and decision-making
- Communication delays, longer response times, etc.
To deal with challenges, IIoT can help organizations.
It is crucial for any manufacturing organization to use assets (including facilities, equipment, systems, etc), not just effectively but efficiently. Optimized use can reduce the operating cost of the assets. In addition, measures taken to reduce unplanned outages of the assets provide uninterrupted production lines.
Benefits of IIoT
One of the primary benefits of having IIoT-enabled data systems is that it empowers manufacturers to improve operating efficiencies – which as per the study conducted by IBM is ranked among their greatest priorities. Some of the other benefits include
- Centralized and accurate monitoring: This enables more control on the processes and performance can be monitored from anywhere. It could be monitored from the manufacturing floor or thousands of miles away.
- Efficient use of resources and thus optimisation in operating cost
- Predictive maintenance can be scheduled reducing maintenance costs and well as reducing downtime, thus increasing productivity
- Decision-making can be based on data and analytics – IIoT promotes learning for the future
- Faster response time to events minimises risk and liabilities
- Increase efficiency: As mentioned above, increased efficiency is one of the largest benefits of IIoT and it provides manufacturers with the ability to automate, and thus optimize their operating efficiency.
- Reduced errors: By incorporating IIoT, manufacturers can drastically reduce the risk of human error, which according to a report by cyber security trends, accounts for nearly 37% of all security incidents.
Future Trends 2022 for IIoT
One of the best ways to understand the concept of IIoT and smart manufacturing is to think about how it could be applied to your business. An IIoT case study can help illustrate the same and help you understand the value of Industry 4.0 in a manufacturing operation.
Here are two case studies by Venwiz vendors Syook & YuDash
Case study in collaboration with YuDash
Uninterrupted and clean power is the lifeline of any manufacturing unit. While the power situation has improved significantly in recent years. Factories with continuous operations still have to deploy UPS for uninterrupted power.
Following Murphy’s law, even the best UPS systems, sometimes break down on the most crucial days. This causes production delays, financial loss, frustration within the team and friction with vendors.
The challenge:
Clients of YuDash, “Garg Associates Pvt Ltd”, manufacture high-performance wire cable, thus any power cuts for them would lead to high production loss.
The solution:
YuDash solves this problem through Yureca which is a self-contained IIoT solution that provides preventive alerts, real-time monitoring and health insights of the UPS. The alerts can be on-floor alarms, email, SMS or even SOS phone calls. The solution can be implemented by both factory owners and UPS manufacturers and resellers. It is used for critical utilities (like Power quality equipment and Gas generation Plants). In one use case, Yureca was being used to monitor an oxygen plant at a hospital. Critical parameters like oxygen purity, power consumption, runtime are monitored to detect faults and potential leakage helping manufacturers take preventive actions.
Yureca monitors and pre-empts UPS breakdowns and can be used by manufacturers to plan ahead.
This technology is also being used by clients in the IT & Banking sector.
The Outcome
Yureca was the perfect solution for manufacturers looking for remote monitoring and control of their assets. Using this solution ensured preventative action thus saving them loss of resources and money. It also ensured the safety of assets.
Case study in collaboration with Syook:
Logistics tracking via IIoT
A leading FMCG manufacturer had an issue with identifying and tracking the location of their trucks, which resulted in disruptions. Read about how Syook was able to provide an effective solution.
The challenge:
Due to the number of checkpoints and locations, the truck’s wait time inside the premises increased. This lead to cascading effects, resulting in
- Delays in production cycles,
- Delayed dispatch of final goods etc.
- Increase in the trunk rentals
The movement of goods is among the key aspects of revenue generation for most manufacturing setups. As a manufacturer, you cannot operate without the inward movement of the raw materials and cannot generate revenue until the FGs are dispatched. As a warehouse operator, you cannot generate revenue without the inward and outward flow of goods.
The solution:
Upon speaking with M/s Syook, the FMCG manufacturing company and the team at Syook studied the entire logistics flow. Syook was able to quickly suggest the implementation of their in-house technology known as TiTo – Truck-In-Truck-Out for the manufacturer.
TiTo is an industrial IIoT solution that is used to monitor the location of trucks and drivers for managing in-plant logistics and SCM (Supply chain management) at factories and warehouses. With the implementation of TiTo, there is a drastic improvement in the TAT(Turn around Time).
The Outcome:
The delays were drastically reduced with visible improvements in the average TAT after 30 days. The FMCG manufacturer saved upwards of 90mins using the technology. They were able to
- Handle more trucks
- Improved productivity
- Lower Logistics Costs
- Lower Carbon Footprint
- Reduce NVA
- Faster Deliveries
Contact us: contact@venwiz.com
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