According to ARC Advisory Group, the automation industry is evolving more rapidly than at any time in its history. And of all the drivers behind this evolution, few are more powerful than the Industrial Internet of Things, or IIoT. Which is why, of course, ARC Advisory Group produces the blog known as “Industrial Internet of Things and Industrie 4.0 Viewpoints.” In the January 18 edition of this blog, ARC Vice President Craig Resnick listed six IIoT trends worth keeping an eye on in 2017. They’re briefly summarized here.
• Advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are becoming IIoT enablers
By connecting previously stranded data from smart sensors, equipment, and other assets with advanced applications and predictive analytics in the Cloud, IIoT is becoming a strategic enabler to improve manufacturing performance.
• Thanks to IIoT, more industrial devices are living on the edge
Edge devices or intelligent gateways that collect, aggregate, filter, and relay data close to industrial processes or production assets will also be capable of running analytics, and moving analytics to the edge of the network can help improve manufacturing process quality and production yields.
• IIoT helps assets have a “Digital Twin”
Because IIoT and digitalization help make it possible to have a digital copy of an asset, companies can perform simulation, testing, and optimization in a virtual environment before committing actual resources. (To see how this kind of simulation is streamlining the process of designing, building, and delivering packaging machinery.
• IIoT helps to leverage augmented and virtual reality
Manufacturers are implementing simulator-based training as new hires come on board, leveraging such technologies as gaming and augmented / virtual reality, and it’s IIoT that provides much of the input to enable this technology.
• MQTT is becoming an IIoT messaging protocol
Message Queueing Telemetry Transport, and M2M data transfer protocol, will grow in its use as a messaging protocol for IIoT. (For more on how MQTT is coming on strong in manufacturing)
• Cybersecurity and IIoT
Cybersecurity concerns are today a huge impediment to IIoT-enabled solutions in manufacturing environments, but on the horizon are improved technologies and approaches, such as Achilles Certification, that will address these concerns.
To join a LinkedIn discussion of how remote monitoring and IIoT are becoming industry standards for packaging machinery, go to >>
