Can one imagine how much the life of a manager becomes easy when a machine automatically tells it that it requires maintenance before going to breakdown, or an inventory that alerts an operator about stock shortage of some crucial item. IIoT or Industrial Internet of Things is doing this by connecting all the machines at the plant with the pinch of Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning at the stakeholder's desk. Manufacturing plants have become gigantic and distributed, a perfect place which requires continuous monitoring and improvements, with the cutting-edge competition and never-ending demands of consumers. Industrial IOT plays an important role in tracking the process and keeping unwanted breakdowns at bay. Using Industrial IOT, it is possible to collect data from plant equipment for analysis to find insights and pinpoint areas of improvement. Industrial IOT enables managers to monitor and share real-time production data, helping resolve production-related problems on time. In this introductory blog we will explore what is Industrial IOT, its advantages, applications of IIoT, upcoming technologies in the field and IIoT solutions we can offer.

WHAT IS INDUSTRIAL IOT?

Industrial Internet of Things or IIOT refers to a network of connected devices in the industry. Notable characteristics of IIoT device is that they transfer data without human – human or human – computer interaction Industrial Internet of Things or IIOT refers to a network of connected devices in the industry Connected devices communicate via gateways which are physical devices that filter and transmit it to other devices and software's

HOW IIoT WORKS?

An efficient IIoT networks does the two main work inter-connect individual devices with each other and with the central system and seamlessly store, manage and analyze data transmitted from the network devices. All these get possible by following technologies used in an IIoT network:

IIoT SENSORS

IIoT sensors present on equipment capture device parameters such as operating temperature, speed, vibration, energy consumed along with tracking ambient conditions such as temperature, pressure, humidity, etc. in which device is working. All this information can be processed internally to deliver real-time actions, or it can be sent to the central system for advanced analysis.

CONNECTIVITY

Transaction of a large amount of data is the heart of any IIoT network. All the network devices generate huge amounts of data that need to be transmitted internally or to the central system. To do this strong Wi-Fi network with sufficiently large bandwidth is used which transmits tons of data with low latency and power consumption. Secured Cloud Storage and Computing Cloud Storage simply means storing data on the internet. With the advancement of cloud storage and computing flexibility and usability of IIoT have greatly increased. The demands determine large storage and processing power that an IIoT network can get. Thus, a device within a network is in a position to capture and send larger and complex data sets than ever. Real time data processing and conditional actions are the two important features of IIoT network. Manually processing of large network data requires huge time and man-power instead of Artificial Intelligence is utilized to process the tons of data automatically at the blink of the eye. Machine Learning algorithms analyze network data to make further detailed analysis with other attributes and gain insights like never before which helps the organization to save resources and get a upper hand from the rest of the competitor.

CYBER SECURITY

Most important feature of IIoT i.e. connectivity via internet brings a risk of unwanted trespasser in the network which otherwise is tightly secured with firewalls and protection protocols. Fortunately, with every advancement in the field, the security protocols are becoming more IIoT-friendly day by day, keeping the data of both IIoT networks and organizations in safe hands.

IIoT V/S IoT

Industrial Internet of Things is a subset of Internet of Things, with major differentiation that IIoT solutions are dedicated to solving industrial problems only. In the meantime, the Internet of things can be used everywhere to make life more comfortable. From the point of level of complexity IOT solutions might include few devices that make your life better by tracking your sleep cycle, making coffee automatically when you wake up in the morning or turn on the house air conditioner when you return home during hot summer afternoon by tracking your cellphone's GPS coordinates. While industrial IOTs are much more complex with regard to their implementation and working processes for capturing data from several devices located in harsh environments like from oil ridges in the middle of the Indian ocean or from a nuclear power plant reactor. So Industrial IOT is a necessity for industry in order to ensure safety of equipment and working staff while IOT is a luxury that will make your life little easy little better

THE EVOLUTION OF INDUSTRY 4.0

Industry 4.0 also known as the fourth industrial revolution is the current stage of digital transformation in manufacturing. It tries to enhance productivity efficiency and flexibility through the usage of digital technologies within manufacturing and industrial processes. Technologies include but are not limited to:

• Industrial Internet of Things
• Cloud Connectivity
• AI
• Big Data
• Robotics
• Automation
• Virtual Reality

Thus, Industrial IOT is playing a very important role in successful implementation of the vision of Industry 4.0 by leading to a higher productivity and improved quality. Replacement of manual inspection by AI-powered real time visual insights reduces manufacturing errors and saves both valuable resource and time. Predictive maintenance, by using Machine Learning algorithms, is getting more appropriate and trustworthy, hence reducing the chances of unwanted breakdown of machines and hence reducing downtime. ADVANTAGES OF IIoT Following is the list of advantages IIOT can bring to an organization

1. IMPROVED EFFICIENCY

• IIoT allows manufactures to find area which can be improved, automate the entire process which can boost productivity and improve overall productivity.

2. COST REDUCTION

• IIoT can significantly improve the manufacturing process and hence reduce the cost

3. ENHANCED SAFETY

• IIoT enable workers to operate machines which are located in hazardous place by remotely operating those machines which increase the safety of working staff.

4. DATA DRIVEN DECISIONS

• Data captured from IIoT network is analyzed to draw key insights which helps leader to make better data driven decisions

APPLICATIONS OF IIoT

This technology, with its potential for real-time monitoring and reporting of site conditions, is being applied across every industry sector.

SUSTAINABLE UTILITIES AND ENERGY MANAGEMENT

In today's modern world, huge amount of energy is being generated and consumed through large distribution network. IIoT enable to track the real-time generation and demand and with the help of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning algorithms can accurately predict the future demands which ensures smart and efficient management.

SMART MANUFACTURING

Data collected from the device is combined with 3rd-party data to run an intensive analysis to understand customer preference, market trends, in-demand products that can be leveraged by the organizations.

BUILDING MANAGEMENT

When these large buildings are connected with smart IIoT devices, it feeds valuable data to the site in charge for monitoring of the entire facility from remote locations and hence saving money by increasing the lifespan of the structure by detecting leaks at early stages.

EFFICIENT SUPPLY CHAIN

IIoT networks let supply chain managers know things like where their products are, which suppliers have them, and how many are in stock. IIoT devices and machines, together with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, provide real-time analytics and suggest actions based on the analysis, which is crucial for efficient supply chain logistics.

INTELLIGENT LOGISTICS

With the fitting of IIoT and tracking devices or apps on logistics vehicle networks, supply chain managers can keep a centralized view of every vehicle in their fleet-be it cargo ship or e-bike. Real-time data from IoT sensors can also agglomerate loads, reduce wastage, and speed up deliveries.

UPCOMING TECHNOLOGIES

IIoT industry is growing day by day thanks to thousands of technocrats worldwide, promising new technology are made into reality on the IIoT platform. Some of the grounds breaking technologies are

Digital Twin Technology Digital twin: It's the virtual representation of an actual object or process. It helps to monitor, test, diagnose, and optimize remotely. Asset performance is possible with a digital twin. It has revolutionary advancement on manufacturing process-variety of ways to cost reduction, minimum total downtime, asset monitoring can be done, production line can be enhanced with consistency and reliability.

Secured IIoT with blockchain technology

IIoT network used in a majority of big industries it has become an easy target for cyber-attacks. For enhancing the security of IIoT network block chain technology which is implemented in crypto currencies is integrated which will make it almost impenetrable.

Data Analytics

Data is one of the most important assets of the organization. Tons of important data is generated which can provide valuable insights about the operation. With the advancement of Artificial Intelligence and the integration of new machine Learning Algorithms, specially designed to analyze real-time data, distributed production is becoming much more efficient, reliable, and cost-effective.