Hardware Devices Are a Vital Part of Data-Driven Industrial Intelligence
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is defined as the sensors, machines, instruments, and autonomous devices that are networked together to collect real-time data for industrial applications. For automated and semi-automated factory manufacturing, IIoT provides key insights to increase productivity, improve efficiencies, and reduce costs. This collected device data can be analyzed in cloud or edge-computing platforms, allowing users to take actions with directly measurable value:
- optimize production
- increase operational efficiency
- reallocate resources
- execute predictive maintenance
- reduce energy consumption
- improve error-proofing
- minimize downtime
- manage costs
IIoT forms part of a complete technology ecosystem, benefiting factory automation, assembly lines, logistics, shipping and distribution, and other key elements of today’s manufacturing. In essence, it is a subset of the Internet of Things (IoT)—referring to physical devices and digital tools built to communicate with each other online—but focused specifically on industry and the business advantages that can be achieved.
IIoT networks rely on online connections, cloud servers, and software, but the hardware components of these systems should not be overlooked. Fortunately, Banner Engineering makes it possible to not only design customized IIoT-capable automation systems, but also upgrade existing manufacturing infrastructure for comprehensive IIoT implementation.