One of the most significant technological advancements in recent years has been the surge in ‘smart’ devices embedded in our daily lives. Through this explosion of innovation – which can be characterized as an array of interconnected web-enabled devices – we have seen a dramatic leap in efficiency compared to just a few short decades ago. This phenomenon is known generally as the Internet of Things (IoT), and more specifically as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) when applied to industrial and manufacturing applications.
An IIoT system is made up of a diverse selection of ‘things’, and these ‘things’ gather, transmit, and act on the environmental data they encounter.
But what is a ‘thing’?
In the context of IIoT, a ‘thing’ can be almost anything: machinery with built-in smart sensors to monitor performance, smart meters tracking energy consumption, inventory management systems with real-time data transmission, or any equipment that can be assigned an Internet Protocol (IP) address and communicate over a network. These diverse, web-connected ‘things’ link to a central IoT gateway, allowing data to be accessed instantly via a smartphone or computer, or to be transmitted to the cloud.
For small business enterprises, IIoT offers remarkable opportunities to enhance operational efficiency, streamline inventory management, and deliver personalized customer experiences. Instead of a local SCADA system that collects performance data offline, IIoT gives small businesses more flexibility – connecting machines to the internet and making it easier to access critical performance data in real-time from anywhere and on any device. With a more modular infrastructure, an IIoT system provides greater opportunity for modbus support, and modularity with analog sensors provides a better alternative for connectivity in a wider range of applications.
3 Steps to Maximize IIoT Benefits for Small Businesses
While implementing IIoT technologies can significantly boost efficiency and flexibility for small businesses, achieving these benefits requires proper device integration, an established transition process, and a full understanding of your application’s needs.
1. Successful IIoT Implementation
Device integration is crucial when establishing an IIoT system for a small business as it ensures seamless communication and data exchange between various components of the system. Effective integration allows different devices, sensors, and machinery to work together cohesively, providing a unified view of system operations. This interconnectedness enhances data accuracy and reliability, facilitates real-time monitoring, and enables automated responses to changing conditions.
Without proper implementation and integration, data silos and communication barriers can arise, leading to inefficiencies, increased downtime, and missed opportunities for optimization.
Establishing clear completion criteria for your IIoT implementation strategy will also improve success by avoiding "data overload" and setting realistic response time expectations. Some important considerations include:
Data remains at the core of the small business IIoT setup. When starting, you might get tempted to collect every bit of data to create a comprehensive database. However, too much data and a high frequency of data collection can have a negative effect, and you'll be left with a massive database with a ton of irrelevant data. You'll eventually find it challenging to analyze and interpret such volumes of data, leading to delays in decision-making.
The best way to approach data gathering is to collect only the information that is relevant to your process and measurement. For example, there is no point in sending temperature reading every minute if there is no significant change in the value.
When designing and implementing the IIoT application, you must understand the limitation of the platform and have realistic expectations out of it. The real-time data update is certainly possible, but it is nowhere instant. The response time depends on the edge computing capabilities in place.
The IIoT setup must be capable to not only collect data from the new sensors added after the implementation but also remain compatible with the existing equipment.
As already discussed, the sensors you employ are going to generate data, and the more devices you have, the more will be the data inflow. Hence, data management should be the top priority for an IIoT application. With tight control over data, your IIoT setup remains effective as well as efficient.
The data collected must also be traceable. In other words, you must have a clear idea of when the data was recorded, which device it came from, and additional relevant information that allows you to pinpoint the data source accurately.
Data loss is a real challenge in IIoT due to the harsh environments the sensors have to work in. For data integrity, it is essential to set up a robust infrastructure in the first place. Take the necessary steps to set up data recovery options so that lost data can be retrieved.
2. Making a Smooth Transition is Key
Going from a traditional offline setup to an online one where you can monitor different processes through sensors involves many dependencies. And, based on the business size, the transformation process can become even more challenging and complex.
The suggested way to transition to an IIoT-enabled environment is to create three implementation phases. The first being the Requirements phase, this should be for understanding the data points. Next, the deployment phase, and the last phase is for optimization: learning from your insights and making improvements.
Run a proof-of-concept first to identify processes that you can optimize with IIoT and measure the outcome. A validated concept will not only help you establish a roadmap for full-scale implementation but will also provide a better understanding of the timeline and cost.
3. Understanding Your System's Requirements and Selecting Vendors
Make sure you do your research before finalizing the vendor for your IIoT equipment. Here are some of the points you should consider when selecting the vendor.
- Ease of integration: Integration can become a headache if there are many instructions to follow. Look for vendors that offer plug and play sensors that are easy to integrate.
- Data assurance and security: Make sure to verify that the devices you purchase have all the security measures to ensure proper data capturing, relaying, and processing. Also, find out how good the devices are when it comes to data traceability and recovery.
- Support and training: Look for a vendor that offers reliable support and training materials to help you through the integration process.
- Long term viability: A connected environment will likely require scaling over time as you install new equipment or implement new processes. Selecting a vendor that offers solutions for the breadth and depth of IoT applications will ensure peace of mind as you look forward to gaining more out of your IIoT setup.
When can I see the results?
Expecting positive results once you implement IIoT for your small business is dependent on several variables. However, you should start seeing the benefits of switching from a manual mode of data collection to an automated one within a few months. Although, more complex results such as predictive analysis and AI monitoring across multiple data sets for process improvement need more time.
However, these results only matter if you are clear on the business goals you want to achieve with the IIoT implementation. IIoT is not just an efficient way to collect data; the real value lies in the potential of doing more with that data. An IIoT setup lets you understand the data trends, allows you to control your processes and introduces invaluable insights to identify performance bottlenecks.
As such, when implementing an IIoT setup for your small business, you must first understand 'WHY' you need to collect the data and build a business case around it to see the results that matter the most for your business.
Omega Ingenuity
Omega has a comprehensive selection of IIoT products that allow for sensor connectivity up to the cloud - providing access to data from anywhere in the world. With a robust variety of smart sensors and gateways, you can build the ideal IIoT system for your small business today.
Please click here to learn more about Omega's IIoT & Wireless Systems products.
Mineral Insulated Cable | Uses And Advantages Of Using It What are the advantages of mineral insulated cable?
What Is A Stepper Motor & Controllers? – Omega Engineering Introduction to Stepper Motors