3 Reasons Why IoT Won’t Cut It in The Industrial Sector
From smart kitchens and smart home security systems to smart sensing technology. We live in a world where interconnected systems of Web enabled devices help people live and work with an efficiency almost inconceivable 25 years ago. This integration of smart technology has come to be known as the Internet of Things or IoT. And just like in the consumer space, the industrial sector has adapted itself to this trend as well.
With the advent of the industrial Internet of Things or IIoT. While IoT and industrial IoT are fundamentally the same in concept, industrial IoT systems require much more robust parameters and greater flexibility. So here are three reasons why consumer grade IoT just won’t cut it in the industrial sector.
1 - Connectivity and Signal Strength
While your home security system or smart appliance may work just fine over your Wi-Fi network or Bluetooth, with industrial applications signal strength can be a major issue due to electromagnetic interference from heavy industrial machinery or from the great distances that signals need to travel in a large scale industrial facility. Not to mention the ability to transmit through thick factory walls. And in the high stakes world of industrial monitoring, automation and data collection, you can’t afford to lose contact with your processes, not even for a second. A purpose built industrial IoT ecosystem takes those factors into consideration where consumer grade IoT falls short.
2 - Adaptive Integration and Industrial Protocols
Industrial systems generally operate on machine communication protocols such as RS485-RTU or ModBus. And many legacy systems offer an analog output that can be easily sensed, scaled and integrated. A robust industrial IoT system will be able to integrate seamlessly into existing and legacy platforms alike and support P.O.E. or power over Ethernet applications. In addition, industrial IoT systems need to have the flexibility and adaptability to be reprogramed and reconfigured to support new processes as they arise. Consumer grade IoT systems are limited in the protocols that they can support and lack the adaptive capabilities to keep up with the ever changing demands of industrial applications.
3 - Data Extraction and Predictive Maintenance
A purpose built industrial IoT system allows the operator to extract and aggregate sensor data using data management tools built right into the system. Putting sensor data to work in predictive maintenance programs that can alert operators of maintenance issues before they become problematic. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Industrial IoT systems need to be more reliable, more resilient, and more adaptable to automation than any simple home IoT solution.
From design to integration, to real human expert consultation and unique customization, follow the link in the description or visit omega.com to find out more about our industrial IoT solutions.