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Digital transformation in the field of manufacturing has been nothing short of remarkable. As a matter of fact, industrial IoT, or the industrial internet of things, has begun to dominate the manufacturing industry. That is why most IIoT investments are being made in this sector.
In fact, an IDC forecast shows that discrete manufacturing and process manufacturing will spend an estimated $197 billion this year on IoT platforms. This will make that industry the largest vertical from a total spending perspective.
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Manufacturing Operations
The internet of things (IoT) has helped thousands of small businesses in their manufacturing process in recent years. Considering the fact that you know what is manufacturing, let’s take a look at why manufacturing operations have stood out compared to other areas of manufacturing.
The manufacturing process involves a lot of things. For example, this includes the type of product that will be made, the machine that will be used, the people who will be in the manufacturing process, and so on. Moreover, there are several stages of manufacturing. With careful observation, you will notice that all the stages are interconnected.
Among the reasons manufacturing operations have changed the way small businesses work are the introduction of big data analytics, robotics, and cloud data. Both the integration of operational technology and information technology have played an important role in making this possible.
Most small businesses start with a handful of capital. Then they strive to do better by obtaining feedback from their customers. The IoT has simplified the process of getting feedback, however. Although it may not have a direct role in the process itself, it has allowed for the modification of weak points. This ensures that the entire process goes as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
Production Asset Maintenance and Management
The IoT has made several contributions to manufacturing for small businesses. Among them are the maintenance and management of production assets.
Assets are always under scrutiny. Beginning with tracking the asset to monitoring it, this scrutiny helps to ensure that small businesses do not take a false step forward. Managers monitor various parameters, such as potential damage, performance, and quality of the product. The ultimate objective is to ensure that small-scale businesses can coexist with the big names in their industry.
Field Service
The third important checkbox on the list of manufacturing processes influenced by the IoT is field service. This stage is not exactly a manufacturing area. However, it affects manufacturing. That’s because it involves the place where manufacturers become the service provider.
Field services cover both business-related services and product-related services. The focus is to improve the service organizations that are related to the manufacturing unit.
Small businesses are often sidelined because they are not popular. That can affect their manufacturing process to a large extent. The field service section of IoT tries to link service organizations to manufacturing units so that there is no hiccup in the process.
A Final Word About the Industrial Internet of Things
Our world is changing rapidly in multiple ways. Moreover, the industrial internet of things may soon affect your small business, too, if it has not done so already.
