What hinders IIoT implementation in production?
First of all, difficulties arise when calculating the economic benefit from implementing IIoT technologies. If the task is to improve the quality of goods being produced, then it is possible to calculate the percentage of defects and that of quality products. But if the main goal is to prevent emergency situations, then the precise calculation of all possible financial losses from any accident is virtually impossible. Experts see the phased implementation of IIoT technologies, starting from the part of production where the IIoT yields the maximum benefit, as the solution to this problem.
In both consumer IoT and industrial IoT, technology fragmentation has proven to be a major hurdle. There is a wide range of similar technologies on the market, making strategic purchasing decisions harder. Today, there are over 400 competing IoT platforms, both proprietary and open source.
Among other obstacles, the ones worth mentioning are the use of outdated software and operating systems, different communication standards and data protocols.
To cope with market fragmentation, the Open Industry 4.0 Alliance (OI4) was formed. It will simplify the implementation of IIoT technologies and help create interoperable solutions for Industry 4.0. It already includes such companies as: Arvos GmbH, Balluff, Beckhoff, Endress + Hauser, Gebhardt Fördertechnik, IFM, Kuka, MultiVac, Hilscher, Pepperl + Fuchs, SAP, Schmidtsche Schack, Samson and Wika Alexander Wiegand.
OI4 proposes to create an IIoT system template, consisting of four layers.
• The first layer is called Open Edge Connectivity, and consists of end devices with industry standard communication protocols such as OPC UA, HART, Profibus, Profinet, Modbus and EtherCat.
• The second layer named Open Edge Computing integrates the company’s peripheral hardware and software platform.
• The last two layers — Open Operator Cloud Platform and Common Central Cloud — allow data to be used in the Cloud through standard APIs.
How to start implementing IIoT in production and avoid common mistakes
The key to the success of IIoT technology implementation lies in the correct planning and distribution of stages. First, you need to test the IIoT concept in a small area of the enterprise and identify your business needs. Then prepare to scale and test IIoT on other business units. Finally, scale the IIoT concept throughout the organization.
Start your IIoT implementation by collecting data from physical objects by connecting them to the Cloud. The data will help you find ways to improve the operational efficiency of your equipment. Choose a cloud platform to connect your IoT devices. Analyze and render data from physical objects using predictive analytics and machine learning. They will allow you to identify patterns based on logged data and data close to real-time. Develop a strategy for working with company data. Then focus on integrating IIoT into your existing business processes and building a sustainable infrastructure for leveraging IIoT throughout your organization.
Tell us what you think: what are the factors hindering the mass implementation of IIoT in production?
