How the Internet of Things is revolutionizing manufacturing

Internet of Things (IoT) has just recently made a big impact in the manufacturing sector. A study by MPI Group found that in 2016, 66% of manufacturing companies surveyed had little or no understanding of IoT. But by 2018, 68% of those companies understood what it is and how to implement it, and 36% had actually begun to deploy IoT in their processes.

Clearly, IoT is beginning to revolutionize manufacturing, but how is it doing that exactly? Let’s look at some ways IoT is shaking up how things are built, what is built and how Sparkster can help bring this into your own manufacturing process.

IoT and how things are built

IoT is a pretty impressive term for something rather simple. Product designers have been integrating computers into all sorts of products, and those computers have collected vast amounts of data. IoT takes that data and draws certain conclusions, which triggers particular actions, all without a person getting involved. The data can also be analysed by humans to make processes and products more efficient and transparent.

As such, IoT can impact just about every part of the manufacturing process, from everyday operations to repairs and ongoing efficiency savings. The data can be used to streamline processes. It can prevent machines running that don’t need to be online at that moment. And it can let someone know that parts are wearing down or overheating, long before a machine breaks. That means machines can be repaired before they disrupt the manufacturing process.

Manufacturers are already using IoT in some amazing ways. AGCO, which builds custom tractors, gives each worker Google Glass eye-wear. These smart frames show workers which tools to use and how to put the parts together, which has reduced training time from ten days down to just three. Siemens, meanwhile, has a nearly autonomous factory that is programmed to send messages between machines each stage to keep everything on track, and the messages are all completely transparent, so the few factory supervisors needed can ensure everything is working properly.

IoT and what gets built

The Internet of Things is not just changing how things are being built. It’s also changing how manufacturers are thinking about what they make. That is not to say that manufacturers are slapping computers in everything and calling them “smart”. No, it goes deeper than that. Manufacturers are realising that the smart solutions they use can be utilised by other businesses, too, and they are leveraging those smart solutions to open up new revenue streams.

For example, Steve Hershberger had been a craft brewer when he developed SteadyServ to cut down on beer wastage. SteadyServ is an app and smart scale that uses the weight of a keg to determine how empty it is (as opposed to the current system bars use, which is shaking the keg and guessing) and alert bar staff when it’s time to replace and reorder a beer.

Hershberger found that as a manufacturer, he had a particular need that IoT could address, and he sold his craft brewery to start a tech company that provided other brewers and bars with the same waste-saving technology.

Bringing IoT to your own business

Of course, no one can start with autonomous factories or staff kitted with smart clothes. Manufacturers should instead start small. MPI Group’s John Brandt puts it like this: “Usually start with a machine, line or process that pays for itself and provides some savings to use for the next project. The plan has to be iterative, because it’s the wild west right now.”

Here at Sparkster we have developed user-friendly ways to build apps and write code intuitively. Sparkster have partnered with ARM to create a platform that allows users to create the apps and code they need to run IoT technologies, just by dragging and dropping instructions in place. The code is generated automatically, and the technology can begin to work right away. Here is an example, if a company needed to strictly control the temperature of their factory, they could use Sparkster to write code that spoke to a smart thermostat, ensuring the proper temperature is maintained.

Sparkster’s platform creates a virtual representation of your chosen device, to which you can send the compiled code in a few clicks. Code is generated before being converted to binary that your ARM, ESP or Arduino device can read. Data flows securely, and in both directions. Sparster’s platform can be connected through the MQTT protocol and incorporates several appropriate security measures that’ll safeguard your device

In that way, with the help of Sparkster any company can begin to integrate IoT solutions into their manufacturing process. The money saved could then be put into the next IoT improvement, and so on, so that in the not too distant future, manufacturing companies will have the smart processes they need to head into the future with confidence.

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