The Internet of Things (IoT) is part of the technological change that is imperative to be followed by the leaders of the manufacturing industry in order to be more adaptive, innovative, resilient, and outshine its competitors.
Internet of Things Trends in the Manufacturing Industry
The use of the IoT in the manufacturing industry keeps growing every year. The predicted trend of IoT for the next couple of years includes:
- Security and Privacy
Increased visibility in the manufacturing industry opens a new threat in the form of cyber threats, data leaks, and malware that could be dangerous for the system and everyone involved. For that reason, the IoT trend keeps the security and privacy of IoT users. It can be done by using encryption, identifying risk, risk assessment, and keeping track of the physical device. - Employee Safety
Another growing trend in the use of IoT in the manufacturing industry is regarding employee safety. The manufacturing industry is a dangerous field with a higher possibility for injuries. The implementation of the IoT could help to prevent work-related injuries. Some examples of IoT use in this field are smart sensors that can detect radiation, air pollution, or any other threat and send alerts immediately. Another example is a predictive maintenance system to fix any faulty machine before it crashes and causes an accident. - Automation
The IoT can use smart sensors to communicate and automate manufacturing decisions such as material requests and distribution. Everything happens without human interaction, thus allowing the manufacturers to capitalize on the system and technicians to monitor the performance and gain insight from it. - IoT with Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality
Together, these three powerful technologies can bring economic advantages, including cost reduction, improved profit, better service lines, and so on. The developing trend of using these technologies is in equipment management, space management, and employee education.
The Internet of Things Benefits in the Manufacturing Industry
The IoT gives huge benefits to the manufacturing industry in the form of:
- Preventive and Predictive Maintenance
IoT devices help by giving early warning signs of any predicted malfunction, thus creating a safer work environment and preventing any downtime that could cost a lot. - Higher Profit
The use of the IoT helps to reduce production time and can drive quality improvement in future products. It helps to ensure a better production level for higher customer satisfaction, which in the end brings more profit. - Faster Delivery Time
The use of IoT in the supply chain helps out with inventory management, brings higher visibility, solves the complex logistic network for faster delivery times, and ensures customer satisfaction. - Quality Improvement
IoT devices monitor the entire manufacturing floor. It helps the manufacturers to determine which products meet quality specifications and which ones need more inspection quickly and easily. IoT also provides data on the entire process, from the production floor to consumer reaction. This data proved to be insightful for the manufacturers to find and fix any issues for a quality boost. - Better Safety and Security
The IoT technology and devices in the manufacturing industry help to provide a much better and safer work environment. It also provides better security protocols to prevent malicious attacks targeting the valuable data of the company and the personal data of its workers.
In 2020, PT Suryacipta Swadaya (Suryacipta) launched “Subang Smartpolitan” and envisage of smart and sustainable integrated township development. Subang Smartpolitan will implement Internet of Things based infrastructures to support tenants in increasing their business productivity and cost efficiency in the whole system. This makes Subang Smartpolitan an ideal location for investors who wish to develop within the manufacturing industry in Indonesia.