In the past, machine operators and factory managers had no way of foreseeing when a machine would begin to perform poorly or completely shut down. If something went wrong, getting the equipment back up and running was often time-consuming, using trial-and-error troubleshooting.
And for manufacturers, any unexpected downtime meant slowed or ceased production, which resulted in reduced productivity and higher costs.
The latest generation of IoT solutions helps a broader range of manufacturers gather insights that allow them to predict outcomes and perform better data analysis while addressing industry-specific requirements. Manufacturers are investing more time and effort in finding feasible ways to improve efficiency and drive profitability based on the power of today’s IoT capabilities. Common goals include:
Moving into intelligent manufacturing begins with enterprise-ready cloud computing services like Microsoft's Azure IoT solution. Services from the Azure IoT cloud power complex industrial operations at a global scale. Microsoft has already promoted some compelling IoT successes ranging from licorice extrusion (Hershey’s) to jet engine efficiency (Rolls-Royce) to reductions in production and operational downtime (thyssenkrup, TetraPak, Johnson Controls).
In today's highly competitive manufacturing market, there are three questions any business leader should look for when considering an investment in IoT today:
IoT has the power to answer these questions and unlock great business impact. As per the current stats from Dataprot, 83% of manufacturers improved efficiency and productivity with IoT, whereas 58% of manufacturers find IoT strategically essential for digitally transforming industrial operations.
Current statistics also say that 90% of manufacturers now consider IoT as critical to the overall success of their business, while 80% of companies have increased revenue due to IoT implementation.
In this article we will explore:
Azure IoT is a group of Microsoft-managed cloud services. Azure IoT is capable of connecting, monitoring, and controlling billions of IoT devices.
IoT devices are electronic circuit boards with embedded sensors and Unique Identifiers. They can use Wi-Fi and other wireless communications like cellular/4G/5G in needed situations like devices in the field to connect to the Internet to exchange information and data, e.g., a pressure sensor on a remote oil pump.
An IoT solution exists when one or more IoT devices begin communicating with one or more back-end services.
Some of the goals of manufacturers investing in Azure IoT include:
With IoT's help, manufacturers can accelerate their path to Industry 4.0 quite easily. McKinsey has outlined a broad range of potential use cases related to automation, digital management, analytics, digital experiences, and work methods.
Vivek Gururani is a senior marketing manager at Dynamics Square, UK’s leading Microsoft Gold partner helping businesses to achieve more with Microsoft Business Applications like Dynamics 365 Business Central, Power BI, Dynamics 365 Sales, Finance & Supply Chain.
Vivek Gururani is a senior marketing manager at Dynamics Square, UK’s leading Microsoft Gold partner helping businesses to achieve more with Microsoft Business Applications like Dynamics 365 Business Central, Power BI, Dynamics 365 Sales, Finance & Supply Chain.