The supply chain is a complex, multifaceted ecosystem that needs to run smoothly from the production line in the factory floor, along the delivery chain, all the way to the trucks that transport the goods. As the saying goes, the strength of a chain depends on its weakest link. The pandemic has shown that labor shortages and a lack of logistical flexibility can trigger long-term problems throughout the supply chain.
Fortunately, these issues provide change agents with opportunities to evaluate systems and processes and further advance digital transformation. The Internet of Things (IoT) is helping to make significant progress in supporting end-to-end supply chains.
Industrial Internet of Things
Starting from the production or manufacturing floor, equipping machines and processes with the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) can solve some of the biggest challenges in this vertical. IIoT can be integrated into existing monitoring and data acquisition (SCADA) systems or built from scratch and securely connected to the internet to support process optimization and drive proactive decision-making through data intelligence. Some of the key benefits of IIoT include:
Equipment health: IoT sensors within the equipment provide in-depth insights into equipment performance, which helps detect delays in advance and provides greater flexibility for processes. Furthermore, predictive maintenance can be performed, allowing machine downtime to be planned to reduce production disruptions.
Process Insights: By capturing and analyzing key business data, manufacturers can make more informed decisions to help reduce costs, improve quality, and increase output.
Resource management: Visibility to machine performance can be gradually increased, allowing managers to take steps to improve employee productivity, reduce facility costs and material waste, and even reduce energy consumption.
The overall goal of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is to create a seamless process with minimal lag time, making it easier to produce and ship goods along the supply chain and to adjust processes as needed.
Internet of Things (IoT) smart logistics
Moving goods through the supply chain can be challenging due to the sheer number of elements and components involved in implementing the strategy. Warehouse optimization, container tracking, ensuring on-time arrival and acceptable condition of goods, and maintaining regulatory compliance are all undeniably challenging. Leveraging IoT sensors and flexible multi-technology connectivity, IoT-enabled smart logistics offers a convenient way to remove these major obstacles in the industry. The benefits of using IoT in logistics include:
Transportation control: With sophisticated visibility and control, losses can be reduced through container identification, global location information, cargo monitoring and feedback, and security alerts.
Visibility "Anywhere": The ability to view real-time GPS location information, as well as data on temperature, physical effects, or attempts at tampering, improves tracking and supports regulatory compliance. Supply chain managers gain deep insights into where and how assets move and can take appropriate action based on this information.
Inventory management: The balance between inventory, supply, and transportation is delicate, and having data-driven insights helps managers make the wisest decisions and helps create flexibility within the industry.
In this part of the supply chain, goods can reach their destination smoothly, and warehouses can store and empty goods through data-driven analytics.
Vehicle IoT
The fleet industry is the last critical link in the supply chain, facing challenges related to labor and efficiency, as well as difficulties in maintaining regulatory compliance, reducing safety, and addressing rising fuel and insurance costs. Fleet IoT can offer the following benefits:
Optimization: By using vehicle telematics, routes can be optimized so that vehicles can complete their journeys faster. Intelligent data drives informed scheduling and route decisions, while GPS location tracking provides route flexibility and geofencing so fleet managers know when vehicles enter or leave digitally defined areas.
Vehicle health: Vehicle sensors provide insights into health and performance, enabling proactive decisions to avoid unplanned downtime or mid-journey breakdowns.
Video telematics: With in-vehicle video, fleet managers can monitor unsafe behavior and replay historical video in the event of a collision. Advanced AI-powered video can provide drivers with real-time alerts during unsafe behaviors such as phone use or drowsiness, helping to prevent problems.
With a deeper understanding of the locations and methods of vehicle-transported goods, the ability to deliver goods on time and in good condition has improved.
