I. Industrial Internet of Things
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) uses smart sensors and actuators to enhance manufacturing and industrial processes. Also known as the Industrial Internet or Industry 4.0, the IIoT leverages the power of smart machines and real-time analytics to utilize the data generated by "dumb machines" over many years in industrial environments. The driving idea behind the IIoT is that smart machines are not only better than humans at capturing and analyzing data in real time, but also better at conveying critical information that can be used to drive business decisions faster and more accurately.
Connected sensors and actuators enable companies to identify inefficiencies and problems more quickly, saving time and money while supporting business intelligence efforts. Specifically, in manufacturing, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) holds immense potential in quality control, sustainable and green practices, supply chain traceability, and overall supply chain efficiency. In industrial environments, IIoT is critical to processes such as predictive maintenance (PdM), enhanced field service, energy management, and asset tracking.
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is a network of intelligent devices connected to form a system for monitoring, collecting, exchanging, and analyzing data. Each IIoT ecosystem includes: connected devices capable of sensing, communicating, and storing their own information; public or private data communication infrastructure; analytics and applications that generate business information from raw data; and storage for data generated by IIoT devices.
These edge devices and smart assets transmit information directly to the data communication infrastructure, where it is transformed into actionable information about how a particular machine should operate. This information can be used for predictive maintenance and to optimize business processes.
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) infrastructure components include IoT gateways or edge gateways, sensors, actuators, and edge nodes.
II. What are the characteristics of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications?
First, the hardware, software, and protocols used in the Industrial Internet (IIoT) differ from those we are accustomed to at the enterprise or consumer level. You may never have heard of protocols like OPC, MQTT DDS, AMQP, or SCADA and MES platforms, which are commonly used in the IIoT but are likely unfamiliar to those outside the industry. The task of the IIoT is to connect industrial equipment with enterprise-level applications and store data on a platform using established data storage mechanisms. To a certain extent, the IIoT merges industrial IT and enterprise IT applications.
Secondly, the physical environments in which the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) connects devices vary greatly. These devices may be deployed in factories, mines, and substations—places that have had no network operation for decades. Installing sensors under such harsh conditions is extremely difficult. Compared to other types of IoT applications, the IIoT focuses more on improving efficiency, environmental protection, and safety. It is precisely because of the application of the IIoT in enterprises that we enjoy the convenience of smart homes, smart cities, and smart healthcare today.
In addition to these characteristics, industrial IoT applications also exhibit many other specific features in the industrial sector:
1. Data collection and analysis
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) deployments are unique in terms of data management and deployment scale. The types of data used, the methods of collection, and the analysis may come from sensors and software deployed in highly complex and customized machines.
2. A challenging environment
In many cases, sensors and other sensitive network devices used for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) are deployed in harsh environments, including high temperatures, extreme cold, high humidity, and poor ventilation, which requires specialized IoT sensors and network hardware.
3. Quality Control
One of the key characteristics of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is that most of the data collected by the IIoT relates to automated quality control processes.
4. Improve efficiency
Improving energy efficiency is one of the key tasks of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), which involves implementing and collecting smart sensor data in HVAC and lighting systems, implementing artificial intelligence in factory equipment to keep it operating at its best, and specifically modernizing factories to improve energy efficiency.
5. Improve supply chain visibility
Many Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) projects aim to provide end-to-end supply chain visibility, thereby avoiding the typical blind spots of supply chains equipped with built-in digital silos.
6. Equipment modification
Industrial IoT projects typically involve transforming industrial equipment, including manufacturing equipment, forklifts, and storage containers, using IoT sensors. Most of these projects require updating legacy processes and tools to fully integrate them into the industrial IoT world.
