Manufacturing industry is now IoT! Explaining smart factories, introduction benefits, and usage examples

“I wonder if it would be better to introduce IoT to the manufacturing industry as well?”
“What exactly is IoT and smart factories?”

Some people may have questions like this. First of all, IoT is a technology that connects things to the Internet. A smart factory is a concept that introduces advanced IT technologies such as IoT and optimizes manufacturing processes through data analysis and other methods.

By introducing IoT to manufacturing sites, it is possible to make factory operations more efficient.As a result, we can expect productivity to improve. In light of this, it is a good idea to introduce IoT into the manufacturing industry.

Therefore, in this article, we will explain the overview of IoT and smart factories, the benefits of introducing IoT in the manufacturing industry, the introduction procedure, and examples of IoT introduction. After reading this article, you will understand the necessity and benefits of IoT. If you are worried that you are suffering from a labor shortage and would like to efficiently improve productivity, but don't know how, please refer to our guide.

What is a smart factory? IoT can also be introduced in the manufacturing industry

Here we will explain the basic information about smart factories and IoT.

• IoT in the manufacturing industry too! What is a smart factory?
• What is IoT?

IoT in the manufacturing industry too! What is a smart factory?

A smart factory is an advanced factory that utilizes AI and IoT technology to perform production, design, manufacturing, maintenance, etc.Smart factories were created in accordance with the concept of Industry 4.0 (Fourth Industrial Revolution), which was proposed by the German government in 2011. We aim to optimize manufacturing processes and improve productivity by integrating automation technology, data communication technology, etc.

Smart factories utilize not only IoT and AI, but also technologies such as big data analysis, robots, and cloud computing. Using robot technology and AI, it is possible to create an automated production line that minimizes human intervention. Compared to traditional factories, you can expect improved productivity and higher profitability.

IoTWhat is it?

IoT is an abbreviation for "Internet of Things" and is a technology that connects various things to the Internet.In Japan, it is translated as the Internet of Things. IoT technology is used not only in the manufacturing industry, but also in the following areas.

• smart home appliances
• Wearable Devices
• smart lock
• smart home
• car sharing
• smart highway
• smart meter

For example, smart home appliances can be connected to the Internet or other networks and can be remotely controlled and automated via smartphones, tablets, voice assistants, etc. Typical examples include voice control, brightness adjustment, and color temperature changes. There are also products with features such as scheduling and home simulation. IoT can be said to be an indispensable technology in all aspects of business and people's lives. Examples of IoT implementation in the manufacturing industry will be discussed later.

For more information on IoT, please refer to the article below.
IoT is the Internet of Things! Explaining the mechanism, what can be achieved, and implementation examples

Explaining the benefits of introducing IoT in the manufacturing industry

Here we will explain five benefits of introducing IoT in the manufacturing industry.

• Improve work efficiency
• Trouble can be prevented in advance
• Each data can be visualized
• You can expect new business ideas
• Work progress can be automatically extracted

Improve work efficiency

One of the benefits of introducing IoT in the manufacturing industry is improved operational efficiency.This is because the introduction of IoT can automate or streamline tasks that have traditionally been performed by on-site personnel.

In factories that have not introduced IoT, on-site personnel manage, input, and analyze data. At the end of each day's work, work results and progress are generally compiled manually and entered into a computer. In some cases, multiple systems had to be used together, which required considerable effort and time. Since the information is entered manually, there may be problems with accuracy.

However, by introducing IoT, there is no need for manual input, and data can be visualized and analyzed instantly. You can use your free time to do other tasks, making your work more efficient. Work instructions that were previously given on a daily basis can now be given on an hourly or minute basis, allowing for more accurate and agile work. You may be able to take immediate action.

Prevent problems before they occur

Introducing IoT can also help prevent problems before they occur.By using IoT technology, dangers that are difficult for humans to notice can be detected in advance.

For example, by installing sensors, etc., it is possible to understand equipment failures and malfunctions in real time. It is possible to warn people not to use equipment that is broken or defective. As a result, the incidence of accidents will be reduced.

Additionally, it is possible to analyze equipment using maintenance systems and prevent future malfunctions and failures. By being able to predict the maintenance period for factory equipment, you can eliminate unnecessary parts replacement and work man-hours.

It will also reduce opportunity losses such as stopping production lines. In traditional factories, it was not possible to predict malfunctions, and equipment would suddenly break down, or production lines would stop due to shortages caused by insufficient management. However, using IoT technology can be a solution to such problems.

Each data can be visualized

One of the benefits is that each data can be visualized.This is because the following data, which was difficult to grasp in the past, can be measured more accurately.

• Product manufacturing man-hours
• Equipment operating status
• Incidence of defective products

IoT sensors make it possible to visualize things that are difficult to convert into data, and collect, store, and share data. Information, characteristics, and processes that were previously invisible can be visualized all at once. By simply attaching a dedicated sensor to the device, you can manage and check it 24 hours a day. You can expect to prevent work from becoming individualized and promote standardization.

You can expect new business ideas

Introducing IoT will also lead to the creation of new business ideas.IoT technology can transform traditional manufacturing into a data-driven business, creating new value propositions and revenue models.

For example, by leasing expensive machinery to customers and providing maintenance and updates based on usage data, customers can always have the latest features and manufacturers can earn recurring revenue. Not only will this increase profits, but it will also help strengthen customer relationships throughout the product lifecycle.

Work progress can be automatically extracted

With IoT, it is also possible to automatically extract information such as work progress.You can collect real-time data through sensors and devices and analyze that data to track the progress of your work.

IoT sensors and devices are placed at various points on the manufacturing line to collect data on machine operating status, material flow, product progress, etc. in real time. The collected data is analyzed by software and data analysis tools to extract work progress. This includes tracking production, quality control, and machine efficiency. Providing real-time data will improve transparency in the manufacturing process.

Analysis results are also visualized in dashboard and report format, allowing administrators and other stakeholders to easily understand work progress. This allows for instant decision making and process improvements.

For a smart manufacturing site! IoT steps

Here, we will explain the steps to implement IoT in order to become a smart factory.

• Clarify the purpose of introduction
• To understand the current situation
• Select IoT devices
• collect data
• machine control
• Verification and improvement
• Automation

Clarify the purpose of introduction

First, let's clarify the purpose of introduction.Clarifying your deployment objectives will help you focus your investments and make the most effective use of your resources. The manufacturing industry is comprised of a wide variety of processes and activities, and there are many opportunities to utilize IoT technology. But without a clear purpose, you may end up wasting resources on unimportant areas.

If the purpose of the implementation is unclear, interview all the relevant parties. Conduct interviews and surveys of management, IT department managers, factory workers and managers, and other relevant parties. With the consent of all parties, it will be easier to clarify the purpose of the implementation.

To understand the current situation

Once the purpose of introducing IoT is clear, let's understand the current situation.An accurate understanding of the current situation will help you select and implement the most effective IoT solution. Understanding the specific needs and challenges of the field is essential to avoid wasteful investment and maximize ROI (return on investment).

If you want to understand the current issues, we recommend conducting a survey of the manufacturing process. We map the manufacturing process in detail and clarify the flow of each process and the machines and tools used. This process mapping helps you visualize your current work flow and identify opportunities for improvement.

IoTSelect equipment

There are various types of IoT devices, so choose the one that is necessary to achieve your goals and solve problems.When selecting IoT devices, compare the following points.

• Security
• Functionality
• Processing speed
• Smooth connection

Because IoT is a technology that uses the Internet, there is always a risk of information leakage. It is necessary to ensure that the latest security is maintained through regular updates and maintenance.

It is also important to select the equipment that best suits your company's needs in terms of functionality, processing speed, and smooth connectivity. When selecting IoT devices, choose a service that suits your company's objectives, current situation, and issues.

collect data

Once the introduction of IoT services is complete, let's collect data and visualize the factory.It is possible to instantly grasp information that could not be grasped in conventional factories. If you repeatedly make improvements based on the collected data, you will be able to achieve your goals and solve problems.

However, collecting data blindly does not guarantee that you will achieve your goals. Please consider what kind of data you should collect each time. The main data that can be collected by IoT devices are as follows.

• Uptime and downtime
• Number of products produced
• production line speed
• Product dimensions and weight
• Incidence of defective products
• temperature and humidity
• Power consumption
• Material usage
• Work efficiency
• flow line

By collecting and analyzing this data, manufacturers can improve production efficiency, reduce costs, and improve the quality of finished products.

equipment control

Appropriate control of machines and systems is required to improve manufacturing floor issues revealed by collected data.

Specifically, we are implementing the following initiatives.

• Analyze collected data
• Control equipment and systems based on analysis results
• Streamline or automate each task
• Take measures to secure your system

For example, let's say you analyze collected temperature data and identify patterns of temperature fluctuations, such as hot and cold areas in a factory. At this time, we analyze the correlation between energy consumption and temperature data. Based on the analysis results, we will build a control system to automatically adjust the temperature. The system can heat or cool your home as needed to maintain an ideal temperature range.

Then use AI to streamline or automate the temperature adjustment process. Whether or not it has an AI function depends on the system installed, but it can predict the optimal room temperature depending on the time of day and outside temperature, and optimize the operating time of heating and cooling. Automatic temperature control system reduces unnecessary heating and cooling operations, reducing energy waste. This makes it possible to reduce energy costs and reduce environmental impact.

Of course, when controlling equipment, system security measures are essential. However, this requires specialized knowledge, so it is best to consult with the operator.

Verification and improvement

Verify and improve your streamlined and automated operations.We must resolve new issues and areas for improvement that have emerged with the introduction of IoT. Repeat verification and improvement, paying particular attention to the following:

• Is it likely that the goal will be achieved based on the current progress and collected data?
• Is there any new data to collect?
• Are there any unresolved issues?
• Are workers' literacy and management skills improving?

It is important to check each time whether the data necessary to achieve the purpose is being collected correctly. Additionally, the amount of data that can be collected may increase as workers improve their literacy and management skills. Please periodically verify and improve according to the situation.

Automation

Finally, automate your improvement cycles.You should already be able to streamline and automate each task, but that alone is not enough. By automating the improvement cycle, you can constantly optimize and maintain your manufacturing site.

To automate the improvement cycle, you need the following:

• Continuous automatic collection of data
• automatic analysis
• automatic simulation
• Automated decision making and execution
• Continuous automatic monitoring
• Automatic report creation
• Automatic learning and improvement features
• Automatic security updates

The above may not be achieved just by introducing IoT. In some cases, deep learning capabilities and a solid IT infrastructure are required. When introducing IoT to a manufacturing site, it is a good idea to consult with the business operator, with a view to automating the improvement cycle. They may be able to suggest the most suitable system for you. If it is difficult to introduce everything at the same time, proceed with the introduction step by step and verify it.

Examples of introducing and utilizing IoT in manufacturing sites

Here, we will explain actual cases where IoT was introduced at manufacturing sites. Please refer to it.

• IoT introduction example in manufacturing industry part 1
• IoT introduction example in manufacturing industry part 2

 IoT introduction example in manufacturing industry part 1

Some of our cases (strictly speaking, demonstration experiments) are related to the manufacturing industry.

Identifying inventory location in logistics

Using a BLE receiver with enhanced directional functionality, we can identify the location of logistics inventory with a BLE (*2) beacon (FCS1301, timbe) transmitter in the factory and collect data.

(*2) BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) is a Bluetooth standard that enables short-range wireless communication with low power consumption.

Network construction within factories LPWA technology can be used to collect beacon transmission data in environments where LAN construction is difficult, such as in factories. The LPWA communication module (LoRaPAN) developed by Nagoya Institute of Technology Otsuka Laboratory is a private network that does not require a communication carrier, so by using a receiver capable of LPWA communication, you can easily construct a wide-area network.

Source: Focus Systems Corporation| Started demonstration experiment to improve the efficiency of in-factory logistics using a wide-area positioning system using BLE beacon and LPWA technology (as of March 7, 2024)

In this case, the issues were the increasing age of workers, a labor shortage, and improving quality control. We are focusing on IoT and digitalization to provide solutions.

The location information transmitting beacons used in this example are "FCS1301" and "timbe". They have extensive communication capabilities. It is expected to reduce the risk of data loss beyond the reception range and improve the accuracy of location information systems. Furthermore, using these beacons can reduce the number of receivers required, thereby contributing to cost savings.

IoT introduction example in manufacturing industry part 2

There are other examples of IoT being introduced in the manufacturing industry.

<③Data analysis/learning>

Production line quality control program

The computer has a function to receive inspection result data representing the results of inspecting a product after a predetermined manufacturing process for each predetermined inspection item from an inspection device via a network, and to store it in a database. A function of receiving manufacturing condition data from a manufacturing device via a network and storing it in the database in association with the inspection result data, and detecting a mismatch between the inspection results of the inspection result data stored in the database and the manufacturing condition data. A function that causes a neural network to learn the relationship with the manufacturing conditions that caused the failure using deep learning, a function that monitors the inspection result data accumulated in the database, and a function that monitors the inspection result data accumulated in the database. A quality control program for a production line for realizing a function of estimating manufacturing conditions that caused the nonconformity by using a neural network.

Source: Japan Patent Office | Enhancing examples of IoT-related technologies, etc. | Page 32 (as of March 7, 2024)

By integrating data collection, machine learning, and analysis functions, you can expect to improve your quality control processes. Your ability to quickly identify and address quality issues in your manufacturing process will be greatly improved. The system also makes it possible to improve the precision of the manufacturing process and improve the quality of the final product.

summary

This time, we explained the benefits of introducing IoT in the manufacturing industry, the introduction procedure, and examples of IoT introduction.IoT is a technology that is useful in all aspects, including improving productivity, increasing sales, and resolving labor shortages.Problems that could not be solved until now may be solved by introducing IoT. When introducing IoT, try implementing the methods explained above.

However, there will be many things you do not understand when implementing IoT. If you are considering implementing IoT, please feel free to contact us.