Remote work and maintenance; Industry 4.0 offers possibilities

During this period we experience like no other that communication is a very important asset. Many of us are able to work from home. This applies not only in the IT field, but increasingly also in the OT field. In the event of a malfunction within a plant, it is often possible to monitor remotely where the malfunction is located. This offers one of the successes when we look at industry 4.0 and IoT, or, as it is also called within the industry, Industrial Internet of Things.

The future of Industry 4.0 and IoT offers endless possibilities. More and more companies are implementing technical solutions. Joint initiatives are also emerging to create central platforms where many different data protocols and devices can communicate with each other.

Numerous companies have already proven that IoT can not only contribute to cost savings and process improvements, but can also help in the development of completely new products and services. IoT can play a major role in customer loyalty and enable a completely new level of service. An example of this is an experiment that Amazon conducted years ago. Trucks in New York were loaded with products that had not yet been ordered, but for which the company could predict an order would arrive quickly based on data. This made lightning-fast delivery possible and reduced storage costs for Amazon.

Within the industry, developments within the IoT domain will make a huge difference. Processes will become more autonomous and, when data is correctly processed and communicated to machines, a more efficient and effective process will emerge. Machines will be able to take independent action based on the communicated data, without human intervention. This not only eliminates human errors, but also ensures lightning-fast operations. Possible errors and defects can not only be detected, but, if desired, also be resolved without human interaction. IoT will reshape the industrial landscape and enable Industry 4.0.

Now that IoT is being applied more and more widely, other issues are also being discussed. With the production of large amounts of data, the question remains where it is stored. And perhaps more importantly, how the data and the process are protected. The opportunities of IoT go hand in hand with digital threats. When security is compromised, the consequences can be disastrous not only for companies themselves, but also for our individual privacy. There is therefore a need to intensify cooperation and knowledge sharing in this area.

It is up to you to determine how IoT/Industry 4.0 is best applied within your company. The technology is available today, but we understand the caution. Are you looking for options or do you have questions about implementation? Would you like to know more and hear concrete examples from the industry? Register for WoTS 2020 and attend the IoT – Industry 4.0 seminar on September 29, 2020 in the morning.