IOT Trends In Manufacturing

Trends That Will Shape the Internet of Things in 2016
In a relatively short time, The Internet of Things (IoT) has grown from a niche technology in the global market, into a widely embraced phenomenon. Rapid advancements in IP technologies, as well as the IoT devices and industries that they’re used in, mean that devices are now able to be integrated in more ways than ever before. One particular sector that has strongly embraced IoT adoption, is the manufacturing industry.

Offering a range of benefits, IoT will be a major force in shaping manufacturing throughout 2016 and beyond.

Manufacturers Will Become Increasingly Software Centric
Manufacturing hardware, processes, and even operational processes, will become more reliant on software. Whether referring to the embedded apps and software within devices, or the server-side software that controls machines and automations, manufacturers that adopt IoT as part of their strategy will need to focus investment and knowledge building around software. Not only will this affect the depth and complexity of their IoT integration, but it will also mean that these manufacturers will need to procure new talent or upskill existing staff with specific IoT skillsets in IT.

Costs will Decrease, Increasing Adoption
Cost has been a significant factor for manufacturers who have been hesitant to adopt widespread IoT systems in manufacturing. As IoT technologies continue to mature, implementation costs will decrease. Because IoT provides significant benefits in operational efficiency, price shrinkages will influence manufacturers who were previously undecided on the financial benefits of IoT.

RFID Will Be a Major Technology in Manufacturing
Research firm Markets and Markets, has projected that RFID will be widely adopted in the manufacturing sector. There are a number of factors contributing to this, including the ability to use passive RFID chips in manufacturing, with little additional cost. NFC is expected to experience the highest level of growth. Manufacturers will be able to benefit from RFID tracking on the production floor, but also in packaging and distribution.

In case studies, such as the use of RFID to track luggage at Hong Kong International Airport, RFID tags have been shown to provide read rates of up to 97%, compared to 80% for optically read barcode tags.

North America will Lead IoT use in Manufacturing
Although China and the United States have often swapped positions at the top spot of total manufacturing output, it is the U.S. that will lead IoT implementation in manufacturing for 2016. This is mostly due to high automation, frequent technological advancements, and a history of early-adoption of new technologies. This contrasts greatly with China, where output is high, but production methods differ, favoring low-cost labor in place of high levels of automation.

This increased trend in IoT adoption is expected to benefit other areas of North American industry, such as the R&D and software sectors. Cisco Systems, Microsoft, Intel, IBM, and General Electric are all U.S. based multinationals that lead in IoT sensor and software development. German companies SAP SE, Siemens, and Bosch, are also IoT leaders that will benefit from increased demand for IoT solutions in manufacturing.

Bottom Line – IoT Shows no Signs of Slowing Down
Regardless of initial reluctance to adopt, and increasing security concerns surrounding IoT devices, the industry as a whole is showing no signs of slowing down. Firms like Gartner research have predicted that there will be almost 7 billion sensors in use by the end of 2016, and that enterprise level software spend will total over $860bn, globally.

Manufacturers will realize more efficient operations which stretch from administration, to production floors, and even distribution. The internet of things doesn’t represent a flawless group of technologies, but it is set to be a significant aspect of the future of high tech manufacturing, no matter which way you look at it.

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Bill McCabe