IoT or Internet of Things is the next revolution in the technology sector. IoT is transforming Electronic Manufacturing industry. According to John Greenough, a senior research analyst at Business Insider [BI] Intelligence, manufacturers worldwide used 0.25 billion IoT devices in 2015 and the number is expected to touch one billion by 2020. This technology is transforming the way everyone interacts with the digital and physical world. For example, this technology is assisting the supply chain management in getting clear visibility into their new in-transit goods.
IoT in simpler terms defines that, when all physical things are connected to the internet, this enables us to collect and share data efficiently. Connecting these devices with sensors imparts digital intelligence which allows the communication of real-time data without involving human action. Computers and smartphones cannot be considered IoT devices but a smartwatch can. Thus, it eases the process and improves the quality of the work. Let us explore how IoT transforms the electronic manufacturing process.
Production activities always face the problem of complexity and are often unable to cope with the number. Hence, it is a requisite to check on the process flow and the flaws too. IoT devices enable us to diagnose and fix these issues in the process. It also improves productivity. There many such situations where IoT is transforming the Electronic Manufacturing Industry.
Identify damage and improve quality
The challenge of the manufacturing process is the difficulty in figuring out the product damage. But what if technology can easily detect product damage and also assist in eliminating these issues before they trigger the damage? The technology of IoT devices helps in tracking real-time conditions like temperature or humidity whose variation can result in damage. This not only helps in identifying the fault but it can send an immediate alert to notify users of the fault, making the life of a manufacturer easy. It directly reflects in improving the rate of producing faultless products or yielding quality.
Identify the shipment time and reduce delays
We saw how IoT tracking improves the quality of a product. Now let us understand how utilizing IoT technology in the electronics manufacturing industry can reduce the delay in production. What worries the manufacturers is the extra cost that may come due to delayed/early production. If real-time tracking is enabled then manufacturers can know in advance when the shipment will be ready and thus manufacturers can adjust their plans accordingly.
Implement Macro-scale Optimisation
As IoT technology has reduced high-value investments of electronic manufacturers, implementing large-scale optimization is made possible. The supply chain managers can now have access to comprehensive data regarding all routes over time.
How to utilize IoT data?
With the help of IoT technology, manufacturers can collect data in real time. But receiving the data can be difficult if we don’t know what to do with it. This is where Business Intelligence meets the Internet of Things. Business Intelligence Software can convert the data from IoT into reports. To illustrate, the information from each machine gives an insight into what’s happening in real time. This software can answer questions like what and why the situation happened. Also, what happens next?
There is an increasing need for business intelligence due to the growing requirements for product quality and reliability. Data analysis is not enough but creates knowledge that can positively impact the manufacturing process and yield quality products. The next step to leverage a large amount of data from IoT initiatives is with business intelligence. The advantage is that it enables better decision-making to eradicate flaws and thus finally to reduce the cost.
We can say that the use of IoT technology in the manufacturing industry has paved the way for a lot of companies to use virtual manufacturing. There will be a gradual increase in the number of companies using industrial digitization. This, in turn, increases the rate of production and shipping to be faster.
Checkout this blog to read about how IoT is improving the electronics industry:
https://www.wemakeiot.com/how-iot-is-improving-the-electronics-industry/