IIoT, the industrial sector of the IoT, integrates sensing and actuation systems in manufacturing, and allows for data collection, exchange and analysis, improved productivity, predictive maintenance, energy management, and cost reduction. This higher degree of automation is enabled using cloud and edge computing to optimize and refine process controls. With so many connected but fragmented hardware elements, security is a prime concern, often addressed with software or device-agnostic designs.
Here are some recent news items dealing related to the IIoT:
IoT in Manufacturing market: $136.83B by 2026
According to a report, “Internet of Things (IoT) in Manufacturing Market,” by Fortune Business Insights, IoT in manufacturing, which stood at $27.76 billion in 2018, is anticipated to balloon to $136.83 billion by 2026, a CAGR of 22.1% during the forecast period. The report attributes the IIoT’s meteoric growth to its ability to “provide the organizations with comprehensive visions to examine complexities that often arise at the intermediate points of manufacturing processes,” and enabling the ability for manufacturers to enact real-time adjustments.1
Will Smart Factories Revive U.S. Manufacturing?
A recent article in Forbes raises the question of whether the U.S. can win upmanship over China in manufacturing, post-coronavirus. It notes that some jobs have already returned to U.S. soil from China, as some pharmaceutical makers have moved their operations into the Carolinas. The article further states that China is currently ahead of the U.S. in the smart-factory arena, but in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. is beginning to wake up to the risks of dependence on manufacturing in China. Noting that U.S. productivity is 8 times China’s productivity, the added impetus of smart factories, just-in-time manufacturing, and a good supplier network, U.S. firms could be ready to break the grip that China has on the market. Alexander Stiehl, analyst for UBS said, “After Covid-19, we believe companies will start to localize some of their production,” says Alexander Stiehle, an analyst for UBS. “Factories will need to be more digitized and automated to produce smaller quantities efficiently with localized manufacturing. The Industrial Internet of Things, 5G, and industrial software are all key enablers of the transformation to smart manufacturing.”2
Self-Charging Power Source Creates Power from Air
According to a recent press release from SmartCone Technologies Inc. of Ottawa, Canada, the firm will partner with Conflow Power Canada Energy to bring a self-charging power source to market that they claim creates power from air. According to the press release, the patent-pending solution draws electrons from the air, and as they pass through a nanotech-based film, the electrons are charged. They then come in contact with a conductive surface which powers the device, and then are recycled back into the air.” SmartCone will begin by integrating across the current suite products, further differentiating themselves from their competition. While it will benefit many solutions, the company plans to push its SIMS by SmartCone's wearable to the forefront, and will likely serve as the first product integrated with this novel power source.3
Russian Mine Using 5G with Autonomous Dump Trucks
The SUEK coal company open-pit mine in Khakassia, Russia, is testing the potential of 5G in a pilot project with 130-ton BELAZ-7513R autonomous mining dump trucks. The autonomous haulage system, based on robotics, IIoT, AI, and IoT, was developed by Zyfra, a Finnish-Russian industrial digitalization firm. A portion of the 5G network, with a route length of almost a mile, has been deployed on Huawei equipment with a view to performing the tests at the Chernogorsky open-pit mine. The cover is provided by two 5G-distributed two-section base transceiver stations (gNodeB), operating in non-standalone mode. The width of the operating channel is 100 MHz.4
References
1. Fortune Business Insights, “Internet of Things (IOT) in Manufacturing Market to Reach USD 136.83 Billion by 2026; Ability to Develop Real-time Adjustments will Favor Growth,” June 16, 2020
2. Forbes, “How To Bring Manufacturing Home To The U.S. From China,” June 30, 2020
3. SmartCone Technologies Inc. “Press Release: Power From Air Will Revolutionize the Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) market,” July 9, 2020
4. iVT, “Russia starts using 5G network on autonomous mining dump trucks,” June 29, 2020