If there is a consistent thread that runs through the history of manufacturing, it is this: A continuous and committed search for tools and techniques that facilitate greater automation, precision and specialization.
From the Model T to modern marvels of technology in science, space, and medicine, those three core priorities haven’t changed. The error-proofing, efficiency, agility, reduced waste and increased profitability that manufacturers strive for all comes from increasingly sophisticated innovations that unlock new heights of automation, precision and specialization.
The rate limiting factor has always been the complexity that accompanies technological sophistication. Any manufacturing professional recognizes the two-steps-forward, one-step-back dynamic of introducing powerful new systems, only to then have to contend with thorny new technical and logistical challenges.
The good news is that new advances promise to break that cycle. At the center of this revolution is connected process control. The best of these solutions are not just flexible and scalable, but can yield potentially dramatic improvements in efficiency, quality and consistency.
Connected process control and the streamlined simplicity it can bring relies heavily on the IIoT: the systems and devices that make up the connected network in a modern production environment. That’s why understanding connected process control and IIoT is essential for anyone who wants to better understand the future of manufacturing.
The evolution of IIoT in process control
While the selection of connected and increasingly sophisticated devices continues to grow, the basic architecture of a connected production environment has evolved in important ways. The earliest connected devices that were literally connected with corded/hard-wired connections to a controller gave way to a new generation of tools and connected process control solutions that no longer need controllers or intermediary hardware. These connected tools can utilize wired or wireless connectivity directly from devices to the application. This direct communication means fewer points of failure, reduced cost and increased flexibility.
This also means devices that used to convey information in binary (on/off) form, can now provide far more data granularity. Manufacturers now have access to vast quantities of real-time data across the enterprise, providing not only process-, part-, and personnel-specific information, but previously unimaginable levels of detail that can be aggregated into a bigger picture of overall quality and performance.
And it isn’t just high-end devices that can now provide detailed feedback. Connected sensors that previously communicated simple status data can now detect the health of a connected device along with spatial details like the location, position and sensing range. Combined with the greater utility and mobility of tools that are now fully portable and flexible, it's not hard to see why connected tooling is so impactful. The expanding universe of connected devices allows new adopters to begin with relatively inexpensive sensors, barcode scanners and image capture tools that can yield enhanced transparency and traceability. The verifiable precision and automated record-keeping afforded by these tools is increasingly part of the compliance architecture—and often mandatory when working with big brands.
Extraordinary benefits and exciting possibilities
The ease of connectivity that modern IIoT tools and technologies affords allows manufacturers to integrate people, processes, tooling, machines, and other systems all in one environment. Some systems are flexible and can be installed local to the station or made available to the cloud for larger data aggregation.
Once in place, this new level of connected process control unlocks benefits like comprehensive error-proofing and quality control, greater efficiency and productivity, and dramatically faster training and upskilling. But what is truly exciting is how this IIoT-fueled new world doesn’t just provide seamless communication and collaboration among different components of the manufacturing process, it can do so across the entire enterprise. We are already seeing consolidation of software technologies designed to optimize seamless integration and visibility of operations across the value chain. At a time when AI-powered, next-generation tech is still emerging, IIoT-to-ERP connectivity has the potential to unlock extraordinary new possibilities in the years to come.
Dan McKiernan is senior manager of sales at Epicor.
