As manufacturers worldwide seek to enhance their machines and equipment with online connectivity—an example of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)—they are realizing this technology’s remarkable potential. IIoT networking helps users gather valuable insight, design process improvements, complete on-time deliveries, lower costs, improve product quality, reduce downtime, and enhance productivity. And those results are intrinsically tangible and quantifiable. In short, incorporating IIoT is already a necessity for competitive manufacturers. The prospect of upgrading a factory to a smart factory might initially seem daunting and cost prohibitive. Fortunately, not only can it pay off in the long run, but it’s also easier and more cost-effective than one might think.
That’s because today’s industrial engineering companies are developing IIoT technologies to be modular and scalable, allowing manufacturers to quickly implement monitoring without necessarily overhauling or replacing their trusted equipment. Sensors and wireless controllers can be added to a single interconnected network over time, and they can all work together as a fully integrated system. In this way, manufacturers can approach IIoT monitoring upgrades by starting small, but still thinking big.