What are the up and coming IIoT projects in the near future?

The most exciting Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) projects on the horizon are using augmented reality technology for both maintenance and training tasks and improving energy management. According to Bain & Company, manufacturers are demanding these developments and vendors are hurrying to provide the IIoT developments and tools.

Augmented Reality

According to a state of industrial innovation research report published by PTC, the majority of companies that have tried augmented reality technology are generating a rapid return on investment, usually within the first year. As a result, demand for this technology has skyrocketed, and vendors are scrambling to keep up.

The applications for augmented reality are nearly endless. By combining computer-aided design, computer-aided engineering, and augmented reality simulations, manufacturers are reducing their time-to-market significantly.

For example, a bicycle manufacturer used sensors to test stability and performance of various parts. An augmented reality headset allows a maintenance technician to use a digital overlay to see stress points or potential problems. Augmented-reality glasses allow a technician to walk through potential design issues with a digitally connected manufacturing team.

Energy Management

Energy and water consumption play a large role in manufacturing facilities. According to Water World, roughly 25 percent of energy used can be saved in better management of water alone. For industrial manufacturers, this represents a significant opportunity to reduce energy usage and costs.

One example is that most of the industrial pumps used today are too large; in fact, many are more than 20 percent oversized for their jobs. Since electricity makes up 40 percent of the cost of ownership of an industrial pump, that can result in a great deal of wasted energy.

IIoT incorporates intelligent pumping, which lowers energy usage, reduces maintenance costs, and extends the lifetime of the pump, by providing more accurate data, using modeling technology and rule-drive intelligence.