Welcome to the Internet of Everything
Author : Matthew Aldridge, Managing Director, igus UK
01 May 2019
The Internet of Things (IoT) has moved from the margins to the mainstream in manufacturing plants across the UK. The killer application, in many of these cases, is maintenance. The availability of smaller and more powerful sensors, along with ubiquitous connectivity, means data can be collected from a wide range of factory equipment, and analysed to spot performance patterns and trends.
This capability is underpinning the implementation of truly predictive maintenance methodologies, reducing downtime and boosting profits. But this digital transformation isn’t restricted to manufacturing environments alone. Increasingly, IoT is starting to make a big impact in a host of other vertical sectors such as agriculture and utilities, which often have far more distributed assets. In smart farming, for instance, IoT infrastructure is being used in several imaginative ways, with the application of sensors acting as a means of monitoring weather conditions, soil quality and crop growth, and even the health of grazing livestock.
It is also being used as a means of overseeing the condition of agricultural equipment such as tractors, which often must operate in harsh weather conditions in rural locations and, often, are not maintained as often as it should be. These vehicles can now be fitted with intelligent, lubrication-free polymer bearings, which can detect wear in extremely loaded applications – giving warning of any possible failure. This means maintenance can then be planned in good time, ensuring farmers don’t suffer equipment downtime during key periods, such as the harvest season.
In the water sector, meanwhile, IoT is also being used to give better visibility of distributed assets, out in the field. Sensors can be installed at various parts of the water network, providing real-time insight into the performance of key distribution infrastructure such as pumps and pipes. Such technology is also being applied at consumer level, with IoT acting as a key enabler in the roll-out of smart meters.
These are just some examples of how IoT is finding its way into new markets, and the pace of adoption is only likely to increase. The arrival of next generation communication technologies, such as 5G, means it will soon be possible to transmit vastly higher levels data with much lower latency. This is likely to result in a new wave of IoT-enabled business cases that haven’t been possible to date.
Ultimately, we are undergoing a rapid period of digital transformation, with increased connectivity across a multitude of sectors. Indeed, it’s time to forget the Internet of Things – and welcome the arrival of the Internet of Everything.
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