The Internet of Things has a growth potential of trillions of dollars. But many industrial companies are having difficulty digitalizing their processes. As a new Berlin-based IoT Use Case expert network member, igus explains how to get started with IoT.
In the IoT Use Case network, igus will work with other companies to accelerate the digitalization of the industry, from bread factories to train washing stations. (Source: igus GmbH)
Monday morning in a bread factory: The packaging system suddenly breaks down. A minor component has failed, resulting in potentially extended downtime and high repair costs. The most annoying thing about it is that a small investment in digitalization and networking would have been enough to implement measures to warn the operator of the problem through the Industrial Internet of Things (IoT). Smart condition monitoring is something that, despite its economic efficiency, few companies are implementing. This lethargy is confirmed in a survey by International Data Corporation (IDC), a U.S. market research company. Of 250 companies surveyed with over 100 employees, only 29% are working on IoT projects.
“To accelerate the pace of digitalization, we joined the Berlin-based IoT Use Case network of experts in October 2022,” said Richard Habering, head of the smart plastics business unit at igus. “By doing educational work with best practice examples, sharing expertise, and generating synergy effects, we hope to make it easier for companies to get into the Internet of Things and enhance their future competitiveness.”
Setting the right course for digitalization at an early stage
More than 80 industrial partners from more than 15 countries have joined the technology and industry experts’ community, including Microsoft, Siemens, and Schaeffler.
“Only if we share best practices from our projects and talk specifically about the value IoT adds will we be successful here – no fancy PowerPoint slides!” said IoT Use Case founder Madeleine Mickeleit.
The experts share knowledge about the Internet of Things and discuss how to improve the quality, security, and dissemination of IoT technology. Interested companies can read over 350 use cases and projects from the network, follow expert podcasts, and easily exchange ideas with like-minded companies. The Internet of Things has enormous potential for the economy. According to McKinsey, the value potential in factory environments will rise to $3.3 trillion by 2030.
“So it is important for companies to set the right course for digitalization now, so they do not fall behind in international competition,” said Habering.
igus will enrich the network, adding its smart plastics expertise
Smart plastics are sensor systems that monitor the status of energy chains and cables, enabling technicians to plan maintenance work in a targeted manner and react early to impending component failures. Among the users – which can be found as use cases on the network website – is GHD Georg Hartmann Maschinenbau. The company has equipped a bread packaging machine with igus i.Sense CF.Q. In real-time, the sensor system monitors the energy and data cables moving at high speed in the energy chain cable carriers.
“i.Sense CF.Q’s advanced technology detects impending cable breaks before they occur,” said Habering.
Learn more about igus smart plastics for condition monitoring here.
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