How to Choose the Best IIoT Solution for Heavy Equipment Manufacturing

In a recent interview about the challenges heavy equipment manufacturers face with innovation and manufacturing, Nathan Sheaff, the CEO of Sciemetric Instruments, spoke about data capture and analysis. He stated that “the rise of Industry 4.0 means we’re getting buried under more and more data. The best way to deal with that torrent (of data) is to increase data processing and Edge computing power”.

The above statement correctly sums up the heavy equipment manufacturing industry’s struggle with Industry 4.0 and the digital transformation that comes with it. Today, many manufacturers are asking questions such as what to do with all these data sets our machines produce and how do we simplify the concerns that come with data processing? This is where IIoT comes into the picture.

Increasing Data Processing Capacity with IIoT

IIoT solutions refer to IoT hardware and software which provide the data capturing and processing power needed to analyze large or increasing volumes of data. Industrial IoT hardware serves as the Edge computing devices needed to provide low latency computing without having to refer to a centralized computing platform.

Large manufacturing equipment produces tons of data and in situations where extensive processing resources are required, IoT platforms provide the computing resources. These resources include scalable storage requirements, supportive applications and security features to ensure captured data and process are secure. For heavy equipment manufacturers, IoT platforms that support the specific requirements of the industry- such as the need to process emission rate data, develop custom applications and support edge hardware-are required. This means that using a generic cloud computing solution will limit the data processing use cases for OEMs. Thus, a best in class IIoT platform that supports heavy machinery manufacturers is necessary.

4 Tips for Choosing an IIoT Platform

Elastic Infrastructure

IoT implementations within manufacturing facilities are generally unpredictable. Fluctuating data production, the demand for new applications and the need to constantly support new ideas mean an IoT platform with flexible and scalable infrastructure is the recommended solution.

Support for Existing Systems

The average heavy equipment OEM is likely to have legacy assets that handle critical manufacturing operations on the shop floor. A best-in-class IoT platform should be able to support the data collection process attached to these assets and complement the efforts of any digital technology used within the plant floor.

Industry Customization

The varying requirements of the manufacturing industry and its different niches mean stakeholders in the heavy equipment manufacturing industry must take advantage of IoT platforms that can be customized to meet specific needs. These needs may include API Access, support for developer tools or ease of use features for non-technical individuals.

After-sales Support

An important factor in choosing an IoT platform many OEMs overlook is the after-sales support the vendor provides. Uncertainties due to increasing data production or changing manufacturing strategies may require some technical or advisory support from the vendor. A professional, supportive team will ensure unforeseen problems are resolved by experts who understand your industry-specific requirements.

You can learn more about the challenges the heavy equipment manufacturing industry faces when implementing digital transformative strategies and how IIoT helps by downloading our eBook.