Chances are you’ve heard all about the Industrial Internet of Things and how it can provide you with deeper insights in the operations of your factory. Embarking on the IIoT journey might seem overwhelming and appear costly when you consider applying the technology to your entire operation. If this sounds like you, then we recommend considering the approach of starting small, and scaling as and when you start to see value. Validating your use cases through a well-planned IIoT pilot project just might be the strategy you need to convince you to dip your toe into the world of IIoT for industrial business.
Why Start with a Pilot Project?
A pilot project serves as a small-scale, preliminary implementation of IIoT technology. It allows you to test the feasibility, effectiveness, and benefits of IIoT within a controlled environment before committing to a larger rollout. This approach minimises risks, controls costs, and provides valuable insights that inform your broader IIoT strategy.
Before you get started, you’ll need to define clear objectives
Before implementing an IIoT pilot project, it is essential to define clear objectives. These objectives will guide your project, ensuring it stays focused and measurable. For these objectives, you might consider:
- Reducing Equipment Downtime: Implement predictive maintenance to prevent unexpected failures.
- Improving Operational Efficiency: Streamline processes to reduce waste and increase productivity.
- Enhancing Product Quality: Monitor production in real-time to maintain high-quality standards.
- Increasing Energy Efficiency: Optimise energy use to reduce costs and environmental impact.
By setting specific goals, you can measure the success of your pilot project and align your team and stakeholders with its purpose.
Now, let’s dive into the 8 steps for implementing an IIoT Pilot Project
- Select the Right Use Case
Choose a specific process or piece of equipment that aligns with your objectives. The selected use case should have a significant impact on your operations and be manageable in scope. For example, you might select a critical production machine that frequently causes delays due to breakdowns.
- Assemble a Cross-Functional Team
A successful pilot project requires collaboration across various departments. Form a team that includes:
- Project Manager: Oversees the project and coordinates between teams.
- IT Specialists: Handle network connectivity, data integration, and security.
- Operations Experts: Provide insights into the processes being monitored.
- Maintenance Personnel: Offer practical knowledge of the equipment and its issues.
- Select and Install Sensors
Determine the types of sensors needed to collect relevant data. This may include:
- Temperature Sensors: Monitor heat levels in machines.
- Vibration Sensors: Detect abnormal vibrations indicating potential failures.
- Pressure Sensors: Track fluid or gas pressure in pipelines.
Ensure the sensors are reliable and compatible with your existing systems.
- Establish Connectivity
For sensors to send data to your IIoT platform, robust connectivity solutions are required. Depending on your environment, this could involve wired networks for reliability or wireless networks like Wi-Fi, LPWAN, or 5G for flexibility. Ensure the network can handle the data load and maintain security protocols to protect sensitive information.
- Implement an IIoT Platform
NodeLinx from CAD-IT is a great option if you’re looking for real-time equipment performance monitoring for your business. It can be implemented quickly and scaled across your entire factory operation with ease. NodeLinx provides production teams, maintenance teams, and factory managers with the insights to reduce production losses caused by machine stoppages, low performance or low quality output and as a result, increases productivity.
Some other capabilities include:
- Low time to value: Simple setup approach for fast implementation.
- Data Acquisition: Collect comprehensive machine status and condition data from diverse machine types and integrate operator feedback for precise insights.
- Condition Monitoring: Also referred to as equipment or process health monitoring. This is real-time monitoring of both the machine state and related process parameters over time. Providing downtime analysis, alarms, and stoppage alerts as they happen.
- Performance Monitoring: Provides the OEE KPI as a benchmark of equipment performance. Enables the productivity of equipment to be compared and the causes of productivity losses to be categorised and analysed using APQ metrics.
- Preventative Maintenance: Empowers maintenance teams with the data to refine maintenance plans and optimize machine reliability with the reliability analysis features.
- Centralised System: Integrate machines globally for effective real-time monitoring and analysis capabilities in one single application.
- Data Collection and Analysis
Begin collecting data with the installed sensors. Focus on ensuring data accuracy and conducting preliminary analysis to identify patterns and potential issues. Use this data to refine processes and optimise the pilot setup.
- Monitor and Optimise
Continuously monitor the pilot project’s performance. Use the collected data to refine processes, address technical issues, and optimise system configurations. Regularly review key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress towards your objectives.
- Evaluate and Report
After running the pilot for a predetermined period, evaluate the results against your initial objectives. Assess the return on investment (ROI), impact on efficiency, downtime, and product quality. Document the findings and prepare a comprehensive report for stakeholders.
Scaling Your IIoT Project
Once the pilot project has demonstrated perceived value, you can plan for scaling IIoT across multiple machines or factories. Develop a phased rollout strategy, gradually expanding the scope of your IIoT implementation. Ensure you have the necessary budget, personnel, and technology resources to support the expansion. Continuously monitor, collect feedback, and optimise to enhance the system as you scale.
Scaling NodeLinx across your business is made simple with the support and guidance of the CAD-IT consultants and technical experts. We have helped businesses of varying sizes to realise the full potential of their factory operations with help from Industrial IoT.
Conclusion
By defining clear objectives, selecting the right use case, and methodically implementing a pilot project, you can validate the technology, demonstrate its value, and pave the way for a successful large-scale rollout. Starting small allows you to manage risks, control costs, and make data-driven decisions, ultimately leading to significant operational benefits and long-term success in the IIoT journey.