Stop…and Automate IIoT Actions

This guestblog has been submitted by our partners at Actionable IoT™ Squirrel.

With a flurry of the manufacturing supply chain trying to do more with less and coping with the varying degrees of a remote workforce, it’s critical to turn more to automation to lessen the load on individuals. The question is “…but at what cost?”

IIoT Purgatory

Many manufacturers and distributors that have embarked on their Industrial IoT (IIoT) journey recognize common hurdles often forcing them into IoT purgatory. With an end goal of monetizing on the initiative, these organizations may have:

  • started to manage sensor-related data but need to harness and act on it,
  • produced graphical, data visualizations with ideas of what needs to be done but haven’t done it,
  • created too much “white noise” with sensor-related data making it difficult to wade through which alarms or aggregate of alarms are most important, or
  • acted on the visualized data by generating a work order in their own system or a system down the supply chain, but realize they have no supply chain aggregation about:
    • what happened,
    • why it happened,
    • how it was resolved, and
    • what they need to do in the future to increase efficiency.

In essence, the actionable data is siloed into linear business systems either within the organization or outside of the organization. It could also be a combination of both; worst case is the data is simply lost.

Break Free and Monetize

Sensor-related “white noise” can be one of the largest later-stage issues when capitalizing on IoT data. But what is often just as important in addressing white noise, is not simply pinpointing what needs to be done, but the timing of when to pause and when to act. Plus, a “data-over-the-fence” mentality without tracking what happens once action does occur (whether one provides direct service or not), doesn’t poise an organization to outpace its competition in the supply chain race for data.

The good news is that many organizations break through IIoT purgatory hurdles with additional automation that doesn’t take years of building on an IoT platform but can be plugged in and managed in months.

The Intersection: IIoT and Service Parts Planning

Many conversations revolve around combining IoT data with data already available via various business systems. Service parts planning is often integral to this. Key to properly planning parts heavily depends on better planning inputs. Where do service parts planning and IIoT intersect?

Better managed Alarm Response Automation (ARA) of IoT-enabled assets contributes to:

  • predicting maintenance events,
  • initiating pre-emptive service (which minimizes asset downtime),
  • managing asset utilization (for more accurate failure rate forecasts), and
  • securing as-configured data (which enhances views into replaceable parts).

On the data side, service parts planning gains a new vantage point. Not only does the reflection of ARA contributions improve the accuracy of demand events, provide more granular failure rates, and increase insight into replaceable part data, but it enables better forecasting and optimization of service inventory. This results in:

  • increased machine uptime, and
  • more productive supply chains.

Time to Act

While each member throughout the supply chain may be at different phases of IIoT-enablement, every member has an opportunity to position themselves as a winner in the race for data. Definite opportunities await an organization whether it be a manufacturer, OEM, distributor, or dealer.

There are ways to monetize. By setting the stage to monetize on IIoT efforts, supply chain members have a unique opportunity, especially when automation is so integral to success.

In the end, the cost of remaining in IIoT purgatory far outweighs the price of taking action.

The combination of the resulting data from both IIoT ARA and service parts planning, sets the stage for an organization to capitalize and monetize on their IIoT investments.

Kris Brannock

Executive Vice President, VSI

Kris Brannock is an Executive Vice President at VSI, a transformative technology company that focuses on Actionable IoT™ Squirrel and service. A corporate growth strategy influencer, Kris focuses her attention on disruptive innovation in IIoT and asset-intensive service. With experience on issues surrounding complex serviceable, asset-based environments, including patent pending IIoT solutions in Alarm Response Automation, she provides tangible insight for executives looking to monetize on IoT investments.

For more information about Actionable IoT™ Squirrel, contact us at Squirrel@vertsol.com.

his article was submitted by a guest author. We love highlighting expertise across the Service Supply Chain. Please contact our Marketing team if you would like to submit a guest blog.