The Future of Metal Casting with the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)

The use of the industrial internet of things (IIoT) is becoming increasingly popular, and by 2020, estimates are that this market will be worth $151.01 Billion. More and more manufacturers are integrating IIoT technology in their plants in a bid to simplify manufacturing and gain more control over operations.

The metal casting industry is one of the sectors that is set to benefit immensely from the IIoT. In the past, the industry has faced a lot of challenges with resource and capacity management, quality control, downtime tracking of machinery, and energy management. In the era of the IIoT, these challenges will be a thing of the past as the technology brings smart solutions to the forefront. Here are some of the changes that metal casting factories can anticipate with the Industrial Internet of Things.

Machines will be interconnected
Connected machines in a plant form a vast processing network. The fourth industrial revolution is all about communication of devices. Machines will operate in synergy and processes will be automated. Because the machines are fitted with sensors which feed operational data to connected mobile devices, manufacturers can monitor processes and operate the machines remotely.

Casting plants will manage energy more efficiently
Metal furnaces consume a lot of energy, and they are also the biggest source of energy loss in metal casting plants. With the IIoT, future industrial furnaces will be smart, with temperature monitoring and regulating mechanisms. Also, these intelligent machines will also allow operators to key in calibrations of the optimal temperature for various metals.

Increased quality control in production
Manufacturers will use the data from the smart machines to analyze operational processes and monitor errors. Access to real-time data as the manufacturing process is ongoing will enable manufacturers to notice anomalies in production and adjust their machines accordingly to minimize defects in finished products.

Downtime tracking of machinery will be easier
Sensors on machinery will report on the working condition of machines and operators will be able to track downtime instantaneously. The best part of this is that besides determining the problem, they will be able to identify its cause. Based on this diagnosis, maintenance and repairs in the factory will be simpler and faster, saving the plant a lot of time and money lost when operation is down.

Improved resource management
In the age of the fourth industrial revolution, manufacturers will use big data to get insight on trends and demand in the metal casting sector. This knowledge will help them to respond to market demands more efficiently. Inventory control, enhanced quality control, better energy management, and saving on time due to automation and downtime tracking also contribute to resource management in future factory shops. The result will be increased productivity and consequentially, higher profit margins for manufacturers.

Easily integrating with ERP software, back-end systems, machines, equipment, scales and more, Radley brings the IoT (internet of things) together to truly maximize on your data. Contact us for your free consultation.

The BYOD Debate: Warehouse Data Collection

Now that barcode and QR scanning apps are widely available and popular, the possibility of employees using their own devices for warehouse data collection arises. Companies debate whether to invest in purchasing and setting up mobile computers and scanning devices that are specifically made for warehouse data collection or to allow their employees to use their own phones, tablets, and computers with work-related apps installed where applicable. There are pros and cons on both sides of the BYOD issue.

Pros
Employees are familiar with their own devices. They would need to learn to use the app and device in a work related way, but there is less of a learning curve. This means they would learn the workplace-related tasks more efficiently.

The costs of the personal devices would be carried by the employee; there would be some costs for setting up the devices to connect to the database and writing or purchasing applicable applications, but the devices themselves would not be a cost. Employees are more likely to keep their own devices up to date so the costs of technology upgrades would be passed along.

IT no longer has to maintain a lot of hardware; maintenance of the mobile devices is up to the employee. The software needed to work a system like this is cloud-based, and the cloud provider will maintain it. This frees IT to work on developing and implementing the rest of the technology in the company.

Cons
Privacy and security are a concern on both sides of the employer/employee relationship. Employers may not want employees taking information home with them, and if the employees are using their own devices, that is difficult to avoid. This raises very real security concerns. Personal devices may not have adequate antivirus protection and may be vulnerable to hackers. Devices that leave the facility are more likely to be lost or stolen. On the other side of the equation, employees may not want to let their workplace have eyes in their personal devices, and may be very leery about allowing work that far into their personal life.

Employees’ devices may not be compatible with the employer’s system (though there are many network applications that claim to be compatible with most devices). Employees that do not use smartphones, or who are happy with their current device and are told they need a different one that will fit the network, may be unhappy with the requirement to buy a piece of expensive equipment for work. The gains in productivity from using familiar devices may be lost in distractibility; personal devices are usually set up so that emails, Facebook and Twitter feeds, texts and other personal applications pop up constantly. If the devices are being used for work, the employer can’t require employees to leave them in their locker or desk. And since the device is a personal possession, the employer can’t tell them not to have those applications on their device.

While the initial idea of not having to purchase devices may be tempting, the security and productivity concerns may outweigh those temporary gains. Should you decide to invest in hardware solutions for your company, Radley Corporation has the expertise to evaluate, recommend, install, configure and support your hardware needs whatever your industry and environment. Radley data collection offers mobile capability for  Windows and Android devices, as well as traditional handheld terminals and a web-based user interface.

RFID 101

If putting data into computer databases with little to no human intervention sounds appealing to your company, radio-frequency identification may be for you. Radio-frequency identification, otherwise known as RFID, is a technological tool that reads tags, identifies information about the object the label is attached to, and enters this information into a computer database. This technology is similar to barcoding; however, RFID systems are able to store much more information than traditional barcodes. So how does RFID work? Let’s take a crash course into RFID 101 and find out.

RFID is a system consisting of a RFID tag or smart label, a RFID reader, also called an interrogator, and an antenna. The tag contains a circuit and an antenna, which transfers information to the reader. Once the information is transferred, the reader converts the information to a more usable form of data. This information is then transferred to a computer database with a software.

Now that we know how RFID systems work, let’s talk about why your company would want to implement an RFID system. In the fast-moving consumer goods industry, your company needs to be just that, fast. Many manufacturers need to count products several times during the span of one day. By using an RFID system, these products can be counted in seconds, decreasing the amount of manual work, and in turn, reducing costs. In addition, RFID scanners do not have to be in the line of sight of the tag, and the scanners can also read more than one tag at a time.

As we mentioned, RFID systems are able to contain much more information than a barcode. The system can contain information such as real-time movement of products, amount of time needed for production, and which machines have and haven’t gone under maintenance. Some additional benefits of an RFID system include: accuracy, efficiency, quickening of the manufacturing process, greater visibility, and improved planning.

Although RFID has many pros, it also comes with some cons. Some of these include:

• The range of the reader can be short
• Cost of development can be high
• Incompatible standards across tag type, industries, and different countries

A critical element of the RFID system is the middleware (software) that aggregates, manipulates, and analyzes tag data. Radley can provide the middleware solution, and also help select the best hardware and equipment needed for your system. If you are interested in a RFID Solution, contact a Radley product specialist today.

Industry 4.0: What Every Manufacturer Needs to Know

With each passing year, our world becomes a little “smarter.” Each successive iteration of Internet technology produces a new generation of machines that look familiar yet demonstrate an increasing ability to learn from us and to automate our lives in surprising new ways. Just consider how, in a relatively short period of time, we’ve gone from landline phones to pocket-sized communication devices that know exactly where we are and can predict where we’re about to go next—and even suggest a route to avoid traffic. Or consider the fact that we can now rapidly prototype virtually anything using CAD software and a desktop 3D printer. Instead of talking about the Information Superhighway, we’re contemplating a burgeoning Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0 in which online devices wirelessly interact with other online devices in real time, learning from one another and helping us apply the massive amounts of data now floating around in cyberspace to live better, more productive lives.

Such technology is already changing the way we live, work, and play. That’s why forward-thinking manufacturers are preparing for a new era of production in which human workers no longer operate machines; they collaborate with them. After all, in an age of “smart” phones, “smart” homes, and “smart” cars, it’s only a matter of time before we have “smart” factories, too.

Welcome to the world of Industry 4.0. That’s shorthand for the next wave of digitized automation in manufacturing, which focuses on the disruptive potential of big data, extraordinary computing power, and unprecedented virtual connectivity. The first generation of industrialization involved mechanization, and the second generation involved electrical automation and mass assembly. The third generation arrived with the advent of computerized digital technology; and now, with the introduction of the Internet and machine learning, we’re heralding the dawn of fourth-generation paradigms.

Here are a few examples of what Industry 4.0 manufacturing looks like:

• Utilizing big data to streamline processes. Instead of merely operating according to a set of programmed instructions, machines optimize processes in real time by continually acquiring and analyzing sensory data at multiple points along the production line. A high level of interconnectivity between machines enables them to leverage the power of distributed computing to establish complex metric histories, contextualize data at particular capture points, and correlate fluctuations in data against historical benchmarks. Plants therefore see improved recovery rates and reduced input costs as machinery automates routine QC checks and procedural adjustments.

• Digitally mapping physical entities for better design and process engineering. In much the same manner as 3D modeling enables a user to predict the output of a 3D printer, Industry 4.0 technology models physical interactions between machines in cyberspace, enabling a plant’s equipment to prototype and “test run” its production environment digitally–without wasted assets. Errors can be more accurately anticipated and addressed in the engineering stage rather than at the point of production, and product designs can be optimized against
equipment capabilities.

• Enhancing personnel performance through more intuitive human-machine interfaces. Biometrics, voice recognition, and augmented and virtual reality technology enable more contextualized delivery of information to human workers. This improves real-time decision-making, reduces simple human errors, and automates record-keeping as employees go about their jobs. Increasingly, humans and machines interact according to a collaborative model as the unilateral “operator-tool” mindset becomes obsolete.

Those are some monumental developments, and they represent a sea change in how manufacturers may be doing business in coming decades. It won’t be an overnight transition, of course, but for many, it’s not a question of whether we’re moving in this direction, but of how quickly we’ll get there. Manufacturers need to be ready, or they’ll be left behind. We’re committed to helping you stay informed, because navigating this emerging landscape requires visionary courage and a little help from seasoned partners who know the terrain. Be sure to get in touch if you have questions about how automation technology can help you stay ahead of the curve.

Four Ways Manufacturers Benefit From Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is now the choice platform for many technology enterprises due to its innovative and dynamic features. As opposed to on-premise implementation, manufacturing in the cloud gives developers access to unlimited resources such as servers, storage, hardware, and software. Cloud manufacturing enables manufacturers to outsource almost everything they need for software configuration. Software vendors in the cloud implement all the hosting, software update, and maintenance operations.

Cloud deployment has many advantages over the traditional on-premise model of implementation. Let’s take a look into four key areas where cloud computing beats on-premise deployment:

Cloud computing saves you time and cost
With the on-premise approach, you have to invest massively in hardware, software, and servers. Cloud computing takes care of these costs since a third-party vendor provides the infrastructure and you rent it out for a fee. This fee is much less compared to deploying your resources to purchase everything you need for your setup. Apart from saving you money, cloud computing also saves time spent by your internal IT staff developing, managing and maintaining your on-premise technologies.

Agility
With cloud computing, you get access to resources when you need them; hence you can complete and deliver projects within short periods of time. In this era of great demand for technologies and applications, clients require that you take the shortest time possible to deliver with efficiency.

Scalability
Cloud computing enables you to customize your technologies depending on your needs. You can easily scale your cloud capacity up or down based on your bandwidth demands. Available resources are matched to your actual usage needs, keeping costs contained and taking the worry out of database capacity.

With cloud computing, you don’t have to worry about regular software updates. Your supplier handles all the security upgrades and compliance concerns so you’re always up-to-date. Security updates and disaster recovery are also handled by your supplier so you can focus on running your business.

For more information on the advantages of cloud deployment, contact a Radley product specialist today.

Automated Data Collection: Count the Ways Its Saves

Many manufacturing companies balk at the upfront costs of automated barcode data collection, but a look at manual data entry reveals hidden costs that can be significantly reduced by automation. Production managers constantly seek ways to measure and positively impact efficiency and costs. Automated data collection does this in several ways at a cost that is repaid over time.

Automated barcode software improves efficiency in a manufacturing environment through real-time reporting that allows easier and faster identification of inefficiencies. One example of this is inventory. Performing this task via barcode scanning is faster than manual counting and recording and eliminates inaccuracies resulting from human error. This in itself improves efficiency and reduces cost by allowing more accurate ordering, less waste, and prevention of overstock. Automated data collection takes this elimination of human error beyond inventory and into all of your processes. There are no more mistakes from handwriting that is difficult to read, or from inexperienced or multi-tasking employees.

Automation also cuts supply costs and is good for the environment. Supplies required for manual record keeping are no longer necessary. Paper records are now on a computer, saving storage space, which can impact required office and warehouse space and leasing costs.

Automating how employees report their working time simplifies analysis of hours worked by various departments and at various pay levels. The simplified and faster production of this data means you can more quickly compare this data to other company data and identify possible changes to work schedules or staffing levels that will improve efficiency.

The cost of an investment in automated data collection pales in comparison to the immediate reduction of other costs and immediate improvements in efficiency. It’s an investment that will more than pay for itself in the long run.

Learn more about Radley’s solutions for data collection, or contact us for a free consultation.