There’s a lot of talk about Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). But how do manufacturers turn the buzzword into a real business advantage? By using the data-based technology to improve asset utilisation.

Manufacturing high-quality products at minimum cost is the goal for most companies. Industry 4.0 initiatives promise to get us closer to this dream than ever before. Despite being in varying stages of implementing a digital strategy and digitising operations, many in the manufacturing industry are seeing the huge opportunities these initiatives offer. One of the most talked about initiatives is artificial intelligence (AI).

As supply chains become complex and food and beverage manufacturers expand into new markets, the quality management process becomes more challenging.

Most of us are aware of the potential benefits machine learning and artificial intelligence have to offer. We’re already seeing the use of AI-enabled technology in our everyday lives, from smart assistants like Siri and Alexa to email spam filters and smart replies.

Over the last 20 years, manufacturers have been using automation to streamline their operations, responding to changes in the market and evolving factory floors.

Manufacturers are collecting more data than ever before. But when it comes to visualisation and utilisation of data, many manufacturers fall short – storing data in separate repositories and various spreadsheets that are hard to understand and access. Dashboards aim to solve this issue by transforming data into accessible and understandable information.

Driving continuous improvements and efficiencies is a priority for most, if not all, businesses. Digital technologies are providing us with more data and intelligence than ever before, helping to drive better decision making. Our ability to utilise data collection, predictive analytics and the Internet of Things is enhancing business operations in almost every industry. 

The Nukon team are spread far and wide across Australia. We have team members based in Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Launceston. We also regularly meet with clients (virtually and face-to-face) and see their operations first-hand. We take the time to understand their operations. 

The finalists have been announced for the 2019 ARN Innovation Awards and Nukon is proud to be shortlisted in the Smart Technology category.

Most people picture AI and machine learning when they think of ‘digital transformation’. While these initiatives do have exceptional promise for many companies, the pathway to gaining benefits from them can be costly and uncertain. In reality, AI and machine learning are tools to enable businesses to achieve the final 10% of maturity in their operations.