Changing established business processes is difficult. Out of habit, we tend to maintain the status quo, even when conditions change and we would actually gain significant advantages from a change. Sometimes we have to keep this fact in mind and consciously break out of this status quo.
This also applies in the area of Industry 4.0, where it is worthwhile to initiate a change in your company and take the step towards the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). The most important advantages that result from this are:
- the saving of resources,
- the development of new business models and
- the possibility to make better forecasts for the future.
Sounds tempting? That’s exactly why we want to give you an overview of the challenges as well as how to start an IIoT project with scitis.io.
Challenges
You may be asking yourself, “How can we ensure data privacy and how do we know what is happening with the data?” Just as in many other areas these days, the issue of data privacy plays a role before starting an IIoT project. According to a 2018 study by Bitkom, these security and privacy concerns are one of the biggest obstacles for most.
Concerns about not having enough know-how and advanced technical knowledge are also understandable, as technical questions such as “How can we collect data and process it in the first place?” and “What does machine learning actually mean?” represent a black box for many.
In addition to the daily business, finding time for another complex project and then actually implementing it is not so easy. There is also the usual question of who in the company is ultimately responsible for it. After all, in order to really get started, energetic employees from different areas of expertise are indispensable.
Another difficulty before starting an IIoT project is to define the concrete problem. Deciding that you want to take the step toward Industry 4.0, to try something new and perhaps unknown, is indeed a start. But then integrating this new thing into the existing is no easy task. In addition, one should first ask oneself: “What are we actually looking for?” and “Which question should basically be solved?”.
Our solution: Together towards the goal
The listed aspects can quickly sound like far too many hurdles and difficulties. But don’t let the challenges deter you, because at scitis.io we won’t leave you alone on your journey. To meet your expectations, we work closely with you from the very beginning. It is important to realize that there is not one ready-made solution but that we work together to develop an individual approach.
Most of our IIoT projects are launched with a six-month pilot. During these six months, we work closely with you, with the goal that you can also take your own steps in the future.
In the beginning, the following three steps have to be followed:
- Define goals
You have the chance to explain to us what your ideas and your goals are. A concrete definition of goals is important for the course of the project.
- Determine forms of analysis
Together, we clarify which analyses you want to perform, what results you hope to achieve, and whether you might want to use our advanced analysis tool, which allows you to gain deeper insights into your data.
- Clarify technical requirements
The technical conditions, meaning the type and number of machines you want to connect, are clarified in the last step. Do you want to analyze databases or other aspects in addition to the machine data? How do we get to your plant to connect the machines? Who is the contact person and what is the schedule?
Throughout all steps, the key to success is communication. Especially when you are at the beginning of an IIoT project and do not yet have a clear goal in mind. That’s why weekly meetings and agreements are enormously important to see where we are in the process and how analyses are developing. An introduction to the scitis portal provides the necessary technical know-how and secure understanding for the practical implementation. You will get an overview of the basic functions, such as creating users or creating graphs. Together we clarify all your questions.
Considerations before starting
If you haven’t had any experience with IIoT in your company, it’s worth making a few considerations before you get started. First, try to analyze your processes. Find out where there are bottlenecks, either because of unnecessary work duplication or because there is a “dumb device” that could be replaced by a smart device. Start small and think big.
Think about what technologies might enable your staff to remotely diagnose problems, ensure the safety of your service staff, or reduce the downtime of your machines. These preliminary considerations can be helpful to get a first idea where one or more problems lie that you want to solve through the IIoT project.
Get started now: Break with the status quo!
There is no perfect time to start your IIoT project. But the longer you wait, the greater the risk of missing the jump. Just get started right away. A small defined project is perfect for seeing how it all works. The key to success is not to try to solve everything at once, but to start small.
Are you ready to break out of your status quo and write your own success story?
