The Internet of Things (IoT) or the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is often referred to as the fourth industrial revolution. Among other things, it enables companies to optimize production processes, reduce downtimes and cut costs. What this is all about is explained below.
What is the Internet of Things?
The term Internet of Things refers to a network formed between physical objects (things). Within this network, all objects are equipped with technologies, sensors and software to collect data. This data can be shared within the network - from device to device or from the device to a cloud system. Automatic processes are then activated within the objects based on this data. Alternatively, users can evaluate the data and use it as a basis for decision-making processes.

What advantages does the Internet of Things offer?
The Internet of Things, i.e. the networking of intelligent machines and systems, offers a number of advantages for industrial companies:
Reduction in operating costs
Smart technologies not only monitor production processes, but also themselves. The Internet of Things enables companies to monitor operating processes in real time and thus uncover optimization potential. This enables savings to be made within production processes, as well as in maintenance tasks, repair times and energy consumption.
Increasing productivity
Thanks to data collection and evaluation, the Internet of Things enables production processes to be accelerated as machines can take on more and more complex tasks. Increasing automation ensures savings in labor costs, but also more flexibility - because machines also work at night and at weekends.
Promoting safety
The monitoring and evaluation of data collected on employees makes it possible to make workplaces safer and more ergonomic. This helps to reduce employee strain and the risk of injury. In addition, the well-being of employees is increased, which can benefit production in the long term.
Improving the ability to plan
The networking of IoT devices makes it possible to flexibly adjust production volumes. For example, the production of certain items can be automatically increased when demand is high, while it can be reduced when items are less in demand. This can also reduce storage costs and simplify logistical processes.
Quality assurance
Monitoring sensors enable devices in the Internet of Things to independently monitor quality parameters and initiate appropriate quality assurance measures if necessary.
Example of areas of application for the Internet of Things in industry
The Internet of Things is already being used extensively by many industrial companies. A typical example is the predictive maintenance segment. Before the Internet of Things, maintenance work on machines was carried out at regular intervals and repairs were carried out as required. The Internet of Things makes it possible to plan maintenance work more precisely, as the machine automatically provides data on its own condition and can give corresponding indications as to when maintenance is due. Repairs and the associated downtime can thus be avoided.
Internet of Things: challenges for the industry
Implementing the Internet of Things in their own production processes is the biggest challenge for many industrial companies. However, the high demand is fueling rapid further development, meaning that technologies are now often cheaper to purchase and implement than they were a few years ago. Nevertheless, care should be taken to ensure that Internet of Things devices are adapted to individual requirements. The IoT or IIoT only offers a few one-size-fits-all solutions. Network coverage and connectivity must also be guaranteed.
Also important: security and protection against cyber attacks. Because when machines are networked with each other via the Internet or the Internet of Things, this theoretically offers attackers the opportunity to infiltrate the system and cause enormous damage. This makes intelligent solutions that focus on security and data protection all the more important.