Automation 2022 Volume 3: IIoT and Industry 4.0

Many technologies lead to digital transformation

The future is here when it comes to connected plants, smart factories, and Industry 4.0/Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies, but plants may not be operating at peak efficiency. Upgrading tools and components, gathering and analyzing data, and utilizing other facility optimization tactics can be overwhelming. Operational technology (OT) systems are very different from the automation networks of 10 years ago, and while the many information technology (IT) systems and IIoT devices bring huge benefits to critical infrastructure and industrial organizations, they also bring new smart manufacturing challenges.

Look inside this edition of AUTOMATION 2022: IIoT and Industry 4.0 for ways to enhance condition monitoring using vibration transmitters and programmable logic controllers (PLCs). Explore energy harvesting and motion sensing with the “Wiegand effect.” Learn how to use modular 5G cells to enable real-time communications. Find out how to ensure network security while collaborating remotely. There’s an abundance of useful technologies that save time and money on the journey to digital transformation.

-Jack Smith, Contributing Editor