By Bill Koenig – Senior Editor, Advanced Manufacturing Media
There was a time, not that long ago, that the Industrial Internet of Things, or IIoT, sounded theoretical. The notion of managing factory machines via smartphones, tablets and other devices got a lot of attention. The question was how quickly it would catch on. With advances in technology and business demands, the answer was very quickly.
“I’ve been involved with manufacturing for 40-plus years,” said Gregg Bigleman, TMS tool management solutions manager at Zoller Inc. (Ann Arbor, MI), which makes tool presetters and measuring machines. “When I started, plant managers were seasoned professionals. The plant manager was an all-seeing, all-knowing god of manufacturing.”
Customers in industries such as automotive, aerospace and energy are “demanding year-over-year cost downs,” he said.