IT in Manufacturing


Energy costs eating into bottom line? Add IoT

Technews Industry Guide: Industrial Internet of Things 2017 IT in Manufacturing

Double digit increases in the cost of electricity since 2006 have eaten into corporate and industry profitability and was listed by Business Times as a contributing factor in the decline in business confidence in 2016.

Using the Internet of Things (IoT) technology can deliver efficiencies and cost savings that can, to a large degree, offset the profit-eroding impact of continued price escalation.

“In the wake of rapid price increases companies have initiated a number of projects to improve energy efficiencies with some success. Implementing an IoT strategy can be the differentiator,” says André Strauss, director of partnerships at Pretoria-based technology company IoT.nxt.

“Some executives are hesitant to introduce IoT solutions because of the perceived cost of additional capital expenditure. This is not required. The implementation of IoT strategies gives companies crucial insight into power usage, which allows them to manage their tariff range in real time. Having insight and control over their tariff range thresholds and consumption, turns this profit-drain into informed decisions with real-time benefits,” he adds.

The website European Energy Innovation reported late last year that the IoT can bring significant benefits for energy efficiency. “At the level of the production of energy, smart grid sensors can improve utility operations and performance by better monitoring the energy network, so that resources are allocated more precisely and closer to the actual demand needs, avoiding energy waste. At the level of consumption, smart meters can provide a wealth of information to help minimise energy costs, e.g. through fully automated billing based on time of use or network status, or enabling meter-to-appliance communications to help consumers change their behaviour to reduce their costs,” according to a report on the site by Mário Campolargo, director for the Net Futures department of the European Commission.

Strauss lists seven benefits of energy consumption and monitoring:

• Information gathered provides a 360 degree view of where energy is lost, misused or even stolen.

• Energy load and disturbance management to detect problems before they happen.

• It creates organisational awareness about energy management.

• Facility managers can use the information to optimise energy without wasting spend.

• Information about energy utilisation over a period of time proves valuable insight for an alternative energy strategy.

• Effective carbon footprint management to conserve energy as well as the environment.

• Cost reduction so companies can save money and energy.

“The IoT.nxt Raptor edge gateway integrates monitoring capability to monitor far more than the traditional elements of energy processes and assets. This allows a company to monitor every variable in its operational chain, providing a comprehensive real-time, situational context of every element in its energy landscape. The Raptor was designed with interoperability in mind,” explains Strauss.

IoT.nxt is in the final stages of developing this application for a large regional shopping mall in Gauteng, where energy charges are a key cost factor. “Lighting and air conditioning contribute the biggest percentage of the total energy cost at this mall. Once installed our solution will bring costs down significantly,” he adds.

At large manufacturing plants, mining, utilities management by cities, and several other industries, the energy efficiency solution could be integrated into a larger IoT project where different elements are managed better through real-time monitoring, delivering even greater costs savings.

For more information contact Daleen van Wyk, IoT.nxt, +27 (0)83 302 0827, [email protected], www.iotnxt.com





Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Transforming battery manufacturing processes
IT in Manufacturing
Siemens and Hirano Tecseed, a Japanese machine builder, are partnering to transform battery manufacturing processes.

Read more...
From Trojan takeovers to ransomware roulette
IT in Manufacturing
Cisco’s Cyber Threat Trends Report offers a comprehensive and overview of the evolving cybersecurity landscape, leveraging its vast global reach through the analysis of DNS traffic.

Read more...
The road to decarbonisation in mining
IT in Manufacturing
The mining industry is a key player in global carbon emissions, and ABB’s eMine is at the forefront of efforts to drive the sector’s decarbonisation.

Read more...
Siemens democratises AI-driven PCB design for small and medium electronics teams
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Siemens Digital Industries Software is making its AI-enhanced electronic systems design technology more accessible to small and mid-sized businesses with PADS Pro Essentials software and Xpedition Standard software.

Read more...
Siemens’ PAVE360 to support new Arm Zena Compute Subsystems
IT in Manufacturing
Siemens Digital Industries Software is expanding its longstanding relationship with Arm and adding support for the newly launched Arm Zena Compute Subsystems in its PAVE360 software, designed for software-defined vehicles

Read more...
Empowering OEMs in industrial automation
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Organisations are increasingly focusing on empowering OEMs within the industrial automation sector

Read more...
Fortifying the state in a time of cyber siege
IT in Manufacturing
In an era where borders are no longer physical, South Africa is being drawn into a new kind of conflict, one fought not with tanks and missiles, but with lines of code and silent intrusions. The digital battlefield is here, and cyber space has become the next frontier of conflict.

Read more...
Levelling up workplace safety - how gamification is changing the rules of training
IT in Manufacturing
Despite the best intentions, traditional safety training often falls short, with curricula either being too generic, too passive, or ultimately unmemorable. Enter gamification, a shift in training that is redefining how businesses train for safety and live by those principles.

Read more...
Reinventing data centre design: critical changes to meet surging
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
AI technologies are pushing the boundaries of what is possible which, in turn, is presenting data centres with a whole new set of challenges. Fortunately, several options are emerging which include optimising design and infrastructure for efficiency, cooling and management systems

Read more...
Watts next - can IT save the planet
IT in Manufacturing
The digital age’s insatiable demand for computing power has collided with an urgent and pressing need for sustainability. As data centres and AI workloads consume unprecedented energy, IT providers are pivotal in redefining how technology intersects with environmental stewardship.

Read more...









While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved