As we move rapidly into the new age of manufacturing, SMART asset management can and should be an integral part of an industrial environment. Consider that more innovators are focused on creating a “smarter” planet, with technologies connecting more aspects of business and personal life than ever before. We are all interconnected through our communities, our corporations, and even other nations.
The manufacturing business as a whole is also getting smarter. Since the dawn of robotics and computerized machinery, the industrial world can produce faster, better and at higher levels of quality than even humans can in some cases. It’s as if the entire manufacturing world is trying to keep up with consumer demand at lightning speed.
Therefore, it makes sense that SMART asset management is a part of the equation for millions of manufacturing companies worldwide. Every industry uses some form of SMART management. Here are some examples:
- Sensors built into vehicles that alert manufacturers of malfunctions to a central computer center.
- Smart meters from energy companies to reduce waste with a demand response system.
- Manufacturing data centers that process information from equipment on the production floor.
- Buildings with smart systems that close window shades, adjust lighting, and secure entrances.
In the manufacturing world, there are most likely to be practical applications for SMART asset management to control a variety of materials, personnel functions, and customer data. SMART software can monitor inventories using RFID tags, place routine orders for regularly used materials, automate shipping and receiving, detect equipment use and failures, and more.
SMART asset management for manufacturing means being able to collect advanced data using sensors and actuators. This data translates to analytics which can then be used for a variety of purposes from incident response and staffing to inventory control. It’s clear that SMART asset management serves a critical purpose and will continue to do so for many years.
