Industry 4.0 means that the number of network-connected sensors and devices could more than double or perhaps triple to 23 billion by 2021.  This type of mass explosion of the Internet of Things forms a technology that includes the capability of advanced analytics which helps the business decision makers make better decisions involving the changing vision of the business space.  The current usage with the anticipated future usage promises to change the face of manufacturing forever. 

U.S. Manufacturers

In the United States alone more than one-third of the participating manufacturing companies use IoT processes. Based on research done by the IndustryWeek research team (www.ge.com/digital/sites/default/files/industrial-internet-insights-report.pdf), more than half of the U.S. manufacturers use IoT to collect machine data and a significantly smaller percentage of 44{ed162fdde9fdc472551df9f31f04601345edf7e4eff6ea93114402690d8fa616} collect data from sensors embedded in their products. They use the sensors as a critical component in their management research and consumer research as it proves to be a reliable and widespread indicator of consumerism. More and more industries and management are ready to include IoT into their processes for data collection and product usage. 

Network Security

Many of the U. S. Manufacturers using the IoT manufacturing data collection processes report that there are still issues that need to be resolved in the data collection processes of using the Internet of Things as their only data collection efforts. One of the issues is the network security and data collection capabilities. http://www.pwc.com/us/en/industrial-products/next-manufacturing/big-data-driven-manufacturing.html. The concern for security management is at the heart of most of the objections to using the IoT, but those are finding out that networks are sophisticated to handle the data collection that is embedded in products that the concern is lessening. 

Concern for Security

A concern still exists for the internal network of a manufacturing company being able to scale up to handle the increased requirements for them. Many management companies are monitoring current usage and depend on Network Solutions Company to help them scale to unbelievable levels to handle the IoT requirements. Current IoT has built in capabilities to monitor the working systems and gauge as usage becomes abnormal or needs improvement. Some improvements to the system include development equipment time, using the data to open new markets and measure machine performance and of course quality control of products to ensure the best quality.

Analytics

Using IoT American manufacturers are forced to become more analytical in their critical management decisions. For example, the IoT requires constant monitoring of network usage.  This requires increased training for current staff and the employment of the directorate staff that are versed in network processes. The ability to overrun the competition is, of course, the end run of the business, but it is important that the IoT companies use the analytics that is generated to the most productive advantage of the enterprise.

Human Resources

Collaboration in many departments that historically did not interact becomes increasingly important in IoT management and manufacturing.  Human Resources now form an integral part of the management team in addition to the keeper of benefits. Having the appropriate personnel to handle and understand the analytics is imperative to the growth of the company.

Keywords: IoT, Manufacturing, Collaboration, Management