In today’s world, where digital transformation is a necessary prerequisite for maintaining competitiveness, IoT (Internet of Things) and IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) play a key role. These technologies enable businesses to collect, analyze, and utilize data to optimize processes, reduce costs, and improve efficiency.
However, the implementation of IoT/IIoT also brings certain challenges. If approached without a systematic plan, complications may arise that impact not only the progress of the project but also the long-term return on investment. In this article, we will outline the most common pitfalls that companies face before, during, and after implementing IoT/IIoT, and we will also provide specific steps on how to effectively avoid them.
Why Does IoT/IIoT Implementation Often Become Complicated?
Complications Before Implementation
One of the biggest challenges is the lack of clearly defined goals and expectations at the start of the project. Many businesses know they want to leverage IoT to optimize processes, but they lack answers to key questions:
- Why do we actually need IoT?
- What problem are we trying to solve?
- What specific outcome do we expect?
Businesses often perceive IoT as a goal in itself rather than a tool to achieve specific, measurable results. This misguided approach can ultimately lead to the project failing to deliver the expected benefits.
Complications During Implementation
Issues with Network Infrastructure
IoT projects heavily depend on reliable network infrastructure, which, however, is not a given in every location. While some areas have access to a robust corporate Wi-Fi network, others – such as remote locations or production halls with a large amount of metal structures – may face significant issues with connection stability.
In such cases, it is essential to use alternative solutions, such as:
- Ethernet (wired connection) – ideal for locations where a stable network infrastructure with high speed and data transmission stability can be ensured,
- GSM/Mobile networks – used for data transmission in areas without fixed connections,
- LPWAN (Low-Power, Wide-Area Network) – low-energy technologies for long-distance data transmission, used in areas with limited coverage, including LoRaWAN, SigFox, or NB-IoT.
Although these solutions can address connectivity issues, they add to the overall complexity of the project – requiring specific hardware, and their implementation may increase costs.
IT Security and Approval Processes
Another common complication is the concerns of IT departments regarding the security of company networks. These concerns are understandable—protecting the corporate network is a top priority for any IT department. The most common requirements include:
- Data encryption – ensuring that the data transmitted between devices and systems is protected,
- Certification from trusted manufacturers – guaranteeing the quality and security of devices,
- Data localization – some companies do not want their data to leave their internal servers.
Although these requirements are justified, the approval process can take weeks or even months, especially in large companies with complex internal processes.
A reliable IoT solutions provider should, however, consider these aspects from the early stages of the project. Our task is to ensure the selection of devices that meet security standards and to work closely with the IT department to expedite the process. A pilot project (Proof of Concept – PoC) is an ideal tool in this regard to verify the technical and security design before full implementation.
Complications After Implementation
After the successful implementation of IoT/IIoT solutions, the phase that determines the long-term success of the entire project begins – its daily use. Although modern IoT systems are designed with an emphasis on simplicity and intuitive user interfaces, effective utilization requires proper employee training. It is also crucial to ensure their long-term functionality through regular monitoring, verifying the accuracy of measured data, maintaining certain devices, and updating firmware.
How to Prevent These Issues?
1. Clarifying Goals and Expectations
1. Clarifying Goals and ExpectationsIoT/IIoT implementation should begin by answering three fundamental questions:
- What exactly do we want to achieve?
- Do we need to refine energy measurement to optimize consumption?
- Do we want to measure OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) of machines that are currently not networked?
- Are we interested in predictive maintenance using artificial intelligence to prevent failures and reduce downtime?
- What technologies and processes will we use to achieve the goals?
- This is primarily the responsibility of the supplier, who must design suitable devices, software solutions, and infrastructure to ensure the system works smoothly and reliably.
- Why are we doing this? What results do we expect?
- Do we want to reduce energy costs?
- Increase the efficiency of machines and employees?
In this step, the supplier should help the customer clearly formulate their expectations. If the customer does not have specific expectations defined, it is necessary to work together to develop and fully understand them. For both the supplier and the customer, this is a crucial step – not only in terms of evaluating benefits but also for the design and development of the application itself.
2. Initial Audit and Solution Design
Every project should begin with a thorough analysis that includes:
- Identification of devices to be connected to IoT/IIoT,
- Network availability check, or the design of alternative solutions,
- Selection of suitable hardware, which may include IoT modules (e.g., Advantech Wise), gateways (Ewon Flexy), and industrial PLCs (Siemens, Omron, Allen-Bradley, and others),
- Definition of the types of data to be collected, their usage, and presentation in the IoT system.
We use the proven and modern Ignition platform, which not only enables data collection and visualization but also allows for easy expansion with additional functionalities, such as SCADA, MES, EMS, BMS, and many other systems for managing and monitoring operations.
3. Pilot Project (Proof of Concept – PoC)
A pilot project allows for verifying the functionality of the solution on a smaller sample of devices or processes. It should include:
- Connecting several production machines
- Testing the network
- Verifying data quality
- Evaluating the initial results
This step minimizes the risk of issues and allows for identifying weak points before scaling the project to the entire operation.
4. Training and Long-Term Maintenance
The implementation of IoT/IIoT does not end with the deployment of the system. Following these next steps ensures that the systems will operate reliably and securely in the long term:
- Employee Training: Thorough training on how to use the system, along with ongoing training when new features are introduced, ensures that the entire system will be used effectively.
- Regular Monitoring: Monitoring whether all IoT devices are online and fully functional will be ensured by the Ignition platform. It includes a clear network monitoring overview via a web dashboard and email notifications that alert to any outages or unusual activity.
- Occasional Data Accuracy Check: After a power outage or signal issues, measurement interruptions may occur. Once the system is restored, it may be necessary to compare the measured data from the devices with the data stored in the system to avoid discrepancies.
- Device Maintenance: Devices with their own power supply, such as sensors using LPWAN technologies, may require battery replacement every few years, depending on the data transmission frequency.
- Firmware Updates: Device manufacturers regularly release firmware updates that improve cybersecurity, increase reliability, and often introduce new features. Implementing these updates ensures that the system operates at peak efficiency and security in the long term.
Key to Successful IoT/IIoT Implementation
Implementing IoT/IIoT is not just about technology – it’s about proper planning, collaboration, and a long-term vision. Companies that implement these solutions with clearly defined goals and an experienced partner can achieve significant improvements in efficiency, cost reduction, and increased competitiveness. IoT Industries is ready to be your partner on this journey – from initial analysis to long-term support and solution expansion. If you want to take your business to the next level, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Why Choose IoT/IIoT Implementation with IoT Industries?
Traditional companies typically specialize in OT (operational technologies, such as production lines and devices) or classic enterprise IT systems. However, we are able to connect both of these worlds. Our unique expertise in integrating OT and IT allows us to deliver innovative solutions in digital transformation, enhancing efficiency, reliability, and competitiveness for manufacturing companies.