Sensors have long been used to monitor critical components for failure—whether it’s on an airplane, in a valve, or along the production line—but today’s smart sensors can anticipate failures long before they occur. Predictive maintenance can be carried out in a variety of ways—the status of every connected machine is stored in one system, and a detailed history of each operational component is monitored. Performance improvements can be automatically calculated and scheduled based on the maintenance history of each individual machine.

Impending failures can also be detected in real-time by sensors that can monitor property changes far more accurately than humans. The slightest change in temperature, pressure, vibration, or decline in performance can be identified by sensors long before it becomes a catastrophic failure that could lead to downtime. Incredibly sensitive and reliable sensors are required for predictive maintenance—they must be able to detect the smallest change and communicate it in real-time, without fail.

Sensors have long been used to monitor critical components for failure—whether it’s on an airplane, in a valve, or along the production line—but today’s smart sensors can anticipate failures long before they occur. Predictive maintenance can be carried out in a variety of ways—the status of every connected machine is stored in one system, and a detailed history of each operational component is monitored. PerforInternet-connected RFID tags, paired with sensors, are a game-changer to the logistics and supply chain industry, creating simple, low-profile solutions to tracking valuable goods from production to delivery and beyond. Sensors can monitor everything from raw material inventory to a finished product’s journey from the factory to the warehouse to the buyer, reducing delays in manufacturing and loss percentages during transport.

The combination of RFID tags, sensors, and internet-connected RFID readers has proved to be extremely valuable for many industries, including remote vehicle fleet management. RFID tags track the location of a vehicle, while sensors gather data about speed, vehicle maintenance, and more. This information is collected by an RFID reader, which sends it to a centrally-located network that can be easily monitored.

Internet-connected facility utilities allow for centralized and programmable control that automates building management for more power efficiency and savings. Connected sensors can monitor changes in a building’s environment and trigger changes in air conditioning, humidity control, lighting, access control, and more. Pressure and temperatures sensors and switches are especially important in monitoring HVAC systems, allowing for accurate and precise temperature control that ensures personal comfort and optimal machinery and factory operations.

Connected sensors can also help build a robust security and access control program throughout a facility. Such programmable sensors, paired with access control cards, can determine who can or cannot enter certain sections of a building. They can also help with lighting and elevator efficiency during peak or off-hours, creating a secure yet power-saving environment.

According to recent research, the industrial robotics market is expected to grow by 175 percent over the next decade. And while robotic operations may be nothing new in factories, the addition of smart sensors plugged into a network will take mechanical operations to the next level by collecting valuable data about processes and controlling them remotely. Connected components can collect and analyze information about process flow, diagnostics, downtimes, inventory tracking and more—and action can be taken remotely via IoT solutions.

Connected sensor networks can make data collection more consistent, accurate and safe. Replacing dial gauges—especially those in hazardous or hard-to-reach areas with sensors, allows valuable data to be collected and sent straight to mobile devices. Such sensors must be rugged, reliable and able to operate in harsh environments to avoid machinery downtime or inaccurate readings. Additionally, incorporating machine learning programs into the data collection allows automated analysis based on the readings, which facilitates real-time, ongoing process correction as needed.

Already widely available in consumer cars and transport fleets alike, IoT connectivity in vehicles has been a game-changer when it comes to navigation, asset tracking, safety, and efficiency. Internet-connected sensors built into vehicles can monitor location, speed, fuel consumption and more, making the logistics of product transport throughout an entire fleet easy to track and adjust via one centralized portal.

While still in the early stages of being adopted, fully connected and autonomous vehicles mark the precipice of a turning point in supply chain management. Vehicle-to-infrastructure and vehicle-to-vehicle communication capabilities will make shipping logistics safer and more efficient through automated route and navigation information, monitored cargo conditions, and predictive maintenance alerts—valuable information that can be constantly broadcast to a mobile device and analyzed.