Executives and managers at all levels are being bombarded with the "Internet of Things" marketing buzz, and may even be dimly aware that many plant-level devices have had microprocessors embedded in them for some time. You might take the opportunity to further enlighten them: these devices have the innate ability to pass along a few helpful pieces of data in addition to their traditional measurement or control function.
So, before you're asked "What's our strategy for employing the Industrial Internet of Things?," it may be beneficial to contemplate "Where can I get the most bang for the buck?" Given a chance to exploit the zeitgeist to attract some scarce capital, it's best to propose a strategy that has a good chance to yield some early "saves." It will pay to focus on the devices and systems that have the most impact. Don't just bet on some horse because it has a clever name.
Protecting electrical controls and equipment within food and beverage plants presents unique challenges due to the sanitation requirements of the hygienic environment.
