Issue link: https://te.mouser.com/i/1472772
8 CONNECTED LIFE The Benefits of the Connected Factory Factories equipped with machines that can communicate with each other will see gains in productivity and efficiency. For example, intelligent systems can collaborate with global suppliers and customers across the supply chain. Here are other benefits on the horizon for connected factories: Predictive maintenance. With sensor-equipped machines, factory leaders can shrink the time it takes to detect problems or determine when maintenance is needed. Since managers have timely, accurate data at hand, they can decide proactively when to intervene to solve a quality or production issue, and reduce equipment downtime — instead of reacting after the damage is done. People-centered decision-making. In previous industrial revolutions, mass production reduced the need for workers. However, the connected factory sees workers as a vital link in the decision-making process. Equipped with data, workers can quickly respond to changing market demands and suggest new products or manufacturing approaches. Transparency. Data-sharing doesn't have to stop at the factory walls. Data on quality inspections, for example, can be more easily shared up and down the supply chain for greater and faster visibility. Operational managers and engineers working at corporate headquarters can view a broader range of data, and suggest systems changes that boost efficiency. Inventory managers can change orders based on what's happening in the production environment. Factories: When EVERY CONNECTION COUNTS TE is transforming the concept of the smart factory into operational reality by introducing high-performance information and communication technologies – products that connect computers, information systems, sensors, relays, robotics, tools, building facilities, materials and products to each other. Visit te.com/connected-factory to learn more. The Must-Haves for the Connected Factory The connected factory needs technologies that meet the demand for reliable, flexible communications and connectivity: • Ruggedized for harsh environments. Devices such as sensors need to perform even when undergoing extreme temperature changes, vibration, and shock. • Can't-fail reliability. The reliance on end-point connectivity as a way to drive value means that connectivity cannot fail. • Smaller size and weight. Connected factory systems need lighter weight electronics, such as contactless power and data transmission capabilities, that use space efficiently.