What is remote monitoring?

Remote monitoring is a use case of IoT that applies data from IoT sensors in machines and systems to provide instant and accurate insights on how your equipment is performing.

IoT remote monitoring allows you to get more value out of your equipment. With consistent, real-time visibility into your equipment—and entire operations—operators are empowered to detect problems before they arise, track resource usage and output, boost efficiency, and lower costs. Because this information is available remotely, operators can make informed decisions quickly, safely and from anywhere.  

A wide range of industries use IoT remote monitoring to stay informed on how equipment is performing and operating. Operators can monitor a variety of equipment including robotic assembly systems, motors, storage tanks, distribution and logistics equipment, computers and more.

The specific parameters that are monitored depend upon the equipment and its purpose. These include, but are not limited to the following.

Remote monitoring parameters | Examples:
 

Temperature

Ensure the temperature of key process equipment is monitored closely to avoid going outside nominal ranges, which could indicate a breakdown.

Pressure

Monitor pressure of steam or compressed air to avoid increased energy costs, product quality errors or equipment failure.

Fill level

Track the fill level of liquids to ensure efficient and timely replenishment.

Vibration

Monitor vibration to know in an instant if a system stops running, or is operating in an anomalous condition.

Location

Remotely monitor location of tools, dies, components, materials, work in process (WIP) and finished goods to understand location and status 

Wind turbine operations: an example of remote monitoring

Remotely monitoring a wind turbine is the process of monitoring the equipment’s real-time data on how it’s performing—without having to collect the information physically. Various parameters can be monitored to ensure that the turbine is not damaged from environmental hazards, such as wind or temperature, is operating at high efficiency, and is likely to perform reliably for a defined period.

Remotely managing the wind turbine means taking an action based on data that was retrieved from remote monitoring—without having to be there physically. This may include stopping the wind turbine before damage occurs, scheduling preventative maintenance, or assessing other similar equipment to determine larger trends.  

IoT remote monitoring is just the first step to climbing the IoT maturity curve. A winning approach is to think big, start small and move fast. The right IoT platform can help you move at speed towards incremental, achievable targets that deliver new capabilities, and new sources of value, at each stage.

Real-time data from remote monitoring allows you to reduce downtime and maintenance costs, as it keeps you informed of potential problems to address immediately. According to McKinsey, remote asset condition monitoring can reduce maintenance costs by 30 percent and cut machine downtime by 50 percent.

Benefits for equipment makers

Remote monitoring enables equipment makers to better understand how customers use their product to develop better and more value adding features faster—allowing them to:

• Shift from creating traditional, unconnected products to creating smart products
• Understand product usage
• Understand which breakdowns have occurred, and why
• Determine whether the design or size of the product is optimal
• Accelerate functional improvements and product releases
• Achieve the same or higher product reliability while reducing costs for parts and components

Benefits for equipment manufacturers

Remote monitoring keeps equipment manufacturers connected to their machines in the field—allowing them to:

• Detect operational problems before they cause production issues
• Reduce the number of hours spent assessing equipment status
• Deliver an in-depth overview of equipment condition to customers
• Leverage IoT remote management to ensure that devices are operating on the latest firmware release, and push software and firmware updates for performance and security 

To remotely monitor your equipment, you first need to connect your equipment—and that’s never been easier than with Software AG’s Cumulocity IoT platform.

The Cumulocity IoT platform allows you to integrate and monitor your devices, so you can turn real-time data into insights, opportunities and innovations in any industry.

It’s designed to give you complete business visibility and control of all the remote assets in your organization, from machines, individual sensors and valves in a production facility, environmental controls, and robots to whole production lines.   

Data-driven product development | Cumulocity IoT platform

Gain insights into equipment use and performance.

• Collect real usage data
  Collect crucial data on how your equipment is used in a production setting.
• Build customer loyalty
  With insights into how your customers use your products, you can analyze adoption of new features and functions and facilitate data-driven product development.
• Increase equipment quality
  Connected equipment sends real-time information on condition and potential failures, as well as enabling IoT remote management of firmware and software updates to improve operating quality and enhance security.

We know IoT projects can be complicated. That's why the Cumulocity IoT platform removes technical complexity from IoT projects, enabling business leaders to focus on true business outcomes.

As a leading self-service IoT platform, top rated by independent analysts with fast ROI, the Cumulocity IoT platform is a truly rapid self-service approach on a resilient platform you can trust.