Gain a competitive edge with IoT monitoring systems
In this article
You’ll explore the basics of IoT monitoring, including:
- What is industrial remote monitoring,
- How does it work,
- What can monitoring solutions track, and
- The main benefits it delivers.
What is IoT monitoring?
IoT monitoring is the process of collecting, analyzing, and managing data from the Internet of Things (IoT) devices, all done remotely and in real time. Through this continuous stream of information, businesses can monitor performance metrics, identify potential problems before they escalate, and make well-informed decisions.
The primary goals of remote IoT monitoring include:
- Tracking and maintaining optimal device and system performance.
- Identifying trends or anomalies to prevent downtime.
- Enabling data-driven decision-making.
- Optimizing resource utilization.
Let´s also briefly examine the differences between legacy and modern monitoring approaches to better understand the potential of IoT monitoring tools for operational intelligence.
| Feature | Traditional systems | IoT monitoring systems |
|---|---|---|
| Data collection | Manual or periodic data collection, often requiring human intervention. | Continuous, automated, real-time data collection using sensors. |
| Issue detection | Reactive – issues are detected after they occur, often leading to downtime. | Predictive– anomalies are detected early to prevent failures. |
| Accessibility | Limited to on-site access or localized control systems. | Remote access from anywhere via cloud-based platforms.i |
| Operational insights | Basic reporting and static. | Advanced analytics with dynamic dashboards and predictive insights. |
| Scalability | Expensive and time-consuming, additional infrastructure is needed. | Easily scalable, adding new devices or sensors requires minimal effort. |
How does IoT monitoring work?
First, remote monitoring systems gather data from physical assets and environments and send it to an IoT platform for processing. Thanks to device libraries available for multiple platforms, integrating new devices is usually simple. The collected information is then analyzed in the cloud or locally on the edge, and data is fed to actionable dashboards, reports, and alerts. Simply put, it’s a neverending data collection, analysis, and reporting process.
The integral components of any IoT monitoring system are:
- Sensors – deployed to collect data from devices, machines, and environments. These include temperature sensors, pressure gauges, GPS trackers, and more.
- Connectivity – the sensors transmit the collected data via cellular networks, Wi-Fi, or other communication protocols to IoT platforms.
- Data storage and analytics – the collected data is stored and processed in a cloud-based or local system. Advanced analytics tools sift through the data to identify patterns, detect anomalies, and generate insights.
- Dashboards and alerts – IoT platforms provide intuitive dashboards and generate reports to help operators monitor device status and trends. If an issue rises, alerts are triggered automatically to enable swift corrective actions.
Some platforms like Spotflow even enable you to set up automated responses to perform corrective actions to any detected issues, such as shutting down overheating machinery or rerouting resources in real time.
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Key parameters monitored by IoT systems
The flexibility of industrial monitoring tools allows you to track virtually any parameter critical to your domain. Common examples include:
- Device status – to check whether the equipment is operational, idle, or requires maintenance.
- Resource utilization – to monitor resources like energy consumption, CPU usage, or fill levels.
- Temperature – to ensure the machinery operates within safe temperature ranges or to maintain specific environmental conditions, for example, in greenhouses.
- Location – to track the physical location of devices or shipments to improve logistics and security.
- Pressure – to detect leaks or avoid dangerous pressure buildups in industrial processes.
These five variables serve to illustrate the main point – IoT platforms are highly customizable and enable you to monitor the exact variables you need, whether you´re after precision farming or JIT manufacturing.
The benefits of IoT monitoring
IoT platforms play a key role in gathering data from distributed fleets. And the larger the fleet is, the more advantages are offered by monitoring platforms compared to traditional approaches.
Just imagine a fleet of thousands of devices scattered around the globe – manually gathering data from each machine is out of the question, as it would be too slow and costly. Adopting an IoT system allows you to collect a large amount of data from any number of devices anywhere and anytime.
The five main benefits offered by industrial monitoring systems are:
- Cost optimization – monitoring resource utilization to eliminate waste, optimize energy use, and lower operational costs.
- Predictive maintenance – anticipating equipment issues before they cause failures, reducing costly downtime, and avoiding unnecessary service trips.
- Data-driven decision-making – enabling operators to make informed, strategic decisions, and ensuring continuous operational improvement.
- Remote control – managing devices from anywhere and reducing reliance on on-site personnel.
- Scalability – IoT systems can easily scale to accommodate additional devices and parameters, ensuring sustainable expansion.
The next step
IoT monitoring isn’t just a technology—it’s a strategic approach to industrial operations. Real-time insights and automation help organizations grow efficiently, reduce operational costs, and ensure safety and reliability across the board, enabling businesses to do more with less.
Whether you’re looking to improve your operations, increase uptime, or gain greater control over your devices, IoT monitoring can help you achieve your goals. Contact us today to learn how we can assist in implementing Spotflow tailored to your business needs.