Why IoT Isn’t Good Enough for

Industrial Applications
3 Reasons Why Industrial Grade IIoT Solutions Are Needed in the Industrial Sector

An important recent technological trend, and one that has grown tremendously in the past
decade specifically, is the increased presence of ‘smart’ devices in our everyday lives. From
smart kitchens to smart home security systems, from smart medical devices to smart farm
equipment, we live in a brave, new, ‘smart’ world – a world in which interconnected systems
of web-enabled devices help people live and work with an efficiency almost inconceivable 25
years ago. This integration of ‘smart’ technology has come to be known as the Internet of
Things, or IoT.

What is an IoT System Exactly?

An IoT ecosystem consists of various ‘things’ that collect, transmit, and act on environmental
data they are exposed to. A ‘thing’ in an IoT system can be anything, really: a person with an
implanted heart monitor, a refrigerator with sensors that can determine if certain items need
to be replenished, a farm animal with a biochip transponder, or any other object that can be
assigned an Internet Protocol (IP) address and can transfer data over a network. These various
web-enabled transponders, sensors, monitors, and other types of communication hardware
connect to a centralized IoT gateway where data is either immediately accessible from a
smartphone or a computer or is sent to the cloud.

IIoT
Industry, like it always does, is adapting itself to this technological trend, and many industrial
systems professionals are implementing and utilizing IoT principles – which, when applied in
an industrial application, are known as the Industrial Internet of Things, or IIoT. IIoT has
proven to be a major disruptive opportunity in industry and can massively improve
connectivity, efficiency, scalability, time savings, and cost savings for industrial and
manufacturing organizations. Companies benefit from IIoT through predictive maintenance,
improved safety, and other operational benefits.

IoT vs IIoT
While IoT and IIoT are fundamentally and theoretically the same concept – in fact, it would
be fair to say that IIoT is a subset of the larger, broader IoT – there are some major
differences between the two. The first and foremost difference between IoT and IIoT is the
end-user. IoT is for retail customers and devices like smart bulbs, voice assistants, and smart
vacuums are prime examples. IIoT, on the other hand, is for industries where the emphasis is
on collecting data measurement for an intelligent ecosystem between the machinery.
Therefore, while function is often assumed to be the distinguishing factor between an IoT and
IIoT system, the major difference actually exists in the necessary design parameters IIoT
systems require. Because IIoT systems are meant to serve industrial applications specifically,
more robust parameters are required.

3 Reasons Consumer Grade IoT Is Not Suitable for

Industrial Application
1. Connectivity and Signal Strength
While consumer oriented IoT systems – like a home security system or a smart appliance –
operate and function over basic home WiFi networks or over Bluetooth, IIoT systems require
higher levels of connectivity and signal strength. Interference from heavy industrial
machinery or vast signal traveling distances are commonplace logistical obstacles in
industrial applications – and insufficient connectivity or a weak signal can result in costly
downtime. IIoT systems require purpose-built industrial IoT ecosystems that account for
these (and other) factors and are capable of providing reliable, sufficient connectivity and
optimal signal strength.

2. Adaptive Integration with Industrial Protocols

Industrial systems generally operate under machine communications protocols such as
RS485-RTU or Modbus. A robust IIoT system will be able to integrate seamlessly into
existing and legacy platforms alike, as well as support PoE – or Power over Ethernet –
applications. In addition, IIoT systems provide the flexibility and adaptability to be
reprogrammed and reconfigured to support new processes as they arise. Consumer grade IoT
systems are limited in the protocols they can support and lack the adaptive capabilities to
keep up with the demands of industrial applications.

3. Data Extraction and Predictive Maintenance

Purpose built IIoT systems allow systems operators and managers to extract and aggregate
sensor data using data management tools built into the system. This data allows for predictive
maintenance programs that can alert operators to maintenance issues before they become
problematic – avoiding expensive repairs, costly downtime, and lost or damaged products.
Consumer grade IoT systems simply do not have these data management capabilities.
What components are in a IIoT
network?
With the massive fanfare of the IoT or Internet of Things, its derivatives often miss the
spotlight. IIoT or Industrial Internet of Things is one such technology that is well-known
among industry experts but mostly unknown to the rest.

Components that make up IIoT

Smart Machines
Machines are an integral part of any manufacturing or processing industry. Ordinary
machines are programmed to do one thing, and they do it with high efficiency. Smart
machines are an improvement over regular machines as they can communicate with other
machines. IoT is all about the communication between devices, and IIoT applies it to the
machines working in the industry. Machines can now send data about how well they are
performing and if any part of it is undergoing undulating stress.

Sensors
Sensors are an integral part of both IoT and IIoT. Sensors detect the changes in the physical
environment and convert them into electrical signals. These electrical signals are the data that
helps us understand the physical quantity measured by the sensor.

Infrastructure
Infrastructure concerning IIoT is the network through which all the digital-communication
happens. Without a secure and fast communication platform, data transfer will face
obstructions that will make the entire setup futile. When it comes to storing and transferring
data at a rapid pace, the cloud is the undeniable winner.

Software, Radios, and Controllers

An industry setup is very different from what we are accustomed to with the traditional IoT.
In industries, a piece of machinery receives support from many other devices to create a
system. Hence, a machine will have controllers or radios, and they run over custom software.
With IIoT, these subunits should also support IIoT standards.

Why IoT Isn’t Good Enough for

Industrial Applications
3 Reasons Why Industrial Grade IIoT Solutions Are Needed in the Industrial Sector
An important recent technological trend, and one that has grown tremendously in the past
decade specifically, is the increased presence of ‘smart’ devices in our everyday lives. From
smart kitchens to smart home security systems, from smart medical devices to smart farm
equipment, we live in a brave, new, ‘smart’ world – a world in which interconnected systems
of web-enabled devices help people live and work with an efficiency almost inconceivable 25
years ago. This integration of ‘smart’ technology has come to be known as the Internet of
Things, or IoT.

What is an IoT System Exactly?

An IoT ecosystem consists of various ‘things’ that collect, transmit, and act on environmental
data they are exposed to. A ‘thing’ in an IoT system can be anything, really: a person with an
implanted heart monitor, a refrigerator with sensors that can determine if certain items need
to be replenished, a farm animal with a biochip transponder, or any other object that can be
assigned an Internet Protocol (IP) address and can transfer data over a network. These various
web-enabled transponders, sensors, monitors, and other types of communication hardware
connect to a centralized IoT gateway where data is either immediately accessible from a
smartphone or a computer or is sent to the cloud.

IIoT
Industry, like it always does, is adapting itself to this technological trend, and many industrial
systems professionals are implementing and utilizing IoT principles – which, when applied in
an industrial application, are known as the Industrial Internet of Things, or IIoT. IIoT has
proven to be a major disruptive opportunity in industry and can massively improve
connectivity, efficiency, scalability, time savings, and cost savings for industrial and
manufacturing organizations. Companies benefit from IIoT through predictive maintenance,
improved safety, and other operational benefits.

IoT vs IIoT
While IoT and IIoT are fundamentally and theoretically the same concept – in fact, it would
be fair to say that IIoT is a subset of the larger, broader IoT – there are some major
differences between the two. The first and foremost difference between IoT and IIoT is the
end-user. IoT is for retail customers and devices like smart bulbs, voice assistants, and smart
vacuums are prime examples. IIoT, on the other hand, is for industries where the emphasis is
on collecting data measurement for an intelligent ecosystem between the machinery.
Therefore, while function is often assumed to be the distinguishing factor between an IoT and
IIoT system, the major difference actually exists in the necessary design parameters IIoT
systems require. Because IIoT systems are meant to serve industrial applications specifically,
more robust parameters are required.

3 Reasons Consumer Grade IoT Is Not Suitable for

Industrial Application
1. Connectivity and Signal Strength
While consumer oriented IoT systems – like a home security system or a smart appliance –
operate and function over basic home WiFi networks or over Bluetooth, IIoT systems require
higher levels of connectivity and signal strength. Interference from heavy industrial
machinery or vast signal traveling distances are commonplace logistical obstacles in
industrial applications – and insufficient connectivity or a weak signal can result in costly
downtime. IIoT systems require purpose-built industrial IoT ecosystems that account for
these (and other) factors and are capable of providing reliable, sufficient connectivity and
optimal signal strength.

2. Adaptive Integration with Industrial Protocols

Industrial systems generally operate under machine communications protocols such as
RS485-RTU or Modbus. A robust IIoT system will be able to integrate seamlessly into
existing and legacy platforms alike, as well as support PoE – or Power over Ethernet –
applications. In addition, IIoT systems provide the flexibility and adaptability to be
reprogrammed and reconfigured to support new processes as they arise. Consumer grade IoT
systems are limited in the protocols they can support and lack the adaptive capabilities to
keep up with the demands of industrial applications.

3. Data Extraction and Predictive Maintenance

Purpose built IIoT systems allow systems operators and managers to extract and aggregate
sensor data using data management tools built into the system. This data allows for predictive
maintenance programs that can alert operators to maintenance issues before they become
problematic – avoiding expensive repairs, costly downtime, and lost or damaged products.
Consumer grade IoT systems simply do not have these data management capabilities.

7 Key Benefits of Remote Monitoring

Using IIoT
In today’s competitive environment, manufacturers and plant operators must efficiently
monitor their assets, extract maximum performance out of them, and respond to breakdowns
quickly. However, such a scenario is rare within businesses that continue to operate in a
conventional, disconnected environment. These businesses often lack clear asset performance
tracking processes. Machine inspections usually happen through manual visits that offer little
or no control over asset health and performance management.

While M2M systems do offer a certain degree of asset or process control, these technologies
often work in isolation and address limited business requirements. The disconnected
environment ultimately results in poor visibility, leading to underutilized assets and offering
no control over preventing sudden breakdowns.

However, businesses can overcome these challenges by leveraging the IIoT-enabled remote
monitoring framework and achieve substantial improvements in asset management,
operational efficiency, and cost. Remote monitoring offers a connected environment for
businesses to gain complete visibility into their assets and facilities without being physically
present at the location.

What is remote monitoring?

Remote monitoring is the ability to visualize, track, and control assets and facilities without
having to be on-premise. This capability is made possible through numerous technologies
such as wireless networks, sensors, transmitters, receivers, data processing, cloud storage,
and analytics.

Together, these technologies provide greater visibility into asset performance, predict
equipment failure, and reduce resource consumption, enabling cost-effective and efficient
operations all the time.

Benefits of remote monitoring

Remote monitoring using an ecosystem of IIoT products offers a range of benefits to
businesses. These benefits can be in the form of:

Centralized monitoring
Thanks to cloud technology, remote monitoring with IIoT enables you to access asset
information from anywhere, anytime, and on any device, even if your assets are in different
physical locations. As such, you can monitor and analyze the performance and health of
assets located in different geographies from your office or even when you are on the go.

Accurate monitoring
Instead of recording data manually, entering it into a spreadsheet, and later performing
analysis, a smart sensor installed for remote monitoring collects and stores data from an asset
digitally, which reduces the chances of errors. Besides, data collection through smart sensors
also ensures accuracy in collecting repetitive data over manual methods.

Improved team efficiency

Since remote monitoring readily offers visibility into asset performance and health, teams are
not required to regularly commute to a location simply to keep a check on the
process/equipment. Instead, they can set up intervals to record data electronically and monitor
everything remotely.

Faster response to incidents

Remote monitoring allows you to monitor the health of your assets continuously and also
detect anomalies in real-time. Processing this performance and health data using analytics
further provides insights on predictive maintenance so that you can repair assets before they
fail and reduce the downtime significantly.

Compliance to regulatory requirements

Many industries, certifications, and regulations require regular and constant monitoring of
equipment. With a remote monitoring system, you will have a steady stream of data flowing
into the cloud storage that is easy to access and can assist with regulatory compliance.

Business continuity in the event of disasters

With disasters such as the recent Coronavirus outbreak, ensuring the safety and well-being of
your employees is critical. However, at the same time, your business must also continue
running, and that is where remote monitoring helps. It allows your teams to monitor assets
safely from the comfort of their homes, adhering to social distancing measures while also
ensuring business continuity.

Lower operating costs

A smart remote monitoring system offers intelligent insights that allow you to optimize
operations and gain maximum asset productivity, which in turn translates to cost savings and
improved profitability.

Ready to implement remote monitoring?

For most companies, IIoT-enabled remote monitoring is usually the first step towards
embracing a connected environment and reaping the benefits of intelligent asset tracking.
However, implementing remote asset management has its share of challenges and risks that
you must anticipate and mitigate to be successful.

From defining the scope of transition, and determining system integration to identifying
project value and return on investments, migrating to a remote monitoring environment
requires a well-thought-out plan.

Are you interested in equipping your facilities and assets with a remote monitoring system?
Read our latest whitepaper and find out how to successfully enter the IIoT realm and monitor
your systems remotely.

Layer N FAQ
For more information on choosing the right sensor, or any Layer N device, our customer
service team with extensive field knowledge can help guide you to the best solution for your
application. Call us at 1-888-826-6342 or "chat support online today at omega.com

General Information
How many wireless sensors can be supported by a Layer N Wireless
Gateway?
One Gateway can support 256 wireless sensors at one hour interval time. However if the
Wireless Gateway and Sensor have a faster reporting interval time, the number of wireless
sensors will be reduced because like any other wireless technology, the available wireless
bandwidth is the issue. Having a very fast reporting interval introduces a race condition
where some sensors will be starved off trying to connect to the gateway. It is also not a good
idea from a network infrastructure perspective because the gateway will become the single
point of failure. A better implementation is to spread the wireless sensors into independent
network segments with each segment having its own gateway.

How many Gateways are supported by the Layer N Cloud?

There is no limit to the number of Gateway that can connect to Layer N Cloud if the
appropriate subscriptions is selected.

Can I add additional sensors to the wireless sensor network at a later

time?
Yes. Sensors may be easily added by simply pushing the ‘pairing’ button on the gateway and
new sensor.

What frequencies are used by the North America wireless sensors?

North America uses 915 Mhz.

How is sensor data secured during wireless transmission?

The wireless transmission is secure and encrypted from sensor to the gateway during wireless
transmission.

Will my Layer N be susceptible to interference from Wi-Fi, Cellular or

other wireless networks?
Layer N radio transmitters use a different radio frequency then Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and devices.
Luckily, with Frequency Hopping technology, even if the same frequency is detected in the
deployed environment, our wireless sensor is capable of steering clear of the interference
when possible.

How can I extend the range of my Layer N wireless system?

Plugging the Layer N sensor into a USB power adaptor will increase the range by
approximately 25%. Layer N transmitters include a range booster radio transmitter option
which is automatically enabled when the device is powered from the USB connector.

Layer N Cloud
What are the size of the data packets transmitted from the gateway to
the cloud?
The size of the data packets depends upon what message is transmitted. It varies from tens of
bytes to hundreds of bytes per packet.

How do I enable/disable email and SMS notifications?

From Layer N Cloud portal, navigate to the system page, you can toggle the alarm checkbox
and the event checkbox to enable/disable notification. For alarm, you must first set the alarm
threshold using the setting option after you drill down to the device detail page via the home
(devices) page.

Can additional users make changes to my system?

Additional users may be granted either Change or View Permissions. Users with View
Permissions can only see data and not change any settings or clear any alarms.

Can I export device data from the cloud for offline analysis?
Yes, you can export your data as a comma separated string (csv) format. The csv file can be
loaded into Excel, Matlab, Pentaho, or any tool that supports csv data format.

Can I add additional users to my account?

Yes, you may assign additional users to the Gateways they are able to view. Additional users
will be able to see all sensors attached to their Gateways and receive alarms and notifications
from those sensors.

Smart Sensors
How do my smart wireless sensors connect to the cloud?
The wireless sensor sends sensor data including measurements and status to the gateway. The
gateway packs and encrypt the data into omega cloud message and then send it to Omega
Layer N Cloud.

What happens to the data from my smart wireless sensor if the power
to my Gateway is disrupted?
At this time, the sensor data is safely stored and logged in the sensor. We are working on
retrieving the log data and pushing the data to the cloud once the gateway is recovered and
communication between sensor and gateway is reestablished.

What is the average battery life in the wireless sensors?

It depends on the reporting interval settings and any additional settings that can be enabled on
the smart sensors. A basic wireless sensor at 90 minutes reporting interval can last upto one
year on two AA alkaline batteries. It can last longer when non-rechargeable Lithium AA is
used.

What should I do when the battery of my wireless sensor dies?

Omega wireless sensors use standard Alkaline AA batteries. A low battery indicator is
provided on the Layer N dashboard to indicate when batteries should be replaced. A
convenient battery door allows easy access to the replaceable batteries.

What is the power consumption of the wireless sensors?

It depends on the sensor type, configurations and sensor interval time, but typically in the
microamp range when not transmitting, power saving mode.

How am I notified when I need to change my sensor’s battery?

The Layer N Cloud dashboard includes a battery level indicator and alarm events for each
sensor. The indicator will show the battery level and will change to reflect the battery status.

How do I make changes to the smart wireless sensor settings?

If necessary, advanced settings of our Smart Sensors can be configured using Omega SYNC
software that can be downloaded from our website.

How can I set up an alarm on my smart wireless sensor?

Localized alarms may be set on individual sensors and probes using Omega Sync software,
where sensor data is continuously scanned independent of the transmission rate and can
immediately notify the cloud when alarm conditions occur (localized alarms will reduce
battery life significantly). For most purposes, remote alarm events may be set using layer N
cloud dashboard that allows notifications to be sent via email or sms messages.

Can I change the interval reporting time of my sensor either to report

faster or slower?
Yes. Go to N website, select the sensor and change it in the “Setting” section. You may or
may not speed up the sensor reporting time because it is dependent on subscription level.

Can I mount or place the wireless sensor outdoors?

In general no because the wireless smart sensor is not NEMA or IP65/67 rated. It can
however be placed outdoors as long as it is not exposed to weather elements directly. Look
for Omega’s upcoming IF-006 that is designed for outdoor use.

Smart Gateway
Why are there two ethernet ports on some models?
Omega’s GW-001-3NA has two ethernets that acts like a switch. An ethernet accessory or
Modbus TCP device can directly be connected to it. Ethernet port number 2, is P.O.E capable
,meaning that the Gateway can be power up using P.O.E switch. This can become very useful
if the area the gateway is placed, has no A/C power.

Can I place the Gateway outdoors?

In general no. But if it is housed inside a NEMA IP67 enclosure then yes.

Smart Probes
What software do I need to install for a Smart Probe connected to the
gateway via USB?
You don’t need any additional software to connect Smart Probe via gateway USB port.
Plugin the probe using IF-001 cable and use the gateway management web UI (in your
browser, navigate to https://yourgatewayipaddress or http://omegaiotgatewayxxxx where
xxxx is the last 4 digit of the mac address of your gateway) to add the probe.
Was this helpful?

How to Connect Your Modbus

Devices to the Layer N Gateway
Industrial automation systems are expensive assets, designed to offer reliable performance for
years. Typically, industrial systems last for decades. It is impractical than to discard these
existing systems when new technology becomes available. So, how do businesses remain
competitive and efficient if they cannot afford to adopt new technology? The scenario is
common today for most industrial setups as they look to reap the benefits of the Industrial
Internet of Things (IIoT) by establishing a connected environment, but their legacy systems
prevent them from bringing the change.

Luckily, there are devices that you can use to connect these legacy systems to IoT networks
using Modbus. Developed in 1979 by Modicon, Modbus is an open, non-proprietary
communication protocol that lets industrial systems to communicate with each other, gather
data, and transmit results to a computer. It functions using master/slave architecture, where
the master is a device that requests information, and slave is one that supplies the
information. A standard Modbus network consists of one Master and up to 247 slaves, with
each slave having a unique address from 1 to 247.

Most industrial systems and sensing devices have used this protocol, and many new systems
still use it. As such, Modbus is a time-tested protocol that is likely to stay even longer even if
modern communication protocols come into existence. It also means that the protocol is an
excellent candidate to consider when developing new technologies such as IoT, as it ensures
that even older systems can take advantage of the latest advancements.

If your existing sensors or PLC feature serial ports and use Modbus protocols, be it RTU or
TCP/IP, you can bring these systems to a connected world, even if they were never developed
initially for IoT. Omega’s Layer N is the latest ecosystem of smart products that enables this
possibility and gets your legacy application connected quickly. By leveraging Modbus
protocol, these devices connect your eligible existing systems to the Industrial IoT network
on cloud and provide you with immediate access to actionable insights anytime, anywhere.

Connecting Your Modbus Devices to Cloud with Layer

N Gateway
Layer N Gateway connects your Modbus devices, collects data from them, and transmits the
collected data securely to the cloud. The Gateway features Modbus RTU RS232/RS485
connections for your standalone systems as well as an Ethernet port to connect your Modbus
TCP compatible devices. The device also uses AES-256 encryption for secure wireless
communication.

Additionally, you can also take advantage of long-range smart sensors in Layer N ecosystem
that comes with multiple sensing capabilities as well as smart probes that can pair with the
Gateway through the push of a button. Capable of transmitting signals up to 3.2 kilometers,
these smart sensors collect data continuously even when the power goes out.

Benefits of Connecting Your Modbus Devices to Cloud

When you combine these Layer N smart sensors and Gateway with your existing Modbus
devices, you’re essentially creating a robust connected environment, specific to your
industrial setup. Together, these devices intelligently transport data to Layer N cloud, so that
you can access live data from anywhere, on any device. The cloud service also lets you
perform powerful analysis and set up alarms and notifications to optimize and monitor your
connected applications.

Devices You’ll Need to Set up Connected Applications

If you’re planning to establish a connected environment using your legacy systems, the first
thing you’d want to ensure is that your existing devices support the Modbus protocol.
Secondly, you’ll need a Gateway that has support for Modbus devices, and finally, a
computing system for data storage and analysis. This system can be on-premise, such as a
local server, or it can be on the cloud. Using cloud resources lets you access information from
anywhere, on any device. It also eliminates the burden of managing infrastructure and dealing
with security issues.

Expand Your Possibilities with Connected Environment

Possessing legacy systems doesn’t always mean that you’ll have to compromise with limited
technological advancements. Take advantage of Omega’s Layer N smart devices that support
standard communication protocols like Modbus and establish a connected application even
with your existing systems. Turn data from your systems into actionable insights, make better
decisions, and expand your possibilities.

IIot Security

Welcome to Industry 4.0

With IIoT and the concept of smart machines, a new form of the industrial revolution has
begun. Experts name it Industry 4.0. The Third Industrial Revolution started in the 1950s,
where we began incorporating electronics into machinery. After the 1990s, we incorporated
computers into machines for data acquisition and better control.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0 is all about turning these computer-operated
machines smart. This integration leads to smarter factories where machines communicate
with each other and monitor the performance itself. IIoT is the cornerstone for industry 4.0
because this level of cross-communication was not possible before the introduction of smart
digital devices.

Today, an operator can monitor the machine from a smart phone, tablet or laptop and is aware
of every single detail without being present in the same room. If the machine sense something
that is out of its operating boundary, it will duly alert the monitoring system including the
personnel operating the machine.

By incorporation communication and interlinking between machines, Industry 4.0 brings a

cohesive approach to the manufacturing/production floor, unlocking better productivity and
profitability in the process.

Challenges and Cybersecurity in IIoT

Currently, IIoT faces two significant challenges – the lack of security and disparate older
communication protocols and the incompatibility with newer internet communication
protocol.

IIoT with an internet based protocol has certain built-in security and can vary from a simple
defense again network viral attack to very hardened access prevention to guard against
malicious attacks from inside and outside an organization. The challenge has always been
with the older and disparate protocols that can’t directly be translated to the new internet
based protocols when adopting an IIoT implementation. Fortunately, those risks can be
mitigated with a hybrid implementation of both the legacy and newer equipment. On premise
physical security for older equipment with lock down access and secure remote access to
newer equipment with advance robust security is an excellent way to transition to a digital
world and access to machine insights as never before, anytime, anywhere.

Going digital with IIoT and remote access might sound scary at first, but the fact is, a digital
world is also a world that can adapt quickly to changes and updates to enhance security and
improve operability. Staying with older existing equipment that can’t easily be updated will
eventually result in higher operating cost in maintenance and compromised security that can
result in severe equipment downtime and monetary lost. Today a cybersecurity break-in can
hold a factory or organization hostage, bringing the factory or operation to a halt in exchange
for monetary value.

Introduction to IIoT Security

IIoT solutions must be trusted to provide data and information with integrity, as they are
monitoring and measuring business critical systems and environments. That trust is verified
by ensuring the system is secure against threats. Threat modeling is the best approach to
designing for security. Using a typical IIoT solution configuration, we can identify several
zones (Figure 1.0). The boundaries of these zones are where data and information transition
from one solution element to another. Threats will be against the boundaries of these zones.
For the threat analysis we use the STRIDE model, which defines threats using the categories
in the table below.
Applying the STRIDE model to the security zones identified above, we can generate a table
similar to the one below. This is a simplified version of a much longer table that shows the
security zone, the type of threat against it, and how that threat could be mitigated.
What is Edge Computing?

The concept of edge computing has been around for several years, stemming from the days of
on-premise Computer Instrumentation or Human Machine Interface (HMI) computers. In the
advent of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), it has quickly transformed from
instrumentation to a much more powerful computational device.

As the name implies, edge computing is deployed on-premise or “edge” of cloud computing
where data is generated in its native format. This novel approach allows data to be collected,
analyzed and synchronized with one or more edge computing devices. It can then make a
local decision of process and storage before sending only relevant data up to the cloud for
further complex computation such as A.i and other mathematical modeling.

In essence, edge computing improves reliability and performance locally without delay
associated with round trip communication delay from the internet. This is of critical
importance when the process and data sampling time are measured down to milliseconds
instead of seconds.

Edge Computing Layers

The three fundamental layers involved in an edge computing setup consist of sensors or edge
devices, edge gateway, and the cloud or central server. As the data travels through these
layers, each layer also enables decision-making. Let’s find out how.

Sensors
Smart sensors or edge devices have an embedded microprocessor that collects vital
measurements from a variety of sensors it is connected with.

These devices can collect data measurements such as time-stamp, hours of operation,
connectivity, calibration conformance and a host of other micro-operations. It can even
operate autonomously as long as it has power with the ability to sync up data if connectivity
was lost, providing continuous data assurance. The Smart Sensors can even provide local
control outputs in various forms for alarms to actuation.

Edge Gateway
An edge gateway sits between the edge devices and the cloud. It is the central repository for
the edge devices data as well as synchronizing with another edge gateway. The edge gateway
is also the gatekeeper for all the edge devices connected to it granting them secure
authentication and provisioning. Only higher-order data processing is transmitted to the cloud
for modeling and analytics.

Edge gateways are set up to run independently of the cloud while providing many of the
benefits of the cloud. More than one edge gateway can be deployed in a large factory setting,
each working on specific data metrics that can ultimately be synchronized and unified at the
cloud. Then the heavy data crunching can be computed without impacting any local edge
devices and gateways.

Cloud
Cloud in an interconnected network of virtual servers and web services hosted on the internet.
It is where the higher-order data from the edge gateways get stored, processed and analyzed.

Benefits of Using Edge Computing for IIoT

Moving computing and time-sensitive decision making to the edge of the network brings
many benefits, especially in an IIoT environment. Below are some potential ones.

Speed and Latency

Edge computing reduces the time needed to exchange messages instead of solely relying on
the internet. This reduction in time is critical when dealing with time-sensitive processes and
measurements.

For example, when monitoring equipment performance, failures, or accidents, the data
generated must be analyzed instantly. There is simply insufficient time for the data to travel
back and forth between the cloud. By cutting down the network latency, edge computing
drastically improves the response time for real-time IIoT applications.

Security and Reliability

In a traditional cloud environment, data generated throughout the organization moves through
a centralized architecture. This type of set up is more vulnerable to attacks such as DDoS
(Distributed Denial-of-Service) and other cyber threats. For an industrial business that relies
on data generated by operating processes, such vulnerabilities can disrupt entire operations.

With edge computing, there is a distributed security risk split between the edge devices and
the cloud. This does not mean that cybersecurity threat is eliminated, rather it is mitigated in
the sense that both edge and cloud infrastructure must be compromised together in a single
attack to impose a threat to the IIoT infrastructure.

The distributed architecture of edge computing can also have a positive impact on reliability.
By bringing computation and storage on-premise; its reliability and availability are improved
with less dependency on internet connectivity. The smart edge and gateway devices will
continue to operate even if they have lost communication with the cloud in case of temporary
disruptions in the internet connection.

Cost Savings
Edge Computing offers some cost savings when computation and data storage; the two most
expensive cost of cloud computing is distributed on-premise. Cost of network data
transmission, frequency of data upload/download and time-series data manipulation can
reduce the cost associated with cloud subscription services.

Scalability
The computing needs of an organization will likely grow as their digital factory operations
begin to scale up. The distributed nature of edge and cloud computing allow how much (or
even how little) an edge or cloud computing can be cost-effectively scaled up, redistributed
(and even scale down) without imposing costly shutdown of critical operating resources, for
example shutting down entire or partial factory operations.

Omega Smart Sensors for Edge Computing

Omega’s Smart Probe (SP series) sensors are an excellent example of industrial edge
computing devices. These sensors have the differentiated feature of onboard local control &
closed-loop control at the point of sense, eliminating the need for multiple single-purpose
devices that need separate configuration.

Some of the SP series smart sensors also feature real-time autonomous control through the
alarm and control.

For example, the SP-001-2 Series IR Sensor allows local control of outputs based on
measured values and operating parameters. The sensor can be set to transmit data only when
there is a desired significant change in the value. This feature extends the battery life of the
device.

Besides, the smart sensor is also capable of triggering Digital I/O pins that can be connected
to an alarm or relay information even when the network is down.

Edge Computing is the Future

An increasing number of industrial organizations are deploying IIoTdevices to bring more
efficiency into their operations. This number will increase over the coming years.While the
data generated through these IIoTdevices offer businesses new opportunities, it brings a new
challenge to store, manage, and process the enormous amounts of data. Utilizing the
traditional cloud infrastructure in such a case only burdens the data center with traffic load
and consumes more computing resources.

Edge computing removes this bottleneck by distributing data processing on-premise and edge
devices that are close to the source. The immediate benefit organizations can get is a real-
time response from their IIoT applications, as data gets stored and processed right at the
information generating source.

This, in turn, leads to faster decision-making, which is necessary for an industrial operating
environment where there is a need to analyze the data instantly. Edge computing also
addresses the problems of connectivity efficiently and reduces the cost of transferring the
data to a centralized server or the cloud.

While cloud computing was seen as a promising technology, the growth in the number of
IIoT applications points to a future where edge computing will play a pivotal role.

Real-World Examples of IIoT in

Action
IIoT can bring significant benefits to industries and companies that understood their
importance have already implanted the technology and are reaping the rewards.

Connected Warehouse
Connected warehousing is a testament to how IIoT is useful in varied areas of industries like
inventory management. Leading eCommerce companies are now utilizing connected robots
to meet their shipping requirements. The IIoT-controlled warehouse ensures that each
package goes in and out of the facility seamlessly. With sensors, machines can work with
minimal human supervision. Since robots don’t get tired, they can work day and night
without any problem.

Automated Production
The reason why we are not entirely automating production is that it is tough to detect errors if
machines worked all on their own. However, that is changing now with a combination of
intelligent machines and data. Companies can create smart tools that will help to create a
more efficient production floor guided by real-time data. The benefit of such a system is that
the margin for errors to happen reduces significantly.

Self-Aware Vehicles
Many logistics companies have started fitting their vehicles with an array of sensors to study
vehicle behavior under different conditions. Such a vehicle can alert about impending repairs
or maintenance to ensure that it is working correctly. The sensors are also useful to monitor
parts that undergo high dynamic forces to see if they show any signs of failure.

Besides, logistics companies can get real-time insights into driver behavior and traffic
conditions. This data helps the owner to take necessary actions in case if the driver is
overspeeding. The insights also help in optimizing the route for the driver to avoid congested
areas, save on fuel, and ensure faster last-mile delivery.

Self-Aware Production Lines

Imagine using that same technology in production lines where machines are always working.
These are instances where a machine going out of commission can cause severe delays in
production. With IIoT, sensors analyze the health of the machines in real-time. If the sensor
notices errors in the machine’s performance, it alerts the company to consider preventive
maintenance before the entire assembly line goes out of service.

Conclusion
Industries that have implemented IIoT have seen that maintenance costs have dropped 30%,
and machine specific failures saw a dramatic decline of 70%. So there is no question about
the success of IIoT in industries.

The only question is, when are you going to implement it in your company?
RFIC Finds Winning IoT Solution in
Automation and Food Safety
The Rutgers Food Innovation Center is a globally recognized food business that offers
everything to support a food business from concept to commercialization. Omega's
relationship with Rutgers sprouted with their eager goals in substituting manual processes
with an IoT solution that granted them hands-off data collection capabilities.

Challenge

ZW-ED

• Inefficient, manual processes for food safety compliance

• Lack of data analytic capabilities
• Missed opportunity for predictive maintenance

The Food Innovation Center at Rutgers University (FIC), is a globally recognized food
business incubator and processing facility that supports domestic and global food companies
with research and development, marketing and marketing research, quality assurance, and
business and food safety training. Additionally, a primary focus of their program is to guide
companies through the USDA and FDA compliance and inspection processes. Thus, it’s
important to the FIC that they set a gold standard in food safety compliance.

To increase precision in their food manufacturing process and to improve overall food safety
compliance, the FIC recently implemented an OMEGA wireless IoT temperature monitoring
solution for their kettles and cold storage equipment. While the FIC was pleased with the
added temperature precision, there were still other aspects of the food safety compliance
process that remained paper-based and not as efficient as they could be.

New FDA regulations also meant that third-party audits were no longer optional, but
required. As a result, the FIC needed to document even more of their processes to show
compliance.

Finally, with temperature data now being digitally logged, but with no additional data
analytic capabilities to draw insights from the data, the FIC recognized that there was a
missed opportunity to use the data for additional use cases, such as predictive maintenance.
Solution
• OMEGA PLATINUM series microprocessor-based PID controllers
• OMEGA ZW-ED wireless sensor/transmitter system
• Data Illuminations automated data processing and management solution

Recognizing the compliance challenges the FIC still faced and seeing an opportunity to take
their IoT temperature monitoring solution to the next level, OMEGA Engineering worked
with the FIC and with a data automation and management firm, Data Illuminations, to
develop a holistic, end-to-end automated wireless temperature monitoring and data analytics
solution for the FIC.

The first step was to help the FIC eliminate paper-based processes and establish a digital
footprint for all compliance documentation. Not only would doing so give the FIC immediate
access to the data but by collecting all the data into a centrally managed database, they would
have additional capabilities to construct insightful analytical outcomes from the data.

“By integrating Data Illuminations into the system we already had in place, I could get visual,
easy-to-read reports based on the data the system was collecting,” says Mellonie O’Neill,
Senior Manager: QA Compliance & Training at the Rutgers Food Innovation Center.

As part of the solution, the FIC now has access to a web-based notification center where all
the paperwork that needs to be acknowledged to remain in compliance is stored. And now, in
addition to receiving temperature alerts, the FIC also receives alerts about compliance
documentation tied to the temperature monitoring alerts. For example, if during a production
run the kettle gets too hot or too cold, creating a food safety issue, alerts pop up not only
about the temperature changes, but also regarding what the QA team needs to document.

Additionally, because the system is web-based, the whole team has access and can see at a
glance, even on a cell phone, what the issues are and what needs to be done to maintain
compliance, making the process more collaborative and efficient than the previous paper-
based system.

Results

Platinum Series PID Controllers

• 25% time savings by eliminating manual processes

• Streamlined food safety compliance process
• Analytical insights for predictive maintenance
For the FIC, the new solution has provided numerous benefits, including:

• Replacing manual processes

• Reducing human errors
• Providing a more proactive approach to maintenance
• Reducing overhead and costs

O’Neill describes the impact of the solution as “tremendous.” Saying, “I can pull up data at
any time. It used to be a very time-consuming process to go through the chart records at the
end of each week. Now, what took me hours a week takes five minutes.”

In fact, O’Neill estimates that overall, she’s seen a 25 percent time savings in her QA role
due to having the data she needs available in real-time in an easy-to-visualize manner.

The data can also help the FIC with predictive maintenance. For example, they now can use
the data management software to not only track temperature settings, but to collect data on
the temperature sensors themselves. This will allow them to run calculations about
maintenance issues and be able to proactively identify issues such as needing to replace the
batteries in the sensor or re-calibrate a sensor.

“In the food processing business, it can cost a lot of money if you have to shut down your
plant,” says Frank Paytas sales manager at OMEGA Engineering. “So being able to identify
issues before they become one is huge – and a big part of the value of an IoT ecosystem.”

Additionally, by digitizing the compliance documentation process and setting up alerts for
compliance tasks, the FIC has been able to free up staff time to focus on the business goals
rather than task-oriented responsibilities.

“This helps Food Innovation Center clients not only get to market quicker, but scale their
products more efficiently, saving on production costs. Their current team can stay the same
size even as the facility expands – and they don’t need to hire additional IT,” says Jameson
Miller, Founder of Data Illuminations.

“We handhold the entrepreneur through the whole process,” says O’Neill. “We have to know
that they are in compliance. We oversee the client’s food safety parameters and have the
authority to stop a production run, so having real-time data of our temperatures is important
to making sure the process is in compliance and running smoothly.”

How to Trigger an Alarm When

Freezer Door Is Left Open
As part of their daily workflow, those in the food and beverage or pharmaceutical industry
need to enter and exit walk-in freezers. When a freezer door is accidentally left partially
open, it can lead to food spoilage and increased energy costs. This application was designed
to avoid these issues by automatically detecting when a freezer door is open and subsequently
triggering an alarm to alert someone to close it.
Products Used
The figure shows the schematic of the door alarm system used in this application. The system
includes three products:

P-L-A-6-20-0-PS-15 Air Temperature Probe with M12 Connection Ultra-Precise Air and
Gas Measurment RTD temperature sensors provide customers with a product that offers
sensor accuracies that are far tighter than are available in most standard RTD sensors on the
market today.

XW-EDA-PRO Smart Wireless Transmitter This rugged long range and low power
consumption wireless sensor/transmitter system accepts a wide range of thermocouple, RTD
temperature sensors as well as industry standard process signal inputs and includes
alarm/control outputs. The radio is an IEEE 802.15.4 compliant transmitter operating at 2.4
GHz designed to transmit up to 1000m* (3280') outdoor and around 100m* (328') indoor.

ZW-REC Wireless Receiver This receivers provides robust wireless connectivity to a XW

Series transmitter, and connects via Ethernet to either a PC or Server where OEG 2.0
software can reside for local and cloud data storage, alarming, and analytics.
OEG Software Easily connect your OMEGA devices into your infrastructure. The OMEGA
Enterprise Gateway software (OEG) uses an intuitive web-based interface to make
monitoring and control simpler and more intelligent. The software provides 24/7 real-time
monitoring and historical data analysis, alarm and event notifications, and encrypted ethernet
connectivity. It supports to support the needs of enterprise customers looking for on-premise
solutions while offering Layer N Cloud integration out of the box for mobile data access and
notifications.

How it Works

1. Mount a contact closure sensor to the door opening and connect it via a discrete input
to the transmitter. Hook the door contact sensor to I/O – 1.
2. Mount a clock with a timing mechanism and an alarm and connect it via a discrete
output to the transmitter. Hook the Alarm to I/O – 0.
3. Mount the temperature probe to the inside of the freezer and connect it via an analog
output to the transmitter.
4. Set an alarm in Omega Sync to trigger if the DIO >= 2 for more than 4 Minutes and
to activate I/O – 0.
5. Now when the door is open the DIO will read 2. If it is open for more then 4 minutes
it will activate the alarm and read 3. Alternatively, the Alarm can be set to latch so
that it will stay on until someone presses the reset button on the XW-ED.
6.
7. The transmitter will also transmit the data from the air temperature probe and the
contact closure to the ZW-REC wireless receiver connected via Ethernet to OEG, a
free monitoring intelligence software solution.
8. The software tracks the information received from the transmitter (temperature and
time readings). If these readings are outside the set range (i.e. above a certain
temperature threshold or beyond the four minute threshold), the OEG software will
send an email notification to the appropriate person.

Results
Any time the door is left open for more than four minutes, an auditory alarm sounds, and an
email notification is sent to the appropriate individual. This allows either nearby employees
or the manager to respond quickly when the door is open, reducing the potential for food
spoilage or increased energy costs.

Pro Tip
For better transmission distance, place the XW-ED outside the freezer.
Create a free Layer N Cloud account and integrate with OEG 2.0 for remote monitoring.

How to Monitor Asphalt Temperature

with IIoT Devices
Tracking Asphalt Temperatures During Loading
The temperature of hot mixed asphalt is a critical component to the compaction and longevity
of poured concrete.

The ideal temperature for hot mix asphalt pavement when it arrives at a project is between
275°F and 300°F. In many states, asphalt temperature is regulated and is required to be
maintained and delivered to the project sites within the ideal temperature range or else the
load is considered void.

To help monitor asphalt temperatures and ensure that no load leaves the site without being at
the appropriate temperature, one hot-mix plant created an IIoT-based application to measure
and record the temperature of the asphalt at the time it was loaded onto the truck.
Products Used
The diagram illustrates the IIoT-temperature monitoring system used in this application. The
system includes these products:

1. SP-001-0 Smart IR Temperature probe This infrared non-contact temperature smart

probe includes a modular design for wired and wireless connectivity. The probe provides
high accuracy measurement of temperatures between -20° C and 600° C and features modular
plug and play functionality.
2. IF-006-1-NA+M12.8-T-SPLIT+M12.8-S-M-FM The IF-006 series provides secure,
robust long-range wireless connectivity for any Omega Link Smart Probe, such as the SP-
001-Series. It has a 5-year battery life and a rugged IP65 NEMA 4 rated housing. M12.8-T-
SPLIT and M12.8-S-FM are required to connect the IPROX proximity sensor to the IF-006-
1-NA.

3. GW-001-2-NA Ethernet wireless gateway This receiver provides robust wireless

connectivity to the IF-006 Series transmitter, and connects via Ethernet to either a PC or
Server where OEG 2.3 software can reside for local and cloud data storage, alarming, and
analytics.
4. M12-8 Extension Cables This application also requires a M12 extension cable to connect
the IF-006 to the SP-001. Three cable lengths are offered to enable customization for the
application.
M12-8 Extension Cables for Probes
1 Meter DM12CAB-8-1-RA
1m (3.3') cable dual M12-8 connector, right angle terminator
3 Meters DM12CAB-8-3-RA
3m (9.8') cable dual M12-8 connector, right angle terminator
5 Meters DM12CAB-8-5-RA
5m (16.4') cable dual M12-8 connector, right angle terminator

5. iPROX Series Proximity Sensor The iProx sensor represents the highest performance,
most versatile tubular inductive sensor offered by Omega. By utilizing an embedded
microprocessor and exclusive SmartSense™ technology, iProx sensors can detect up to three
times farther than typical sensors of its class. With extended sensing range, quality
construction, and the ability to automatically configure its output for sinking or sourcing
connection, iProx is the ideal choice for even the most demanding inductive sensing
applications.
6. OEG Software Easily connect your Omega devices into your infrastructure. The Omega
Enterprise Gateway (OEG) software uses an intuitive web-based interface to make
monitoring and control simpler and more intelligent. The software provides 24/7 real-time
monitoring and historical data analysis, alarm and event notifications, and encrypted ethernet
connectivity. It supports to support the needs of enterprise customers looking for on-premise
solutions while offering Layer N Cloud integration out of the box for mobile data access and
notifications.
How it Works

1. When a truck pulls up for loading, the contact closure laser sends a signal to the smart
probe, which informs the operator that the truck is in position.
2. The hot mix asphalt is released through an asphalt/cement chute into the back of the truck.
3. The Smart Probe measures the temperature of the asphalt by detecting invisible infrared
light that is given off by all matter in proportion to its temperature.
4. The temperature sensed by the probe is then conveyed through the transmitter to the OEG
software, where it can be logged and saved for documentation and audit purposes. OEG can
also trigger an email notification to inform others about a truck’s departure and load
temperature.

5. If the temperature falls below or exceeds the ideal temperature range, the OEG software
will automatically notify the end user via email.

Result
A hot mix manufacturer can maintain compliance with state regulations by having an
accurate record of the temperature of each load when it leaves the plant. Additionally,
because the manufacturer receives real-time notifications when a load’s temperature doesn’t
meet requirements, the temperature monitoring system provides an additional level of quality
control and ensures that no load leaves the plant that doesn’t meet temperature requirements.
Pro Tip
Using a wireless version of the Smart Probe can save hours of installation time. Additionally,
quick connect modular M12 connectors and cables ensure connections are robust and
watertight.