Wireless works wonders for manufacturing firms
Network World (US) - Issue #11 (16 Mar 2005)
Wireless technologies for harvesting real-time data off factory networks - and strategies for putting such information to use - were hot topics at this week's National Manufacturing Week conference.
However, some manufacturing IT professionals highlighted the risks involved in deploying wireless technology in factories, or converging plant control networks with IT systems and back-office data centers. Others voiced concerns that gleaning too much data from manufacturing processes could complicate rather than streamline a manufacturing operation.
"Manufacturers are getting closer to where demand and supply are more synchronous," says Bob Parker, an analyst with IDC. "We're seeing the emergence of RFID and sensor networks as the means for collecting the kind of data that is needed to make this synchronization happen."
Among those moving in this direction is General Motors, which has deployed RFID, 802.11 and sensor networks in several plants.
More...
Wireless technologies for harvesting real-time data off factory networks - and strategies for putting such information to use - were hot topics at this week's National Manufacturing Week conference.
However, some manufacturing IT professionals highlighted the risks involved in deploying wireless technology in factories, or converging plant control networks with IT systems and back-office data centers. Others voiced concerns that gleaning too much data from manufacturing processes could complicate rather than streamline a manufacturing operation.
"Manufacturers are getting closer to where demand and supply are more synchronous," says Bob Parker, an analyst with IDC. "We're seeing the emergence of RFID and sensor networks as the means for collecting the kind of data that is needed to make this synchronization happen."
Among those moving in this direction is General Motors, which has deployed RFID, 802.11 and sensor networks in several plants.
More...
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