Abstract
This paper uses case studies to demonstrate the potential of smart manufacturing (SM) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to enhance operational performance and productivity in the industry. The analysis highlights benefits like cost reduction, production flexibility, shorter product times-to-market, energy/water efficiency and environmental impact reduction, and increased productivity. To illustrate the effectiveness of SM and IoT approaches, the authors sought out manufacturers currently implementing or seeking to implement SM & IoT technologies. The authors identified beer brewing (NAICS Code —312120) as a rapidly expanding industry whose members appear eager to implement SM technologies to optimize production lines by revealing bottlenecks and identifying performance-reducing nodes. The paper presents two case studies based on SM and IoT technologies in breweries. It briefly describes a systematic framework introduced elsewhere by the authors and uses it to assess the energy productivity and competitiveness of SM applications in breweries. The paper addresses questions concerning the information and communications technology infrastructure needed to build smart breweries, and how corporations simplify the installation and deployment of SM and IoT components.
