QWERTY Stuck In Time. Gesture, Voice And Brain: The Future Of Controls.

By Eduardo Binotto, Software Engineer/IoT Developer at PackIOT Much is discussed about artificial intelligence, different ways of communication, languages, and manners to provide interaction between machines and human beings. But if we think about it, there is one area that has not progressed that far: the way we type. Patented in 1878, the QWERTY keyboard has been the main input device for computers since the birth of computing, having even been digitized into modern devices like our mobile phones. So, chances are that we will be typing, one way or another, for a long time to come. But, as technology evolves, new ways to interact with systems arise, and it’s important to stay up to date and see what the future may offer in terms of Human-Machine Interactions. Voice control  One of them that has been gathering traction in recent years is the Voice Control. Many computing devices today are capable of understanding speech in a way that they can easily control things with just a simple voice command. Although the hype, a survey showed that 46% of the respondents said that they have never used voice assistants, and another 19% rarely use, revealing that there is…

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5 reasons why your packaging manufacturing factory should not have manual data inputs

Manual data entry is one of the biggest headaches in companies from different sectors. Manually processed tasks are more susceptible to human errors, which interfere directly with the performance of results. That is because inaccurate information hinders leaders in decision-making and can lead to catastrophic actions. In addition to these first points mentioned above, other numerous problems arise when manufacturing companies still use the manual method to collect, input, or store data. That's why our team of experts has created this guide with five reasons why you should not have manual data entry in your plant.  1. Manual data entry can drive to human errors As you might imagine, problem number one is related to human error. A natural feature of human beings is that we are never fully focused. For many reasons, we can be distracted when performing a task, commiting errors that can only be identified later when they have already hindered the progress of activities. And there are several factors that interfere with the probability of "human error" occurring. Either due to the complexity of a job, extensive working hours, excessive pressure from managers, among other reasons that lead the employee to be tired…

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How to use Excel to run a production dashboard at your factory?

How do I craft a production dashboard in my plant using Microsoft Excel? Let's start from the very beginning. In another article, we told you about the pitfalls of managing your entire factory using excel. It happens that many companies want to start their digital transformation and need to start internally, with a pilot project, and then hire an appropriate tool. Digital Maturity in the Packaging Industry Benchmarking Report: Download it now for free! Our Chief Data Officer, Eduardo Weingartner, has shot a video on the subject. On it, you will see how to use your machine data to create a production analysis dashboard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKwnFykf_AE&feature=youtu.be To complement this, Eduardo mentions some tools that can be integrated into the dashboard in Excel. When to subscribe to a production analytics software? First of all, nice question! Excel has very sensitive limitations (like Human error/data reliability, Data availability/information flow, Dashboards, and views / Important data can be hidden) and at some point, you will no longer be able to get relevant insights. This will impair your decision making for operational efficiency and cost reduction. Three of the main times to look for a professional solution are when you need more…

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What is PackML and how can it help packaging companies and OEMs?

When I first heard about PackML, I understood it as a set of states and concepts to model how machines present themselves and behave, and thus, helping different machines from diverse OEMs to easily integrate and work together as a single line. Digital Maturity in the Packaging Industry Benchmarking Report: Download it now for free! But as I started to dive deeper into it, I can now say that PackML is much more than a definition for communication between machines and software. PackML Interface State Model - Source: OMAC What is PackML? So what is PackML then? PackML is short for Packaging Machine Language and it is an industry-standard for the control and monitoring of packaging machines as an area of OT - Operational Technology and industrial automation. From the 3 main categories that comprise the Manufacturing Automation Industry: Continuous, Batch, and Discrete control, PackML focuses on the last 2 and although it was primarily created for the packaging industry, its definition is valid for any discrete process.  It was created by OMAC  Organization for Machine Automation and Control in conjunction with the International Society of Automation (ISA). Both entities were working on separate definitions until it…

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7 talks on industrial IoT and digital transformation that you’ll probably like

Many professionals around the world want to improve on the industrial internet of things (IIot) concept but have difficulty finding quality content, with reliable channels. That's why we've decided to create a "mini curation". This way you can evolve your knowledge on the subject. And there's nothing better than learning more about IIOT using videos. Save the link to your browser favorites and watch it at your own pace. I'm sure it'll be worth it. At any time you can also check this other content: Glossary of Digital Transformation in Manufacturing: 40 terms you must know. I am pretty sure it could help. 1. How it Works: The Internet of Things and Manufacturing | IBM Think Academy Well, you are going to check by yourself, but it's always good to make things clear in advance: the first one is not a lecture. But this content is so simple and effective that we decided to list it here. This IBM video objectively explains several IoT applications for the industry. It is short and light. It's really worth watching. The Internet of Things for manufacturing is a platform that combines the capabilities of analytics, cognitive computing, and the IoT to…

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Glossary of Digital Transformation in Manufacturing: 40 terms you must know

Since we have decided to discuss relevant terms and expressions, it is almost impossible not to start with this one: digital transformation. Well, digital transformation can be defined as a phenomenon that incorporates the use of digital technology to traditional problem solutions. Thus, it encompasses procedural changes in different spheres of society. This transformation modifies the paradigm of the use of technology, for example, in the following areas: government, economy, labor market, industry, future of work, education, medicine, arts, science, global communication, among others. We know it is hard to stay on top of everything since a lot of news (and new terms) are constantly coming out. That is why we have prepared this guide to help you get to know the main terms and expressions used within the 4.0 industry, internet of things and digital transformation contexts.  I hope you make good use of them at your next meeting. 3D Simulation Products, materials or even processes that can be simulated in 3D: so that it is possible to analyze actual data and thus improve the models before implementation. Advanced Manufacturing It is the combination of automation in the industry, with advances in computing, connectivity and IT.…

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Digital transformation for manufacturing: back to basics

Digital Transformation is one of the most highlighted buzzwords of this age (industry 4.0 age, we mean). But the concept can accept a lot of situations above its umbrella. Currently, digital transformation can be applied to a variety of things. The concept is broad and ends up being used by people, companies, governments, and organizations. An important report from PWC (with companies from 26 countries) shows a total of US$907 bn in annual digital investments - yearly. But, let's get started from the beginning. What is digital transformation Digital Transformation can be defined as a phenomenon that incorporates the use of digital technology to traditional problem-solving. Thus, it encompasses procedural changes in different spheres of society: this transformation modifies the paradigm of the use of technology, for example, in the following areas: government, economy, labor market, education, medicine, arts, science, global communication, among others. In addition, digital transformation has the capacity to increase integration between different sectors of society, being applied to issues related to public administration problems, for instance. Digital evolution index (Harvard Busines Review) The matter is so important that Harvard Business Review has created its own "Digital Evolution Index". This index is presented in…

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Remote monitoring of machinery and devices is a groundbreaking opportunity for OEMs

Day after day, it's becoming easier to realize that IoT has been transforming the way manufacturers identify and solve problems on the shop floor. And one of the most important partners to achieve this goal is wireless solutions (such as wi-fi, 3g 4g, and 5g connections). After that, all the features of connected devices have been developing a fantastic job to increase productivity, reduce costs and make the life of machine builders easier on this matter.  For them (and of course, their customers), decision making for machine maintenance is often based on a reactive, not proactive attitude. This means that hours or days are lost on both sides when a problem occurs, especially in a more distant factory. The above case is quite common and happens in most relationships between factories and OEMs. And this can become a real headache. But there are a few options to avoid this problem. For instance, by remotely monitoring different machine components, OEMs can detect excess vibration before it causes unplanned downtime (and this is a great operation advantage). Besides vibration, sensors also can send temperature, presence, and general performance data to a wireless logic controller or PLC for collection and…

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How to gather and manage data (from teams and assets)?

Written by Infraspeak team! We live in the era of Industry 4.0, which is the revolutionary digitalization of manufacturing that involves Big Data, which is the concept that studies all the data gathered and managed. And managing and generating data are a crucial part of this process in all companies.  Why generate data? A well-run, efficient and productive company relies on data to achieve greater goals. But why? Well, there are a lot of perks in doing that: Decision-making One of the toughest and more stressful tasks leans on decision-making. Insecurities creep in and the human mind gets in the way. And how to avoid this situation? Analytics and data. By generating data, decision-making almost becomes a mathematical and analytical question. Depending on the industry, data can reveal essential intel regarding your own company, the field in general or global traits that can boost its efficiency. Harnessing data can, for example, help you find and retain new clients, improve your customer experience, predict new trends, enhance your marketing strategy and even track social media and its potential. Problem-solving Besides relieving you of making hard decisions on your own, it also helps you with solving problems. No company…

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10 statistics you can’t miss about IoT in the industry sector (packaging included)

I don't think I need to convince you that industry is changing and a revolution is happening in front of our own eyes, right? So, let's skip this part and go straight to the point... We've listed 10 statistics that support the above statement. Some of them take your breath away. Are you ready? Click the orange circles and check the first 5 statistics in the interactive image.   6 . Data and analytics are becoming increasingly important to decision-making (packaging industry) A report from PWC on Digital Transformation shows that 83% of respondents in forest, paper & packaging industry believe that data analysis will be a core factor to decision making in 5 years. When asked about the current situation, this figure is 55%. There's a great development opportunity here! 7. Most companies don’t yet have mature data analytics capabilities (yet) According to the same report mentioned above, only 18% of survey respondents rate the maturity of their data analytics capabilities as advanced, and more than half say that the lack of skills and competencies in their company’s workforce is a key challenge to making full use of data analytics. 8. Companies will have 5%% of…

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