The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is transforming manufacturing and a whole host of other industries. IIoT connects industrial devices that can monitor, collect, exchange, and analyze data, and leverage that data and connectivity to help you make smarter, faster and more effective business decisions.

Chances are, you’re already automating parts of your business -- but IIoT takes automation to a whole new level. Two major IIoT trends to watch for in 2020, according to Mobidev, are wireless connectivity and predictive analytics. If you aren’t leveraging IIoT as part of your marking and coding process, it’s a wasted opportunity.

How can IIoT innovate the product identification process?

Centralized printer management software connects wirelessly to your printing and coding equipment, creating a central database so that operators can review printing status and start jobs remotely using their mobile devices – among other capabilities. Centralized printer management software can also track prints and analyze operational history, to deliver valuable insights about your processes.

The robust interconnectedness of IIoT technology such as a centralized printer management system, can innovate the product identification process in a number of ways. For example, imagine being able to run your production processes without having to constantly keep an eye on your coding and labeling equipment.

Some other benefits of centralized printer management software include:

• Eliminating Coding Errors: With centralized printer management software, you can directly populate print messages with your ERP’s product and job information. By centralizing print message selection, you virtually eliminate product identification errors.
• Streamlining Processes: The software's robust API enables connectivity to automate communication between your coding operations, and your enterprise and factory automation systems. You can batch print message changes and deploy them across your printers with one click, greatly simplifying the coding side of your production changeover process.
• Continuous Oversight: Centralized printer management software offers constant visibility through a simple-to-use interface on your laptop, tablet, smartphone, or other device. You're able to oversee your product identification process in real-time with direct access to your operational history.

Is my operation ready for printer management software?

Here’s a checklist of common complexities and pains that manufacturers experience with production. If any of these experiences sound familiar, you could benefit from deploying printer management software in your facility:

• Three or more production lines in operation with dedicated coding equipment on each line
• Apply product identification codes on your primary products and cases while managing 20 or more product SKUs
• Manually entering production run and message information
• Production changeover process is automated with the exception of the print message selection step
• Coding errors come at a great expense to your operation, causing product scrappage or rework and significant organizational risk in the event of a recall

Are you ready to take your operation to the next level?

Improving manufacturing processes is an ongoing challenge, and IIoT can help. For your marking and coding process, centralized printer management software offers many benefits and seamlessly automates a complex operation.

Take the next step to automating your coding and labeling operations. Try NEXTConnect™ printer management software for free for 90 days. Contact a Diagraph representative today at [email protected] for a trial license.

Or, take the Connectivity Readiness Assessment to find out if your operation can benefit from printer management software.