21 May 4 Benefits of Edge Computing in Manufacturing
What are the advantages of edge computing for manufacturing businesses?
- Higher efficiency
- Increased security
- Better scalability
- Flexible
Over the years, the way information is stored and processed has undergone many drastic changes. Now, an emerging player called edge computing has been changing the method by which people can maximize access to information. Continue reading to learn more about the benefits of edge computing in your manufacturing business.
What is edge computing?
Simply put, edge computing simply refers to the systems, processes, and structures involved in data computing, all of which are simultaneously conducted near the data source. This kind of data decentralization doesn’t necessarily translate to information mismanagement, but quite the opposite. Imagine a three-tiered structure involving a cloud, edge nodes, and edge devices, which eliminates the need to upload your data to the cloud. Instead, data collecting and analysis take place near the end-user.
Having said all this, edge computing can significantly benefit your manufacturing processes in a number of ways.
Higher efficiency
One of the benefits of edge computing for manufacturing companies is that it is a more efficient method of transferring information. In the manufacturing sector, many levels of production greatly rely on real-time and accurate information that is delivered instantaneously. Due to the high-volume of processes involved, this particular sector places great emphasis on how fast they’re able to receive, and subsequently transmit data through the machines and devices used.
Using edge computing increases the efficiency of your manufacturing business’ day-to-day operations because it helps reduce the latency of your network, eliminating the need for your data to travel back to the central or main server. After all, this can take a much longer time. Due to the proximity of your edge data centers, your devices would be able to receive, store, and transmit information at a much faster rate. This means that the data is not being processed in a single location, meaning that each edge system is processing only part of the data, thereby increasing efficiency and overall productivity.
Increased security
When it comes to data storage, you obviously wouldn’t want your manufacturing company to experience bouts of data mismanagement. You’re always looking for innovative solutions to strengthen the level of security across your business’ data storage capabilities in order to avoid undesirable outcomes like financial loss, security breaches, and the like. By using edge computing technology, you’re giving your business a greater chance of arming itself against security breaches.
With highly-centralized data software, many of your processes are exposed to different kinds of vulnerabilities. Storing all your data in a single location makes it possible for a single security breach, or attack, to disrupt your entire operation. In edge computing, data processing takes place across a number of data centers.
As mentioned before, only part of the data is processed in each of these data centers — meaning that if one of them experiences a data breach, the other centers won’t be affected. The decentralized network present in edge computing makes it possible for you to target the source of the security compromise more quickly, and subsequently apply fixes without disrupting your entire network. Furthermore, you’re able to more closely monitor future attacks because all the data centers are conveniently located locally.
Better scalability
Another advantage of using edge computing technology is that it allows you a higher level of scalability for your manufacturing business. Expanding your network to add more data centers, devices, processors, and the like won’t be a costly endeavor to undertake, compared to if you’re doing the same thing for a centralized data center.
For example, in a data center, the system is continuously burdened by generating large volumes of data and processes at a single time. All of these processes take a lot of computational power, which can be expensive in the long run. You’ll eventually keep spending large amounts of money simply investing in larger-scale extensions that need to transmit and store an even greater volume of data.
With edge computing, the fragmented nature of the structure means you can invest in affordable means of data expansion. The distributed network means that data traffic won’t be congested in a single location, thereby easing your operations.
Flexible
When it comes to managing your manufacturing business’s day to day operations, you’d want to invest in systems that provide your business with a high level of customization and adaptability. Your preferences are invaluable in determining which factors of your business will contribute to an increase in overall productivity, efficiency, and, consequently, better financial results. As such, you’d also rejoice in the fact that investing in edge computing offers your business with unparalleled flexibility, which you might not see in centralized data systems.
You have the freedom to choose which kinds of devices and processors you’ll be using. Furthermore, you can add as many servers as you want, depending on the scale of your manufacturing business. You may also want to integrate other smart and automated solutions to increase further your facility’s production capacity, all under the assistance of edge computing technology.
Key Takeaway
The benefits of edge computing are something your manufacturing business would definitely not want to miss out on. This data storage structure offers you the highest level of accessibility, security, and customization – all of which wouldn’t otherwise be evident (or only to a lesser extent) in cumbersome single-location data centers.
Although there are many advantages to edge computing, and more innovations will come out of it, the guide above has hopefully provided you with a starting point on just how well you can integrate this data structure in your manufacturing operations.