At the National Plastics Exposition 2018, Travelers explored new Internet of Things (IoT) trends that may help give plastics manufacturers a competitive advantage, such as greater traceability and predictive maintenance.

1. Five Developments to Watch in 2018

2. At the 2018 National Plastics Exposition in Orlando,
Travelers manufacturing industry managers Erika
Melander and Brittani Austin explored Internet of Things
(IoT) trends that may help give plastics manufacturers a
competitive advantage, from greater traceability to
predictive maintenance.
Here are five trends to watch in 2018.
5 IoT Trends

3. Smart Machines

4. 01: Smart machines
More intelligent user interfaces, gesture control and multi-touch capability are making it easier for
manufacturers to take advantage of IoT and Industry 4.0 advances, including analyzing data from
multiple machines to inform predictive maintenance, increase efficiency and reduce downtime.

5. Smart
Production

6. 02: Smart production
Industry 4.0 technology makes it possible to store and recall all parameter settings for a job,
automating the setup of entire work cells that can perform molding, drying, chilling, blending and
other operations.

7. Smart Alerts

8. 03: Smart alerts
When a sensor detects a missing cap on a distributor, plant monitoring systems can transfer that
data to the customers’ manufacturing execution system (MES). Such alerts can cut down on an
immediate material handling error on the line and lead to overall process optimization.

9. Single Control

10. 04: Single control
A work cell that performs multiple functions using a single processor control creates a smaller
factory footprint, while requiring fewer parts, less maintenance and greater efficiency.

11. Multi-device
Management

12. 05: Multi-device management
Greater connectivity between multiple machines allows for global performance monitoring,
including service alerts complete with directions and required parts. After the complete OPC-
UA protocol is released by European plastics machinery association, Euromap, it is expected
to allow for even greater machine-to-machine connectivity.

13. The replacement costs of critical equipment can
actually increase over time.
As equipment grows “smarter” and more mission critical, it can bring a
business’s operations to a halt if it goes offline. Knowing the replacement cost
and insuring key equipment to value can help businesses recover faster after
an event.
With deep knowledge of plastics manufacturing, Travelers can help make sure
your business is covered for your unique risks.
To learn more, contact your Travelers representative.
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