June 20208 MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY INSIGHTSIN MY OPINIONA Smarter Approach to Factory AirBy Travis Haynam, Vice President Segments, Nederman Division [STO:NMAN]Whether your factory is already on the digital transformation journey and Industrial IoT (IIoT) solutions or just beginning the process, increased productivity, reduced waste, improved worker safety, and more sustainable operations are standard expectations. Factories often first look to improve their primary customer value streams or core processes and certainly this is a logical starting point, but a factory's digital strategy should not end here as many opportunities exist within supporting activities that can have significant impacts on improved production and overall operations. One such opportunity is factory indoor air quality and the industrial air filtration systems responsible for creating and maintaining this air. Air quality may not be an obvious next step for IIoT investments but creating and maintaining a clean working environment through smarter operation of dust, mist or fume collection equipment will directly impact critical areas including employee health and safety, reduced energy consumption and sustainability. Furthermore, factories rarely possess the in-house expertise to fully understand these systems or the available resources to properly maintain these solutions, let alone optimize their performance. IIoT presents the opportunity for industry experts to be built directly into the solution and allow factories to take control of their air. Let's review how the IIoT supported filtration systems will improve factory operations. Worker Safety: Compliance with applicable exposure limits and safety standards is an essential component of any factory safety plan. IIoT brings the ability to ensure that the filtration system is functioning correctly and protecting workers. Direct measurements near workers breathing zones, ambient dust concentration, or opacity levels can each be used to activate control systems or alert workers of problems to minimize the hazard exposure. Additionally, IIoT can be used to measure and track worker use of contaminant control devices to encourage adoption for even the most stubborn employees. The filter's effectiveness and efficiency can be monitored through regular
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