Impact

Zoom on Internet of Things

Published on 29 November 2024

Internet of Things (IoT) is pivotal to the collection and digitisation of data. This technology is used in all areas of SPIE's activity. 

We invite you to take a European tour of SPIE projects using IoT and to come across Carole BONNAFOUS, Smart Data & IOT BU manager of SPIE ICS (France) and Laurent MAILLE, Smart Data & IoT Global service manager of SPIE ICS (France), interview on ValuOty data services.

What’s Internet of Things? 
The Internet of Things is a technology framework that connects physical objects to the Internet, enabling them to send and receive data. IoT devices can interact and cooperate with other devices by integrating sensors, software, and network connectivity, automating processes, and improving efficiency. This technology supports a wide range of applications, from smart home systems to industrial automation, reshaping how we interact with the physical world.

 

How does ValuOty contribute to your work and to our teams?

ValuOty’s benefits extend to our customers and SPIE ICS alike. It’s a valuable service offer and a significant upgrade for our portfolio, as it enables us to provide SaaS solutions. It’s also been good for our teams as we greatly improved our Cloud, IoT, and DevOps expertise throughout its design and implementation. 

How does it provide added value to our customers?

Its versatility makes it, essentially, an all-in-one SaaS solution. We get to support customers’ data projects in a real co-construction process. ValuOty addresses their needs in three key aspects of data: the first is managing, collecting, storing, and securing IoT-related data; the second is adding value to this data by complementing our data visualisation services with AI solutions; the third is managing machine-to-machine (M2M) communications. Building on these capabilities, we can improve predictive maintenance and further optimise productivity (e.g. overall equipment effectiveness); the same applies to managing and tracking energy efficiency. 

Have you encountered any difficulties along the way?

Some technical challenges arose from the low level of maturity and standardisation of the solutions we use. We had to rely on our expertise and adaptability but it’s to be expected when treading new ground. 

Have you seen any time savings or other benefits from this solution?

A great example is our work on the project to advise equipment manufacturer Bobcat on digitalising their production chain. ValuOty made data consolidation so simple and efficient – almost in real-time – that we could rapidly reach economies of scale; this, in turn made our decision-making process much more responsive.

Explore some SPIE projects using IoT

Moveable asset data – Netherlands:

SPIE and the Dutch Ministry of Transport are using data-driven asset management to monitor failure mechanisms in moveable infrastructures 24/7, resulting in effective preventive maintenance operations.

« Replacing failures outside office hours with preventive maintenance improves infrastructure viability and personnel’s work-life balance. » Robert DE RIDDER, Executive Manager of Technology & Asset Management at SPIE Nederland.

Musculoskeletal Disorders Sensors – France:

In a study of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) risks, employees were fitted with lightweight, high-precision vibration sensors to measure their muscular activity and gauge the occupational strain of specific tasks and equipment.

« Having objective data on our employees’ physical activity is crucial to effectively address musculoskeletal disorders and invest in prevention. » Ludovic TISSIE, Quality Safety & Environment Manager at SPIE Building Solutions (France).

Vibration Analysis (semiconductors) – Germany & Switzerland:

High-precision industries like semiconductor production routinely include vibration analysis in their processes to recommend maintenance operations. As vibration analysis tools become cheaper thanks to advances in machine learning, SPIE is enhancing its predictive maintenance services by testing Schaeffler’s OPTIME® system. The solution combines battery-powered vibration sensors capable of self-learning, robust 4G gateways, and a cloud solution to run analytics and raise the frequency of monitoring.

Ecolution – Netherlands :

As building owners grapple with rapid shifts in regulation, tech, user needs, and investments, SPIE steps in as a strategic partner with Ecolution. This five-step solution to help customers understand and improve their real estate and energy performance includes:

- EcoVision: establishing goals
- EcoScan: data collection, analysis & reporting
- EcoRoadmap: drawing improvement plans, estimating investments & creating a business case
- EcoAction: implementing energy-saving measures & optimising data management
- EcoPerformance: remote monitoring & operation with data-driven performance guarantees

Facility Management Analytics – Germany:

Property operation and management creates a wealth of data – e.g. maintenance logs, Computer-Aided Facility Management (CAFM) system data, metre readings. FM Analytics, an intelligent data analysis platform, efficiently identifies correlations and deviations in operational processes for timely event responses and transparent service mapping, while the platform’s insights support customer decision-making on cost savings or energy efficiency.

Intuitive dashboards offer a clear overview, with customer-specific benchmarking, detailed information displays (disruption levels, processing times, costs…), and animated heat maps.