The Industrial IoT Blog
IIoT Insights by Henry Costa
Tag: Smart Manufacturing
Manufacturing driven by real-time data, connectivity, and automation to improve efficiency, quality, and flexibility. It connects people, machines, and systems to support better decisions and faster execution.
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Managing Up, Down, and Sideways: The Hidden Skill of IIoT Architects
Read more: Managing Up, Down, and Sideways: The Hidden Skill of IIoT ArchitectsIf there’s one thing I wish more people understood about IIoT architecture, it’s this: the tech is hard, yes — but managing people up, down, and sideways is the real superpower. You can have the cleanest architecture, the best platform,…
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Foundations: Key Differences Between IoT and Industrial IoT (IIoT)
Read more: Foundations: Key Differences Between IoT and Industrial IoT (IIoT)I get asked a lot about the difference between IoT and IIoT, especially from folks who are new to manufacturing or are coming from IT. It’s a fair question. On the surface, both involve connecting “things” to the internet, collecting…
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How IIoT and AI Are Transforming Maintenance & Asset Tracking
Read more: How IIoT and AI Are Transforming Maintenance & Asset TrackingIIoT and AI are changing maintenance and asset tracking; it’s not hype, and it’s not just for big manufacturing conferences. I’ve seen the shift up close, from the early days of connecting a few machines to the reality today—where we…
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Building a Smart Manufacturing Consulting Practice: The First 90 Days
Read more: Building a Smart Manufacturing Consulting Practice: The First 90 DaysStarting a Smart Manufacturing consulting practice from the ground up is a bit like jumping onto a moving train — you need to get your bearings fast, build trust with new faces, and learn to solve real problems before you…
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How AI Is Driving IIoT Market Growth
Read more: How AI Is Driving IIoT Market GrowthAI and automation are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, and they’re changing how we all work — from the plant floor to the boardroom. I’ve seen this play out over the past years, and I want to share what’s…
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Large Language Model (LLM) Integration with IIoT for Real-Time Industrial Intelligence: What I’ve Really Seen
Read more: Large Language Model (LLM) Integration with IIoT for Real-Time Industrial Intelligence: What I’ve Really SeenLarge language models (LLMs) like GPT-5 are starting to show up in industrial settings, and—if you ask me—they’re about to change how we think about real-time intelligence on the shop floor. I’ll break down what I’ve actually seen, what works,…
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What’s the Value of Combining IIoT with Blockchain?
Read more: What’s the Value of Combining IIoT with Blockchain?I’ve been around manufacturing tech for a while — long enough to see a lot of “next big things” come and go. Lately, I keep hearing more people ask: “What if we combine IIoT with Blockchain?” Is it just hype,…
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How Big Data, IIoT, and a Unified Namespace Work Together to Unlock Smart Manufacturing
Read more: How Big Data, IIoT, and a Unified Namespace Work Together to Unlock Smart ManufacturingGetting value from smart manufacturing isn’t about chasing the latest tech or buying shiny new machines. It’s about making data flow — from every sensor and PLC to the cloud, and then back to the people who need it. Over…
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Current Trends in IIoT Applications – Insights from 2025
Read more: Current Trends in IIoT Applications – Insights from 2025Let’s talk about what’s actually changing on the factory floor with IIoT right now—not what slide decks and vendor pitches promise, but what’s really happening when teams connect machines, data, and people across different plants and industries. Some of these…
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This Is Why I’m Still Fascinated by IIoT
Read more: This Is Why I’m Still Fascinated by IIoTIf you ask me why IIoT still fascinates me after all these years, I could list technologies, architectures, or buzzwords. But honestly, it’s not about that. What keeps me hooked are the real, messy, and sometimes frustrating stories behind every…
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What to Keep in Mind When Designing a New IIoT Strategy
Read more: What to Keep in Mind When Designing a New IIoT StrategyIf there’s one thing I’ve learned from two decades in the trenches of manufacturing IT and IIoT, it’s that a good strategy isn’t about chasing the latest technology or ticking off a checklist. It’s about making real improvements—connecting machines, data,…
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Digital Twins: Bridging the Physical and Digital Worlds
Read more: Digital Twins: Bridging the Physical and Digital WorldsIf you’ve spent any time in a plant or a control room, you know there’s a gap between what’s happening on the floor and what’s visible on the screens in the office. That’s the gap digital twins are meant to…