BSQUARE : Industry 4.0 and the Advantages of Edge Computing

Industry 4.0 and the Advantages of Edge Computing

January 12, 2021

The fourth industrial revolution, commonly referred to as Industry 4.0, revolves around the adoption of smart and autonomous devices in industrial spaces. This is evident as we see more businesses making the shift to smarter devices and IoT solutions. One major component of the advancing industry is edge computing, which allows you to process data locally on your embedded device, rather than in the cloud. But why does computing on the edge matter for your business?

The importance of edge computing to Industry 4.0 boils down to three major benefits:

1. Reduced latency
2. Reduced costs
3. Increased reliability

Keep reading to explore how these can affect your business, or get started with Bsquare now.

Reduced Latency

When it comes to your business, time is of the essence. The bigger an industrial IoT system, the more likely it is to encounter delays sending data to and from the cloud. The latency for one device might be bearable, but compound it with dozens, or even hundreds, of devices, and you can risk long waits and delayed emergency alerts. Through edge computing, however, more data can be processed locally, reducing the latency caused by a round-trip visit to the cloud.

Microsoft has many IoT operating systems that can accommodate edge computing, including Windows Server IoT 2019. With Windows Server IoT 2019, you will be able to build devices that can handle a high volume of data, send information quickly from edge to cloud, and scale easily as you grow. The OS also provides robust security and enterprise manageability. As a Microsoft IoT distributor, Bsquare can help you explore your OS options for edge computing. The move to Industry 4.0 depends on secure solutions like Windows Server IoT 2019 to process on the edge.

Reduced Costs

Sending communications to and from the cloud can be an expensive way to handle your data. These costs can increase if devices like cameras or sensors are unable to filter through information. This means you might be paying to send data that is not useful to your operation or to decision-making.

Edge computing helps you lower these costs and save money by making it possible for devices to process data locally at the point of collection. You avoid sending unnecessary information to and from the cloud. With this method, devices can still send vital data to the cloud, but don't have to rely on the cloud for all data processing.

Getting started does not have to be difficult, either. SquareOne from Bsquare is an all-in-one device management solution that includes a compact client that supports bi-directional communication between devices, sensors, and the cloud. SquareOne helps you to store data offline, encrypt your communications, and serve as a local gateway for other devices to process data.

A sophisticated device management solution allows you to incorporate edge computing solutions into the systems and standards your operation already uses. You can shift to edge computing without having to start from scratch, which is cheaper and faster to implement.

Increased Reliability

Not only does extensive cloud connection tend to mean increased latency and costs, but it can also be less reliable. Even with the addition of 5G, cellular networks can be unreliable. Add in an entire system's worth of devices straining the network and there can be trouble when the network eventually goes down. And in Industry 4.0, data processing can't wait.

Edge computing helps to mitigate those risks by helping you shift more decision and management power to the device itself. This way, even if there are network troubles, your devices can continue to collect, process and store vital information. Furthermore, by shifting more data to local devices, you reduce the amount of bandwidth consumed. Using less bandwidth means it's less likely that network troubles will happen when an emergency occurs.

SquareOne also helps strengthen your edge computing system with a comprehensive solution for recovery, upgrade, and imaging. This allows you to keep your IoT devices updated and gather past data and information from devices that might have failed. SquareOne helps you with the device management aspect of your new edge computing solution.

Whether you are building an IIoT solution from scratch or are improving upon what you have already created, Bsquare is here to help your business reach its full IoT potential. We have served customers across the globe, from Fortune 500 companies to small start-ups, and can bring that wealth of knowledge and experience to your industry. Contact the Bsquare team now to get started.

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