Connectivity provider Sigfox is partnering with Alizent to bring industrial Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities for monitoring and tracking of assets worldwide.
The two companies, that will combine their respective technologies for the initiative, say Industry 4.0 is one of the main growth paths driving the development of IoT and the companies are already working on opportunities in Europe and the U.S.
One pilot project involves the tracking and monitoring of gas cylinders where using Alizent’s tracking solution with Sigfox connectivity is used to collect accurate data from a fleet of returnable containers. The information gathered from the system gives insights into the value chain and provides real-time inventories to customers.
Another project involves tracking animal vaccine boxes in the U.S. Because many vaccines contain active bio-ingredients, they must be transported with great care and under specific conditions. Not keeping them at the right temperature could result in the animals not receiving the proper quality of vaccine. Alizent and Sigfox are testing a tracking system that reports container data such as temperature, shock and tilt through the entire shipment journey. These metrics can help companies enable better quality control and traceability for greater efficiency.
A third trial project is tracking oxygen cylinders in one of the largest hospitals in Texas. The tracking of these portable oxygen containers for inventory control and billing purposes is a complex task. The project is aimed at simplifying the process while also reducing cylinder losses and rental fees for customers.
Finally, the companies are working on a project for preventive maintenance of beer equipment. Tasked with maintaining the correct temperature for draft beer and cider beer, brewers would use Alizent’s predictive maintenance solution with Sigfox’s connectivity to allow for beer monitoring of coolers and dispensers’ temperature. The solution is aimed to prevent breakdowns of equipment, reduce extensive repairs, the waste of time and money and ultimately sales losses.