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Using IoT to Monitor Machine-Level Energy Consumption

January 5, 2024
5 min read
M-Connect Insights

Energy as a Critical Manufacturing Cost

Electricity consumption represents one of the largest operating expenses in manufacturing plants.

However, most facilities monitor energy consumption only at the plant or department level, making it difficult to identify inefficient machines.

Limitations of Traditional Energy Monitoring

Traditional monitoring methods fail to provide detailed insights into how individual machines consume power during different production states.

WHY PLANT-LEVEL MONITORING IS NOT ENOUGH TRADITIONAL — PLANT-LEVEL METER Main Meter M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 One meter · No machine-level data · Cannot identify waste ✗ Limited Visibility MACHINE-LEVEL — M-CONNECT M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M-Connect Per-machine kWh · Idle energy · Cost per part ✓ Full Granularity
Machine-level monitoring reveals which specific equipment is consuming the most energy — plant meters cannot

Machine-Level Energy Measurement

Machine-level energy monitoring provides visibility into power consumption during:

  • Machining cycles
  • Idle states
  • Standby conditions

Engineering Metrics for Energy Efficiency

Energy Intensity = Energy Consumed / Parts Produced

This metric helps manufacturers evaluate the energy efficiency of production processes.

MEASURING ENERGY EFFICIENCY 45 kWh Energy Consumed Energy Intensity = Energy (kWh) ÷ Parts Produced = 0.30 kWh per part 150 Parts Produced Yesterday: 0.35 kWh/part ▲ Higher (worse) Today: 0.30 kWh/part ▼ Improved ÷
Energy Intensity (kWh/part) is the most actionable metric for comparing machine efficiency across shifts and production runs

M-Connect Energy Monitoring Architecture

M-Connect integrates industrial energy meters with machine monitoring systems.

Capabilities include:

  • Machine-level power monitoring
  • Real-time energy dashboards
  • Power consumption trends
  • Abnormal energy usage alerts
M-CONNECT ENERGY MONITORING ARCHITECTURE kWh Power Meter Per machine IoT Gateway M-Connect Edge device On-premise M-Connect Platform Cloud analytics ⚠ Alert Abnormal usage Energy Dashboard Power Now 8.4 kW Daily Total 142 kWh Cost / Part ₹0.18 Idle Waste 18% Real-time energy metrics
M-Connect connects industrial power meters to real-time dashboards — machine by machine, shift by shift

Energy Analytics for Manufacturing Operations

Energy analytics enable manufacturers to identify:

  • Energy-intensive machines
  • Idle energy consumption
  • Opportunities for energy optimization

Strategic Energy Management Insights

Manufacturers can reduce operational costs by improving machine energy efficiency and optimizing production schedules.

Conclusion

Machine-level energy monitoring provides the visibility required to control energy costs and improve operational efficiency in manufacturing plants.

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Energy Monitoring Machine-Level Power Consumption IoT

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