Industrial IoT (IIoT) is the network of sensors, instruments, and machines in industrial settings that are connected to computers and software to collect and use operational data. It applies internet-style connectivity to manufacturing, energy, and other industrial operations.
An IIoT setup usually has four layers. Devices: sensors, meters, drives, PLCs. Connectivity: fieldbuses, industrial Ethernet, wireless, and gateways. Data transport and models: protocols such as OPC UA and MQTT. Applications: historians, dashboards, analytics, and AI running on edge devices or in the cloud.
Much IIoT work is retrofitting. Older machines may expose little data, so teams add clamp-on sensors or read existing PLC tags through a gateway. The value comes from combining data that used to stay inside each machine.
IIoT differs from consumer IoT in its requirements: long equipment life, deterministic control, safety, and harsh environments. It also widens the attack surface of operational technology. Every connected device and gateway is a potential entry point, so IIoT projects need OT security planning from the start, not after deployment.
Questions about Industrial IoT
What is the difference between IoT and IIoT?
The requirements differ. Industrial IoT has to account for long equipment life, deterministic control, safety and harsh environments, which sets it apart from consumer IoT.
Can you add IIoT to old machines?
Yes. Much IIoT work is retrofitting. Older machines may expose little data, so teams add clamp-on sensors or read existing PLC tags through a gateway.
Does industrial IoT create security risks?
Yes. It widens the attack surface of operational technology, because every connected device and gateway is a potential entry point. IIoT projects need OT security planning from the start, not after deployment.
Industrial IoT in real plants
- Tuffaloy and MachineMetrics: Resistance welding parts maker Tuffaloy runs MachineMetrics on 14 connected lathes in Greer, South Carolina, linked to its Epicor Kinetic ERP for cycle times, downtime and part counts.
- DNP and MachineMetrics: Industrial printing manufacturer DNP uses MachineMetrics machine data with MaintainX work orders at its North Carolina operation for live downtime tracking and usage-based maintenance.
- Water Authority of Jordan and ABB: GIZ and the Water Authority of Jordan selected the ABB Genix Industrial IoT and AI Suite to track and reduce energy use in pumping stations, water treatment plants and distribution networks.
- Stellantis and Tractian: Stellantis put Tractian energy monitoring sensors on welding robot control panels at one plant to track each robot's electrical behavior; the project is being scaled to 134 machines.
- Petrobras and Emerson: Petrobras monitors 114 pressure safety valves and six steam traps at its RPBC refinery with Emerson wireless acoustic transmitters and Plantweb Insight analysis software to trace leaks behind flaring.
Vendors linked to Industrial IoT
MachineMetrics (6) · KCF Technologies (2) · Litmus (2) · ABB (1) · Emerson (1) · Tractian (1) · Tulip
Related terms
MQTT
MQTT is a lightweight publish/subscribe messaging protocol, an OASIS standard, in which devices send messages to named topics on a broker and any subscribed application receives them.
OPC UA
OPC UA (OPC Unified Architecture) is a platform-independent, open standard for exchanging industrial data securely between machines, controllers and software, published by the OPC Foundation and standardized as IEC 62541.
Edge AI
Edge AI is running machine learning models on or near the device that produces the data, such as a camera, gateway, or industrial PC, instead of in a remote cloud.
IT/OT convergence
IT/OT convergence is the integration of information technology, the systems that handle business data, with operational technology, the systems that monitor and control physical equipment, so data and practices flow between them.
OT cybersecurity
OT cybersecurity is the protection of operational technology, the control systems and networks that run physical processes, against cyber threats, with safety, availability and reliable operation as the first priorities.