Hapman offers Internet of Things for material handling equipment

Material handling equipment provider Hapman will provide Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) capabilities for its customers through an integration with technology vendor Dattus, allowing users to avoid breakdowns by applying predictive maintenance practices, the companies said Wednesday.

Kalamazoo, Mich.-based Hapman said it would deploy the technology in order to create a web of connected computers and sensors that function as a "nervous system" for the operation of the company's bulk material processing equipment.

The IIoT solution provides both the infrastructure and software necessary to collect and analyze data from those platforms, as well as virtually any other end-user connected device, such as a PC, smartphone, or tablet, according to Indianapolis-based Dattus. By analyzing that flood of data, the system will support real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance for all devices on the factory floor, Dattus said.

The approach is similar to consumer IoT applications that monitor data created by fitness trackers, smartwatches, and smart home equipment, but in this case, the technology will allow facility managers to ensure better performance, availability, and reliability of their material handling equipment, the company said.

"Our goal is provide our customers with the tools they need for predictive maintenance and the prevention of unplanned downtime," Hapman Vice President Greg Patterson said in a statement. "We will provide powerful integration capabilities for our customers, who will then be able to integrate valuable data from their machines into their existing platforms."