Definition
Industrial IoT sensors.
An industrial IoT sensor measures a physical variable in the plant (temperature, vibration, current, pressure, count) and sends the reading over a network to a system that stores it, relates it to the operation and alerts when something goes out of range. What sets it apart from a traditional sensor is not the sensing element, but that the data arrives on its own, time-stamped, without anyone writing it down.
Types
Types of IoT sensors in a plant
Each sensor is worth the decision it lets you make. This is the one each answers:
Temperature
Cold rooms, tunnels, ovens and thermal processes.
What it decides: Whether a batch stayed within the range the standard requires.
Vibration
Motors, pumps, fans and gearboxes.
What it decides: When to service equipment before it fails.
Energy per phase
Switchboards, lines and high-consumption equipment.
What it decides: What the plant consumes when it is not producing and what each unit costs.
Pressure, level and flow
Compressed air, tanks, water and steam.
What it decides: Where there are leaks and when to refill.
Counting and presence
Production and packaging lines, with a sensor or with vision on existing cameras.
What it decides: How much was produced per shift, without reconciling spreadsheets.
Connectivity
Industrial instrumentation: how sensors connect
Wired to the PLC
When it fits
The sensor already exists and the PLC reads it
Keep in mind
Read from the PLC without changing its program
LoRa
When it fits
Long distances, large warehouses, no cabling
Keep in mind
Low power; long-life batteries
Wi-Fi
When it fits
Areas with a network already installed
Keep in mind
Easy to install; depends on coverage
Modbus RTU / TCP
When it fits
Energy meters and equipment with digital output
Keep in mind
Industrial standard, direct reading
| Connection | When it fits | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Wired to the PLC | The sensor already exists and the PLC reads it | Read from the PLC without changing its program |
| LoRa | Long distances, large warehouses, no cabling | Low power; long-life batteries |
| Wi-Fi | Areas with a network already installed | Easy to install; depends on coverage |
| Modbus RTU / TCP | Energy meters and equipment with digital output | Industrial standard, direct reading |
Getting those measurements somewhere else without anyone going to read them is telemetry: a more detailed comparison of networks is in industrial telemetry: what it is and how it works.
Getting started
How to start without replacing anything
- 1Pick a variable that is written down by hand today or that drives a costly decision: a cold room, a critical motor, a switchboard’s consumption.
- 2Check whether a sensor connected to the PLC already exists. If it does, it is read from there read-only; if not, a new one is installed.
- 3Measure in parallel with the current record for two to four weeks and compare.
- 4Set alarm thresholds with the operations team, not before.
- 5Only then extend to other areas.
With sensor data in one place, industrial artificial intelligence can cross temperature, vibration and energy with production and alert before a variation turns into a problem.
How it looks in the app
The sensor alerts. The shift sees it in the app.
When a variable goes out of range, the alert reaches the area chat with the value and the sensor that measured it. A person decides what to do.
- Alerts with the source: which sensor, which value, what time.
- Sensors are part of the Enterprise plan, with Edge in the plant.
- You start free with the app and add sensors later.
Free app in early access. Web available; Android and iOS coming soon.
PLANT · SHIFT B
Tasks
Luis · maintenance
OVERDUE
Sugar silo 1
No signal since 05:40
Sensor · supplyTODAY
M-204 vibration
4.1 mm/s, above normal
Detected by the sensorPROPOSED
Check the capper
14 badly seated lids since 08:30
AcceptDismiss
HomeTasksChatMore
Guides
Related guides
Industrial IoT platformWhere data from the plant’s IoT devices lands.Industrial vibration sensorsHow to go from the signal to a maintenance decision.Temperature in cold roomsData logger or continuous monitoring, where to place sensors and how to calibrate.Predictive maintenance with IoTWhich variables to measure to anticipate failures.IoT monitoring architectureHow data travels from the sensor to the system.Traceability systemWhich plant records can be captured automatically.Industrial artificial intelligenceWhat AI does with sensor data.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is industrial instrumentation?
It is the set of sensors, transmitters and instruments that measure process variables (temperature, pressure, flow, level, vibration, energy) and deliver that measurement to plant control. An industrial IoT sensor is instrumentation that also publishes its data so systems and people can read it, not just the PLC.
What is an industrial IoT sensor?
An industrial IoT sensor measures a physical variable in the plant (temperature, vibration, current, pressure, count) and sends the reading over a network to a system that stores it, relates it to the operation and alerts when something goes out of range. What sets it apart from a traditional sensor is not the sensing element, but that the data arrives on its own, time-stamped, without anyone writing it down.
Which IoT sensors are most used in a plant?
Temperature (cold rooms and processes), vibration (motors and pumps), energy per phase (switchboards and equipment), pressure and flow (compressed air, water, steam) and production counting. It pays to start with the variable that is written down by hand today or that drives a costly decision.
Do the sensors the plant already has need replacing?
No. Many sensors are already connected to a PLC; in that case the data is read from the PLC without changing its program. New sensors are only added where there is no measurement today.
Do IoT sensors need internet?
Not to measure. Sensors send their readings to an Edge unit inside the plant that stores them and raises alarms even if the internet goes down. The outside connection is used for the app, reports and syncing.
How accurate is an IoT temperature sensor?
It depends more on calibration than on the sensor. In an IQF tunnel, iGromi measures temperature checked against a reference with a 0.05 °C difference. For an audit, what matters is being able to show which reference it was calibrated against and when.
Every shift without a record is data you lose. Start free.
- 1Request early access, free
- 2Pick your trade: maintenance, production or safety
- 3Your team starts with the chat and its trade helper
No credit card. Your data stays yours.
PLANT · SHIFT B
Tasks
Luis · maintenance
OVERDUE
Sugar silo 1
No signal since 05:40
Sensor · supplyTODAY
M-204 vibration
4.1 mm/s, above normal
Detected by the sensorPROPOSED
Check the capper
14 badly seated lids since 08:30
AcceptDismiss
HomeTasksChatMore